Re: He used the litterbox!

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
 Marek Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> I have been adopting Old George, a longtime stray in the neighborhood.
> When I first met him he wouldn't let anyone near him, was almost
> feral. He has spent all his life living on handouts. I'm guessing he's
> about ten years old.
> 
> He was a wreck at first. Clumps of matted hair on his back so thick it
> had to be cut off. Runny eyes, body just skin and bones. Well, hair
> also. Come to think of it, way more hair than cat. It has taken me
> about three months, but he now loves to be petted, likes to come
> inside, and really appreciates having a home. 
> 
> But having lived all his life outdoors as a stray, it does not occur
> to him that he can't just go wherever he happens to be when nature
> calls. He spends most of his time outdoors (he's learned about his
> kitty door), so the accidents in the house are not constant. Still,
> I've had to clean up an average of once a day. Unfortunately, I've
> never been able to catch him in the act, which makes disciplining him
> pretty hard.
> 
> I got some Cat Attract litter about ten days ago. He has ignored it,
> just as he has ignored all the previous litterboxes. But I formed a
> new plan that may be starting to work. My computer room is in the
> front of the house, and the kitchen is in the back. There is a natural
> walkway through the living room and dining room between the two. This
> walkway (mostly the living room part)  is the area he always poops and
> pees in, never anyplace else in the house. So I made up four
> litterboxes out of lids from cartons that paper came in (11 by 17 inch
> lids). I filled each with Cat Attract and used them to block the
> doorway from the dining room into the living room. He either has to
> leap over them or walk through them to get into the living room. For
> the past several days I have been watching him leap over them. But
> tonight there was a big wet clump in one of the boxes. He actually
> peed in one of them!
> 
> Well, I praised him and petted him and all that stuff, but I'm sure he
> has no idea what all the fuss was about -- it was too long since he
> did it. He's pretty smart about things like figuring out where his
> dinner is, but I don't think his furry little brain can stretch to
> abstract thoughts about elimination.
> 
> I can't believe I'm actually excited about cat pee. 

When he leaves poop around, I suggest relocating the poop to the litter 
box.

But great progress!  You know about the journey of a thousand miles?  
That single step has been taken.

Priscilla