Relocating the litterbox

[Pixilated]

I don't know if this is in the right place, but ... we don't have a section titled "Aggravating Pets," LOL.

I'm going to move the litterbox from the spare bedroom down to the basement. What's the best way to do that, so as to avoid having the cats go, "Well, it used to be here, so I'll just piddle/poop on this spot anyway ..."? Should I bodily carry them downstairs and re-introduce them to the box in its new locale?

[Bright_Star]

U should have multiple litter boxes for a multiple cat household. I have 3 cats and 4 litter boxes.

[kpzra]

I just carried the cats to where the new litter box spot was. It's one huge covered box for two cats, I see no need to have more.

[Pixilated]

So far the one large hooded box is doing okay ... if I got any more cats I would certainly get another litterbox.

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll just haul them bodily down into the basement and show them its new home, LOL. It'll be close to the foot of the stairs so it shouldn't be an issue.

[Ellain]

If that doesn't work, you may need to move the box a few feet every day until you get it to its new spot. Also, it may be a good idea to temporarily put a small food dish where the box used to be, to discourage them from continuing to use that spot for potty needs. Some cats adjust to a change just fine, but some need to be eased into it.

[Pixilated]

Thanks, Ellain. It's not really feasible to move it a few feet a day but I'll see what I can do. The hallway's pretty narrow and the basement door is in the kitchen -- I'm not a particularly good housekeeper but I'd still rather not have the litterbox in the kitchen, LOL. I think I'll just shovel it through the kitchen and set it on the landing for a few days, and then take it downstairs.

That's a good idea about the food bowl! I'll give it a good scrub once the box is out of the room and then set up a feeding station there.

[PepperElf]

another idea... how about putting the box in the bathroom?
i ask just cos that's where we've always put litter boxes - the cats poop where we poop!

if that's not possible - i know not all bathrooms have the room for it - you may want to consider putting some plastic down where the box use to be until kitty gets use to it.


with my last cat, i had to move the box on him once and he pretty much just took a dump right where the old box use to be. thankfully though, as i noted above, the box was in the bathroom, so he pretty much pooped on tile, not carpet.

[taxguykarl]

We have two cats and three litterboxes. The litterboxes are in or near the human bathrooms.

[Aethian]

We always had one more litter box then cats.

[fireheart]

We always had one more litter box then cats.

I think we tried that. Problem was that the elder cat would stick his butt in ALL THREE OF THEM ANYWAY. It didn't matter if younger cat had done a wee in there, it was pretty much "OK, poop tray here. Sticking butt in it NAO."

Now they go outside...mostly. We've had a couple of incidents involving the cats weeing where they shouldn't lately.

[Aethian]

Fireheart, I don't know why that's a problem?

[Seshat]

Aethian: this may not be the case for all cats, but Seph (ElderlyCat, now dead) absolutely refused to use a tray which Shiro (Big White Cat) had used.

And he'd make a point of using every tray. Dunno why.


On the original topic: neither of our cats had any problem with us relocating litter trays; they just had to know where they were now.

[sms001]

What's the best way to do that, so as to avoid having the cats go, "Well, it used to be here, so I'll just piddle/poop on this spot anyway ..."?

A little late here. Hope the relocation went well. If you haven't moved it yet, do so with some waste in it, that is, don't clean it first. Odor is pretty important to animals and knowing that that's what that box is for by smell even though it's somewhere unfamiliar will help.

[fireheart]

Fireheart, I don't know why that's a problem?

Because younger cat is more picky about his poop tray. That's why.

He'd go to a tray and discover older cat has been in it.

I suspect that he's managed to pick his own dominance back up since he hasn't pooped around the house lately when I haven't been home. The same cant be said for the ouking though...

[Aethian]

Amazing things pets...I use to have a couple that were always together. If one was in the litter box there were times the other would hope right in too. Completely baring the fact that another box was downstairs or in another room.