Adventures of Chloe and Oscar: Litter Box Wars
Cats are wonderful companions to have especially if you are a student like me and have a schedule where certain evenings have to be devoted to class. I love that cats are independent but still affectionate so I can leave them to their own devices when I have class and know that they will be fine. They also happen to be the best snuggle-buddies. However, they require a different type of care when it comes to bathroom habits and training.
I thought that after having them for 6 years that litter box habits would improve with age. Totally not the case for my two feline companions. They use the designated areas and I’ve never had an incident where they’ve chosen another area of my apartment to do their business. However, they excel in making the biggest messes despite their particular nature. If I’m being completely honest, cleaning out their litter boxes is probably my least favorite part of being a pet owner. I can deal with injury, sickness, and cat puke…. But the litter box still gets me. I thought by having two litter boxes for my two cats would be more convenient for them. I use non-scented scoopable cat litter and clean out their litter boxes daily and change the litter box liner weekly so that they feel like they have a nice clean space. I still remember thinking “they’ll have options”. However, now I’m not so sure they can handle the responsibility.
One day, I came home to find that one of the litter boxes got flipped on its side… contents of the litter box had spilled out. It was fresh litter and the same brand I’d been using, and a fresh liner, too. This is the second time it’s happened but I’ve never been home to catch them in the act.
Living in an apartment, my biggest concern is having contents of the litter box ruin the carpet so finding a litter box knocked over was truly a panic inducing moment. I kept thinking “How can I keep these (precious) hooligans from ruining the carpet when I’m not here to immediately clean up their mess”? Then my mom shared something she had been doing for their pets and it has been a game changer in what I’m calling “The Litter Box Wars”.
Now, in addition to scooping the litter box daily and changing the litter box liner weekly, I also keep
the carpet in their area covered by some sort of barrier that would ensure that nothing got to the carpet if they decided to kick litter out or dump the box again. However, trash bags and mats can only go so far. That’s when my mom suggested using puppy training pads as an additional barrier under the litter boxes. Absolutely genius. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense! They are absorbent and if there is ever a situation where something needs to be absorbed, they would get the job done. So far they’ve been perfect and I’m happy to report that the “Litter Box Wars”, are coming to a close. Chloe and Oscar can continue with their daily routine of watching birds, taking naps and presenting good arguments for cat treats.
I have two cats that I rescued from a local shelter in my community. Their names are Chloe(6) and Oscar(true age unknown but at least 11 or 12). They can be very photogenic when the opportunity presents itself or when treats are involved.
Be sure to check out all of the amazing animals that Texas Humane Heroes has up for adoption and their upcoming events!