I am constantly telling people who have litter box issues with kittens to put more litter boxes down because frankly kittens do not have a heck of a lot of control when it comes to that sort of thing. I use the analogy of toilet training toddlers who play and play and then realize they have to go NOW!!.. and if they don't see a box they'll just go in the corner.
So when I have kittens, I put litter boxes on both sides of the room. The main boxes where they generally are and a smaller kitten box on the other side. Sometimes with kittens with out mothers I put boxes on every wall in the room ( and it is NOT that big of a room!!)
Apparently with this crew I should have put down another box.. or two.
Three days ago I found some pee and poop in the corner.. the ONE corner of the entire room not covered in easily wipe-able linoleum. I rolled my eyes and cleaned it thinking if that was my only issue, I wasn't going to complain.
Two days ago when I was scooping the box I noticed that someone peed on the tray I put under a couple of the litter boxes.. Makes it easier to pull in and out of the box I use to try to contain the litter..
My litter box box.. |
Bug in front of the cat cage. |
LAST night opened my eyes to the fact these kittens were NOT as well trained as I had hoped. I was sitting down there giving love and attention to the kittens. Minerva was in a state and was wound up quite a bit. I was doing my best to placate her and give lovin to the kits who wanted it. In a slow moment I heard scraping under me. My brain wondered why a kitten would be pawing at the ground, so I got up and looked, and was ever so annoyed. There were five different piles of poop.. Several were quite old. arrgh.
So, now how am I supposed to move the futon and clean this up with the bleach water I had with five VERY curious kittens and a mother cat who was so wound up she got mad at ME when her claw got stuck in my shirt..
Had to lock the kittens up. Was my only option. So I rounded them all up and stuck them in the carrier. They were NONE too happy about it and protested vigorously. I moved the futon and got down on my hands and knees (and of course I would find it while I'm wearing my black pants... ) Of course Minerva had to snoopervise. (rolls eyes) all the while the kittens were SCREAMING at me to let them out. (Minerva didn't care one little bit)
Took me a while ("Too Cute Kittens" was playing on the TV which seemed to have it's own kind of irony) but I got it all cleaned up and put the couch back. I leaned over and let the kittens out and everyone came tumbling out except Rory who stat in the back of the carrier. I clearly heard Minerva ask to play. I pulled out her favorite feather toy
She doesn't like to play with kittens around because she tends to fling herself in the air after the "bird" and doesn't want to land on kittens, so I locked them back up again. More screaming but it was totally ignored by Minerva and I did my best to not let it bug me.
She had a lot of fun flinging herself after the toy and it seemed to work out quite a bit of her frustration/excess energy. I knew she was done when she seemed to notice the kittens were screaming and went to the cage to sniff at it. As I was letting them out, she went behind the carrier and laid down. The kittens ran up her and started nursing.. all but Rory. He still sat in the cage. It was a little odd... so I reached in and pulled him out and gave him a cuddle and a kiss to make sure he was OK. He seemed to be so I put him down so he could go nurse too, but he didn't go over there but turned around and jumped back in my lap. I patted him and snuggled him and gave him another kiss and thought maybe he didn't notice that Minerva was nursing, so I brought him over there and put him down facing her. He took two steps toward where the kittens were all lined up nursing, realized he would have to fight his way in if he wanted anything. I saw him stop for a heartbeat... then turn around, and RAN RIGHT TO ME!! O.. M.. C.. it was the most adorable thing. He almost seemed to smile when he saw me..
So I gave him all the love and kisses he could stand. When Minerva was done nursing and the other kittens were out and about playing, he left..
awwww - getting some Rory love.
ReplyDeleteMom calls that "baby brain"....the we know where the box is but we have to go RIGHT NOW!! :)
Rory's a little heart-breaker, isn't he? I'd melt into a puddle of silly emotional goo all over the floor. :-)
ReplyDeleteLOL at the all the litter boxes issues, but only because I don't have to deal with it.
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ReplyDeleteOh what a little sweetheart Rory sounds... it's moments like those that make you forget all about the 'poop' and 'pee' mishaps (or at least forgive them!!) =^..^=
ReplyDeleteRory is such a little lover boy, he will be hypnotising humans forever now, winning their hearts and winning himself a forever home!
ReplyDeleteWell done Rory!
Oliver & Gerry