Reply
Sun 29 Jun, 2014 04:37 pm
Is there a good reason?
I'm cat sitting a neighbors cat until July 6.
Dan's mom and dad happen to be visiting a nearby daughter from Wed until I think today. They said they would be staying at the house, so I wouldn't need to come by until they leave.
I thought maybe they left yesterday, as I didn't see their car. I called Dan, and he said yeah, I think they've probably left.
So I went over yesterday evening to feed Norange. He was sitting out on the front porch being VERY vocal about getting in and eating. He likes his food, but he sounded like he missed a meal. After I put down his food, checked his water, I went to check the litter box, even though I figured he'd been outside all day. The litter box wasn't in its usual place! I was puzzled what the parents had done with it.
I looked out the front door, and realized they had put the litter box out on the front porch. I thought "WTH? He doesn't need a box outside!" I dragged the box back to its ususal place indoors, since Norange was in for the night.
It wasn't until that moment that I realized their were some pieces of luggage in the dining room. Oh, they hadn't left yet, and were just out. I was thankful I made sure their car wasn't there, because while feeding Norange I was talking to him, saying "What? Didn't those stupid people feed you this morning?"
The car was gone this morning, so I walked over to feed poor Norange. I see the freaking litter box is out on the porch again! I just threw up my hands and went home.
I know they are gone for sure now. In an hour or 2 I'm going to go back to take care of my buddy.
I just hope he wasn't in the house all day without his box. He's really old now, and needs all his food and comforts.
Has anyone ever put the litter box outside, and if so, why?
@chai2,
Cats litter box outside!, never!.
I like to keep mine under the bed.
I once had a cat that lived for her litterbox. If you put her outside, she saved it up for the litterbox, no matter how long it took. I didn't think about putting it out there for her, but I think it's a great idea for some cats.
My cats don't even have a litter box -- they have a yard.
But I have had cats that had a litter box and I usually kept it on a covered porch.
I don't like indoor litter boxes.
@boomerang,
boom, were those cats indoor cats, but had access to the covered porch? Or did they go outside as well?
With 2 indoor cats, we keep 2 litter boxes, one in the mud room, the other across the hall in an open alcove. They get scooped out at least once a day.
I'd be afraid if the box was outside I'd forget to clean it.
@edgarblythe,
edgarblythe wrote:
I once had a cat that lived for her litterbox. If you put her outside, she saved it up for the litterbox, no matter how long it took.
Well, she was just the little diva, wasn't she?
@chai2,
She was a loving cat, but she stirred up the litter box all day long. Which is why I made her stay out a lot.
I've had cats outside with the door open. Some would come in to use the box. If you wash it and leave it outside in the air and sunshine, some well trained kitty would use it.
@chai2,
I have never had a strictly indoor pet.
I couldn't stand the strange perfume-y smell of the cat litter itself. I'm the same way with air fresheners. Really, any smell that smells like it's sole purpose is to cover another smell smells terrible to me. Cat litter technology has probably come a long way since then and I might be able to deal with it now but I'm glad I don't have to.
@boomerang,
FYI yeah litter is a lot different today.
You can get fragrence free, and good clumping litter really keeps the box a lot cleaner.
I know what you mean about aromas though. I hate air fresheners and perfumey stuff (although I were a perfume that suits me)
I keep a spray bottle of a water & vinegar solution for cleaning the counters. Works really well when sprayed in the air to get rid of odors. The vinegar smell goes away quickly.
Sounds like the parents were just cat-hating dicks who didn't want Norange or his litter box in the house
My cat (Muriel) waits until I have engaged my next door neighbour in conversation, then sneaks behind her and goes to the loo in her flower border.
Meanwhile, I have to think of loads of things to say until the cat has finished and wandered off.
I swear I hear the cat chuckling sometimes.
@chai2,
Putting a litter box is stupid. The whole reason you have a litter box is because the cat is indoors and needs a bathroom. Outside, cats did a hole and do their business -- there is no need for a litter box outdoors.
The only possible reason I can see - is that old Norange is so old that he is set in his ways and would only use a litter box. But I find that unlikely if Norange needed to go outside he would just go in nature, like any cat or other animal.
@Linkat,
Yeah, Norange is an experienced old veteran linkat. He's outside during the day, and in at night. He knows all about holes and bushes and such.
It's funny. Norange is a very gentle soul, and has a very small territory, which suits him fine. He stays on his side of the street, and he only goes as far as the driveway of the house to the east of him, to the driveway of our house, which is 2 houses west of his. He doesn't even go into backyards, except for his own. He's always been that way.
On the other hand, Belle, his housemate who is now in kitty heaven, was Dora the Explorer. She was in charge of both sides of the street, including the backyards of all the houses on either side. She had her fingers in everybodys pie.
@chai2,
Doh!, I am of course Chai.
I have no cat at the moment but I had a cat growing up, Sheba.
I loved that cat so much.
We didn't use a litter, she'd do her business out and about.
@eurocelticyankee,
Hey, you never know. Some people are that crazy.
We had a cat named Sheba too!
When I was a kid the next door neighbours promised to look after our cat Tim while we went on a weeks holiday, so we gave them the keys to our house.
When we got back the place was awash with stinking cat pee because they hadn't really made an effort, but luckily the cat was okay.
Later one of their toddlers pointed at Tim in our garden and said "bleddy cat", which she must have heard from her slovenly parents.
We didn't talk to them much after that.
The moral?- make sure you only let completely trustworthy people look after your pets
Problem is, you can never know for sure if the people you entrust your pet to are going to be any good, just ask poor Norange..
And there are even cases on Judge Judy where pet "carers" have messed up bigtime
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace