Crate Training My Cat

[Not Jackson Galaxy]

She's had unsupervised access to bedroom and adjoining bathroom today. Peed in the bath. I'm considering another vet trip.

 

[rubysmama]

Probably can't hurt, at least to get their opinion / suggestions.

 

[sunny578]

Oh geez So it's just the bath tub that's the issue now? I feel like this is a common issue with cats. They should make mini tub toilets for cats! That would be cool.

Keep us updated and good luck!

 

[Not Jackson Galaxy]

Hello, well we haven't had any more accidents! She's been confined to the crate overnight and had free access to the bedroom and bathroom during the day. She takes herself to the crate sometimes in the evening too. Weirdo. I would be letting her out into the house but we're having some work done in the house and I don't want to freak her out.

Anyway, I feel as if we may have some progress. Fingers crossed.

 

[stephmnichols]

Maybe you could put an extra litter box IN the tub for now? Maybe she will use it in there, and once she's used to that you could slowly move the box out of the tub and further away, closer to the spot you'd have her litter box regularly.

 

[sunny578]

That's so great!!!!

 

[Not Jackson Galaxy]

Hello, so mini update. She's been out of the crate 24/7 since the weekend. She has chosen to use her box, I suspect the sink sometimes too but so far not the floor which is a major major major win. Last night I removed the whole crate except for the bottom tray with the litter box in and she used the box overnight too.

She is still confined to the bedroom but the works on the house should be completed by Monday so then i'll switch all the Feliway diffusers on, i'll use the Feliway spray as well and I may put a bowl of food on the door mat area - anything to prevent her urinating by the front door. She has a scratching post in the hallway too. Any thoughts on that situation are welcomed!

 

[stephmnichols]

Awesome!! Keep us updated please I may have to resort to crate training Maui pretty soon and I’ve found this thread so helpful!

 

[Not Jackson Galaxy]

Hello hello. I'm really happy with her progress so far. The crate is completely gone now and she is choosing to wee and poo in the same box (always been separate boxes before). She has weed in the bath but only once this week which is very manageable for me. I am amazed every time that I see she hasn't used the old hot spots on the floor! So good.

The works on the house should be finished by the end of today but i'll probably give her a few days (I think the bedroom is a huge comfort zone for her), let the dust settle, have the Feliway diffusers going, before I give her supervised access to the rest of the house. She is not looking interested in leaving the bedroom anyway.

 

[sunny578]

That's so wonderful!! I'm so happy for you!!!

 

[Not Jackson Galaxy]

Spoke too soon. She peed on the floor (and in the bath) overnight for the first time since we started this process.

 

[rubysmama]

 

[Not Jackson Galaxy]

I'm not giving up yet. My wonderful fellow crazy cat lady colleague has had a good long chat with me. I realised that it is possible that the building work in the house has stressed her out because it has been noisy recently (finally finished now!) I think I will crate her again for a little while and give her wet food and anti cystitis supplements.

 

[sunny578]

I have to put my cat in her LB twice a day now and we are down to one accident a month. Things aren't as good as when I started, but at least this is manageable for me.

I bet the cat lady is right! Good luck!!

 

[Not Jackson Galaxy]

Hello, so this week I crated her overnight twice, unsupervised bedroom access the rest of the time and she's consistently peed in the box. I suppose we should graduate to supervised access to the rest of the house now all the works are finished. But i'm scared!

I'm throwing everything I can think of to prevent her peeing by the front door:
Wet food with added water and cystitis prevention capsules (in the same spot I always feed her)
Food by the front door
Scratching post in hallway
Scratching box in hallway
Litter box in hallway?
Sweat towel (that she has been sitting on) in hallway
Feliway diffuser has been plugged in all week
I might spray the Feliway spray by the door too

It might sound like overkill but it is quite a big hallway (for the UK) (the word hallway has lost all meaning now i've said it so much) and we have JUST put down brand new wood flooring (£7K, hall + living/dining area) because she ruined the carpet down there and i'm desperate for her not to pee by the front door again.
She won't get much access this weekend because we're busy and during the week we work obviously but little bits at a time seems ok to me.

ANYTHING i've not thought of, please suggest it!

 

[rubysmama]

Hmmm... not sure about the sweat towel. Sometimes cats pee on soft material like bedding, clothes left on the floor, etc.

Is there any way to block her from the hallway until she's shown she'll continue to use the litter box(es) while having unsupervised access to the entire house?

 

[Not Jackson Galaxy]

Yes I see what you mean. I was hoping it would act as a 'scent soaker' and help her have more things that smell like her to make her feel comfortable.

I could block the hallway. What I found before (with the carpet that she had weed on. I had tried to remove the scent but you know how hard it is, you never know if it's all out) was that she just peed at the barrier, or on the stairs next to the hall.

 

[rubysmama]

I guess maybe at this point, go with your gut. But do whatever you can to protect your new flooring. Good luck.

 

[Not Jackson Galaxy]

She has had supervised access for a few hours on Saturday and today (Monday) evening. She has had a sniff of the hallway. Ate from the bowl by the door, sat on her scratching post in the hall and sat on the sweat towel near the door. No squatting....yet....
We shall continue.

 

[sunny578]

Woo hoo! I bet you are sweating over there--I know that feeling. Good luck! Truly excited for your progress!