Need Advice

ldg

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Gary and I need some advice. I know I should post this in the Behaviour forum, but you guys are already familiar with our circumstances - living in the bus, etc.

Right now, Lazlo and Shelly share a litterbox. I know each cat is supposed to have its own, but we just don't have the space, and it's been working out just fine. We clean it several times a day, and that seems to work.

But now that we're going to have a third cat... supposedly on a temporary basis, but we still have to work the logistics!

Litterbox

Do you think we need to figure out where to put another litterbox? She's a teeny-weeny kitty right now, and we don't know how much bigger she'll get. Doc seems to think she'll always be pretty little. We have a travel-sized litter box that is just too small for Lazlo and Shelly. We could fit it under the dash in front of the driver's chair (it'd by right in front of the brake and accelerator pedals) - but unless it goes someplace we walk (i.e. the small stretch of floor in the "living room" or the small stretch of floor in the kitchen), that's the only place it fits! And a regular-sized box doesn't fit there.

???????

Bed

Laz and Shelly each have a bed - Lazlo's is on my "bedside" table, and Shelly's is on Gary's. I guess Munchie's should go on the floor next to one of us? Lazlo's "safe place" is the crate - and it is permanently located on Gary's side of the bed (meaning Gary can't walk over there, so he has to crawl over the bed to get out - not so great for his back but....)

Since Gary's side of the bed is already "gone" for practical purposes, should we stick it there? But then it'll be right in front of Lazlo's safe place. ...on the other hand, the "tube" Lazlo and Shelly play with/in is on my side of the bed. It only takes up 1/2 the length - but then her bed would be right in front of where they play.

???????

Miscellaneous

Lazlo and Shelly each have a box. They play in them and sleep in them. Should Munchie then have one of her own? The only place one more would fit is up on the dash. But then hers would be higher than Lazlo's and Shelly's. (Lazlo's is on the end of the couch - I use the rest of the couch as my work space. Shelly's is up on a storage chest next to the front door. There is no other surface or floor space available).

???????

I'm excited but nervous!

Laurie
 

valanhb

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Laurie I'm so happy that Munchkin is going to have a warm safe place to stay until you find a good furrever home for her. I kinda had a feeling that if nothing else worked out she would be with you.


I really only have advice on the litterbox issue. I would definitely give her another place to do her business.

Case in point: When we first brought Trent home, Ophelia had only been there for 2 days and wasn't even close to social with us. However, she stuck her ground for the one thing she could call her own - her litterbox. She wouldn't let him use it. Poor little guy ended up going on the bed because he just couldn't hold it any more. We finally figured it out when he went again on a pile of clothes that she wouldn't let him use her box. We weren't the brightest kitty parents at the time.
So, after a 3:00 a.m. run to the grocery store for a temporary box, all was good with our kitties. Now they share both boxes, but it did take a while for her to let him use her box.

Your boys are certainly going to stake their claim on things they view as "theirs". They will probably learn to share with their new in-house sister, but it will probably take some time.
 

hissy

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Hi Laurie!


I just saw this post. I remember when we were living in the motor home- Smudger's favorite place to hang out was in the compartment right above the driver and passenger seat. Mike ended up taking off one of the doors, and I found alternative places for the junk that was up there, spread out a blanket and Smudge would leap on the captain chair and jump into the space and just hang out there. Don't know if that is the same kind of set up you have or not?

We ended up putting the litter boxes in the bathroom and I just kept them very clean!

I think you are getting crowded there girl! LOL Pretty soon you and Gary are going to have to pitch a tent because your motor home is taken over by feral rescues! LOL
 
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