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View Full Version : Hmphf! The whole world is NOT your litter box!!


Sunny'sMeowmie
01-03-2007, 10:22 PM
We have three cats. Two are fix, the one isn't-that's Buddy, the male. They are in the garage and NEVER let outside. We can't have them in the house due to my Mom's severe allergies. We have a fireplace in the family room and the wall in the garage "behind" it is extended out. Sunny and Simba keep going under there, stay for a couple minutes, and then we smell this strong smell. They keep going to the bathroom under the wall (kinda a weird setup), plus they go other places in the garage. My Mom constantly bleaches it. My Dad is NOT happy about this at all. What can we do to stop it? Buddy's not the problem-we only catch Sunny and Simba.

alexgirl73
01-03-2007, 10:35 PM
Does the bleach your mum uses have ammonia in it, 'cause if it does then this will be whats attracting them to the same place to do the toilet. Also try putting their food bowls in that place. Cats dont like to eat where they toilet. Good luck!

yola
01-03-2007, 10:53 PM
You need to use an odour eliminator rather than bleach. A cat will return to spray/urinate on bleach as they use their smell to try to eradicate the smell of the bleach.

What about putting the litter tray there so they actually use that instead?

How big is your garage? Do the cats have some private space they can call their own? Maybe they're stressed if they need a corner to call their own but can't find one due to space constraints?

dandysmom
01-03-2007, 10:55 PM
Alex is right about the bleach! You didn't mention litter boxes...you do have them in the garage, don't you? Have you tried a different brand of litter? Is it a large garage with beds in it for them, and some toys and scratching posts?

Sunny'sMeowmie
02-03-2007, 11:43 PM
It's a large garage, yes. They have toys, etc. Their scratching post is our door drim and railing. :lol:

Yes we have the litterboxes, but where they are going, it would be hard to keep bringing it out to clean, etc.

The bleach is pure-no ammonia, but we'll look for the odor elminator. :)

alexgirl73
02-03-2007, 11:44 PM
Hope you manage to get it sorted. Cat wee is not a nice smell, lol!

Fran
02-03-2007, 11:49 PM
Do they have access to outdoors at all?

Sunny'sMeowmie
03-03-2007, 01:26 AM
No....It's NOT a nice smell at all. I actually prefer Windsong Perfume to "that". :lol: :lol:

No, they do not have access to the outside at all.

We'll manage to sort something out. Even if it means filling the WHOLE garage with litter...."*Message from cats: And We'd Have NO Problem Kicking The Dogs Out!!*".... :lol: :lol:

Fran
03-03-2007, 09:29 AM
No, they do not have access to the outside at all.

It's seems rather unusual that you keep your cats in the garage, with no outside access. I am assuming you don't spend all your time in the garage with them? and that they spend a lot of time on their own in there? The urine spreying could be behavourial due boredom and a yearning for more human intervention?

sammy
03-03-2007, 01:11 PM
Have to say, I was thinking the same thing Fran.

Don't wish to sound harsh, but not sure it's wise to have cats if they can't go in the house or outside......

dandysmom
03-03-2007, 05:19 PM
I've had the same thoughts as Fran and Sammy ....

Sunny'sMeowmie
05-03-2007, 04:16 AM
No, I'm not in the garage ALL the time. I have school. But I pay a lot of attention to them. School and animals are basically my life, so I know it's not boredom. The reason we don't let the cats loose outside is because of the dangers-we live in a rual area. We're a couple hundred feet off the road, but coyotes, stray/feral cats, raccoons, etc.

Tanya
05-03-2007, 08:35 PM
I would say the poor things are getting bored of being in a garage all day every day and are probably getting bored of one another, due to the fact they have no other room that they can have time away from each other.

Maybe change of scenery would help the cats?! Have you ever tried walking them on a harness?

dandysmom
05-03-2007, 08:39 PM
Excellent idea Tanya! I've harness-trained all but one of mine, most as kittens but one as an adult, and they loved it...change of scenery, new smells, etc! Good stimulation!

Rosie
07-03-2007, 12:09 PM
It's seems rather unusual that you keep your cats in the garage, with no outside access. I am assuming you don't spend all your time in the garage with them? and that they spend a lot of time on their own in there? The urine spreying could be behavourial due boredom and a yearning for more human intervention?

Totally agree cannot think of a worse way for a cat to spend its time. They need social interaction with people most of the time if they cannot go outside - surely?