Switching litter boxes?

Brady has settled in. In fact so well that he considers the guest room HIS. We don't mind that, sine the bed is not being used most of the time and it makes a good 'safe place' for him. My problem is that I want to reclaim the closet in that room.

After I had confined Brady to the room (long story, he was an escaped semi-feral on the lam for a month http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...21#post1334621 ), I put not one but two litter boxes in the closet. Aside from a couple of accidents and flinging the litter all to one side he is using them nicely. Long term I do not want the clsoet to be used as a cat bathroom though. There is another litter box in the hallway to the garage, and this is where we want to have it. Brady has been using that one too, I think only for pee and not for poo. I would really like to take the litter boxes out, remove the blanket that has been under them (when the litter slops over the box it carries the smell and I wanted to protect the carpet), vacuum and steam clean, also with enzymatic cleanser.

What is my best option? Remove one litter box at a time? Shut the door and go cold turkey? Oh one more problem I have is that I really want to have the box be hooded since I have two dogs.

Your cat may not like the covered box at all - many don't. And if my cat was used to using 2 boxes and used them consistently rather than the floor, my shoes, your bed, etc., I wouldn't ask him to change any time soon :-)! Is there a way to have two in that hallway? I am a bit confused though as you say there's one in the hall, and two in the closet - what's he using the third one for?

will two fit in the hall? how busy is the hall? sounds like your cat likes to poo in one box and pee in the other (mine does that) then i would start by spraying the old spot with an enzyme that kills odors and finally spray it with something citrus.

as for covering I would start with a screen around the box and see how your honey likes that and then advance to a cover. Abi has all types and seems pretty flexible about them except her definite preference is for the two large ones in an unused shower stall in the mail floor powder room.

I just wouldn't change cat litter types now, that might be too much change and you would asking for trouble.

Sorry, I guess that WAS a little confusing.
Our house is weird-most normal people have living room, dining room, kitchen bath on 1st floor and bedrooms maybe another bath on 2nd floor. We have one huge open area which is living room, kitchen, dining room and hallway (also a bar area with a wood stove!) on 1st floor plus 2 bredrooms (one is being used as an office) and one bathroom, downstairs is a hallway to the garage with two bedrooms (one is being used as a fitness room), one unfinished room which someday will be a bathroom.

The downstairs bedroom is supposed to be a guest bedroom. And we may well have guests during the holidays. There are two litter boxes in there now, because I was trying to get Brady to use a covered box. This is a HIGH priority because of the dogs. One is uncovered and one is covered. I even have a picture!
He has been pawing around the covered one but not really using it. But I think the reason is that there is still a type of litter in there that he does not like. While I was getting him used to being indoors I tried out a bunch of different litters only to learn that he likes the cheap stuff.
Anyway, the closet does kind of smell like a litter area so long term I don't want guests to have to smell it when they sleep. So yes, I kind of do want him to change before the holidays and the kids come home!

The hallway is tiny. There is a covered box there the size of a bathtub and Brady has been using it, heck I have even watched him go in and out so I think he is ok with it. But there is only room for one box. Right near there is a little eaves that goes under the stairway to the upstairs where we store stuff like emergency water, ski boots, camping gear. Brady has been going in there because that is where he is stashing his toys. I suppose I could put another box way in the back but you have to crawl in on your knees to get there. The hallway is not that busy. This was where we had the box with our last cat.

I was wondering what will happen if I just shut the door to the closet-will he use the other box or try to go elsewhere? He is very clean and really a great cat with no issues (aside from singing arias at 3AM )

Could you put a second box in the fitness room or the unfinished room, since he seems to prefer two boxes? If he's already using the covered box in the hallway, I'd just put a second covered box (with his preferred litter, of course) somewhere in the general area.

And he may not like the covered closet box because it smells too much inside - scents are stronger in covered boxes.

JCat, thanks, that was my "Plan B".
I don't know why people keep mentioning the covered box issue, Brady has been using it just fine. My problem is not whether or not he will use it, he will, My problem is that I need to get him to stop using the boxes in the closet and start using them elsewhere. He has been using the one in the hallway occasionally. What I want to know is what is likely to happen if I just close the closet door and offer litter boxes elsewhere.

Probably nothing, as long as he knows where the "new" litter boxes are. If you're really worried, you could scoop some of his waste from the "old" boxes into the new, but that's probably not necessary.
If he has an accident, try moving the "closet boxes" a few inches a day toward their final positions.

Well I did the dirty deed this weekend. Took the litter boxes out of the closet and put them into the future bathroom, vacuumed the closet and shut the door. Absolutely no problems. Thanks for your help!