Keeping the dogs from the litterbox?

Well, this was never a problem until recently... Before I don't know if my dogs had ever even SEEN a litterbox. We always had the litterbox put in the upstairs, where there are two doors between it and the dogs. The cat can access it through 2 cat doors but the dogs couldn't get near it. The problem is Sneakers did not like this arrangement unlike our last cat, and she started using the bathtub on the main floor as a litterbox. So I had to put a litterbox in the main floor as well as upstairs. Since then she hasn't used the bathtub but I caught my dogs eating out of the litterbox several times! Ugh.
I can't figure out how to keep the dogs out of it. The only place with room for a litterbox is in the dining room. I got a covered box and put it in a corner under the table and tried making basically an 'obstacle course' to get to it by putting a lot of boxes and stuff to try to block the dogs, but that didn't work. One problem is my terrier is only a little bigger than Sneakers the cat and the cat is not very athletic AT ALL (she's older and overweight) so where Sneakers can go usually Pooch the dog can go! Anyone have advice on how to keep the dogs out of it?

Could you put the litterbox up on a table in the corner of the room, where it wouldn't be accessible to the terrier? Have you looked at the Booda Dome with steps? Or would it be possible to put a litterbox in one of these, with only your cat having the magnetic key? http://www.nekofeeder.com/

What size dog are we talking about?

You can make a big wooden box that has a hole in the top where the cat climbs down to the litter box inside. Hindged top to open and clean it.

We have a covered box on the other side of the basement. Keno's a lab and (1) she's too big to get her face in the box and (2) she has been taught that she is NEVER allowed in that section of the basement. She will not cross the doorway no matter who or what's over there.

I have a dog that gets into our cat's boxes too.

I basically have to follow my cats around with the poopy scooper thing for their litter box, and scoop it before it's even hit the litter yet.

One dog is 23 lbs, the other is 63... The problem is my cat is older and large (14 lbs big cat) and she can't or won't do a lot of jumping so it is very hard to find something she can get into that the athletic terrier can not. For example she would not be able to jump into/out of a box with the opening on the top.
I actually thought of making some type of box with one of those magnetic cat doors but I never saw that nekofeeder! That would be a lot easier if I could buy that instead of trying to make something myself...hmm I wonder how expensive those are.

we put a chair by the cat's litterboxes so the pups can't get to it.

Originally Posted by Nekochan

One dog is 23 lbs, the other is 63... The problem is my cat is older and large (14 lbs big cat) and she can't or won't do a lot of jumping so it is very hard to find something she can get into that the athletic terrier can not. For example she would not be able to jump into/out of a box with the opening on the top.
I actually thought of making some type of box with one of those magnetic cat doors but I never saw that nekofeeder! That would be a lot easier if I could buy that instead of trying to make something myself...hmm I wonder how expensive those are.

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They'd probably be cheapest if you bought just the front part, and bought a carrier (Used?) elsewhere. I haven't tried them, but I think they're a brilliant idea.

Can you try a baby gate around part of it? Is the little dog and the cat the same size?

I have to baby gate our stairs, because other wise I have 2 dogs that are NOTORIOUS for eating kitty poop!!!! I have never totally understood why dogs do this.

The smaller dog is only slightly larger than the cat, so a lot of things I've tried he can still get through... Sneakers (cat) cannot jump a babygate so I can't totally gate off the litterbox because then the cat won't be able to reach it either! We have a babygate in the kitchen and when she gets stuck on the wrong side of it she's just stuck there... :/

Maybe you could make a tunnel that attaches to the front of the litterbox? with clips of something (maybe those cheap little screw in hooks and eyes?) so it comes off easily for cleaning. Maybe a wooden or plastic frame, with a lighweight, light colored nylon covering over the top and sides, so it wouldn't be dark, but the dog may not go in there if he can't just stick his head in and steal stuff out... Just a thought...Maybe even put a corner turn in it or make it a u turn...I'm brainstorming-LOL!

When our puppy was smaller though we used a shorter baby gate (Walmart sells them for like $9) and put storage bins on both sides for the heavier cats to make it over without having to jump very high/far. Might work for your smaller dog if they didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t like to climb on things?

We are using this now since she is bigger and really like it (though we need her to get a little bigger before we can leave the cat door open): http://www.petsmart.com/global/produ...sText=gate&N=2

Cool gate! I've got 2 pressure mounted walk through gates, but mine don't have the pet door- with my luck, though, my kid would have figured out how to get her head stuck in it...

Hmmm though- is there enough of a size difference that you could make a shorter (like the length of the dog's head and neck-LOL) tunnel, with the entrance end to it that would just be wide enough for the cat? When I had my gate, the fat cats had to go over, while the smaller ones went through...

Thanks for all the ideas! I think that 'nekofeeder' is too expensive for now but I am going to look into maybe getting one of those magnetic key pet doors... In the meantime I'm going to give that tunnel idea a try, although since the smaller dog is a terrier we'll see if it works! (terrier=tunnelling dogs!)

Isn't it funny what grosses us humans out? I finally gave up ever trying to keep my dog out of the litter box, he considered it the diner. I just told my wife to develop a new attitude; this just is not gross to a dog, it is normal. And besides, I didn't have to clean the litter box as much. My vet told me not to worry about it and from that day on I never did. And everybody was happy, especially Rocky the dog. I just never let Rocky lick me in the face again. And of course Rocky was always smelling the cats you know where and I just kept telling my grossed out wife to stop trying to assign human values to dogs, you just cannot do it. It worked for me! (But not for her.)

My dog is a therapy dog and visits people in hospitals...sometimes she licks them. I am afraid she may tranfer something from the cat litter to the people she visits...plus I know that clumping litter is not safe to eat.

With regards to your cat not being able to jump over a gate - you can keep the gate about 6 inches or so off the floor so he/she can climb under and not have to jump over.
Another suggestion would be to buy the Booda Dome which would definitely keep your dog(s) out but it has to be the one with the steps. Here is a link: http://www.catsplay.com/bci_683805.php3

Unfortunately dogs think kitty poop is a gourmet treat!

I saw that one at Petsmart the other day . It did look like a good idea, but you would probably need to put some bathtub nonslip strips on the stairs- they've got bumps, but they still looked a little slick for a kitty who has a bit of trouble getting around . -Thought about getting one of those myself- nothing quite like a Boxer who has been in the litterbox, and comes to see you with litter goo lace lining those big ol' floppy lips!