MOVING....with pumpkin.

OK, here's the dilemna..

I've lived with my cat for over 3yrs in the same small 550sq ft condo in the downtown core of a city. NOW, I've purchased a 3level townhome. The cat
litter will be in the garage (which is attached to home via 1 door). I will be installing a cat door BUT the risk is... when parking a vehicle in the garage and opening it up with the garage door opener. Will it scare the cat so much that she will either run through the cat door into the house OR run out into the yard/road?!! any other suggestions?

Also, with this move to the townhome, I will be living with my fiancee with whom the cat hasn't completely warmed up to.

I'm scared that the cat might run away.. what is the best way to deal with this???

I think I would be hard pressed to come up with a worst place than a garage for the litter box. Being scared by the door going up and down and by cars coming and going could cause litter box avoidance. And of course there is nothing to keep the cat from escaping through the open door.

Can't you have it in the house someplace???? If you could find a place for it in a 550 sq ft condo surely you can find a place for it in a 3 level townhouse.

I agree... do you have a basement or a spare bathroom or bedroom? You'd want to select a room to be the "kitty room" to begin with anyway in order to get the cat accustomed to the new big home more comfortably... In college, I lived in a tiny studio apartment with Oliver (ummm, I think only 400 some sq feet)... I had his litter box in the utility closet where the AC unit and hot water heater were... so even if you've got room in a closet, that'd be better than the garage - since graduating, we're back with my parents, so there's a box in my room and a box in the basement... plus, having in it the garage will give your cat the opportunity to climb on/hide in your cars which could cause some big problems

IMO its risky to be putting the litter box in the garage if you are pulling a car in and out. The chances are great that the cat will either get run over or escape. I'd find a place IN the house to keep the cat and the litter pan and not let him outside.

My s-i-l kept the litter box in the garage, with a cat door. The cat wasn't a problem, but she ran over her dachshund. She doesn't deserve any pets.

The garage for your best friend/baby? Whose idea was that?

Do you really hate cat litter box that much?

For one not only do you run the risk of the cat climbing under the hood of your car (and chopping it up when you start the car), but even if the cat didn't climb up in there. The most amount of exhaust (carbon monoxide and other pollutants) are at their most when you first start the vehicle. that said those pollutants can get into the cat litter and can be licked off by your cat.

Surelly in a 3 level condo you have a spare room or back foyer or someplace.