What have we done?!

We have a somewhat major problem in our house right now. Now, let me preface it by saying a few things. Our litter box and food/water for the cats is and has always been in the laundry room at opposite ends. Add to that, that Wickett LOVES to play in his litter box and he's scared of just about everything! He adjusts to some things but it's a slow and stressful process for him. So, the problem is that over the weekend we bought a chest freezer (which we've needed and wanted for some time) and because of space constraints, the cat's food was moved a few feet and the freezer went into the laundry room... which is through the kitchen. Now, Wickett won't even go into the kitchen with out slinking around as if the freezer will spring to life any minute to eat him! Thank gods we have 2 litter boxes because he will not even get close to the laundry room... even with bribes.

So, any suggestions on how to handle this? I feel bad that he can't eat with Frankie any more and no he's stuck using the smaller (less fun to dig in) litter box upstairs. We can move the freezer if absolutely necessary but we'd really rather not because of the complications it would cause. Any ideas of how we can get him to adjust to the freezer where it is? He would get close with catnip but was still very cautious.

I think moving it will just upset him more, and demonstrate to him that the new evil thing is capable of movement and could sneak up on him in his sleep!

I would suggest:
a) act completely normal. If you react to his fear even if it is to try to reassure him, it is just going to affirm to him that something is wrong and he does have something real to fear
b) make sure he has access to food and litter elsewhere while he adjusts
c) carry on with the catnip and have treats mysteriously appear in the vicinity of the freezer - even if he is too scared right now to get them himself he will see that the other cats aren't afraid to approach it
and d) new electrical goods release a smell that to a cat is very strong, so have a Feliway diffuser running nearby to help mask it with a more reassuring smell

I am sure that in time he will be ok, it's just a case of being patient.

Thanks! Yes, he seems a little braver already. It never occured to me that there would be a smell but I was going to pick up a new diffuser as soon as I can and/or perhaps some rescue remedy.

Awww poor kitty scared of the big scary freezer! Riley is very weird about new things in the apartment too.

I would put some of his favorite treats and toys near, or even on the freezer and anything else you can think of to entice him near it

Well, he's laying in the kitchen staring at the launrdy room as I type which is a step I think because it's a more curious psoture rather than suspicious. I've been laying threats leading in there a few times a day and today I'm going to get the feliway refill. I'll work on him more this weekend when I have time to get him playing around it.

Worse comes to worse feed him in the kitchen and everytime u do move the bowl a tiny step closer to the freezer within 3 days he will be so close to the freeer , he might MIGHT not even remember its there!
Jess x

Originally Posted by junior_j

Worse comes to worse feed him in the kitchen and everytime u do move the bowl a tiny step closer to the freezer within 3 days he will be so close to the freeer , he might MIGHT not even remember its there!
Jess x

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Fantastic idea, except a little hard for us to do because of the limited space. Any where else in the kitchen would be in the way and we'd be constantly tripping and kicking it. We're going to have another cat-nip party in the kitchen tonight... we'll see how close I can get it before he remembers.

LOL cats are soooooo funny sometimes. I'm sure in a few weeks he won't even remember his fear.