New Cat & Litter Box Placement

pippen

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I'm hoping to bring a sweet 1 year old neutered male home from the shelter in the next couple of days. (There's been a delay because right as I was submitting my application he contacted a cold so we're not even able to see him.)  My only experience with being a cat owner as an adult was with a 1 week old kitten in from the backyard--and the 11 happy years that followed. But I've never introduced a new adult cat who has lived elsewhere into our home.

I've been reading here and elsewhere that it's best to confine a new cat to a smaller area of the home, and I'm trying to figure out what would work out best for our situation. In the end the litter box needs to go downstairs in the laundry room, but I don't think that's the best place to confine a new cat. The washer and dryer and furnace are noisy, plus it gets walk-thru traffic but isn't a place where us humans hang out. We kept our kitten mostly confined to the kitchen at first, then added the living room/hall when he was able to breach the blockade, and eventually gave him access to the whole house. When I got tired of having the litter box in the kitchen I picked it up and moved it to the downstairs laundry room, showed him where it was, and he adjusted seamlessly. 

The thought of having a litter box in my kitchen for any longer than a few days is not sitting well with me. The bathroom might be another possibility, but it's a small room and he's a big cat who will need a big, tall litter box. 

Any advice on this, or anything else I need to think through in advance? Am I just overthinking this?  There are no other pets in the home. 
 

jcat

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If he's already a year old you won't have to do a lot of kitten-proofing, and if he's self-confident and litter-trained, he may not need confining at all. Our last cat was 10 weeks old when we got him, and his confinement only lasted one night - he was ready to explore! Our current cat came to us at 9 months and had full run of the house from Day One. It's absolutely something you have to play by ear. Some people find a bedroom best for early confinement if the cat is very nervous/timid, as it allows the cat to explore a bit while you're elsewhere in the house and get used to your presence when you're asleep = non-threatening.

A laundry room isn't ideal due to the noise of the washer, dryer, furnace, etc., which could cause litterbox avoidance, so it's definitely not a great spot to start him off in.
 
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cocobutterfly

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Don't put his litter box in a noisy laundry room. At the least put it in the bathroom and let him have a little dignity and peace when he's relieving himself. He's now part of your family and your home, so I think he deserves that. I've written extensively on this topic and you're welcome to go look at all my past posts about a cat we adopted who was extremely litter picky, litter box picky, location picky, just a nervous nelly in general.

We had to test every litter, litter box and location of the house for her to choose her favorite. The selfish humans in us said we can't have a litter box in our family room near our sofa, next to the kitchen but that's the location she chose and liked the best. She even had a guest bathroom all to herself, but she didn't like it. Maybe something about the remote location and the cold tiles made her nervous. The only thing we're certain about is that she started exclusively using the litter box in the family room which was close to the epicenter of her family, her play time and in view of the kitchen where she eats. She found comfort in all those elements. We bought a nice walnut sideboard from Room and Board to sort of make the litter box blend into the furniture and surroundings, but that litter box is staying where she wants it to stay.

Keep in mind that using the litter box is a very important activity for cats. It's right up there with eating. So for us, we were not about to take that simple pleasure away from her because of human vanity. Also, if your cat is healthy, neutered and eats a quality diet, his litter business shouldn't smell at all. We never smell our cat's elimination. 

You'll need at least two litter boxes to rotate anyway. It'll just make your life easier when it's time for dumping out and cleaning. So my advice is that you put out a few in various parts of the house, and watch and see which one he chooses. He may start by using all of them, like our cat did, but I'm sure he'll have a preference. And when that's clear, you start putting away the others. 
 
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pippen

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Thanks all for you input. I called and unfortunately it's still going to be a few days before we can make a second visit. He's improving but is still in sick bay. I feel a little like an expectant mother!

I do appreciate your input, and differing perspectives. I would have never thought of the laundry room as not giving a cat dignity, because mine was so content with the arrangement. He frequently accompanied family members on trips to the laundry room, and would hop up on the washing machine, get a little petting, and then get a drink of running water from the utility sink (his favorite site for water). Sometimes he'd detour to his litter box and other times he'd busy himself with the very important work of slaying socks so he could haul them up and present them to me. It wasn't a place where he'd just hang out, but was definitely a place where he was comfortable and an area of the house he would visit with purpose. 

Thanks again for the perspectives. 
 

cocobutterfly

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If he ends up being happy going in the laundry room, by all means, let him do his business there. My point is that, you should let him choose which location he prefers. For new cats in a new environment, a laundry room next to a noisy furnace can be rather uncomfortable. But, like humans, every cat is different. They have different temperaments and preferences.
 
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pippen

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We brought our new boy home tonight and it was clear right away that the basement and laundry area were just too overwhelming. Too much to explore, plus he's going to be getting into things my old buddy hadn't thought of in years so I need to give it a good lookover before giving him full access.

I put the baby gate up to confine him to upstairs, shut the bedroom doors, and put the litter box in the bathroom. Within 30 minutes he christened it, so we're off to a good start. 

Thanks again everyone for taking the time to give me your input. 
 

cocobutterfly

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Congratulations! So happy the little guy is finally with his forever family!

 

kika the cat

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Our cat prefers to go outside and find loose loamy dirt or mulch in flower beds or planter areas. For this reason, her indoor litter box (a good size masonry tub from Home Depot) contains potting soil or fine mulch (whichever is cheaper, in season, or matches outdoor planters) and is kept in the garage. She'll use it at night or when it's too cold or rainy to go out. When it's time to change it gets dumped in large planter areas. It matches what's already there unlike conventional litter box material. Where do you dump that stuff anyway?
 
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