Lights off or on?

[ashleys1215]

I have a recently rescued mother with three nursing kittens. She’s friendly with a slow approach but protective and aggressive when she hears/smells other cats. I have four resident cats and mom and babies are contained to a bathroom but she gets agitated when she hears them through the door. She’s not using a litter box and will only pee on puppy pads. I have the option of leaving a single light bulb on, or turning off the lights and having a night light. I’m not sure whether she will be less stressed if she can see more easily or if the darkness will make her feel safer. Thoughts?

 

[maggie101]

If this is her first night, single light bulb. Can you put a box in the bathroom?

 

[ashleys1215]

If this is her first night, single light bulb. Can you put a box in the bathroom?

She’s been with me three nights. She has multiple boxes in there. Various kinds of litter. She’s been peeing and pooping in the bathtub where I set up a nest and food for her and the babies. I even went so far as putting a litter box inside the tub in case she didn’t want to leave the babies. She just peed around it.

 

[fionasmom]

I had this happen with the sister of my avatar; both were born feral and later adopted by me. The sister had never used dirt to eliminate outside as they were born in a very dense urban area. She had just been using concrete in an alley. When I brought them in, she refused to use a litter box, did a couple secret pees in corners, and I put a litterbox with a pee pad in one of those corners which immediately attracted her. She did not use standard litter for about a year, but has now completely transitioned.

 

[ashleys1215]

I had this happen with the sister of my avatar; both were born feral and later adopted by me. The sister had never used dirt to eliminate outside as they were born in a very dense urban area. She had just been using concrete in an alley. When I brought them in, she refused to use a litter box, did a couple secret pees in corners, and I put a litterbox with a pee pad in one of those corners which immediately attracted her. She did not use standard litter for about a year, but has now completely transitioned.

Thanks for sharing! I’d honestly be fine with the pee pads in a litter box if she would step in and use them! I tried this method last night and she has yet to pee after 24 hours.