Hi All,
haven't been on this site for a while but I could really use some advice. I have 4 cats (mother +her 2 sons, and another male), all are adults and were outdoor cats until we moved a few weeks ago. They all used the "Open Air" self-cleaning litter box and the outdoors for years at our old house.
I know the move was a bit stressful--2 hr. drive, but once we arrived everything was set up for them. I kept them in the basement for 2 weeks. The litter box was in one room and feeding in another. At first there were 1 or 2 messes outside the box, a bit of diarrhea so totally understandable.
Diet was the same, litter the same, only difference was bottled water (as the new house is on a soft water system and I'm not sure it's good to drink). All are drinking (and shedding) a lot more than usual---I am assuming this is stress.
Last week I opened up the rest of the house to them. Things really started to go downhill. I was filing some papers in a bankers box--one male jumped in and peed all over the receipts, right in front of me. Since then he (Ithink it is only him doing this)has been peeing on and often pooing on everything that is on the floor---plastic garbage bags, blankets, towels, cardboard boxes etc.
I have ordered a second Open Air so there will always be a place to go even if there is a bit of a line-up---but I am not sure this is his problem.
I intend to keep them all indoors from now on. Could this be adding to the stress? This particular cat loved being outdoors even in winter.
Any advice would be much appreciated as this is getting to be horrible.
Thanks kindly
haven't been on this site for a while but I could really use some advice. I have 4 cats (mother +her 2 sons, and another male), all are adults and were outdoor cats until we moved a few weeks ago. They all used the "Open Air" self-cleaning litter box and the outdoors for years at our old house.
I know the move was a bit stressful--2 hr. drive, but once we arrived everything was set up for them. I kept them in the basement for 2 weeks. The litter box was in one room and feeding in another. At first there were 1 or 2 messes outside the box, a bit of diarrhea so totally understandable.
Diet was the same, litter the same, only difference was bottled water (as the new house is on a soft water system and I'm not sure it's good to drink). All are drinking (and shedding) a lot more than usual---I am assuming this is stress.
Last week I opened up the rest of the house to them. Things really started to go downhill. I was filing some papers in a bankers box--one male jumped in and peed all over the receipts, right in front of me. Since then he (Ithink it is only him doing this)has been peeing on and often pooing on everything that is on the floor---plastic garbage bags, blankets, towels, cardboard boxes etc.
I have ordered a second Open Air so there will always be a place to go even if there is a bit of a line-up---but I am not sure this is his problem.
I intend to keep them all indoors from now on. Could this be adding to the stress? This particular cat loved being outdoors even in winter.
Any advice would be much appreciated as this is getting to be horrible.
Thanks kindly