Temporary Litter Box Location ?

[moneekw]

We plan on confining the 2 kitties to two large rooms for a bit while they adjust to their new home here. I was going to put a litter box in each room during this stage (one small and one is a large, high-sided clear plastic container). BUT..one of those rooms is my kitchen where I do not want to have a permanent litter box!
Will it be an issue to change the location of that box in a few weeks or should I just place two in the other room on opposite ends? I want them to be able to easily get to box while they're adjusting but I also don't want to confuse them by moving the box out of the kitchen at some point. Either way, I don't want to set them up for any issues.

It's quite possible that I'm over-thinking this, huh?

 

[prairiepanda]

If you're planning to cut it down to just one litter box, you can gradually move the temporary one a little bit each day until it's right next to the other box, then remove it. That way it's a slow adjustment period for the cats.

Most cats really don't have any issue with a change in their litter location, but for the few who do have issues it can mean a lot of messes and stress for both you and the cat if the change is too sudden! So I like to play it safe.

 

[moneekw]

Thank you! We will ultimately have at least three litter boxes in the house. I was just concerned about moving the one from the kitchen.
I appreciate your help.

 

[rubysmama]

These are new cats to your home, right? Not new home for your current cats?

Here's a couple TCS articles that maybe helpful:
The Litterbox: What Every Cat Owner Needs To Know
Litter Box Location Secrets
The 10 Most Common Litterbox Mistakes Cat Owners Make

 

[moneekw]

Rubysmama, Yes, they are our newly adopted Siamese kittens. We pick them up from the shelter next weekend. We do not currently have any pets.
Thank you for the links- very helpful!

 

[rubysmama]

Well, congratulations on your pending cat "parenthood".

I hope you'll come back and post pictures of them once they are home. We have a New Cats on the Block just for newbies.

Here's a few more TCS articles that may be helpful:
First-time Cat Owner's Guide
New Cat Checklist: What You Need To Get Before Bringing Kitty Home
Bringing Home A New Cat - The Complete Guide
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home

 

[duckpond]

Congratulations on the new kittens! and yes, please do post photos when you get them home
I have 4 cats, and 5 boxes, i move them around to different rooms depending on if we have company staying over, or what ever reason. Has never been a problem with my guys.

I might not move them for a month or two, until they are very comfortable with you guys and their new home

 

[Tobermory]

I had a litter box in the half bath on the main floor because my super senior kitty couldn’t make it to the lower level where I kept two additional litter boxes that my others used. (Of course, the other cats would often use the half bath box because they were lazy.) After Max crossed the Bridge last summer at age 20, I took “his” box out and moved it downstairs. For about a week, the girls would sit in the doorway of the bathroom and stare at the corner where the box used to be. But then they’d give up and go downstairs. We never had any mishaps. I did scrub the floor and walls thoroughly to get rid of any residual smell.

It’s been a very long time since I had kittens, but I think the main thing is that the little ones sometimes forget where the boxes are if they’re in another room. Or they get confused or can’t wait. Having more around the house initially is good. But once they’re older, they should be pretty adaptable about placement. I have two boxes in one room (opposite sides of the room) and one in a walk in shower in a bathroom that’s rarely used, all downstairs. The humans and cats all hang out primarily on the main/upper level.