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Crazy cat ladies, come here!
Just kidding, you're not really crazy.
I've never been a huge fan of cats. Then, my sister rescued one from the engine of her car and he kind of captured the hearts of all those in my family. So, then I got to thinking that maybe cats aren't too bad. As long as they were just like Moto.
My mom and I went to the SPCA the other day to pick up an 8 year old Greyhound to keep my parents' 12 year old Greyhound company. And, before I knew it, not only was my mom leaving the shelter with a dog, but I was leaving with a cat (who could be a clone of Moto).
As much as I've always said I'm not a cat fan, she's pretty awesome. Buuut, what do I do about her litter box smell? It doesn't stink, I guess... it just smells. Is it something I'll get used to? I've been pretty spastic about keeping it clean - it's an automatic one (my mom had it in her attic from my other sister's old cat, so that was nice). It self-dumps (or whatever) and then I dump the bag thing every day, after I make sure there are no leftover clumps in the box. Is there a particular kind of litter I should use to help with smell? Right now, I've got Arm & Hammer something-or-other. Also, what do you feed them (food, obviously... but what kind)? And, where do you keep their food bowl? In the kitchen, in a bedroom, etc? At the moment, I've got her little box and her food and stuff in my office. I really want to put it all in the utility room, but I can't find anywhere to stick it.
Any other suggestions? FWIW, I feel really silly for asking all these questions, for some reason...
Re: Crazy cat ladies, come here!
When you say "litter smell," do you mean you can smell the urine (very pungent, ammonia-like), poo (uuuugggghhhh), or the actual litter?
How old is the cat?
As for where the food is in our house, we actually have a room dedicated to the cats' stuff. I know that isn't possible for everyone. We have a litter box in there, one in the laundry room, and one in my (hallway) bathroom.
I feed all my pets Blue Buffalo and they really like it. Their coats are shiny, eyes are bright, weight is stable, and poo is good (solid) for all but Anchovy, but that's just his stinky-boy ways. Wellness is also a good brand. Stay away from Science Diet and Iams. Whatever you end up getting, you might also get a small bag of whatever they had at the shelter, and mix the two together for awhile, changing the ratio to be more and more of the new food. It's less upsetting on their stomachs, as cats can have very picky digestive systems.
Congrats on your adoption! I expect pictures ASAP!
Congrats! And I agree with fuzzy, we need a pic!
We use Scoop Away litter. It seems to clump the best, but the smell isn't less strong than the others. We have our cats' bowls and litter box in one of the spare rooms. My mom and a couple of our friends have said they're surprised our house doesn't smell like a litter box, so maybe the litter isn't as strong as I think it is.
We feed our cats Taste of the Wild. It's really good quality and our cats seem to love it.
Kaylee & Cole 06.14.08
8/6/11 First 5k! OG&E Expo Run 34:47
9/3/11 Brookhaven Run 5k 34:18
9/17/11 Healthy Sooners Fun Run 5k 33:38
10/15/11 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 33:31
10/29/11 Monster Dash 5k 32:06 PR!
11/11/11 Veteran's Day Run 11k in Dallas 1:13:15 Instant PR!
1/28/12 Texas Half Marathon 2:38:03 Instant PR!
3/25/12 Earlywine Dash
What is it that you are smelling - the poop or the litter? The litter smell really drives me crazy too but according to my friends WHO BETTER NOT BE LYING TO ME the litter just smells 'fresh' - I just associate it with 'yuck' because it is the litter box. I have a box in our guest bedroom behind the bed and one in our garage as well. We used to have the box in our utility room but that is right by our dining room and it grossed me out. I think the utility room is a good place to put it. We have a cat door in the door leading to our garage, so the cats can access that box as well.
We are bad cat parents and feed our cats Iams. They have dry food available all day long. The dry food sits on our bar. Yup! Our bar - if it is on the floor Dash will eat it. We also feed our cats soft food twice a day - in the morning and for dinner. I fed my old cat this zsa zsa food my vet recommended and lo and behold, it caused him major health problems and as a result, he died, so I really don't buy into the whole zsa zsa expensive food crap. My cat before him was fed Crave and he lived 22 years with no health issues until the end.
Congrats on your new kitty - so excited for you! Even though we have recently acquired a dog and I love her - I will *always* be a cat person. I just can't get enough of their soft fur, little purrs, and little kitty meows.
Oh - as far as litter - Target has this boots and barley brand for multiple cats - that is my favorite kind. Make sure you get the multiple cats kind (even if you don't have multiple cats) - the regular kind is yuck.