# blind cat owners

Category: Animal House

## Post 1 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Thursday, 25-Aug-2011 20:12:28

Hi:
I've had my cat Simon since mid April. He's 6 months old. My questions are: Do any of you have trouble letting your cats out being a blind owner? Simon has escaped twice in the past week, and he's usually an indoor cat. He's getting microchipped next week, and I've ordered him a collar and ID tag. Do most of you keep your cats indoors? And if they've escaped, and you've gotten them back, do they have problems staying inside? If you let them out, have you had problems with them being lost or stolen? I work, and leave Simon in, but am considering letting him out only when I'm home. Insight from other blind cat owners would be great.
Along the same lines, what toys does your cat like to play with when home alone? Simon probably sleeps when I'm gone, but I don't want him to get bored. Finally, do older cats play less, and are they more social? Simon's been around of lots of people, but I wanna make sure he's happy. I grew up with tons of cats, but have never owned one while living on my own.

## Post 2 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Friday, 26-Aug-2011 11:28:48

I've had many cats and have found that if you let them out, they'll want to go out more and more. So if you intend for your cat to be indoors, you need to try to keep him from escaping. Luckily I live with a sighted person, so if my current cat does escape on me, I do have someone to help find him because he does not often come back on his own. I get the feeling he stays nearby, but he just doesn't want to come in and seems to know I can't find him and grab him to bring him back in. Unfortunately, he has escaped early in the day a few times, and I've had to wait for my brother to come home from work if he has not come back in by then. One thing I do is to put him in the basement before going out my back door. He doesn't usually escape out the front door, but the back door is one of those sliding glass doors, and it's hard for me to get out or come in without accidentally letting him out. So if I intend to go out the back, I pretend I'm going to feed him which makes him come running, and then I pick him up and put him in the basement.
As for toys, I've noticed that cats seem to go through phases and change what there favorite toys are over time. They seem to always like boxes, so if you have any empty boxes you're not using, leave one out for him to play in. Also fuzzy toy mice seem to attract most cats, and of course there are all sorts of little balls for them to bat around.
Older cats do play less and sleep more. When you are home, you should try to engage an older cat in play as much as possible to keep them from gaining too much weight. One great toy for when you have time to play with your cat is called Da Bird. It has a variety of attachments, and you can buy it and its various attachments on amazon.com or any pet store.

## Post 3 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 26-Aug-2011 16:13:17

Hi. I don't currently own a cat, but I have owned several while living alone.
I pretty much agree with everything Becky said. The more a cat goes out, the more it wants out. In Shadow and Emma's case, they were strays before I adopted them. Well, rephrase. I think they were owned by people who treated them well, or they'd have been feral. But I think they did in fact escape their former owners, had a very hard time out on the streets because both were already declawed, and definitely saw their share of hardships before being picked up and taken to the shelter where I adopted them. Both were very malnourished when I got them, and Shadow had incurred several wounds which were healing. Neither of them wanted to go outside much, possibly because they remembered it's perils. Shadow did escape on me one time, but thankfully a sighted friend was with me, and was able to get him back. He was micro-chipped and had a collar with tags though, so I'm thinking I probably would have gotten him back even without my sighted friend, though I'd have gone crazy with worry till that happened. Neither shadow nor Emma were microchipped or tagged before being brought to the shelter, which is why I assume their former owners never got them back again. I am incredibly glad you are planning to do this for Simon. I think it's a disservice to pets when their owners don't take the proper measures to get them back in case they escape. A cousin of mine lost her cat Mia because of this. I only hope Mia was found and readopted before she was harmed, like my Shadow and Emma were.
Becky is also right regarding toys. Shadow loved cardboard boxes. To sleep in them, play in them. Emma loved plastic bags, but I had to keep them away from her, because she tended to chew on them, which was not good. Balls to bat around, fuzzy toy mice. Toys with attachments that you can control from a distance, so that Simon doesn't get access to your hands, especially if he has his claws. He may mean you no harm, but it will still hurt, and best to teach them not to scratch you, no matter how they mean it. If he has claws, make sure you have appropriate things for him to scratch: a post, or they make cardboard boxes with particular material that cats like to scratch on. It's fun to stand there and move a toy around and watch them chase it. There's a brand called Bamboo Pet which makes a lot of great products, from cat toys, to grooming supplies, etc. I tended to buy lots of Bamboo Pet stuff. Oh, and I had a big brush with a base to it, that sat on the floor. Both Shadow and Emma loved to rub themselves all over it, which took care of a lot of their grooming, even though I did brush them every day anyway. They just seemd to enjoy doing it.
Yes, they do play less and sleep more as they get older. Probably a good idea to regulate their food more as they age, since they're less active, and to much weight is not healthy for a kitty. Still, engage him in play as much as he'll allow you to, because it's still good for him.
Some cats are more social than others. If possible, let Simon be around a variety of people, so he gets used to more than just you. Some cats react great to other cats, some don't. I don't know if you'd ever consider getting a second one, but if so, there'd definitely be precautions to take as they adjusted to each other.
Just my thoughts and experiences.

## Post 4 by sugarbaby (The voice of reason) on Friday, 26-Aug-2011 17:02:51

Agree that the more cats go out, the more they will want out. However I think that to an extent you need to consider that cats are independent creatures who will generally come and go as they please.
When mine were kittens I trained them to come home by having a glass jar full of treats which I would shake and they learned to come back when they heard it. HOwever as they grew up and when I got a cat flap I had no control over where they went and there's no way I would have been able to grab them even if I could see them as they're not approachable enough outside for that.
I've recently moved house and both my cats got out within the first 24 hours. One came back that evening but the other one stayed out for four days. I took the line that she would come back when she was hungry (knew where she was, she just wouldn't come in).
I don't have a cat flap in this house and have no intentions of fitting one again, but I actually put my cats out at night. I think it's more cruel to keep cats shut in than it is to let them out and let them stay out, just as long as you're not in an area with a busy road etc.

## Post 5 by CrazyMusician (If I don't post to your topic, it's cuz I don't give a rip about it!) on Friday, 26-Aug-2011 18:21:51

I agree with everything that has been said. My husband and I have three cats (all of whom are tattooed and/or microchipped). They enjoy being outside, but we found that the best thing was to let them out only with harnesses and leashes, so that they could stay in the yard and still enjoy being outside in the summertime. Two of my cats have escaped outside at one point or another. Dash, the cat who whines most to get let out, ran to the house a couple doors down. When she heard me calling for her she meowed at me until I found her and picked her up to bring her home. She started fighting me so I put her down and she ran right to our door :) Wayne got out recently when we were doing kitchen renos, and he just hung out on the patio, lying on the picnic table. He's quite curious but likes to have people watch him.
As for toys, all of those are good suggestions. In addition to the rattle balls, toy mice, any cardboard boxes, etc., depending on how your cat likes to play, you can get a feather on a stick that has a bell on it. Our cat Annie will jump up for it and bite it and grab it with her claws so that you can't pull it back and take it away from her. :)
All the best,
Kate

## Post 6 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Saturday, 27-Aug-2011 19:23:44

Hi, thanks for the responses. I play with Simon a lot. He seems to like to play early in the morning, or at night. I do my best to keep him entertained. I do have a cardboard box that he likes to lay in. I have a couple of fishing rod type toys that he absolutely loves. I learned the very hard way when I first got Simon not to use my hands. He doesn't seem as interested in stationery furry mice. He likes things that move. I did hear of a great tip, take a small ball, that cats like, and put it in your empty bathtub. Not only do cats love to bat it around, it rolls up the sides which is more entertaining. Plus, you'll know where the ball is, and you won't have to search for it under the couch. I've found that cats like to play mainly in small bursts, (at least Simon does). The collar I ordered has a bell on it, so hopefully this'll be helpfull to track him down. I would let him out, but I live very near a busy street, and I have some not-so-nice neighbors behind my complex. If I were to move to a quieter street, which I'm planning on, then I may considder letting him out. I forgot to mention that he is neutered, so even if he does escape for awhile, he'll be less likely to roam very far or engage in major fights with other cats. I'm planning on ordering him a tall cat tree, as his current tower isn't that tall. I've heard great things about da bird, and will order one and the various attachments. I've also heard of bamboo pet, and will check them out as well. Thanks for your insight on the matter. I was just really worried there for a couple days that Simon wasn't happy. Do you think that as Simon gets older, he'll still try to escape, or is this a kitten thing? I know cats are curious, but I've noticed that the few times he's escaped, he seems to meow less when I bring him in. Ah, there's just nothing like a cat is there?

## Post 7 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Saturday, 27-Aug-2011 19:47:08

I think the longer he is an indoor cat, the more content he will be to stay indoors. I have always tried to keep my cats indoors. Even a cat who has been neutered can get into fights with other cats and get injured. The other neighborhood cats may not like seeing a new cat and will start a fight regardless of whether Simon is an indoor cat or not. I have always been told by vets that indoor cats are less likely to get certain diseases and generally live longer.
I agree that most cats seem to play in bursts. My cat can be running around playing one minute and sleeping the next.

## Post 8 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Sunday, 28-Aug-2011 6:21:01

Yeah, I'm sure other neighborhood cats wouldn't like a newbie. Even though he's an indoor cat, I am getting Simon all his vaccinations, in case he does get out. Sometimes I take him over to my parents' house to play with their cats. He likes the feline company. If I travel or am away from home for an extended period of time and need to board him, he'll be okay. I would get him another cat to play with, but my landlord has a one-cat policy. I'd love for him to have another cat to play with, but it can be risky, cause not all cats get along.

## Post 9 by rat (star trek rules!) on Sunday, 28-Aug-2011 14:21:16

another thing i noticed cats love is a paper bag like the ones you can get at stores. one of my family's cats found one and you couldn't get her away from it to save your life.

## Post 10 by CrazyMusician (If I don't post to your topic, it's cuz I don't give a rip about it!) on Sunday, 28-Aug-2011 16:57:03

I tend to find that male cats seem to be more social with other cats that female ones. We have two girls and a boy cat, and the boy is much more social with other animals coming into our house than the girls are. Even though one of the girls loves the boy to bits, I think it's just a coincidence (she doesn't much like other cats).

## Post 11 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Sunday, 28-Aug-2011 18:10:16

I've also had bad luck with two females. When I lived at home with my parents, my cat and my mom's cat would always get into horrible fights. Simon does like to lay around in a paperbag from time to time. I think cats are so cute when they sleep all curled up.

## Post 12 by Shepherdwolf (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Tuesday, 30-Aug-2011 18:13:56

Hi there,
Just a couple of things to touch on, being a blind cat-owner myself. Most of what I wanted to say has already been said, mind you.
First and foremost: do not declaw Simon, if he hasn't been already. Never mind that the procedure is considered inhumane by many...if Simon gets out and hasn't got claws, he's nearly defenseless. It will also impede his ability to climb in the unlikely event he's chased and needs to get up high in a hurry.
Personally, I'm not in favour of letting cats outside unless you know that where they can go is catproofed (that is, they can't get out of the yard or whatnot)...and even then, I'd say only let them out with supervision. My mom's cat is old, and she sometimes makes a beeline for the door and gets outside, but thankfully she doesn't go far and is more the curious type, just wants to be with people instead of going for a romp. Getting a collar with a bell is an extremely good idea; a kitten I owned last year got out on me by mistake because he didn't have such a collar at the time, and I didn't get him back till a day and a half later when someone found him hiding underneath a car, scared out of his wits...needless to say, that wiped away all my complacency. In the house, a bell might not be utterly necessary if your hearing's good, but it's invaluable for keeping track of the little furball when he's moving fast.
Your kitten will likely grow out of being scratchy, and you'll be able to play using your hands a bit more. Teaching a cat not to slash or scratch isn't too difficult, but it takes diligence especially in younger ones because they get overexcited sometimes. I don't mind a nick or a nibble now and then, because I'm not at all afraid of handling cats, but if you're particularly worried about being hurt, training Simon to play nice might be a bit difficult.
I'm glad to hear you're getting him chipped, and that he's neutered. It's not great if he gets out, but at least he won't be helping to create new kittens this way.

## Post 13 by luckyluc20 (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Wednesday, 31-Aug-2011 12:30:41

This is a very interesting thread. I'm a blind cat owner, but my cat must be highly unusual because she doesn't like to go outside at all. I can sit outside with the door open and she'll just look at me as I sit outside. When I physically try to take her outside she'll freak and fight to get away from me so that she can come back in. She also follows me around like a dog, sitting on my lap when I'm using my computer, laying on my lap or torso when I'm laying down with a book, sitting by my feet when I'm eating and even sitting on the rug outside the bathtub while I shower. She has a scratching post, but never uses it, and really doesn't play much with anything. She'll sleep with me at night, and her form of playing is to nibble on my fingers for a while after getting in bed to go to sleep. This is the first cat I've ever heard of that doesn't like to go outdoors, but she's more loyal than any dog I know!

## Post 14 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Sunday, 04-Sep-2011 2:16:11

I'm happy to report that Simon is now micro-chipped and has his Rabies and Distemper vaccinations. He was great, he didn't make a peep during the injections. The bummer is that my mom put on the collar I bought Simon, and it was too big. He got it off, and it's somewhere in my house with the rabies and chip tags on it. I bought him a smaller one, now, I just need to find the one with the tags, so I can put them on the new one. To Shepherd Wolf, I'm glad you got your kitty back. You must have been very relieved. To LL, I'm happy your cat is so loyal. I'm finding that Simon will jump up with me on the couch a bit more. He's almost 7 months old, so is still in his squirrely teenage phase. The vet mentioned he thought Simon was thriving, and seemed to get enough human interaction. He's an orange cat, sort of a tabby, and I hear they get really big. This is fine with me, more to cuddle with. Simon isn't declawed, I think this is a horrible procedure. Our tabby cat Tinker was declawed when he was little, and when I brought it up with my dad, he told me he swore he'd never have another cat declawed. Simon isn't a huge scratcher, he usually uses his tower, which is fine. He doesn't scratch as much now that he's older anyway.

## Post 15 by shea (number one pulse checking chicky) on Sunday, 04-Sep-2011 10:09:48

luckyluc20, my psycho kitty is like that too. she don't try to go out. even if the door is left open. She is 13 now and has only been outdoors twice. once was when i first moved into a house i was renting. I opened a window and ddin't realize it didn't have a screan. I didn't even think about checking. so later in the middle of the night. i decided to close the window and realized it had no screan. she liked to lay in the window, and apparently felll out it. Went out side and she was laying under the shed crying like crazy. poor girl! then one other time when we first bought our house. i don't know what happened, i think it was just a new place and she was being curious like cats do. but she was at the back door crying to get in. I think she stepped out with dan and didn't make it back in in time. but that's the only time she has ever tried. you can stand with the door open and she won't go out. I'm glad, cause i know people can be mean to cats that stray in there yards. sad, but true. I do know some people shouldn't have cats. like neighbors of my parents. she gets them, plays with them indoors while there little kittens. then must get bored with them and puts them outdoors. she now has three outdoor cats that get on my mom and dad's pool cover, go to the bathroom in my nieces sand box and annoying stuff like that. grrr! poor cat's it isn't there fault they havne't been trained any different!

## Post 16 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Sunday, 04-Sep-2011 11:31:22

I've had my cat Max for just over three years. And in allthat time he's only gotten outtwice and he never went far. The first time was just after I got him nd I think he was just curious about someone who showed upat m door. THe second time was while he was staying with my folks earlier this summer and according to my mom he was scared half to death until he got back inside. He doesn't make many serious attempts to get out, but even so I'll be microchipping him as soon as financially possible and I don't plan on declawing him. And he wears a collar with a bell on it as well as an ID tag with my cell number.

## Post 17 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Sunday, 04-Sep-2011 20:20:21

I also got Simon a tag with my cell number. I like to joke that with his tags and microchip, Simon will have more surveillance than the U.S. Mexico border. Good luck with getting your cat chipped. It's a really simple procedure. it only takes a few seconds. Plus, you should get a tag which'll say that the cat has been chipped. Many counties run low-cost chipping programs. Simon's chip was only 35. HTH.

## Post 18 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Sunday, 04-Sep-2011 20:42:31

I used to have a cat who never tried to get out. One time when we got lots of snow, I took turns with the three cats I had at that time putting them each in the snow to see how they would react. The first two walked around in it and then ran in the house. The third stood there like a statue until I picked her up and brought her back in. She never once wanted to get out after that. Like someone else said, I could leave the door open, and she would just stand there looking out but never step out.
I don't like collars on cats. The first time I had two cats, they were the same size and I bought a collar with a bell on it for one of them to wear so I could tell them apart. I came home from work one day and found the collar at the top of the stairs. It was as if she had unbuckled it herself. I put it back on her, and another time found it in two pieces on the floor. So we bought her another one, and she tried to get out of it. Luckily my brother was home and saw what was happening because she was trying to unbluckle it and had the little sharp part that goes into the hole stuck in her tongue. She might have torn her tongue up if Ted hadn't stopped her. We just took it off her and never tried again.

## Post 19 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Thursday, 08-Sep-2011 2:40:51

I don't use that kind of collar and neither, as far as I know, do my folks. Max's collar has a clasp more like a seatbelt buckle. That's not entirely accurate but it's the closest thing I can come up with to describe it. So there's no sharp parts for Max to get into his mouth. Although I have begun to suspect that he rather enjoys chewing on the little license tag. As for cats going outside I wouldn't leave my door open for any length of time just in case Max did get any ideas and nor do I leave windows open (certainly not windows where he likes to sit), since he does like to use the screens as scratching posts. If he clawed a big enough hole in one he MIGHT get the idea to go outside even though he's never shown much interest in that before. Oh he's interested in the outside world. If I leave one of my inner doors open so he can look out the storm door he'll do so and if you carry him outside (my sister did that when I moved from my old apartment into the new one), he will definitely look around a great deal from the safety of your arms. But he doesn't seem to want to get outside much, and if he did I rather get the feeling he wouldn't stay out long, particularly in view of the fact that there are dogs in my neighborhood and Max isn't a doggie sort of cat. But I still prefer not to take any chances.

## Post 20 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Friday, 09-Sep-2011 14:03:22

He's one of the most peculiar cats I've ever met tough in terms of what he will and won't eat. I had to buy him some more food oon Wednesday and in the bag was a free sample of Fancy Feast wet food. While he showed much more interest in that stff than he has shown in other stuff that doesn't look like his ordinary food, it's hard to tell whether he actually ate any of it.

## Post 21 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 09-Sep-2011 21:42:56

Most cat collars I've seen are designed to come parat is too much strain is put on them, so the cat cannot choke or hurt themselves with it. I've never seen one with sharp parts, either. This must have been an older collar, Becky?
As for telling how much food he ate, Bryan, how much was in the dish after you put it down? Wouldn't that tell you?

## Post 22 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Monday, 12-Sep-2011 13:45:12

I'm sure it would have if I'd thought to check LOL. But it was a very small amount to begin with. I may buy a can of it and try him on a smaller portion and see what happens, get a sighted family member to observe. Then if it does turn out that he liked it I can buy it for him as a treat every now and then.

## Post 23 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Thursday, 15-Sep-2011 3:05:40

Speaking of wet cat food, I bought Simon a can of wet food awhile back, and he showed little interest in it. Next time, I'll buy a smaller can, then if he doesn't like it, It'll be less of a waste. I'm thinking maybe he doesn't like the particular brand. My aunt's cats love Fancy Feast, plus it's already pre-chopped in the can. I just ordered Simon some cat toys, including Da Bird. I really hope he'll like it, but judging from the reviews I've read, he probably will. I also bought him a tunnel that he can play in. He's taken to hiding under my flat sheet, when it's off my bed. Plus, it'll be more variety for his playtimes. Do indoor cats' behavior change with the seasons? I wonder if Simon will sleep more when it cools off. Plus, I want the little furball to learn to sleep on my bed, I love a cuddly purring cat.

## Post 24 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Thursday, 15-Sep-2011 5:51:23

Well Max certainly showed interest in the Fancy Feast. It actually sounded as though he was eating it but since looking back I realize I never checked how much was in the bowl to start with I can't actually tell. He could just have been licking it. But he showed more interest in that stuff than he did anything else we tried him on, and that includes people food. LOL. As for sleeping on my bed he never needed to learn how. He was a pro at that the day he came home. Not that he spends the entire night in bed with me but there's usually plenty of purring.

## Post 25 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Thursday, 15-Sep-2011 10:17:52

In the past, we would feet our cats canned food in the morning before leaving for work and dry food in the afternoon upon coming home. But Smokey, the cat I've had for seven years, has never liked any brand of canned food we've tried, so he just eats dry food.
That's great about the new cat toys you bought. I'm sure your cat will love Da Bird as well as the tunnel. I've never actually bought one of those tunnels, but Smokey loves to tunnel under boxes and sheets.

## Post 26 by moonspun (This site is so "educational") on Friday, 16-Sep-2011 10:08:38

It's really important to have lots of different toys for indoor cats, particularly when they're the only cat in a household. They should be rotated every few days to keep the cat's interest alive and to provide them with variety in life. Anything will do as a toy though. My current litter of kittens like the middle of toilet rolls and pipe cleaners far more than any toy branded for a cat... Oh, and drinking straws and ping pong balls too!
Fancy Feast is like junk food for cats... They love it! Wish we could get it in this country though.
BLW, if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. I breed cats, so have a fair bit of experience at all stages of life except the old (thankfully none of mine have got there yet).

## Post 27 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 16-Sep-2011 12:49:01

Bryan, sounds can be deceiving. Whenever I would feed Shadow wet food, he'd drink all the liquid off of it, then leave the meat in the bowl. I soon learned to just feed him dry food, and he seemed content with that.

## Post 28 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Monday, 19-Sep-2011 17:45:03

That's precisely the point I was trying to make. I'd need to get a sighted family member to observe him with another can. My only real complaint about owning this particular cat is that when Max uses the litter box he makes some friggin' huge clumps, which in turn means I seem like I go through litter really fast.

## Post 29 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Thursday, 22-Sep-2011 8:22:13

That and brushing him is nearl impossible. Even if e enjoys having it done he's not the sort of cat who likes to sit still. Even so he doesn't mat nearly as much as I would expect, given both the fact that he's a long-haired cat and just how much fur he has. Then again if he is in fact a Maine Coon as i've had a lot of people claim he is, I've heard that their coat is very much self-maintaining, though I know there are bound to be exceptions.

## Post 30 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Monday, 26-Sep-2011 1:24:48

Hi:
Funky Monkey, thanks, I'll pm you with any questions. I try to switch out Simon's toys. He has several wands that he seems to prefer. For some reason, he doesn't seem to like things to bat around. He does love bags and boxes. Glad I'm not the only one who's cat seems uninterested in wet food. I've decided to use nonclumping litter. Plus, the scented kind sometimes to make my house smell worse. Simon's box gets scooped out almost everyday. I bought Arm and Hammer double duty, but I wasn't impressed. For the poster who had litter issues, try shaking the litter in the scoop, it may break up a bit more and you may not have to use as much litter.
Looking forward to buying Simon a few rabbit fure mice. He likes those, but the last ones didn't last long, so he needs a couple more.

## Post 31 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Tuesday, 27-Sep-2011 15:29:46

I actually do shake the scoop. But I still end up with huge clump. But I'm reluctant to use a non clumping litter since it's easier for me to be sure I get all the crap if it clumps. Otherwise the only alternative I know of is the Cat Genie, and as good as tat sounds I've heard enough about the company that makes it and their customer service that I wouldn't feel comfortable.

## Post 32 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Sunday, 02-Oct-2011 3:07:31

If you have a good cat scoop, and scoop the box in a sort of grid pattern, where you start at one end, you should be fine. Obviously, the loose litter is gonna fall back into the box, so you're left with the crap. I've never had trouble with nonclumping litter, but I'm sure everyone's different.
On another note, Simon got out last week. I had left a window open, only a couple inches. I didn't realize it was open wide enough for him to escape. But, apparently it was. He came back a short time later. I think he got into a fight with another cat, cause I heard a horrendous racket before he came in. I was asleep, and didn't realize he'd come back in. He jumped on the couch, and he was cold to the touch, and had gotten into some grease, I noticed it on his fur when I petted him. He must have hurt his back leg somehow, cause when my aunt came over to check on him, he hissed and growled and wouldn't let her pet him. It wasn't a serious injury, he's fine now, but the windows stay shut unless I'm able to supervise Simon. He hasn't tried to escape since then. Man, I've never felt more like a parent, I was disappointed he got out, concerned cause he was injured, and bummed he didn't want to cuddle with me. Probably cause he wasn't feeling well. Any animal's gonna get a bit defensive when they're injured. I just ordered him some new cat toys. He also seems to be a bit friendlier. He's almost 7 months old, so he's probably growing out of his obnoxious kitten phase, though he'll always be a bit playfull. He's also getting a lot bigger, he's gaining weight pretty fast, but he's not overweight (at least not yet).
Back to the original topic, pet geenie products are really expensive. Maybe you could try one of those litter boxes with the sifting screens. You sift out the crap, put the screen in a new pan, and pour the litter back in. It's supposed to help you save litter. I just bought some litter box deodorizer which works pretty well.

## Post 33 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Monday, 03-Oct-2011 0:44:28

That's why I don't leave windows open. Even though Max doesn't generally show much interest in getting out I figure it's better not to take chances.

## Post 34 by moonspun (This site is so "educational") on Wednesday, 05-Oct-2011 9:15:23

I'd not use non clumping litter, as eventually it smells worse than the clumping stuff, and just think of all the bacteria building up in the box until the time when you change the litter. Imagine pee sitting in there for a week before the litter is dumped and the box is washed!
Try a wood based clumping litter. We have one in the UK called NatureGold and it's super. Not sure if you can get it there, but it doesn't track, and even with a whole liteer of kittens using it, it doesn't smell. I have 6 litterboxes on the go at the moment, and you know what smells? The bloody wet cat food that they eat! Not a whiff of litter at all!

## Post 35 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Sunday, 09-Oct-2011 4:35:06

Ah yes, Max definitely tracks litter all over. Problem is because I'm living on what they laughingly call Social Security here in the US my options are rather limited financially. So I can't afford a really expensive litter. So even if this litter is available here I may not be able to afford it depending how much they want for it.

## Post 36 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Monday, 10-Oct-2011 23:07:16

I suppose it also doesn't help that he's a longhaired cat, so more fur for stuff to cling to LOL. But it still srprises me how littlehe generallymats considering how much fur he has. I find one on him once in a while but not nearly as often as I would expect.

## Post 37 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Thursday, 13-Oct-2011 2:55:12

Perhaps it was the brand of clumping litter I used. I'll check out that all-natural kind. I'd agree about wet cat food. Man, that stuff reeks! To the previous poster, try to find a litterbox matt that'll remove litter from your cat's claws. I just bought one on petmountain.com for like $5.00, maybe a couple bucks more. That website is one of my favorites. Lots of great selection, and prices are pretty reasonable.
Simon hasn't tried to escape since my last post. He did end up with quite a few puncture marks. I noticed when I petted him. He seems okay with staying in. Sometimes he meows at the door, but I think sometimes it's cause he's bored, so usually I'll play with him and he calms dowm. Brian, do you brush Max? This might help with the mats in his fur.

## Post 38 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Thursday, 13-Oct-2011 23:54:05

Hmm, that's a site I've never heard of. I'll have to check it out. Because the mat I have for his box to sit on now obviously doesn't do the job. And then of course I wish he wouldn't kick clumps out of te box wen he goes in there. How I wish I could have taught him to use the toilet...

## Post 39 by moonspun (This site is so "educational") on Friday, 04-Nov-2011 8:45:51

Why not get hold of a covered litterbox? I have one girl here who likes to pee down the side of the box, and when she's calling, she sprays up the back of it. A covered box has not only contained all that, but when she tries to dig to china, the clumps stay in the box instead of getting flung out.
I'm not sure how much Nature Gold would cost over there, so I can't really help with that.
Regular brushing should avoid knots ever forming. A piece of old carpet in front of the box should also cut down on tracking, as will a covered litterbox.

## Post 40 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Friday, 04-Nov-2011 22:35:46

I actually ust switched fro a covered litter box ecause I didn't notice any real decrease in the amount of litter scattered over the floor.

## Post 41 by moonspun (This site is so "educational") on Wednesday, 30-Nov-2011 11:20:33

Sounds like it's the litter then rather than the box, either that or the rim of the box isn't deep enough, i.e, the opening that the cat comes out of at the front. I can't remember what litter you're using, but the finer the grain, the more it seems to track.

## Post 42 by rdfreak (THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE-BLUE KANGA-KICKIN AUSIE) on Wednesday, 30-Nov-2011 19:29:41

You guys, what about kitty litter? My family never used kitty litter except for when they were really little and had to stay in doors.
Is it easy to empty the kitty litter? Do you find it doesn't smell if it's cleaned once a day?
In the past, I've always sworn I could never have my cats live totally indoors cos the kitty litter stinks the house out, or maybe, as I say, I just use to go to lazy kitty owners places.

## Post 43 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Sunday, 04-Dec-2011 0:55:25

Well I'm in a situation where i have to keep Max indoors because I live in an apartment and there are dogs nearby. Max isn't a doggie kind of cat. As for litter I switched to Arm and Hamer Double Duty which does, in fact, seem to help quite a bit with the stench from my observations. Does it still stink? A little, but nowhere near as bad as the other litter. And as for te covered litter box te rim was pretty darn high so that definitely wasn't the problem.

## Post 44 by Marissapc2010 (Zone BBS is my Life) on Thursday, 16-Feb-2012 14:32:49

I'm getting acat of my own either today or the next couple days. I'm pretty excited. I've always had cats growing up but never have had to clean out their litterboxes so that should be interesting hehe. Just read this whole board thanks all for the tips and tricks talked about here

## Post 45 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Saturday, 18-Feb-2012 14:43:31

The litter box can actually be pretty easy to do with the right tools. Obviously you need the pooper scooper and if you use a hard clumping litter you have a better way of knowing when you've got stuff in the scoop. Then what I like to do after I've gone over the entire box with the scoop is to put on a pair of latex gloves like what you might use for cleaning and feel the floor around the box to make sure you didn't drop any clumps or that the cat didn't kick any out. My cat's done that a few times. And if you're going to train a kitten to use a scratching post do what I should have done to begin with and get a post that'll be tall enough for the cat to use even once he or she grows up.

## Post 46 by FaithinGod4ever (Zone BBS is my Life) on Tuesday, 15-May-2012 23:43:26

Aloha! i hope you're doing well. I just got a kitten a month ago. His name is Rajah and he is a cutie pie and a sweetheart most of the time. He loves playing with plastic toys with bells in them aka balls, mice etc. He also loves his string mouse on a stick! I love playing with him and hearing him purr when I pet him. He is truly a blessing in my life.
As for the escaping thing, Rajah has done it a few times since I've had him. I've always gotten help to get him back, but the last time he got out, I got him back on my own thanks to his one toy. It also helps that he has a bell on his collar. Usually if I'm ordering food, I'll put Rajah in the bathroom when the food comes. Once everything is said and done, I let him out. He's getting better about not escaping though. I hope that helps!

## Post 47 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Thursday, 17-May-2012 5:18:44

Max has had a bell on his collar since he was a baby. And so will all my future cats. As for getting out, he's only done that a couple times. The first time was when he was a kitten and my job site developer was coming to bring me an application to sign. I think Max was curious about the lady who smelled like vanilla. The second time he got out was last summer wile he was staying at my folks. And then he was absolutely petrified until he got back inside. But I realize that he is a cat and that they, unlike dogs, are much closer to their wild counterparts in terms of nature and instincts. So just because he doesn't show any real interest in going outside doesn't mean he couldn't decide to later. That's one of the reasons I still hope to get him microchipped and why I absolutely will not declaw him or any other cat I have.

## Post 48 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Wednesday, 23-May-2012 1:47:48

To the poster with the new kitty, good luck. Simon escaped awhile after my last post and got into a horrendous catfight. He injured his leg, which I didn't find until later. It wasn't serious, and healed fine. Then in early March, he escaped while my mom and I went to grab some lunch. He wasn't out long, maybe 20 minutes, and when we got back, he was just sitting on the sidewalk. I opened the door, and he went in. He goes through a new DA Bird every couple of months. I'm boarding my older sister's cat. He's 14 years old and even lazier than most cats. They het along pretty well. Hansolo did have an accident on my carpet. But I noticed it immediatly, and cleaned it like mad. Now, I don't smell anything. He gets his collar off from time to time, but I put it back on and he usually doesn't complain too much. With the warmer weather, I keep the AC on while I'm at work. I normally don't get that cold, but I know cats have fur to contend with.

## Post 49 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Wednesday, 23-May-2012 15:46:41

Especially mine. I swear it seems perfectly plausible that at least one of his fifteen or so pounds can be accounted for just in pure fur.

## Post 50 by wild orca (Zone BBS Addict) on Thursday, 31-May-2012 17:42:07

I live by myself, so I'm lucky that my cat doesn't try to escape. She's not big on playing with toys, but if I leave something on the ground without realizing it, she'll start playing with it and going crazy. She's seven now, so she's not as active as I'd like her to be. She could aford to loose a few pounds, but as we all know you can't make a cat do anything it doesn't want to do.

## Post 51 by Shepherdwolf (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Thursday, 31-May-2012 18:43:14

If your cat's weight is actually of concern, you might always switch up her diet a bit. It is entirely possible to get a cat to do things it doesn't want to, it just means a battle of wills if she wants to dig in her claws and fight you, as it were. There are foods designed for cats who are more sedentary, though I don't know any specifics on which brands are best. Just as there are diets designed for overweight people, there are diets designed for overweight cats.

## Post 52 by wild orca (Zone BBS Addict) on Thursday, 31-May-2012 19:00:05

I have her on a weight and hair ball control formula. It seems to be helping a bit. But the vet told me that when they got fixed they tended to gain weight. For the last seven years I've been trying to feed her the most healthy foods posable, and I've finally found a brand that seems to work for her. It's blue buffalo, and she seems much more active, as well as her coat is much softer to. She has a tendincy to eat to fast, consequently she gets sick. I've been feeding her using a feeder bowl, and that seems to help.

## Post 53 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Thursday, 31-May-2012 22:48:58

Ah yes, I tend to have Max on weight and hairball control, wich seems to be working. He doesn't cough p nearly as many hairballs or even mat nearly as often as I would expect a cat with as much fur as he has. And Max is practically all fur. I just wish I could figure out when he turned into such a curmudgeon where my mother is concerned. He used to adore her, bu nowadays she'll be lucky if he'll let her pet im for more than a second or two with nipping or swatting at her.

## Post 54 by wild orca (Zone BBS Addict) on Thursday, 31-May-2012 23:02:31

That's interesting. Cassie's afraide of evry one, but there's one friend she absolutely hates. If she gets to close, she'll hiss, growl, and even swat her. I have know idea why this is so. She doesn't do that with any one else. I'm kind of glad she's not long hair, otherwise it be really hard to keep her groomed, as she doesn't always like to be brushed.

## Post 55 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Sunday, 03-Jun-2012 0:02:23

Well Max might actually like being brushed, but even if he does he doesn't like to sit still for it. I don't know that I'd go so far as to say that he actually hates my mother (although she might want to beg to differ on that), but he definitely doesn't seem to love her nearly as much as he did even a year or so ago. I don't know if it's because after she started back to work she stopped having the time to spend wit him that she used to or if it's because I spend regular nights at my folks' place without him and my mom's usually the one who picks me up or simply because she tried to trim his nails again after months of not having the time to stop over every two or three weeks like she used to. Again this was due to her working. The problem is that she recently quit her job due to some workplace drama, but though she's been trying to spend more time with him it's not clear whether it's really making any difference. Then again it could also be that we have brought Max over to my folks' place for visits on a few occasions, wich would probably have been all well and good if it weren't for the fact that Max spent most of the first two years of his life (I got him at the age of about three months), in peace and quiet having, to the best of my knowledge, never encountered a single dog. Then suddenly he has to contend with four of them, three belonging to my folks. And these are dogs who like to chase cats. Needless to say that was pretty traumatic for him on top of the fact that during that particular visit he was experiencing having softpaws applied for the first time. I know cats are capable of holding grudges even better than we do and maybe he's just gotten tired of all the trauma my mom has indirectly been responsible for causing him. I'm just thankful he doesn't hate me as well since I'm te one that has to live with him.

## Post 56 by GreenTurtle (Music is life. Love. Vitality.) on Friday, 13-Jul-2012 22:18:16

I'm curious about litter training. We recently found a stray kitten outside. We have a whole bunch of stray cats that roam around in this area, but this particular kitten seemed to take to us. In fact she was near our kitchen door and mewing until we brought her in. So we took her to the vet to make sure there wasn't anything wrong with her, and there doesn't appear to be, although we're almost sure she's blind. The vet didn't think so, but she tends to run into a lot of things and my parents say her pupils are bigger than they should be. The vet estimated her to be about a month old.
Now for my question. We've had cats before, but I don't ever remember having to struggle much to litter train them. I always thought that it was sort of an instinct once you showed them where the box was a few times. But this cat isn't having any of it. When she doesn't go to the bathroom for a few hours, we try putting her in the litter box. She jumps right out. You can do this many times and she just bolts. Then like 2 minutes later she'll do her business on the rug or the couch or wherever she feels like doing it. Is this normal? We've only had her about 5 days, so I'm thinking it's like potty training, but I know my parents are, shall we say, impatient people. If there's anything I can do to help the process along, I'd appreciate some advice. For the first couple days when we put her in the littter box, she tolerated it. But now as soon as she gets near it she starts to meow. She sounds sad to me. I don't want her to develop a phobia of her potty or something. So is it possible that if she is blind it has something to do with her inability to find the litter box? I'm sure a blind animal is a bit different than a blind person. Or is it just a wait and see thing?

## Post 57 by BryanP22 (Novice theriminist) on Sunday, 22-Jul-2012 12:14:39

Well after some thought I recently came to a hard decision. I'm going to have to give up my kitty. I suspect one of my x girlfriends may have been very abusive to him, to the point where he doesn't like women or, atleast, he doesn't like them around me. Even my mother, whom he used to absolutely love, can't often get near him without getting hissed at or bitten. He's even drawn blood from her several times. Then last night he did the same thing to my GF. He's just lucky it was her he bit and not her daughter, because I'm sure she would have killed him if he'd drawn blood from Gracie. But even if the aggression weren't an issue I might still have had to give him up since while Grace can pet ad be near cats anytime one so much as licks her she breaks out. And wile Max has never actually scratced or bitten Grace I have a feeling it'll only be a matter of time. The frustrating part is that Grace is actuually really good with other people's pets and has never been rough with Max. Even Sandra, who's generally not a huge cat person, got rathe attached to the big fluffball. THe problem is that one minue he'll be all lovie dovie and the next he's hissing and biting people.

## Post 58 by minniemouse (Generic Zoner) on Tuesday, 07-Aug-2012 21:15:25

My family has a cat, but being a partial owner I have had similar problems as you. Our cat is a "house cat" but one day while hanging out my wash she snucked out. I did not know she was out until she me-owed. After which the other owner and I had to take careful attention she did not get out. This continued until we decided she was not going to run away, knew who's house she belonged to, and would eventually come home. She came with a micro chip in her so she would be identified, but when she wanted back in she would look in the windows around the door. This was useful for the second owner, but not me. Soon our cat would me-ow when she wanted in or out of the house, which sometimes was annoying because she would do it in the middle of the night. I would sometimes hear her leave the house or feel her brush my body, but I would hold the door for approximately ten seconds to give her time to leave. The second owner has given our cat toyse with cat nip in them to play with. These are jingle balls and a mouse. She hides them all over the house ad plays when feels like it. I do ot know if this true about vacations, but II do know when we are home, every now and then, she will get her toy out and chase it. Also, as a toy to play with our cat, I got a length of yarn (about five feet), attached some beeds to one end, and a loop big enough for a finger or a thumb at the other. this is so someone could hold the yarn and pull it around have the cat chase it.

## Post 59 by FaithinGod4ever (Zone BBS is my Life) on Tuesday, 07-Aug-2012 21:22:31

Rajah hids his toys as well! GOL!