Just what is it about the kitty box?!

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This household has an ongoing relationship with Elby, That Cat!’s cat box. His litter box, in case that is more familiar to you. I have had a cat in my life for the last 36 years. And, there is always something going on with their box.

I use what I consider to be the best kitty litter around – Feline Pine Pellets – lemme see if I can grab a photo of the stuff:

Feline Pine

It is superb. I use the pellets and as soon as something liquid hits them, those fine little pellets suck it up and become sawdust-y, eventually the whole box can be used as mulch…. Swell.

Before it becomes mulch, there are Elby, That Cat’s “deposits” or, as my Vet likes to say, “kitty treats.” Right. Kitty treats, so called, because Ella, the greythound, loves Elby’s poop. That’s it. As straight forward as I can put it. Fortunately, Ella is not a face licker or kisser. The best she will give is a nose to nose, eye to eye gaze, for which I am very thankful because it gives fair warning to my nose that she’s been in Elby’s box.

But, there’s a conspiracy afoot between Elby & Ella. One would think a cat would love a clean cat box, no? No. Not so for Elby. The cat box is in the bathroom where there are also two bath rugs. Upon receiving new fresh litter, Elby will explore it, perhaps make a deposit, but the first use goes to the bath rug for a good pee, which he then tries to bury by twisting the rug into knots, which come undone so that his mother, me, can step unwarily in her SOCKS onto the rug and feel Elby’s love and care.

If I have been remiss on keeping up on Elby’s box, Ella makes it clear that I have been so remiss by leaving a trail of kitty treats down the hall and into the living room. Sigh. Thank God I wear my glasses almost all the time.

Both of them have me so well trained now that I use that pooper scooper just about every time I’m in the bathroom. Here’s the thing. You can scoop up the poop and throw ’em into the toilet and flush the memory away. All well and good. But, somewhere along the way, it became a point of honor with me to do so with as few pellets as possible, necessitating strategic combing, the pushing of pellets one way, the poop the other, struggling to catch a poop here, another there, another over there with as few pellets as possible – they’re too fat to shake out, see? The real challenge is trying to get it all done with one scoop. It’s maddening and yet… I feel incredibly accomplished when I vanquish the box’s contents.

Here are those silly creatures (be sure to click so you can see Elby, That Cat! hanging out behind Ella):

photo(12)

26 thoughts on “Just what is it about the kitty box?!”

  2. The vet explained to me that cat poop had something in it (really) that dogs craved. Well, er, okay. I have an automated cat box. Yeppers. Uses clumping litter and has a motion sensor. Cat gets in box, does his thang, scratch scratch, jumps out. 20 seconds after the jump out, you hear it….a scooper comb, the width of the box, starts at its end, scoops the litter, opens a cover on the end and…deposits the clump into a tray then, moves its way back to its place, combing out the litter all nice and smooth, lid goes down on the tray covering. it’s good for about 12 trips. you push the tray lid down and voila, put the container in the trash and replace with another tray. We have a septic tank so it is a little funny about what should go in it. cat litter is not a friendly substanstance for it. twice a week, new litter goes in. no fuss, no muss. no smell. neat and tidy for a compulsive hand washer like me. I think it’s called Litter Maid. it was one of the best birthday presents my husband ever gave me.

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    • Ella said to tell you, Cupcake, you are missing out on something verra special. “Ever so tasty,” Ella says, licking delicately the corners of her mouth and nose.

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  7. So, there’s something dogs crave in the…um…litter box. My daughter’s last poodle (Shania, as in Twain) used to do the same thing and now this new poodle, Maxwell (a.k.a. Max, Maxie) has the same habit. they finally put a child’s gate on the laundry-room doorway, far enough off the floor for the (fat) cat can crawl underneath. The dog doesn’t jump over. I blocked my laundry-room doorway for my cat but she’s svelte and jumps over. When Max comes to visit he head straight for his treats and uses his chest to ram the barrier.
    I LIKE Kanzen’s litter box. Sounds like the Rolls Royce of kitty litter boxes.
    I’ve had cats for 33 years, since my daughter was three and I got her first one and then one for me.

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  8. Hunt, I don’t know what to tell you. I have granddaughter, I have a daughter, both have left me treats, and that just about completed my day. As skillful as talented as you are, as good an educator as you are, and with your negotiation skills being what they are, I would have thought this would not be an issue. I realized your just staff personal, but I am surprised you let this happen. I am sure as you learn to dig deeper more often, you will find an answer, I have complete faith in your ability. Take care, Bill

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    • Is this the extent of your management skills, Bill? Hurumph! I even tried to jury-rigg the bathroom door to the towel rack, using those bungy cords with two hooks – one at each end. Worked like a charm, drove me mad….

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  9. I can imagine you would not want to just flush away the litter – it’s probably not cheap & who knows what it might do to the plumbing? Never having had a cat (incredibly allergic) I can’t say I’ve had the pleasure(?) of cleaning a cat box but it sounds like you have all well in hand.

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  10. How I miss having a cat(s). We lost our three all one month apart about 5 years ago. Getting a cat now is out of the question as Tom’s shih tzu, Scooter would make it’s life a living hell. Scooter is now 15 and has dementia and extremely cranky. He tried to get away with chasing Tom’s cat, Miss Scarlet O’Hara but she was definitely the alpha animal in our household when Scooter came to live with us. She had no problems putting him in his place.
    We’ve talked of having a cat(s) again one day but I’m not sure. As much as we love their company, they are also a responsibility.
    Having moved all over the world, we have an arsenal of cat and dog stories and some include litter boxes. Each cat seems to have their own set of rules. But then, that’s what makes each one so special.

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    • What an interesting life you two have had and are having even now, Sheri. The nice thing about cats is that they are pretty independent inasmuch as you don’t need to walk ’em. Who knows what life will be like when Scooter heads out. Just about everybody I know cannot stand the silence in their absence. You and Tom will know when the time comes. I love the Alpha amongst animals – how they sort it out. I’d like to think I was the Alpha this time around, but in truth, I am more of a referee. Grin.

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