My Boys

[Mercy]

We haven't fed them any human food yet. I'm sort of trying to avoid doing that, since they're so food-happy; they may never leave us alone while eating if we start feeding them.

Luckily, our gang are not forward about "people food" most of the time except Sophia and pizza crusts, and Sophia & Fletch and yoghurt. They are spoon-conditioned so they sit patiently waiting for their turns. I admit, I spoiled Sophie terribly when it was just her. She is also the smartest so the others do not seem to notice if she gets something they miss.

They haven't had catnip yet, but we're getting it for them in February for their first birthday party.

If either of them does not respond the first time you offer it, try again after a month or two. Sophia did not care about catnip until she was over four years old. Her younger brother took to it around ten months of age and Gibson was about eighteen months old when he took an interest.

Mario started pooping on the floor all of a sudden. So that's neat.

Did you get a new litter box, change the location or litter type? Was a cover added or removed from their usual litter box? New food? Was the stool "normal" consistency? Is the litter box(s) dirty or holding any "abnormal" stools? Notice anything squirming around in/on the stool? Nauseated by the repeated questions about 'stool' yet?

A sudden change in litter box usage often indicates something is not running business-as-usual. If kitty was just a little loose or overly-compacted, he may choose to go outside the litter box to avoid contaminating the usual potty location. If he or his mate already contaminated the usual litter box with abnormal stool (or litter box is just too foul) , that could trigger unacceptable potty locations deemed cleaner. Abnormal stool could just be a one-off indigestion event or stowaways. Observances of something that looks like small rice or overcooked angel hair pasta in the stool is the sign for deworming. If the stool's consistency is normal, a periphery check for stowaways is warranted. Even indoor cats can pick up worms and if one has them, both kitties would need to be treated.

I thought I could go one day longer on changing out the litter in Sophia's litter pan when it was just her. The box seemed clean since I scooped a few times a day every day and it was raining that day. Excuses, excuses. Late in the evening I would have normally changed out the old and put in fresh litter, she jumped up on my lap while I was watching telly, and proceeded to urinate. After a shower, several minutes of creative swearing and threats of kitty-lined slippers being made (oki, I may have raged on for a couple hours), I changed her litter box and all was well. She had been trying to tell me something prior to her going R. Kelly but I failed to pick up on it. Frelling little guttersnipe is too bloody smart for my comfort sometimes.

It could also be something around the litter box area that has changed and is bothering him. Some house cats do not like to potty in the dark, some do not like to be exposed, and some can be intimidated by a new, large object suddenly looming near their usual potty zone. Once kitties are litter-trained, they do not often deviate without cause.

But do check for worms.