Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Cat using puppy doggy pads

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 5/13/2009


Question
My cat has been with me for almost 6 years now. She has moved with me several times, apts to homes, citys to different state. She has also had different kitty roommates as well as different litterboxes.  A little over a year ago I tried her on the ScoopFree litter box which uses the crystal litter. She did fine with it for about a month. After a while though she would poop in the box and pee outside the box on the mat designed to catch litter as she exited the box.  A co-worker suggested I lay down a puppy pad over the mat so it would make for easy cleanup. Well after a week of that I just did away with the litter. Ever since she has been using just a pad in a shallow litter box. She even scratches all 4 corners so that it balls up.  I've searched all over the internet to find if there are others that have experienced the same thing and if it's okay to her health and mine. I'm currently 21 weeks pregnant. Thank you in advance!

Answer
Megan,

Congratulations on the baby!

The puppy pee pads are fine to use. There are no health problem as long as you, being pregnant, do not touch any cat feces directly, and immediately wash your hands after disposal of the pads.

I have had cats that would NOT use the litterbox no matter what and the pads worked for them too. Also they are very good for geriatric cats that have arthritis and have trouble getting in and out of the litterbox, if they have kitty Alzheimer's and tend to 'forget where the litterbox is, or if they have kidney problems and don't make it to the litter box.

You may want to check the prices of human 'pee pads' that they put under elderly people. It might be a cheaper way to go. They are the same thing but bigger and may be thicker.

I am including some links to informative articles about cats and introducing babies that you may find helpful:
(copy and paste, or type the whole links into your address bar)

http://www.sthuberts.org/petpouri/articles/catmeetsbaby.asp

http://westwoodanimalhospital.com/BhvArticles/Infants,%20Children,%20And%20Cats....

http://www.petplace.com/cats/helping-your-cat-and-new-baby-get-along/page1.aspx

and FYI: this article is from Europe, and I don't know how true it is, but it is good for trivia (smile):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/oct/12/uk.health

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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