THANK YOU! Love, Bean

[Freedom]

I have to agree that the reason Bean is crying is that he has been displaced. With cats, relocating a litter box can be a traumatic event! So think about long term where you want Sunny to sleep at night, and try moving her there now, so Bean can have HIS place back.

Now, what if the place you want Sunny to be in . . . Bean's old place. I'm not sure WHY Bean can't be down there when Sunny is down there in her crate.

Also, with Bean's crate, can you turn the gate facing the wall and put it close to the wall, so even if he tries and succeeds in undoing the latch . . . the gate can't open. May need something heavy behind the crate so he can't push away from the wall (I wouldn't put ANYTHING past a determined cat!)

[ChrisH]

You say he is an indoor/outdoor cat? How about fitting a cat door? Just a thought.

[MoonandBean]

Thanks Freedom, Chris and everyone else... I never really thought about how hard this has all been on Bean. I think we expected Moon to be the challenge and he really wasn't but never really thought anything except Bean was being...well...Bean. We thought about letting Bean go back down in the basement with Sunny in her crate but the one night we tried it, Sunny sat right up in her crate and we envisioned a night of meowing and barking and decided not to even try it for the night. Again... not wanting to mess up the really easy time we had with crate training Sunny. We thought of the cat door but we don't want Moon going out and the one's that come with magnetic collars would be an option except they would have to be break away collars and Bean loses collars all the time....sigh... Sandi, I was a PRO at all the crate tricks when he and I lived alone. I always had to push the door against the wall or vwallah...he'd be out. I tried that recently but he just cried. He's just not content, it's obvious now.

We are thinking of letting Sunny sleep with us at night and back in her crate during the day, etc....Then Bean can have the basement back at night. Sunny seems pretty housebroken and we have some good plastic sheets for the bed...just in case.

On a positive note, for those of you who haven't seen our success yet...They ARE getting along and hanging out in the yard together, etc...It's just the night that's proving difficult.
Moon on left, Bean on right

Sunny and Bean


Thanks again for all the good advice.
Deb

[kt_luvs_kitties]

I agree, move him back and crate the pup. He feels like his spot was taken over, and he was misplaced

Dont worry, it will get better. Also try and play with him for about 30 minutes before bed. Laser light is fun, so is "da bird" cat toy

[MoonandBean]

I agree, move him back and crate the pup. He feels like his spot was taken over, and he was misplaced

Dont worry, it will get better. Also try and play with him for about 30 minutes before bed. Laser light is fun, so is "da bird" cat toy

ooh...I just got a laser chase.

[mamaducky]

I think we've also left off one obvious solution -- which is that YOU ought to have the drugs at night!

Seriously, though -- I do think letting Bean have the basement back is probably a good thing to try. Very best of luck with whatever course(s) of action you take!

Hugs,
Diana

[MoonandBean]

I think we've also left off one obvious solution -- which is that YOU ought to have the drugs at night!

Seriously, though -- I do think letting Bean have the basement back is probably a good thing to try. Very best of luck with whatever course(s) of action you take!

Hugs,
Diana

LOL! (I must admit, I've thought of that too)...Thanks for the well wishes. I am actually looking forward to tonight with a solution in mind...Sunny upstairs with us and Bean back down in HIS basement

[Catty1]

Well, yes - isn't that why we all buy a house with a certain feature? It's because it is for the CAT!

Sunny will enjoy being snuggled and Bean will have his whole basement back!

And YOU will get some sleep!