Strange litterbox problems with new kitten Sophie

[lizzielou742]

Hi all, thanks for the advice! Right now she is confined to my boyfriend's bedroom only. I have tried to convince him to crate her but he just won't listen. She only had one accident all week, so at least she's getting better, but she still doesn't cover her messes. I really want to crate her but Boyfriend thinks it's mean, thinks cages are too expensive...he's giving me every excuse he can to not crate her. I am moving in with him in less than a month. So, at least Sophie won't be moving anywhere, she won't have to relearn any habits, but there will be another cat (my Tito) in the house. Basically if my boyfriend refuses to crate her and she doesn't get any better, then when I move in I WILL crate her and there's nothing he can do about it. It needs to be done and if he won't do it then I will. I refuse to let my kitties have problems just because of human irresponsibility. I felt so bad for her this morning b/c Boyfriend tried to switch her to dry food all at once (he was out of wet food) and she threw it right back up. I wish I would have been there to tell him you can't do that!!! Aaargh!!!

He thinks I'm just trying to be a know-it-all about cats, and he doesn't want to listen to my advice...well when I move in there in three weeks it won't be advice anymore, it WILL happen, we WILL crate her and no matter what, we won't give up until all problems are solved!!!

[catcrazylady]

Maybe when she and Tito get together she will follow his example. Hopefully he won't follow hers! From what I understand sometimes it just takes a few days or weeks to get the litter box lesson figured out. I think she would also do fine in the bathroom. She is so tiny that I think she just needs a small space with the litter box nearby.
I bet Tito will become her best buddy. I can't wait for all the play pictures and stories!!

[lizzielou742]

That's what I was hoping, that Sophie will learn from Tito's habits, not the other way around. I don't know. This whole thing is stressing me out!! But, Sophie is doing reasonably well, considering that when we got her (May 8th) she was four weeks old and had never seen a litter box in her life! Now she's six weeks old and in the last 7 days has only had one accident (last night on the bed)...which was weird because the litterbox is literally RIGHT NEXT to the bed and always has been. Maybe she was sleepy and confused...maybe she was mad that she had been alone most of that evening...who knows. All I can do is hope it works out. I'm going to take the introductions slowly - when we move we're going to keep Tito confined to my boyfriend's guest room with his litterbox, scratching post, toys, window perch, some of my clothes, water and food only. That's so he'll learn where his litterbox is and so he can't run out the door while we're coming in and out, moving. Then, when we're done moving, we're going to give everyone a few days to settle down and then start introducing them slowly. I've already been doing the toy exchange trick so both of them have definitely smelled the other one. Sophie loves to chew on my shoes when I'm at my boyfriend's, and every time I come home from there Tito goes nuts sniffing my shoes! Anyway, I know I am rambling now, but I am just very nervous about this whole thing. The whole reason we got Sophie was to keep tito company (and plus she had nowhere else to go) so hopefully it all does work out and I can finally sleep at night...with Tito on my face, as usual!!

[catcrazylady]

Don't stress because I think this intro will go very well. They are both young and that really helps. I'm sure Sophie will do some of that adorable little kitten hissing but she will find Tito to be a great play buddy in no time! The older the cat the more difficult the introductions I think. Tito will be in a new place so he won't be too territorial yet and Sophie is such a tiny baby that she will just be freaked out for a short time. I think you are going to have a lot of fun with these two!
If Sophie has had only one accident in seven days I think she is doing remarkably well! She is so tiny and has such a tiny bladder that I'm sure things just kind of hit all at once! Know what I mean?!) If she is doing that good now I think your problems are almost over with the accidents.
I can't wait for more pictures of the two of them!! You are going to have many many laughs and so are we!! There is nothing cuter than two youngsters getting into trouble!