Friday, March 23, 2018

Foiling the Roly Poly

Tucker does not like Parker. The roly poly and the sturdy-boy have been in a few fights, and while Parker may be of a more forgiving nature, Tucker does not seem so inclined. Keeping them separated is not a great inconvenience. I certainly do not need to give up one to satisfy the other, and I wouldn’t do it in any case. But I have had to arrange the household to accommodate their disagreements.


Tucker has a bit of a vindictive streak in him. You wouldn’t know it by looking at that infantile moon-face of his. He’s all innocence and virtue, you would think. But, for a while, that feline sausage has been visiting the library, where Parker stays when I am absent or asleep, and wetting just outside his litter-box.

At first, Tucker wet inside, and sometimes pooped, without covering it. This was, I assume, to show Parker who was boss - at least boss of Parker. Then Tucker started thinking outside the box. In the library, I have the same pattern of floor coverings as elsewhere: over the apartment’s fitted carpets I’ve laid large rugs. In addition, in front of the litter-box, to make cleaning easier, I’ve put a smaller mat. Though the cost of those mats add up, I was not so concerned about retaining them. I can buy others at the bargain stores. But the urine would penetrate them into the rug and, possibly, then into the carpet.


And so, in my continuing quest to prove that I will not be outwitted by a cat, I have purchased a couple of incontinent pads - ‘soaker pads’ - one of which will always be placed immediately in front of Parker’s litter box, under the mat. These are re-usable, after a good washing.


I am doing this because I don’t want to deny Tucker entry to the library. When Parker is loose, the roly poly one has every right to wander at will into that room or any other. I don’t want him to fear my reaction when he goes there, which may have been the case if I continued to shadow him every time he walked into the library. Sometimes, he goes in just to sniff. Other times, he wants a drink from the water-bowl there; this especially I don’t want to stop.

We will see if this works. Tucker has not tested the pads for me, and I would not mind if they never received their practicum. But if they do, I am ready. I am determined not to be foiled by a furry sausage - no matter how fond I am of him.

16 comments:

  1. dood.....yur dad just knot troo lee reel eyez... still... ore yet...

    just whoo himz deelin with......doez he....

    CAT FATHER ~~~~~~ !!! ☺☺☺♥♥♥

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  2. Tucker does have such a look of innocence. He obviously has his own ways of dealing with things though. Let the Battle of Wills commence!

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    1. He can be devious. Don't be deceived by his face.

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  3. "And so, in my continuing quest to prove that I will not be outwitted by a cat...."

    Uh, John....I can't believe you actually wrote that. Uh huh, good luck...you'll need it. :-D

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  4. I can sympathize. Alex also occasionally has what the vets call "inappropriate urination". I use incontinence pads by the litter boxes as you do, but I also put a plastic carpet runner under the pad. (Amazon sells them.) That way if urine soaks through the pad, your carpet or floor won't get damaged.

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    1. At this rate, I'll be raising my floor by five or six inches...

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  5. You will never be outwitted by a cat. But then you know that but like the rest of us, you will keep trying. I like your solution here. I think you can get puppy pee pads at the Dollar Store.

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    1. I continue to pit my intelligence against his cunning...

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  6. The fact Tucker hasn't tested the mats makes me wonder if he hasn't figured out they are there and is busily coming up with another method to cause consternation..

    Good luck!

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  7. Sounds like a good idea. Kitty relationships are tough to understand. I have found calming collars to be helpful in some cases. The scent in them makes the cats less aggressive to one another.

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  8. I thought I had answered this. Hm.

    My girl stands up to pee so I had to buy a hooded box after a few weeks of puppy pads around the box. I'd rather an open, but she till stands...

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  9. It's wonderful how cats cause their humans to think up new and interesting ways to keep up with them!

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