We are working toward equal affinity for the litter box. There have been accidents.
There is nothing in the world like cold cat poo oozing up between your toes at four am. I bought a cat repellent at the feed store to put on cloths in the areas of the transgressions. The directions on the bottle say it is to be used only if gentle training methods fail. This was written by someone who has either never failed to train a cat, or has never stepped in cold cat poo with bare feet at four am.
It would help if the litter box were a little more hygienic. It is not my job to clean it. If I clean it one time out of poo-fear or exasperation, it will become my job ever after. The same thing goes for a lot of other chores. I have to stick to the task of gentle reminding, then arguing that it really does have to be done, it is NOT "clean enough" even if a person can see a blank space in the sand where a cat might squeeze in one more poo. Not all cats like to squeeze in poo, the vast open space of the living room rug is much more inviting.
Trivia like this is unimportant. There are far more important things in life and the world than unsqueezed cat poo. Just because it's not very important does not mean you can continue on as if it isn't there. It adds to the complexity of dealing with what IS important, it adds to the style with which the important things are handled.
What is important here, is that in spite of some problems with our new cat from the shelter, overall, she is a wonderful cat. She always greets us at the door when we come home. She loves to play, and, while not exactly a lap cat at this point, she likes affection as long as it is not restraining. She is always in the room with someone and follows if they move to another room. She loves attention and replies politely when addressed by name.
It is not an instant adjustment for us, we still miss Ferm. We don't know what Whiskers' life was before her three weeks in a steel cage at the shelter. Everybody needs a little patience. I think we can squeeze that in.
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