Harlee 1, Humans 0

[days_unfolding]

Harlee had diarrhea all over my mom's bedroom today. My mom asked me if it was a one-shot deal, and I said that I didn't know. We both agreed that Harlee's litter box, which is downstairs, is too far away for her, and there's no place to put one upstairs. So Harlee is going to be confined downstairs. Neither of us like this, but we don't see much choice in the matter. I suggested putting comforters over the living room sofa to make a nice "nest" for Harlee, and we'll see if she likes it.

However, we got Harlee to go downstairs by my mom pretending to go to bed, and I closed her in the "TV room," and we put up the gate. Then we opened the door of the TV room. Harlee managed to squeeze through a 2.75 inch space in the gate and ran upstairs. I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it.

We have one gate that's cat-proof. (It's Zara-proof, and believe me, she's tried to get through it, and Harlee is bigger than Zara.) I'm trying to find another one, but it's older and not so easy. Linens N' Things has one online, but I'm going to go to a store tomorrow to see if they have it there. I found another one that would work that costs *cough* $150 *cough*, but I'm going to try to find the cheaper one first.

I found Harlee's meds (for IBS), and need to start giving them to her again.

I haven't gotten a thing done that I planned to get done today....

Comments

[ravengirl.livejournal.com]

I bet you could find a place upstairs for a pan. With two cats and two floors, I'd have at least three pans spread out for them. I have two in my 350 square foot studio! *snort*

Poor Harlee. Probably stress-related, you all have been through so much change lately. I hope all is righted soon.

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

Well, my mom doesn't really want a litter pan in her bedroom for obvious reasons. There really is no room in the bathroom for one. There isn't really room in the hall for one either. My bedroom has a gate (and a litter pan), but Zara's in there.

For now, my mom is closing her bedroom door to keep Harlee out. (Harlee had been hiding under my mom's bed, but she conveniently came downstairs looking for me, so I petted her while my mom moved stuff to close the door.) Tomorrow, I'm going to search for a gate. We're planning to just block off my mom's bedroom for now, so Harlee can still go upstairs if she wants to.

We both feel sorry for Harlee too, but she'll adjust. She hates change, but she's been through quite a lot of it in her life.

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

Harlee's lying on the comforter in the living room. Awesome.

[ravengirl.livejournal.com]

I keep a pan very near my bed, just out of necessity because the space is so small. It doesn't smell-- I mean, I wash the pans weekly and I scoop AM and PM. Guess it depends on the litter chosen, too. I would think your mom would prefer a pan in an odd place for awhile as opposed to diarrhea everywhere! ha! Even in the hallway might work, although cats usually like a bit of privacy.

Change is hard for all beings, really, but cats have certain ways of adjusting that help them, like having a room to adjust to before having access to a whole house-- stuff like that. Some cats *act* like they're fine, but later, they begin to show how stressed they were in various ways. I probably haven't even seen all the ways, and I've seen tons! Poor babies. Cats, I mean. My own kitties are clearly going through a stressful time. Even though I'm not behaving too oddly around them, my schedule has changed and they can probably tell I'm ill, I'm different. Every time a friend comes by, Zola gets growl-y and won't let anyone, even me, pet her as long as they're here. When they leave, she's fine again and gets lovey. I think she's worried. :(

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

Harlee has lived in this house before, but not for almost a year. What she needs is a place with something very soft to lie on, that's out of the traffic pattern and is quiet, and has a place to hide. My mom's bedroom is ideal, but the living room isn't bad.

I'm sure that your kitties sense that something wrong and that you're stressed. I hope that things get better for all of you soon.

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

I did find a spot where we could squeeze in a litter box into the bathroom, but with Harlee mostly downstairs, we might not need it.

[ravengirl.livejournal.com]

Oh good job! Could be of help eventually.

Meanwhile, I don't know if you're aware of the product Anti-Icky-Poo, but it's very effective for clean-up.

http://www.antiickypoo.com/anti-icky-poo-s/1817.htm

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

Thanks! No, I'm not familiar with it. We're still cleaning up from Harlee's poop explosion. Some of it even got on my mom's lace curtains :(

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

Harlee seems to be handling being (mostly) downstairs well. She's complaining a bit, but that's her natural state -;)

[days-unfolding.livejournal.com]

I expected Harlee to hang out in the living room, which is out of the main traffic pattern, has soft comforters, and has a place for her to hide if she gets stressed.

Where is she hanging out? The "plant room," which is at the bottom of the stairs going upstairs. She couldn't have picked a more high-traffic place. Cats -;) I think she's waiting for my mom and I to leave so she can have a good nap though.