Butterfinger
Well-Known Member
So....I've been having this problem on and off since August. :? I posted about it before, I know.
So, after Butter had wee'd once again where he ought not, and gleefully soaked his bottom and feet with it, I decided.
If he couldn't pee in his box with all this space, I'd just have to make it smaller and see if he'd be better about it then.
So, last week, I remodelled Butter's pen into a house with a roof and a run next to that. (He can't get in the run unless I put him there) The house is 2 x 3 panels, and is 2 panels tall with a roof covering the whole thing (This solved the problem of my kitten peeing in Butter's hay, anyway).
Unfortunately, no luck. He still pees everywhere except his hay box, bathes himself in urine, and his paws are stained a permanent dark yellowish brown. (They WERE pure white).
I've clipped his bum and back legs (I posted about this too), but he still stains them badly, and it's irritating his skin.
I know being like this for so long is bad for him, and I'd much rather put a wire bottom on his cage than try to make him suffer through this longer than that. Having tried and tried from August till' October, I feel I've been patient long enough to give this a reasonable chance, and I'm not willing to compromise his health just to have him pee in a box.
So, is a wire bottom on his cage acceptable....for his health? I'd have to go out and buy the wire (Or have my parents drive down with the cage I already have but didn't use that has a wire bottom), since I can't use NIC for that, but should I do it? He just refuses to go anywhere but where he pleases. (Sometimes it's in the box, most of the time it's on the floor. I don't think he can tell the difference anymore)
When he was on half-wire-half-plastic at my parent's house, his feet and bottom were very clean, and he was happy.....
I feel like I'm failing him by making him try to learn this.
My poor sweet boy He constanly smells terrible, and I worry about him getting respiratory infections, too. (Because of how strong it is)
Help?
~Diana
So, after Butter had wee'd once again where he ought not, and gleefully soaked his bottom and feet with it, I decided.
If he couldn't pee in his box with all this space, I'd just have to make it smaller and see if he'd be better about it then.
So, last week, I remodelled Butter's pen into a house with a roof and a run next to that. (He can't get in the run unless I put him there) The house is 2 x 3 panels, and is 2 panels tall with a roof covering the whole thing (This solved the problem of my kitten peeing in Butter's hay, anyway).
Unfortunately, no luck. He still pees everywhere except his hay box, bathes himself in urine, and his paws are stained a permanent dark yellowish brown. (They WERE pure white).
I've clipped his bum and back legs (I posted about this too), but he still stains them badly, and it's irritating his skin.
I know being like this for so long is bad for him, and I'd much rather put a wire bottom on his cage than try to make him suffer through this longer than that. Having tried and tried from August till' October, I feel I've been patient long enough to give this a reasonable chance, and I'm not willing to compromise his health just to have him pee in a box.
So, is a wire bottom on his cage acceptable....for his health? I'd have to go out and buy the wire (Or have my parents drive down with the cage I already have but didn't use that has a wire bottom), since I can't use NIC for that, but should I do it? He just refuses to go anywhere but where he pleases. (Sometimes it's in the box, most of the time it's on the floor. I don't think he can tell the difference anymore)
When he was on half-wire-half-plastic at my parent's house, his feet and bottom were very clean, and he was happy.....
I feel like I'm failing him by making him try to learn this.
My poor sweet boy He constanly smells terrible, and I worry about him getting respiratory infections, too. (Because of how strong it is)
Help?
~Diana