cat closet
Dec. 6th, 2022 08:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kareinaWhen we brought Kalika home at the beginning of October it was a kinda impulsive decision, and we hadn't really come up with a good idea of where the litterbox should live. So it wound up going in the bathroom, next to the tub, because that was the only bit of floor in that room big enough for it that wasn't needed for access to the sink and toilet. Two weeks later we brought home Skaði, and I soon noticed a huge difference in their treatment of litter. If Skaði were an only cat the box could have sat there forever, and it would have been a very rare thing that any litter made it to the floor. However, Kali loves to dig deep holes in the litter, and tosses it with great enthusiasm to bury everything that needs burying, which meant that twice a day vacuuming the bathroom wasn't often enough. As a result I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated with the litter situation and pondering alternatives.
Yesterday during the day I realized that if we cut in half the door to the closet just outside of the bathroom and added a shelf at the height of the new door bottom we would have an alcove big enough for the litter box, and the vacuum cleaner could live on the new shelf instead of the floor. Keldor got home from work a little early, so as soon as I reached a reasonable breaking point with the research I was doing I came out and described the idea and asked what he thought. He pronounced the idea good, and we set to work...
Step one was to take out the linoleum sheet from the floor of the closet so we can use it as a template to cut a chunk of scrap plywood for the new shelf, and to cut a bit of carpet for the floor in the closet, so in hopes that any litter that sticks to their paws will be removed by the carpet on their way in and out. However, before we could cut the plywood it was necessary to clean away all of the things that had been put into the workshop when we emptied the storage area at his brother's property (when the property was sold). That step added at least an hour to the project, but the workshop looks much better now, and one can walk through normally, rather than turning sideways and stepping carefully.
After we got the shelf cut and mounted the carpet in place, and the door cut in half (well, just under the middle hinge) it was only finding a suitable board to set across the base of the door opening so that any litter she flings out of the box will, hopefully, not also fly over that extra wall. Total time elapsed from putting down the computer to done and the construction mess cleaned up was four hour, and I am much, much happier with the result. This morning I hung a hook for the scoop for cleaning the litter, and another upon which I will hand a bag that holds the roll of plastic bags for carrying away litter clumps. As soon as I sew the bag. Sometime later we will probably also hang a lace curtain over the opening, but for now it is good enough, and I am much happier.
Yesterday during the day I realized that if we cut in half the door to the closet just outside of the bathroom and added a shelf at the height of the new door bottom we would have an alcove big enough for the litter box, and the vacuum cleaner could live on the new shelf instead of the floor. Keldor got home from work a little early, so as soon as I reached a reasonable breaking point with the research I was doing I came out and described the idea and asked what he thought. He pronounced the idea good, and we set to work...
Step one was to take out the linoleum sheet from the floor of the closet so we can use it as a template to cut a chunk of scrap plywood for the new shelf, and to cut a bit of carpet for the floor in the closet, so in hopes that any litter that sticks to their paws will be removed by the carpet on their way in and out. However, before we could cut the plywood it was necessary to clean away all of the things that had been put into the workshop when we emptied the storage area at his brother's property (when the property was sold). That step added at least an hour to the project, but the workshop looks much better now, and one can walk through normally, rather than turning sideways and stepping carefully.
After we got the shelf cut and mounted the carpet in place, and the door cut in half (well, just under the middle hinge) it was only finding a suitable board to set across the base of the door opening so that any litter she flings out of the box will, hopefully, not also fly over that extra wall. Total time elapsed from putting down the computer to done and the construction mess cleaned up was four hour, and I am much, much happier with the result. This morning I hung a hook for the scoop for cleaning the litter, and another upon which I will hand a bag that holds the roll of plastic bags for carrying away litter clumps. As soon as I sew the bag. Sometime later we will probably also hang a lace curtain over the opening, but for now it is good enough, and I am much happier.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-12-06 03:06 pm (UTC)Miss Bea can be a flinger as well, but most of the time it's manageable.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-12-06 03:33 pm (UTC)