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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Is Harry deprived?

20 replies

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 07/04/2018 18:34

I see posts on here about cats having cat trees but Harry’s only got a scratching post. He doesn’t seem to lead a very exciting life - our small garden is cat proofed so he can’t go far and he’s either asleep in the garden or asleep indoors. I’ve tried playing with him, but he only wants to do it on his terms. I worry he’s bored, but as he looks at me as though I’m mad when I wave catnip mice in front of him, I don’t know what to do!

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/04/2018 19:44

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Mine is currently deprived because I don’t let him in the lounge so he’s sitting on the garden furniture howling to be let in. The miaowing is pitiful.

Weedsnseeds1 · 07/04/2018 20:37

Mine had one. It was studiously ignored by the entire household. We walked around it for about 6 months. It ended up at the RSPCA.

viccat · 07/04/2018 22:02

Depends if he likes climbing and being up high? My old girl has never been a climber but young boy loves his cat towers and will climb on top of the wardrobe too.

LavenderDoll · 07/04/2018 23:23

Sorry to gatecrash
How did you cat proof the garden
I'm trying to encourage Ladybelle to go out into the garden and would feel happier knowing she couldn't get lost

Toddlerteaplease · 08/04/2018 00:14

My two have a set of steps that they love and a bigger tree that's in the spare room. They love being up high.

Toddlerteaplease · 08/04/2018 06:01

They still tell me they are deprived though!

Original poster

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 08/04/2018 09:22

Thanks everyone. I wasn’t thinking of a really high one as Harry isn’t a big climber, in fact we actually think he’s scared of heights! I just thought he might like something more interesting.

@LavenderDoll, DH attached netting to the fences and the shed to stop him getting out. He looked at SecuraCat and Protect A Pet first and then did it himself as it worked out a lot cheaper.

OP posts:

AnnaMagnani · 08/04/2018 09:30

How old is Harry?

Muffin is 14. She gets up and has her yoghurt. Late morning she remembers she hasn't had breakfast. Then she sleeps til about 4 o'clock on a very small cushion she doesn't fit on.

She goes out for a short while. She sits motionless 3 yards from our back door the whole time. Then she comes in.

In the evening she will come and stare at me which is the cue she wants dinner. Another stare is the cue that she wants more dinner - I take her back to her bowl and point out half of it is left, she then eats it.

She comes back and does another hard stare. This is her cue to go out again for 10 minutes. She comes back in and goes to sleep.

This, intersperses with duffing up kittens, passive-aggressive sitting in doorways and assertive sitting in the best place for cuddles, is the whole of Muffin's life. It runs this way every single day, without fail like clockwork.

She isn't bored, she likes it this way.

If Harry isn't bored, don't fix it.

LavenderDoll · 08/04/2018 13:44

Thanks so much
That looks great

Want2beme · 08/04/2018 14:56

AnnaMagnani Muffin is a fine example of an exemplary Overlady

Want2beme · 08/04/2018 15:01

Do you think Harry would like a barrell? Mine really like theirs.

wombatron · 08/04/2018 15:02

Anna I'm not a real cat person, but Muffin sounds like a fairly incredible feline

Toddlerteaplease · 08/04/2018 15:33

Loving the sound of Muffin!

Original poster

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 08/04/2018 15:34

I think I’ll leave it. DH is worried Harry will fall off a cat tree and end up back at the vets and I can see why he’s worried!

@Want2beme, what sort of barrel if it’s not a silly question?

@AnnaMagnani Muffin sounds amazing!

Harry is around 13 now. He wakes up, goes in the loo with me, has his breakfast, potters around the garden for a bit and then comes back in to go to sleep on the bed for the morning.

I come in at lunchtime, he goes in the loo with me (can you see a pattern forming?!), has some biscuits for lunch and then goes to sleep on the bed.

I come home in the evening, he goes in the loo with me, has his dinner a bit later, goes out in the garden, comes in and goes to sleep on the back of the sofa.

I don’t think he could fit in climbing a cat tree!

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AnnaMagnani · 08/04/2018 16:30

I think Harry is another Muffin.

He isn't bored. There comes a time in a cat's life where it is basically eat, sleep, cuddle, be a bit irritating and that's it.

Oh yes, Muffin comes to the loo with me too! she has just arrived for a hard stare to tell me it's tea time

Want2beme · 08/04/2018 16:31

Oops, should've posted picture of barrel . You can get different sizes.

m.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/scratching_posts/scratching_posts/scratching_barrell/555051?rrec=true

Fluffycloudland77 · 08/04/2018 17:05

I know asbo would like a tree but there’s no room. Maybe Harry would like some catmint plants?.

Fluffycloudland77 · 08/04/2018 17:05

Muffin does sound an amazing cat.

AnnaMagnani · 08/04/2018 18:05

We got Muffin and her late sister Sugar some catnip once.

They lolled around on the floor in a drug-induced haze and DH eventually said 'Are we their dealers?'

We were so ashamed we didn't buy anymore

Original poster

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 08/04/2018 18:21

I tried growing cat grass for Harry once as we’ve got artificial grass (please don’t shout at me!) and I thought he might like it. He showed no interest in it until it died, when she started climbing in the trough and sleeping on it!

Harry does like catnip. I currently have a very dodgy looking baggie on the shelf so I can restuff some of his toys!

OP posts:

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