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Tiny Home for Cats

The idea of this project sounds crazy, but it has to happen. When my incredible mom passed away from cancer in 2020, she was still fostering multiple cats. Three of these cats have difficult behavioral challenges, so I was not prepared to welcome them to our home. I have been traveling thousands of miles since my mom passed away just to care for them. This is not sustainable (at all), so I needed a solution.

The “playhouse” we purchased was built like a house, so it has a lot of potential.

I have a few things on my wish list for our renovation:

Paint exterior
Taupe-y painted cabinets like this or this
We got lucky and found gently used cabinets for an entire kitchen for $700
Glossy white/marble tile flooring + 1/2 wall
Slat wall divider + barn door

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Cats Are Poopin’ but I’m Not Scoopin’

I purchased our first Litter-Robot 3 Connect in 2019 when my mom’s health started to decline. I knew that my time was going to be even more valuable than normal, so I needed extra help with cat care while I was away from home for an extended period of time every day.

I was worried that our semi-feral Bamboo would have a hard time adjusting to it, but she LOVED it right away! The Litter-Robot is in the same room as a top-entry litter box and two Curver basketweave litter boxes, so five cats have a variety of options. All five of them definitely prefer how spacious (and clean) the Litter-Robot is.

I get an alert through the AutoPets Connect app when the bag in the drawer is full, so all I have to do is replace the bag and throw the old litter out — it takes less than a minute! Since my five cats prefer to use the Litter-Robot over their other boxes, I usually replace the bag every other day.

I am a huge fan of efficiency, so being able to focus on other responsibilities every day makes the investment worth it for me. Without the Litter-Robot, I would have at least two other basic litter boxes. That would take up more space, and I would spend at least ten extra minutes per day cleaning litter boxes when I could be spending quality time with my cats.

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Cleaning

 

If you have a cat who has an occasional accident or one who is stressed out and is showing you by avoiding their litter box*, this is a must.  Nature’s Miracle has a variety of options from spray, to foam, to shampoo.  Make sure that you read the instructions carefully when using these products.

 

 

 

 

* If your cat is avoiding their litter box, please see your vet.  In a recent study, over 1/10th of declawed cats showed litter box avoidance due to pain.  Bladder inflammation and UTIs tend to be very common in declawed cats and present in 80% of Paw Project Utah‘s surgery candidates, most likely due to the overall stress that declawing causes.

 

iRobot Roomba 690 Robot Vacuum with Wi-Fi Connectivity

 

This is great for sucking up litter and fur.  It’s quieter than most vacuums, but does the job as long as you clean it regularly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shark Rocket Powerhead Upright Vacuum

 

It’s small, but powerful.  It’s easy to clean and great at sucking up pet fur from carpet and hard floors.

 

 

 

 

 

Pasen Povor Hardwood Floor Spray Mop Swivel Cleaning Tools with 2 Microfiber Head Pad

 

This is a great tool to clean up messes on hard floors.

 

 

 

 

 

BISSELL SpotBot Pet Handsfree Spot and Stain Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner

 

 

This handsfree carpet cleaner is perfect for cleaning up pet messes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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