Cat using C&C Cage as a litter box

[Emily F.]

Yea, so I finally built a 3x4 C&C cage for my single pig. I have 3 cats, 2 of them don't bother with my guinea pig or the cage, but one of my cats, Josie, is using the cage as a litter box. Therefore, my guinea pig can't be in his cage when I'm at school, and it's fusturating. My cat just lurks around his C&C cage. I don't have a cover for it. Any ideas of what I could put on top of it?

Thanks.

[Percy's Mom]

If you have extra cube grids, you could connect them together to make a top, or there are several users who have had lengths of wire closet shelving cut to size and connected two pieces together to make a cover for the cage.

[laura220]

Is it possible to close the cats out of the room the pig is in? Do you think putting a large towel over the top would keep her out? How do you watch them with the pig if your not home? They don't hurt her?

[naturestee]

I wouldn't trust any cat, no matter how docile, with a small animal in an open-topped cage. You'll need to either keep the cats out of the room or build a roof. More cubes are the best option. Or you could use something like choroplast or plywood and weight it down or punch holes and zip tie it. But then it'll be harder to see your pig.

[aqh88]

My cat,Carmel, was always afraid of the guinea pigs so I'd let her in the room when I was there. Usually she'd just jump into the hayloft and lay there until a guinea pig chased her out so it could eat. 1 time though Snickers was already in the hayloft under the hay when Carmel jumped in. Seeing this odd moving lump under the hay Carmel hit it with her paw. The lump moved backward. Carmel was about ready to do an all out attack when I grabbed her. I also had Carmel's son attack one of the younger guinea pigs. He's the only one that's ever attacked a guinea pig in plain view but I wouldn't put it past any cat to one day try it. Especially after they get used to guinea pigs and over their fear or uncertainty. Cat mouths have tons of bacteria and most of the time even when you rescue an animal that has barely been scratched it will still die from infections.

[ScottandDebbie]

I would really be concerned about having a kitty cat in the same room with a guinea pig in an open cage. -- We have two *highly trained*, certified service dogs. We purposely built a cage that was higher than the dog's nose level. They cannot even properly sniff the guinea pigs, much less get to them.

You might cover the top of the cage with a piece of plywood, or coroplast, but I certainly would weight the coroplast down with something on top to prevent the cats from pushing the coroplast off the cage and getting inside the cage.

[Sabriel]

I leave my cages open during the day when I am home. My cats do not harm the guinea pigs.

There was a thread about it not so long ago in the kitchen.

If anything my pigs have inflicted more harm on the cats then the cats have even dreamed of doing to the pigs.

[Pinapple]

Why not just make another C&C? To dissuade your cat from using your pigs one?

[Emily F.]

Pinapple-

I'm not going to spend another $50 making one. That would be pointless.

[Sabriel]

You could always just put a few cubes around the litter box. Or a coro dish? That way it's C&C like. What litter do you use? Maybe you cat prefers that. If it's something like Feline Pine or YN you could just pour that in a litter box for her.

Have you visited cat forums and pages to see it you can figure out the physological reasons behind you cat not using her box? It can be very helpful in treating the problem.

[pennick]

Originally Posted by Emily F.

Yea, so I finally built a 3x4 C&C cage for my single pig. I have 3 cats, 2 of them don't bother with my guinea pig or the cage, but one of my cats, Josie, is using the cage as a litter box. Therefore, my guinea pig can't be in his cage when I'm at school, and it's fusturating. My cat just lurks around his C&C cage. I don't have a cover for it. Any ideas of what I could put on top of it?

Thanks.

May I inquire as to why you don't have a cover if that would solve the problem?

[Sabriel]

In the second last line of the post she asked for help in figuring out how to make a cover. But I still think if the cat is not using her box it goes deeper down then just a new C&C. Cats not using the box to potty is usually a deep setted issue.

If you need a quick cover use some particle board. That's what I used for Lina's cage untill I had enough grids to make a lid. I cannabalized some from an old ikea bed. You could use coro or even cardboard if need be.

[Marlania]

Originally Posted by Sabriel

Maybe you cat prefers that. If it's something like Feline Pine or YN you could just pour that in a litter box for her. Have you visited cat forums and pages to see it you can figure out the physological reasons behind you cat not using her box?

I have to agree with Sabriel. It's best you get to the bottom of the cage-litter box issue. Maybe your litter is something like Feline Pine and the pig cage looks like a similar spot to do business. Or you may have a cat like mine, who likes to torment people . However, going to the bathroom in places other than the usual litter box could mean that this kitty has some kind of legitimate problem, like a UTI, for instance.

Good luck.

[mkkayla]

Use the closet shelving from Home Depot. Be sure to get the 16" wide one and they will cut to size for you. You will need two pieces but if you get the 12 foot shelf, it will make two easily for a 2x4. Make it an inch or so longer than the top of the cage. If your cage is a 2x4 you won't need anything supporting it. The cat can sit on top and it won't give. Total cost around 12-15 dollars. I also don't recommend cats getting in with pigs. I have 7 cats and 9 pigs. All my cages are covered.

[Sabriel]

My cages are covered too, even though I do let my pigs and cats mingle while I am home. I have a pig that is terrified of other pigs but loves her kitty. I want to make her a grey cat plushie and get Ukyou's scent on it so she can cuddle with a stuffed kitty while I am not home to keep an eye on them.

[suzilovespiggie]

I learned the hard way. I rescued a husky/wolf mix. He had been living on his own for about 2 weeks, living off the numerous ground squirrels that live in my area. (I am in the country and not in town.) At the time my 3 boars lived in my bathtub. Being loose in the bathroom during the day. My dogs and cats never bothered them. I was in the kitchen and crinkled a plastic bag, my pigs starting wheeking. The new dog didn't even know they were there until they wheeked. The bathroom door was not latched, he hit that door and was in the bathroom and instantly he killed 2 of my pigs.
Legelas, was the only one who survived. I was devastated.
My cats loved to sleep on the fleece. I have seen the cats bat at a GP. No-more.I found this site and my pigs are in C&C cages with lids. Shelves from Home Depot. Every cube secured with a ziptie for extra support. The cats don't like the feel of trying to walk across the top. Any dog or cat who even looks at my GP's with any intent get a squirt with the water bottle filled with vinager and water.
There are many threads with people argueing about outside hutches, inside cages, and such being safe from cats and dogs. I don't want anyone on this site to loose a beloved GP the way I did. Cats are cats and dogs will be dogs. If you have any cats or dogs in the house, cover your GP's. It isn't hard. It was so easy I couldn't believe it. The shelves fit so nice and, are easy to open and close. And most important your babies are safe.
My cats still stick their paws thru to get to the hay. Two, of my dogs still get very interested when the pigs wheek. One look of the water bottle and that ends that. C&C cages with lids work!

[Sabriel]

My cats have been with the pigs for months now with no