by Danielle
(Snohomish, Wa, USA)

I've had my dog for four years. I just decided to get a cat, she's about 4 months old. She knows how to use her litter box too.

I don't know where to put her litter box and food bowl. I had her litter box in the laundry room, but she wouldn't come out of my room ( because of the dog). I would have to bring her to the litter box. Now the box is in my room, and she's using it. But I don't want it in my room. I also tried it in the office (which is right next to my room) but she wouldn't go in there on her own. When I would bring her in there, she would go potty, but not come out of the room.


With the food bowl: I also put in my room because I'm afraid my dog will eat it. And she wouldn't come out of the room to eat. We started bringing her out to the living room, but she won't leave the couch, even to go potty.

I'm afraid that if I keep her stuff in my room then she will just end up living there. And she needs to get used to the dog.

Help: Any ideas on getting her out of my room, and get used to the dog.

Dear Danielle,

Your kitty is still young and obviously shy and a bit scared of the dog. It is natural that she doesn't want to go past the dog to get to her food and litter.

Give her time. Either keep everything in your room and let her eventually get used to wandering out into the rest of the house and get used to your dog (she will). If you cannot tolerate the litter and food in your room, do you have another room where the kitten and her things can be until she is comfortable and ventures out from that room in her own time?

Best,
Dr. Neely