Monday, June 13, 2005
Barbarians in the Box
Today's strip is just how I imagined Artemis reacted when she first moved in with Elvis and Maxine and found the litter box.
Unlike most cats, Elvis and Maxine are hit and miss with burying their poop. When they were young -- the pre-Alpha-Mom days -- my husband used an open litter pan for the pair. Which they preferred, because they could stand on the edge, do their business, and run (ie: Maxine). Elvis, who weighs 16+ pounds, is always just a little bit too big for any litter pan out there. He preferred to hop out and, using one paw, bury his poop from a secure location on the ground.
It made a big mess, but we were living with it until Fancy decided that the litter box was her personal candy store...
Any pet owner who owns both a dog and a cat know this horror:
You are lovingly petting your dog, who is curled up in your arms, gazing adoringly into your eyes. Suddenly there is a rumble in their belly and they BELCH in your face. And this is when you discover -- to your HORROR -- that your darling pooch, who has been licking your cheek a moment before, has just indulged in a large helping of litter-box bon-bons...
With larger dogs you can create a barrier around a litter box that only allows a cat-sized opening. But Fancy is half the weight of Elvis. She goes where big dogs can't.
So I reinstated the covered litter box which also happily, cut down on the mess.
But it totally disrupted Elvis and Maxine's -- well, Elvis' -- burying practices.
How does poor Artemis cope with this shocking turn of events? Stayed tuned!
Until next time,
Alpha-Mom.
Unlike most cats, Elvis and Maxine are hit and miss with burying their poop. When they were young -- the pre-Alpha-Mom days -- my husband used an open litter pan for the pair. Which they preferred, because they could stand on the edge, do their business, and run (ie: Maxine). Elvis, who weighs 16+ pounds, is always just a little bit too big for any litter pan out there. He preferred to hop out and, using one paw, bury his poop from a secure location on the ground.
It made a big mess, but we were living with it until Fancy decided that the litter box was her personal candy store...
Any pet owner who owns both a dog and a cat know this horror:
You are lovingly petting your dog, who is curled up in your arms, gazing adoringly into your eyes. Suddenly there is a rumble in their belly and they BELCH in your face. And this is when you discover -- to your HORROR -- that your darling pooch, who has been licking your cheek a moment before, has just indulged in a large helping of litter-box bon-bons...
With larger dogs you can create a barrier around a litter box that only allows a cat-sized opening. But Fancy is half the weight of Elvis. She goes where big dogs can't.
So I reinstated the covered litter box which also happily, cut down on the mess.
But it totally disrupted Elvis and Maxine's -- well, Elvis' -- burying practices.
How does poor Artemis cope with this shocking turn of events? Stayed tuned!
Until next time,
Alpha-Mom.
