>GO POTTY WHERE YOU PLEASE
>We've tried rubbing their nose in it. We've tried putting
>them in the cage.  We've tried catching them in the middle and tossing
>them in a litter box.   All of course failed.  Generally, they'll go
>right next to the litterboxes, like we're supposed to praise them for
>being close.  Or when we discipline them,they tend to look at us like
>we're keeping them from much more important things.
 
>Mish, Kenny, Salt & Pepper (Houdini)
 
Well Mish, we have only had Weehawk for about 7 mos. but the litter
box problem seems to be solved (knock on wood :-)).  We bought a bunch
of identical plastic stacking crates, that have a sloped opening on
one side and high sides that he can't back over.  We then put one in
his cage, and after a few successful uses, I put it in our bedroom in
a corner he had used previously, and proceeded to do this for every
room in the apt.  As long as he can see one he seems to use it, and I
hope that it helps that they are all identical.  So after we felt so
great that we had solved the out of cage dumping, he stopped using the
litter box in his cage, or more correctly, he would use it once, move
it out of the corner, and then proceed to use the corner for all
following usage.  So I sprayed the cage wire with bitter apple and he
proceeded to show me how annoying this was by peeing all over!  So
then we hooked the litter box in the corner, and if he cannot move it,
he will use it more than once a day, and for the past two weeks,  he
has used the box exclusively although he still tries to move it before
every use (he also can't squeeze between the sides of the crate and
his cage, so it covers the whole end of his home)(there is how smart
we are, it has taken 7 mos. to get this far :))  You have probably
already tried similar stuff, but I figured I'd throw in my two cents
anyway  :)
 
As for couch discipline, our problem is my husbands ears, and his
desire to not have to wear bitter apple as an aftershave ;-)  Weehawk
loves to bite his ears!  And when David yells no, he bites harder.
David has tried blowing, covering Weehawks face, yelling, jumping up
and down, and whimpering; but everything just seems to induce harder
nips from little old fuzzy, I do not have this problem, even with
earring temptations, but David's ears are a goal whenever Weehawk
manages to get on the back of the couch, and slithers down to strike
on the unwary David.  Any advice would be welcome.
Krystal&David, the feeders, Tugger&Messy the cats(who think that ferrets have NO
dignity!) and Weehawk the charmer.
[Posted in FML issue 1003]