As far as I can tell, it would seem that my ferret has an ego the size of a
small planet.  She is the most stubborn critter I have ever been aquainted
with.  She wants to be in charge of everything, and refuses to do things my
way no matter how gently or hard I try to convince her!
 
A short time ago I wrote to this list because she was keeping me up at
nights by scratching at the base of her litter box.  I received several
responses and was hugely appreciative for each of them.  I followed many of
the suggestions, including the one which required that I use velcro to keep
the litter box in one place.
 
Before I "pinned" it semi-permanently into place, though, I opted for
re-re-locating it back into the spot which it had been previously; one
which my ferret seemed to prefer.  Sure enough, since the move she has made
no attempts what-so-ever at voicing any dissatisfaction with the change.
No more nails screeching loudly against plastic every night.
 
BUT, for some reason she continues to use the corner where it was (the
corner where she did not like it) as her bathroom.  And every day I am
constantly cleaning her messes up and putting them into the litter box.
I make sure that she is aware of this, and aware of my disapproval.  She
shows no signs of stopping any time soon, though.
 
I gave the corner a good scrubbing; cleaned and disinfected it.  On top of
that I went out and got a piece of carpeting for her (which I had been
meaning to do anyway because she loves to rub her stomach on it) and I
velcroed it into that corner, hoping this would let her no once and for all
that this was no longer her bathroom spot.  I even placed several of her
toys there as well.
 
Solution?  Not in the least.  Now I am simply scrubbing carpet every day and
using a deodorizer to mask the stench.  I also cover the carpet in bitter
apple almost hourly, but to no avail.  And what's more, despite her
enjoyment of tummy rubbing, she is now keeping me up nights by scratching
and tearing at the carpet.  She may like carpet, but she doesn't like it
there.  As far as she's concerned, THAT is her potty, no matter how I try
to train her otherwise.  I've half a mind to put the litter box back there.
But then I'd be right back where I started.
 
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A change in anything anywhere changes everything everywhere
[Posted in FML issue 2357]