This happened this morning while I was getting ready to leave for work. Smudge is 5 months old and VERY picky about the litterbox - doesn't like covered litterboxes, likes the box very very clean, wants the box in a secluded area, etc. It took awhile for me to get the right box in the right place for him. My other two are much less picky.

Smudge's litterbox of choice is in a corner of the my bedroom, between my dresser and the wall. This morning I'm getting dressed, Smudge is in the litterbox. I take me kneebrace off the dresser and make my way back to the bed. I hear this "thunk" noise and this white flash of fur erupts out of the litterbox and disappears down the hall. When I checked the litterbox to see what was going on I apparently knocked a candle off the dresser and it fell into the litterbox with Smudge. I'm laughing a bit because Smudge really did explode out of the box. I go down the hall into the living room and find Smudge crouched down on the floor peering back down the hall. I pick him up, talk to him, take him back to the bedroom with me, show him that there's nothing bad in the litterbox.

I go back to getting dressed. As I'm putting on my shoes see Smudge laying on the floor staring suspiciously at the dresser. He crouches down, inches up to it and peers under it. Then he slinks around the side of it, sticks out his neck and peers between the dresser and the wall. Then he moves back to the front of the dresser, hunkers down into his "spring loaded to pounce" position and just watches. By this time I've given up tying my shoes as I am laughing too hard.

I am hoping Smudge and box are okay with each other by the time I get home or I'm in for another round of musical litterbox until I find a new perfect box spot for him!

Copyright © Raven Tompkins
October 7, 2000