# Guys, fostering kittens is basically a real-life cheat code **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 4, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495 "2017-07-04T15:12:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495/41 "2017-07-07T19:07:34Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > At the risk of coming across as insensitive, actually I couldn’t figure out the rest, except that your old cat met with some unnamed demise. When I first read this, I thought the next thing I would read was that your cat became pregnant and thus you had kittens, but after your next paragraph, I’m sure that’s not what you meant. > > What happened? And I’m sorry for your loss. She darted out and I didn’t notice until many hours later. She never made it back. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495/42 "2017-07-07T19:19:22Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Usually, but not universally. I’ve raised many a cat in my lifetime, and never had one that didn’t know that a litterbox was for. Worse yet, I sometimes had a pet come inside the house and head for the litterbox. The whole outdoors was available, but they wanted the box instead. And no, I never encouraged or discouraged that attitude; it was just natural. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495/43 "2017-07-07T20:21:14Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I’ve raised many a cat in my lifetime, and never had one that didn’t know that a litterbox was for. I have one now - I took in a feral cat about 18 months ago. I think at the time she was about nine months old. She’s never figured out the litter box. We have another cat that uses the litter box, but Sage just doesn’t get it. She goes outside. Sometimes she pees in our tub. By the way, we also have a little terrier dog, whose favorite thing is to chase anything that moves, and is very aggressive. You’d think that a feral cat and and aggressive terrier dog would be like oil and water, but from the beginning they’ve been best buddies. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495/44 "2017-07-07T20:56:52Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > I have one now - I took in a feral cat about 18 months ago. I think at the time she was about nine months old. She’s never figured out the litter box. We have another cat that uses the litter box, but Sage just doesn’t get it. She goes outside. Sometimes she pees in our tub. **What you are describing is the classic symptoms of a urinary infection.** Take her to the vet right away; it won’t cure itself, and you will not be able to curb her obnoxious habit with discipline. It’s often thought that, due to the infection and the cat having a hard time peeing, she thinks it is because of the place, so will try other places like tubs, beds and carpets. It’s really not her fault. A 2-week antibiotic regimen should clear it up, but you must do it without delay. My medical treatment info may be out of date. Maybe there is something better nowadays. The vet may also advise a low-ash diet. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495/45 "2017-07-07T21:16:35Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I’ve raised many a cat in my lifetime, and never had one that didn’t know that a litterbox was for. Again, it’s usual but not universal. Just do a google search for folks who have had difficulty getting their kittens to use a litterbox. Sometimes you have to teach them that the box is the place. Until this pair, it’s not a problem I’ve had to deal with. They’re getting much better, but every now and then I find a rogue poop or catch one pawing at the carpet. They’ve gone in for checkups every two weeks since I started fostering. They’re healthy. It’s just one of those things. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2017, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495/46 "2017-07-07T21:29:41Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Again, it’s usual but not universal. Just do a google search for folks who have had difficulty getting their kittens to use a litterbox. Sometimes you have to teach them that the box is the place. Urinary infections in cats are very common, especially social cats and outdoor cats. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2017, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495/47 "2017-07-08T03:41:55Z")
Thanks for posting your experience, and the adorable pics. Your post reinforces what I’ve been thinking we might do once we move back to the US and are too old to adopt young pets. We can either adopt older animals, or foster. Or both 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495/48 "2017-07-08T17:18:20Z")
> [@Number](#): > > A similar practice is popular in France. But over there it’s a _chat_ code. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495/49 "2017-07-18T20:04:23Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > **What you are describing is the classic symptoms of a urinary infection.** Take her to the vet right away; it won’t cure itself, and you will not be able to curb her obnoxious habit with discipline. I’ve been on vacation, and just now checked back in. I mentioned that this was a feral cat that we took in over 18 months ago, and she never learned how to use the litter box. There is no urinary tract infection, just that she doesn’t seem to understand the litter box and prefers to go outside. Sometimes she also pees in my bathtub. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-fostering-kittens-is-basically-a-real-life-cheat-code/790495.md?page=2)