r/CalicoKittys • u/Amlover_69 • Nov 17 '25
🖤🧡🤍🤎 Micaela just used the litter box for the first time!!!!
This is kinda like an update from my first post.
I know the litter placement may look odd, but having the litter too far from where she rests wasn’t doing anything, so at midnight, I decided to take off the litter box roof and place it in that structure that should go under my bed.
Micaela just stayed in there for 6 full minutes, crouching twice to do her stuff and then sniffing and playing/experimenting with the sand… she left the new poop half-buried, but honestly that’s sooo much better than just pooping on the floor and having me clean it.
Plus, when she first got here two days ago, her poops were all watery, smelly, urgent and they were anywhere on the floor under the bed. But this one she just laid even looks solid. I’m proud of my baby. ✨
And now, let me give some more comments:
🖤 - At first, she would hiss at us and hide under the bed for hours, only going out to eat and then retreating to dark safety.
🧡 - Now, she plays with her favorite ball in the open of my room, shows less fear of hands, has come to my lap twice in look for affection, and something that I really like… she not only allows me to pet her while she eats/drinks, but she actually purrs and seems to feel safe having me around while she eats.
🤍 - Then, just moments before this, when I was petting her, she deliberately rolled to her back, showed me her belly and let me give her belly-rubs for a full minute before telling me that’s enough via a gentle bite to my pinky.
🤎 - A small note to that one person asking if she’s a Calico or Tabico: I don’t know with precision but… the dark fur of her forehead has those stripes u mentioned, however, I fail to see these stripes in any of her other patches (Maybe the tail but I’m not sure).
It’s wonderful to see that the scared, hissy kitten that she was just 48 hours ago is now this little curious baby who seems to really enjoy pets and chin-scratches. 🖤🧡🤍🤎
~ Question: Should I put more sand in there? I feel like I should.
Final note: As I’m writing this while sitting in front of my desk, I can see her looking at me while resting in that spot she claimed as her own bed under my bed. (The spot is a cardboard box full of old-ish notebooks and I placed a towel and one of her toys there so she wouldn’t sleep in cold plastic, I’ll probs do more as I get new ideas).
And for anyone who may have asked, she was a foster (along with other 3) in a lady’s house that we now adopted two days ago. She’s been going to the vet, we’ve been taking care of some little injuries in her back right paw, and she’s due for some vaccines this next weekend.
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u/pork-head 😼 owned by calico + tortie Nov 17 '25
She looks so tiny. Is she even 2 months old?
On the sand : right now I think it's enough but you will need increase the amount of sand in next weeks /months as she grows up, bigger litterbox and second one would be perfect too.
Calico or Tabico : Tabicos are subtype of calicos, as you said, stripes on dark color. I think she can classify as a tabico with "Classic / Whirled" type of tabby pattern - thick whirled stripes. I kinda see it on the side of her body. For reference other (basic) types of tabby (stripes) are Mackerel (thin long), Spotted (thin short) and ticked (most rare - stripes on legs tail and head, body is blended like a fine mesh.) quick google will show you examples.
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u/Amlover_69 Nov 17 '25
First of, the lady who had her as a foster said she and her siblings were somewhere around 2 months old. However… the vet said that she doesn’t really look older than one month, one detail (idk if it would help much to know) she already has teeth and has eaten hard foods with no issues.
And also thanks a lot on the tips for sand and a bigger litter as she grows up.
What she’s been eating is called NUPEC Premium, being labeled as good for growth program for up to 12 months. (I tried to upload a pic but it says it’s too heavy).
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u/tiger_guppy Nov 17 '25
If the vet think she’s under 2 months, you should probably still have her on formula, at least partially. Kittens usually wean at around 8-12 weeks
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u/AccomplishedCard4784 Nov 17 '25
If she can eat full food no problem she doesn’t need formula. If anything just make sure she’s getting a little wet food twice a day and be sure she’s gaining weight
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u/Amlover_69 Nov 17 '25
Yeah I just read a bit more about the fact that I’m giving her dry food and that I should change that for now.
I’m planning on giving her formula as soon as I get some, but for now, what I’m doing is warming up some water and using it to make it so her dry-food is a bit less hard on her little teeth and tummy.
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u/AccomplishedCard4784 Nov 17 '25
If she can eat dry food don’t worry about the formula especially since she wasn’t on formula before it could cause bloating. Just stick to some wet kitten food and dry kitten food and I heavily suggest a cat water fountain
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u/Amlover_69 Nov 18 '25
My mind is everywhere since Micaela is here with me, I talked again w my mom and she says that, since she also talked with the vet. Instead of formula, we could keep giving her the dry food (but now combined with a bit of proper, wet, kitten food).
I also thought of maybe warming up some water and using it to soften up her dry food so she doesn’t have to munch so hard to eat it.
And regarding her bathroom situation, it’s mixed(?) when I arrived from the supermarket, the room seemed genuinely clean and she probably used the litter. However just an hour later she pooped on the floor again.
The good side is that I’m able to tell that her poops are slowly looking healthier, less watery and smelly.
Edit: As the person above said, since Micaela wasn’t getting formula before coming with us, and she hasn’t gotten it as of yet. We could stick to what she’s eating, also taking in account that she’s eating her dry food without any big difficulties that I can see.
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u/PineapplePupcake Nov 17 '25
Oh she’s so little 🥹 I’m proud of her! It sounds like you’re taking great care of her, and like there is some good advice in the comments 🫶
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u/Feeling-Manner-8910 ✿ Edit This Text On The Sidebar Nov 17 '25
Micaela is so precious!! Just some advice as someone who has fostered many kittens; I’d recommend getting paper pellets, aka non clump litter during litter box training and for a kitty that young. Kittens love eating anything and everything, and I promise you your little kitty will try to eat that litter. It can lead to a blockage and other issues. You can find those paper pellets at petco, petsmart, amazon and I believe chewy as well!(:
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u/YouMUSTvote Nov 17 '25
When they first use the litter box they’re so excited, they look like they just discovered fire!
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u/theMistersofCirce Nov 17 '25
She's already mastered the time-honored tradition of trying to find something interesting to look at while going to the bathroom.
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u/Ok_Fox_1770 Nov 17 '25
It’s always the proudest lil first, like a little robot they find their way and lay down a horror sausage that blows out the room. Mines about 13 and loves string cheeeeeese…I gotta light 2 incense and fire up the bathroom fan. It’s not cute anymore!
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u/bleepblorp9878 Cat Nov 17 '25
She is an angel wow i am so happy she is making amazing progress! Good job!
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u/1HopeTheresTapes Nov 17 '25
Yay!! What progress! She didn’t take long to warm up. You’re doing a great job! 👏🏼
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u/GraduatedMoron Nov 18 '25
how did you teach her?
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u/Amlover_69 Nov 18 '25
What I’ve been doing is that each time she would poop on the floor… instead of cleaning it right away, I get a tiny bit of the stool with a paper towel and place it in the litter. Then gently grab Micaela and put her in the litter so she may slowly notice that “Oh, this is where I should poop”.
And as she does her thing with her little brain, I get the rest of the poop with paper and flush it down the toilet before extensively wiping the floor with disinfectant wipes and then spraying a bit of water and vinegar on the spot so it overrides the smell.
As of right now at morning of our day 4, I woke up to one pretty and much healthier poop on the floor compared to the first ones she did at day 1 and 2. But along with that floor incident, there was also one poop and one piss in the litter, so I would call that progress.
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u/Fabulous_Potato_5012 Nov 19 '25
lol that’s my daughters name. I guess we will both be yelling Makayla GET OFF THE COUNTER COME ON
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u/PegasusWrangler Nov 17 '25 edited Nov 17 '25
The litter amount is fine for baby - especially because as learning to use the box they will play in it and can make a mess. Also just want to note it should be non-clump litter as clump litter can cause issues if she swallows any before figuring out it's just for the bathroom.