"THE MONKEY LIVES HERE"-LITTER BOXES
2nd in a series on Pets and Marketing your Home
If you've read the first part of this series, Pet Odors, you can skip to the topic below. If you are wondering where the title of this series came from, here is an excerpt from part 1:
"Richard Pryor had a skit where his pet monkey kept bothering a guest. When the guest complained, his response was "The monkey lives here. . . you're just visiting!" While this is a good solution for getting rid of guests who have outstayed their welcome, it is not the attitude a home seller should take!
As pet owners we need to realize that not everyone likes animals. And truthfully, even animal lovers may be put-off by pet odors and don't really appreciate seeing pet hair on carpet and furniture, animal waste in the litter box (or on the lawn for that matter), or dirty pet food dishes-especially offensive in the kitchen-where many pet owners tend to feed their animals.
But let's face it, ‘the monkey (substitute animal of your choice) lives here. . . .' We need to accept that fact and come up with workable solutions to common pet related problems."
Litter Boxes
When you are marketing your home, litter boxes must be kept CLEAN and need to be out of sight. This is a good place to use your own creativity. I found some attractive alternatives, but some of them are very pricey. If you are at all handy, they could be do-it-yourself projects. These are listed from the most expensive to the most economical.
•Ø If you have money to burn, Kattbank, www.kattbank.com offers a bench you would never know was a litter box. Prices range from $1,750.00 to $2,200.00
•Ø At $239.95 Purrfect Privy, www.purrfectprivy.com almost seems reasonable! It is a 2-level system with a grid on the second level and the litter box on the first. The grid separates the litter from the cat's paws. Litter falls back into the pan.
•Ø A litter box is housed in what looks like a clay pot and comes with an artificial plant. It is offered at www.skymall.com for $129.95 as the "hidden litter box". With a little imagination you could come up with a solution using the new foam planters, or build one from wood, and use it as a real planter.
•Ø This washroom cabinet, www.skymall.com , hides a litter box and does double duty as an addition to the utility room (a good place for litter boxes in the first place). It sells for $99.95. This idea could be adapted as well.
•Ø This one isn't a solution when you are marketing your home, but I found it interesting!
www.felineevolution.com offers a feline toilet called "Cat Seat" which currently sells for $59.95. The website has a link to a video clip taken from Fox News!
Look for the next installment of "The Monkey Lives Here" by Kim Dillon of Creative Eye Home Staging. The topic will be Animal Shedding
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