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Allie is about 66 lbs. She is fed about 3 cups of food per day. She poops "twice" a day. The "" are because she might poop a couple times within a few minutes (especially if we are on a walk). But I still count it as once. Allie was pooping more when I was accidentally giving her way too much food (stupid lying measuring scoop).

So sorry to hear that. Thoughts heading her way.

Grain-free good and probiotics improved Allie's poops overnight.

Yes, she was enjoying the extra food. When I put her bowl down now, she gives me a "that's it?" look.

4Health Grain Free Beef from Tractor Supply Company Has to be the Beef flavor. She vetoed the chicken, duck, fish, pork, and lamb.

So, Allie and I have finally agreed on a food that we both like. She likes the taste, I like the nice poops. However, after a couple days, she started something strange. At 2 or 3am, she would wake me up, desperate to go outside to poop a massive pile. Allie has slept through the night since I brought her home, so this was very strange. It took me a little time, but I finally figured out the problem. It was.......drum roll please......the scoop I was using to dole out her food. The darn thing claimed to be 1 cup. But, my trusty measuring cup begs to differ. According to that, the scoop (leveled off) was actually a touch more than 1.5 cups! I was feeding her way more food than I intended. Since she likes this food, she was eating every bite. Changed to an actual 1 cup measurer, and all is well.

Thanks for the suggestions. I ordered a second feliway diffuser for upstairs (already had one downstairs). I did try laying a "treat trail" through the cat hole and into the buffer zone. The cats haven't touched it. Not even the treats that are completely inside the cat hole. And I worked with Allie on alone time while I am in the basement. She started out with whining and pawing at the baby gate, but, by the end of the weekend, was laying quietly on the living room rug waiting for me to come back upstairs. Mixing in quick trips downstairs for laundry with the longer trips to visit with the cats also seemed to help.

Thanks for the suggestions. If it is ok, I will describe my setup for more targeted feedback. My house is bi-level. When you walk in the front door, there is a good size entryway (with coat closet) with the door to the garage and stairs going down to the basement and up to the upper level. When I say basement, I actually mean lower level. It is meant to be finished living space. It is framed out for a family room, laundry/utility room, bathroom, two bedrooms, and a closet (which the crawl space is behind). The electrical is in and the plumbing for the bathroom is roughed in, but it isn't "finished". The windows are full egress. I keep a baby gate at the top of the stairs of the upper level. The only time Allie is on the stairs or in the entryway is if we are going outside or to the garage, or if I am downstairs with the cats. She does not go down to the basement door unless I am in the basement and the door is shut. She actually waits in the entryway until I shut the door, then comes down the stairs. So the only time she is looking through the door is when I am actually interacting with the cats. Both cats have actually stuck their heads through the cat hole, forcing Allie back, and hissed in her face. I tried to keep her gated upstairs once when I was in the basement, but it didn't go well. She freaked out and pulled the baby gate down on herself trying to climb it. She was fine, but the GSOD and loud banging stopped my heart. However, that was a few weeks ago, so she might be ok now, since she sometimes doesn't leave her bed to try to follow me right away. Maybe if I give her a special treat to chew on. Will have to try that. When Allie is muzzled, I take the baby gate away from the cat hole and raise the baby gate at the top of the stairs to the living room about 6 inches. This creates a "buffer zone" comprised of the stairs to the basement, the entryway, and the stairs to the living room between the cat hole and the "beast infested" area. (I am pretty sure my cats think I am being held hostage by "the beast"). The cats have not been tempted by treats at all since Allie got here. Not even their favorite catnip greenies. Not even when it is just us in the basement. Any suggestions or critiques would be welcome. If I am doing something wrong or could do something to help them, I really want to know. I am the queen of not thinking of obvious solutions until someone else suggests it.

Oh yes. I definitely spend time with them in the basement. Although, the first week, they wouldn't let me get near them. Mina stayed in the far corner of the crawl space and Maia showed her displeasure by slicing open my finger tip when I reached to pet her. I go down everyday to check on them and spend time brushing, trimming nails, and loving on them. Play with their toys. Allie watches through the cat hole; which the cats don't seem to mind.

Allie adopted me 6 weeks ago. I have two cats who are almost 10 years old and have never lived with any other animals. A friend came over and helped me with proper introductions. Allie was curious for a sniff; but backed off when she got swatted. She was easily distracted. Later that same day, she wouldn't even walk past one of the cats (who stayed out just for a little while) without averting her head and eyes. From the beginning, Allie avoided the cats' favorite spots (i.e. the couch and their beds) even though she has never seen them there. In my preparations, I spent months trying to make changes around the house in advance of bringing in a dog. I created a cat safe area (i.e. the entire basement/lower level of the house). There is a "cat hole" in the basement door. The cats' food, water, and litter have always been down there (since we moved into the house almost 3 years ago) and I added scratchers, toys, and beds. Well, I think I did too well. The cats will not come out of the basement. One will come up for a few seconds on a reconnaissance mission (I think they play "rock, paper, scissors" to see which one has to come up) but quickly return to the basement when Allie is spotted. They are definitely runners. When Allie has seen them do this, she watches them (the whole encounter is over in a few seconds), then goes (at a relaxed pace) to where they were to sniff after they leave. She doesn't lunge, whine, or try to search for them. I think they are just "new" every time she sees them now, since they hide so much. Unless I have the cat hole barricaded (with a baby gate; at night, when she is in her crate, mealtimes, and playtime), Allie is muzzled at all times. I do know that at least one comes up sometimes while I am gone to work and gets on the couch (kitty paw prints and cat hair in the fleece cover). She could watch Allie in her crate from there easily. But very little to nothing while I am home. The cats do "window dance" in the basement windows (which put them at ground level with Allie; nose to nose through the glass) when I take Allie out to the backyard (on leash, not fenced). Allie looks at them for a second, then looks away. Do I just wait them out? I absolutely do not want to force the issue and end up making things worse. I try to spend some time with them in the basement everyday, but it is not enough. I miss my kitties.

Allie wasn't too impressed with her carrots until I started making them with chicken broth (no salt added variety) instead of water. Now she gobbles them up.