pomes

The cats have a cat-litter box, in which they do their business.

Sometimes their staff does not clean it as often as they would prefer, and so they have an escalating system of notifying of their displeasure, thus:

0. The litter box has been cleared recently enough. A cat uses the litter box quietly, with no fuss.

1. The litter box is still useable, but the time to clean is approaching. A cat will use the litter box and scratch at the walls of the litter box, making noise, to notify that the box been has been used, and this requires attention.

2. The litter box has not been cleared in too long, and is only just usable. A cat will do their business in the box, but leave it uncovered, using the smell and visible leavings to indicate that urgent action is required.

3. The litter box has reached an unusable state. (*this is a failure mode: staff have been unwell/ messed up their sleep schedule/ miscommunicated whose turn it was) A cat does his business just outside the box, on the floor (which is a washable surface).

* * *

Yesterday we installed a new, larger cat-litter box, and the cats immediately understood and accepted it.

Today Egory demonstrated his understanding of synegdoche, thus:

He waited by the water-bowl to say he'd like it re-filled. Refilling the water bowl is part of my before bed routine, which includes clearing the cat litter.

He wanted the cat litter cleared, and he used part of the routine to indicate the whole routine.

I know this because usually if he just wants water he immediately comes and drinks from the bowl once it's re-filled, and he did not this time.