File: 20160501_144307.jpg (3 MB, 4128x2322) Image search: [Google]

3 MB, 4128x2322

Hi /an/, I'm hoping you can help solve a cat mystery.

A couple of months ago, I brought a second cat, Charlie, into my home. He was found in a Walmart parking lot, and is a little over a year old. When I got him from the coworker who originally found him, he got all of his shots, and the vet said that he's in good health. At the beginning of this month, I took him to get neutered. No problems there, either.

My first cat, Ellie, is quite a bit older - about nine or ten. Not sure if that's relevant.

Here's the mystery: over the past few weeks, Charlie has taken to resting/sleeping next to the shared litter box in our bathroom. At first, he was lying down on the bathmat near the sink, but over time he got closer and closer until he's now lying directly next to the litter box in the closet, on top of the rubber litter mat. He does this regularly.

I tried researching this behavior online, but all I've been able to find is that cats sleeping IN their litter box can be a sign of stress. He's not in it, though, just near it.

I'm also not sure why he would feel stressed - he gets plenty of playtime and affection with me and my wife, and although he play-fights with Ellie, he's always the instigator and she never bothers him when he's relaxing. He has a cat tower by our window, and sits & sleeps there regularly as well, among other places. The litter box seems to be one of his most common resting spots now, though. None of his other behavior indicates stress or discontent as far as I can tell.

If anybody has any insight here, I'd be really appreciative; I'm not sure whether this behavior is something that I should be concerned about or not. Pic related - it's my little buddy. I'll check this thread in the morning.