|
|
Post by angela on Sept 29, 2010 13:08:22 GMT -5
I read the post about the "dirty cat houses" and thought I'd start a new thread on the whole issue of kitties and their contributions to squalor.
I currently have 5 cats in the house and 3 outside.
When I first moved into this house I had 6 mature cats, 3 of whom were sprayers. I moved here to take care of my grandpa and he had a dog who soiled all over the house. The cats already had the soiling habit and continued it here.
Before that, I had at my high point 9 cats. I can pinpoint when and why I started the cat accumulation. My boyfriend of 7 years moved out of the apartment we shared and married and I fell into deep depression. In my more self aware moments I joked that with all the cats on the bed, it was about the size of another person. Before, I had only had one cat at a time, 2 with my boyfriend as well as a dog. We had outside cats when I was a kid (no animals in the house ever!) and I befriended them.
I am currently trying to clean up the squalor that I can. Much of the old soiling that soaked into the wood floor that I exposed after ripping out all the carpet has been hard scrubbed with a brush and hot soapy water. There is still smell in the air at times, especially humid days. I hate it and it is the overriding reason why I don't have people over. I have nice, picked up common areas and I do keep public areas clean and dusted but there is still that funk.
So I have been trying to figure out what it is inside of my emotions that makes it so so difficult to make the choice that would help me keep on top of my house, namely, to turn away extra cats!
A side note of sorts; the parents of my exboyfriend had adopted a kitten and later put her down because she never did learn to use the litter box. I remember at the time we were both horrified. Now, I can step in their shoes, they had a beautiful home and I have seen firsthand how a house and possessions can be completely and permanently either destroyed or compromised by animal issues. Big buck damage if you have nice things.
A neighbor of mine had an interesting comment when we were talking about farm animals. He said, "they have to give something TO you" which I took to mean that the balance of giving and receiving with a critter has to skew in YOUR direction. This gave me a new way to think about my particularly problem critters.
I'd love to hear other thoughts on this very particular and painful issue. None of us wants to live with the horrid problems but we don't want to give up our fur friends either!
Angela
|
|
|
|
Post by messymimi on Sept 29, 2010 14:02:48 GMT -5
Our house, which has irreparable foundation damage as well, currently houses 5 permanent resident adult cats, 4 of whom let their displeasure be known by soiling on beds or couches at times, 6 foster kittens, some not yet old enough to be litter trained, and a crazy squirrel. You can't train squirrels, either.
All of them damage the house, and we have had much ruined.
As the original 3 cats we had here were getting elderly, my Sweetie agreed that after they died we would have one cat, plus the fosters that come and go. He then picked up 4, two of them before the others had all passed, and #1 Son picked up a 5th. Sweetie also insisted on the squirrel, which he said would be "neat" to have. It hates men, by the way.
So we have all of these animals, when I knew one permanent with fosters was my limit, and I have to do all of their care, or beg the kids to do some. I cannot keep up, and it shows.
Know your limit, and try very hard not to exceed it, or let the people in your life push you past it.
messymimi
|
|
|
|
Post by shopgirl on Sept 29, 2010 14:32:55 GMT -5
My kitty is getting old (17 years!) and having accidents. My DH and I keep up with the messes as they happen, but it's amazing how much time and energy this takes. We are glad now that Mr. Cat always insisted on being an "only child." I cannot imagine more than one cat in a house. My heart goes out to you girls, keeping up with several elderly cats.
|
|
|
|
Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 29, 2010 14:54:59 GMT -5
We currently have 2 cats which is our limit. We used to have 3, and while those all lived long happy lives, 3 was one too many.
When there are too many cats in a house, they are more likely to want to mark their own territory within the house. And once the smell is there....
Currently the litter box (scoopable litter) is in a back bedroom, and ideally it's policed once or twice/day when walking past. I used to do it less often, but the 'new' cat is a bit more particular and will go on the rug nearby if the box isnt up to her standards.
I also now have throw rugs around the box. These are old rugs (or even old blankets) simply cut down with a razor blade, then tossed if Missy didnt think the box was pristine enough and it's 'messy'. Just how she is.
We did have a really old cat that in his last year or two just 'went' when and where he was. You cant get mad at that - he had given us much love over the years. So we just would clean it up when we found it. Sigh. I miss the cat, but I dont miss that.
|
|
|
|
Post by artsygal on Sept 29, 2010 15:24:55 GMT -5
I have 2 cats... that I promised to take care of when my elderly neighbor was dying. I had given him my one cat, who passed away at 20 yrs, because changing litter boxes is something I don't do well.. i.e. gag and get sick. It's been 3yrs since my neighbor has passed and I know of a wonderful no kill non-profit place for cats only. I also have dogs which I easily maintain my house with them. The cats no, I have been thinking of surrendering these cats for 2yrs and i know my neighbor would rather have my house clean and manageable then his cats. Thanks for this post. i have set a goal this week of contacting this place and surrendering them. It really will be a relief for me and better for the cats... as they don't like my dogs and live upstairs.
best, artsy
|
|
|
|
Post by dtesposito on Sept 29, 2010 15:37:48 GMT -5
There are so many homeless animals out there, and so many strays that show up, that it's very easy for a soft-hearted person to take in more animals than they have time and money for. When you take in a few young healthy ones it doesn't seem like much, but as they get older and develop medical problems you realize how much money it takes to adequately care for them.
Then you take in that one extra cat who doesn't get along, or who upsets one of the ones already there, and you can have territorial spraying problems. This is in addition to the litter pan maintenance, which if not kept up to the cats' requirements will cause usage somewhere else in the house.
There are other issues as well--bladder infections can cause a cat to go outside the pan, then the smell is there and they can continue in the same spot if it's not cleaned up adequately. Some cats spray in the spring when windows are opened up and they smell the strays are prowling around. Some cats object to something about the litter, the pan, the location of the pan, or are being subtly bullied by another cat when they try to use the pan, even though the owner doesn't ever notice it.
I understand that some of these things can be overwhelming, but I think we owe it to the animals we take in to do everything we can to work with the problem. It's never the cat's fault--they don't understand that they are causing problems for you--they are just reacting to their environment and their instinct the only way they know how. I sympathize when people have kindly taken in several animals and truly didn't realize what was happening--I don't sympathize if people are not taking care of the ones they have and then take in more (and ESPECIALLY if they are letting the animals breed). I also don't sympathize if people are not willing to try their best to work on the problem--even if it means some expense or inconvenience.
I would do anything for my animals, and I've had some that I'm sure most people would not have kept. I'm vegetarian, and would disagree with the farmer who said they have to give us something back--we should appreciate them as animals, not as an entity that has to fulfill a long list of requirements in order for us to value them. I also know that my attitude is extreme, and that the average person isn't going to feel that way.
I think once you get an animal it's your responsibility to take care of that animal no matter what it takes, but I also think it's better to give an animal up if you CAN'T take care of it. I don't feel that the most important thing is the avoidance of death--I would rather have an animal humanely euthanized than suffering. I have great sympathy for all of us with hoarding tendencies, but we have to find a way to take care of our animals (and any other dependents). If I want to eat bad food or neglect my own medical care that's my choice--the animals can't choose.
And I didn't mention spay/neuter. An unaltered cat (either gender) is going to urinate outside the box and smell bad, and that's besides the fact that even one litter adds to the overpopulation problem and means more animals have to die. Most shelters have low-cost neutering programs, and some have general care clinics for low-income people. Some shelters have behavioral counseling that can help with litter box problems and other issues. Check for resources in your community if you need any of these services, there might be something you're unaware of.
Diane
|
|
|
|
Post by mafixit on Sept 29, 2010 18:51:10 GMT -5
Last year at the height of my depression we took in a mama cat and her litter of four, we were new to having cats inside the house, but somehow we managed. We did litter boxes twice a day, and everyone got along fine, we have 3 dogs who are kept in a separate area of the house, divided by a baby gate. So this past May the story repeats itself, a pregnant mama cat started coming around, we fed her for weeks then one day she stopped showing. A month (perhaps longer) passed and we see these tiny kitties running all over the neighborhood, right there and then we knew they needed help, their mom was never seen again, so we fed the kitties and eventually took them in, this time with the idea to re-home them.. well you know how that goes, I can't imagine not having these adorable kitties in my life, they are each so unique. We haven't had any cat accidents other than the occasional hair ball, all of our big cats are vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and we will be doing the same to the new additions. I think cats get a bad rep, when it might be their humans who are the ones letting things get nasty. Not judging anyone as I know how hard it is for one person to take care of many pets by themselves, we are fortunate to have the older boys take over litter box dutty. They adore the fur kids and go to any length to keep them here. I do have my days that I wonder if the inmates have taken over. I have told one other person, (family member) the # of cats I have and she busted out crying, made me feel like I was doing something wrong..   |
|
|
|
Post by dtesposito on Sept 29, 2010 19:04:05 GMT -5
Well, yes, I know! My friend found a little dog once in a parking lot and called me to come and see her, I was so sure she was just lost and I could find her owner, or else a new owner. Turns out she was about 12 years old, had horrible teeth and a uterine infection (yes, 12 years old and not spayed) and ads did not find her owner. So after I did all the vet work to fix her up, she was following me around the house, not letting me get more than a foot away from her--I assume because she was abandoned in that parking lot and was afraid of it happening again. I didn't have the heart to try to find yet another home for her. I didn't want a dog, but ended up with one. Once her medical issues were fixed and she lost some weight, she became energetic and happy and lived another 5 years. So, I know what that's like. Mafixit, it sounds like your cats are all well cared for. For the kittens spay/neuter surgeries, you might want to look for a place that does pediatric altering--many vets and shelters do it younger than 6 months now, and it will avoid them going into heat, or "accidents" if you have both boys and girls. People are often surprised to hear that cats can get pregnant as young as 5 months. (Sometimes they are surprised that a brother and sister will mate...  There have been many litters born because of that misconception (pun intended again!)) Diane |
|
|
|
Post by midlife on Sept 30, 2010 8:07:57 GMT -5
I live in a rural area where people are terrible about not spaying/neutering their pets, and cats in particular are treated as disposable. That's how I ended up with 7 cats. I never wanted to have seven cats, and I wish I didn't have seven cats, but my options for rehoming them humanely are extremely limited. Three of the cats are friendly with people: one is my & the husband's favorite cat, so he's not going anywhere. One is the kids' favorite cat -- too bad, because he's the biggest problem with territorial peeing. The third friendly cat I keep offering to anyone I can think of, but no takers yet. Then there are the four skittish former ferals. It took us months to win their trust, and they simply aren't adoptable by anyone else (we tried, it was a disaster). Luckily those four spend a lot of their time outside.
We have the big sprayer on anti-anxiety meds now, which is often successful in reducing marking. Too early to see how it will go.
|
|
|
|
Post by mafixit on Sept 30, 2010 8:21:17 GMT -5
I forgot to mention my daughter's bunnies  well it's a zoo around here, but everyone is well taken care of. Our cats give us so much unconditional love and entertainment, they totally earn their keep  Diane- the four new kittens will be getting spayed next month, how lucky is that to get a litter of all female cats! With our other cats we had the two male neutered and waited a little bit longer for the female, as they were still very little, the yowling that came out of them each time they went into heat was enough to drive anyone bonkers, I certainly do not want that to happen again,  . Funny thing happened the other day I was in the car with my daughter and we passed some people selling puppies on the side of the road, my daughter turned to me and asked: "I wonder if they'll take my six quaters for a Yorkie" , they are still wanting to add more to this crazy train. Not gonna happen though, as it is we won't be able to take vacations in a long while. |
|
|
|
Post by fluffernut - now Jannie on Sept 30, 2010 11:27:28 GMT -5
"Never love anything that can't love you back." Well, pets certainly do love us. But that chipped old casserole dish from my grandmother? I love it and use it. Other stuff, not so much. The decision process is hard. I found a kitten that was brain-damaged. We kept him over a year. He never learned to use a litter box. DH made me take hinm to the vet to be put to sleep. I still feel guilty about that one.
|
|
|
|
Post by blossoming on Sept 30, 2010 11:46:06 GMT -5
"So I have been trying to figure out what it is inside of my emotions that makes it so so difficult to make the choice that would help me keep on top of my house, namely, to turn away extra cats! " angela, i think this is a very brave post of yours. you are obviousy someone who WANTS, truly, to get out of squalor and not to keep recreating it in her life. i don't hear a lot of excuses in your post. it was very rewarding to read as it seems like you are one of the folks who will really make it. keep focussed the way that you are now, and you will. i thought the question you asked was very important, how to turn away extra cats. can you come up with a blanket response that you say to yourself or others when the option is tempting you? i live in a rural area. when someone tries to pawn their kid's rabbit or duck or whatever off on me, i say, sure, if you don't mind if i eat it. that stops them every single time. so, not sure you want to go with the edible cat line, , but is there something similar? something that would stop the situation immediately? if it's yourself you need the response for, think about the fact taht you have the RIGHT to a nice, decent home that you can invite others into. you can not save every creature in the world. do not plague yourself with guilt over being a human who can only do so much. your first job is to take good care of yourself and your home. good luck ps, cricket had very wise advice, too. hugs to both of you |
|
|
|
Post by BetsyMarie on Sept 30, 2010 11:48:28 GMT -5
The decision process is hard. I found a kitten that was brain-damaged. We kept him over a year. He never learned to use a litter box. DH made me take hinm to the vet to be put to sleep. I still feel guilty about that one. The decision process is indeed very difficult. Sometimes even the 'right' decision can make us feel guilty. Years ago I put an ailing, aged parent into a care facility. He was much better off there health-wise, but he still would have preferred to live at home. I would have felt guilty no matter what my decision had been. |
|
|
|
Post by blossoming on Sept 30, 2010 11:50:13 GMT -5
artsy gal, i just saw your post. good luck. i thik your right about your neighbor. no one would wish squalor on you.
|
|
