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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder why so many people keep litter trays in the kitchen?

175 replies

MrsTawdry · 03/01/2015 20:39

Another thread got me thinking...I see it all the time. Cat's litter trays in the kitchen!

Where you keep and cook food. And sometimes where you eat.

My cat's is in the bathroom where toiletting happens.

AIBU to think this is the only place for a litter tray?

OP posts:
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TheHermitCrab · 04/01/2015 21:35

Marjorie my cats never leave the house, and would run away from an open door, they have to poo in the house.

They have a dome tray, in the bathroom with gel litter. Never smells.

I have guinea pigs, they reek, smells like a bloody stable! lol

erin99 · 04/01/2015 21:40

No bathroom carpet, but we have downstairs cats and an upstairs loo, it's not that difficult to understand surely?

I think also the kitchen is often where the catflap is, so with cats that do go out it's a logical place. Ours have never been the best toilet trained, so I don't think tucking the tray in a room they never normally go into would work. They prefer corners of carpet given half a chance! (Urgh)

StarlingMurmuration · 04/01/2015 21:40

Our kitty tray is in our downstairs toilet. When they were tiny, we had it in the ensuite and my DP wasn't keen, he started showering in the main bathroom became he hated the sight of it!

bambinibop · 04/01/2015 21:45

cats male or female guinea pigs? I think males smell more. Our female ones don't really smell unless they are due to be cleaned out which we do once a week and find that sufficient. As they are indoors I'm sure I'd notice if they smelled bad...but now I'm panicking that other people think my house smells and I don't notice it! Shock

bambinibop · 04/01/2015 21:47

Just read the other comments about my guinea pigs! Yes they are girls and I promise my sense of smell is really good! I really don't find that they smell or we wouldn't have them in the house I'd hate it to be smelly.

Sallystyle · 04/01/2015 21:52

My rats stink much more than my cats.

TheHermitCrab · 04/01/2015 21:54

I have 2 female cats and 2 male guinea pigs, the pigs bloody stink, but i think thats more the hay, sawdust and whatnot.We used to use the wooden litter pellets for the cats and they outstunk the pigs then!

Currently trying to figure out where to put the pigs with indoor cats. Got a baby due any day now and they live in her room at the minute so it will need airing in the next couple of months.

Cats, guinea pigs and a baby. How many offensive smells can I have in one house? haha

tiggy2610 · 04/01/2015 22:02

hermit I have a litter tray in the kitchen and a carpet in the old bathroom which won't get ripped out any time soon as baby is due in 4 weeks. With all of these horrors I'm surprised I have survived this long Wink

bambinibop · 04/01/2015 22:17

hermit I also have a cat , guinea pigs and a baby - and I maintain that my house doesn't smell!! All female apart from my dh...maybe that helps Grin dh doesn't smell either though unless he has eaten sprouts or drunk guiness

MrsTawdry · 04/01/2015 23:27

our cat was a rescue. I have no idea where his tray was in his old home...when we got him we just showed him the tray in the bathroom and he used it the same day!

Why are people's cats downstairs cats only? Why can't they go upstairs? If you let them poo in the kitchen what's so wrong with them sleeping on a bed!

OP posts:
Amethyst24 · 04/01/2015 23:44

Our cat's litter tray is in our bedroom. It's far from ideal, but it's her "safe" place and consequently we've never in three years had any problems with her weeing or pooing where we don't want her to. It's cleaned every day and doesn't smell.

And she's never set foot on the kitchen work surfaces. Not interested.

erin99 · 05/01/2015 00:24

MrsT our cats were originally shut downstairs at night because of allergies - there's no rule that says cats have to sleep in bedrooms. Then it turned out they had toiletting issues (which I suspect is why they were put up for rehoming by their previous owner). I have enough washing to do without them weeing on the duvets and every carpet in the house thanks!

StrattersThePreciousSnowflake · 05/01/2015 00:44

Three cats, three litter trays, all in the top floor bathroom. I clean them in the morning, DD2 does them at night, and we both remove poos as soon as we see them.

They're supposed to have a tray each, but ScaryAg has decided that both covered ones belong to her, one for wees, one for poos, and the poor boys have to share the third Hmm

They're all indoor cats, and with the exception of Max, always have been. Ag is too arrogant, and would expect cars to stop for her, plus she's a Bengal and if be terrified of someone stealing her, FailCat is simply waaay too stupid to be allowed out. He got out by accident the other day, and was recovered cowering in a flower bed half an hour later, screaming for help. He's a danger to himself tbh. Max is a foster cat, it would be irresponsible of me to allow him out, as he's not mine. They have the run of a four storey house, lots to do, and each other to play with. They are all sleek, healthy, and show no signs of stress or unhappiness. I would never let cats out, far too much chance of them being knocked over, stolen, or simply disappearing, not to mention the impact they have on bird life. The last reason alone is enough imo to always have house cats.

slithytove · 05/01/2015 05:00

We have 2 indoor cats, and 2 covered litter trays in the integral garage, scooped once a day. Garage accessed by cat flap with a litter catching mat on the inside. Seems to work well, we can never smell their poo and the garage is always cold which helps.

Food comes into the downstairs loo in winter as the garage is just too cold.

slithytove · 05/01/2015 05:04

And my cats aren't allowed in the kitchen. Since we had it done, they've never been in there.

Worktops would be a crime I can't fathom.

slithytove · 05/01/2015 05:06

Ok, my cats are nearly 4. Can I still teach them to use the toilet? And if so please tell me how, it sounds amazing!

tiggy2610 · 05/01/2015 06:00

mrsT often it's nothing at all to do with sleeping on beds which keeps cats downstairs. Mine have free run of the house but my dads cat is a downstairs cat as she is 17 and can't get up and down stairs easily due to arthritis and a the aftermath of a broken hip she suffered when knocked over as a youngster. She isn't prevented from going upstairs, she just doesn't.

If she was a human she would live in a bungalow.

velourvoyageur · 05/01/2015 06:23

I don't see the problem. The point is to keep everyone alive, not be falling ill, and I don't see anyone on this thread at death's door due to the location of their cat's litter tray. As long as everyone's healthy why get all precious about germs?
There's nothing innately wrong with dirt except it can be bad for you in the wrong circumstances, so why all the judgyness!

MrsTawdry · 05/01/2015 07:34

Slithy there are videos on Youtube....I looked but it involves a lot of persistent training and placing litter on the loo in a tray thing...

OP posts:
lbsjob87 · 05/01/2015 07:35

OK, my reasons?

  1. Had cats before we moved here so they were already trained to use one.
  2. Bathroom nowhere near big enough (not even big enough for a radiator)
  3. Only have one loo, in the bathroom upstairs - I know, right??!
  4. Only other option is hallway but that has carpet, which means it's harder to clean in the case of a spillage etc

Mine is cleaned straight after use (it wasn't always when I was pregnant but that was eventually dealt with), and we buy the most expensive litter we can afford to take away smells etc.

My cats never go on the work tops (when we first moved in, I used to put cheap tin foil on the work tops every night, they soon stopped even trying) and as the tray is clean, and I never prepare food directly onto the Worksop anyway, I can't see the problem. The tray is near the back door, not on the cooker top or anything...

lbsjob87 · 05/01/2015 07:36

"work top" obviously. I've never even been to Worksop, let alone prepare food there......

LaLa5 · 05/01/2015 07:39

My three litter trays (2cats) are in kitchen because it's biggest room and they are locked in house and downstairs at night, so it makes sense. Trays cleaned whenever needed and thoroughly disinfected once a week. Floors mopped weekly.

Don't see a problem with tray being in kitchen, my cats are trained not to go on the work surfaces and I don't eat off the floor.

LaLa5 · 05/01/2015 07:43

As an aside - are there not more important things in life to worry about than where other people place their cat litter trays in their own homes? I find AIBU very odd sometimes!

Patsyandeddie · 05/01/2015 22:14

Lala5 - I'm with you all the way, can't understand the petty things that wind some people up - too many "grossed out" comments, - how twee!

Mintyy · 06/01/2015 11:27

It's obviously not odd to be grossed out by toilets in kitchens, otherwise there wouldn't be so many replies saying ewww on this thread.

Most threads on Mumsnet are of a trivial nature LaLa5. I doubt the site would have all its hundreds of thousands of members if we were only allowed to discuss very serious and important matters.

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