MIL and catsitting duties!

[pearlsandpetals]

Hi all,
So basically MIL is going away for a full weekend next week. She has several cats and has asked if we would sleep at her house for the weekend to watch them. We have said that we wouldn't mind at all to pop in each day and make sure the cats are fed, litter box is emptied and to check they are okay, but MIL has asked if we would stay and sleep there from Fri to Sun because she worries about them. I feel awful but I'm currently pregnant and so tired lately and I feel like I need my own bed. Am I being unreasonable?

YANBU though, I like my own bed too.

If you've had cats before you've probably been exposed to toxoplasmosis so would have some antibodies - those with cats already would too - if not then it's best to be very cautious

Christ, give over with the pearl clutching about litter trays when pregnant. Of course you can scoop litter trays when pregnant, just wash your hands and don't eat cat shit, it's pretty simple.

😂😂😂

I was thinking the same thing. FFS, it's litter, not radioactive waste. I had cats during both of my pregnancies, as do millions upon millions of women, and there's no problem. Wash your hands and you're fine. Good grief, the hysteria.

@Aquamarine1029

Christ, give over with the pearl clutching about litter trays when pregnant. Of course you can scoop litter trays when pregnant, just wash your hands and don't eat cat shit, it's pretty simple.

😂😂😂

I was thinking the same thing. FFS, it's litter, not radioactive waste. I had cats during both of my pregnancies, as do millions upon millions of women, and there's no problem. Wash your hands and you're fine. Good grief, the hysteria.

Right!?!?! I also had feral colonies totalling approx 120 cats that I was feeding/sorting every day too. Someone even asked me once if I was getting rid of my pet cats when I was pregnant. Er, why? They're cats, not lions

Daily visits by your husband are fine, even better if he can manage morning and evening: you shouldn’t be emptying litter trays atm anyway.

You aren’t being unreasonable. I would happily go round and feed them but wouldn’t want to sleep there.

If she really feels that they can’t be left alone, then she shouldn’t be booking to go away for full weekends!

(It’s not pearl clutching: we were advised by consultant 27 years ago that my husband should deal with the cat tray, believe the advice still stands 🤷‍♀️)

Anyway, they’re his mums cats, let him pick up the poop

Ok maybe litter trays won’t kill you, but as the option of DH doing it is there, then it should definitely be taken to be on the safe side.

Popping in is of course absolutely fine, but if not then DH stays there alone.

Unless you are 39 weeks or something and need him for an immediate hospital dash?

@DenisetheMenace

(It’s not pearl clutching: we were advised by consultant 27 years ago that my husband should deal with the cat tray, believe the advice still stands 🤷‍♀️)

Anyway, they’re his mums cats, let him pick up the poop

Current advise says its fine, just wash your hands.

I would suggest that your spouse goes to stay. No need for you to do so.

Cat poo isn't dangerous immediately anyway as it takes a few days for the toxoplasmosis cysts to sporulate. As long as poo is removed every 24 hours and tray is washed, it is not dangerous.

You are more likely to catch it from gardening

Make sure your not the person doing the litter trays.

The cats will probably be pissed off with you sleeping there you're fine just popping in, it's a fair offer

Why can't your partner just go and stay? No reason why both of you need to go.

Do the cats get shut inside at night with litter trays? I wouldn't have my cats shut in at night with no one else there and no way of escape in case there was a disaster like a fire.

Before plague, when we went away we had someone come in once a day to feed and do the litter tray. But after a weekend away before lockdown 2, the cat had got so used to people being around constantly that she developed cystitis from the anxiety of us suddenly disappearing (according to vet), which wasn't cheap! So if the cats are used to mil being there, perhaps someone staying might be a better idea.

Shmithecat2

DenisetheMenace
(It’s not pearl clutching: we were advised by consultant 27 years ago that my husband should deal with the cat tray, believe the advice still stands 🤷‍♀️)

Anyway, they’re his mums cats, let him pick up the poop grin
Current advise says its fine, just wash your hands.“

Ooh, that “current” cut to the quick 🤣

Ok, I’m a mad, OLD cat lady.

When my friend was pregnant she craved feeling cat litter!! She sat with her feet in a bowl of cat litter crunching it between her toes!!

Just get her son to stay over.

Otherwise twice daily visits would be fine.

I am 100% biased and clearly not in the majority, but as my cat is used to us being in home 80% of the time, she'd be horrified to be alone for three days. She cries when we're out for a few hours and she wakes up alone (wifi cameras). Her preference is to sleep on or near a human and she sleeps at our feet through the night. She'd be stressed and confused to suddenly be left and her only interaction be twice daily feeding. Is she spoilt? Yes. Can most cats be left just fine? Probably. But mine can't and I'm grateful that I can hire a full time sitter when necessary. I'd be disappointed though, if , when my children grow up, they'd be unwilling to spend two nights at mine as a favour for me. Surely your dh can go over two nights? And you stay in your home if you need to?

Leave your husband to do it. Cat litter trays and pregnant women shouldn't mix.

@kittenkipping

I am 100% biased and clearly not in the majority, but as my cat is used to us being in home 80% of the time, she'd be horrified to be alone for three days. She cries when we're out for a few hours and she wakes up alone (wifi cameras). Her preference is to sleep on or near a human and she sleeps at our feet through the night. She'd be stressed and confused to suddenly be left and her only interaction be twice daily feeding. Is she spoilt? Yes. Can most cats be left just fine? Probably. But mine can't and I'm grateful that I can hire a full time sitter when necessary. I'd be disappointed though, if , when my children grow up, they'd be unwilling to spend two nights at mine as a favour for me. Surely your dh can go over two nights? And you stay in your home if you need to?

When my children grow up, I wouldn’t dream of asking my son and pregnant daughter in law to cat sit so I could go away for a whole weekend!

Tell her to book a cattery if she's going to be that worried.

I think just be honest about what you can manage - if you can only drop in twice a day, due to location / pregnancy / life, then tell her.

Then if she thinks the cats will be stressed out by being alone too much, she can book them into a cattery. As PP said, lots of previously very independent pets have had their humans around full-time for over a year, and are going to struggle with being left alone again. For some cats this will be fine. Your MIL obviously thinks hers won't be, and that's her decision, but evidently she then needs to find a solution.

My own desperately high maintenance beloved cat appears to treat us with complete disinterest but was distraught when we went out for a long day trip recently. Now I'm gradually working up to being out for longer, and she's coping much better. I've booked a cattery where I know she will be cuddled and spoiled when I go away for a long weekend later in the summer.

Why is your husband unable to do this himself? You don’t need to go at all.

Pregnant women shouldn’t be around kitty litter - listeria (?) I think. (Some bloody disease, anyway. You get a get out of cat-sitting free card.