AIBU to expect 4 cats to stay in utility room/study?

[notaurewhatusername]

We have 4 cats that are causing major issues. They're constantly pooing and weeing all over the house, including in the bath. I'm 14 weeks pregnant and worried about having a baby crawling around cat mess.

The utility room and study combined are the size of 2 bedrooms and have a cat flap, so they'd still have plenty of space and outdoor access. They've had their jabs to go outside.

DH lets them roam freely 24/7, even when we're not home. I want them confined to that room, maybe let out for a couple hours in the evening under supervision.

DH loves them but they're completely uncontrollable. The mess is disgusting and I'm at my wit's end. AIBU to insist on this compromise? I'm not a cat person but I think it's reasonable. DH won't budge and it's really getting me down.

How would you handle this? Am I being unfair to the cats?

Are any of the cats litter trained? Do they have access to the outdoors? Your concerns about the impact and health implications of their mess are understandable, but surely a more concerning matter is that they are being allowed to toilet around your home in the first place.

If you have 4 non-house-trained cats and you are expecting a baby you need to either get them trained or rehome them to someone who can sharpish. Is your DH planning to wash your baby in a bath that has had cat shit in it?! (I say this as a cat owner myself)

How many litter trays do you have? Sometimes cats will not share trays, so when you have more than one especially if they’re indoor cats it’s best to have one tray for each cat. Has them toileting in the house always been a thing? As stress can also lead them to toilet outside of the tray as you have multiple I can’t imagine it’s anything to do with their health as that’s usually another thing to look at.

We don't know how to stop it, they have litter trays but DH changes once every three days on average, I am not touching the litter trays due to pregnancy and also, u don't like cats that much! From the first cat I made it very clear I will not be doing anything with them, yet I do end up doing the morning feeds but I don't like cat poo and wee it's repulsive worse than human and I just refuse to do it

@ZippyLimeSnake they each have their own tray but I think some of them share but some of them won't. I'm not quite sure but this really getting me down

4 cats is too many unless you have a very large property and/or they've grown up together, it's seems like you've just added cats. Their behaviour is showing you they are stressed and not happy, no you can't confine them to two rooms that will only make it worse

How do you stop cats from pooing and weeing where they're not supposed to? I also think DH loves cats but not respond of them.despite me saying I won't get involved I was the one that took them to vets to get their snips and vaccines - he's always 'too busy' and I just can't take anymore

That's very unusual. I dont know why they are pooping everywhere. I do think it's unreasonable to confine cats like you are suggesting. However, I think it's more unreasonable to live in a house covered in cat poop. It's disgusting and dangerous (toxoplasmosis). Does he seriously think your baby is going to be crawling around in this mess? Can the cats be trained? If not, rehomed? Is your partner understanding the danger?

You need to change the litter tray more often, have one each and change the brand if they’re not using it. Cats are clean animals and don’t want to leave a mess so they must not like the conditions in the litter tray.

Well he needs to start clearing out the litter trays each day, how gross no wonder the cats are going elsewhere
lets hope he’s a more responsible parent as he doesn’t sound like a very responsible pet owner

Cat litter trays need changing a minimum of once a day, each cat probably needs it's own tray. Is this a new thing or have they always done this?

@MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira one of from a different family and doesn't get on with the other three and stays in the utility room as she loves outdoors.

The other three are related so could it still be stress? They get on quite well

I think you need to rehome the cats. This isn't working. Cat litter trays need to have the poo removed as soon as possible after it happens - every 3 days isn't enough.

Your husband should be changing the litter trays more frequently, probably on a daily basis. Especially because of the risks they present to you in pregnancy (toxoplasmosis).

I would seriously consider finding ways to toilet train the cats as soon as you can.

@Pandasnacks they've always done it

I'm a bit confused by the "confined" but also 24 hour access to the outdoors. They're not really confined if they have the whole of the outdoors, so that bit's fine, but they might turn a bit feral without much human contact.

Also if their only prime real estate (ie warm indoors space) is limited to 2 rooms then there is a good chance they will be stressed and having turf wars, which will very much encourage them to be toileting outside the litter box. Some coils be bullying others, eg not letting them use the litter box or go outside. Corralling them into a smaller space is likely to exacerbate all the things you find difficult about them, because it is likely to add to their stress.

You should make alternative hang out spaces as much as you can, so they can rest without having the share the space. Is there a shed you could insulate and add some high perches and blankets? An extra room you could put a cat flap through into? Buy an insulated outdoor cat house etc.

I can imagine. Especially with a baby on the way. I think DH needs to really look at it, it’s unhygienic them using the house as a litter tray, it’s unfair on you & soon you’ll have a baby & it’s quite frankly gross. I think it’s unfair to only keep them in those rooms also though, especially as they have always had run of the house. I once bought a kitten years ago, to keep my older cat company. Everything was great at first until one morning I came into the frontroom & smelt piss. She had been pissing behind my tv for god knows how long & I hadn’t noticed!! Then she started pissing on clothes, vets couldn’t find anything wrong with her. I just think she was unhappy & didn’t like my older cat. I had to rehome her as I was also pregnant at the time.

Then this is on you and DH, you need to train them and ensure they have clean trays to use. They don't like weeing and pooing in an already soiled place.

How many do you think we need to rehome to those suggesting it?

We do have a fairly large property but it isn't a mansion. Four bedrooms two living rooms utility room and study, I'd say it's bigger than most homes but no mansion

The cats are pooing and weeing elsewhere because your husband isn't keeping their litter trays clean enough.

Poo needs to be scooped as soon as spotted and the litter needs changing frequently.

The cats are probably quite stressed.

Rehoming is tricky with cats with toiletting issues. I think people do re-home them and lie about why, which is hugely unfair on the adopters.

So is perhaps daily cleaning of trays step one and if he can't do it would it be unreasonable of me to rehome without his permission? I've had enough and he's really stubborn

How many litter trays do the cats have?
I think you need several litter trays if you have that many cats.
And someone needs to clean out the litter trays, often!

How on earth did someone who is not a cat person end up living with 4 cats??!! Did your DH own them before you met?

@SkaneTos there's three one each and the fourth cat goes outside