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?

Maybe get some robot litter-boxes, which are self-cleaning (up to a point) which will be easier for your dh to keep clean, so the cats will use them. Expensive but probably worth it.

He needs to clean the rest of the house really thoroughly to remove odours and get rid of any soiled furnishings/fabrics.

I'd suggest he digs over an area in the garden to tempt them to use outside more.

Speak to the vet about the behavioural issues.

And probably you need to try to rehome a couple.

Exactly this. The poor cats mustbe so stressed out.

*rehome

Those poor cats. Shame on you both.

We had two cats and two litter trays and the poo was removed as soon as we spotted it and flushed down the loo.

Please don't flush cat or dog poo down the loo. The UK sewage system isn't designed to deal with animal waste:

Water and sewage systems in the UK aren’t designed to kill Toxoplasma gondii parasites, so flushing your cat’s poop down the toilet simply allows it to enter the environment and waterways. It means anyone who comes into contact with it could potentially become infected. It is worth noting that Toxoplasma gondii can also be harmful to aquatic life, and that wastewater often feeds into the ocean and other waterways. As a result, research has linked the Toxoplasma parasite to the deaths of sea otters, dolphins, seals and whales. For this reason, flushing cat poop should be avoided.

This is strange behaviour as cats are very clean animals. They will not poo in a litter tray with another cat's poo in them. Mine wouldn't if her own poo was still in there. They should have their own tray. Cats will poo anywhere when they are either unhappy or ill or feel there is no alternative. I really think you need to re home them, for their sake as much as yours.

He says he loves them, but that is not reflected in the way he is treating them. Or indeed you and the baby as his lack of care is putting you all at risk. He needs to realise that love isn't just about feelings, but about physical actions. He needs to up his game before the baby arrives and there is another creature in the house that will need his practical attention

This exactly.

@notaurewhatusername I looked after ONE small cat for a week for someone, and that litter tray was cleaned of poo and wee twice a day or more.
After every poo for certain.

Your husband isn't caring for these cats.
They won't use shit filled litter trays, and cat poo stinks {much worse than dog poo for some reason}

Why on earth did he get four cats when he cannot look after one properly?

Could you rehome the cats that are toilet trained? That would leave you with 2 problem cats but a better chance of solving it as they would be less stressed and it would be easier to keep the trays clean with half the usage.

As others have said, adopters are not going to be willing to take on a non-toilet trained adult cat when rescues are full of perfectly trained cats.

i don't know how long you've had them, but you/DH haven't bothered to train them - or they are just so disgusted at their trays only being cleared a couple of times a week they won't use them, and now you are planning to shut all four of them in a single room - and a small room from the sound of it.
That's both cruel and neglectful - get the poor things rehomed.

I hope that you give your baby more care and attention when it's born - or are you planning on only changing its nappy twice a week?

Make sure their food and water bowls are nowhere near their litter trays for starters!
I really think you need to re home at least 2.
It’s not very fair for the cats to stay cooped up in the utility or safe for the baby and completely unhygienic.

Honestly I would refuse to live in a house like that, especially while pregnant. That’s horrible for you.

When I was expecting my fourth child I went right off our cats and they had to live outside from then on. I couldn’t even look at them, they just turned my stomach. You have my sincere sympathy.

@notaurewhatusername Are the cats wormed regularly?
If they are not, the poo is a worm contamination risk.

Two of the cats go outside my husband just said to use the toilet.

The other two are indoor cats and they have three large trays litter between them. He is now telling me he scoops it daily and changes litter completely every 2 or three days - is this unreasonable?

tbh I’d leave him. Neglecting animals is an ENORMOUS red flag. If you want to say I’d just say it’s me or the cats. I’d then get your house professionally cleaned by a company with experience dealing with cat hoarding houses, because that’s what they are going to have to clean and sterilise.

Absolutely awful to the cats and to you. He must have an enormous bank account to warrant sticking around. I’d have had the ick long since.

His lying is. He’s told you every three days, then every two and now daily. 🤔

Two major issues here - the cats are not being cared for properly and secondly it is a risk to you and your baby. I would move out until your DH has the situation sorted and the house deep cleaned.

She shouldn’t be going anywhere near cats’ litter trays! Her husband is the supposed ‘cat lover’ - she never wanted them in the first place.

Google toxoplasmosis. Avoiding the litter trays isnt enough if they are using your whole house as one. You shouldn't be pregnant in that environment and cannot raise a small child in a house full of cat shit.

Incidentally, I think posters who are giving you a hard time are being unfair. You didn’t want the cats and made that clear. As well as having to live with loads of cats you didn’t want, you are now also having to live in a horrible environment which could seriously hurt your baby. This is entirely on your DH and you need to be really firm with how unacceptable his behaviour is.

Is the person who feeds them cleaning the trays as well?
Otherwise this is the height of cruelty .
I'd be saying to him I'm not going off on holiday with him unless the cats are looked after .

Mine have two trays ( brother and sister ) but his tray is huge .
They are cleaned several times a day , the female doesn't bury her pooh so you cannot leave it for any time .

Ours male is extremely stressed (he's just that type of cat) but the only time he's been outside of his tray is if he's got a fright (firework one time)

Your DH animal husbandry is quite frankly disgusting

They have four cats because they were stupid enough to let one of their cats get pregnant TWICE.

THIS, OP.
seriously.

I honestly don't know who cleans it when we are on hold but last time we were the cleaner came and said there were skids everywhere she cleaned up 🤮

I have one lovely cat, before he was neutered he used to pee in the house, apparently ‘marking’ it. It stank. I can’t imagine the smell from 4.