Pet cats making my hate my home

[Tesora]

Can anyone give me any advice on getting through the next 10+ year. A year ago we adopted two kittens I'm autistic and new I would struggle with a pet but my husband and children had been begging for years and whilst they are the one who take care of them I feel so unhappy I feel like my home is no longer my home it's always covered in cat hair no matter how much I clean they're always going in places they shouldnt be and causing problems I'm finding myself not enjoying my home at all because of them It seems silly but I'm so sad because of them but my kids are bonded and love them so much socwas.hopeing someone had some advice to make things easier. Thank you

A few people on this thread saying cats shouldn’t live anywhere but a family home. Feral cats are a thing and do fine in barns. A lot of licensed catteries are also technically outside. We approached a local rescue about rehoming but because our cats do not use the litter and toilet in the house we were told it would be pretty impossible to rehome them. And yes I’ve tried everything down to vet prescribed stress medication and changing carpets. @megacat @Puppylucky @HostaCentral @EmpressaurusKitty so please stop being so self righteous. I’m not going to subject my daughter to living amongst cat poo or risk toxoplasmosis for my unborn baby.

This is batshit. It was YOUR decision to take on the cats not theirs. I don’t understand people who get animals and think they can just dump them off when it’s no longer convenient. Your cats are used to living indoors.

Your poor cats!

millions of families have babies and cats living together harmoniously (I do!) and no one is getting ill or anything negative from it. My toddler loves our cat and has already learned to be gentle when stroking her, not to touch the cat food/water etc

the fact you used to love them and now they are being relegated to ‘part of the garage’ is so so sad.

Cats definitely settle down once they're around 3 ime. Can they go outside? Totally game changer, although I am lucky to be rural so no worry of busy roads etc

@HolyMoly24 @MidnightMeltdown you think this even with my update? I took the cats on at the request of a family member who knew of them, I spent 8 years trying to live alongside them (protected space for their litter trays, 4 litter trays, different kinds of litter, enzyme sprays, pheromone diffusers, changing carpets, vet prescribed stress medicine and so on) and yet they still pood around the house. Which is why I presume they were rehomed to us in the first place. I think I’ve done more than most would to try to accommodate them, I have a preschooler and am pregnant so there is a real risk of illness, and fundamentally our health and well-being matters more. I have explored rehoming but suspect they would get bounced around homes by others who don’t want cat poo in their house. The uncompromising attitude of cat people is bewildering.

I adopted a cat on spur of moment without giving it enough thought and it was very difficult at the start. He’s a mad predator so he would bring ‘things’ into the house any chance he got. I also couldn’t stand litter trays. I, same as a PP, got a cat flap that is connected to his chip so only he can use it. I’ve set it to only let him go out and not in so that he can’t bring anything in. He has a good house with a bed in outside so he has shelter if needed. He doesn’t use a litter tray he goes outside. Then I keep an eye on when he is out and let him in so long as he is alone! I have kitchen sun room and when I want some cat free peace I put him in there and he’s happy enough until I come get him. His food and bed and toys are there. It wasn’t easy in the beginning and has cost a lot for adjustments but it works now for both us and I wouldn’t be without him. It’s like kids, boundaries!

Yes I keep my bathroom STRICTLY cat free! It's my only fluff free place tbh, as most of my house is open plan, even though they wait outside for me when im in there, but yes It does annoy me slightly the amount of fluff, little dirty footprints etc, it does add in to the household duties quite a lot even though there small clean pets, if I didn't have the cats I'd probably scratch the cleaning by a third at least and I live alone and not messy, they make more mess than me! Maybe it's because they are shedding right now for spring or is it year round? Because I've found more hair recently and was thinking there maybe thinning out for spring as I've found clumpe of fur and more hair loss in the last couple of weeks

Your poor cats!
Are you seriously saying that the cats you currently have confined to a conservatory are now going to be banished to a garage or shed with a catflap to an outside catio???
Your cats would be better off being surrendered to a cat charity for adoption elsewhere., where they can be loved.

@IKnowWhatTheAnswerIs I didn’t see your update sorry, I appreciate that must be really difficult to deal with.

They are only kittens so they will be up to all sorts at the moment but when they grow up they will sleep more and generally be calmer

My cat eats exclusively dry food. Could you try that? It’s better for their teeth anyway and so long as they drink water the vet said it wasn’t a problem. That may help with one aspect- the smell. Could you discuss with your family about a time you can all agree is the latest one of them needs to go downstairs and see to the cats so you aren’t stuck upstairs waiting for a large chunk of the morning?

@IKnowWhatTheAnswerIs I'm not being self righteous I am genuinely concerned for your animals welfare. Your cats are not feral cats - born and bred outside, they are unwanted family pets. It's very unusual for cats to poo in the house without a medical reason but if they won't use litter trays why aren't you just letting them go outside ? And as an aside if you are going to stick them in a shed or garage where they will poo freely you really are creating a health hazard. You describe yourself as a former crazy cat lady but I'm not sure you are giving your cats welfare a second thought. I appreciate your concerns for your daughter but these don't give you free reign to be cruel.

@Hibernatingsloth they go outside and have an inside space too which is the conservatory. I’m baffled as to why this is so controversial. I grew up rural and a lot of cats live healthily and happily outdoors so long as shelter, food, and healthcare are provided. It is not the worst thing that could possibly happen to a cat. I’ve said in a previous post (and this thread isn’t even meant to be about me) that we’ve been told the cats are pretty unrehome-able so we’re doing the best we can without sacrificing our health and well-being. I commented on this post to offer OP some support because I’m aware of the gaslighting that goes on by cat people trying to make people think they should sacrifice their health and happiness for cats, and the replies I’ve had have shown I am correct.

But literally no-one is saying sacrifice your health and happiness. What people are saying is act responsibly towards your animals by rehoming and stop trying to compare them to farm cats!

@Puppylucky they have access to the outside. They actively come back in to poo. I have sought advice from a local charity, from our vet, hours and hours of research over the years. They came to us already not using a litter tray consistently and have never got better. I have given them a lot of consideration and bent over backwards to accommodate them and you don’t have a clue. This is boring and I’m comfortable that I’ve exhausted all other options and should not have to live amongst faeces. Baffled by any suggestion it’s cruel to not accept this.

@Puppylucky and as I’ve already said I would happily rehome but charity have said it’s pointless to try. To not declare their bad behaviour would result in them being bounced around homes. Give me a viable alternative please.

edit: this wasn’t meant to be about my health and happiness. It was about OPs. She doesn’t have to live unhappily for up to 20 years, with cats she’s said in her post she’s struggling with, if she doesn’t want to. She matters too and there are alternatives to being unhappy in her own home.

Kittens usually become more sedate once they are 2 or so, which means there is a good chance your cats will start spending most of their time sleeping from next year which might make some of the sensory issues you have around them a little easier.

@IKnowWhatTheAnswerIs Well I have seen several cats rehomed by local animal charities, the ones who don't use litter trays etc. tend to be adopted (after longer-term fostering by very experienced volunteers) because the animal rescue has been upfront, offers ongoing input and advice and ensures that whoever adopts them is flexible and open to suggestions. Your cats aren't feral, please try other animal rescues.

But that's now.
You also stated that you want to claim the conservatory back so they will be ultimately living in your garage/shed with access to a catio?
To be honest, that sounds more like a petting zoo set up than a loving family home.

I agree. Ffs cats are feral independent creatures they don’t need a ‘home ‘ as such

@Hibernatingsloth catio maybe a wrong term, a kennel of sorts but with free access. I have a clear conscience that I’ve done everything I can and also that they will be fine in the new arrangements. In my many years of looking for advice on this subject it’s always bend over backwards to serve the cat regardless of impact on the humans in the house and I’m just offering OP an alternative view that doing that isn’t the only option.

By any chance are your carpets green? To the area that they poo in is it green? My cat rarely goes inside but both times when it happened it was in the only room with green carpet. I think he confused it with grass.

Have you got a garage? Does it have a door from the house? Put a catflap in it & move the litter trays there to remove the smell. Alternatively do the same with the downstairs loo so the smell is confined.

Or get the self cleaning litter trays? Expensive but it sounds like you are miserable so maybe worth the money for you.

Get microchip opening bowls so food smells are more contained.

Robot hoover if cat fluff on floor is bothersome for you - programmed to go round first thing for you to go down.

Put a throw over the sofa that can be moved aside for you to sit.

Put tin foil all over your kitchen counters for a couple of weeks, it deters them jumping up there and will break the habit. Spray the with water whenever you see them doing it.

Cats get calmer and more sedate as they age, so jumping on things will reduce.

Well this thread has been an eye opener. It is assumed by my two cats that they own the house and that we pay the bills. It is clear that - at all times - we should be grateful for the opportunity to worship at the altar of feline enslavement.
I literally never realised that they could be confined to specific parts of the house or given actual boundaries, since they are the master and mistress of this home. I just cheerfully use lint roller night and day for their black hair. They inevitably take the best, warmest seats in the house and we all have to manoeuvre around them. Sometimes I can’t hoover a room for fear of upsetting the adorable dictators.
(I do spray water at my masters if they spring on the kitchen counters though since this is a matter of food hygiene)

Well said!!