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

I have lots of empathy - for all the poor cats being kept indoors 100% of the time 😔

The reason that so many cats end up euthanised in shelters all over the world is because of irresponsible owners who don't get their cats neutered and just let them out to mate and have litters of kittens that no one can look after - some cats end up being sold online for bait! Others die on the streets in agony. There are cat rescuers who deal with owners who are completely irresponsible daily - but I'm a bad owner for keeping my cats in. Off you go

Do your homework before you call indoor cat owners irresponsible

Stray cats all over the world have horrible miserable lives - you clearly don't have a clue or you would know this

I am absolutely fed up with people assuming that people don't understand them because everyone else is neurotypical and therefore clueless, we are all different! It's such a cop out and appears in more and more threads.

Cats can be lovely and infuriating, anyone who has a cat knows this. Places they shouldn't be: in the washing basket, in your underwear draw, sleeping on the work surface, etc, etc, they seem to know how to push your buttons. Ours could always figure out how to open doors as well.

It sounds like the OP just really doesn't like cats it's not a great mystery, not everyone likes cats, if so the only option is to get rid of them, someone else will love them.

Yes exactly 💯

According to you - you don't even have cats and you've made it clear you don't care about cats being run over by cars or being poisoned - as long as they get to feel fresh air before they die a horrible death - good on you

And given the fact that you don't have cats - you don't have the right to judge me or anyone else for keeping our cats indoors.

Don't you think?

I rescued my Siamese - separate upbringings. He and his adoptive sister are 5 and 6 in my Siamese cat history (3 not rescued as a child - all in and out, no issues. 3 I have chosen to rescue as an adult). I live in a village with paddocks and fields to the back of me. No. 5 - we tried to get him out walking him around our very safe neighbourhood. He came to us at 15 months as the youngest of a pack of 10 Siamese unneutered indoors always. He is clearly inbred and not very bright. Escaped just around the time of 1st lockdown. He is a gorgeous boy so I knew he would be taken. He had escaped into a neighbour's paddock and up to the local farm. He was safe within an hour. So my night calling was wasted. He likes being out to eat grass to then be sick. So no thanks! My no 6 - gorgeous girl so bright. Food starved. Came to us at age 3 - always indoors. I cant have 1 cat in and the other cat out. Too complicated, but she would have been the best mouser ever. She needs activity and stimulation. Outdoors would suit her. Not overnight and as I live near fields far less risk of roads and cars. My son built me a catio - its a bit ramshackle but backs onto our back garden. They barely use it even in summer. I've read your posts, all of them. Yes your circumstances mean your cats for safety might need to be in. Mine dont. Which is why I do hate the debris that comes from indoor cats. I dont have time to clean every day. If I rescue again, and a big if after these, the new rescues will need to be able to go outside. Not overnight. Mine are part of the family - they sleep with us - are very needy. They have the best life I can give them. But their life could be better.

Please see my post above. 1 not capable to be out. Just not bright enough. The 2nd rescue - would have been fine, but had been indoors for 3 years and our other rescue could not go out safely. It's tricky with rescues - their backgrounds can be so varied. Picture for interest.

And so sorry 1 more post from me. @scottishgirl69 I posted to support @OP who is clearly struggling with her cats. What you do, and what I do, isnt relevant to her situation. But I was hoping to show her that even massive cat lovers, as I am, can struggle. My fur babies arent going anywhere. But their current life is not ideal for the smooth running of my household.

Mine will be. It’s so sad because he looks at those birds outside like he would like to tear them up into tiny little shreds and feathers. But I will let those birds live another day and I will enjoy my cat living inside.

Sorry it made you cry. 😭

I feel sorry for cats being indoor only, you feel differently - surely you realise other people just have different thoughts and opinions?

Could you provide a little outdoor area?

Have you read my other posts? No - I can't provide a little outdoor area - I live in an upstairs flat. I do have a small garden but that would mean carrying my cats downstairs in cat carriers to put them in a catio that I would have to build in the middle of my garden - because there are stairs up to my front door and a catio couldn't be attached onto my door

I also don't own my home which makes it more difficult - and there's also the issue of cost

My cats have a great life - that's the most important thing. Whether they are indoor or outdoor

Also an important point - outdoor cats who aren't contained in a catio kill wildlife. It's just their instinct obviously - but I'm happy that my cats don't.

There's no might about it in my case. I live on a very busy road and the next road is even busier - a very busy bus route. I was told when I moved here that there had been multiple cat fatalities and not to let them out. I couldn't anyway unless I have a catio. My cats have never been outside. They don't have the awareness of my area to be able to go out and then find their way home

My oldest boy is 20 and if I let him out he would run off and I would never see him again.

Obviously people do their best under difficult circumstances no matter what.

After my mum had those cat loses she spent a lot of money making her garden very secure - and one of her cats still managed to get up very high and jump over the secure fence

Of course people have their struggles. I thought I was going to lose my oldest boy last Christmas. My other cat died of a stroke in March - she was 19.

And sometimes people might need to make the decision to rehome - if the OP is that unhappy then that might be the only option.

There are people who come in and feed cats and change litter trays if someone can't but obviously there's costs attached. Your cats are beautiful

If you are really struggling with the cats being in the kitchen - shut them out of it. Mine don't go on my kitchen work tops - my kitchen is tiny anyway. But keep them out of there if it's causing problems.

I honestly think you need to try and get over the fear of changing their trays and feeding them. I don't love changing my cats trays but I obviously have to.

As I said in a previous post - you can buy cat litter trays that are covered which will help stop some of the smells. Cats aren't unclean animals. It's also possible to scoop poop out of the trays.

It's wise to have at least one tray per cat. As for cat hair - there's not much you can do about that. Maybe it's time they spent more time in their own room - they'll get used to it

The bottom line is though - you can't carry on as you are. If you are giving them the free run of the entire house and it's causing you problems you are going to have to shut them out of it.

My oldest boy lives in my living room and and he lived in my living room in my last flat too - his choice. He does get out for a wander around but cats don't need to be in every single room in your home

@scottishgirl69 there’s some confusion on this thread about whose cat has what issue. Mine are the ones that won’t consistently use a litter tray. They came to me already with this behaviour and have never got better. In my previous posts I have already said I’ve followed all advice to make conditions right for them, prior to my daughter my home was quiet and calm and ideal for cats and it didn’t matter. After my daughter we tried prozac prescribed by the vet. We have tried. The cats aren’t locked anywhere and won’t be. They have access to the outside and would have free access to whatever other safe shelter we provide as an aterntive to the conservatory. I’m losing the room I’ve been using as an office because I need it as a nursery and now need the conservatory to work from. I’m not prepared to work amongst cat poo and dirt . I didn’t give a full explanation because this isn’t my thread but bored of people getting irate about a situation they don’t understand.

I actually do understand. One of my cats didn't use a litter tray her entire life. I had her from the age of 6 until 19. She's the only cat I ever rescued that just would not use a tray.

I used to put papers down for her. She also started to lose her sight when I was in hospital in 2023 and the last ten months of her life until she died were challenging - for me and her both. Because when a cat loses their sight their life obviously changes - and I knew by Christmas 2024 that she wouldn't see another one. She died in March 2025. You know when they can't go on any longer and I had to have her PTS.

I won't mention your situation again on this thread.