to insist that DH finds a new home for the cat?

[Disenchanted3]

Its his cat but he constantlt runs out of food for it, he doesn't change the litter tray, we have to keep the toilet window open so it can come and go making the whole kitchen freezing.

We have 3 DC and the kids don't really bother with it.

I have a 'no cat upstairs rule' which gets completely ignored, so I find cat on kids bed, my bed... babies room

Cat was sleeping on DSs pillow the other night, just inches from his face

It always sits on the kitchen side and flecks hair everywhere.

It shits in the downstairs bathroom, the room its littertray is in BUT it shits on the floor, on top of toilet rolls and up the wall no lie.

Today i found a cat hair in my butter tub and constantly find them on plates etc

and finally ... it SHIT ON MY PREGNANCY HOSPITAL BAG.

Dh likes it alot but i have enough to deal with, i have DS4, DS2 and DD 1 month and just dont feel for this cat at all

Who does the weekly supermarket shop? Is it so difficult to simply add cat food to the list??

Rehome DH and the cat as a pair maybe...?

Look into getting it re-homed - I love cats but this one sounds miserable and unhappy and with a newborn around it doesn't bear thinking about!

My sister and her husband got their cats rehomed via the Cats Protection League here when they emigrated. You could try them?

You can't just get rid of pets like that.they are a responsibility get a cat flap and then you won't have to leave teh window open.Poor cat

wannabe didn't read all the posts but have seen yours and couldn't agree more.Selfish is not the word!What has a newborn got to do with it?Its a cat not a gorilla

at the 'no cats upstairs' rule.

Get the poor thing rehomed asap before it has a nervous breakdown!

"You can't just get rid of pets like that...."

Ordinarily I would agree with you but I think this one is better off with another family where everyone wants it.

"What has a newborn got to do with it?" - the OP has already said the cat craps / sleeps rather indiscriminately around the house, that would make me nervous with a newborn!

it shits elsewhere because

a. the litter tray is full
b. it can't get out.

Get a catflap, make sure he changes the littter tray and cleans it out daily.

things will improve. i don'[t think you are being fair to the cat in getting rid of it just because your husband is shit at looking after it. It is his behaviour which has to change, having said that perhaps the cat would be happier with people who love it and know how to look after it.,

Cats don't like using dirty trays, one of mine is so fussy that he will sit and cry at it if there is just one pooh in it. Funny he is the one who never buries his either. The other cat does it for him.

Cats will sleep anywhere warm, have you thought about getting a radiator seat for it? It will prefer that to a bed anyway.

Oh and fwiw my cat was always great with both my dds. He particularly likes dd2 and often sits on her knee when she is in the buggy and gets wheeled to the shops with her. dd2 thinks this is hilarious.

I take it you had to clean out the litter tray when pg ?? you really shouldn't of been doing this if there was someone else to do it. Maybe you should point out to you DH what a risk this was to you and your unborn

The only reason why this cat is shitting everywhere is because it is anxious and neglected. A well looked after and content cat is fine with newborns - it is a MYTH that they climb in to the cot with the baby!

Before DS was born, my cat did climb into the cot and got chased out of it. But once ds was born he never ONCE tried to get in the cot - he knew that it was the baby's.
My cat (who is nearly 10) is a very large tabby and he is brilliant with ds (13mo), is extremely tolerant od ds's not very gentle patting and tail pulling. If he gets annoyed he'll give ds a prod with a paw - no claws or just gets up and walks away. We don't leave the cat alone with him, more because we worry that ds might accidentally hurt the cat than the other way 'round!

Totally agree that some people don't think about the consequences of pet ownership they just want something cute and cuddly. Well I suggest that if you want that get yourself a nice cuddly toy.

I love the idea of having rules for a cat. You know if you are telling this cat not to do things then as soon as you leave the house he'll be rubbing himself all over your clothes and using your toothbrush, not necessarily for your teeth.

I have one cat, two kittens and a pup. I'm no stranger to cleaning up poo from the litter tray. Is it a covered litter tray (though I don't think there is much smell difference it does mean you don't have to see the poo all the time)? I couldn't leave a messy litter tray, health reasons alone, plus cat poo can reek!

I got my two kittens when they were just past the "cute" stage and the owner decided that was that then, too much work. They hadn't been vaccinated, wormed or given flea treatment. Within two weeks they were both looking healthier, coats shiny and now they are fine and flourishing. If you can't care for your pet then give it to someone who can.

Weird notion that pets are just for one person. Although my dts "adopted" one kitten each they are part of our family.

I meant to say "not necessarily for his teeth."

Baah!

That poor cat! If you didn't want it you should not have agreed to have it in the first place. Why can't you buy a bit of food for it when doing the weekly shop? It is only Pooing because it is upset and can sense the atmosphere in your home. If the litter tray is dirty it will not use it. Would you use a dirty toilet? We have two cats which we got from a centre before our DD was born. We have always kept DD's bedroom door closed and so they know they cannot go in there. If you don't want them on the kitchen surfaces SHUT THE DOOR!!! (hmm) You cannot stop them going up stairs but you can stop them going in rooms you don't want them too. My ones love sleeping on the landing because the water pipes are there and so it is warm. Your arguments for a cat flat are complete rubbish. We have one and the house is much warmer (they close very tightly) than constantly opening the door to let them out. You are being unfair to the cat and your DH is being a child. You have an animal it is a responsibility if you cannot accept that don't have them. Rehome the cat and give it to someone who will love it and want it as it should be. Simple.

I'm loving all the "dont worry about litter trays, they will shit in other peoples gardens"

Would you like to come over to my house and get rid of the daily shit in my garden, cos why the fuck should i keep having to clean it up!! Can you tell i am NOT a cat lover!!

Ok rant over

Btw has anyone got a good idea to deter cats from habitually shitting in my garden, cos if i see that ginger bastard on my lawn once more, i dont know what i am gonna do to it!

To the OP, get rid of it. If your OH wont pull his weight for HIS cat, the kids couldnt give a monkeys and its too much like hard work for you, then its better off somewhere else.

Orange peel

Really? i'm game to try anything!

lime, squeeze lime juice all round the garden perimeter.

the cats we have are mine, i took in the stray female and i wanted to keep 2 of her kittens... dp did not want cats (although he's fond of them now they're here) and i do everything that needs doing to keep them.

however he would never dream of leaving them with a filthy litter tray or go hungry if i didn't have time to do it.... it's neglect and abuse and he wouldn't behave like that to an animal, even a pet he didn't want.

you agreed to take a cat into a family home.... that makes you just as responsible as your dh and you should be ashamed of youself for behaving like you are.

rehome the poor cat to someone who could give it a happy and welcoming home and never get a pet again.

it's because of people like you i worry myself sick when i rehome kittens as i'm terrified they'lll be stuck in a home like yours

Ashantai, I don't like cat poo in my garden either (and presume my neighbours feel the same way) and so mine use litter trays and won't go to the loo outside. To keep your borders poo free, try a pet repellent (there's one called something like Katapult?) and spray as directed.

PinkTulips, the OP and people like her are the reason my cats are neutered ... A friend of a friend runs a cat rescue home and has just had one handed in because it didn't 'go' with the owner's new carpet.

What?

Afraid so. Apparently to some people an important part of being a pet is to 'go' with the soft furnishings. Let's just hope they never have a child whose hair clashes with the curtains ...

Nekabu... that's truely horrifying

momma cat is due to be spayed as soon as she finishes feeding, she had kittens when i took her in and was pregnant again before she stopped feeding them... i've been incredibly lucky that all 8 kittens got safe and loving homes (some with us ) but i won't risk not being so lucky again.

all of you going off on one about why you should expect a cat to shit in a dirty litter tray - can you read? OP has already said the cat shits outside the litter tray even when it's freshly cleaned.

My cat went through a "dirty protest" stage, she'd had a week or so of getting the appalling trots and even after she was better I think she associated the litter tray with the general mess and discomfort of a dose of the squits. But it took her months to get over it, and would crap copiously everywhere, even right in front of me. I do love her but it was certainly a test of my love, that's for sure.