To cat or not to cat - advice please?

[fluffygreenmonsterhoody]

I’ve never had pets, beyond goldfish (rip Franck and Russell) and I tend to tolerate rather than adore animals.

DH always had a cat when he lived with his parents, and is desperate for us to get one.

We’ve reluctantly given up hope of having DC2 so a cat would be some company for DS (5) and give him something to look after. He’s lovely with the neighbourhood cats and I have no concerns there.

My main sticking point is, I can’t bear the thought of having a litter tray in the house (bike) but DH is insisting all cats need them, even outdoor cats.

Is this true? Are there any types of cats which would be better to get? We just have AstroTurf in the garden, would this be a problem?

Thanks if you got this far, any advice appreciated.

I don’t put the whole litter down the loo mine don’t bury so it’s desd easy to flush the loo.

Mines a top entry tray and have had no issues. I would hate for them to have to go outside what about during the night? There too many weirdos about.

And yes, given the current situation with the rather prolific cat killer, think seriously about how far you want your pet to roam.

My grand/naive plan had been to have a catbed in the utility room, with a catflap out to the back garden so it could come and go as it pleases at night.

I don’t think there are too many cat toilet perving weirdos about in our sleepy wee street but is this something I should be worrying about? Genuinely?

A prolific cat killer? What fresh he’ll is this?!

Sadly it’s not fresh been going on awhile. Lots of people don’t let their cats out overnight because of it. Not just him but there are loads of nutters/foxes about.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/magazine-41595585

My grand/naive plan had been to have a catbed in the utility room

But you will be allowing the cat in the rest of the house right??

at cat killer. There are posters up near me asking for any information. So upsetting and I will not be getting a cat for a while partly due to this person.

I don’t let mine out at night. Any rescue centre will ask you not to, as quite aside from the cat killer, something like 80% of road fatalities happen at night. So yes, we do have a litter tray. Used to be one but no have three, due to “inappropriate toileting”. Don’t ask! But sadly I think it’s proabably inevitable at some points of a cat’s life that you’ll need one.

You can get litter trays that are very inoffensive OP - enclosed ones where you can't see or smell the contents.

DH and I have come to an agreement whereby I bag and replace the litter six nights a week (just a single layer of the wood stuff which doesn't stink) and he does a full clean the other night or if needed inbetween. Would that work in your house?

I've got indoor cats. The litter tray is in the kitchen. I use really good litter and there is no smell. Scooping it out really isn't that bad!

I don’t think a cat is for you. It sounds like you really don’t want to deal with animal poo. Some cats toilet happily outside without any problems or issues but cats can be funny creatures. Poo stuck in their fur, dirty protests and inappropriate toileting are not unusual problems with cats. In addition to that hairballs, cat vomit and dead mice/frogs/birds can be equally grim.

As pp mentioned the vast majority of cat RTA fatalities happen at night did even aside from the cat killer you might want to keep the cat in at night. Along with illness and old age when it comes a litter tray is probably necessary. It also means they're less likely to shit in Mrs Bucket's roses. Non cat owners can get pretty stroppy about cats in their gardens.

I think advice these days is 1 tray per cat plus 1 extra (though it's been a while since I had a cat ). When I was growing up though we always just had 1 cat and the 1 tray and that was fine.

The better quality litters clump and don't smell and you can also get enclosed trays. IME you have to get up pretty close before you smell anything. You'll barely notice an enclosed tray tucked away in a utility room.

If getting a cat is DH's idea get him to agree to cleaning the tray. Also DS can do it when he's old enough too.

Cats have a way of worming their way into your heart so in any case once it's part of the family you won't care!

I've never known poo to be stuck in their fur, though I've only ever had shorthairs. In any case I'd recommend a shorthair as longhairs are more high maintainsnce with brushing etc.

Also kitty won't give a shit about an expensive bed in the utility room. He'll sleep precisely where he pleases (your bed)!

Cats poo where they like. If you don't want it all over your garden and your neighbours' too you would be better to have a litter tray. And as cats should be in at night you ought to have a tray anyway.
Any new cat should be kept in for a few weeks so it realises your house is home.

If you have a cat you have to be prepared to have a litter tray. You might get away with not having one if you have a cat flap, but often cats will still need a tray. When it's cold/raining/there is another scary cat in the garden/they don't feel well etc they will often need a tray.

If you really can't cope with the idea of a tray then you shouldn't get a cat.

We have a lidded tray and it stays in the bathroom. Changed regularly.

I've never had a cat that used a litter tray once they were old enough to be allowed outside. Given the choice they have always preferred to go in the garden.

As the wise tcn says I think you have to be prepared. My older cat is a 10yo rescue with a rather heightened gastrocolic reflex and she will keep her legs crossed (as it were) if she can and go outside. I keep them in in the dark mostly - am 00s of miles from the M25 it's the road deaths that worry me - she usually waits til the morning. But as soon as she eats a few mouthfuls she has to go.
I got a well socialised rescue kitten this year who waits to come in to use the tray. It's really annoying! But such is the contrariness of cats.

Cats are contrary, OP. Also kinda gross. They usually need a litter tray at some point in their lives. They may bring you dead or living little creatures. They will sleep where they please, including your bed, inside the wardrobe, the sofa and probably the kid’s toy box. They won’t take instructions - you can’t train them like a dog.
You may need to relax your standards a bit tbh.

Oh yeah and they will puke in the most inconvenient locations at the slightest provocation.

And their puke will smell like poo and even look like it. And you will step
In it at some point.

We've had 4 cats. Two of them have sadly passed away, the other two are still alive.

Personally I wouldn't get a rescue cat because you don't know what their habits are. And unfortunately an adult cat can't be told what to do and what not to do, unless you're lucky and you get one of the few.
Though a kitten is 2 to 3 months of hard work telling them off constantly unless they're asleep. But if you don't want a cat that hangs in your curtains, scratches your sofa to bits, brings in mice and eats your pot plants, you need to put in the time before they're grown.

As to litter trays, we don't have one as we trained ours to go outside and they prefer it. Though don't expect to be able to tell them in which garden they should or shouldn't go...

Anyway as soon as you get the cat home, take it to the litter tray, put it in it, scratch one of its front paws in the litter. Leave it there and it'll discover the house from the litter tray, so it'll always know where to go to the loo.

Crivvens, lots to think about.

My exBF had a cat who used to headbutt my bedroom door at all hours of the night when he wanted let out, so that’s why I was thinking a catflap. I did grow fond of him eventually, we’ll we came to an understanding anyway!

Not too worried about traffic at night as it’s a really quiet spot away from main road but I’m about cat murderers.

I’m curious about lidded litter trays. Will look them up, perhaps that’s the way to go.

Not just traffic. Wildlife. Unneutered cats looking for a fight.