Son and DH wants cat but...

[Weightsandmeasures]

Hi all

My son and DH would like to get a pet cat. They love cats. I don't. My main concern is germs. I know cats are clean and clean themselves regularly but they do roam about outside, walking in all sorts - people's spit, dog poo, etc.

We agreed to buy a cat around spring time and I am dreading it. I have OCD regarding germs but I don't want my condition to deprive them of a pet. I grew up with pets. The rest of my family love them but people spitting in public and mess all over the place was not typical where I come from. Here in the suburbs in London, people are not averse to spitting all over the sidewalk, snort, dog poo, and the rest.

My question: are there any products on the market that cleans the cat paws as it re-enters the house through the cat flap?

Any tips or advice that would reduce my worry would be greatly appreciated.

I think you shouldn't do it. You will have to have a litter tray, certainly for at least a few weeks and potentially forever. And you certainly can't go around trying to clean cats' paws. And cats frequently vomit in random places for no good reason. And what if they bring half a rat to give you as a present?

I think unless you can manage to successfully treat your OCD then it would be very unwise to get a pet. It is guaranteed to stress you and and probably everyone else and the cat too.

If you do it then for god's sake don't buy one. That just encourages irresponsible people to keep letting their cats get pregnant, when there are already far too many cat for the number of homes. If you do it you should go to a rescue, but I really think you shouldn't do it.

Oh and the fur - it gets everywhere!! It even coats the seats of my car! All my clothes are covered in fur and thinks come out of my washing machine furrier than when they went in. I'm extremely relaxed about cleaning but even I find myself getting a bit stressed out about it sometimes. Really, don't do it.

There is of course a chance that if you have a cat you will fall in love with it so much that it might begin to change your attitude and even start to 'cure' you. But that is probably wishful thinking and certainly not something you can expect to happen.

... things come out of my washing machine ....

I agree with thecatneuterer. A rabbit might be a less stressful option for all of you

I would never recommend a rabbit as a pet. They normally have miserable lives - shut in hutches and largely ignored. I don't think you should have any pets.

If your OCD is very severe then I fear you may find having a cat quite stressful. My cat is generally pretty clean and luckily largely uninterested in the worktops and tables but there are inevitably times when cats are pretty gross. Mine is long haired and gets hair everywhere. On occasion I’ve also had to cut out clumps of poo that she’s got stuck in her fur.
If your cat goes out then you have the problem that many cats like to bring you gifts of small dead creatures. If it doesn’t go outside (mine doesn’t) then you have all the poo and wee to contend with.
I think maybe spend some time with some cats (maybe visit a cat cafe or something if you don’t know many cat people) and see how you get on. It may well be that when faced with an adorable fluffball you don’t think about the germs as much as you expect. It’s lovely that you want to allow your family to have a pet but it sounds like it might cause you huge anxiety.
I’d also really encourage you to consider a rescue cat. If the placement doesn’t work out then they will take the cat back. It’s usually in their contracts that you return the cat to them if for any reason you need to rehome them.

Don't do it. Your son and DH want a cat but I bet it's you who ends up cleaning litter trays and mess.

In my view, everyone in the family should be on board with getting a pet.

If they’re not, you really shouldn’t get one.

Oh dear - is there any way you can address the germs issue before getting a cat.

FWIW I love cats and have 2. Also have three children, had the cats as kittens when middle child a baby. We are all healthy and well. Cats potter in the back garden where no dogs and spit.

I had heard that having pets is good for immune system and health, much as being ott on anti bac is bad for your health.

You need a smaller and more controllable pet.

I have two cats and the fur is everywhere despite brushings, one wees outside the tray on occasion due to old age and being a bit dithery. The other has hair balls and occasionally spits up food if he eats too fast.

I'd suggest a fish with a self cleaning tank

I know what you mean OP. We had a cat for four months (he was run over earlier this month). I did like him but I'm not a cat person.

Sometimes, when he pointed his bum end towards you, you could see little bits of hard dried on poo stuck to his arse. Sometimes he had a sloppy poo (most of the time actually) and it would go over the edge of the litter tray and onto the floor.

Once he came in and god knows what he'd been eating but his white nose was all crusty and brown and then he vomited it up on the floor.

I STILL have cat fur on my best coat.

BUT - I am pregnant, so this might have skewed my thinking a bit!

One of my cats has, out of the blue, has started to shit on my kitchen worktop from time to time. I just clean it and think no more of it. Admittedly it's not something most cats do, but you just don't know what they might suddenly do, particularly as they go into old age. If you really wouldn't be able to cope, with that or something similar you shouldn't have a cat. Of course the cat might be perfectly behaved forever, but you have to be prepared to cope if that isn't the case.

OP would it be any better to have an indoor cat. My sister has one who is quite happy to stay inside. You'd still need to deal with litter tray though.

Why not take an older indoor cat from a shelter for its last few years? Keep it inside and see how it goes?

You should really only decide to keep a cat as an indoor cat if it's for the cat's benefit (busy road/health condition etc) and not because the owner would feel less icky about it. And the paws are frankly the least of your problems.

A house rabbit or an indoor cat seem like better options for you. Probably the former.

Thanks everyone. I was hoping that there would be a magic solution. Some of you raised issues I hadn't thought about.

I certainly wouldn't cope with some of these things. The thought of dealing with some of these poo things would be unbearable and would lead to stress for all of us.

And house rabbits (I used to have one) leave a trail of poo pellets wherever they go. Admittedly they don't smell and are easily swept up, but I doubt the OP would be too thrilled.

Maybe you’d be better with a small pet in a cage, like a hamster or guinea pig? That way, the mess is contained in one place, and they don’t bring dirt in from outside.
A cat would be a nightmare if you have OCD cleaning issues. Fur moulting all year round, vomiting on carpets, bringing in mice and birds and killing them on the kitchen floor, half eaten remains lying about, smelly litter trays- I think it would drive you round the twist, OP! And I say that as a devoted cat owner for the last 40 years.

OP could you get an indoor breed like a Ragdoll cat? Cat's can be unhygenic, more so than dogs. Only get a pet if you really want one.

There will probably be more issues with an indoor cat. Certainly there would probably be more piss and shit to deal with, and the same amount of fur and vomit ...

Maybe you’d be better with a small pet in a cage, like a hamster or guinea pig?

I don’t think the OP’s home is suitable for pets full stop.

Guinea pigs and hamsters wee and poo and need cleaning out. They get sick and need caring for. Don’t do it, OP.

No. You can’t wipe a cat down every time it comes in. What about vomit? They can.
Are you getting help for the OCD?

My GP once recommended some sort of medication but I declined. I've had it for so long that it does bother me too much. Out it public, I've become adept at not touching train poles, door handles, etc. Shoes never enter the house, hands are washed immediately upon entering, and clothes are taken off and placed in a place where they can't contaminate other clean clothes.

I could deal with the fur but not being able to control the germs coming in and the business of dried poo and vomit make me feel like vomiting.

Wow. That sounds really severe. Unless you get some treatment and drastically change then you should never have any pets. It's a shame for the rest of your family but they'll get over it. The wishes of the person who doesn't want pets (or children) should always trump the wishes of those who do.