I Am FURIOUS!!!

[Chicklet]

Dear Abby, or whoever is out there to answer this question...

i have four roommates. my four roommates have four cats. four cats total, not each. Now, i like cats. I even like THESE cats. For all that they're anti-social asshole cats, as I will soon discuss.

Just now, well, a few minutes ago, one of the cats came in my room to talk to me. I talked to him a little bit, and then watched him spray my book shelf. Now, what I do when one of MY cats (I don't have any cats in this household) sprays something is I grab the cat, shove his/her face in the mess, and smack them a number of times. So, I did that to this cat. I don't think my roommates would mind my disciplining their cat.

But here's the thing.

We just moved into this house, and I can tell the cats are spraying A LOT of things. And no one else is smacking cats when these messes happen. Plants are becoming litter boxes, couches are becoming urine soaked. Blankets that I've put in common spaces are never going to touch my bed or body again.

I want to be polite to my roommates. I LIKE my roommates. I don't DISlike their cats... but how can I bring these issues up with them without being rude?

As a former cat owner, I feel like I know a few things. I know cats like their litter boxes clean, and I know that my roommates aren't cleaning their litter box (only one for four cats?!) more than twice a month. I know that cats need to be disciplined if they're ever going to figure out that peeing on human stuff gets them in trouble. Saying "no" and scolding a cat with your finger isn't going to do it. Nor is ONE out of five humans smacking them going to do it.

Does anyone have any advice? I feel like I've brought this up a thousand times with my roommates, before it was a "I SAW your cat peeing on my beloved books" issue. Books I will have to replace. With money. Or else throw away and never read again.

I AM FURIOUS.

 

[Gus Aspar]

Go for a long walk, shout at the trees to vent your anger, sing a bit, or whatever else you do to cheer yourself up, and when you get home hug the first room-mate you meet and say: "So help me, if your cat sptrays on my stuff again I'll fucking kill it."

May not solve anything but you'll feel better.

Have a nice day!

 

[MR.GGG]

40 ways to leave your ....

Make of them FURRY SLIPPERS and hope your room mates don't notice.
OK slippers and a set of ear muffs. Cook Chinese dumplings and look concerned when your room mates ask if anybody has seen "fluff" or "boots" (slippers- getit?) today. Buy a ROTTWEILER who was mauled by a nasty cat when he was just a tiny pup. Buy assorted RODENTS at the local pet store, inject them with LSD and set them free in the house. Do some research on the NET. Create a concoction that reacts EXPLOSIVELY with uric acid and sprinkle said compound in all their favorite P-spots but, in particular, their very own kitty shitter boxes. Do something with HIGH VOLTAGE as your theme. Ensure the cats are wet and well grounded. Spray cat-nip on ALL the cats' butts when they are asleep. Hopefully they are all the same sex.

If these don't work I'll give you more ...

 

[SweetErika]

Do the roommates know that (it sounds like a large) part of the problem is the litter box - the fact that it's not cleaned enough and isn't sufficient for four cats?

If so, remind the owners this is contributing heavily to the inappropriate peeing problem and ask that they rectify it by getting another box and cleaning it daily (maybe suggest Roomie A takes even dates and B does odd for Box #1, and C and D alternate for Box #2, and that they trade or otherwise work it out if someone's gone).

Kindly let them know you can't have your property destroyed, and until the cats are using the litter box properly you'd ask them to either restore or replace damaged items, just as you'd do if you, a child in your care or a visitor damaged their property. That doesn't have to be an ultimatum or confrontational in the least; you could just say what you would do if you or a visitor damaged their stuff and ask for the same courtesy while sympathizing about the unpredictability of cats and focusing on what can be done to guard against them peeing on everything.

If they don't know, you could say you found some solutions to the problem online and proceed from there.

Another approach you could incorporate is to set a house meeting and ask them for their solutions to the a) peeing everywhere, and b) damage to your property. Write every solution down (including yours, but it's smart to have a source of your info to back you up), and then choose the ones most agree on together so everyone feels they have a stake in it, instead of Chicklet being dictatorial or nagging. Reinforce how much you love them and their cats, but unfortunately you just don't have the time or money to clean and replace all of the items being peed on. You could go on to say you all need to implement solutions right away because you know they have better things to spend their time and money on than cleaning and replacing damaged goods.

My guess is if there are set consequences to the owners' (in)actions, they'll get with the program and try to fix the behavior fairly quickly. If no one's accountable, however, there's little motivation to change the current situation.

 

[emptynester]

Make of them FURRY SLIPPERS and hope your room mates don't notice.
OK slippers and a set of ear muffs. Cook Chinese dumplings and look concerned when your room mates ask if anybody has seen "fluff" or "boots" (slippers- getit?) today. Buy a ROTTWEILER who was mauled by a nasty cat when he was just a tiny pup. Buy assorted RODENTS at the local pet store, inject them with LSD and set them free in the house. Do some research on the NET. Create a concoction that reacts EXPLOSIVELY with uric acid and sprinkle said compound in all their favorite P-spots but, in particular, their very own kitty shitter boxes. Do something with HIGH VOLTAGE as your theme. Ensure the cats are wet and well grounded. Spray cat-nip on ALL the cats' butts when they are asleep.

MR.GGG - Such tenderness, and so early in the morning. How do you do it!

 

[Mr.G]

""My guess is if there are set consequences to the owners' (in)actions, they'll get with the program and try to fix the behavior fairly quickly.""

Exactly. BEFORE cats #2, #3 and #4 vanish too.


"Such tenderness, and so early in the morning. How do you do it!"

I have little tolerance for cats and the feeling is mutual although most cats take to me the same way dogs do - like a long lost brother.

Dogs are sympathetic to our races' idiotic assumption that we are the only ones who can THINK. By the time a cat is 6 months old they KNOW what morons we are. They communicate with a twitch, a whisker wiggle, a dropped ear and a foot shuffle and we are TOO STOOPID to come close to understanding. Way before they hit the one year mark they KNOW they are living with the village idiot and pretty much give up ever trying to get us to understand what they're saying.

Dogs on the other hand also realize most of us are too stupid for words but they are infinately forgiving and so they tolerate us and spend their lives trying to get us to realize this. Most fail but occasionally one or two humans develop a modicum of realization and when that happens it is amazing. The communication goes up exponetially when they realize WE are actually trying to listen to what they are telling us and not ONLY the other way around.

my 2¢ anyway

 

[Mazuri]

Also, if they're both spraying and peeing on everything, tell your roommates before a neighbor's cat goes in heat to have the animals fixed! If the cats are a mix of male/female and none are fixed, prepare for a barrage of cats to rival a zoo.

There are things you can put on flower pots to discourage cats, as well as just plant cactus

And....whose name is on the lease/deed of this house? If it's yours, recheck your agreement for pet deposit and damages as the smell of cat urine is extremely hard to get out of most surfaces. If all five of you are on the lease, then ensure that the owner knows who the cats belong to so you're not stuck with the pet damages upon termination. If it's your house/you're buying, then charge them a pet security deposit (average is around $200 per animal) with the understanding that anything beyond that will come out of their regular deposit. Make sure they are on all rental paperwork or there's no recourse should they decide to stick you for damages.

Fixing the animals (neuter/spay) should cut down somewhat on the spraying, but also require each roomie to have a litter box in their rooms as well as a 'common room' litter box. Some cats are litter box territorial and may fight the others off, forcing them to use houseplants and furniture. Others simply don't like to go where other cats have gone. A cat-specific box in each roommate's private area should cut down on that somewhat as well. As well, tell them they need to have their cats litterbox trained or suggest crating them anytime the roommates are gone. They are not your cats to train or clean up after.

 

[bordendazed]

Change your coolant and "forget" to dump the antifreeze.

(Maybe your roommates may think it's the latest fad drink and try some.)

 

[BreeCarter]

Dear Abby, or whoever is out there to answer this question...

i have four roommates. my four roommates have four cats. four cats total, not each. Now, i like cats. I even like THESE cats. For all that they're anti-social asshole cats, as I will soon discuss.

Just now, well, a few minutes ago, one of the cats came in my room to talk to me. I talked to him a little bit, and then watched him spray my book shelf. Now, what I do when one of MY cats (I don't have any cats in this household) sprays something is I grab the cat, shove his/her face in the mess, and smack them a number of times. So, I did that to this cat. I don't think my roommates would mind my disciplining their cat.

But here's the thing.

We just moved into this house, and I can tell the cats are spraying A LOT of things. And no one else is smacking cats when these messes happen. Plants are becoming litter boxes, couches are becoming urine soaked. Blankets that I've put in common spaces are never going to touch my bed or body again.

I want to be polite to my roommates. I LIKE my roommates. I don't DISlike their cats... but how can I bring these issues up with them without being rude?

As a former cat owner, I feel like I know a few things. I know cats like their litter boxes clean, and I know that my roommates aren't cleaning their litter box (only one for four cats?!) more than twice a month. I know that cats need to be disciplined if they're ever going to figure out that peeing on human stuff gets them in trouble. Saying "no" and scolding a cat with your finger isn't going to do it. Nor is ONE out of five humans smacking them going to do it.

Does anyone have any advice? I feel like I've brought this up a thousand times with my roommates, before it was a "I SAW your cat peeing on my beloved books" issue. Books I will have to replace. With money. Or else throw away and never read again.

I AM FURIOUS.

tell them to take care of their cats, or get rid of them. because you're tired of your house looking/smelling like shit.

 

[Chicklet]

And....whose name is on the lease/deed of this house? If it's yours, recheck your agreement for pet deposit and damages as the smell of cat urine is extremely hard to get out of most surfaces.

tell them to take care of their cats, or get rid of them. because you're tired of your house looking/smelling like shit.

The owner of the house lives with us. We used to all live together in a bigger house, but the landlord sold it out from under us. Eric decided to just go ahead and buy a new one that we could all move in to.

He doesn't own the cats, but likes them. We've only been in this house two months. I've only been in this household about four months, and the others have been together much, much longer.

I really don't want to have to threaten to move.

Erika, thanks for your house-meeting suggestion. I'm going to try it.

 

[BreeCarter]

The owner of the house lives with us. We used to all live together in a bigger house, but the landlord sold it out from under us. Eric decided to just go ahead and buy a new one that we could all move in to.

He doesn't own the cats, but likes them. We've only been in this house two months. I've only been in this household about four months, and the others have been together much, much longer.

I really don't want to have to threaten to move.

Erika, thanks for your house-meeting suggestion. I'm going to try it.

well somehow i think anyway you approach them about it (because as much as we want people to be cool and smart) chances are, they'll automatically take offense to it regardless because it means they are irresponsible. most people don't like that. so you might as well be blunt and honest. don't put up with people's bullshit. especially if your stuff is getting ruined by them too.

 

[MagicFingers]

There's more than one way to skin a cat...

Go for a long walk, shout at the trees to vent your anger, sing a bit, or whatever else you do to cheer yourself up, and when you get home hug the first room-mate you meet and say: "So help me, if your cat sptrays on my stuff again I'll fucking kill it."

May not solve anything but you'll feel better.

Have a nice day!

I like this. Also, Mr G's suggestions are all good, as is the antifreeze suggestion.

I have a friend who has 20-30 cats. (They cum and go, so no one knows for sure). He disiplines them all the time. They still pee and spray and make such a smell that I cannot visit there any more. and this WAS my best friend.
He's also got a chain smoking problem too, which adds to the problem.

We had a cat that was neutered. It was ok until we got a kid, then he started spraying again. When he sprayed on my wife's head one day, his days were numbered and he left shortly after.

Why do people think it's ok for their lousey pets to pee on strangers, poke their noses in our crotches (dogs) and tear us up for fun?
And if we complain, they think WE have the problem!

Well, we do. Don't put up with it!!!!

 

[MarqeDSade]

Um

Very simple. Get rid of the cats. All of them. No need for cats. All they do is shed, shit, eat and piss.

That's ALL they do.

You are misreading their afffection/attention for another want. They want food, water, treats, etc, and they are playing you.

Kind of what guys do.



Later.

 

[FaeryFire]

*blinks* How can you live with the smell?

If the litter box is being emptied that infrequently there's no wonder you are having problems.
If they refuse to by more boxes and clean them more often you might sugest they all pitch in for a littermaid. The litter maid is a litter box that cleans itself. You might want to google it. I think they were about $200 last time I checked (they've probly gone down by now), which is a bit steep, but it's still a blessing for lazy people.
Putting bi-carb soda in the litter will help absorb some of the smell. You can use bi-carb as a carpet freshener as well.

Discipline doesn't work for cats the same way it does for dogs, which is a common mistake people make with them. If you provide a cat with a better alternitive they will use it once you show them that's what it's for.

I'm not sure how to deal with your house mates though. I guess just be honest and fair, but don't let them walk over the top of you. You could always take over the care of the animals for a fee
Good luck!

 

[Chicklet]

*blinks* How can you live with the smell?

The litter box is in the basement, through a door and behind some big thing... I think this might be part of the cleaning out problem, because in my experience it's a lot easier to ignore a problem that you can't see. So the upstairs doesn't smell.

However, now that the cats are using the ground floor plants instead of their litter box, and the plants aren't getting cleaned out, it's getting QUITE disgusting.

The update is, however, that I called a house meeting and we discussed a number of things. The landlord is going to install cat doors so the cats aren't stuck inside. The roommates with cats are going to get a second litter box, and possibly an automatic cleaning one. They've also agreed that they'll stay more on top of cleaning things out.

And everyone agreed to help make sure my door stays shut, even if one of them is going in my room just for a second for a movie.

Thanks to everyone for the constructive help.

 

[Eilan]

I had a LitterMaid and I was never that impressed with how it worked. YMMV.

 

[Mephistophelily]

I'd say bring up that you're worried about the cats to their owners. The fact they're doing this is a sign that they're possibly not feeling good. Not using their box is a sign that a cat has something wrong healthwise, possibly a UTI.