New to cats, angry and unsure

RossFixxxed

I'd have to agree, I don't think I am compatible with a cat, unless it's one that's out and about having adventures and pops in to say hi and have its din dins... Like the neighbours and like I (stupidly) thought most cats do.

I've sent my OH this link so I could express my honest opinion, and because of that I'm censoring my posts... Which is stupid.

I just wish the cat was never there. At all. Then there'd be no issue. Now I have to resolve a situation I don't want to be in, with a (loveable) animal I don't want in my house. I bend over backwards to do nice things then regret them for ages, get all tense and get all angry. No doubt the cat can pick up on that. I was so proud we rescued an animal and was determained to show her all the love in the world... and now I realise I'm not capable of that. I'm gonna try, I have no real choice, but I just wish we didn't get her at all.

Dammit to hell, people, idiots like me in other words, need to think much more carefully before taking these things in.

I'm gonna have to just clearn, hoover, mop etc every single day.

The fact is the cat poo and cat food make me gag every single time I smell them. I'm really, really not a cat person.

I tried to be for my OH I wanted her to have some furry company when I go away, and to be happy cos she loves cats. And now I'm just a grumpy so and so who wants rid of the damn thing. And I haven't the heart to do it. So I'm gonna take all the advice that I can on board and try to make peace.

I'm being nice, but I'm having very, very poor thoughts I wouldn't repeat here about the situation.

Ross

20goto10

Sorry to hear that and sorry for making light of the situation. If you do decide to stick it out then just remember you are the boss and the cat needs to realise that. If I were you I'd have cat free zones. The bedroom and living room for a start (might not be possible in your layout). You should also lock it up at bedtime. Somewhere that doesn't have carpet (dining room or kitchen maybe?) The cat should also be put outside more often and especially when it misbehaves. Another trick is to get a water spray bottle (prefably a small one) and spray it every time it does something bad like scratch the carpet, go into the bedroom, anything at all. It will soon learn the things that prompt a spraying and the things that don't. Let the damn thing know who's boss!!

RossFixxxed

Can I just say a quick thanks to everyone for all the advice, I really appreciate it. I fear this thread is turning into a PI rather rapidly.

I'll clean up the place, and start to teach the cat who's the boss (nicely of course).

The horrible thing is that I'm only keeping her for the OH. I'd only be upset if she ran away for the OH's sake. I kinda wish she would. I feel like a real bad person. I do love animals despite all this but I'm totally incompatible with this one.

It's only coming out now as I'm seriously down about other factors as I mentioned so I'm just being blunt.

I had an image of how the two of us would move in together and it was like that. It didn't involve being ashamed of my house and it smelling like the city dump tbh. Maybe I'm being lazy cleaning up but it's tough when you skin feels like its trying to crawl off your bones, and you're trying to not wretch. Every time she goes in her litter or I put her food out it ruins any meal I have afterwards. And I like my dinners!

Thanks again everyone.
r

ISDW

RossFixxxed wrote: »

I didn't sign any forms. My GF said she wanted to look for a cat and Bam same day there's one there...

I found this hard to believe, so checked out the DSPCA website and I'm absolutely stunned. For anybody wanting to adopt a dog, they have to have a homecheck. However, if they want a cat, just fill in a form, have a chat and away you go. I knew that cats were treated worse than dogs in this country, but I didn't realise it extended to rescue organisations as well.

RossFixxxed

The cat is VERY well looked after, we've probably spoiled her if anything. Don't get me wrong on that front. And they were apparently very thorough with the checks. I just wasn't there or aware it happened so quick tbh.

lily4

Oh dear , it sounds like a very stressed house at the moment.

First rule if you have an allergy to cats is never allow the cat in the bedroom - you're literally breathing in dander for 8 hours per night. So don't let her into the bedroom and see if that improves your skin.

Regarding the smell, I've never had an issue with cats and smells. Use a good quality cat litter and keep the tray clean , that should help.

To be honest though reading your posts it doesn't sound like the cat has found her new forever home. I really think you need to speak to your OH about how you really feel about the cat . The cat could live for another 10 or so years.

Perhaps your home isn't the right home for her?

I'm a real cat person but the language you use in your posts is quite extreme , it seems you have a very real problem with the cat - I can't see how that can be healthy for you or the cat?

cltt97

I've got 3 cats and I love them! OP I think you and cats are just not a match made in heaven. My work colleague has a cat that is not allowed further than the conservatory, although I'd say your OH wouldn't enforce that rule while you're gone. Is there any chance that any of the neighbours would like to adopt that cat, so she could just come and visit?

tallus

I have two cats and I'm allergic to them.
I get a rash from them and my nose is constantly blocked up, they also make a bit of a mess playing around and such, I wouldn't be without them tho as they are great company.
they are only allowed in certain rooms of the house and are mainly outdoor cats but never venture far from the house.
Some people can put up with the mess some can't, I think the OP falls into the latter category.
You should rehome the cat if you're getting so stressed out, and it's 100% not fair on the cat. I wouldn't recommend keeping any animals if you have such ocd's mate.

boomerang

As someone who rescues and rehomes cats and kittens, your first posts in this thread sent an awful chill down my spine. I would be absolutely HORRIFIED and so worried and upset if I had given a cat to someone (or a couple, in your own case) and one of both of the adopters were so unhappy that they were tempted to "throw out" the cat or "get rid" of it.

I can only imagine that whoever in the DSPCA rehomed the cat to you and your partner would be just as concerned if they knew how you were feeling.

I know that you won't do anything to hurt or harm the cat and you're very willing and open-minded to try and make this work. But I also get the feeling that at the root of it, you're really not a cat person, and that' ok too!

The first thing I would do is make a phone call to the DSPCA and talk through the problems you're having. And if you decide to part with the cat, there is no shame in that. But it absolutely has to be returned to the DSPCA for rehoming if that's what you choose to do. I'd be amazed if it didn't say in their rehoming contract that the cat/kitten should be returned to them if you no longer wish to keep it.

Lauragoesmad

tallus wrote: »

I have two cats and I'm allergic to them.
I get a rash from them and my nose is constantly blocked up, they also make a bit of a mess playing around and such, I wouldn't be without them tho as they are great company.
they are only allowed in certain rooms of the house and are mainly outdoor cats but never venture far from the house.
Some people can put up with the mess some can't, I think the OP falls into the latter category.
You should rehome the cat if you're getting so stressed out, and it's 100% not fair on the cat. I wouldn't recommend keeping any animals if you have such ocd's mate.

You're like that priest in Father Ted who was allergic to cats and carried a kitten in his pocket!:D

SeekUp

herya wrote: »

I don't think it's about the cat; I don't think the OP would be happy with a different cat. Some people are just not compatible with cats and I guess that's the case here.

I sympathize with both the OP and the cat! -- but just as each person has a different personality, so does each animal. One cat may be a territorial, clawing terror, and the next might be incredibly relaxed and low key (without any stomach irritation problems!). If it's not working out, then it's not working out, and I don't believe there's any shame at all in trying to find the cat a new home . . . but I do think it's kind of a pity when someone says they're not a dog person or they're not a cat person. It's just about finding a match between needs and personalities.

(And allergies!)

I always said I was more of a dog person, and I've had my cat for 4.5 years. :rolleyes:

sorella

An allergy is sufficent reason and more than sufficient to take the cat back.

This is a medical issue, simply. And a nasty one to live with.

Itching is horrible.

Please, feel no guilt.

None of this is your fault.

We have taken cats back in these circumstances with no criticism.

You are great to have coped for so long; truly you are.

Please, just take the cat back now?

RossFixxxed

OK folks here's what I'm going to do:

1) I've put duct tape down so she can't scratch the carpet, and put a rug over it so she won't harm her claws on the tape.

2) I've cleaned the place and made a deal we'll both clean it much, much more regularly.

3) She is NOT allowed into the bedroom at all anymore (although she sneaks in!)

4) We'll get her a much more comfy bed and put it somewhere very warm in the house.

5) I'll keep the door open for her to wander out (there's LOADS of green space and other cats about) when one of us is about to keep her supervised while she gets used to the outside (mind you opening a tin of Go Cat seems to get her back at lightning speed)! My OH uses the same trick with beer and me!



I think a lot of my issues with the cat are silly, and I think the degree of 'extreme' is coming from another major issue I have, and it's not fair on the cat. She knows something is wrong and was full of cuddles yesterday. I'm sure my OH will agree I've been nothing but loving to the cat even when she's done something 'wrong' in the house.

I'm gonna commit myself to doing this properly. The little meows and the paws up on my shoulders really melted my heart, and she let me pick her up without out too much fuss! (A little pinch of the claws, but a little purring too).

I think I need to deal with my own issues and not blame the cat. I'm gonna look into better lits, better trays etc etc too and work on a solution. Laziness may well be to blame here too. Err ignore the 'may well' I am just bloody lazy.


I just want to be clear I've never been mean to the cat at all. I always let her jump on on me and give loads of petting and cuddling. She seems to LOVE the Xbox for some reason, hissing at the dogs in fallout 3, purring when they're shot, it's actually quite odd but she gets hypnotised by it. Gotta get it on youtube!


My last question is: is it ok to leave her alone in the house all day, and all night when we're in bed? I know it's better than a cage in the DSPCA I just want to be sure it's not cruel. She's very, very loving and to be honest very very lazy, but I want to be sure I do everything 100% right with the little critter.

I'm sure she'll drive me up the wall again sometime but I need to work on it, she's a cat not a person.

Thanks very much everyone for the posts, maybe I needed some perspective and a lot of cop on. I'm gonna make sure she's the most loved cat in the world and all the neighbourhood cats are jealous.

If I can figure out (anyone?) how to get pictures off my phone onto the web I'll post some up for you guys!

The allergy seems to be mild enough to live with, but bad when she peed on the bed, so NO PEEING on the bed. I'll try and do the same (!).


Thanks again everyone. I sincerely appreciate the help, and not being judged too harshly.


Regards,
Ross, KK, and Rose the cat (aka CatFace, aka Rosey Posles, aka Gumdrops, aka Rosey McCatter, aka Ms Scratchalot.... )

P.S.: to the OH: I still think Lady Deathstrike is a cool name for a black girl cat... Right? You just don't agree cos it's nerdy. I think it's a great name! So does posles! :P

20goto10

RossFixxxed wrote: »

My last question is: is it ok to leave her alone in the house all day, and all night when we're in bed? I know it's better than a cage in the DSPCA I just want to be sure it's not cruel. She's very, very loving and to be honest very very lazy, but I want to be sure I do everything 100% right with the little critter.

I give my cat the best of both worlds. I keep an eye on the weather and keep her in if its going to be really bad out. Sometimes I get it wrong but she has plenty of shelter spots outdoors so its no big deal. There's nothing cruel about it at all. Leave plenty of toys and make sure she has a couple of windows to look out. And let her out for a bit when you get home, regardless of the weather. If she's not liking it out you'll be there to let her back in.

From what you say it sounds like things can work out. She is obviously very fond of you and the signs of affection mean she really does appreciate the new life you have given her, she just needs to learn that some things are not allowed in the new home. They're smart enough to do this. The phrase you can't teach an old dog new tricks does not apply to cats.

You should also comb the cat regularly during the spring and summer when they are molting. This is especially important considering your allergies.

p.s you can get litter tray boxes with cat flaps which helps contain the smell. But my cat always goes to the toilet outside, as did my previous cat. I wonder if taking the tray away during the day and only letting her use it at night would be an idea. Although, she might just find a corner instead :eek:

RossFixxxed

Yeah I forgot to open the conservatory door one day where her litter trays are, that was poor. The poor little yoke went agains the door and look so ashamed! Lesson learned!

I will just leave the door open for her when I'm about. Actually there's not nearly enough toys for her in the house, but her scratching post thingy has dangly fluffy things etc and she shows no interest. She just goes around rubbing her face off everything!

I want her to get out and about, but only if she's happy to do so. Think it's a bit poor that she's indoors all the time, but she's a deamon for the heat, 'sunbathing' on the couch over the radiator with her paws on it so maybe she's happier indoors. It's nothing to me really, once she's happy it's all good.

Crawling into my hoodie is a disgraceful show of cuteness, and it worked. I've been outsmarted by a cat!

catzrus

2 of my cats are 6-7 years old and do not have much interest if any at all in toys which I have bought from pet shops , but what they do show interest is:

Empty toilet rolls
Empty Cardboard box
Paper Bags
Rolled up tin foil

The one toy that they have shown and interest in is a toy called Undercover mouse, it is expensive but well worth the money.

Also to keep the amount of cat hair down in I use a Zoom Groom to groom the cats, it is amazing the amount of hair that can come off a short haired cat when brushed with it:eek:

MsFifers

Ah - I'm happy to hear that you have decided to make an effort with the kitty! Cats hate change so I'm glad you are going to try again before rehoming her.

I think your allergy and whatever other problems you are dealing with probably made everything 100 times worse. Hopefully, once you have your new regime in place it'll all work out.

Don't worry too much about leaving her alone at night. Cats sleep up to 18 hours a day, so as long as she gets some interaction with you in the evening before bedtime she'll be grand.

I'm sure she enjoys looking out the window too. I used to hang bird feeders outside the window and my cats used to stalk the birdies for hours so got plenty of entertainment at that too. Could be a simple way for her to be occupied while you are both out at work. (Hopefully it wasnt' driving them crazy that they could never get out to kill them!)

When she feels more secure, she'll probably be happier to go outside, and will probably "do her business" out there too, so less mess to clean up inside.

Good luck with it and keep posting if you need to let off steam.

biko

I've found the best toys are plastic bottle tops or the rings around the tops on 2-litre milk bottles. At least mine prefer them to expensive shop toys, bless their little black hearts.

herya

MsFifers wrote: »

When she feels more secure, she'll probably be happier to go outside, and will probably "do her business" out there too, so less mess to clean up inside.

+1 on this.

I'm happy to hear that you decided to give her a chance! Don't be too technical on her arrangements though. If you get her a bed and she prefers your hoodies don't be mad at her The same might happen with toys, just leave some stuff around and she'll take her pick - don't buy anything expensive as there's a very good chance she'll disregard it completely. Have fun!!

woofie87

Hi Ross
You are a good person and a trying to be a responsible pet owner. Fair play to you for not giving up on the cat despite all the things you hate about the situation. I am sure things will get better with time, both you and the cat need more time to adopt to new situation. And believe me I know what I am saying. 4 months ago we adopted a second dog that was homeless all her life and not used to the house at all. Our first dog was a rescue as well but was house trained so i did not realise what is ahead of us. First three months were a nightmare!!!! I was going mad, the dog did not seem to be making any progress with house training and chewed on everything in sight. So many times I felt like killing her or myself- especially in the morning seeing my kitchen floor flooded with pee again or that day when we came back home from work and our new leather sofa was missing a big chunk at the front! I considered giving her back to the shelter a couple of times, she was clearly an outside dog. But just could not- at the same time she was so loving and gentle. I sat one day and did what you just did- made a list of things I will do no matter what she does, like constanly giving a floor a thorough clean so there is no smell, praising good behaviour and ignore bad, never ever give out for chewing ( unless caught in the act) just praise for chewing on her bones, not allowing both dogs to enter bedrooms, give plenty of stimulating exercise etc. Stuck to it and suddenly things fell into places for both me and the dog. I am calm and understaing she is just a young doggie who never had a home, she is trying to be good and learning. There is still ocasional pee on the floor or something that has an evidence of chewing but overall our house is not a war zone anymore and we are all happy. I love her to bits and she is a family member. I wish you the same!!!! Good luck.

RossFixxxed

Thanks to everyone. TBH I was worried I'd be savaged as the next Hitler, I know how people are with animals. But everyone has helped me calm down a lot, and I know it's not the cat here to blame, it's me being a lazy so and so!

Gonna invest in a few things for her to see if they help, but mostly just give her all the attention I can, and if that means more xbox then it's a price I'll just have to pay!

The Sweeper

Hi Ross

Some things to make your life easier.

Get your doctor to prescribe an antihistamine, or get advice on an over the counter antihistamine you can take to countermand your cat allergies. Ask about a cortisone cream to soothe irritation. Thoroughly clean the house, removing cat dander and hair, so you can start over. Your cat allergies WILL WEAR OFF after a time.

Trust me. I have asthma and hayfever, and I am allergic to cats. I own four inside-only cats and I foster cats in a specific foster room in my house for my local no-kill shelter, so I often have around nine cats and kittens in my house. I'm not dying.

Clean all fabric areas where the cat sits/sleeps with a damp cloth - it takes up cat hair nicely and cleans off the dander. Then put a cat-specific blanket on, for instance, the end of the couch she sleeps on. Buy two, so while one is in the wash the other is protecting the furniture.

Clean kitty with a wet facecloth at least once a week. She'll hate it, but hell. Get a clean facecloth and soak it in luke warm water. Wring it a bit, but keep it quite wet. Thoroughly rub kitty with it - with and against the grain of her fur - once a week. You'll remove a lot of cat dander and allergens with this process.

Litter trays - buy a deep sided covered tray with no door but with a charcoal filter to fight smells. Clean crap out of it whenever crap gets into it. Use a low-odour clumping litter and clean the whole litter out, assuming you're poo picking daily, at LEAST once a week. You need to lay the litter at least 5cms deep to ensure that any urine is absorbed and clumped before puddling on the bottom of the tray - but 5cms is glorious digging-to-China fun for kitty, so a covered tray prevents litter going everywhere when she digs.

Buy a piece of lino or a food mat and place it under the food trays. Also, look into buying a large, shallow, cheap ceramic bowl at the supermarket and use that as your catfood dish. If the food is shallower she may not toss it around as much. Feed smaller amounts more often if she's leaving a lot of catfood uneaten to smell the place out. That and yes, you DO need to throw the tins out as soon as you open them.

Also look at changing to a more expensive brand of catfood. Wet whiskas loaf is cheap but in my opinion it makes your cat smell. You want a wet brand with 10-12% protein, at least, not 7-8%. Occasionally try her with a little raw meat. (If you want to feed your cat a raw diet, you need extensive supplements to ensure they get a balanced meal). A raw chicken neck is good to clean kitty's teeth while she noshes on it. However cats need to have the taste for raw meat. Don't overfeed her either - try her with a tablespoon of raw chicken mince, for instance.



Above all, if you need to give the cat back, give her back. Make a donation to the DSPCA while you're doing it, and chalk this down to experience, but misery isn't supposed to be the outcome of pet ownership.

luckat

Ross - all good advice here.

You're absolutely right to keep your cat out of your room if you're allergic. That should help a lot.

(But your skin problem may also be stress-related, and not *purely* a cat allergy.)

For skin problems, have you tried using Acqueous cream sometimes? It's cheap and mild; every eczema sufferer I know uses it, and I've started to use it myself on the rough skin of my shins and feet. Get a tub in the chemist if you want to try it.

The *main* thing when you're rehoming a cat is to give the cat absolute peace, and let it make the running.

The more attention you pay to her, the longer she'll take to settle.

Her tummy problems may also be stress-related. I homed an ancient cat with severe bowel problems; after a few months in my house he was happily living on dry food, and lived to the age of 22, eventually dying when he ate a poisoned mouse, poor fellow.

Yes, you can leave her alone all day. What she needs now is peace and rest. As she gets used to your place you may be gradually able to give her access to the outdoors by a cat door, but introduce this very gradually and carefully - and if you're near main roads, think twice about it.

Where are you? If you're in Dublin I can give you my spare covered cat litter tray.

You might offer a saucer of Lidl's luxury dry cat food. Just serve it dry, and change it every day. If she likes it better than the wet food, the advantage for you is that her poo won't smell so strong.

I bet if you give her a bit of time you will have the pop-in-and-say-hi cat you desired at first.

RossFixxxed

The food is Go Cat, yeah it's chapo but the DSPCA apparently said several times to ONLY use it... I may get her on to something better though. I want to keep her with what she's used to for now tbh.

I'm going to pop into pet shop soon and get better lit trays etc. I live in dublin, and there's a HUGE amount of green space out the back of the house and the estate is gated off at the front so I'd be happy to let her out. I've done it a few times and she tends to potter about meeowing at all the plants and having a poke about. It's nice to see. The neighbour has a bully of a cat though and I think that's set her back a lot as they have had a couple run ins. But I guess they have to sort out their differences... Tempted as I am to intervene.

Noticed yesterday she seems to have widdled in her own bed too so i've cleaned it out and put a big soft blankie in there for her. I'm going to buy a new one soon.

kipperkiernan

The cat shouldn't pee in her own bed. They are very clean animals are rarely litter their terrority. I have 3 cats that live outside most of the day/night and are allowed in for a few hrs when I get home from work. Cats, despite what some people think, are quite happy to live outside, as long as they have a kennel that is warm and protects them from the cold and wet weather. Cats are predators by nature and should be outdoors hunting for birds and mice. I regularly had dead birds and mice left at my back door, its a sign of affection. Your cat will always fight with other cats, thats their manner, they may be friendly one day and then spitting at each other the next. Think you really should consider leaving the cat outdoors whilst you are at work. She'll be fine as long as she has food/water and shelter. She won't be bored and will be chasing birds and sniffing around all day! You can then let her in when you get home.

comongethappy

Hi OP,

This is going to be a long post, but hopefully some of my experiences may be able to help you!

1) Keeping you up at night

We had the same problem with our male cat. We tried to tire him out with tonnes of play right before bed, ignoring him, waking up and putting him back downstairs when he was bold, letting him sleep with us, turning on a vaccum everytime he started up... nothing worked. Oh, and it wasn't just scratches and screams, he would jump on the door handle all night. What I have done is crate trained my cats at bedtime. See http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_cages_carriers/carriers (it's cheaper than zooplus.ie, and btw, I'll be refering you to them in a lot of my notes!). If you get the large size, it will be perfect. You can buy a large tupperware dish to use as a litterbox inside, and just put a small bowl of water down for her for the night.
Also, I recommend using vet bedding to line the crate, as any water / urine spilt will pass thru to the bottom leaving the top dry. Also, you can machine wash on high. If you use vinegar in the fabric conditioner part it will take away any smells. You can order vet bedding or even a crate from http://www.ccpdogs.ie/index.php?cPath=39_82&osCsid=09864c19c09cf9d5468d5bace4c1e24a . To associate the crate as a positive thing, give her a treat when you put her to bed. Mine actually will tell me when they want to be put in now!

2 - Smells / possibly peeing outside the box

The quality of your cat food really does make a huge impact on the smell of your cat's feces, and even your cat itself. I have one cat that has reoccuring urinary tract infections, and another that seem to be sensitive to gluten. My mate runs a dog grooming business, and she's finding an increasing number of customers who have pets with allergies. The most common are wheat, soy, and sometimes even rice or corn or certain meats. It could be that your cat has a problem such as this and the SPCA weren't able to fully identify it. The best food I have every tried and has sorted all my cats problems is Orijen http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/dry_cat_food/orijen/45156. This food contains no grains (no wheat or rice), and it 75% meat (all human grade), 25% veg / fruit. I would say that your smell problems would be sorted with this, and it shouldn't adversely affect her tummy (but, remember - anytime you switch food it can take 2 weeks before your cat's stomach adjusts. She can suffer diahorrea in this transition. Mine didn't, but every cat is different). If you're worried though, you can start by adding a bit of boiling water to make it mushy, and let it cool before giving it to her. Then try to get it less and less mushy until solid if possible, as the hard food helps clean their teeth.
If you want to treat her with wet food, I would also recommend applaws or Almo nature (also available from zooplus.co.uk) as these are gluten free, or the husse Tuna/ Sardines/ Seafood Platter (it's just whole seafood pieces in jelly, but none of the others as they contain wheat) http://www.husse.ie/view-product-type.php?type=Tins%20for%20Cats&Sect=Products . It is expensive, but it's worth it in the end. Also, as the Orijen isn't bulked out with indigestible fibers, you don't need to feed as much. For a 4kg cat, at 8 months you feed 95g, at 10 months you feed 80g, and from a year you feed 55g. And it's less if you also feed a wet food. I also found that this food helped with my cat's UTI's - he hasn't had one since I switched. Perhaps it could help yours with it's peeing issue?

3-Smells again

Get a covered litter box with a filter. I personally would take the swinging door off if it has one, as she may not realise how to use it, but it's your call. There's a good one here http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_litter_litter_boxes/hooded_litter_box/13624 , but your local pet shop should have one too.
Also, the quality of the litter you use is important. The cheap supermarket stuff I found I had to totally disinfect every 3-4 days. Try to buy a clumping litter. My favorite is Cat's Best Oko Plus http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_litter/ecological_litter/14001 . I find with 3 cats, I go thru about 3 10 litre bags in 3 / 4 weeks. It does track a lot though, so you will need to vaccum. However, mine like to wash their paws in the water bowl, and it find that the clay ones would get stuck into the wooden flooring and take ages to get out. The plant ones are much easier to mop and clean. However, if you do want to go for clay, the best ones I've tried are Golden Grey Master http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_litter/silicate_litter/29960 , which is brilliant at aborsbing smells, or Husse's http://www.husse.ie/view-product-type.php?type=Cat%20Litter&Sect=Products .

4 - Smells yet again / allergies

I wash my cats. They don't like it, but they know I'm boss. I don't have the problem of mine clawing at me though. If you do, you can get a cat wash bag http://www.ccpdogs.ie/index.php?cPath=34&osCsid=f07bad784bdde02ee461795983265c8a . This is also helpful for trimming the claws of an anxious cat. Just make sure that you use a shampoo that is safe for cats. Your pet shop should have one. Towel dry after washing. You can start off at once a week, and then slowly decrease it to every other week, and maybe every third week, depending on how your allergies get on. Also, you can buy colognes to improve their smells if it boths you. I like products personally http://www.tropiclean.co.uk/

I hope that you may find some of this information useful. In fairness I think some of the poster's have been a little harsh on you, I can understand how an ever worsening skin problem can make you feel, and you didn't know it would be an issue before you got the cat. Also, I wouldn't use febrezze as I found that it would make me break out quite badly. I use M&S natural Lavender Carpet and Fabric Refreshner spray. Explain all of these points to your other half. She should be proactive in doing the washes and helping vaccum, as after all, she is the one who wanted it. My OH loves our babies, but at the same time they are my cats so I have all the grooming and most other responsibilites. Seriously though, they are worth all the hassle, as they are so rewarding to have as part of the family

RossFixxxed

Hi guys,

Sorry to drag this up. I've given it a few months to gather my thoughts.

I have to say I'd never, ever, ever get a cat again. I do love the thing, but the allergies are getting worse and worse. My breathing is affected, my stuff is coated in hair all the time. The cat smell makes me nauseous.

I don't like living in the same house as the cat. I just wish I never got her.

It's just not fair on my health. I thought the ****ing things went out and played and came in the odd time. Not vomited, shat, and shed on everything int he house 23 hours a day. It's just not on.

So i have to suffer feeling stuffed up and my skin problems flaring up all the time until she dies. There's gotta BE SOME KIND OF SOLUTION TO THIS.

I've lost a lot of pride and happiness in my house with this, and it's not helping.

I've a lot of personal issues, and health concerns so this is just piling on top of it. I dunno, guess I still need to vent.


As I've said; BE SURE BEFORE YOU GET A PET.

The Sweeper

There is a solution.

Rehome the cat.

Honestly. Since you posted, my full-time inside-only house cat quotient has gone up to five cats. I don't have half the problems you have, and I have five times the cats. I did my six weeks of acupuncture, finishing up about three weeks ago, and it helps my allergies, as does a nasal spray and an inhaler if and when required (and that's not daily).

My cats don't shit everywhere. There is minimal hair in the house, because I have wooden floors and I sweep every day, vaccuum twice a week and wash the floors once a week. I also have a microfibre couch, which repels the cat hair. I feed my cats a mainly raw diet, so they don't smell. I have five covered, charcoal filter litter trays (one per cat), that I keep in one spare bedroom that is the 'cat room' - their litter, their food, their water and their beds are all in that room, and they're closed into it with a feed last thing at night, and allowed out first thing in the morning, so they don't bother me at night. The other bonus of a mostly raw diet is less cat shit.

It sounds to me like you funnell a lot of resentment into the cat, and it's become a focus for the rest of your personal issues. You wind yourself up about it, and it's a self-perpetuating problem, because the animal will pick up on your dislike and your stress and its behaviour will be worse and worse.

Rehome it.

RossFixxxed

MAJD: Thanks for the post. However, I don't think I can. The cat is very important to my gf, and I don't know if I would have to heart to move her out, she's a lovely little thing to be fair.

Ah I don't know. It's a totally self perpetuating situation. I know I'll lie down on it and be fine for a while again, and around in circles.

ValerieR

Simple questions : have you actually spoken to your g/f about all this ? Is she concerned about your cat related health issues ? Are antihistamines really unefficient to your allergy ?
The issue might not be so much about the cat ...
Sorry for being so blunt - I don't want to hurt anyone but you are obviously not happy and you need to grab the "bull by the horn" and do something about this situation.
ValerieR