Hello Forum,
I'm a newbie here and am going to admit to something which will no doubt bring on the wrath of everyone: I'm not a fan of keeping cats indoors. I'm sorry, I used to think it was ok, but no longer. I'm not trying to Troll but I need some enlightenment on an issue which needs addressing and this may mean discussing hot issues.
I founded a new appartment with my room mate, who brought her long haired cats with her. I was cool with this as I'm not too complicated. What I wasn't prepared for was that she makes no provision for allowing the cats out of the appartment.
Well, I think this is wrong. This is where my tolerance of having cats indoors started to fade. Cats are not on this Earth for the sole pleasure of humans and it's against their nature to be cooped up inside all day and night. They're not cute teddy bears to purely satisfy our emotional needs. The cats previously lived somewhere where they were allowed out, but now she/we live in a busier area, they remain indoors.
The cats are insanely bored. They are not fighters, but scratch, pee, poop and vomit outside of their litter tray every other day. They constantly wag their tails from side to side. They prowl around with a piercing meowing which is beginning to drive me crazy. Night time is the worst.
They jump up on the furniture - something which I find inappropriate - and I'm always shoo-ing them off the dining table, coffee table, sofa etc. The sofa is a particular bugbear because I have to get my vacuum cleaner out every time I want to sit down and the fabric is now so scratched my sofa looks terrible. I'm embarrased when people visit because there's hair everywhere, even 20 minutes after cleaning, and clothes are covered etc.
I also have to live with leaving my room door closed all the time for fear of having them pee on my bed - this has only happened once - or find faeces on the floor - happened often enough. Also issues such as clothes in the wardrobe being covered in hair is no joke when most of your suits are navy blue!
I'm beginning to despair that my room mate only views the world through the relationship she has with her cats. This relationship seems to 'trump' any human relationship. The cats are the be-all and end-all and frankly give weight to the 'wacky cat owner' cliché. I really like my room mate, she's a lovely girl, but somehow in my naïvity I believe humans ought to have a stronger voice than a dumb animal. It seems the cats are never to be inconvenienced but I am. How does that work? I've heard a saying which seems to sum it up: Dogs have owners, cats have staff.
(This is where I put on my flame-proof helmet!
)
Can someone - a cat lover who understands how this might affect a human relationship - offer any advice? I don't believe I should have to start using a blanket over my beautiful sofa just so the cat hair is no longer an issue; I don't want to have to remember to keep my room door closed all the time so my room stays clean; I don't think it's right cats clamber over every surface just for me to have to follow them around cleaning, disinfecting etc. and I don't want to have to clean up poo because that's just yuck.
I've tried all the tricks such as citrus, pepper etc to no avail.
My room mate gives me a baffled look if I even bring up the subject: it's like she's blind to the fact that she's abusing her animals by not allowing them out. They poo and pee everywhere in protest. And she snuggles up to them and says how wonderful they are and "Mommy loves you" which is very weird. Perhaps I am not so uncomplicated as I'd like to think, but I'm beginning to wonder what the cat ownership need is about: fulfilling the cats or indeed only the owners needs?
She's going on holiday for two weeks and has asked me to look after the cats. I'm dreading it - they're a pain the moment she walks out of the door until she comes back: goodness knows what they'll be like for 14 days without 'Mommy'.
Please help!
I'm a newbie here and am going to admit to something which will no doubt bring on the wrath of everyone: I'm not a fan of keeping cats indoors. I'm sorry, I used to think it was ok, but no longer. I'm not trying to Troll but I need some enlightenment on an issue which needs addressing and this may mean discussing hot issues.
I founded a new appartment with my room mate, who brought her long haired cats with her. I was cool with this as I'm not too complicated. What I wasn't prepared for was that she makes no provision for allowing the cats out of the appartment.
Well, I think this is wrong. This is where my tolerance of having cats indoors started to fade. Cats are not on this Earth for the sole pleasure of humans and it's against their nature to be cooped up inside all day and night. They're not cute teddy bears to purely satisfy our emotional needs. The cats previously lived somewhere where they were allowed out, but now she/we live in a busier area, they remain indoors.
The cats are insanely bored. They are not fighters, but scratch, pee, poop and vomit outside of their litter tray every other day. They constantly wag their tails from side to side. They prowl around with a piercing meowing which is beginning to drive me crazy. Night time is the worst.
They jump up on the furniture - something which I find inappropriate - and I'm always shoo-ing them off the dining table, coffee table, sofa etc. The sofa is a particular bugbear because I have to get my vacuum cleaner out every time I want to sit down and the fabric is now so scratched my sofa looks terrible. I'm embarrased when people visit because there's hair everywhere, even 20 minutes after cleaning, and clothes are covered etc.
I also have to live with leaving my room door closed all the time for fear of having them pee on my bed - this has only happened once - or find faeces on the floor - happened often enough. Also issues such as clothes in the wardrobe being covered in hair is no joke when most of your suits are navy blue!
I'm beginning to despair that my room mate only views the world through the relationship she has with her cats. This relationship seems to 'trump' any human relationship. The cats are the be-all and end-all and frankly give weight to the 'wacky cat owner' cliché. I really like my room mate, she's a lovely girl, but somehow in my naïvity I believe humans ought to have a stronger voice than a dumb animal. It seems the cats are never to be inconvenienced but I am. How does that work? I've heard a saying which seems to sum it up: Dogs have owners, cats have staff.
(This is where I put on my flame-proof helmet!
Can someone - a cat lover who understands how this might affect a human relationship - offer any advice? I don't believe I should have to start using a blanket over my beautiful sofa just so the cat hair is no longer an issue; I don't want to have to remember to keep my room door closed all the time so my room stays clean; I don't think it's right cats clamber over every surface just for me to have to follow them around cleaning, disinfecting etc. and I don't want to have to clean up poo because that's just yuck.
I've tried all the tricks such as citrus, pepper etc to no avail.
My room mate gives me a baffled look if I even bring up the subject: it's like she's blind to the fact that she's abusing her animals by not allowing them out. They poo and pee everywhere in protest. And she snuggles up to them and says how wonderful they are and "Mommy loves you" which is very weird. Perhaps I am not so uncomplicated as I'd like to think, but I'm beginning to wonder what the cat ownership need is about: fulfilling the cats or indeed only the owners needs?
She's going on holiday for two weeks and has asked me to look after the cats. I'm dreading it - they're a pain the moment she walks out of the door until she comes back: goodness knows what they'll be like for 14 days without 'Mommy'.
Please help!