I have become my wife's zookeeper - 3.5 cats, 1 dog, 1 rabbit

[Bearflag70]

PART 1: WEAK RANT

When we got married, she had 2 older cats. Fine.

Over my expressed distaste, she got a rabbit. Fine.

We got a house and shortly thereafter, a new puppy. Sigh. Fine.

Then she half-adopted a local stray cat in the neighborhood that comes to our front door almost daily, seeking food (that we buy with our hard earned dollars).

Then, she came across two stray kitten littermates and brought them in for adoption only to find out the shelters are all full due to the housing crisis, so we would have to foster them. Christ already!

Then, it turns out we had to put one of them down because it had a fatal disease. ($400 - cough!)

Then, she argued, we have an ethical obligation to disclose the littermate's death due to fatal disease, and then nobody will want this little guy, especially when the shelters are overcrowded as it is. Therefore, let's just keep him. At that point, my choices are to (1) waste time trying to place a kitten nobody will want; (2) set it loose to fend for itself; or (3) secretly kill one or more of the other animals in this zoo. :mad:

Anyway, the tally is now 3.5 cats, 1 dog, and 1 rabbit.

Notably, I work for myself in my home office while my wife commutes to her job. So guess who gets to do all the zookeeping?

One of my household jobs is taking out the trash. The kitty litter is not already in the trash, so guess who gets to change out the litter boxes?

Since I am home all day, guess who notices when their bowls are empty and fills them?

Guess who also gets roped into feeding the half-pet outside "as a favor" and "while I'm at it?"

I also walk the dog more than she does.

Meanwhile, she just plays with the animals at times in the evening, goes on most of the dog walks, and goes to bed, then complains that I don't help with the laundry enough.

I am screwed here? The zoo wasn't my choice, but I am the zookeeper. In rebuttal, she would probably say she didn't soil my clothes, but she washes them anyway.

Thankfully, I have ZERO obligations to the rabbit and I refuse to deal with it except an very rare water re-fill. My wife does that part.

PART 2: PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

What is the best way to arrange litter boxes for 3 fucking cats? And I mean 3 fucking cats, not 3 fucking cats. One huge box? 3 smaller boxes?

As it is now, we have one bigger box in the garage for the 2 older cats and 1 smaller indoor box for the kitten, who is stinking up the house. Also, the dog is feasting on little kitty snacks from the litter box. However, now that the kitty is a bit bigger, it's time he started stinking up the garage with the other 2 beasts instead.

How often should litter boxes get scooped and changed out anyway? I have a feeling we are underperforming in that department.

Maybe with 3 fucking cats, it's time for an automated box? Suggestions?

PART 3: POST SCRIPT

I love animals, just not so many of them that they disturb my work and enjoyment of my home.

[friedo]

Can you convince the dog to eat the cats?

[Cheesesteak]

I feel for you. When I proposed, my wife had 4 cats, 1 was quite old. The old one died, and a week before our wedding, she passed group from a local shelter who were adopting out kittens, so we were back up to 4. Not so bad, they mostly kept to themselves, and we moved to a sizable house where they would have room to roam.

This past year, my wife (who was home being pregnant) noticed a lot of feral cats in our neighborhood, so we are now managing this colony of cats, feeding them and making sure they're all neutered. One of those cats was rather tame (really an abandoned pet, not a feral) and got sick, so we captured the cat, got her fixed up, and intend to adopt her out, she's now living on our porch because she has FLV, which is dangerous to other cats. Gorgeous long haired orange cat, slightly skittish when you first approach her, but will curl up in your arms if you sit with her for 5 minutes.

Then some douchebag decided to abandon 4 cats in the park across the street from my house. They come to our yard, meowing pathetically, and clearly aren't going to survive long if left to their own devices. They're now all living in my basement, waiting for me to find someone to take them in. Lovely pets, if anyone in the NYC area wants a cat or two, they're short haired orange, very friendly, attractive, and easy to get along with

So, I'm up to 9 cats, in 3 separate areas of the house.

For litterboxes, we use a small amount of litter, maybe an inch deep and change it pretty much every day.

[Dread Pirate Jimbo]

This is perhaps not the most useful piece of advice of all-time, but what the hell -- we're in the Pit:

I recommend getting an allergy to all furry mammals. We have a two-cat limit here because that's all my lungs can handle. :)

Other than that, I suspect you'll just have to man up and say "no more critters!"

And to the litter box question, I'd say you need a couple square feet per cat, but that the distribution isn't all that important. You need to clean 'em at least weekly, but probably more like every other day with that many animals.

[Anne Neville]

Over my expressed distaste, she got a rabbit. Fine.

Not good. I want a third cat, Mr. Neville doesn't. I wouldn't dream of going out and getting one without getting him on board with it first.

One of my household jobs is taking out the trash. The kitty litter is not already in the trash, so guess who gets to change out the litter boxes?

Why does the person who takes out the trash have to change the litter boxes?

Since I am home all day, guess who notices when their bowls are empty and fills them?

Why can't she do this in the morning before she goes to work, or in the evening?

Guess who also gets roped into feeding the half-pet outside "as a favor" and "while I'm at it?"

I also walk the dog more than she does.

Meanwhile, she just plays with the animals at times in the evening, goes on most of the dog walks, and goes to bed, then complains that I don't help with the laundry enough.

I am screwed here? The zoo wasn't my choice, but I am the zookeeper. In rebuttal, she would probably say she didn't soil my clothes, but she washes them anyway.

Would you be willing to do more with the laundry if she took on more of the pet care? If so, you really need to discuss this with her.

Maybe with 3 fucking cats, it's time for an automated box? Suggestions?

I have two automated boxes.

The LitterMaid (http://www.littermaid.com/) does a decent job, but it's a bit noisy (you get used to the noise, though) and does have more of a tendency to break down than I'd like.

I love the Omega Paw Roll n Clean (http://www.omegapaw.com/RollnCleanReg.html). But when it was our only litter box (for two cats), we had some problems with one of them peeing outside the box, which stopped when we got a new Litter Maid as well. Some cats don't like small covered litter boxes.

No way, no how would I ever go back to a non-automated box.

If the cats are fucking, I do hope you've gotten them all spayed or neutered. It sounds like you don't need more cats in your house, and we certainly don't need more in shelters.

[Jackmannii]

Thankfully, I have ZERO obligations to the rabbit You think so now...

Hopefully you can convince your wife to be steadfast on the stray beast issue. Mrs. J. was kind to a stray kitten which we wound up providing foster care for, getting it seen by the vet and ultimately adopted by my brother. Now she has declared that any other cat that shows up at our place will get the hose. I personally have my doubts about whether she'll stick to this resolution, but the spirit is laudable.Why can't she (fill the bowls) in the morning before she goes to work, or in the evening?I think the problem here is that the little bastards keep emptying the bowls after you fill them. I've noticed this tendency with our dog. You can fill up the water bowl but before you know it, she's slurped the damn thing dry. Seems kind of futile after awhile.

[Really Not All That Bright]

I hope you don't mind if I add my own mini-Pitting.

My girlfriend and I just bought our first house. Now she wants a dog. I am allergic to dogs. All dogs, even the "hypoallergenic" ones.

"Honey, can't you just take a pill?"
"So you can get a dog?"
"Yes!"
"No."
"This is so unfair!"
"No, it isn't. You knew I was allergic to dogs before we started dating. You knew I was allergic to dogs when you agreed to share an apartment. You knew I was allergic to dogs when we signed the closing paperwork on the house."
"I want a dog!"

[Bearflag70]

Why does the person who takes out the trash have to change the litter boxes?

That's a great question. What happened is that somewhere along the way, she just stopped doing it. Two weeks of cat crap built up. I quietly volunteered to do it on trash day for the sake of the cats' health.

Another two weeks went by. Same thing.

Then, I resigned myself to litter box duty every trash day.

Since I work at home anyway, perhaps I will suggest doing more laundry duty instead of cat crap duty. At least that way, I known I'll be taking on something I expect to do instead of cleaning up after the fact she unilaterally decided to create a zoo around here. Maybe that was her long term secret strategy after all.

[Euthanasiast]

Fuck that shit.

It sounds to me like you are married to a spouse who is becoming a horder. Your options are limited.

* Put your foot down, hard (preferably on a kitten :) ).

* Divorce (if putting your foot down doesn't work).

* Excercise childish behavior by hording things that you know she hates (petrified animal turds made into interesting shapes--may not be a problem for her).

* Get ready for more additions to your zoo.

[Bearflag70]

Not good. I want a third cat, Mr. Neville doesn't. I wouldn't dream of going out and getting one without getting him on board with it first.

She wanted a rabbit. I preferred she did not. Her desire was about a 9/10. My objection was about a 3/10.

9 > 3

The agreement was if we get a rabbit, I will do no work in connection with it. That bargain has held up, for the most part.

When the two stray kittens came in, she wanted to keep them both. I told her, "No new animals unless we get rid of old animals." Then, the one kitty died, leaving the other. Now what? We can't kill it, dump it, or put it out for adoption. We're stuck with it, much to my wife's joy and my displeasure.

I suppose I could push for dumping one animal in favor of the new kitty. When I pushed her about this before, she offered to get rid of the rabbit. However, the rabbit is the least intrusive and lowest care animal around, especially for me in light of my "no rabbit work" pact. I hardly even notice or remember we have a rabbit most of the time because we don't even keep it in the house.

[Bearflag70]

Oh, and when I voiced my concern over too many animals, she reminded me that the older cats are about 9 years old and will probably die in a few years anyway. I guess I just have to wait for attrition.

[Shayna]

Oh, and when I voiced my concern over too many animals, she reminded me that the older cats are about 9 years old and will probably die in a few years anyway. I guess I just have to wait for attrition. You might be waiting a long time. My last cat lived to be 22.

Good luck!

[Ferret Herder]

Oh, and when I voiced my concern over too many animals, she reminded me that the older cats are about 9 years old and will probably die in a few years anyway. I guess I just have to wait for attrition.
Riiiiiight. I've had two cats, one lived into the mid-teens, the other to nearly 20.

[Gangster Octopus]

The rule of thumb is number of cats + 1 = number of litter boxes. You should change them everyday, certainly the fewer boxes the more often you should change them. Plus I recommend this, LitterLocker (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751261). We have four, we keep one by each litter box.

[Bearflag70]

By changing a litter box, does that mean poop scooping or dumping all litter and replacing litter?

[NinetyWt]

Since I work at home anyway, perhaps I will suggest doing more laundry duty instead of cat crap duty. I'm working from home too, and this is quite do-able. The thing is to remember to check the machines when you get up from your desk for something else.

For example, I'll put clothes in the washer when I get my first coffee. Later when I get about the 4th cup they're ready to go into the dryer. Later still I'll take them out of the dryer and fold them while on lunch break.

I know I didn't have it as badly as you do, but I suffered through living with my husband's dog in the house for a few years, even though he'd promised to put up screen on the back porch so the dog could stay out there. It really sucks. I hope you guys work out a solution equitable to both of ya.

[Autolycus]

What the fuck? How did you let yourself get into this situation? If I was you, I would have raised holy hell way before this. I'm sorry, but pets are not analogous to doing laundry. Laundry is a daily chore which can be an inconvenience; pets are a part of your life. You don't sound like you have bonded at all with these animals, which is fine. They are your wife's pets. The fucked up part is where she makes you do the fair share of caring for them, and then, when you object, ropes you into doing it anyway.

If they are your wife's pets, and she can't take care of them, then she shouldn't have pets. Note how doing the occassional favor is quite different than being the main caretaker. Geez, I agree with Euthanasia, fuck that shit. You sound like a nice husband. What I mean by that is you want your wife to be happy so you want to allow her to get her way, but seriously this situation is all sorts of bad. At the least you're being a doormat and at worst you're enabling a potential hoarder.

Now that things have gotten so far, the path of least resistance is like you said, exchange laundry for pet duties. Whatever you do though, no more unwanted pets! It doesn't matter whose desire outweighs another.. Marriage is not a math equation. Maybe my whole opinion is just me personally being crazy, but pets are a team issue. It's either both people want it or it's a no-go.

[kasuo]

Time to look up some cat recipes.

[Cat Whisperer]

You can tell your wife from me that this isn't fair. She wants pets, she looks after pets - end of story. That said, I'm not sure how you get out of pet duty - it's hard to ignore a hungry pet or a stinky litter box. I think this has to be one of those cases where you just don't do what she should be doing (after discussing with her that you don't want to do most of the pet work for pets you don't want).

Good luck at any event. :)

[Pullet]

Aw, y'all are making me feel guilty.

Pullet
*ropes her husband into weekday care for 3 cats, 2 turtles, 2 ferrets, and 5 chickens while she fritters away at school*

[Tuckerfan]

Get a Cat Genie. (http://www.catgenie.com/) That'll cut down on some of your headaches.

[OneChance]

This is part of the reason why I'm afraid to get married. Might get stuck with a crazy cat lady.

[nikonikosuru]

According to my handy dandy converter chart,

1 dog = 1 large dinner with leftovers
1 cat = 1 dinner
1 bunny = 1 large snack

Just sayin'.

[CairoCarol]

What your wife is doing is terribly unfair. Would it be possible to get a responsible neighborhood pre-teen to take over some of the animal care chores for you at a reasonable price?

[SeaDragonTattoo]

By changing a litter box, does that mean poop scooping or dumping all litter and replacing litter?

Clumping litter: the laziest to get away with - fill boxes 3-4 inches deep. Scoop EVERY DAY. Refill (add new) every few days to keep level at 3-4 inches. Once monthly, dump the boxes completely, clean with soap & water and refill. (I go through about 20 pounds of litter every 2 weeks with 3 cats and 2 very large litter boxes)

Non-Clumping litter: fill and keep filled to levels as above. Scoop daily, but this kind of litter needs to be changed out completely once a week.

The litter boxes should be in a couple of different spots if possible, but if your cats aren't having any out-of-box issues then what you're doing is probably fine. Litterbox issues are the number one reason for people to be disgruntled with their cats, and it's usually because people are really uneducated about what makes cats happy with their bathrooms.

Scooping daily is really important. Many of the parasites and diseases cat feces can contain need 24 hours or more to become a problem. Scoop around the same time every day and no problems. With indoor-only cats there's not much risk, but really, it's just sanitary, and asking for trouble if a cat should decide it's too icky to use. Cat's are fairly clean creatures and they prefer a clean box. Yours sound amazingly tolerant, I'm surprised they haven't started pooping/peeing just outside the boxes where it's less dirty.

You're right that your wife should be doing this, though! She has absolutely no excuse. I have three cats, work two jobs, and scoop the boxes every day plus meal feeding canned food twice a day.

It sounds like the rabbit is unsocialized and neglected. If she's taking care of it as well as she was the litterboxes, well I'm sure there's a local rescue that will take it.

The dog? I don't know. All the walking a dog usually needs, I think it's more work than scooping boxes and feeding cats. Since you're home, it really is probably more on you for that one. I would think the dog's more bonded to you anyway?

So, walk the dog and wash your own clothes. She gets to take care of the cats and the rabbit. If she doesn't scoop the boxes like she's supposed to every day, then perhaps a gift on her pillow at night will get the message across (or maybe in one of her shoes... I have a nasty streak toward people who shirk responsibility). After all, this is The Pit.

[Scissorjack]

There is no such thing as three cats. Like some primitive tribes which are reputed to have a counting system which only encompasses one, two and many, women who own cats can be reckoned thusly: one cat, two cats, Strange Woman With Cats. You, my friend, have married a Strange Woman With Cats.

[Enderw24]

We have three cats at home we got this year. Two we adopted as kittens and one adopted us. It took us from one to zero to three in the space of six months.

We're not even coming close to the cleanliness standards we should based upon the recommendations in this thread. I've just texted my wife and resolved to at least add a second litterbox to our household. We should have done it awhile ago.

Edited to add: and to talk about the OP: your wife doesn't really sound like a hoarder. I'm not sure where others are getting that from. But she does sound grossly irresponsible with regards to pets. What was she like growing up? I may sound callous, but how many pets did she kill and/or have her parents take care of for her?

[Anne Neville]

It doesn't matter whose desire outweighs another.. Marriage is not a math equation. Maybe my whole opinion is just me personally being crazy, but pets are a team issue. It's either both people want it or it's a no-go.

No, I agree with you. If I wanted another pet, Mr. Neville would have to at least be on the "agree" side, or else I wouldn't get one. Wouldn't matter if my desire for one was 10/10 and his reservations were 1/10. Getting a pet is a decision on which either of us can say "no", even if we don't give a reason, and the other has to accept that.

What happened is that somewhere along the way, she just stopped doing it. Two weeks of cat crap built up. I quietly volunteered to do it on trash day for the sake of the cats' health.

Another two weeks went by. Same thing.

This was a mistake. Why didn't you ask her why she wasn't doing it, and remind her to do it? There's a time to nag your spouse, much as we all hate being nagged, and that was it.

You're right that your wife should be doing this, though! She has absolutely no excuse.

Unless she's pregnant or immunocompromised, she should be doing the litter boxes.

she does sound grossly irresponsible with regards to pets. What was she like growing up? I may sound callous, but how many pets did she kill and/or have her parents take care of for her?

This was my impression, too.

[Cat Whisperer]

<snip> but how many pets did she kill and/or have her parents take care of for her?
That was my first impression reading the OP - she sounds like a kid who begs to get a dog, then plays with it for a couple of days and can't be bothered after that. The OP is playing the role of the parent who takes over looking after the pet once she loses interest.

[overlyverbose]

You can tell your wife from me that this isn't fair. She wants pets, she looks after pets - end of story. That said, I'm not sure how you get out of pet duty - it's hard to ignore a hungry pet or a stinky litter box. I think this has to be one of those cases where you just don't do what she should be doing (after discussing with her that you don't want to do most of the pet work for pets you don't want).

Good luck at any event. :)

I totally agree with this. It was her decision to have so many pets, she needs to own up to it and take care of them. And doing laundry in no way makes up for cleaning up so much poop. You two need to have a serious discussion about the distribution of work here - just because you're at home all day does NOT mean that you've got all the time in the world. Sure, your schedule might be more flexible, but she's taking advantage of that like no one's business. Cleaning up all that crap, walking the dog and feeding your wife's menagerie can take a decent chunk of time. And the amount of resentment you obviously feel about it is not worth the confrontation avoidance.

Good luck. I hope you're not elbow deep in poo this time next week.

[Hazle Weatherfield]

I totally agree with this. It was her decision to have so many pets, she needs to own up to it and take care of them. And doing laundry in no way makes up for cleaning up so much poop. You two need to have a serious discussion about the distribution of work here - just because you're at home all day does NOT mean that you've got all the time in the world. Sure, your schedule might be more flexible, but she's taking advantage of that like no one's business. Cleaning up all that crap, walking the dog and feeding your wife's menagerie can take a decent chunk of time. And the amount of resentment you obviously feel about it is not worth the confrontation avoidance.

Good luck. I hope you're not elbow deep in poo this time next week.

This! I work at home, as well, and I make sure that friends and family know that my work hours are from 8:30 to 5:30 and that they should no more disturb me than they would someone at an actual office all day. On my "breaks," I might throw some stuff in the dishwasher or do a bit of pre-prep for dinner, but I'm not available to run errands, last minute babysit or chat for 10 or 15 minutes. Yes, I can work in my jammies without showering, but I am still working, not just hanging out.

Sure, it's nice if you can help out with the pets, but, ultimately, they're her responsibility. Tell her to do what she would do if you were out of the house for the same amount of time she is every day and let that be your solution. A neighbor kid or whatever.

[Bearflag70]

I didn't give her the poop nag because I figured she would just turn it into a laundry nag right back at me.

What happens if I agree to do laundry in exchange for poop duty and then she neglects the poop duty?

By the way, she had 2 cats first, and I have bonded with them just fine. In fact one of them takes to me more than it takes to her even though she's owned them long before I came around.

I bond with the dog just fine.

I do not bond with the rabbit, which sits in a big hutch all the time but occasionally gets to scamper free in the back yard for a half day or a day.

I have not bonded with the new kitty, probably because I don't want another cat, and my only real experience with it has been feeding it, tripping over it, smelling it, and cleaning up its shit.

[RandMcnally]

You could always just let the cats you don't want "see the world" so to speak.

Keep in mind that I hate cats with a passion and am rather cruel.

[Anne Neville]

What happens if I agree to do laundry in exchange for poop duty and then she neglects the poop duty?

At first, give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she has just forgotten to do it: "Honey, don't forget to scoop the litter box before you go to bed"

If she still neglects it, it's time for a serious talk. Don't just quietly start doing it yourself first, either. "Honey, we need to talk about the cats' litter boxes. We agreed that, if I did the laundry, you would clean the litter boxes." It'll be uncomfortable for both of you, confronting her about it. But it will be better than cleaning up poo all day and simmering in resentment over it. It will certainly be better than doing laundry, cleaning up poo, and resenting her for not doing any of it.

One thing you may want to do is to each make a list of the chores you do. Then get together and compare them. This might bring it out in the open if one of you is doing a lot more than the other. It also brings other possible chore swaps to the table.

It was her decision to have so many pets, she needs to own up to it and take care of them. And doing laundry in no way makes up for cleaning up so much poop. You two need to have a serious discussion about the distribution of work here

Did you make the laundry/poop deal after she got the new cat, or before? If it was before, you should tell her that you signed onto this deal with two cats, not three or however many cats she happens to bring home. It's only fair that adding a new cat requires a re-negotiation of the division of labor, since an additional cat does require more work.

[Bearflag70]

Did you make the laundry/poop deal after she got the new cat, or before? If it was before, you should tell her that you signed onto this deal with two cats, not three or however many cats she happens to bring home. It's only fair that adding a new cat requires a re-negotiation of the division of labor, since an additional cat does require more work.

There is no laundry/poop deal yet. The only deals have been (1) if you get a rabbit, I will not do any work in connection with it; and (2) no new animals without disposing of old animals.

She has kept the first deal.

Not only did she breach the second deal, but I'm also the zookeeper.

If I pushed the second deal, she would probably offer to get rid of the rabbit, but that would save me no zookeeping effort whatsoever in light of the first deal.

[Bearflag70]

I think the solution is a laundry-poop swap and a trip to Petsmart for the Roll n Clean

[TroubleAgain]

It appears* amazingly immature and selfish to insist on getting additional animals and then making someone else take care of them. Also immature and selfish to go against spousal wish on any major issue (I consider pets a major issue.) Also immature and selfish to get pets and then ignore them most of the time (poor bunny.)

*appears, because, well, I don't know you or her, so I can't judge.

For example, I have a lovebird. The bird found ME, I didn't go looking for it. The Husband Man did NOT want to keep the bird, because of noise, and mess. So, we tried it for a while, me keeping it as quiet as possible (which, let's be honest, isn't very possible. :D) and making sure to keep the cage clean. Now he loves the bird, too, but if he'd tried to "put his foot down" about getting rid of the bird, I'd have tried to find a home for her, because you know what? My husband's happiness is more important to me than a pet.

(Now, grant you, if he HAD put his foot down, knowing how much I'd already fallen in love with the bird, I'd have resented the hell out of it because he knew how much it meant to me. It's a conundrum. I don't claim to be completely logical or sane. :p)

[Anne Neville]

I think the solution is a laundry-poop swap and a trip to Petsmart for the Roll n Clean

We ordered ours from Amazon.

[Bearflag70]

We ordered ours from Amazon.

Doesn't the ceiling of the thing get coated in poop?

[Anne Neville]

Doesn't the ceiling of the thing get coated in poop?

No, it doesn't. There's a grate on one side of it, and you roll it so the litter and poop goes toward the grate. The poop shouldn't get up to the ceiling of the litter box.

[Bearflag70]

No, it doesn't. There's a grate on one side of it, and you roll it so the litter and poop goes toward the grate. The poop shouldn't get up to the ceiling of the litter box.

One of the cats is overweight, so I would probably lean toward the large one. Do you think an overweight cat would have a problem with the size of the doorway of the thing?

ETA: The cats are already accustomed to going in an enclosed litterbox.

[anu-la1979]

Man, I think your wife is totally out of line getting all those extra animals when it's clear that you weren't super gungho about it. And to add insult to injury, you're now taking care of them. That's almost childlike (on her part).

I currently have a cat. My boyfriend is mildly allergic to it, but more to the point, he doesn't like it, and I'm pretty certain he just doesn't like cats or animals all that much. However, he's willing to work with the sole cat that I own because the cat predated him and it's clear I'm attached to it. Also, the cat only has one eye and I think he gets that it would be hard for me to find it another home.

I would really really like to give this current cat a wee kitten friend because we both work and we've started making plans to travel more and I think the cat gets lonely. But I'm holding off simply because I think if my boyfriend going to compromise on putting up with an animal that requires him to pop Claritin and he isn't all that fond of, I'm going to choose to ensure that he doesn't have to pop more Claritin than necessary.

Ultimately my boyfriend's comfort is more important to me than having another cute furball around.

[Omegaman]

Doesn't the ceiling of the thing get coated in poop?


Everything gets coated in poop. One of the benefits of cat ownership.

[Anne Neville]

One of the cats is overweight, so I would probably lean toward the large one. Do you think an overweight cat would have a problem with the size of the doorway of the thing?

My Luna is overweight, and she doesn't seem to.

The large one is probably a good idea- cats seem to prefer larger litter boxes.

ETA: If your cat is like this cat (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/08/08/national/a052543D27.DTL), there might be a problem. If it's ~15 pounds like my Luna, probably not.

[gonzomax]

I have 2 dogs and a cat. It is not a big deal. I enjoy every minute with them. I shovel dog crap every week. I clean out litter weekly. Not a problem i love to deal with my animals. I also have 2 huge turtles that would rip my fingers off if they had the chance. I have fed them and cleaned their tank for 20 years,.They think I am food.

[Telcontar]

Gorgeous long haired orange cat, slightly skittish when you first approach her, but will curl up in your arms if you sit with her for 5 minutes.
I'm tempted. My girlfriend would love it and I have the best name for an orange cat (works better for males but still). Sadly I am poor and living in what is technically a pet free apartment. Good luck!

[Gatopescado]

I've got you all beat (much to my discredit).

I seemed to have married Jane Fucking Goodall with an addiction, that I unfortunatly "enabled". All manner of foul smelling creature have been purchased, fed, bred, sold, bartered and housed on *MY* little patch of heaven. Never the cheap stuff, either. Nooooo!

And they all need special enclosers! I swear, and I told my wife this, "The next mile of fence I erect is up your ass!" (An idle boast, I assure you ;) )

How did I not see this coming? :smack:

Edit: To her credit, she did try to sell ordinary black cats as "Comstock Brush Panthers"! :D

[Bearflag70]

OK, yesterday was our anniversary, and I didn't want to negotiate chores. However, I skirted around the subject and she disclosed that she used to scoop cat litter pretty much daily, but after 8 years of doing it, she "burned out."

Up to now, I had no idea how to maintain a littler box because I never had cats and never expected to have to learn it. Once I took over poop duty, I would dump the entire litter boxes weekly, hose them out, wipe them down, and re-fill them with new litter.

After reading this thread, I just scooped the litter boxes last night instead of washing them out while she did a load of laundry. Then I thought that poop duty might not be so bad if more frequent scooping is all that's really required, with only a monthly litter dump & wash. It also might not be so bad if I had the right tools, such as two large Roll n Clean thingies and two LitterLockers.

With the right tools, poop duty is really a job that takes perhaps a couple minutes a day of quick sifting instead of 20-30 minutes a week lugging litter boxes outside, dumping an entire bin full of foul waste, washing everything down with a garden hose, getting myself wet in the process, wiping it all down, re-filling the boxes, and getting really grumpy in the process.

Hell, I'd almost rather do poop duty than laundry if that's the case.

QUESTION: If I scoop litter pretty much daily, would I still need more than 1 large litter box for 3 cats?

[Tuckerfan]

QUESTION: If I scoop litter pretty much daily, would I still need more than 1 large litter box for 3 cats?

Yes, because you wouldn't believe how much those critters can shit when they take a mind to it.

[Lute Skywatcher]

Omega Paw Roll n Clean (http://www.omegapaw.com/RollnCleanReg.html).[Artie Johnson]
Very interesting.
[/AJ]

[Bearflag70]

[Artie Johnson]
Very interesting.
[/AJ]

Wow. An Artie Johnson reference. You must be really old. ;)

[Cat Whisperer]

There are those who say you need as many litter boxes as you have cats, plus one. We have two cats and one large litter box (a huge rubbermade container, actually, with high sides), and one regular sized litter box.

I'm glad to see you're working out a better way to do poopscooping duty, but I think this is an issue that you still need to settle with your wife. She needs to know how frustrated you are with the way things went, with her bringing in animals you didn't want and then letting you deal with them.

[Bearflag70]

I'm glad to see you're working out a better way to do poopscooping duty, but I think this is an issue that you still need to settle with your wife. She needs to know how frustrated you are with the way things went, with her bringing in animals you didn't want and then letting you deal with them.

Perhaps so. I'll do a couple of pre-emptive loads of laundry first. :p

[Nikki Tikki Tavi]

Question for the people saying that they clean litter weekly: do you mean you dump the whole box out once a week and scoop daily or that you scoop once a week? I have three cats and two large boxes (tried adding another and they ignored it) and I scoop twice a day. I can't imagine how bad my house would smell if I scooped weekly.

OP, how about getting one of those automatic feeders and waterers for the cats? That would save you some time. Unless you have a cat that will gorge itself.

Forgot who said it and can't find it on a skim through, but I also feel bad for your rabbit and the cats in the garage. Why does your wife want so many animals that she doesn't spend time with?

I have to admit, my husband didn't really want the third cat, but I do 99% of the work associated with them so he doesn't have much complaint there. We tried to find her a home instead of keeping her, but no one wanted her so she's one of the family now. The other two cats were discussed and agreed on beforehand, as was the dog. I don't understand bringing an animal into a home where someone is opposed to having them there, that's not fair for the pet or the people.

[Anne Neville]

Up to now, I had no idea how to maintain a littler box because I never had cats and never expected to have to learn it. Once I took over poop duty, I would dump the entire litter boxes weekly, hose them out, wipe them down, and re-fill them with new litter.

That's probably overkill.

After reading this thread, I just scooped the litter boxes last night instead of washing them out while she did a load of laundry. Then I thought that poop duty might not be so bad if more frequent scooping is all that's really required, with only a monthly litter dump & wash. It also might not be so bad if I had the right tools, such as two large Roll n Clean thingies and two LitterLockers.

I roll the Omega Paw litter box once a day (making sure there are no cats in it first, of course), or else Mr. Neville does. We usually do it when we feed the cats at night. I find emptying the drawer once a week (the night before trash day) is sufficient with two litter boxes and two cats.

QUESTION: If I scoop litter pretty much daily, would I still need more than 1 large litter box for 3 cats?

Probably. And if you do have them sharing one litter box, it can be an unstable situation- any stress can tip them over to thinking outside the box, as it were. That happened to us, and now we have two litter boxes and no problems. I'd have at least two, probably three.

[Bearflag70]

The cats are in the house but have access to the garage to potty.

[Bearflag70]

My wife just told me she had a Roll n Clean at one point but the poop ended up gunking up and sticking in the tray. Is that true for you?

[GargoyleWB]

I recommend getting an allergy to all furry mammals. We have a two-cat limit here because that's all my lungs can handle. :)

My own raging cat allergies have been the sole roadblock to my wife going adopt-happy, and she even still brought home 2 kittens once "just to see...maybe your allergies have gotten better..."

The little dust-dandruff-lint traps went to a new home a month later after much allergy suffering and a genuine "them or me" ultimatum.

[Lute Skywatcher]

Wow. An Artie Johnson reference. You must be really old. ;)Just barely old enough to have watched when it was first-run. :)

[panache45]

I have two cats and one litter box. The litter box is in the back hall, just outside a small lavatory. I have been using flushable cat litter, and it's a godsend. The urine clumps, and you just scoop it and dump it into the toilet, along with the poop. It un-clumps when it hits the toilet water and flushes down without a problem.

You have to add to the litter every few days, but you never have to empty the old stuff. It's so low-maintenance, I'm actually thinking of getting a third cat.

[SeaDragonTattoo]

QUESTION: If I scoop litter pretty much daily, would I still need more than 1 large litter box for 3 cats?


The expert recommendation is one box per cat, plus one. So 3 cats should have 4 boxes, by the rulebook, and especially if any are prone to litterbox issues such as someone's not using them.

Now, people have to do what works for their home, too. I have 3 cats and 2 very large litterboxes.. There are no usage issues. If there were, I'd figure out a way to add more. So, do what works for your home, but I really think you should have 2. The pair of cats who are used to each other are probably fine sharing one, as it sounds like they have for some time. The new cat should warrant another box, just to make sure the other 2 are comfortable with the extra waste.

After hearing about how you were caring for the boxes, I can see how it's been an issue for you! Yes, daily scooping is really no big deal, I have it as just part of the evening routine. (Pick up the cats' bowls, put in the sink to soak, scoop the boxes, then wash bowls - hands only washed once that way - then feed the fuzzies) One of the keys is having the litter deep enough and adding more every few days to compensate for what you're scooping out. If the litter is a good 3-4 inches deep, then the "urine plugs" as I call them, stay on top and are easier to remove - there's no scraping the bottom.

I have piles of dirty laundry. The cat boxes are clean. Can you tell which chore I would negotiate for?

Best wishes!

[Anne Neville]

My wife just told me she had a Roll n Clean at one point but the poop ended up gunking up and sticking in the tray. Is that true for you?

No.

[Bearflag70]

OK, I just bought a Roll n Clean. I'll test it out this weekend.

[Strainger]

Sounds like you're rationalizing yourself into becoming a doormat.

OK, yesterday was our anniversary, and I didn't want to negotiate chores. However, I skirted around the subject and she disclosed that she used to scoop cat litter pretty much daily, but after 8 years of doing it, she "burned out."

If she's burned out on cleaning out the litter box, then she doesn't need any damn cats. I predict a lot of future resentment if you don't put your foot down on this, pronto.

[Bearflag70]

OK, I just bought a Roll n Clean. I'll test it out this weekend.

Holy cow! The Roll n Clean is GREAT! I bought one large one, so I'm going to get another.

Just flip it and dump it! NO mess! NO fuss! NO getting soaked and covered in poop trying to wash out litter boxes EVERY WEEK!

I'm writing the infomercial.

:):p:D

[Cat Whisperer]

You've convinced me, Bearflag. We might have to give that a try ourselves.

[Lute Skywatcher]

We went to the local Petco over the weekend but they only had the small Roll n Clean. Guess we'll have to order the big one online.

[Bearflag70]

Notably, when you roll it over, you should give it a couple of little taps on the underside to knock some of the clumps off the grill and into the tray.

Also, cat litter duty is suddenly much better than laundry.

[Anne Neville]

Holy cow! The Roll n Clean is GREAT! I bought one large one, so I'm going to get another.

Just flip it and dump it! NO mess! NO fuss! NO getting soaked and covered in poop trying to wash out litter boxes EVERY WEEK!

I'm writing the infomercial.

:):p:D

Glad it's working well for you. If you need another satisfied Roll n Clean customer for your infomercial, I'd be willing to do it.

I've found that, when you roll it back, you have to roll it a little further than vertical to keep the litter from being all in one end (which puts it off balance).

[papergirl]

I have a lot of pets, and I just moved into my own house, so there is no other adult to share animal-keeping duties with. It can be done by one person (namely, your spouse) if necessary. My method:
Dogs are in crates while I'm at work. I walk them before I leave each morning, and put them out about 20 times every evening. They get fed twice a day, morning and evening. They get plenty of people-time as my schedule varies a lot, but even if your wife is gone long hours, you could get away with crating them for a good portion of the day.
My cats mostly stay in the garage or outside--they seem to prefer it right now. I keep a small trashcan beside each litterbox (I have 2) and scoop every day or so, then take the trash out when I get to it. Quicker that way. Like the dogs, they eat twice a day, generally.
Once a week, I clean the garage--animals tend to knock things over, get everything hairy, etc. I put the door up, mop the floor, hose it all out.
It's only been a couple of months, but so far, so good. BTW, I have 3 dogs, 5 cats. Or is it 6? I'm not a crazy cat lady yet, but I certainly plan to be one someday.

[gonzomax]

OK, yesterday was our anniversary, and I didn't want to negotiate chores. However, I skirted around the subject and she disclosed that she used to scoop cat litter pretty much daily, but after 8 years of doing it, she "burned out."

Up to now, I had no idea how to maintain a littler box because I never had cats and never expected to have to learn it. Once I took over poop duty, I would dump the entire litter boxes weekly, hose them out, wipe them down, and re-fill them with new litter.

After reading this thread, I just scooped the litter boxes last night instead of washing them out while she did a load of laundry. Then I thought that poop duty might not be so bad if more frequent scooping is all that's really required, with only a monthly litter dump & wash. It also might not be so bad if I had the right tools, such as two large Roll n Clean thingies and two LitterLockers.

With the right tools, poop duty is really a job that takes perhaps a couple minutes a day of quick sifting instead of 20-30 minutes a week lugging litter boxes outside, dumping an entire bin full of foul waste, washing everything down with a garden hose, getting myself wet in the process, wiping it all down, re-filling the boxes, and getting really grumpy in the process.

Hell, I'd almost rather do poop duty than laundry if that's the case.

QUESTION: If I scoop litter pretty much daily, would I still need more than 1 large litter box for 3 cats?
One 6 1/2 oz of cat food results in 12 oz of cat shit. It is just the way it is. I use the plastic bags the newspaper comes in. I scoop it ,knot the bag and toss it in the garbage.