To the OP: I’m glad the cat’s inside, and let us know what the vet said. I gotta say, the whole sticky-note order thing seems pretty strange to me. Does your husband routinely treat you that way? I had a long post typed up about medical problems in cats (we’ve owned quite a number) and the dangers of letting them outside (I used to work in a veterinary clinic. I saw everything) but I see the cat’s inside and seeing the doctor, so best of luck. Chances are this is something that can be fixed. It may well be a minor medical issue that makes the cat uncomfortable but isn’t obvious on a veterinary examination. (If there’s no visible symptoms, it’s always hard to diagnose cats, as they’re real troopers about pain - they don’t show it when stuff hurts.)
Living creature vs. carpeting.
You know, I’ve always thought you had an interesting moral system, Abbie.
Well, if the cat has been with you for 11-12 years now, it really is time to start thinking about a new cat. Think about it, the animal has been your companion for all this time. Today though, the cat cannot keep from peeing inside. Frankly any companion of mine who peed in the house would be kicked out in short order. So, I don’t see what the problem is. Kick the cat out and get a new cat and your troubles will be solved.
My Feline Overlord (a lovely dark gray cat named Smokey) is also getting ancient and has been marking one corner of the porch repeatedly. My mom’s response has been to lock him outside, which results in him whining and pawing at the screen door. (On a bright note, he’s regained the muscle mass he’s lost from me pampering him, and probably is in the greatest shape of his life.)
We’ve tried using the specialized cleaning spray and the specialized calming spray (don’t remember the brands off the top of my head), to little effect. I think his behavior might be due to the fact that our neighbors have some outdoor roaming cats and one (or more) of them have tried to claim the backyard. Or, now that I think of it, my grandfather smokes in the back porch, and the pissing spot is right under the table where he lights up. Hm.
I’d take him to live with me, but the current apartment doesn’t allow pets and I work for a good chunk of the day. At least in Orlando, he has people to keep him company.
[QUOTE=Excalibre]
To the OP: I gotta say, the whole sticky-note order thing seems pretty strange to me. Does your husband routinely treat you that way?
I don’t know what is so strange about a post-it note. I had been at work for the previous 12 hours and Rosie was at the front door waiting to come in. I would normally have just opened the door and let her in with me but my husband wanted her to stay outside. If she had come in she could have gone to any number of hiding places. So, by putting the post-it on the door where I would see it would allow me to come in and find out what was going on while Rosie remained outside. Seems normal enough to me.
By the way-
Rosie and I went to the vet today and he could find nothing wrong. He suggested it was behavioural. My husband and I had a good talk about the problem. He understands that she’s getting old and this is probably natural. We’re all just going to have to live with it. Thanks to everyone who came to me in my hour of need! Especially you **choie **.
It’s that he seems to have made a household decision - one that we mostly agree was pretty damn hasty, at that, but since he’s changed his mind it’s not worth discussing that - and told you what you were to do. I just find it odd that he’d kick your cat out and, well, order you not to let it in. It just felt, at least from your description, a little bit unequal. That said, it may just be my interpretation of what you were describing. I just can’t imagine listening to my cat cry in order to please my mate.
Well, I would say he perceived the situation as a act-now-talk-later situation and in this context his post-it note makes sense to me. And he was open to the follow-up discussion on his decision. You can have similar situations with your children where you have to inform your partner about your decision, so that your children cannot play parents against each other and so undermine authority.
