OT: You can't change a Cat.

[.45colt]

A few Years ago I had to put My old Dog down. The Kid's are both Married and gone and the Wife is lonley. She comes Home one day with this little tiney runt Cat. of course against all of My judgement I let Her keep it.
It grew up into a Grey Max about 10lb. doing all the stuff a cat does and things have gone pretty well with it all. We recently had a fireplace built that was a dream for the last 22 years. this morning I woke up to the Wife sobbing and crying at 5:45AM. Instead of using the litterbox the Wife cleaned every day, the cat used the stone hearth on the fireplace to take a big dump on. I know He was just being an animal but He is history. No more inside pets ever.
I'm done.

[FWiedner]

I can't argue with your feelings, but it sounds like you got a little too much emotion tied up in this.

It's a fireplace and a cat. One is an inanimate object and the other is a dumb animal.

I'm sure that there was no ill intent, and that the universe is not conspiring against you.

[J Miller]

Oh for crying out loud. Look for the reason the kitty decided to go outside his box.
>Was the box dirty? Plastic boxes actually absorb cat odors after a while and kitties will stop using them. Get a new box.
>Did it stink? Ammonia odor from the cat box area, or strong cleaners used in the box area will chase a kitty away just like they do humans.
>Did something scare kitty in the box area?
>Is the kitty sick? One of the biggest symptoms is suddenly not going in the box. VET TIME.
>Did you traumatize the kitty? You seem to be a cat hater.
>Has something in the kitties environment changed? It's very possible something about that fireplace smells like a cat box. Clean it up, use a enzyme type cleaner to kill his odor and go from there.
>Learn about your cat and quit being so emotionally challenged.

Joe (servant to and protector to nine fur people )

[BigSky56]

If momma aint happy aint nobody happy that said animals belong outside. danny

[madman4570]

A few Years ago I had to put My old Dog down. The Kid's are both Married and gone and the Wife is lonley. She comes Home one day with this little tiney runt Cat. of course against all of My judgement I let Her keep it.
It grew up into a Grey Max about 10lb. doing all the stuff a cat does and things have gone pretty well with it all. We recently had a fireplace built that was a dream for the last 22 years. this morning I woke up to the Wife sobbing and crying at 5:45AM. Instead of using the litterbox the Wife cleaned every day, the cat used the stone hearth on the fireplace to take a big dump on. I know He was just being an animal but He is history. No more inside pets ever.
I'm done.

Dude, it was on the mantle(clean it off---your lucky it was a dump and not a nice long squirt.)
If you have a brain in your head ,you will be running to bring that cat inside ASAP!
Why do you think your wife was crying????????
Cause she knew you were going to go uncontrollable ballistic.
I am telling you, try things first and if finally the cat does have to go(let the wife assist in making that call and be right with it.
Otherwise that fireplace sitting by your good little self this year wont be much good will it?

[El Chivo]

Since you went to all that trouble to create the perfect bathroom for him, he had to show his appreciation.

Good luck keeping him outside if he wants to come in.

[.45colt]

Thank for the input Guys. Yes I am very emotional about this. I have this cat trained to where a harness and can take him out and walk him like a dog.He has more toys than alot of kids. Yes he is upset about the construction.the Wife changed his litterbox monday morning.
We had this 16x16 addition put on 22 years ago. I cleaned the carpet dozens of times over the years after the old dog and 1 cat had an accident. I pulled the original carpet and padding up today and had to bleach the flooring where the dog peed for so long. new carpet is going down tomorrow and the cat isn't going to get a chance to "mark" his territory.
Danny got it right."If momma aint happy aint nobody happy that said animals belong outside. danny"

[Charles]

It is a shame the cat has to pay the price for humans not having the patience and wilingness to understand and deal with this new behaviour.

[Booger Bill]

We have two cats. Once one crapped on the bed. It broke the wifes heart but she still threw the pair outside. She was miserable. Finaly I said put in a cat door in the back garage door and also in the washroom door leading into the garage. We did that most of last winter. Eventualy they are back in the house now. About two months ago we caught a stray cat in the house a couple times! She scared it off and we havent seen it in the neighborhood since. The cats havent had a accident in ages since she again has let them have run of the house and they come and go as they please outside too. We just got back from a week long trip. They were outside, had acess to the garage and washroom but not the liveing quarters. They were just fine and the place is okay.
I miss haveing a dog but we like to travel at a moments notice. My father in law has a dog he loves. The wife doesnt like his dog in our house. Today we just finished assembeling a 6x10 ft kennel in the backyard under some trees for shade. It was about $200s on sale. Now we can have family and friends come and see us with their dogs.

[madman4570]

Danny got it right."If momma aint happy aint nobody happy that said animals belong outside. danny"

Cant say about cats because we dont have any, but for Dogs belonging only outside there is only one word for that?
(KLUDGED!)

However the owner does need to know more than the pet.(but then again sometimes my dogs know more than I do)

[Streetstar]

animals belong outside. danny

What u talkin 'bout? my dog Cupcake would last maybe an evening or two outside at my location due to the local 'yote population. I'm trying to teach the cats to go outside periodically, but evidently they find that the fishing is much better indoors than at our pond One of the cats has potential though --- he thought he was a retarded snow leopard last winter

[AJMD429]

As a kid, my cat defecated on my bed once (after my sister got a cat of her own - unsure if that was the cause or not - I didn't think all that long about it as a kid).

After a rather un-gentle use of the cat to mop things up (much as one would do with a paper towel), I think the cat got the idea quite well.

It NEVER did that again, and was still a nice, affectionate, and well-behaved cat for many years.

[NonPCnraRN]

Had a cat pee in the toaster. I put in the bread and turned on the toaster. All of a sudden this stench started wafting through the kitchen. Nothing to do but unplug the toaster and toss it outside but not before grabbing the cat by the scruff of the neck and rubbing its face in the side of the toaster. No it wasn't hot, but the cat got the idea. New toaster and the cat never did it again. We finally figured it out. We had brought a new kitten into the fold and the old cat was upset. There is a product call Nature's Miracle that will remove pet urine smells from just about anything (not toasters). Spay that on the fireplace and let it soak in. It will neutralize the smell so the cat won't go back thinking that is the new place to go.

[m.wun]

I have a above ground pool and my wifes puggs pee around it.It reeked so bad untill I
found that Simple Green sells a pet formula in a 1gal. size/ a sprayer for 14$$.This stuff
works great and is bio-degradable.Petsmart sells it.It also works for 2yr old boys.......

[slimster]

Sorry guys,...couldn't resist...NOT that I advocate pampering your pets overmuch.

[Catshooter]

Actually .45 Colt, I've changed quite a few cats over the years. If you take my meaning.


Cat

[gak]

Oh for crying out loud? Actually, build a "catiary"-- sort of a big and tall dog run, a kitty door to the house--fenced and covered overhead, protected from the elements, kitty door to the house, big log/fake tree to climb around on. Have advocated this for friends with cats, works like a charm. Also re the 'yotes and the little pooch, do the same ("dogiary"?)--covered dog run. Did this (twice) where mountain lions and bobcats were sighted near the property. Regular chain link sides and overhead, sunscreen added where appropriate, the whole nine yards. Scrap for materials if you have to or build it in stages. It doesn't have to cost too much if though put into it...though it is nice to "do it right" if you can., such as digging down a foot, filling with sand, then small dia river rock/pebbles for drainage, etc and easy wash down, etc, etc)--talking dog run here, 'cause they use a litter box the cat's can be converted from a large patio).
Won't abide any animal doing their thing inside, but especially cats!

[Gaucho Gringo]

When my wife and I were first married (27 yrs ago) she wanted to get a cat. I said yes and this cat went everywhere with us. We used to go camping, fishing and boating almost every weekend for 5 months out of the year and we took the cat with us. We would put him in the camper with the boat behind us. He didn't seem to mind it. When we were at the campground people couldn't believe we took our cat camping. They got an even bigger shock when we took him in the boat fishing with us. They thought we were crazy but the cat liked it and even liked it better when we caught a fish. I have pictures of him in the the boat with the fish and him around the campsites and the camper. Unfortunately we had only one season of camping with him as he died of feline leukemia after the first summer, but when I look at the pictures of him during that summer it is proof he was a very special cat.

[crs]

+1 for such pets belonging outside with other animals.
I gew up with numerous cats and dogs and they all lived under the house (pier and beam) and did not know any better. We kids played with them in the yard or on a porch, not in the house. Neither of my parents would tolerate such animals in the house, in fact, we boys spent most of our time outside except for meals and cleaning up and sleeping.

[piller]

+1 for such pets belonging outside with other animals.
I gew up with numerous cats and dogs and they all lived under the house (pier and beam) and did not know any better. We kids played with them in the yard or on a porch, not in the house. Neither of my parents would tolerate such animals in the house, in fact, we boys spent most of our time outside except for meals and cleaning up and sleeping.

So that is what is wrong with you Charles. Seriously, it didn't seem to hurt you. We have an inside dog, and she is trained. Cats and Dogs really don't like to mess where they live, but they will do strange things if they are annoyed about their lives being turned upside down.

[MrMurphy]

Wife's had 1 cat since he was a tiny kitten (size of the palm of her hand).


He "hunts" indoors. When I was still in uniform, I'd stick a boot blousing band in each boot so i didn't have to feel for them in the dark in a hurry. They're elastic and wriggly.


We noticed he'd sit there staring down a row of combat boots. Like......for an hour.

Then suddenly he'd "ambush" a poor defenceless blousing band and jam a paw down a boot and flip one out then chase it all over.

Started having to stick them on a shoulder high shelf......


Even today I'll find the occasional cat toy stuck in my hiking boots. I know the culprit, but he's a cat who acts like a dog (greets you at the door, meows when something's up, etc). We get along.

[Charles]

I don't know if crs is another Charles, but this Charles grew up with dogs and cats being indoors as well as outdoors. They sorts came and went as they wished.

I have always had indoor cats and dogs. Today I have three cats and my wife has a new Pekingese put named Whitman. My cats use litter boxes in the shop are are no trouble whatsoever.

I scratch my head at some folks attitudes about cats.

Some folks take the "cats belong outside" position.

Others say they will shoot any cat they find in their yard and it is the owners responsibility to keep them indoors.

The poor cats just can't seem to win. There are many, many folks in this world who are just cat haters and that is all there is to it.

People want dogs because they can control and dominate them. They can even abuse dogs and the stupid mutts will crawl back for more, giving affection and loyalty to people who deserve neither.

The cat haters can neither control nor dominate cats. Abuse one and they will shun you for life. They are far more intelligent than dogs. Cats know the difference between good humans and bad humans. With proper understanding cats will live with you and love you, but it will be on mutual terms. They cannot be dominated or abused.

I like both cats and dogs and realize they are different critters. Folks who hate cats and/or dogs have some real issues. Their hatred speaks reams about who they are. I could not trust anybody who hates dogs. i could not like anybody who hates cats.

[Jason_W]

we have three. The two males are awesome, but the female is hell on wheels and once bit me to the bone


they like guns








The siamese and the orange tabby are excellent cats. The other one is evil incarnate, but when you adopt a pet, it's for better or worse, IMO. All are indoor cats. There are just too many things outside that would make a meal of a kitty.

[Markbo]

I had a cat once. Had big after honey party at my house once. Had dozens and dozens of friends over with an open invitation that if you were going to drink, you can - and should - stay the night. One long, long time friend - a brother really - got up in the middle of the night (near dawn) and went to the bathroom. In his stupor he peed in the cat box instead of the toilet.

Now lots of other fun events happened that night involving a firetruck, an ambulance, the police (twice), some neighbors and some strangers, but THAT event had far reaching side effects.

Effective immediately, our cat would not use that box - or any other for that matter - and started using the hall carpet. Daily and often. We tried many things, including new boxes, cleaning, scrubbing and disinfecting, old places, new places - everything we could think of.

That cat refused to cooperate and within 2 months (and new carpeting) he was removed permanently. Oddly, the new owner reported no such behavior from him so we can only surmise that he hated us on a deep and personal level.

I have house dogs. I have had house dogs my whole, entire life. I am a firm believer that MY dogs not only don't want, but don't deserve to be kept outside. The weather here is dangerous for man and beast and why would I subject something (some one really) I love to living outside in southeast Texas heat and humidity. My pets are 99.9% housebroken, with the very, very rare time there is an accident, the cause can always be traced back to us not letting them out timely.

All that is just back story and my point is, cats are like wimmen... the sooner you get used to the idea that they will do what they want when they want and what you have to say about it doesn't matter much, the happier you will all be... unless either one decides to use the carpet as a toilet, then something has got to give!

[Jason_W]

The only times our cats have peed somewhere other than their box were during a couple of times when we were ultra stressed or busy, and forgot to clean the litter box for too long.

Most cats are by nature, very clean animals. Every have to use the bathroom and find the only only available toilet is a porta potty thats full to seat? Kitties don't like it any more than we do.

[rimrock]

Everyone should have 2 house kitties--one mounted on each side of the fireplace!!:mrgreen:

rimrock

[2ndovc]

I like both cats and dogs and realize they are different critters. Folks who hate cats and/or dogs have some real issues. Their hatred speaks reams about who they are. I could not trust anybody who hates dogs. i could not like anybody who hates cats.

Well said Sir!

jb