Housemate Problems of a Feline Verity

[squirrel_hunter]

First off this is more a rant then anything but heres the story so far...

I rent a room in a house, the rents good, close to town, and I have a garage; but I hate it. Its on a new development so its diggers at dawn for me and the people I live with just annoy me. But I've been doing my best to ignore it, I spend most of my time in my room or out and about on the bike. But things have gotten a little interesting of late.

The live in landlord who is never here has had a friend to stay. Apparently a water main burst in her house and she would be staying in the front room for a week or so while it gets sorted. Fair enough, helping out a friend, I have no problem with that. She has a couple of cats that will be staying with here with her. Again no problem I love cats. BUT its been nearly a month now. Shes even getting her post redirected here. But shes not the problem its the cats.

They are kept in the kitchen. They don't go out. They climb everywhere. I don't think they are looked after well at all. The smell from the litter tray is appalling, they only eat dry food and their water bowl has some dry scum and fur around the edge. But its getting worse, she and the landlord have gone on holiday for the week and some how I am looking after them. I've been following the instructions given to me, just top the food and water up, take anything out of the litter tray and top it up a little.

But tonight its gotten to me. Thats not how to look after cats, its disgusting. I had the taste of the litter on my tongue as I had my dinner (in my room) so I think I'm going to be on takeaway for a bit now. But really its the welfare of the cats that bothers me.

So what can I do? How can I tell my landlords best friend that her cats are not being, in my opinion, looked after correctly? What can I say to the landlord?

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

If they're house cats just let them out the door. You can say they escaped.

Alternatively have a word with the landlord. Be honest and ask how long they intend to let their friend stay. If you share the living room, then its a bit much for someone to have taken up residence.

I have no theoretical objection with cats, but in reality they do get everywhere. Its bad enough finding fur on your bed, but its a pet hate of mine for animals to be on worktops/surfaces. I had a friend stay and she brought her cat....i must have spent about 50% of my free time spraying surrfaces with dettol.

I don't seem to have answered any of your questions, but i feel more sorry for you than the cats.

Well I hate cats so this might be a reason for part of my answer, as you said you was told a week and it's four so I would have said something by now. Have a quiet word with the landlord because this is not on m8 even if you do spend much of your time in your room
But what really gets me is the cats in the kitchen!!!(feel a song comming on) Yuck, why they not staying in the same room as her? they are hers after all and you have to cook etc in there,top that with the fact they are not looked after and I would be even more angry

Sounds pretty nasty man. When our cat had to stay in for a bit, his litter tray did smell a little, but we changed it every day - the only way to stop it smalling rank, or at least once every other day. If you top it up, it just dilutes the small a bit. and put some paper round the bottom of it to soak up the **** (cos their aim is sometimes a bit off!)

If the cats are looking seriously sick - ie evidence that they have not been treated for fleas etc in a long time and their general health is suffering then you could consult the RSPCA, but I doubt your landlord would be best pleased. If they have been there for a month then they should know it as home now and return to the house for food if they get out. cats much prefer pooing in the garden than in a tray and it would make your place much nicer.

Speak to the landlord when they come back about the whole situation.

Now for the time being I PERSONALLY would do the following;
- clean the water bowl
- clean the food bowl
- change the litter thingy

I know it's not your responsibility but you are left with them so you can either leave with it till they come back OR sort it out till they come back.

Originally Posted by 600+

Speak to the landlord when they come back about the whole situation.

Now for the time being I PERSONALLY would do the following;
- clean the water bowl
- clean the food bowl
- change the litter thingy

I know it's not your responsibility but you are left with them so you can either leave with it till they come back OR sort it out till they come back.

Good post this is what i would do... well I'd clean the bowl and the litter tray as the smell would really bother me. It's definitely not on, it can't take a month to fix a leak, and dry the place out and move back in.... when working at Hein Gericke, there was a water leak (well some blokes broke into the toilet through the wall and knocked the systen (sp?) off the wall bursting the main pipe), we had it all dried up and back to normal within a few days. The water was throughout the whole shop!! So i think there is something more going on than what you are being told... unless i just have a suspicious mind

I don't even let Lupo in the kitchen now and he doesn't walk on the surfaces... well originally it was to stop him stealing off the worktops, but i find it easier to keep clean and more hygienic not having him in there. Plus it really annoys me when i am cooking he takes prime location just under the cooker so i have to reach across him to get to the hob!! Or he lays just behind you so he trips you over when you turn round to get to the sink!

As for the food/water and litter tray... thats disgusting!! This is why i don't like cats (cute to look at but other than that, you can keep em), they walk through their litter tray then over your work tops....

There's not really any perfect solution for stopping litter trays from being gross but one thing you could try is covering it with a cardboard box and cutting out a doorway for the cats to get in and out. At least then you can't see the contents of the litter tray all of the time and it contains the smell a bit.

Originally Posted by squirrel_hunter

First off this is more a rant then anything but heres the story so far...

I rent a room in a house, the rents good, close to town, and I have a garage; but I hate it. Its on a new development so its diggers at dawn for me and the people I live with just annoy me. But I've been doing my best to ignore it, I spend most of my time in my room or out and about on the bike. But things have gotten a little interesting of late.

The live in landlord who is never here has had a friend to stay. Apparently a water main burst in her house and she would be staying in the front room for a week or so while it gets sorted. Fair enough, helping out a friend, I have no problem with that. She has a couple of cats that will be staying with here with her. Again no problem I love cats. BUT its been nearly a month now. Shes even getting her post redirected here. But shes not the problem its the cats.

They are kept in the kitchen. They don't go out. They climb everywhere. I don't think they are looked after well at all. The smell from the litter tray is appalling, they only eat dry food and their water bowl has some dry scum and fur around the edge. But its getting worse, she and the landlord have gone on holiday for the week and some how I am looking after them. I've been following the instructions given to me, just top the food and water up, take anything out of the litter tray and top it up a little.

But tonight its gotten to me. Thats not how to look after cats, its disgusting. I had the taste of the litter on my tongue as I had my dinner (in my room) so I think I'm going to be on takeaway for a bit now. But really its the welfare of the cats that bothers me.

So what can I do? How can I tell my landlords best friend that her cats are not being, in my opinion, looked after correctly? What can I say to the landlord?

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

report it to the RSPCA it will be anonymus, dont just take the sh!t out of the litter tray empty it and the smell will go, cut a hole in the door and fit a catflap then put the litter tray out side for a week then you can bin it and they'l go outside, or get out of there when they come back but id still report to the RSPCA if you think there being mistreated

[Biker Biggles]

You have to choose between what I guess is a cheap and handy place to live and the hassle of a live in landlord who can really do whatever he wants and move in whatever pets/girlfriends he wants.By all meams have a word when he gets back,but dont be too surprised if it results in you looking for somewhere else to rent.

[squirrel_hunter]

Thanks for the replies.

When the landlord gets back I will try and have a word with her, but chances are that will end up as Biker Biggles says with me looking for somewhere else; which brings me on to another point but I think that requires a new topic...

As for the cats welfare, they look healthy enough. But they lack contact and stimulation which is unfair. SteveH your right they should be in her room. Not that it is her room but to be honest I don't really go in there anyway as I can't be bothered with the others that live here, its just not a sociable house, I miss Uni.

600+ I understand what your saying. The food bowl seams ok after all its only dry food they are eating. And I do change the litter every other day, but I am getting short of fresh supplies. As for the water bowl theres no point in cleaning it, its only good for the bin its that bad.

But I have noticed that they seam to be drinking a lot of water. I think its just the one of them thats doing it. I reckon its drinking about a cup/ mug sized of water a day. Now when my family had a cat many years ago I don't remember her drinking anywhere close to that. Any ideas, or am I just being paranoid?