[DesertFlower]

I plan on adopting a cat soon, and am debating wether to get a litterbox or not. We live in the country and have a large yard, and I wouldn't mind if the cat picked one corner of the yard as a bathroom. But is that possible, to get the cat to not think the whole yard is a catbox?

 

[canadianchick]

I think it's ok not to have a litter box as long as you do not live somewhere that it gets super cold and snowy. I hate it when people expect cats to go outside and use the bathroom when weather does not permit. We have a litterbox in the winter but not in the sprin/summer/fall.

 

[grahamsmom98]

Protect Nature: get a litterbox and keep your cat indoors.

 

[DesertFlower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grahamsmom98 Protect Nature: get a litterbox and keep your cat indoors.

I don't really get it...

 

[salmontree]

I imagine grahamsmom was referring to all the wildlife, namely songbirds that outdoor cats kill. There are many folks who don't think it's ethical to let your cats roam outdoors. I can see both sides...

For us, we let our cat go outside... he doesn't use the litter box in the summer. There's a far corner of our yard that is dirt and he uses that primarily or goes in the bushes of the nearby wooded area. I've never seen him go on the grass. If a large portion of your yard has loose dirt then I think it's very possible that a cat would go all over.

We do provide a litter box in the winter. He refuses to step foot outside between November and March... Not that I blame him.. brrrrr.

 

[_betsy_]

Your cat, not to mention other living things, is far, far safer being indoor only. I think I read somewhere that an outdoor cat (or even a cat that is indoor/outdoor) has half the life expectancy of an indoor cat. It's not just cars and people you have to worry about with a cat outdoors, it's dogs, wolves, coyotes, etc. as well as other cats.

Please, keep kitty indoors.

And neuter him, whether you keep him in or decide to let him go out. There's too many animals in the shelters already, you don't want your cat contributing to the problem.

 

[thekimballs]

There is no question that it is better for the cat and for the outside to keep them in. Outside cats kill millions of songbirds every year, and their lifespans are much, much shorter than inside cats. Outside cats are also commonly parasitized (fleas, ticks, worms). Roundworms and roundworm eggs are a common part of an outside cat's poop. When an outside cat comes in, it brings the outside in--ticks, fleas, etc. So unless your cat is a barn cat (which I support because the alternatives for controlling rodents--poisons--are so much worse), it really is better for all concerned that he or she not be an outside cat.

Outside cats go in sand, loose dirt, mulch--anything that sort of texture. And no, you can't really train them to use only one specific area if there are multiple areas of those materials.

We have two cats, one inside and one outside. The outside cat we've trapped inside multiple times, but she was a feral cat for a number of years and becomes extremely aggressive over time. Sadly, as much as I HATE it, we have to let her out during the good weather. We'll be trapping her again once the first frost comes (and at that time I'll have to catch her and worm her and de-flea her and so on). I'll also be able to start feeding the birds again once she's trapped inside. Our other cat is inside-only and has never been outside in his life. He is so much more "our cat." He's more people-oriented, I never have to worry about fleas, I don't have to worm him. I am much happier and more secure with the inside cat than the outside one.

 

[DesertFlower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekimballs There is no question that it is better for the cat and for the outside to keep them in. Outside cats kill millions of songbirds every year, and their lifespans are much, much shorter than inside cats. Outside cats are also commonly parasitized (fleas, ticks, worms). Roundworms and roundworm eggs are a common part of an outside cat's poop. When an outside cat comes in, it brings the outside in--ticks, fleas, etc. So unless your cat is a barn cat (which I support because the alternatives for controlling rodents--poisons--are so much worse), it really is better for all concerned that he or she not be an outside cat.

Yeah, I kinda feel bad about the birds, especially that there are lots of them arounnd here. The cat has to go outside for part of the day, as DH is allergic.
As for the fleas,ticks,etc, I'll give the cat the proper preventive treatments.
And yes, we do have rodents, cockroaches, and huge bugs around here (southern arizona) so a cat will help with that

 

[_betsy_]

If DH is allergic, don't get a cat? It would stink, because I love my cats, but I wouldn't have one if DH was allergic.

Maybe a pet lizard could help with the bug issues?

 

[thekimballs]

I would not go out and get a cat if someone in my family was legitimately allergic. There is almost no allergen harder to erradicate than cat dander; it's extremely "sticky" like a burr and it sticks to rugs, couches, any fabric. So if the cat rubs against your leg and then you go sit on the couch, your husband can come sit down and it will be as though the cat is up against his face.

If you already own a cat and develop allergies, it's worth the effort to bathe the cat and spray the cat and vacuum like crazy and put a HEPA in your bedroom and all the other things that minimize contact with the dander. If you don't already own a cat, I would not bring one in.

 

[phatchristy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekimballs I would not go out and get a cat if someone in my family was legitimately allergic. There is almost no allergen harder to erradicate than cat dander; it's extremely "sticky" like a burr and it sticks to rugs, couches, any fabric. So if the cat rubs against your leg and then you go sit on the couch, your husband can come sit down and it will be as though the cat is up against his face. If you already own a cat and develop allergies, it's worth the effort to bathe the cat and spray the cat and vacuum like crazy and put a HEPA in your bedroom and all the other things that minimize contact with the dander. If you don't already own a cat, I would not bring one in.

:

I'd consider another pet....if he's noticably allergic keeping the cat out "some of the time" is NOT going to cut it. Allergies like this can be genetic as well, i wouldn't be surprised if one of your DC is allergic as well.

If he's very mildly allergic he could probably get away with it if cat was bathed frequently, there wasn't any carpet in the house, the house was vacuumed with a good vacuum with HEPA filtration, and a HEPA filter was around. And, obviously, after handling cat he washed his hands before touching any mucus membrane.

My best friend and her brother are both severely allergic to cats...AKA if they walk in our house they'll start sniffling, eyes watering in MINUTES. Consider this too that we have all ceramic tile and our cats are bathed WEEKLY. Her brother just decided to undergo the injections, and now he actually LIVES with a cat

. Perhaps that would be a good option if your insurance covers it. His did...so when he got married (and his wife had a cat) he got the shots. They enabled him to not have as severe of a reaction.

My best friend wants the shots too, but with no insurance coverage it's not happening. She DID come to visit us on several occasions and spend a week down here, but each time she had to get medication first.

:

 

[jlutgendorf]

If you live in S. AZ (I grew up in Tucson!) I wouldn't recommend an outside cat as it's probably going to be coyote or hawk food before too long. My mom keeps letting their cat outside

and I know he's going to get caught one day, especially as he's getting older. So far he's been savvy and they have lots of large mesquite and palo verde trees on their lot that he can climb, but still…I think it's a risk.

Is your husband super allergic? Like gets rashes, has trouble breathing? Or is he more along the lines of me, where if the cat rubs on my face my eyes water a bit, but then I'm fine? If he's really allergic, then it may be best to not get a cat (as pp have suggested). If he's mildly allergic, then following a schedule of lots of vacuuming, bathing kitty and no cats allowed in the bedroom, should be enough to keep him feeling fine.

~Julia

 

[DesertFlower]

Well, DH is not that allergic. I think it's mainly psychological (he doesn't like cats

) and I've never seen him really ract to a cat. I will vacuum frequently.

I am a cat person, and a dog is out of our budget.
It might not sound like a good reason to get a cat, but DH and I don't have a good relationship, and I have no family within 1,000 miles + and feel really lonely. I don't even have any girlfriends around here (no time when DS was a baby, and DH doesn't encourage me hanging out with the local women because they gossip

) and so in a way I'm looking for comfort I guess.

 

[Mizelenius]

How about fostering a cat? You'd be doing a GREAT deed and would have companionship. (It would have to be indoor only.)

I'd say, if your relationship with DH is iffy (as in, divorce may be possible), don't get a cat. Seems like many cats are given up (owner can't afford him/her) in those cases.

 

[_betsy_]

Uhm, sweetie? Work on the marriage first, OK? Imean that in the nicest, gentlest, kindest way possible.

It sounds like you're going through a rough patch, and bringing in a pet that DH doesn't want, that you KNOW he doesn't want, isn't fair to him, the cat, or your marriage.

 

[jlutgendorf]

Where are you from originally? (if you don't mind me asking!) My Oma and Opa are from Amsterdam and live in Tucson and they're members of the local Dutch club. Maybe there's a group like that you could begin to participate in?

Or maybe get involved with a volunteer group, like an animal rescue group. Surely your husband can't complain about that!

And honestly, I've never had a group of friends (men or women) that DIDN'T gossip. And most of that was pretty harmless stuff.

~Julia

 

[DesertFlower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by _betsy_ Uhm, sweetie? Work on the marriage first, OK? Imean that in the nicest, gentlest, kindest way possible. It sounds like you're going through a rough patch, and bringing in a pet that DH doesn't want, that you KNOW he doesn't want, isn't fair to him, the cat, or your marriage.

I wish I could say otherwise, but I really don't believe my marriage is gonna get any better, cat or not. It's kind of sad

 

[Mizelenius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfine I wish I could say otherwise, but I really don't believe my marriage is gonna get any better, cat or not. It's kind of sad

,mama. Would your DH go to counseling? If not, could you go alone?

 

[phatchristy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfine I wish I could say otherwise, but I really don't believe my marriage is gonna get any better, cat or not. It's kind of sad

Honestly, if you don't think it's going to make a difference then do what is going to make you happy.

I can say firsthand here that I get a lot of affection from our cats. It's a source of unconditional love for me, for sure...and a break from everyday mommyhood.

Do you have any La Leche League groups or anything where you might find some nice likeminded women?

 

[Mizelenius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phatchristy I can say firsthand here that I get a lot of affection from our cats. It's a source of unconditional love for me, for sure...and a break from everyday mommyhood.

Ditto. Other than when they do something annoying (like when the kittens chewed on our $ wood blinds), they are a source of peace and love. Even with the annoying things, I get over it fast.