I've got two cats...one is an orange male tabby who weighs in at about 20 pounds. The other is a female tortoiseshell, about average size.

Since moving back to Durham, our living quarters have been tight; we're renovating a house and basically living in 3 rooms, and everything is a mess. To top it off, our allergies are going nuts (combination of cats and all the dust and whatnot in a house that's been unoccupied and full of shit for years).

My dilemma: it's become hell to try and keep our living quarters reasonably clean, and I think it's impacting our physical and mental health. And the cats, bless their hearts, are a HUGE contributor (shit-wise, dander-wise, etc.). I love them to death, and they are very loving, but it's become damn overwhelming having to deal with it all. Should I try and transition them to being outdoor cats? They've been inside all their lives. Or should I go ahead and try to find them a new home?

Before the flaming begins...they came to live with me when my ex-wife said it was either that or they go to the pound (2 years ago). I couldn't let them go there.

1/6/2009 1:51:40 PM

how old are they? how long have they been inside? how busy is the street you live on?


they make invisible fencing for cats, but ive never seen anyone use it.

1/6/2009 1:54:42 PM

if they have been inside all their lives, i wouldnt transition them to outside

1/6/2009 1:56:09 PM

Quote :

"Should I try and transition them to being outdoor cats?"

Yes. Cats need to roam. Your cats will be healthier both physically and mentally. Sounds like you will too. It's a win/win situation for both you.

1/6/2009 1:57:57 PM

How long do you expect the renovations to go on? If it's just going to be for awhile, I'd consider some kind of temporary accommodation - is there someone you know that could foster them for a couple months?

Outdoor cats are going to face all kinds of hazards and on average have a much shorter lifespan. I'd really be hesitant to transition an indoor-only cat to an outdoor cat for that reason.

If anything, you may want to consider finding a way just to give them their own dedicated space (for now). Admittedly, quarters are cramped, but is there any space which is "last" on the refinishing list which could be made "adequate" (although certainly not luxurious) for the cats? If it's only for a couple months, confining them to a particular space may be better than introducing the hazards of the outdoors to them or getting rid of them entirely.

1/6/2009 2:02:07 PM

Quote :

"if they have been inside all their lives, i wouldnt transition them to outside"

And if you're on a busy street, those cats will probably be run over within a month.

1/6/2009 2:06:17 PM

Quote :

"How long do you expect the renovations to go on? If it's just going to be for awhile, I'd consider some kind of temporary accommodation - is there someone you know that could foster them for a couple months?"

yeah, if it's not going to be like years or something, confining them to one room wouldn't be too bad if possible.

1/6/2009 2:33:41 PM

our cat was an inside cat for the first 5 years, then when my sister and I went off to college the parents put it outside and it has been doing just fine for the past 5 or 6 years. it even kills mice and leaves them on the sidewalk for us

1/6/2009 2:50:33 PM

i let my cats go outside when i bought a house, but then my neighbor 2 doors down shot and killed one of them with a bb gun...soo...yeah i don't recommend putting them out unless you live in the country/with few neighbors.

1/6/2009 2:58:02 PM

Switch cat litter, seriously!

Anything clay doesn't help with smell, and is dusty and nasty. Try something like feline pine, and clean the box every day.

Check the coupon thread or google it, you can get the first bag of feline pine free with a rebate. Switching them to a better food will help with the smell and lower the dander (less skin irritation, find a food with more good oils to soothe the skin and no common allergens).

My boyfriend's cat was on meow mix (not living with him, long story) and using clay litter, right now she's being switched to feline pine and better food. I am not normally allergic to cats but the clay litter dust bugs the crap out of me.

1/6/2009 3:06:31 PM

we tried yesterdays news once. it did seemingly nothing to block/hide any odor. do not use it.

haven't tried feline pine. we just bought a cat genie (flushing cat toilet), and i'm still trying to figure out how to fit its drain and the washing machine's drain in the same hole...

i may try feline pine in the meantime...esp since my normal litter (tidy cats clumping) is getting harder to find for some unknown reason.

1/6/2009 3:25:53 PM

try the arm & hammer litter that's made from corn. It's way lighter, produces no dust, and it doesn't have that signature "cat litter" smell. It's much cleaner and easier to keep fresh.

Also, maybe try brushing your kitties. That would help with the floating hairballs that accumulate... Are both your cats neutered?

1/6/2009 4:29:45 PM

assuming both are longhaired, definitely try brushing them.

1/6/2009 5:32:13 PM

Definitely try the feline pine or arm and hammer, and try brushing them too. Even short haired cats can shed a lot and you'll benefit from brushing them.

Wish I had a better answer. The next couple weeks are going to be a PITA for me until I get the cat transitioned over to better litter and food.

1/6/2009 5:58:38 PM

Cats are spayed/neutered...both are shorthair. The orange one needs to lose some weight. He can't wash his own butt, and that's some of the problem right there. I have to do it for him. The other problem is that he has to be closely monitored as far as food goes; he eats like a madman, and he shits accordingly. One of the issues is that if the litterbox is not spotless, he shits on the floor in front of it. He needs to go on a diet, and I'm going to try that next. Because he's so big, I have to wash him fairly regularly because he can't do a good job himself.

The female is not nearly as bad. But when I'm not here much, it all kind of snowballs. I've had a lot of cats in my lifetime, but these two take the cake. The plus side is they are about the friendliest, lovingest (is that a word?!!) cats I've had in a long time.

1/6/2009 6:19:12 PM

ZX, if you want a low cal food, science diet hairball light has fewer calories per cup than the rx food. The vet convinced my mom to switch the cat to WD and he gained weight. Ingredient wise it's pretty nasty (but no worse than the rx food), but if you want something that'll make him feel full and not empty the wallet it's something to try.

1/6/2009 6:27:23 PM

aha these sound like my two cats I have right now. They're little bastards destroying my apartment but I can't imagine getting rid of them.

I also recommend the pine litter. Or if they sell it in the States you can try the pellet shaped litter that they make out of bamboo, paper, etc. That stuff is pretty much all they sell here in Japan and it generates a lot less dust than the sandy clay type litter.

Quote :

"they make invisible fencing for cats, but ive never seen anyone use it."

My uncle used it with his two cats. They definitely never tried to cross the fence after the first attempt

1/6/2009 6:56:02 PM

good to know!


I washed my cat maddie, in Relief shampoo and creme rinse because she itches a lot. it stops her itching and I don't sneeze as much or see as much shedding

1/6/2009 7:01:55 PM

put them outside

nature takes care of the rest

1/6/2009 7:04:32 PM

I have an indoor only cat who I tried to transition to outdoors about 1 year ago. He had been an indoor cat for 3 years and when I moved in w/ my boyfriend in a secluded wooded area I gave it a try. I found that for him, it wasn't worth it. Although he would go outside, he was scared as hell every time he did and didn't seem capable of learning cat "defending" behaviors.

Maybe he's just a pussy.

Plus the fleas and ticks out here are vicious, even with medicine.

1/6/2009 8:31:43 PM

it takes time to learn outdoor survival skills. most outside cats learn it from their parents as kittens. you cant just throw them outside. they have no idea whats going on.

1/6/2009 8:42:38 PM

which is exactly why I transitioned from a cat leash to a blocked in porch to outside w/ supervision at all times.

1/6/2009 8:52:53 PM

put the cats on a better diet-- that will help with the dandruff and the weight and the litter box smell

1/6/2009 11:00:37 PM

Quote :

"The other problem is that he has to be closely monitored as far as food goes; he eats like a madman, and he shits accordingly"

How about you don't leave food out for them to graze?

My cat's an incredible fatass. Not only can I not leave food out for her, I have to cover up the dog's food at night and when I leave the house (he's crated during those times).

Feed them twice a day, or, feed them several small meals throughout the day, if you're able.

1/6/2009 11:07:23 PM

yep

on-demand feeding only works if they arent horses

1/6/2009 11:21:17 PM

I've had many cats in my day and I've never owned one that overate. I don't think it's that common of a problem.

1/6/2009 11:22:28 PM

shave them and get silica litter

1/7/2009 5:42:16 AM

Our cat will overeat. We just have to proportion his food out, and make sure he and the kittens are getting the proper amount. When left to himself, he was eating all of his food, and a good portion of the kitten food as well.

Also, if your cat has gotten to the point where she's too large to clean her butt, shaving is a really good idea. It worked wonders for my parents' fat cat.

1/7/2009 8:00:25 AM

make them outdoor cats. i did that with my cats and they are happier now than they have ever been. they do not come in at all and are perfectly adjusted to the weather.

1/7/2009 8:39:09 AM

Quote :

"try the arm & hammer litter that's made from corn. It's way lighter, produces no dust, and it doesn't have that signature "cat litter" smell. It's much cleaner and easier to keep fresh. "

it does produce dust, just not as much. it's much better than their regular litter, but it's also 2x as expensive for half as much. it might not be worth it.

1/7/2009 8:41:08 AM

Quote :

"Our cat will overeat. We just have to proportion his food out, and make sure he and the kittens are getting the proper amount. When left to himself, he was eating all of his food, and a good portion of the kitten food as well."

As an addendum to that, this cat was apparently a stray for awhile and then locked up at the local animal shelter for 4-5 with no food or water in a small cage.

When we first got him he would obviously scarf down any and all food available. Since then he's slowly gotten better, but I doubt that he'll ever get out of his 'opportunistic eater' mindset due to his previous experiences.

1/7/2009 9:33:23 AM

Quote :

"it does produce dust, just not as much. it's much better than their regular litter, but it's also 2x as expensive for half as much. it might not be worth it."

It absorbs a lot more per lb. The difference is probably only a couple bucks a month. If money is that tight, give up one starbucks trip a month and you've paid for cat litter that won't make you or the cat sick.

1/7/2009 10:34:00 AM

What type of food do you use? We use the Natural Choice for our cat and she hardly sheds at all and her poop doesnt smell nearly as bad as it did when we first adopted her. Also, if you are going to put them outside, don't completely kick them out. Give them a choice of being in and out. It will not go nearly as well if you just kick them out and dont allow them back inside.

We live out in the country in the woods and know our neighbors well and our cat goes out for a couple of hours a day. She still wants to come back in though and sleeps in our bed every night. She also doesn't poop or pee outside. I know one day we accidentally left her outside all day while we were at work and when we came home she was sitting at the front door begging to go inside and when I let her in, the first thing she did was go pee and poop in her box. So, they may still want to poop and pee inside.

1/7/2009 12:21:24 PM

Quote :

"If money is that tight, give up one starbucks trip a month and you've paid for cat litter that won't make you or the cat sick. "

are you responding to me or the person i'm quoting? if it's me, you are an idiot.

[Edited on January 7, 2009 at 12:44 PM. Reason : d]

1/7/2009 12:44:00 PM

On another note...we have another cat who's about 10 years old; she's small, and is a longhair with Siamese coloring and eyes. Very sweet cat. The other two are definitely alpha cats, and bully her quite a bit...to the point that she has taken up residence on the bar in the corner, and does not leave except to go to the litterbox that I had to put in the kitchen.

She's always been good about using the box, but we've had incidents where she peed on the counter because she's so afraid to get down because of the other cats. And now, my tortoiseshell cat has decided to take over the kitchen litterbox despite there being another one in the laundry room twice its size. Now Molly (the lil longhair) won't even go to the litterbox.

I think it's time my guys found a new home. It's too cold to put them outside right now, so that option is out for at least another month or two.

1/15/2009 10:23:48 AM

this is why i don't like cats.....

1/15/2009 10:26:14 AM

put your orange cat on a calorie control diet to start off with please. i can give you the kind i use that is $17/5lb if you'd like. my cat was 20lbs when i adopted him, down to 15lbs in just 2 months on the diet (1 cup a day).

[Edited on January 15, 2009 at 2:19 PM. Reason : ]

1/15/2009 2:18:59 PM

Quote :

"Yes. Cats need to roam. Your cats will be healthier both physically and mentally. Sounds like you will too. It's a win/win situation for both you."

No, they don't. If properly stimulated in the house (ours is leash trained as well) they do not NEED to roam. Outside cats have a lot shorter live span than their indoor counterparts. Even if they don't get hit by a car, they could be attacked by another animal, ingest something poisonous, be bitten by something venomous, the list goes on. Basically your cat comes home one day (if at all) limping or half dead and you don't know what the hell happened. I'm touchy about letting them outside because every cat my family has had (without fail) that was transitioned into an outdoor cat was killed by a car within a month. Some cats just have ZERO "street sense."

That said, do you have any friends or relatives that could keep them temporarily?

Quote :

"I've had many cats in my day and I've never owned one that overate. I don't think it's that common of a problem."

You'd be surprised! It's a VERY common problem over here. Dogs and cats both. Our vet was overjoyed when we brought in skinny animals. Our cat, if left to his own devices, will literally eat until he explodes. We went out of town for the weekend one time and left him an automatic feeder with a weeks worth of food. We came back a day early and he had eaten the entire week's worth and could no longer fit in his cat tree or walk between things. It was ridiculous.

[Edited on January 15, 2009 at 4:18 PM. Reason : mew]

1/15/2009 4:06:48 PM

1/15/2009 4:21:10 PM

^^1 cup of food a day is still a lot of food for an indoor cat...

1/15/2009 4:25:23 PM

Holy shit, the cat horror stories people post on here scare the hell out of me. I mean, my cat can be an asshole from time to time, but she's never had litter box, food, or hygiene issues. Good luck to you dude, that sounds like an absolutely awful situation.

1/15/2009 5:02:15 PM

Quote :

"We came back a day early and he had eaten the entire week's worth and could no longer fit in his cat tree or walk between things. It was ridiculous"

hahahahaha
I laughed so hard at the mental image of that

1/15/2009 5:31:24 PM