Preparing me for motherhood
Kasia May 6th, 2008
That’s what my cats were given to me for. I’m sure of it.
Dodge (the one pictured at the top of the blog) occasionally misses the litter box. Even though I don’t use regular litter boxes, as they’re too small and I know he has this issue. No, I use Rubbermaid containers that are at least 50% bigger than standard litter boxes. Two of ‘em.
Well, he seems to have just missed the box again, and managed to hit one of the curtains while he was at it. So my office smells like cat urine (which is a treat, let me tell you), and now I’m concerned that he and/or Miko might start peeing on the curtain between now and tomorrow morning, when I’ll take down the curtains to take them to the dry cleaner’s.
At least with kids, you have a reasonable expectation that they will grow out of it at some point…
Arrrrrrgggghhhh…..something about the cat pee smell drives me to instant rage. (I don’t act on it, of course, but I do start speaking in very foul tongues). Jack’s a good boy when it comes to that.
Growing up, we had a cat who used to strike in laundry baskets - always nice when you got around to bringing “fresh” sheets up to put on the bed. That is the source of the rage, I think.
My sister has 5 cats - my niece stuck her with her “I didn’t know she was pregnant” college cat…and a resultant litter she could not get rid of. After many snide comments from friends and family, she bought something called a “Pooper Dome” which helps with the overspray and bad aim issues, and actually has some sort of optional exhaust system (Like a dryer vent to the outside, I guess). But they’re big, and not cheap.
Well, on to better subjects…
Congrats on your new fridge! Woo hoo!
Hahahha! Nothing like parenting — let me tell you! Seth tried to convince me of that when he was asking for a cat, saying that it would be good practice. I had never had a pet before, but had tons of experience with kids. One particularly frustrating day, I turned to him and said, “At least babies do not climb the drapes!”
Kit - yeah, you know, maybe I should look into one of those domed boxes. I’m just afraid they’ll refuse to use it…
Jaibee - Actually, Seth wasn’t that far off base. Pets are great practice for parenting, and they’re great for kids to have around so they learn some responsibility, to take care of something more helpless than themselves, to learn about death and loss…etc etc. But you know, a cat will never take its safety scissors and SHRED the curtains…
kids don’t pee on curtains, at least i don’t think so. are you scooping the box enough? if you had the money you could get that cool Cat Genie thing that hooks right into the sewer line. But it does seem to be a bit excessive for a cat. Oh well.
Oh dear. Kids DO climb curtains. And use them to knot together to escape the house for a kegger. But that was not until I was a teenager…
Also, curtains are useful to conceal “chile-ogliphics” - or artwork, alphabet practice, and inscriptions done in crayola on the wall surfaces behind said curtains by toddlers/preschoolers.
That was my oldest.
They are also good modesty shields during defecation at the end-stages of the diaper years, when we refuse to use the potty and prefer to poop in private, non-bathroom locations…as the 10 year old will attest. Oh, the images of telltale grunting lump of fabric adjoining the window….
But Kasia, this is no reason to throw back your engagement ring and head for the nearest abbey. Really. Kids are great. I think. I’ll let you know what the boy manages over the next year or two. They tell me I’ve no idea what lies ahead. Save room in your cell for me, wouldja?
Kit - I can envision the grunting lump of fabric perfectly. Would it get Social Services called if I discreetly videotaped it and then showed it to their prom date?
Julia - I don’t think it’s a question of how much I’m scooping (though I’ve fallen back a little from doing it every day like I try to - I’m more like every other day now, poor kitties). I think the problem is really Dodge’s bad aim, and the fact that the litter boxes are right by the window.
Canuck and I have plans to rearrange the office to accommodate his desk and books as well as mine - I think I will also find a new place for the litter boxes. Walls are much easier to clean - no dry cleaner involved. :-p
well big kitties probably have that problem. dizzy doesn’t really, but he does get a little overzealous about covering. having a covered box probably would work better or one of the top entry ones.
Get yourself to a pet store and get some Nature’s Miracle. It will get the smell out. I lucked out in that my big kitty is obsessive compulsive to the point where he goes in the litter box after the other cats to make sure they’ve covered good enough. I think it would kill him if he missed the box. My poor kitty needs valium