One gigantic litter box

I had some work done in my home and the workers were late. They said that they had just come from the filthiest home they had ever seen and it made them so sick that they almost went home for the day. The people have a "cat room" where only 2 cats stay but they're allowed to roam the house, of course, and they use the house as their own personal gigantic litter box. They said that the smell was so bad that they gagged and gagged and had to run outside to get their breaths. I asked if the people are old, perhaps unable to care for themselves any more, let alone their animals and they said "no", that the people are young, just lazy. Then one of the men said "Y'know, we've done work for you before and we never smell anything in here and you have cats. How many do you have?" I said "7" and he said "Why doesn't your house smell bad?". I said "Well, it's a matter of choice. I have to keep up w/it, that's for sure. People like the ones you saw this morning give the rest of us cat lovers a bad name and it's always those people who make the news, too." I had to take them in the basement where all the litter boxes are and he said "It doesn't even smell down here. There was litter everywhere in that house, too." and I said "Again, it's a choice. Ya gotta drag out the vacuum cleaner and handle it. Litter sticks to paws and my cats are no exception. They track litter, too, but I vacuum every day. Those people apparently allow it to build up." They both laughed and said "Build up? This is the cats' house, not theirs. The cats run the place." This made me feel sad, for the people and for the cats. What a life, huh? Of course, I didn't tell them that I have 4 cats on meds to keep them from peeing everywhere because they said they couldn't smell anything so why make cat lovers look worse in their eyes? But it brought the fact home that people do notice so call me obsessive but I don't want people wrinkling their noses or worse, running out of my house to gag because it smells so bad in here. This story sure stayed w/me, I can tell ya.

And what a nice compliment to you and all the hard work you do is paying off. I sometimes wonder if the house smells; I know we can get used to our 'own' smells and not notice. So this was especially nice for you to hear it without even asking!

Until recently, I had a house cleaning business and I went into homes that I would never even consider cleaning and I told the people point blank "I will not clean this place" because I knew that I'd come back in a week and the place would be filthy again. A lived in house is one thing; a place that's been neglected and people just don't care is quite another. I think it was cleaning other people's homes that made me even more aware of my own house and how it appears and smells to others.

I Think Thats Why A Lot Of Animals Are Abandoned As People Think That Having Pets Is All Fun, And Now Work.
Well Theres No Play Without Work , Something People Dont Seem To Realize.
With My Health Issues I Keep My Hotel As Clean As Possible And My Auny Joan Often Says That You Would Never Realize There Are Cats
Here Which I Love Of Course As A Compliment!!!

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Originally Posted by catmandu

With My Health Issues I Keep My Hotel As Clean As Possible And My Auny Joan Often Says That You Would Never Realize There Are Cats
Here Which I Love Of Course As A Compliment!!!

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See there? That just proves that cleanliness is possible. You have health issues, Gary, and so do I, unfortunately, but we do our best to keep our homes sanitary and pleasant. Those people live in that filth. That's the part I don't get. If it smells so bad that it gags someone to the point where they have to go outside to get their breath, surely those people smell it. I know that sometimes we can live w/something and after a while become used to it. But this goes above and beyond, don't ya think?

;) Oh I keep my litter boxs cleaned out twice a day.. I keep Air Solids Nutralizers around all over the place.. I have had people come in also & be amazed at the cat toys & ect.. But cannot smell the cats.. Pleases me as well for the nice compliments.. Sad story about these people & their lack of cleaness concerns.. You know this is not healthy for the cats at all..

It isn't healthy for the people either. Can you imagine eating a meal in their home? Not bloody likely!

My cat has allergies so sometimes he sneezes and leaves boogers on our walls or carpet and we have to get it off asap because once it dries its even more of a hassel.

Oh yeah, that's a pain. My Pidge sneezes on my windows a lot and I keep the Glass Plus people in business.

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Originally Posted by Medusa

It isn't healthy for the people either. Can you imagine eating a meal in their home? Not bloody likely!

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:( Yes that true Medusa = However I wasnt thinking too much about these IDIOTS due to they can do something about it.. But the poor cats CAN NOT & have to live this away.. If I walk in house that is that way You can just bet your bottom dollar I WILL be getting these babies out of that kind of living condition.. :mad:

My BIL worked for the Electric Company, and he could tell tons of stories where he would have to go into peoples homes, and they would be Disgusting!! Just like the houses you described, he called them all Giant litter boxes. It is amazing how Gross people can be. The most disgusting thing is, he had seen houses like that, with Little kids as well!! :eek: Could you imagine raising Kids in filth like that???

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Originally Posted by critter crazy

Could you imagine raising Kids in filth like that???

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No, I sure can't. I do feel bad about the cats, for sure. I do not feel sorry for the people because they're young and can get off their behinds and clean the place. But I've learned the hard way that I can't save them all. I'm just glad that I wasn't there to see it.

Years ago I worked in a dental office. One of our patients was the sweetest man but he had some health issues. He was either a bachelor or divorced (I can't remember) but lived only with cats. He never told us how many. He occasionally came in with his clothes smelling like cat pee and I am assuming he didn't realize it because his house probably smelled the same way. It was very sad. The people that you describe are a different story. Able-bodied lazy people are a pet peeve of mine.

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Originally Posted by Pam

Able-bodied lazy people are a pet peeve of mine.

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I'm w/ya on that one. As I mentioned, cleaning houses made me realize just how people live. Not all people, of course, but some of the dirtiest people didn't have any animals whatsoever, so they couldn't blame it on that. I gave an estimate for a housecleaning for people who were ankle deep in balled up newspapers. I asked "Did you just move in?" and she answered "No. Why?" I asked "What's w/all the newspaper on the floor?" and she said "Oh, y'know!" I said "No, I don't know. Tell me." She said "I guess we just miss the waste basket sometimes." Yeah, ok. I told her that I wouldn't clean for her and she called me several times asking me to reconsider. To add insult to injury, their 15 year old daughter asked me "Do you clean the blades of the ceiling fan?" Ok, there's mold on your floor but you want to know if I clean ceiling fans? That pissed me off and I asked "Will you be writing the check?" and she said "No", so I said "Then don't ask me the questions." If they had been elderly and/or disabled and unable to clean their home, different story. But again, these were young people w/kids and they all acted as though to live that way was completely normal. And they didn't have pets either. Aside from the fact that I work way too hard for my money and I like a clean environment, I would never subject my animals to such filth. My animals have always been family members. Yes, I do believe in "people first" but I take excellent care of my furkids and if I personally know of anyone who mistreats an animal and that includes not keeping a clean, healthy environment for them, I will step in. We are, after all, caretakers of this planet and its inhabitants.

And my mother wonders why I have a vacuum cleaner (and then some) on every floor of the house. You need to have them, otherwise, the cat fur and litter will take over.