I swear I am going to snap

[Tonya]

I know it's became more of a power struggle then anything for me and I'm probably totally blowing things out of proportion. But how freaking hard is it to scoop a litter box daily?! I even got a little laxed, and only nagged my husband every three days or so. And how difficult is it to clean it out every other week?! It hadn't been cleaned out in a month and even with the scoopings it was stinking so bad. I just had to stand over him and explain detail by detail on how to clean it out. He was wanting to just hose it off and let it air dry. I don't want to air dry it because the cats will find something else to pee on in the mean time. And I want detergents used on it because it STINKS! I've taken care of this daily since we've had the cats and never complained. This is the one single task that I've asked him to do while I am pregnant. To top it all off, he's the one begging for us to keep them despite Jaden's allergies. If he wants them so bad, why doesn't he clean up after them?!

Thanks for hearing me blow off steam. Me typing this has probably saved my husband's life.

[leslie]

There is no reason you should have to nag him. you are forbidden from this litter box duty!
So, as soon as he empties the old stuff out, pour a quarter cup bleach in the box and run, tell him to spray water in it and start scrubbing! When his eyes burn from bleach mixed with pee (ammonia) he'll maybe understand why you can't do this duty. I use bleach. I don't have a hose or a bathtub. I have to pour a bucket of hot water into the litter box in my tiny bathroom, then add some bleach and wait for 10 minutes for the stuff to soften. And yes, my Scamper has once peed on the floor waiting for me to be done with this chore! (I like air drying, but only because it seems more sanitary than using towels - don't know where I got that idea.. probably an old nursing thing...! but NOT necessary! towel dry and get it down!)
Are you using scooping litter?

[kt_luvs_kitties]

CONGRATS on your pregnancy. I did not know that you were .... but I hope that you and hubby can come to some kind of agreement soon. I know how it feels to think that they are inconsiderate *which most of the time they are* but I just breathe and stay calm, try not to strangle mine and hope that he gets his common sense back! lol So I know that wasnt much advice, but GOOD LUCK! (hopefully after you showed him once, he got the hang of it, knows it pissed you off, and will do it more often now)

[catfamily]

With past UTI infection from one of your cats..you need a box handy at ALL times.You should explain that too him.The way I got through to my husband is to totally FLIP out on him.He usually listens then.Woman are dangerous when pissed off.So show him your good side.LOL
My husband is very good.But in the beginning he played stupid a lot.Just the first 2 years though.He came around.And he's accually a big help now..with a smile I might add.

[NoahsMommy]

I've decided that most men are lazy idiots...

While I was in the hospital, Phoebe pee'd on David's blanket that was on the bed. The only time she's ever done that is right after her spay surgery when she was inflammed and couldn't hold it. He got all hissy because he realized he actually have to do it...when I got home he needed a gold star because he cleaned three of the seven...I know he left the ones in Livvy and Jonah's room...it smelled really nice when I came home.

Wanna guess why? I had cleaned out the boxes Monday night. Tuesday is when I was in pain, so I didn't get to them. David didn't think they'd like a clean place to go potty and walk. Nice! I'd love to put HIM in a cage and see how he likes walking in his own poop and pee!

Noah got sick because David only fed them when he realized the bowl was empty. On Thursday night from the hospital, I called my friend who is a tech to go make sure he was scarffing and barffing and not ill.

Vent away, Tonya. I'll help!

[catcrazylady]

My personal opinion is that some men (thats for Richard) act stupid so they don't have to do it again! I can not convince myself that men are as dumb as they act sometimes!!!

[K & L]

Have you considered looking into the electric cleaning type litter boxes? We have one and it's wonderful. All you have to do is add litter on occasion and when the tray is full, remove it, replace with clean one, and your done. The box does all the work! They're a bit pricey, but sounds like it would be worth it in your situation. Good luck!

[catmandu]

I dont see,what the trouble is,as I clean six boxes,three times a day,and clean them out,once a week,as love My Found Cats,and would not like,to use a unflushed tiolet,and thier sense,of smell,is much more acute,than ours!

[christa]

Isn't it dangerous for a pregnant woman to fool with a litter box? I've always heard that pregnant women shouldn't be around a littler box . . . ???

Anyway, if this is the case and your hubby thinks that it might harm the baby, he might step up and do better.

I also agree with K&L . . . we have a LitterMaid and I wouldn't trade it for anything! It's great, scoops itself and all you have to do is replace the receptical when it fills up.

Hang in there . . . men aren't always the smartest creatures!

[catnapper]

Ugh. I know I'd have the same problem if I were pregnant. It seems as if they don't smell the smell because they don't want to.

Don't laugh, but could you "blackmail" him a bit? Hide the remote control to the tv every day until the scooping is done? Or something of the sort.... silly but it might get through to him that you are serious. And then he'd realize its no big deal, a plastic bag, a few scoops, and he's done.

[Tonya]

Yes, it is dangerous for pregnant women to clean litter boxes. We looked into the self cleaning ones the last time I got P.O.'d and Mike said "That's just lazy, there's no way I'm paying that much...I'll scoop everyday." It's hard for me to break down and buy one too because I don't mind scooping litter. It was in my daily routine and I didn't even think about it. It only took about 30 seconds.

I woke up this morning and felt a little embarrassed for typing this. I was thinking that you all would think I'm such a prude and whatnot. Then I came on to read that you have had similar experiences. lol. Thanks for understanding my anger.

Kelly- that sounds exactly like what my husband would do. I can't imagine what's going to happen around here when I go to the hospital to have the baby. He always expects a gold star when he cleans boxes too. I'll be out somewhere and my cell phone will ring and I'll be all "Hi, honey what is up?" "Oh, nothing...I just finished cleaning out the litter box....wow, it was messy I had to scoop 5 poops, and 3 pees, and there was this one spot in it that I had to scrub, and...."

Wow, Mike, that must have been tough.