One gigantic litter box

[Medusa]

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.

[Freedom]

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!

[Medusa]

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.

[catmandu]

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!!!

[Medusa]

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!!!

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?

[lvpets2002]

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..