Help Needed! (Long)

I am new to the forum- I found it on Google. I am in desperate need of some help. I have two female cats, both adopted (one from a shelter and one from a friend) who I have ahd for about 2.5 years. One of the cats was the runt of the litter and she has some physical and mental disabilities due to poor in utero nutrition. Her back legs don't work very well and she is a little slow. I love them both dearly but I am having major issues. Flossie, the "slow" one has never used a litter pan properly. She consistently poos on the kitchen floor (directly in front of the litter pan) and she pees in the same spot on the carpet. It is obviously a problem- I am CONSTANTLY cleaning up after her. Three months ago, my first son was born. I have become aware of the fact that I cannot keep up with cleaning in a way that I feel makes our apartment safe for him- he will be moving around in no time and I have no way of keeping him off the carpet, which is thoroughly stained with urine. I have tried every type of cleaning product- nothing gets the smell out.

Flossie has seen a vet- she has no urinary or bladder infections that could explain the litter problems. We have tried numerous types of litter, multiple pans, etc. The most luck I have had is that she will urinate on a "puppy training' pad, which at least means I can clean it up more easily.

On top of all of this, they got fleas last month. They are indoor cats! I had to bomb our apartment, spend $35 at a laundromat to wash everything washable, and pay a fortune for Advantage flea meds for both cats. Well today, a month later, I found two more fleas on Flossie! What is going on?! I gave them their Advantage again, (even though I'm almost a week early) and I am hoping for the best.

I am just feeling really discouraged. I love my cats, but I have to put my son first. It is not sanitary or healthy for him to be living in an apartment with fleas and cat waste. I am beyond exhausted from taking caring of him and trying to keep the place clean.

For the first time, I am considering trying to find another home for them because I want them to be somewhere where they will receive more love than my husband and I are able to give right now. At least if we could afford a house, and we had a basement where clean-up would be easier, that might work. But for now, I am just not sure what to do...

Please advise!

Well, personally, I was raised to believe that cats are beloved family members just like humans, and that when you adopt, you do so for life. I would NEVER give up a cat for any reason except for the safety of the cat. I recommend getting a good enzymatic cleaner such as Nature's Miracle Just For Cats (I buy it by the gallon at Petco, but it's available at other "pet" supply stores) and using it according to instructions. I would also recommend confining Flossie to an area with linoleum or other hard-surface flooring that is easily cleanable, with her litterbox, food and water, toys, bed, and scratcher; as long as the area is large enough she should be fine there, as long as she is given loving attention several times daily and her needs are attended to. Perhaps both cats could stay together while the baby is very young, if this is a concern to you. I grew up in a home where a cat was already in the family, and we were best friends and constant companions. No, he didn't have an elimination problem, but my folks, bless them! believed that raising a kid in a home with a cat was the best possible way for a kid to grow up, and I certainly agree with them. Not only are such kids generally kinder and more compassionate (if given humane education instructions by the parents, of course! and a good example to follow by them), studies prove they tend to be healthier, more resistant to illnesses of many kinds, and more loving and positive. Look on this website, also -- there are many ads here for excellent products and services that can help you and your cats stay together for a long, happy life!

THank you for your response. Believe me- finding another home for the cats is the last thing I want to do. I, too, was raised in a house with two cats, three dogs and other pets as well. I appreciate your responses. My problem is that I live in a two bedroom apartment. The only linoleum area is a small kitchen, and there is no hardwood. If confinement was an option, I would definitely go for that, but I have no place to put her. That's also a problem when it comes to isolating her and the area where she pees from my son when he starts to crawl. She pees on the carpet in front of the door to our apartment which is on one wall of the living room- there is no way to separate it from the rest of the space and if I did (with gates or something) I am afraid she will pee somewhere else.

I am going to dry the citrus idea which I read above. Any sugestions on where the fleas could be coming from?? I can't keep moving everybody out to flea spray my apartment! Not to mention the chemicals are not good for a baby.

Thanks

I do sympathise with you - these are difficult problems. especially with a baby involved. On the flea front, fleas and their eggs can live for months in carpet or upholstery, and hte Advantage will only kill them when they are onthe cat. To avoid spraying chemicals, I would buy a couple of flea collars, not to put on the cat (that could also be dangerous as they can be toxic) but to cut up into smallpieces. Keep a piecve in your vacuum cleaner to kill them as you suck them up and put other bits under the places where they sleep, the sofa cushions, chairs etc. This will help to kill them quickly. I hope you find solutions.

With living in an apartment could the fleas be coming from a neighbor???