Moving in with girlfriend and her cats...

You can definitely get sick living with cats. Off the top of my head I cannot remember names but some diseases can pass through cat urine to humans. This is highly uncommon though so I would not worry. As long as the litter box is kept clean and sanitized you should be fine.

As for advice, just get to know them. I am sure they're nice cats, get a laser pointer and have them chase it around the house. You will fall in love with them in no time.

I can understand what you are saying. I just try to think of all the junk I must track in on my shoes and clothing on a daily basis. They did a test on womans purses and found all sorts of sickness causing bacteria on them...than we go and lay them on the counter top... won't even get into shoes!

But as for advice, I am wondering if you could get a self cleaning litter box. It gets rid of the stuff after each visit so you'll know that they won't be getting any grossness on their paws....it is very cool.

I just wash down my counters before I use them. Probelm solved there.

Let go of your need for control. It will make them alot more enjoyable. They never will listen and they will make messes and break things sometimes. But if you love this girl you need to do one of two things: Ignore them and just consider them to be unwanted longterm houseguests (like having the inlaws living with you for a while maybe good practice for future ) or two: enjoy their differentness (act like they are from a different country on an exchange program and you are delighted to learn their customs! )...play with them, Bengals are super athletic and very cool!! A very "manly" kind of a cat. Its also amazing how much attention and affection the person who feeds them gets...you'll be their best friend in no time!

I was the same way growing up "EW! Cats dig in their litter box, then jump on the counters? Disgusting!".. I always said I'd never own cats either because of the same thought.. how disgusting it was and how harmful it could be.

after talking to people, I got the same responses as MaxTucker and fifi1puss, posted above, and it did help ease my concerns. Years later, I did get my first cat when I moved out of my parents house.. Once I got to know him and got used to him being around, I don't give another thought to the litter box scuff on their paws and tracking it everywhere. I love my kitty and I just don't care anymore!

Remember, Babies and kids rub their butts, play with their diapers and rub their hands everywhere. Most people don't notice it because they love their babies so much to care!

maybe the same will happen to you

As for the disobedience.. It's just how they are. You may learn to love their independence and like cats just as much as dogs (or more!) since they tend to be less needy. You don't have to walk them, let them out, constantly give them attention dogs crave, etc. I, too, grew up with dogs, and after owning a cat, I don't think I want a dog in the future! Cats are less work (IMO)!

I've lived with cats all my life and never gotten sick from them. I've had my human baby for one year, and gotten sick multiple times from her!

If you want to keep the cats off the countertops - use something like Ssscat. It's a little motion detector set on top of a can of compressed air. When it detects movement it makes a sound and lets out a burst of air. The cats don't like the sound, so get away fast.

We trained our very naughty kitty very fast. I can't remember if it's Ssscat or one of the other ones, but you can change it so it's sound and air or just sound. So once they're trained, you set it to just sound, and if they jump up they hear the sound and that's enough to remind them to stay down.

It will freak you out any time you set it off though...

Oh you would go NUTS at my house hun! Seriously though, I too have always had cats and plenty of them between our own and fostering. We always have people coming to our home, potential adopters, etc. I don't get any more sick than anyone else. As long as you clean, you'll be fine. People have lived with kitties for many years without major issue.

Sounds like these kitties have you well on your way to being trained. You already have a pretty good understanding that cats do what they want, when they want, and although yes, they can be real pains in the behind, it is well worth it.

Yes, you can definitely get sick from cats, but aside from litterbox maintenance or a bite or scratch is extremely unlikely.

You do not have to tolerate cats on your kitchen counter, although I personally do not mind it and simply wipe it down w/ a anti-bacterial wipe before preparing meals and my cutting boards are all put away, so food really doesn't touch the counter regardless. The easiest means for you to achieve this is with a product called the SSSCAT. It uses a small can of compressed air with a motion sensor that can be aimed. When the cat approaches, it blasts them with a puff of air which to a cat is a frightening (but completely harmless) experience. The benefit is that this form of punishment will not be associated with yourself, and quickly the cat learns that the counters are a negative experience and avoids them so the SSSCAT training device can be removed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP5gx6Bw7v0

You do not need to worry about a cat jumping on you, unless it has soft stools and stepped in its own poo, which is not too likely. Cats in general are one of the most hygienic land mammals on the planet, devoting about a third of their waking hours to self-grooming with powerful enzymes that destroy bacteria in their saliva. A person's hands are far dirtier than just about any part of a cat, and we shake people's hands and touch very dirty car steering wheels w/o issue.

For litterbox maintenance, I would recommend investing in an organic litter that has very low and perfectly safe dust and can be safely flushed in the toilet, with a litterbox that requires minimal interaction from you. Wash your hands after, and it really can't get any more healthy than that. I like to use Swheat Scoop Multicat litter (the one w/ the green label is extra clumping) available at Petsmart in 40lb bags. This litter lasts a long time and naturally masks odors. For a litterbox itself, the two I'd recommend if you don't care to scoop are the Omega Paw litterbox which you simply roll to clean:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySGsis-W10A
^ thats what I have, recommend one for each cat + 1 spare. So two cats, three boxes.

Another but very expensive option is the Litter Robot LR2, which is fully automated:
http://www.amazon.com/Litter-Robot-A...5066236&sr=8-8
^expensive, but hundreds of nearly all 5 star reviews.

PS: Bengal cats are a beautiful breed, but are known to be VERY energetic and require lots of mental stimulation. They are not often recommended as a first or only cat for that reason, and may explain a bit why you're a bit kitty-shocked especially if the bengal is still very young and mischievous. Most cats are more chill and obedient in general.

Funny, I was just talking to the manager of the shelter where I volunteer this afternoon. We agreed that cats are not liked by most controlling people, who tend to be dog people. We've both seen some conversions.

Cats are probably no dirtier than children, who my brother refers to as "disease distribution units."

Yes, you can get a few diseases from cats. You can get diseases from spinach, salsa, and bean sprouts, too.

OMG! I am not a kid person, I'll have to remember that - disease distribution units!

Mine, too. As the proud owner of a dozen too many cats, I've never once gotten sick from them. Yet I've spent the last week sick with flu-like symptoms thanks to a co-worker. My cats are on the counters, that's where they eat & their water fountain is. They sleep in bed with me, they lick me, etc.

I don't live with cats, they allow me to live in their house & cater to their every whim. Just ask them.

That said - some people aren't cat people. And if you love someone enough to want to spend the rest of your life with them you'll both make compromises to make the living situation comfortable for each of you. There are things that can be done to make living with cats more "tolerable" (for lack of a better word) for people who aren't really cat people. One of my family members is NOT a cat person & there are 12 in my house.

As a teacher I can absolutely attest to the validity of this statement!! I can guarantee I've gotten sick WAY more from my students than from my cat.

Seriously though, I've never gotten ill because of Peanut. In the event I do become pregnant, DH will take over the litterbox just as a precaution to prevent toxoplasmosis.