Need to vent to cat people...

OK... so I am 23 and I work 70 hours/week because my day job doesn't give me enough money to get by (lots of debt). So as a result I am never home with my baby (my kitty Shiraz) except when I come home to sleep. What's worse is that she is always in my room because she will attack my roommate's cat if she get's out and I just dont have the time to bring them out together, and my roommate is kind of half-azzed on the situation because her cat is walking around the house so she's not as concerned, although she does go in to my room when I'm not there to sit with her for a little while sometimes. I just am so sad because hopefully i will only be at this night job for about 2 1/2 more months, but I just want to be with her and she has been pooping outside the box and I'm trying my best to deal with it but it's so hard to find a minute to think. AND i been babysitting for this 6 year old kid from last saturday to thursday morning... so i been sleeping at his house because it's far from mine and I've had to bring him to daycare, blah blah. So i guess I'm just sad because I miss her and I wish i could give her more time right now and I know she's sad
I wish money wasn't a problem, then I could go home to her every day after work...

Most importantly, WHY is your cat pooping outside the box? Please read this thread. It could be a medical problem. Even if its not, it should give you some insight. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...threadid=19767
I feel for you having to work so much and missing Shiraz. I don't want to sound harsh, but I feel worse for your kitty. If I were you I would give up the babysitting. I know you need the money, but 1) can you give him good care being as tired as you are? and 2) I can't imagine babysitting is very lucrative. I understand debt (BIG understatement), but sometimes time is more important than money.

When you DO get home, please make the time to play with your kitty for awhile. She really needs you.

Yes it does sound like your kitty needs you...remember she sees you as her mommy, and if it's not a physical issue (Rockcat had good advice) than perhaps it's an emotional one (with her pooping outside the box). I wish you all the best though, I know what it feels like to be burning the candle at both ends. Even though it may give you more money..your sanity is so much more important. I'd give up the babysitting job..or you might burn yourself out!

you might try a 2nd box ( I know it will crowd the work, and I sympathize) for her to poop in. My cats use 2 different boxes. As for your work situation, I do commiserate! And it's not just you - it's the economy - as of 1/2004, 45 states had higher unemployment rates than pre-recession, and since last year alone, 2.7 million fewer people had a private pension plan. The average wage is lower,too.
As for your job, babysitting is a rough way to make a living.
Is there any way that you might try waiting tables? You get the state minimum, plus tips. Dinnerhouses are the best, both in percentage & positive work environment. since you enjoy cats, you probably have the non-verbal communication skills that are so very handy in waiting tables. And some of the other pluses are fewer hours for more money; if you get guests that make you miserable, no worries, they'll be leaving soon; meeting people is so much fun - every life has a story - every shift is like getting to go to the movies or read a good book! Well, off my soapbox for now!
Hang in there! We are all rooting for you! susan

Ok just want to clarify something... I am just babysitting for the past 5 days so I couldnt sleep at home... but my second (night) job is at a mortgage company, and although I wish it was less hours, it is very good money for a night job ($13/hr) and i am making 14.25/hr at my day job but only about 36 hrs/week, not full time because it's long term temp... the night job is temp, so it's only for a few months but I can't have all my checks bouncing either... the only reason why I wouldnt want to wait tables is because it will take up my weekends but I guess maybe I should consider that after this one is up, or something of the like. Yes I understand, I feel bad for her too, I saw her today and it broke my heart how much she missed me.
I put 2 boxes in there, I just have to clean them both and one has a different litter so I am going to put the same kind in the other one... I bought it at petco on saturday, just havent been able to do it yet. It's very stressful and it'd be so much easier if she got along with the other cat, then she'd at least be able to be out with her and with my roommate when she's home.
I'm just incredibly fustrated because I know I need extra income and I know she needs me to bring her out and associate with the other cat, etc... I saw throw up on the rug today too and now I have to call the vet... I just am so tired and she is my priority but I also cant go with not enough money to live either.
Just wish things were different

If you do a search here in introducing a new cat you will find a lot of great information on the proper ways to do it. Maybe if you and your roomate worked at it the 2 cats could be slowly introduced to each other and have a better chance of getting along. Of course your kitty would be a lot happier having more time with you, but in the meantime it would be nice for her to not be confined to one room and to have a playmate.

Originally Posted by squirtle

If you do a search here in introducing a new cat you will find a lot of great information on the proper ways to do it. Maybe if you and your roomate worked at it the 2 cats could be slowly introduced to each other and have a better chance of getting along. Of course your kitty would be a lot happier having more time with you, but in the meantime it would be nice for her to not be confined to one room and to have a playmate.

Click to expand...

I have brought her out on the harness a few times and she still tries to go after the other cat. I have heard from people with a lot of cats that you can pretty much get any cat to tolerate another, (i just want to go to work and not think that one is getting killed) but i have no idea how to do it. they've smelled eachother for 4 months now through the door... i just feel like letting them go and then squirting mine when she goes to attack. but i dont think that's great either. im wondering if they will be ok if i block off the kitchen and let her in there and put their food next to the gate and so they can be with eachother but not "with" eachother... all day... i'm thinking shiraz might climb 2 gates but maybe not??

i am so fustrated and i want them to just get along, she's been in that room for too long, she's too lonely.

Can you get a temporary screen door for the room she is in?
That way they can see each other too?
Or if there is the risk of one tearing through the screen, get like 3 baby gates and stack them up in the door way. Then they can see and reach and smell each other.

Originally Posted by Jen

Can you get a temporary screen door for the room she is in?
That way they can see each other too?
Or if there is the risk of one tearing through the screen, get like 3 baby gates and stack them up in the door way. Then they can see and reach and smell each other.

Click to expand...

Omigod Jen I love you. HAHA I'm so glad you said that because my boyfriend suggested that and that is exactly what I'm going to do. I hope after doing that for a week or 2, maybe she will calm down a bit and they will have all day to sniff eachother, etc and then maybe I can eventually let her out with the other one, it's so fustrating to keep her in that room as you can imagine, I just want them to tolerate eachother, they dont necessarily have to bathe eachother I just hope she doesnt try to climb it and jump over.