- Joined
- Aug 8, 2007
- Messages
- 3
- Purraise
- 1
Hi. My first post here. I try to discuss this with my wife but I feel I may be unnecessarily guilting her so I figured I'd try to seek advice from somewhere. Googling "cat forum" got me here.
I love my cats very much. I love my wife very much. My wife loves my cats very much. Everyone loves everyone... no question there.
One of my cats simply panics when someone comes to the door... or when the vacuum cleaner is going... or when it rains... or when something moves... or doesn't move. She's a freak. Its kind of funny really. But the thing is, she also has a history of urinal tract problems and one vet told us it could be because of stress.
Ok, back up. We bought a house a few months ago that's too big for us and the entire downstairs is empty - no furniture, nothing... not even using it for storage. French doors that are easy to push open are the way in. Through the main room down there, there is a small unfinished room - no windows, dark, cool. For whatever reason, this is the spot our cat goes when she's scared. She also just seems to go there to chill quite often. For all intents and purposes - its her spot.
For reasons I can't explain - my wife has a real (I think irrational) problem with her going down there. She's quick to say its the cat hair, but I don't get it - we don't use the space anyway and she's just as hairy upstairs. Granted, I'm not the one that does the vacuuming (dishes, lawn, and bathrooms are my jobs).
We went on a 2 week holiday recently, and before we went she insisted I find a way to barricade it. We put a bunch of weights blocking it - over 50lbs - and "tested" it by ringing the doorbell, and the cat made her way through it... and I'm sure it wasn't comfortable on the way through. I told her I'd figure something out but it would have to wait until after the vacation... I was stalling.
Now we're back. She brought it up again. I've tried saying I think its best for her health that we just let her have her spot and deal with it. My wife gets guilted really easy so I don't want to push it unless I'm more convinced I'm right. And maybe I'm not.
So what do you say? Do I do as my wife says and block the doors (install surface bolts), or do I insist we allow our cat, who obviously has nerve issues and chronic urinary problems, to simply have the spot she's chosen that - for the foreseeable future anyway - we aren't even using.
Or do I compromise - let her have the spot but shave her
Thanks.
- Steven
I love my cats very much. I love my wife very much. My wife loves my cats very much. Everyone loves everyone... no question there.
One of my cats simply panics when someone comes to the door... or when the vacuum cleaner is going... or when it rains... or when something moves... or doesn't move. She's a freak. Its kind of funny really. But the thing is, she also has a history of urinal tract problems and one vet told us it could be because of stress.
Ok, back up. We bought a house a few months ago that's too big for us and the entire downstairs is empty - no furniture, nothing... not even using it for storage. French doors that are easy to push open are the way in. Through the main room down there, there is a small unfinished room - no windows, dark, cool. For whatever reason, this is the spot our cat goes when she's scared. She also just seems to go there to chill quite often. For all intents and purposes - its her spot.
For reasons I can't explain - my wife has a real (I think irrational) problem with her going down there. She's quick to say its the cat hair, but I don't get it - we don't use the space anyway and she's just as hairy upstairs. Granted, I'm not the one that does the vacuuming (dishes, lawn, and bathrooms are my jobs).
We went on a 2 week holiday recently, and before we went she insisted I find a way to barricade it. We put a bunch of weights blocking it - over 50lbs - and "tested" it by ringing the doorbell, and the cat made her way through it... and I'm sure it wasn't comfortable on the way through. I told her I'd figure something out but it would have to wait until after the vacation... I was stalling.
Now we're back. She brought it up again. I've tried saying I think its best for her health that we just let her have her spot and deal with it. My wife gets guilted really easy so I don't want to push it unless I'm more convinced I'm right. And maybe I'm not.
So what do you say? Do I do as my wife says and block the doors (install surface bolts), or do I insist we allow our cat, who obviously has nerve issues and chronic urinary problems, to simply have the spot she's chosen that - for the foreseeable future anyway - we aren't even using.
Or do I compromise - let her have the spot but shave her
Thanks.
- Steven