Just because you love animals doesnt mean your house should smell like it!

A very good idea. If people do use cat boxes, try to scoop the poop. lol. It helps with the odor. I also use the cheap kind and change it frequently. That works for me. dl

yup if ya have cats need to have a clean box!

I agree! I think that is a form of abuse. Not to mention just plain nasty. I dont think that anyone has any reason to live that way. There are so many organizations that help with animals. People need to think realistically as to whether or not they can afford a pet in long term. Its unfair to take on an animal because you think they're cute. If a person cant afford to feed themselves, 9 out of 10 they will have a problem feeding an animal. I am going thru some tough times right now. I am doing all I can to keep it together. So I do know both sides of the fence. That's why I always stock up when I have extra cash on hand and coupons. There are also sites that offer free coupons for bags of food. If only people would THINK....... Thanks friend for listening. dl

It really is sad. Imagine how it would feel if we had to go to the bathroom on top of the waste we did the day before. Gross!!! We should treat animals as we would like to be treated. Its only fair to give a pet the best life possible. thanks dl

You poor thing! I dont know what I would have done. I guess I would have prayed that our stay wouldnt be forever. lol Its things like that, that give people bad impressions. I dont blame you for feeling the way you did. I am glad its over an you survived. dl

You are sooo right! People make me so mad when they get a kitten or puppy or whatever then as it grows up and the newness wears off, they dont do anything but feed it. I wish someone could do the same to them and then they'd see. I hope lol thanks dl

I respect your honesty. I also admire your decision not to own a pet. Your reasons are commendable. So may people dont realize the responsibility that comes with a pet. Its another living thing that you have to be responsible for. Its better now adays people have become more aware of the problems or responsibilities that come with owning pets. Its all about awareness. If people cant afford to take care of themselves properly or in a manner that they would like, they shouldnt own a pet until they have their own lives in tact. Thanks for sharing dl

I wouldnt let my children eat there either. Ammonia is a very powerful chemical. It can harm your lungs, bother your breathing as well as make you sick. Nothing is sacred if your house is overcome with cat urine. dl

I tell my friends. I love my friends dearly. I would want them to tell me if my house stunk. I have told them in the past. Its unhealthy and plain nasty if you ask me. I dont blame you for not eating their. You should wait till after you visit you may toss your cookies if you eat before. You may lose your apetite if you wait. Its better you dont go over at all. lol dl

As I always say, Dont take something if you cant take care of it properly. Its not rocket science. Youre either clean or your not. we know what we are about. If I didnt like to clean, I wouldnt get animals.dl

I am very sure its unhealthy for animals to live in a controlled environment and it isnt clean. If an animal is in the wild, they tend to clean their own areas. They dont live in unclean conditions. when a wild animal is ready to give birth, they even create a brand new den from all new items. In a domesticated animal it is the responsibility of the owner to maintain that area. All animals clean themselves to a point. People get their animals groomed by professionals everyday. Why would they want their animal to come home to a urine filled home. The point is that I have several pets and my landlord has complemented me several times. My neighbor has two cats and cant even change the litter box. She shouldnt have taken on the responsibility of having a pet if she wasnt going to give him/her the best home possible. Cleaning up after them doesnt cost alot of money. Dl

So true! And well put. I would be so embarassed if that was me. People can be so cruel. Imagine If someone, not so nice, was standing next to someone and they smelled like urine or pet? That could be terrible. As I said some people will tell you "Hey you stink, like piss" That would be sooo embarassing. I wouldnt blame them either. I take public transportation sometimes. You dont know how many time I have sat next to someone who stinks for whatever reason. I feel like telling them. You know when you smell good and you know when you smell bad. I believe its laziness and being nasty. Some people just dont give a ****! dl

Grant it if you have an indoor cat there's a chance that every once and a while you'll get a bad smell. Then you clean it and its gone. The people that dont clean will never be able to get the smell out all the way. It sinks in the rug and in your clothes. Its plain nasty! Thanks for sharing .Dont go over that friends house wearing anything special. It will be ruined. Urine is definitely not the scent of choice.lol dl

Well said friend! That's all of it in a nutshell. If you want to have a pet you have to take care of it. If they dont care about others, then at least do it for themselves. It doesnt say anything positive if your living in stink. dl

Pomeranians look soooooooooooooo cute with their shaggy coat…I would love to cuddle them but till that only

Boy can I relate to that one! My dog is a pomeranian. He is ALL hair. lol. I think that half of his weight is due to his hair. Its everywhere! I am constantly vacuuming or sweeping. My mother did my laundry for me the other day. She called an said she couldnt believe the amount of hair that was in the lint catch. I felt so dirty.... Its not my fault. I have tried everything. Brushing, Combing, Special Pet Hair Products etc. and there is still hair on everything. I wish I could shave him bald. But I also realize that Pomeranians are known for their thick shiny coats. Its my responsibility. No matter how aggrivated I get its up to me to make sure the hair is picked up and the dog is brushed daily. dl

You are correct my friend! If you take on a pet, you take on the good and the bad. I find it awful when I hear that a pet was punished for something it has no control over. For example, you cant become angry because your house is dirty, smelly, or hairy. A pet isnt able to pick up or sweep. Pets are domesticated. Meaning that they're intended to be kept around people. Its up to us as pet lovers to know when we have enough pets or to be able to make healthy choices for our animals. Thanks for sharing dl

great to hear that you've spoken to her. Read about how you actually broached the topic. It's some pretty amazing manoeuvring. I wouldn't have known how to bring this up. So happy that the animals are living in a clean environment finally. Great job, way to go. :)

I had a talk with her today. I broke it all down to her. I also told her I wasnt attacking the way she chooses to live. I am worried about the animals only. dl

I know people that have several cats and a dog. There house shows no signs of any pets. I cant believe how clean it is! I am glad you agree with me. I felt that I should offer to help clean the house. If I do that she'll never see how bad it is. She will think that help should always be given. dl

You would probably just be wasting your time to help her clean her house. She doesnt see the need to do it. I wasnt rasied my mother so on the outside looking in you can see it very well. I was rasied by my grandparents. We always had pets growing up and no smell. These people that their houses smell would probably have smelly houses even if they didnt have pets.

Thank you very much for your compliment. I was feeling so bad today. I really needed your kind words. dl

You know what I did today? After I submitted this discussion, I received so much feed back. I decided to do something about my feelings on the subject. I went over and asked if I could speak to her about something I was concerned about. Mind you she's my neighbor I wouldnt call her a friend but she's not a stranger. Kind of in the middle. I told her that I was concerned for her health and the health of the cats. I used the fact that she has asthma as a way to glide into the reason I was there. I explained that I was wondering if she wasnt feeling well because Its not like her to have a smell of cat like that. (That's a total lie she's been this way since she moved in but I didnt want to hurt her feelings).. I said that the Ammonia smell is not good for her health and that she if she needed help I wouldnt mind helping her( Please say No thanks). lol Anyways I went on to say that she is not a dirty person so I know this smell is bothering her. I made it seem like she was usually very clean. Because of this I was concerned about why she was overlooking the smell and dirtiness. In the end she thanked me and said that she was sorry for the inconvenience. She ended up cleaning the catboxes. It didnt help too much because the smell has sunk into the material on her furniture, and mattress. Its a start. At least I made her aware without huting her.dl

Wow! You handled that like a pro! You should be a diplomat or at least a mediator! You have a gift, for sure! If it's just the odor that has seeped into her furniture and not urine itself, maybe she should be made aware of Febreeze fabric deodorizer and odor eliminator, or one of the others that have recently come onto the market. I always have some here because I have two Maltese cuties who use 'training pads' (I call them pee pee pads), since they have no undercoat and are severely affected by cold, hot and wet weather. The last thing I want to see is someone entering my home and making that "face". You know the one... it's probably the same face you made when you went into your neighbor's home. If she really does clean up after these pets better because of what you've told her, I'm sure she's going to be and feel much healthier. Pet odors and asthma don't work well together, that's for sure! And the dander from the cats' skin is most likely worsening her asthma, even if she's not allergic to cats. (Febreeze makes an allergen eliminator as well.) I'm glad you didn't have to help her clean! LOL I've been in situations like that myself and always prayed that they didn't ask for my help because it would be quite involved. Actually, I have a friend whose home is filthy! I will not visit her because of that. I've offered to help her clean (using the guise of 'redecorating') when she's ready but, so far (and luckily!) she hasn't been ready. It's so filthy in her house that I don't want to spend even one minute in it! I can't understand anyone who can live in filth when they keep themselves so clean. Doesn't make sense to me. It makes my brain hurt.