I moved in with my roommate in November. We’ve gotten along very well, and I enjoy her a lot as a person. But I have to say that things are... much better since I moved in.
Prior to moving in, the litter boxes had obviously not been scooped or changed out in awhile (and by awhile I mean a few weeks; when I came by two weeks later prior to moving in it had not been changed). The smell of ammonia permeated the apartment. Her old couch was a couch she got from a friend when she was in her early 20s (she’s now 30), and the rug underneath smelled of cat piss. The dishwasher hadn’t been run in a hot minute and had started to build up mold. I found things in her fridge that expired in 2015.
I’ve tried to pick up on things she’s fallen behind on (and replaced a few pieces of furniture) and she seems very grateful, and I don’t really mind doing it except that she seems slightly miffed by how her cats are responding to it.
I grew up with cats (one at a time, two total). I know how to play with them, I know how to be affectionate with them, I know how they like their spaces (like the litterbox) clean, etc. So I’ve been trying to fill in. Making sure their areas are clean. Providing spaces for them to window watch. Getting toys and scratch pads, cleaning out water and food bowls, and so on and so forth.
These two cats are the first cats she’s ever owned. She’s had them for 4 years. I once place with them for about 20 minutes and she said that that’s probably the most playtime they’ve ever had. She doesn’t refresh the water or really notice when it’s out.
I just don’t know if she really knows how to take care of them, or even has the energy to. So I’ve been trying to. And I think as a result they spend more time with me and show me more attention.
At one point I approached her about all of this and asked her (more politely than I’m phrasing this) to take better care of them, and she said she would and then four days went by without the litterbox scooped. Their water bowl was dry and they were acting out because they were bored.
I don’t want to like, steal her cats or anything. I was actually kinda looking forward to not having any pets to take care of. But I’m afraid if I just leave it to her then they’ll suffer because of it and I don’t feel very good about that.
Should I just risk it and let her take the full brunt of it? Ask her to move the litterbox into her bathroom? Start locking them out of my room? Or is it ok if I keep on how I am? I don’t enjoy doing all of it but it’s not really a hassle for me either. It’s manageable, especially if it means that her cats are getting a better quality of life.
I dunno. I’m torn.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/astcqw/my_roommates_two_cats_like_me_more_than_her_and_i/
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