Cat Barf, si man

[TBoneTX 45,288]

All cats barf, si man. This scientific poll is intended to determine where your cat barfs, the physical and interpersonal dynamics of how you deal with the barf, and your general attitude toward the cat and its barf, si man.

If you have multiple cats, pick the prevailing answer or all the answers that apply.

Please explain or expand upon your choices of above, si man.

As should not surprise you, answering the "Wedgies" poll -- at http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/249659-wedgies-si-man/ -- is a prerequisite to your participation in this Cat Barf poll, si man.

[TBoneTX 45,288]

My answers to the poll depend completely on whether Mrs. T-B. is witness to (or stumbles upon) the cat barf, sigh man.

My long-standing preference is to let the barf get VERY hard until it can be easily collected in a paper towel and the rest vacuumed up. If the cat barfs by her food bowl, I leave it there in the hope (usually justified) that she will eat it again, si man. The cat probably reasons "It was good the first time, so..."

Unfortunately, Mrs. T-B. tends to go bananas (to put it mildly) when she is privy to the barf, and the barf has to be cleaned up, by me, immediately, no matter how much bigger a mess it makes to clean up the barf while it's still hot and fresh, no man.

Please share your procedures and attitudes, si man.

[luckytxn 2,264]

My wife is Vietnamese so we are not allowed to have cats.

[TBoneTX 45,288]

My wife is Vietnamese so we are not allowed to have cats.

Uh... why, man?

[luckytxn 2,264]

Uh... why, man?

Not sure. Maybe it is customs. Could be my wife is odd.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

My husband is a dog person, but indulgent of my cat involvement (we have two resident cats as well as foster cats as I volunteer for a rescue). They are my cats though, so I clean up (yes, even when pregnant- I had the toxoplasmosis test and am immune). I like to let it dry a bit, but depends where it is, as I do NOT want the kids playing in it.

[fantonledzepp 159]

My fiancé wants us to have two cats when she gets here. I like cats, though I prefer dogs, I'm lazy and don't want to take care of a dog. We'll see what happens with all the waste that cats produce and how I'll handle it...

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

I ALWAYS have to clean up the cat barf....Glyn's gag reflex is just too sensitive and I would end up with a bigger mess. I don't mind. The only time I mind it is if I don't notice it in the dark at night...and I step in it and have to hop to the bathroom to wash my foot off!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

They're my cats. Joe will pet them and sometimes play with them but every other function of their care is mine, from food, to litter box, to vet to cat barf. When I was in hospital a few years back I asked a cat communicator to explain to the cats that I was 'at the vets' and Joe would be looking after them and feeding them. Apparently one of the cats asked 'Does he know how to feed us?" That will give you an idea of his involvement in their lives.

If one of them tosses up a hairball in the bathroom and Joe gets up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, he will just step around the hairball and leave it there for me to take care of later. He also doesn't tell me if he sees a hairball so I can take care of it, so sometimes I may not notice it right away and it sits there until Joe finally asks 'did you clean up the cat hairball in xxxxxxx"? and of course, that is the first I've heard of it.

If they start the retching sound that indicates they are about to produce, I generally try to slip some paper or cardboard or something in front of them so at least it doesn't actually make it to the floor. Of course, the cats try to back up and turn away while still retching so it can be a tricky time to make sure that piece of paper is still underneath them at the time of egress. Generally, when I am around, they do let me know it is about to happen, often by making moaning cries and then heavy retching so I do have a chance to be prepared.

I agree that the ones that have sat for a while and dried out are much easier to clean up.

Best products I have found for cleaning up the stains left on the carpet? Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover (available at Lowes) and Fizzion, available at Pet Products.com.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

I have a reciprocal agreement with my felines, they agree to clean up after me when I barf. Clear barf is annoying but substantial emesis requires a two-pronged attack, newspaper to scoop up the predigested dinner, hairball, etc. and laundry detergent with various cleaners to scrub out the stains. I like to use Pine-Sol, that way it the area smells like a pine tree, man!

[X Factor 1,112]

My fiancee isn't too big into animals living in the home and so no cats for us. I am of the same mindset

[TBoneTX 45,288]

The thought was "food" barf (actual stomach contents) rather than hairballs, see man, but the intricacy of the hairball responses adds to the gravitas of this thread, si man.

[extrarius 1]

My wife generally is the one that ends up cleaning the cat barf (we have 2 cats, planning on getting 3 or more this year). But that's usually because said cat (it's only one of them) decides to leave surprises on her side of the bed and the laundry room. Just yesterday she threw up all over the entire length of her side of the bed sigh.

[Ontarkie 14,222]

We have 2 cats. My husband does really care for them but he puts up with them. The cats pretty much barf on the carpet sometimes they will on a blanket if the kids leave one on the floor. I actually don't clean up after the cats at all I let my daughter do that since she has pretty much claimed the cats. She is 16 so it is good for her to take care of all the cat chores.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

They're my cats. Joe will pet them and sometimes play with them but every other function of their care is mine, from food, to litter box, to vet to cat barf. When I was in hospital a few years back I asked a cat communicator to explain to the cats that I was 'at the vets' and Joe would be looking after them and feeding them. Apparently one of the cats asked 'Does he know how to feed us?" That will give you an idea of his involvement in their lives.

If one of them tosses up a hairball in the bathroom and Joe gets up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, he will just step around the hairball and leave it there for me to take care of later. He also doesn't tell me if he sees a hairball so I can take care of it, so sometimes I may not notice it right away and it sits there until Joe finally asks 'did you clean up the cat hairball in xxxxxxx"? and of course, that is the first I've heard of it.

If they start the retching sound that indicates they are about to produce, I generally try to slip some paper or cardboard or something in front of them so at least it doesn't actually make it to the floor. Of course, the cats try to back up and turn away while still retching so it can be a tricky time to make sure that piece of paper is still underneath them at the time of egress. Generally, when I am around, they do let me know it is about to happen, often by making moaning cries and then heavy retching so I do have a chance to be prepared.

I agree that the ones that have sat for a while and dried out are much easier to clean up.

Best products I have found for cleaning up the stains left on the carpet? Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover (available at Lowes) and Fizzion, available at Pet Products.com.

A cat communicator?