Nov 03 2008
Messy guests
What do you do when your guests make a mess?
Crumbs scattered on the couch, ground into the carpet, sweating beverages leaving marks on the coffeetable….
The kittens haven't learned to clean themselves yet.
Seems like the mature, honest thing to do would be to proactively discuss the matter with the messy guest. But for those of us who avoid confrontation and fear hurting people’s feelings, is there any way around a direct conversation?
Certainly relationships are more important than clean houses, but this doesn’t mean we can’t have some expectations for our guests’ respect, right?
Sed and Awk are certainly the messiest guests we’ve ever had. They poop in corners when they don’t see a litterbox nearby. They poop in the litterbox and then scoot their stinky, sticky butts accross the floor. They knock things over to enjoy the noise and the big reaction from the tall ones. They leave wet spots on the blankets they suck on for comfort.
So Chris helps Sed clean up after dinner.
These are the very reasons that we’re still referring to Awk and Sed as “guests.” It’s not that messy guests aren’t worth having around, but if watching messes unfold, and cleaning up later, takes the fun out of having friends over, it’s not a good way to spend time with people (or cats).
Anyone have tips on confronting messy guests? Or emotional pep-talks to keep from stressing out about the mess?
Or kitten potty-training tips?!
thanks for the article anna lisa . . .
i gotta’ say one way you help me to be a clean guest . . .
is by example.
you always put a saucer under your filled drink glass,
when i never think to do it –
so i see you doing it, and then do it!
also, depending on how well you know your guests,
and whether or not they prrrr,
you could always ask, “hey do you mind helping me with . . . ”
and maybe the “with” is a mess THEY made –
so a bit more gentle then those difficult direct conversations . . . ?!
my thoughts for which you inspired!
love you,
keller
Annalisa
We found out the hard way that mama cat does not “train” her kittens on the use of a litter box. But if you pen the kittens in a small, closed room (we used a with the litter box in those early days, they do begin to use it. We had one cat that never used the box, only our basement floor! Fortunately in that house we had cement only so it could be easily scrubbed. But it was after that exercise in learning that we found out how to train for use of a box.
But they are so cute otherwise!
Dottie?”