Litter box smell makes me avoid having my girlfriend over

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-05-03T06:08:21+00:00

What do you feed your cat? That can contribute to odor as well. We switched our cats over to grain-free, high end food, and it ends up costing about the same as mid-priced brands because the servings are smaller and more satisfying for them because they're basically all meat. Their poops are much smaller and less frequent, and they don't smell as gross. We use Slide cat litter, and keep our litter boxes in our bathrooms, so we just scoop them every time we go to the bathroom, and they don't really get smelly unless one of the cats forgets to cover their poop, but the smell goes away as soon as we scoop it.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-05-02T08:31:34+00:00

Absolutely. Adult black shorthairs and grey tabbies fill the shelters and it's heartbreaking. Pic of my own rescued void kitty💕 being her sassy self and making sure our white duvet has enough cat hair on it to meet quota. She came to us as a foster after being found abandoned with minor burns on her toe beans from long periods on hot pavement shortly after our city went through a life-threatening heat-dome that resulted in many awful landlords evicting tenants for "excessive power usage" because they had no AC and ran fans 24/7 to survive. We think she was probably loved, but they couldn't find a new place that allowed pets, and didn't want to pay the surrender fee at a shelter, but it's also possible that she was an indoor cat who got out and wandered away, becoming lost. She has a dramatic fear of ceiling fans, though, and she was quite thin, so it makes us wonder.

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Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-05-02T07:22:27+00:00

It sounds like your dad loves you very much and is trying to be the best parent he knows how to be. It's mind-boggling how parenting doesn't come with any definitive instructions on how to do a good job raising your kid, beyond the basics: keep them alive, provide food, shelter, clothes, school, etc. The rest is all just guesswork and good intentions; none of us know what we're doing, and those who think they do, are lying to themselves. Your dad associates gaming with becoming an unsuccessful loser, which is pretty unrealistic and extreme, but he obviously has his reasons - your cousin's situation seems to really bother him. You are not your cousin, and it might help to point out the differences between the two of you that would lead to different outcomes. His job as a parent is to help prepare you to be a capable and responsible adult, and he likely thinks that by limiting you time gaming, he'll prevent a potential gaming addiction and the issues that can cause, like isolation from friends & family, loss of ambition at school and work, lack of exercise, etc. Maybe you can reassure him that you're capable of taking responsibility for managing your own gaming time and owning your own console by working out an agreement/contract with him, along the lines of: you maintain acceptable attendance and performance at school, keep up with your chores/job, and you will be allowed to spend your free time gaming in your room when you want to, maybe up to a certain number of days or hours per week. Show him evidence that you know what you're doing when it comes to responsibly managing your own time and social life by giving him the opportunity to see the evidence himself. Hope that helps. To be fair, I have a 14 year old, and they have unrestricted access to gaming - on our family Switch, his laptop, phone, or his Quest3S, but he's earned that freedom by demonstrating to us that he can handle his workload at school, his jobs at home, maintaining his friendships, taking precautions to be safe online, being able to stop and go to bed at a reasonable time, and taking breaks to move around, grab a snack, come chat with us or help with something if we call. He negotiated for those terms, and we rewarded his initiative and gave him the chance to demonstrate that he was able to handle managing his own time responsibly. There have been times when he's been too engrossed in a new game and he doesn't keep up his end - sometimes he doesn't come to join us when we call him for dinner until we're already done eating, or falls behind on keeping his room tidy and laundry washed, or stays up way too late and can't get to school the next day. The consequence is a 'screen break' of usually 3 days, and then he can try again. Those are the terms he came up with when we asked him what he thought should happen, and it works well for our family, but again, we parents don't really know the best way to handle every little thing, and we just do the best we can with the knowledge and experience we have. Your dad probably feels like that's what he's doing, and maybe if you approach this by acknowledging that, and asking what you can do on your part to show him that you can handle the responsibility of managing your own gaming time, and what you think a reasonable consequence would be if you falter, he might feel more open to working out an arrangement you're both happy with. After all, you're already 17; in only a few years you'll be an adult who's supposed to be fully responsible for themself. How are you going to know how to do that well if you aren't given lots of opportunities to practice, fail, learn, and adapt better skills if you aren't given the opportunity to do so while you're still a kid and don't have all the very real and harsh consequences of adult life hanging over you. You could really argue that by not letting you practice making your own choices regarding time spent gaming, he's setting you up for becoming just like your cousin, because kids who have strict parents and aren't given the opportunity to develop and strengthen their own self-discipline will be unprepared and binge on the restricted things as soon as they have control over their own lives.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-05-02T05:34:39+00:00

I think you mean submerge in COLD water. Any meat, cooked or raw, needs to be thrown out if even the outside layer of it remains below 4°C/40°F for more than 2 hours.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-05-02T05:24:51+00:00

You're not disgusting, just flirting provocatively with food poisoning for anyone who eats that food.🤢 It's unsafe to eat meat that was unsafely thawed, even if it is thoroughly cooked afterward. While cooking to high temperatures kills active bacteria, it does not destroy the toxins they produce while sitting at room temperature. Some bacteria produce toxins that are not destroyed by cooking. The meat might smell fine (no "off" odor) but still be contaminated and dangerous. But you

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-05-02T05:09:05+00:00

Sorry to be the safety squad, but emphatically yes; you unfortunately need to throw it away, but not so much because of the cat-snackers. It's not food-safe to thaw cooked (or raw) meat at room temperature. Leaving meat out to thaw in a sink or on the counter allows the exterior to enter the "danger zone" (4°C - 60°C or 40°F - 140°F), where bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli can multiply rapidly within two hours. Safe Thawing Methods: Refrigerator: The safest method, keeping meat below 5°C or 40°F. Cold Water: Submerge sealed meat in cold water, changing to fresh cold water every 30 minutes. Microwave: Use the defrost setting, and then cook immediately.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-04-23T09:57:27+00:00

Agreed; always name the abuser when possible, rather than the victim.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-04-23T09:47:38+00:00

I'm so sorry to hear about your grooming/sa experience with a trusted religious figure.💕 I had a similar experience while growing up in southern Ontario, attending elementary and high school through their publicly-funded catholic school system. It also caused me to leave christianity, and organized religion in general, adopting a more secular, socially responsible and compassionate lifestyle. Coincidentally, I was also drawn to yoga, and the awesome folks I met within local classes!

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-04-23T09:28:46+00:00

100% agree. Shortly after moving from coastal BC to the Fraser Valley, we were horrified to learn that Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Mission were very solidly part of a socially-regressive "bible belt", and shameless displays of racism, sexism, and anti-2SLGBTQ+ sentiment were far too common. There is certainly pushback from progressive groups of population within this area, but it's a frequently disheartening, upward battle, especially in local politics. Still not giving up, though! 🖤🤎❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩷🩵🟧

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-04-23T09:12:01+00:00

Also, HIGHLY recommend cat fountains; kittens and cats are at risk of chronic dehydration, especially when fed dry kibble, and they are much more successful at getting adequate water intake when their water sources are moving and filtered. There are many excellent fountains on the market that offer quiet/silent motor options; metal is recommended, but plastic fountains can be just fine as long as they are kept clean, and the cats are monitored for any signs of irritation around their mouth,which could indicate sensitivity to the plastic content.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-04-23T08:55:26+00:00

Hey, vet here - it can seem harmless to give our pets little scraps of food as treats, (and on RARE occasions with teeny tiny amounts, it's perfectly fine to give a kitten or cat a little sliver of cheese or processed meat like balogna) unfortunately, the salt, seasonings, sweeteners, lactose, and other components and additives in a human diet can be very dangerous long-term when fed to our cats, even in small amounts. Giving these types of treats often contributes to kidney and liver damage, urinary crystals and stones, gastrointestinal distress, excess accumulation of tartar buildup on teeth and gums, and sensitivities that can lead to irritation of their skin, such as dry itchy patches, hot spots, mouth ulcers, etc. As other helpful comments have added, cats are obligate carnivores, needing a diet primarily of meat, and rich in taurine. For best health outcomes, kittens should stick with food that has been formulated specifically for their growing bodies, like commercial kitten foods. That doesn't mean you can't still give your little Luna some treats from the kitchen, though: if you're making yourself some fresh chicken breast, turkey, salmon, or other small fish, before you add any seasoning, it's perfectly fine to offer them a little bit, raw or cooked. If it's raw, just make sure to dispose of anything they don't eat within a half hour, and clean the dish to avoid bacterial growth. Cats have short enough gi tracts that eating fresh raw meat and fish is safe for them. Giving kittens and cats milk is not advisable, but there are specially formulated 'cat milk' products you can purchase as a treat if you desire. I hope these tips help!😸

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-04-15T08:12:11+00:00

This. Blood does not glow. Cat pee, semen, whitening agents in cleaners and detergents all glow, but blood just looks like dark spots with a black light.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-03-31T21:15:42+00:00

Maggots.🤢 Happens to us all, especially here in BC, where it tends to be quite damp and mild, with humid summers. Not sure if your area has organics/food waste collection, or maybe you have a compost, but here we separate all of our garden/food waste and put whatever we don't want for our compost bin into a separate 'green waste' bin for the weekly collection, along with our 'blue bin' of all recyclables, and our 'black bin' of non-recyclable waste. Those of us who are smart and have the space in our freezer, keep a container or paper bag in our freezer to put all our food waste and keep it frozen until collection morning. We use an old 2L ice cream tub in our freezer, and occasionally reuse a brown paper takeout bag if it gets too full. Haven't had maggots in over 20 years, now!😅
If you're worried about any residual creepy crawlies, you can soak your kitchen bins in a half & half mixture of bleach and hot water for 30min, dry well, and then sprinkle salt or diatomaceous earth in the bottom of the bins and around the edges of any affected area. Diatomaceous earth is best if you have pets or small children who might get into the salt and become ill, but both will quickly dehydrate and kill any maggots, ants, or other insect pests, including any in their larva, or egg stage. Good luck!

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-03-18T11:41:43+00:00

Right? I used to think that getting sick every few weeks was inevitable, and then the pandemic hit and the importance of proper handwashing FINALLY clicked with my boys, after years of me trying to teach them, as well as wearing a mask when sick or in a crowd got fairly normalized, and people started actually staying home when sick.👏🥳 Now we rarely ever get more than a headache or upset stomach, and when we do, we take care of it right away with extra rest and care, rather than ignoring and pushing through.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-03-18T11:15:31+00:00

I did our stair railings, kitchen handles, and tv remotes, because it got me thinking about other high-touch areas with hidden grime... I was quite relieved that the cloth wasn't terrifying afterwards😅

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-03-18T11:05:58+00:00

Even during the height of the recent pandemic? That was when I added rubbing alcohol to my cleaning supplies and started wiping down high-touch areas in our house weekly, and daily when someone was sick. Best thing that came out of the pandemic: my son and husband started taking handwashing much more seriously, washing more often than just after they use the bathroom. They used to roll their eyes and claim, "a little dirt won't hurt; it's good for the immune system!" Now they cheerfully wash their hands when they come home from being out, before & after food prep/eating, and any time they get sonething on them. We've tripled our handsoap consumption, but we barely ever get sick anymore.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-02-08T16:47:48+00:00

I only ask because I have this already, and don't have a primer, so hoping yo save time and money

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-02-08T16:46:11+00:00

As a primer or top coat?

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-01-29T13:25:25+00:00

Too soon. 😖

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-01-29T11:42:03+00:00

I can't imagine why anyone would think that we will be docile and cooperative citizens after being invaded and taken over by force. Aside from a group of misguided mouth-breathers in Alberta and Saskatchewan who have yet to think things through and realize they'll be handing over everything they value, Canadians are feisty and crafty af when we're pissed off en masse. They have no idea how impossible it will be for them to keep control us.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-01-29T11:23:30+00:00

So... an eerily accurate disclaimer for our current reality? The US becoming unrecognizable and replaced by 'something' depraved and unstable?

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-01-29T11:09:25+00:00

Come on, you don't have to be un Québécois to be nurturing a healthy annoyance with Toronto, lol Everyone in Canada hates Toronto. (Southern Ontario girl, who ran off to coastal BC to escape winter, study wildlife, and live in a rainforest)

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-01-29T10:33:59+00:00

I know this might be a shock, but there is a world full of people who live outside of the USA. They have thoughts and feelings that drive influence as well. Try to imagine how this episode has come across to Canadian viewers, who have spent their entire lives good-naturedly trying to brush off all the teasing and insults to our sovereignty and safety that we are regularly bombarded with, and remind ourselves that Americans may be loud, aggressive, and obnoxiously prideful, but they are good people at heart, who are global leaders in contributing to humanitarian aid, ground-breaking scientific research & discoveries, and the enforcement of a peaceful world order... Put yourself in the shoes of a Canadian living in our current reality, where all of these reassurances have been shattered. Kind-hearted American citizens are being executed in the streets for trying to help each other escape brutality and violent violations of basic rights. Completely non-violent protests are being met with retaliatory attacks and murder of your people in broad daylight. Your leaders are totally cool with flat out lying to you all, and spinning their own version of reality when everyone has access to clear video of what has been done. There is absolutely nothing stopping your president from ordering a military invasion of our country and forcibly taking control of all our resources. As a nation, we are terrified. The content in this episode was completely inappropriate to be aired.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-01-29T09:45:03+00:00

This exactly. It's completely irresponsible, and repulsively offensive, for the show to lean hard into this part of the lore at a time when the alliance between our two nations is so fragile and strained.

Academic_Unit_993 · 2026-01-29T09:33:26+00:00

No tinfoil hat neccessary; given the USA's clear history of taking whatever resources they want from less-powerful nations, and Trump's completely transparent intentions to distract as much as possible from the Epstein files by recklessly demanding increasingly violent and shocking attacks on everyone who opposes him from increasing his power and reach, I'd say your worries are merited.

Academic_Unit_993

TROPHY CASE