Roommate's Neglect Forces Cat Into Redditor's Room, Puppy Steps Up To Defend Territory

"So I let my puppy chase the cat out of the room any time she came back in."

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• August 7, 2023

Living with roommates can be a rollercoaster. The ups and downs can range from who ate the last slice of pizza to the thermostat settings to, in this case, pet drama.

Our protagonist, a young pup parent, shares a living space with a roommate who happens to be the proud owner of a full-grown cat. The common areas are a melting pot of feline and canine antics, with the young pup not yet fully housebroken and the feline sovereign of the litter box.

Given the vicinity of a dog park and a recent outbreak of parvo, a highly contagious dog virus, taking the young pup outside for bathroom breaks isn't an option. One would think the litter box would be the least of their worries.

But one unfortunate evening, our protagonist comes face-to-face with an overflowing litter box that's giving off an unholy stench. Being a good sport, our protagonist cleans up after the cat, thinking it was a one-time thing due to the roommate forgetting to tidy up.

However, the feline resident seems to have taken a liking to the young pup's space. The protagonist returns to find cat poop on the pup's towel.

A sight no puppy parent wants to behold. At first, our protagonist thinks it's the pup who's been stealthily raiding the litter box. But soon after discovering another piece of 'evidence' and a covert visit by the cat to the puppy's room, it becomes apparent who the real culprit is.

Not wanting to deal with cat poop in the puppy's room, our protagonist decides to let the puppy chase the cat out of the room each time it tries to enter. The usually gentle puppy doesn't normally chase the cat, and such behavior is discouraged.

But in this scenario, our protagonist feels it's a small price to pay to keep the room clean. Sharing a living space is all about compromise and respect.

It's vital to keep open lines of communication with roommates, especially when pets are part of the equation. Our protagonist isn't trying to promote animosity between the two animals but rather is trying to set boundaries.

It's a tricky situation and a fine balancing act between keeping the peace and keeping a clean room.

OP asks:

She has a puppy and her roommate has a cat. That cat loves to do its number one and two in OPs room.

OP now lets her puppy chase the cat out of the room but actually feels sorry about that

OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the a-hole:

"You really want to discourage the chasing of cats with your dog."

OP responded:

OP could just close the door. However, that doesn't solve the cat neglect problem

There would be no problem if the litter box was cleaned properly.

OP is not responsible for the fact that her roommate doesn't clean after her cats

Roommates need to work together here

OP responded to a question:

It's clear that the real issue here isn't the cat's inclination to relieve itself in the puppy's room or the puppy chasing the cat away.

It's about the roommate failing to maintain the litter box, which nudges the cat to look for cleaner alternatives. It's a basic animal instinct to look for a clean space for their business, so we can't really blame the cat.

Our protagonist is stuck between a rock and a hard place, feeling heartbroken to let the playful puppy chase away the cat but also wanting to keep her room clean. It's a tough situation that could be easily avoided if the roommate stepped up their game when it comes to taking care of their pet's needs.

Damjan