caution - don't read if you hate cats.

I wrote about all of our animals in a previous post.  Maddie (our newest addition) is a sweet, lovable, playful eight month old cat who loves to curl up in the corner of the couch and purrs louder than a Mack truck at idle.  She also poops in the bathtub and pees in the sink.  Originally she was meant to be an outdoor cat.  I, however, was reticent about sending her outdoors, since I have never had an outdoor cat and have known a lot of people whose cats have been hit by cars.  Eddie has always had outdoor cats and sees nothing wrong with putting the cat out.  She has claws, she was outdoors for her first five and a half months, and he built her a cat house with a piece of old carpet placed inside with her pink blanket.

It looks like a prison, but there is a pink fluffy blanket inside.

For the last week or so we've let her outside during the day and by the time I get home from work, she runs to greet me from wherever she'd been hanging out and comes inside with me.  She stays inside at night and goes out first thing in the morning.  This would have been fine.  Until today.  We were cleaning out the "cat closet"  where the litter box and food and water are located when we made a horrifying discovery.  Maddie had been peeing on the floor behind the litter box.  The smell was horrible.  Luckily the closet is tiled and a little mopping with powerful floor cleaner took care of it.  However, this was enough for me to understand that she probably just needs to stay outside.  I don't want her peeing on our new carpet, in our new (to us) house.  I don't want the house to smell like a litter box.

Why do cats always sit on paper?

I've been spoiled with Sundrop (the best cat ever).  He has never once used the bathroom outside of the litter box.  He is a model cat.  I mean sure, if you nuzzle his face and he isn't in the mood you might get a chomp on the nose.  Never scratch him on the hind leg or the belly, but with him you only have to worry about his teeth since his front claws have been removed (something I forget about with Maddie).

Long story, super long - Maddie is outside and I think she loves it.  She plays with the leaves that fall, she climbs trees and jumps back down, curls up in the padded outdoor chair, and poor Sunny stares forlornly out at her.  I think I ruined poor Sunny's life by taking away his outdoor freedom.

PS - Just kidding about ruining Sundrop's life.  He has the cushiest life ever.  If I wasn't human, I'd want to be him.

UPDATE:  Since I cried when we had to leave her outside for the night on the coldest night of the year, she was allowed to come inside and sleep in the laundry room.  She'll be inside tonight too.