Completely devistated

[Britishgurl123]

Im having to rehome my cats.
It all started with one. I had him for 2 years and he is my world, so i got him a friend so he wouldnt be lonely whilst i was at work. She was lovely and they bonded instantly.
We had every intention and means to take care of them properly.
Then my husbands mum died. Instert a 5000 pound funeral cost. And we took in her much older cat.
Another month passed and my dad became homeless so we took in his cat too. (Probably stupid and now we had four cats) .
Then amidst all this the little girl we got became pregnant. Then came 5 kittens, 1 died. We managed to find good homes with friends for 2 of them.
But now the tally is six cats.
During all this i was pregnant and its been a whole year of six cats now.
Its been argument after argument with my husband because we dont have the time or income to support the cats. Neither one of us has time to change the litterbox which hasnt been cleaned now in 3 months (absolutely foul i know) and theyve started going toilet in my daughters toy box. Im completely devistated because i know i have to surrendet them to a shelter, but dispite us not properly caring for them we do truly love them. I wish there was something we could do
But the mounting costs that it takes to uphold six cats it mad. And i telll my partner over and over again that if any of them got sick we couldnt help them because we couldnt afford too.
I guess i need consoling that giving them up is the right thing to do

[Oddsocksandmeatballs]

It is absolutely the right thing to do, they will be much better off with someone who loves them and can spare a minute or two to clean out their litter box.

[Ragaroo]

It's the right thing to do. You should have ideally rehomed them before considering taking them in. I rehomed my cat's kitten, he was sooooo lovely but my cat (his mum) turned against him and it was the right thing to do.

[Snowwontbelong]

Unfortunately your bid to save these poor cats has gone horribly wrong op.
They actually need saved from neglect - by the one meant to be providing for them.
Ring someone today.
Failing them any longer my result in action being taken against you.

[LittleLongDog]

If you’re not taking care of them then you must absolutely find them better homes.

’Neither one of us has time to change the litterbox which hasnt been cleaned now in 3 months’
^ This though, is not on. In the time it took you to write this post you could have cleaned it. Go do it now.

[AppleJuiceFlood]

I’m sorry but if you truly loved those cats you would find the time to clean out their litter box.
You have certainly done the right thing though In coming to the realisation you need to rehome them.

[Britishgurl123]

I have called the rehoming shelter and im waiting for a callback. As for the litterbox i know its wrong. And no its not a 5 minute job, with 6 cats its a 30 minute job. And it costs about 40 pounds a week for the litter because they went through so much. And we tried every type of litter there was to try find a less expensive alternative. Having six cats means we have 6 litterboxes. As every cat you have hasto have their own litterbox. The intention is there. We just have nor the money or time. But dont tell me i dont love them. I came here for support and honestly if i didnt truly love them i wouldnt be trying to give them a better life

[RLOU30]

If you have time to write this post or even be on Mumsnet when at home, you have time to clean the litter box. Not good.

[mrssunshinexxx]

This makes me sad ☹️

[Lauren83]

I have 6 rescues myself and it takes 5 minutes to change their boxes, if you can't give them one each let them at least have 1 or 2 clean ones, they will share rather than have non at all. Litter is not that expensive either. Do them at least one last favour and make their last few days with you a little more comfortable and sort their litter trays out

[LittleLongDog]

’Having six cats means we have 6 litterboxes’
I know how long it takes to change a litter box. If you can’t do all 6 right now go and do one or two.

[fleshmarketclose]

Poor cats how awful for them. Doesn't your house stink? Can you honestly say that in the last three months neither of you has had 30 minutes free?

[AppleJuiceFlood]

Cats aside for a moment too, it must be an utter health hazard for your family.
If you can’t clean up for the cats, do it for your daughter.

[peachgreen]

Sorry but if you're not willing to find half an hour to clean out your cats' litterboxes then I don't see how you can claim to love them. I know life with a baby is hectic but I'd sacrifice sleep to make sure my pets were comfortable and my home hygienic. Half hoping this isn't real.

[PurpleDaisies]

Giving them up is absolutely the right thing to do.

The way that you’re treating your cats is awful.

[Britishgurl123]

Just a correction 3 weeks not months ( not that thats any better) but thanks to everyone for roasting me and making me feel like a dispicable human being. I needed emotional support and instead i want to off myself. Fantastic crowd here. If you think i dont already feel shit than your honestly stupid and unempathetic at all.

[peachgreen]

OP, I sympathise that you're upset at having to give up your pets, but honestly, saying you haven't been able to find half an hour to clean out litter trays in the last 3 weeks / months (whichever it is) is inevitably going to get people's backs up. It's not good for them, for you, or for your baby. Go clean out the litter trays now - make it your priority for this evening.

I'm sorry you're going to have to rehome your pets. I couldn't care effectively for six cats and my baby either, so I think you're doing the right thing. But you need to make the effort to ensure they're comfortable until you're able to rehome them.

[Lauren83]

You have posted to say you are neglecting your animals basic needs due to being too busy and you got sympathy, sympathy for the poor cats! Not sure why you thought you would get a different reaction? Like others said if you have time to post on here you have time to clean the litter boxes. Everyone has busy lives, I work full time and have a 10 month old and another on the way with my 6 rescues and I don't understand how you can't find the time to do a quick litter change, even if you don't clean it just chuck it and refill it takes minutes

[RLOU30]

Sorry, but why do I need to give you my empathy? You’re mistreating your animals no matter how low you feel about it we don’t need to sit here telling you it’s okay when it’s bloody awful. My empathy is reserved for the animals that have no voice and no choice. I also feel for your daugter- cats going to the loo in her toy box is tragic!

[ScreamingValenta]

You are doing the right thing by rehoming them, OP.

[Charlieiscool]

Do you clean the cat shit out of your daughter’s toy box?

[Snowwontbelong]

I once had 6 dcats.
And 6 dc.
Wote gloves and cleaned trays out.

[adaline]

How can you let it get that bad? Your house must stink of cat piss 🤢

It takes five minutes to change a litter tray if that - do one a day and do it on rotation so they all get done once a week, then just scoop the poop out of the others in between.

People won't give you empathy because it's animal neglect and something you could have fixed instead of posting on here about it!

And cat litter for six trays absolutely does not cost £40 a week! A big bag of £7 litter used to last us a month for two trays (so eight trays total as it was fully changed weekly) - why on earth were you spending so much?

[ineedtostopbeingsolazy]

You do have time to change the litter boxes, it takes minutes even to just chuck the old stuff into the bin and put new litter down which would be better than nothing.
However you've tried your best to help the cats but it hasn't worked out so you're doing the right thing by rehoming them.
It's sad but it's for the best

[BorisAndDoris]

I'm sorry but this is awful.
You managed to get homes for 2 out of 4 kittens? What happened to the other two? All Kittens sell like hot cakes. They're so, SO easy to home. Even with a decent price tag and home checks! You kept them because you wanted them. They'd cute. They're hard to part with. I get it.
Tbh the kittens shouldn't have been born in the first place. Spaying and neutering should be done as soon as a kitten is old enough.

Please do get new homes for these cats. Litter trays are a necessity with cats in most cases (though there are exceptions - mine doesn't have one) and whilst I understand it's not an easy job it is NECESSARY. You have a child and presumably a house that stinks of cat shit and piss with the added bonus of cat shit in your baby's toy box.

For the time being get a sack or two of wood pellets that are used for horse bedding and/or wood burner stoves. You can buy them from large animal suppliers or eBay and use that as litter. Put a pedal bin liner in a bucket and use a scooper to scoop the wet litter and poops from the trays into it every single day. It takes as much time as it does to clean your teeth! Tie the bag up and stick it in your wheelie bin.

[Wolfiefan]

You’re doing the right thing by rehoming. Any you do keep must be neutered.
You need to clean out the trays. No wonder they are going elsewhere if the trays stink. Use clumping litter and at least scoop out the clumps. Takes a moment.