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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To consider getting DD a cat for Christmas?

82 replies

HeathcliffMoorland · 21/12/2010 20:02

Out neighbour's cat has some beautiful tabby kittens. We have been talking about getting a cat for a while.

DD1 loves them, and has proven herself to be quite responsible at looking after her goldfish. Grin

I think it'd be a lovely Christmas gift. I mentioned this to one of my sisters, and she thought I was mad and I should never get a child a pet for Christmas.

I explained that we wanted the cat anyway, and even if DD didn't feed it, it wouldn't go hungry. She still looked a bit sceptical. Tbh, I'm not sure why.

So, am I being R, or U? And if IBU, please explain why. Smile

OP posts:
Hulababy · 21/12/2010 20:19

I wouldn't give it as a gift personally, nor on Christmas Day. I don't like the idea of pets being presents.

But yanbu to get a cat if you have looked into it and think you are ready for the committment.

ChippingIn · 21/12/2010 20:20

Not that cats belong to anyone of course, but you know what I mean...

MamaDeer · 21/12/2010 20:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
HeathcliffMoorland · 21/12/2010 20:21

Chipping, DD2 is only one, and DS has no interest in cats. He would, however, like an alligator. Hmm

OP posts:
SantasNutellaFairy · 21/12/2010 20:22

In which case I will say

Enjoy your kitten!

Is your house kittenproof though? We thought we had blocked off every possible gap when we brought ours home, many years ago.

Yeah Right! Little sod sriggled through a tiny gap and made his way beneath the kitchen cabinets, which we had to almost demolish to get him out. The plinths were wrecked.

MeowyChristmasEveryone · 21/12/2010 20:23

I love the "many kitten presents all separately wrapped up" idea.

Can you get to PetsatHome or pet store without DD, so it'll be a surprise. Does she know that you are thinking about one of these kittens?

I would get the kitten, myself, but I'm a total soft touch. We have 3 - one on the arm of my chair, one in the radiator bed and one in the cat gym in the conservatory. I love having cats!!

bumpybecky · 21/12/2010 20:23

I wouldn't get an alligator and a cat. No food chains in the house - my very strict rule!

theevildead2 · 21/12/2010 20:23

I dont think YABU, but don't bring her out during the gift orgy. Wait till later in the day when everythign has settled down. ANimals need homes through the year.

LisaD1 · 21/12/2010 20:24

I say you should get it but that's because our new addition arrived home today, aged 8 weeks and totally adorable. She is a Christmas present to us all after we sadly lost our cat to a car and couldn't bear the house without him.

Enjoy!

Original poster
HeathcliffMoorland · 21/12/2010 20:24

Our house really won't be busy on Christmas day, and we're not giving noisy presents.

She is also already in a much noisier house than ours.

Cats are not that young - most have already been rehomed.

OP posts:
Original poster
HeathcliffMoorland · 21/12/2010 20:25

Congrats on the new arrival, LisaD. Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
HeathcliffMoorland · 21/12/2010 20:26

Oh, just read end of post. Sorry to hear about old cat. Blush Sad

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 21/12/2010 20:26

I wouldn't have the kitten wrapped up in a pet carrier from santa or anything, rofl

but a cat toy and a photo and then go get it would be fun - as it's a neighbour it'd be quite easy to do it that way?

Muser · 21/12/2010 20:27

ChippingIn my sister got a cat before I did, a good few years before. She was older and it was made very clear to me that pets were for when you were older. Didn't cause any ructions.

When I was deemed old enough and responsible enough, I got a cat. Much to my sister's cat's disgust! They never liked each other much.

Aww, I'm remembering when my sister got hers now. It escaped from the catbox before she got home from school and my mum hadn't noticed. Cue much frenzied hunting before it was discovered curled up on a chair in the dining room.

Muser · 21/12/2010 20:28

And in case you're wondering how to present it: .

Original poster
HeathcliffMoorland · 21/12/2010 20:32

Love it, Muser!

OP posts:
MamaDeer · 21/12/2010 20:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

onceamai · 21/12/2010 22:11

Well DD was given a kitten for christmas two years ago. On Christmas day she got a book about cats, a cat basket, some cat bowls and some cat toys (and some normal present too). The cat came on about the 28th.

We wanted a cat anyway (mice) and I love cats. The cat is now favourite youngest ds and I look after him as well as my other children. He seems to love me more and is very grateful.

I reckon he costs about 50 pds a month though: insurance, food, the odd new collar and set of magnets for the flap and a bit for the vet for odd trips and worming and flea drops. The insurance was worth it - had to have some tail amputated when he was a baby and it would have cost 800!! Shock. Reminds self to remember stocking for youngest ds.Xmas Grin

RudolphReindeerTuppennyTail · 21/12/2010 22:22

Hmmm.

Not sure about giving a kitten as a present to your DD. I can see it now...

"Please Mummy" (doe-eyed child) "Please can I have my present? You haven't let go of him/her yet."

Grin
narkypuffin · 21/12/2010 22:32

I would never give an animal as a gift. Animals aren't objects. They are sentient creatures that deserve respect.

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 21/12/2010 22:39

I wouldn't do it on Christmas Day personally as I like to be able to keep a close eye on a new ktten for the first day as they have a habit of vanishing places then you can't find them and their claws are pretty sharp and children can be a little shell shocked when they are on the sharp end of kitten claws.

I'd wait until a few days later when the general level of excitement has gone down a notch. Also I personall am never going to have anything other than family pets after witnessing DS's devestation when his cat died of the blue recently. We had a brother and sister pair and the DC's had one each. On top of the sadness at the loss of the cat he had the whole I haven't got a pet anymore.

We didn't last long with just one pair of eyes waiting for us in the kitchen in the morning so when I heard the local rescue had lots of kittens, there was only one outcome. Our gorgeous new addition arrived a week ago and is brilliant. Well not when he climbed up DH whilst he was doing a wee, but apart from that!

ChippingIn · 21/12/2010 23:57

NarkyPuffin - what difference does it make if they are getting the kitten anyway if they call it a gift for DD or not? Really.

I agree that animals shouldn't be given as gifts to anyone unless someone is prepared to take responsibility for it.

The OP wants a cat, she is prepared to do all of the work, shoulder all of the expense - all she is doing is giving it to her daughter on Christmas Day - I can't see the problem.

Unlike on the Pageant program the other day (I went to visit a friend and it was on - we were horrified by how awful it still is. Truely horrible way to treat little girls) but anyway... one of the presents was a Labrador Puppy - we were Shock and Shock again. I have three issues with it - it is just wrong to win an animal, it is wrong for it to be a prize for a family who may not even like/want an animal and these people are UBER UBER fussy about every little diamante and spend every waking hour preparing for and attending pageants - where on earth does a puppy fit into that lifestyle????

enjolraslove · 22/12/2010 00:50

I think it is a lovely idea as you want one anyway. Although it will be all of yours it will be extra nice for dd to think it is specially hers - honestly the feelings my sis and I still have for cats we got when we were 8 and 5 are amazing. But prob a good idea to give it as a ' in a week we will get....' just so kitten can have a very relaxed first day etc.

narkypuffin · 22/12/2010 01:08

I dislike animals being treated as objects and to me that's exactly what giving one as a gift signifies. It's hardly a 'gift' for her DD anyway when the OP wants a cat.

There are thousands of strays and hundreds of kittens available from rescue centres because of people who don't neuter their pets. I would adopt one of those before taking a kitten from a neighbour.

ChippingIn · 22/12/2010 01:13

Narky are you Vegan?

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