Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I don't know what to do about my cats

41 replies

Ihavecats · 11/05/2015 17:07

I used to live in a house. It was only small (terrace) with two bedrooms but it had a long back garden. So I had cats, adopted from the rescue centre. I had two originally, both elderly, but then one died and I got two kittens from the same litter also from the rescue centre.

Then my dad died suddenly, I gave birth the next month. My partner had gone. I was 'stony broke' and moved into my dads flat. All is ok except my cats.

They just haven't settled. They constantly want to go in, out, in out, sometimes it's the middle of the night and one of them will be yowling to be let outside. They keep killing mice and leaving them outside, I remove them as soon as I see them but obviously this isn't nice for the other residents, I just hope I can get in there first (think I usually do.) as soon as I sit down someone miaows to go out. I get virtually no uninterrupted sleep at all, my daughter is ok it's the cats!!!

But I don't think I can re home them. Apart from the morals, one of them is old. Very very old.

One is so timid, he is even nervous of me. The other isn't so bad but she's not the most cuddly of cats. They also aren't very 'cutesey' cats. They are black cats so hard to rehome and are fluffy.

I don't know, I guess I chose to get them. I'm stuck with them, but I feel so bad for them and for me tbh as I am permanently worn out and honestly it is the sodding CATS!

OP posts:
trufflesnout · 11/05/2015 18:38

I'd be asking their vet for advice. If overcrowding is the issue, then you need to rehome the sibling cats for their own sake. The only way to sort overcrowding and keep the cats would be to upsize your accommodation.

Original poster
Ihavecats · 11/05/2015 18:41

But then if they didn't have a new home? I dunno

OP posts:
trufflesnout · 11/05/2015 18:47

Well, look at it this way. They're not happy now. If overcrowding is the issue, then they aren't going to be happy unless you can move to a larger place. If that cannot happen, then they aren't going to be happy, period.

trufflesnout · 11/05/2015 18:48

Call your vet, ask for their opinion. If it is overcrowding or if rehoming has to be put on the cards for whatever reason, call around your local shelters and ask about their turnaround times for 2 cats who have to stay together.

greeneggsandjam · 11/05/2015 18:53

With regards to keeping the cats out of the bedroom can you try putting a big basin/2 basin full of water directly up at the door to stop them scratching the door/carpet and being able to get in?

There is a device called a scat mat but I bought one and although it had the potential to be amazing it didn't quite work properly and the batteries ran out every 5 mins.

I feel your pain.

Original poster
Ihavecats · 11/05/2015 18:54

Thanks. I don't know if they are unhappy, it's me who is miserable getting no sleep!

OP posts:
trufflesnout · 11/05/2015 19:02

Ahh ok. So you just want a fix so you can sleep? Shut them out at night would be the simplest.

Kayakwonder · 11/05/2015 20:22

As cats are nocturnal it sounds like you need to shut them outside at night and call them back in when you get up.

puffylovey · 11/05/2015 20:27

Hi ihavecats, I do sympathise .I have a cat who mainly sleeps ALL the time ,he must have a huge bladder as he hardly ever wants to go out for a wee .But , every so often he decides he wants out and then he is such a pain .Hearing the scrabble of claws at the door and the plaintive meow in the middle of the night is awful ,I can cope as it doesn't happen often and I don't have a baby to look after like you.I have found that encouraging ( making ) him go out about 6 means he is always ready to come back in by my bedtime .Could you try this with your cats ? Get them into a kind of in/out regular routine , even if they don't seem to want to go out at the time .Worth a try maybe .

honeyroar · 11/05/2015 20:40

I think that they are training you and you have to stop doing what they want. I live on a small holding with acres of land and our cats still want to go in and out non stop. You need to create a routine, particularly for the young ones. They get fed at 7am, they go out. If they yowl in the night and scratch ignore them, don't reward them by getting Up. Use ear plugs, take Nytol, put something soft up on the back of the door to muffle them and stop the pawing. They will get the message that nobody will come until morning. They will be fine, they've got a litter tray, food, water etc. Then reassess in a month or so. If you still think they aren't happy I agree with whoever said re home the youngsters and keep the oldie.

Bear in mind it will take them a bit of time to settle. They should adjust. You need to sort your sleep deprivation first of all and things will seem better.

Mappcat · 11/05/2015 21:20

I think black fluffy cats are not as unpopular as you think. We have had a couple and after having to have ours put to sleep last year, I have been fantasy cat shopping on Battersea's website and all of the black ones look like they have been re-homed pretty quickly. Doesn't answer your immediate problem, but worth considering, if you are worried they will never get a new home.

VanitasVanitatum · 11/05/2015 21:25

I agree with honey you need to find ways to ignore them until they get the message. As long as you keep responding how they want they will keep yowling.

Fugghetaboutit · 11/05/2015 21:35

I sprayed mine with water when he woke me scratching at the door. Didn't do it again. Now sleeps quietly all night

Tiptops · 11/05/2015 21:47

There's a device called a SSScat which you could place outside your bedroom door to stop them scratching and fussing. I had a similar problem with one of mine demanding to be in/ out my bedroom all night, and agree with PP that giving into them only makes it worse. My cat is given one chance to be in/ out my bedroom now and settles a lot easier.

I don't think you have an overcrowding problem. They certainly wouldn't choose to sleep together in a pile if there were tensions running high between them.

bensam · 11/05/2015 21:47

I think it's probably best to make them go out at night so you can sleep. They could come back in during the day and will probably sleep for most of it (win win).
I can sympathise as I've had similar problem with two cats which I took in (they'd been abandoned and were starving). I had a toddler and a baby and found it really hard work but all of the re homing centres were full. DD's love them now and I'm glad I kept them (even though they've cost me a fortune!)

AnulTheMagnificent · 11/05/2015 21:52

It is possible that they are bored. Often a bored cat will simply sleep all the time, but their lives have changed a lot and they may need more attention, not necessarily cuddles but time, company.

I leave a radio on for mine, he shouts when he wants company and the radio helps (or TV, he will sit and face the TV). It took about 18 months to settle them when we had a change of circumstances and it meant a bit more effort and a routine for them.

Rescues are pretty full and mature black cats are not easy to home.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page