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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I know feck all about cats, but surely this isnt right?! aibu to interfere?

94 replies

Dontunderstand01 · 28/05/2015 18:00

Friend has just got kitten, 6 weeks old. She is going on holiday a week on sat, for a whole week. Kitten will be left alone, with someone popping in once or twice a day. Aibu to think the kitten is too small and likely to hurt herself? I have never had a pet (allergies) so I don't know if I am being ott, but I am concerned for the pet.

I have tried to mention my concerns but she dismissed them. If I call the rscpa, or the owner of her flat, she will probably think its me because I already said I was concerned. She also has fallen out with a neighbour and I worry if I report her she would unfairly blame it on her.

Cat owners-help!

OP posts:
littleshorty · 28/05/2015 19:07

Poor thing. We got our kitten at 8 or 9 weeks she was tiny and not properly litter trained. She was terrified to start with from being moved. That poor little thing will be petrified and living in its own mess.

Gabilan · 28/05/2015 19:25

"It's far too young to be apart from its mum and far too young to be left.

Your friend sounds like a very unsuitable pet owner."

This, with bells on. Even if physically the kitten is OK it will be traumatised by being left on its own whilst so young. If she thinks this is OK, she doesn't know enough to own cats.

I have two cats who grew up feral. I'm happy to leave them alone when I'm away if a friend checks them 1-2 times a day. But they are adult cats who were brought up largely without human company. They were litter mates and they are very dependent on each other, play a lot and sleep together. Not all cats get on that well or are that sociable but a 6 week old kitten definitely needs the company of litter mates and mother.

MamaLazarou · 28/05/2015 19:26

Poor little kitten SadSadSad

TheoriginalLEM · 28/05/2015 19:31

Your friends kitten is likely to bed dead when she gets home. Your friend is a cunt. Sorry but this has really upset me.

TheCatsMother99 · 28/05/2015 19:32

This is really concerning.

If they think that's acceptable I wonder what else they think is ok in terms of the poor thing's care.

TSSDNCOP · 28/05/2015 19:34

If you're worried about reporting her, feel free to PM me the address and date she leaves and I'll happily call the Cat Protection League. Otherwise tell your vet and they'll do it.

NormaStits · 28/05/2015 19:39

The poor thing will be traumatised at being alone for so long, it's extremely neglectful.

Please phone the rspca and give her name and address.

whothehellknows · 28/05/2015 19:41

If the kitten makes it through the week physically intact, it's personality will have altered in that time. Your friend won't have done herself any favours.

Talismania · 28/05/2015 19:42

Poor little baby. Can you offer to look after her while friend is away?

patienceisvirtuous · 28/05/2015 19:45

Could you look after it while your selfish friend is away? 6 weeks is just a teeny tiny baby who needs looking after.

sunflower49 · 28/05/2015 19:47

I'm with odd :( what a horrible thing to do :(

Can you do anything, OP?

Gabilan · 28/05/2015 19:51

Dontunderstand this link might help www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/kitten_behavior_basics.html

Your friend is leaving this kitten at a key stage in its development. I really don't think she's up to the responsibility of looking after an animal for the next 15-20 years. Please contact the RSPCA or Cats Protection.

thecatneuterer · 28/05/2015 19:52

*What a stupid, stupid, selfish thing to do.

It's far too young to be apart from its mum and far too young to be left.

Your friend sounds like a very unsuitable pet owner.*

^What Oddfodd said

ACSlater · 28/05/2015 19:56

Aww the poor thing is much too young. I've got a 2 year old cat who is terrified of the dark because she was put out all night at that age. It can really affect them.

I'd gently suggest that she gets someone to look after it. There are websites for cat sitters that will go in and look after them. Hell, I'd do it if it's local!

bringbacksideburns · 28/05/2015 19:57

Who did she get the kitten from? At 6 weeks, as already stated, they should be still with their mum ideally. Is she totally ignorant? Maybe show her this information and insist she give the kitten to a friend to look after. Could you step in? You can't leave a tiny kitten alone for that length of time it will be terrified. Maybe you need to rethink your friendship.

ACSlater · 28/05/2015 19:58

Oh, it wasn't me who put her out that young! I sat with her wrapped in a dressing gown on a snowy night because the poor girl was terrified.

Justusemyname · 28/05/2015 19:59

Much too young. I'd offer insist to take the kitten for the week. Do it for the cat, not your idiotic friend.

I got my first cat at five weeks. No way could she have been left that long. I once popped out for half an hour and then couldn't find her she was so small!!

Before anyone attacks me, I didn't know five weeks was too young and since she lived to be nearly nineteen I didn't do a bad job.

Lweji · 28/05/2015 20:01

A tiny kitten like that could easily go elsewhere for a week to be cared for.

Why couldn't she wait a couple of weeks (to get to at least 8) to take the little one home? The mind boggles.

Klayden · 28/05/2015 20:01

I know very little about cats but even I know this is very shitty behaviour. Poor kitty. :(

PaperdollCartoon · 28/05/2015 20:14

Completely wrong. A kitten this age should still be with its mum for a start, and should be eating small meals about 4 times a day as well. Not ok to leave alone or just feed twice. Had my boys from 8 weeks and I was home with them most of the time for the first few months. They're a year now and every time we've gone away for more than a night we've had my brother actually stay in the house with them. Your friend should not have a kitten she obviously doesn't know how to care for them.

PaperdollCartoon · 28/05/2015 20:16

They also need constant play and attention to become happy, domesticated cats. Being left alone all the time when they're small makes them not friendly.

Brummiegirl15 · 28/05/2015 20:17

Outrageous stupid and incredibly selfish and irresponsible.

I would be telling the RSPCA without a doubt

IndridCold · 28/05/2015 20:20

As most people have pointed out this is far too young to have been taken away from its mum - one consequence of this will be that it will not have been taught to use a litter tray properly.

Ask your selfish cruel friend how much she wants to come to home to House of Cat Crap!

Gabilan · 28/05/2015 20:22

"Being left alone all the time when they're small makes them not friendly."

Yes. Of my two feral cats one has become distinctly tame with me, actually much tamer than the textbooks say she should. The other has problems being sociable with me. It's taken her months to learn things like "the human is not a tree and will shriek if you climb its leg with your claws out". In fact it took her months to get close enough to climb my leg so I suppose it's progress of a sort.

Both of them are very fearful of strangers. I love them to bits but you can tell they missed out on important socialisation with humans. Their saving grace is that they were with other cats though so if I act like an honorary cat they are more accepting of me.

BuggersMuddle · 28/05/2015 20:24

Being charitable, I don't think your friend understands the difference between having a kitten & an adult cat. Unfortunately for the poor wee kitten a lot of damage could be done while your friend learns that difference.