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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?

31 replies

Dontunderstand01 · 28/05/2015 18:01

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:
fiveacres · 28/05/2015 18:03

Cats are generally OK on their own but really the kitten should not be apart from its mother at 6 weeks. 8 weeks is the bare minimum and really it should be 12, although I gave ours away at 11 weeks as they were irritating the life out of everyone, including their mum.

SunshineAndShadows · 28/05/2015 18:04

Kitten shouldn't leave mum til 8-9 weeks old, at this age it needs 4-5 feeds a day and regular social interaction. Your friend is a dick

ahbollocks · 28/05/2015 18:04

Poor thing. Yes can imagine it would be extremely distressed. Could you have it for the week? Or one of her other friends?

ahbollocks · 28/05/2015 18:05

And yes your friend is a dick
And yes it should be 4 times dail

WhetherOrNot · 28/05/2015 18:05

Please do something about this. The kitten is far too young and small to be away from its mother for a start. Phone the RSPCA please.

sanquhar · 28/05/2015 18:06

yes, it's bloody stupid and irresponsible, but with someone so obviously dim-witted you're not going to get very far.

if it were me i would tell her to her face that if she goes on holiday without putting the cat in a cattery or temporarily back to the breeder then i will be informing the rspca.

why the hell did she collect the kitten just before a holidayHmmHmm

pamish · 28/05/2015 18:06

Six weeks is too young to be away from its mother anyway - eight weeks is recommended. It will be very lonely.

She should find someone who can look after it full time for the week. Keep it indoors, with a litter tray which it will still be using. (It can't go outside till it's had its jabs.) A week is not long and a lot of people would be happy to have a kitten for that short time, they are enchanting.

SirVixofVixHall · 28/05/2015 18:07

Much much too small to be alone for a week. Why get a kitten if you are about to go on holiday? She could find someone to have it for a week surely?

FenellaFellorick · 28/05/2015 18:07

6 weeks is just too little to be left by herself. It's cruel.
Not sure what you could do though. The rspca won't give a flying fuck, to be frank (going on my past experience with them)

Original poster
Dontunderstand01 · 28/05/2015 18:07

Thank you for the speedy replies. I am quite badly allergic to cats, and I work 3 days per week so not able to really help.

She has form for being thoughtless and immature but this is a whole new level.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dontunderstand01 · 28/05/2015 18:11

Sanquhar yep, you're right she won't give a fuck.

Vix, I have no idea, its a new level of ridiculous.

Fenella, will they not? Argh, in that case what do I do?

My DH is disgusted and said he wants nothing to do with her. I am scared to report her tbh, as she will know its me and the repurcussions from her family will be awful. I knew her from my younger years, iwould see her out on the piss. Now I realise I have grown up and she hasn't.

OP posts:
FenellaFellorick · 28/05/2015 18:19

Well, I can't be sure that they won't, of course. But I reported badly neglected animals including a dog never allowed in the house and left in a back yard, rabbits left in a hutch frequently without water and a cat in a house with a child who attempted to drown it in a paddling pool and they declined to go out.

I doubt that a kitten with someone going in once or twice a day will be something they will give a damn about.

Some time later their chuggers had the nerve to telephone me, saying that they knew I was someone who loved animals and therefore could they count on me to set up a direct debit to the rspca.

I won't bore you with the details, but I left them in no doubt as to exactly what I thought of the rspca and precisely how likely it was that they would ever see a penny of my money.

And my case isn't unusual. If you AS the rspca on here, you will be shocked at the stories.

ItsTricky · 28/05/2015 18:30

I know feck all about cats too but that is just cruel. Surely a kitten needs lots of loving contact? I can't believe they didn't leave it with it's mum until after their holiday.

hibbledibble · 28/05/2015 18:36

An adult cat would be fine, I think, as they are pretty independent.

A kitten would need a lot more interaction if they are anything like puppies which are pretty much babies in terms of need

Then again I only have experience with dogs so am not the most knowledgeable about cats.

SirVixofVixHall · 28/05/2015 18:38

I agree ItsTricky. Why not leave it with its mum? Then it would be nine weeks old which is about right to leave the Mum. She is treating the kitten like a fluffy toy. Horrible.

wtffgs · 28/05/2015 18:40

Stupid woman - your friend, not you. A friend's kitten nearly drowned in the loo because someone left the seat up and kitty got curious. Friend is an animal loving vegan with a long history of responsible pet ownership.

She is clearly not fit to own a pet Angry

SumThucker · 28/05/2015 18:41

Your friend is a serious dick.

Welshmaenad · 28/05/2015 18:42

Agree with Fenella that RSPCA are seventeen shades of fucking useless and will do absolutely nothing for this poor mite. I have similar stories.

loveliesbleeding1 · 28/05/2015 18:44

My new boy is 15 weeks, and I would not leave him for a week, no way.Does she not have a family member she could leave the kitten with?.

loveliesbleeding1 · 28/05/2015 18:45

I had no idea the rspca were so awfulSad

Gileswithachainsaw · 28/05/2015 18:48

adult cat (s) fine.

tiny kitten who's too young to be away from his mum, will need 4/5 small meals a day and who could dehydrate/crash very quickly should he get stuck somewhere or get an upset tummy from being stressed or eating too much no Sad

poor kitten. what a bitch

QforCucumber · 28/05/2015 18:52

Christ our 2 are 7 and 3 years old and I didn't want to leave them!
what an awful awful person -and I'm guessing got it that you as people like the kitten stage, then loose interest when they're cats and kick them out on the street.
If you were in the north east I know a wonderful rescue place who will happily pop round and give kitten a real home.

bertsdinner · 28/05/2015 20:28

Young kittens really shouldnt be left for long periods. Some cat shelters will only home them in pairs if you are out all day, apparantly they get stressed. 6 weeks is very young to be parted from it's mother, let alone being left on its own for long periods.

BertrandRussell · 28/05/2015 20:38

Could you say roughly where you live? Perhaps you could suddenly aquire a "friend" who could have it for a week? I would, if it was anywhere near me.........

wtffgs · 29/05/2015 11:39

Cats Protection locally may be able to help?