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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To categorically refuse to allow the cat in the bedrooms

219 replies

Evelight · 10/02/2016 15:23

We just got a cat about 10 days ago. First time, finally giving in to near-constant demands for a pet. However I discussed this before, ON ONE CONDITION that the bedroom doors are ALWAYS closed and the cat is NEVER allowed in.

The first night she did meow outside our doors, not too loudly, not enough to wake you up if you're fast asleep. She has been good more or less since, though getting up to pee has become something of a nerve-wracking activity.

She is visibly happy to see us in the morning.

I am now under a constant pressure campaign to let her in the rooms.

My reasons: I don't want (so much) cat hair in our beds and clothes, your aunt got bronchitis which two specialists said was exacerbated from sleeping with a (very hairy Persian) cat, I had two bouts of bronchitis over the past two yrs, right now I am just done a bout of antibiotics for a blocked sinus/ear channel.

Their reason: she's sad and you're evil.

OP posts:
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WaitingForMe · 10/02/2016 15:28

I don't let cats in the bedrooms. I also wouldn't tolerate being called evil.

escapedfrommordor · 10/02/2016 15:30

Nope I won't have any pets in our bedrooms. It grosses me out that people sleep with animals.

Blackpoollassy · 10/02/2016 15:30

YABU

QforCucumber · 10/02/2016 15:31

Ours have run of the house during the day, but the spare room door is always closed as its soon to be babys room.
Overnight they are both shut into the kitchen/diner, No problem with this. They learn your ways, and I do not think YABU if you have genuine health concerns.

Original poster
Evelight · 10/02/2016 15:32

Oh good. I'm gathering evidence about other cat-owners not letting cats in (unfortunately the cat-owners I know in IRL are of the sleeping-with-the-cat over-my-mouth variety and are no use in this particular battle.

Eh, being called evil. I call them evil too, it's a more grown-up version of "you're being mean!".

OP posts:
cinnamonorange · 10/02/2016 15:33

If my DH ever let a cat into our bedroom, I would LTB. It's gross.

maybebabybee · 10/02/2016 15:33

YABU. So nice to snuggle up with cats! I am 36 weeks pregnant and people keep asking me what I'm going to do when the baby gets here. They look at me like this Hmm when I say, nothing.

If you can't deal with cat hair you probably shouldn't have got a cat tbh.

RudeElf · 10/02/2016 15:34

She is visibly happy to see us in the morning.

Grin She's hungry.
JsOtherHalf · 10/02/2016 15:35

We keep bedroom doors closed at all times because of the cats. They sleep in the kitchen/diner overnight.

IoraRua · 10/02/2016 15:36

Yanbu. I hate the idea of having animals in bedrooms.
They have their space, and I have mine Grin

Original poster
Evelight · 10/02/2016 15:37

RudeElf- she usually has a few small biscuits in her bowl overnight- is this not proper cat etiquette? People seem to be divided on this, but personally I don't like the idea of leaving her with no food at all for several hours overnight- they are nocturnal creatures after all.

OP posts:
LycheesAtNoon · 10/02/2016 15:37

YANBU.

IMO it's unhygenic and a bit disgusting to let cats jump on the beds, pillows, leave hair everywhere. Cats carry all sorts of bacteria in their mouths and regularly lick their fur all over. They can also spread toxoplasmosis and cat scratch fever.

Our cats were confined to the living room, hall and conservatory and never allowed upstairs or on the furniture with exception of one old armchair that became the 'cat chair'! Not cruel at all just common sense.

RudeElf · 10/02/2016 15:38

Ive moved to a new house where the cats have access to the stairs, landing and bedroom doors. For the first few nights they chased each other up and down the stairs and clawed at the (new) carpet outside mine and DS's bedroom doors! Angry

So now theyre in my room Hmm

potap123 · 10/02/2016 15:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PurpleHairAndPearls · 10/02/2016 15:39

We have a very fluffy cat who is allowed into all bedrooms bar DDs' as one DD doesn't want her on her bed - fair enough. The rest of us though have bedspreads or throws on our beds in the day which are taken off/cleaned/swapped after the cat has snoozed on them. DH also hoovers and picks up any cat hairs daily.

To be honest, DH would prefer her not to go in bedrooms but I love her sleeping on me so much that he puts up with it, as I spend a lot of time in bed.

HackerFucker22 · 10/02/2016 15:40

My cat has 'closed door syndrome' so any closed doors means she howls like a banshee until they are opened.

I have to leave the doors ajar to hear the kids in case they wake anyway so cat has the run of the house. She sleeps at the foot of my bed from about 4am every morning.

It's better than us all being woken by a crying puss Hmm

MsMims · 10/02/2016 15:40

I have ten at the moment including three long hairs and they don't moult a lot on the bed. The small amount of hair they leave I think is worth it for the closer bond and their enjoyment. Also easier to monitor them when one is sick, I have one with congestive heart failure and although his routine hasn't changed since diagnosis, his habit of sleeping on my bed and even under the duvet snuggled up to me has made monitoring his breathing very easy. I usually notice any deterioration/ improvement in him in the dead of night.

I also have dogs however they don't sleep on the beds, partly because they do leave a visible amount of fur behind. Cats are quite fastidious about grooming so less loose fur.

Selfishly, I also enjoy waking up to a warm, purring friend!

strawberrypenguin · 10/02/2016 15:40

I'm in the cat in the bedroom camp. I grew up with cats and they were always allowed free rein of the house too so I've never known any different. She makes a lovely foot warmer when it's cold too.

Loula117 · 10/02/2016 15:40

YANBU

Our cat has the run of the kitchen and utility once we've gone to bed but the door to the rest of the house is shut. Once we're up she has the run of the house but doesn't come in the bedrooms much except to say hello. She's not allowed on the beds and doesn't really try any more. I love animals but I don't think it's a good idea to have them in your bed, mainly for reasons of hair/claws at 3am/the possibility of fleas (I deflea regularly but come the Summer it does happen)

RudeElf · 10/02/2016 15:40

Fwiw mine have breakfast at 8ish and dinner at 5.30/6ish and that's it. They are on wet food and there is no way i am leaving that out overnight to go hard and disgusting. Whatever they dont eat goes in the dog and their dishes are washed and out away til mornjng.

HackerFucker22 · 10/02/2016 15:40

She won't go near the kids rooms.... unless the doors are shut and then she wants in.

maybebabybee · 10/02/2016 15:41

Lychees you cannot catch toxoplasmosis from petting a cat or from cat fur. You have to ingest cat faeces (infected cat faeces moreover) directly.

The risk of toxo from cats is actually vastly over exaggerated. The risk is higher from unwashed fruit and veg and from undercooked meat.

PurpleHairAndPearls · 10/02/2016 15:41

We put some food out at night but she tends to gobble everything immediately (she was abandoned and the vet says she has issues Sad) so it's all gone by 11pm morning. She also comes and tells us if she wants to go outside in the night or just wants to be able to look outside for five minutes before deciding to run back upstairs

HesterShaw · 10/02/2016 15:42

I always see it as, if you're prepared to get a pet, then you're prepared to get an additional member of the family, and you have to take on everything which comes with it. So you just deal with the pet hair etc.

Why get one otherwise?

FishOn · 10/02/2016 15:43

I grew up sleeping with the family cat - it was lovely

Ours come and go as they please but we tend to keep them out of our room at night these days as they can be a bit annoying and disturb us.

I say let your kids choose if they want the cat in.

Brushing her daily will keep the fur down, but yes if you have issues with a bit of cat hair about the place then don't have a cat.