to secretly get rid of our kitten and tell the DC that it ran away?

[SaggyBaggyPuss]

Have had kitten for around 6 weeks now. DC have wanted a pet for a long time and I gave in and got one for them. Cats are easier to deal with than dogs right?

Well today, I have had enough. I had have to scoop 3 lots of shit out of the litter box and there was a piece of shit on the floor that must have come off her paws and which means that the whole house, and sofa is now covered in cat shit germs puke!

It also runs up the curtains which are now all pulled. My leather --look- dining chairs have scratch marks where it keeps jumping up the back of them and it has pulled up the carpet on the stairs.

DS (6) is constantly chasing it round the house with an incessant cackle (over excited, not cruelly, the cat loves him) which does my head in and keeps taking it upstairs to lie on his bed.

Last week, it has a runny arse and I still have the wounds where I had to bath it, not before it spread kitty shit germs everywhere again.

As a side note, I also suffer from OCD. Not 'a bit' but actually diagnosed.

I love my DCs to bits but they also love the kitty a lot. I am not sure I can put them first this time!

WIBU to find a good home for it and tell them it ran off into the forest and I couldn't find it

Just as a general but of info, not necessarily to OP as I'm not sure she's taking in advice, but cats hate the feel of tape on their paws, ditto tin foil. I've had success with making big tape rings and putting them on the sofa & chairs, ditto tin foil. Tape seems to work better. You leave it on for a month or so, cat gives you dark looks, doesn't hurt cats, cat sadly uses scratching post or outside tree instead, cat gets over it.

Taking aside a lot of the nonsense the OP is posting, I'm concerned people are really playing up the 'kittens are a pain' aspect on here and that it will put other people off having a kitten in the future.

I have three cats at the moment and they have never been really naughty or destructive, even when kittens. They use litter trays and scratching posts and they don't walk on work surfaces or run up curtains or Christmas trees or anything like that. They are rarely sick since I changed them to a high quality cat food. Occasionally they will have an accident if they're ill but they have generally always been a delight to have around and were a lot of fun as kittens - the general cuteness and playfulness of kittens has to be seen to be believed! Yes, they do need to be fed, watered and have their litter trays changed but they more than repay this in company and comfort.

ghosty mine is not semi feral - I just don't think he was handled much. Or let us of his "crate".

There were photos of him around, in a kitchen, next to furniture like a sofa but because of his Siamese like nature (he is very Siamese like and almost dog like) I think he was "hard work" with a SN teenager in the house, another teenager, grandchildren and 2 other cats (including his mother) plus a Rottweiler.

He will sit happily on a bed or chair or next to you in the garden on a seat but generally prefers one person to eg my other flatmate. He loved my mum who used to visit him but was getting to reliant on her so is more used to his own company and me now which is better.

He just isn't a lap cat at all, but can be friendly. Hates being picked up though.

I still think OP needs to address either her attitude towards this kitten or rehome.

UpTown I agree with you my last 2 cats who I had from kittens now sadly died years ago didn't misbehave at all (did scratch sofa a few times) but didn't do the other stuff and were easy to "train".

Cats as do most animals prefer a quiet life, no shouting etc.

My kitten when i got him I think had experienced shouting maybe violence and especially from his owner's boyfriend or the older teenage son as he was and still is scared of men (got better now), he's also scared of the door bell too.... Animals especially cats like soft voices and kindness.

UptownFlunk, the OP isn't posting nonsense, she just doesn't feel the same way about kittens as you do!

ghosty just re read your post, yes Felix is like that, yours. Sad isn't it... . Very much on his terms.

My kitten was no problem at all. Went in the litter tray as soon as she was shown it and now does her business outside. She did climb the curtains and Christmas tree but I wasn't overly precious about it. She's never been allowed in the kitchen to go on surfaces and we don't have a cat flap so no issues with her bringing 'presents' in.

An anecdote re kids & cats. My kids had it explained to them that our cat needed downtown and was not up for 24/7 cuddling as he was a "person" not a stuffy. Result was best cat in the world as cat was respected and not subjected to being overwhelmed. My brother's cat, however, was treated as a doll by the kids, clearly didn't like it, poor thing became quite anxious. She was fine when they first got her.

Kids need to be shown how to relate to cats. Cats are wonderfully affectionate and great for kids to stroke & tell their stories to. They are not too up for endless playing.

Not saying this is going on at OP's, but in general it's worth bearing in mind.

I agree. Kittens are not a pain. They're far less of a pain than a puppy. I've never got a kitten than doesn't know how to use a litter tray. The only annoying thing mine does is puke a lot, but as she ears dried food, that's not a problem. She's fun and furry and purry and affectionate, and I adore her.

Is this the same op who wanted her dd to 'fuck off' rather than talk to her when she was 'avin a fag'?? And said dead also 'avin a fag'?? Because is so you've just cemented the 'really rough and thick' picture of yourself you gave on that thread

'Said dead' ?? Weird phone! 'Same daughter'

It is Hate, one and the same.

Hate Yeah, that's me. Fuckin kids and kittens - bloody PITA. Thick as pigshit me.

I've got children and 10 cats, but am definitely not thick

Strangely I also have OCD...

My comment was mean, I apologise, but you're just not coming over well in these threads, and you're a fairly long term member so surely you would know that animal cruelty, telling one's child to 'fuck off', and smoking with one's child are all MN pet hates... So are you looking for punishment? Genuine question.

PrivatePike, kittens are lovely & full of energy & don't sleep tons. If that's okay, go for it. If not, an adult from a shelter is a wonderful alternative as most of them sleep, wash themselves, eat, look great, and talk to you (in that order). Shelters will usually steer you to the kind of cat (personality-wise) who will suit you. We've always had amazing cats, our last cat lived to 19 & gave huge amounts of affection to us - and was quite the personality in a good way. Kittens are adorable, just know they're a bit more work for a few months, they're not anywhere near puppies in regards to effort.

But I did not ACTUALLY tell DD to fuck off when I posted that other thread, that was just a thought I did this morning though when she rang me at 3am to pick her up as she didn't want to wait for a taxi home though.

Shall I ask my question for a fourth time, Saggy?

Are your children old enough to be told, and to understand that, unless they start doing what they promised (cleaning up after it etc), you won't be able to keep the kitten?

I think you need to give them one last chance to step up, and if that doesn't work, and you do re home the kitten, tell them the truth - don't, whatever you do, tell such a scary and upsetting lie as you suggest in your OP.

just checking you weren't self hating and wanting a bashing on mn

If anyone on this thread is being a 'negative bastard' it's probably because like me they find it infuriating to hear about people getting pets only to rehome / give them up after a few weeks because they're too much work, don't have a enough time for them, can't afford the care they need, don't like the mess they're causing etc etc. If you're not prepared to deal with the cost and effort it takes to keep an animal then don't fucking get one.

There are people who due to unforeseen circumstances have no choice but to rehome their pets and find it heartbreaking. Then there are many many more people who get a kitten or a puppy on a whim and decide when it's too late - actually I don't really want this animal at all. It's so wrong and unfair on the animal being shipped from pillar to post just because people can't be bothered to give it serious thought in the first place.

I'm not sure what there is to be lighthearted about really - at best this cat will get a home with someone OP knows, not sure how likely that is. At worst she'll end up in a pen at a shelter with the other hundreds of cats that people didn't want anymore.

People on this thread are acting really crazy

Thanks Superflyguy was beginning to think I had the only well-behaved kittens/cats around. Sorry to hear your current kitten has been shouted at/scared in its last home though. One of my cats is very timid but he has improved loads over the years by us being calm around him & showing him lots of love.

mycatwanystokillme1 my opinion of the OP's 'nonsense' doesn't relate to her opinion on kittens (I don't give a fuck whether she thinks kittens are the devil's spawn frankly) rather to the general flippancy and inappropriate emoticon use about a fairly serious subject - in addition to the ever-changing story of course.

jelly because some people actually love their pets?
Some people realise that taking on a pet is a commitment?
One of mine is sometimes sick.
He eats too quick.
Possibly because his first owner thought it was ok to just dump him (Just like our other two) so he had to eat whatever scraps he could.
He can be rather antisocial.
I love them all.
They can be real hard work, but i knew that before i agreed to have them.
I'm sorry i don't find this light hearted at all.
I'm not going to call op names, but i am disgusted at people just putting the throw away comments.
It really saddens me.