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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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

723 replies

SaggyBaggyPuss · 25/09/2016 14:37

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 Envy 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

OP posts:
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Ausernotanumber · 25/09/2016 14:48

My cat scratches the end of my wooden bed. I have three scratching posts and she still goes for my bed. Shrug. It's what they do.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 25/09/2016 14:48

Umm... I've never had a cat and even I know this behaviour is normal. Why didn't you get an older cat or a fish if you didn't want this?

MothersGrim · 25/09/2016 14:48

Rehome not regime!!

WhiskersAndPaws · 25/09/2016 14:48

I wish there were some kind of regulations around who was actually allowed to have pets in this country, not just people getting them on a whim. It's so fucking cruel.

Ausernotanumber · 25/09/2016 14:49

I can bath mine as well. Takes me and DD to do it, but we have had to when she rolled in something foul.

You just have to be prepared to put the time in. Why didn't you think it through properly ?

JustHereForThePooStories · 25/09/2016 14:50

Yes, please rehome the kitten and never, ever get a pet again.

Poor kitten might have some chance if given to someone willing to put the work in.

Barksdale · 25/09/2016 14:50

Your whole house is already covered in germs, pieces of skin that you're constantly shedding and tiny particles of poo from people farting.

Your own skin is covered in bacteria. Your body is filled with them.

The problem is your OCD. You should engage with treatment or your anxiety will affect your DC, if it isn't already. It's no fun to grow up in a house where your parent treats you as something disgusting.

And you should probably rehome the kitten to someone who is prepared to treat it with kindness.

susiella · 25/09/2016 14:52

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Blueskyrain · 25/09/2016 14:52

Yes, please rehome. The cat deserves much more than you could ever give her. Poor kitty :-(

If you are going to continue being so vile, then rehousing at this age will give her a much better chance. Never get a pet again. Ever.

JenLindleyShitMom · 25/09/2016 14:52

I wish there were some kind of regulations around who was actually allowed to have pets in this country, not just people getting them on a whim. It's so fucking cruel.

^^this. A million times!

Wolpertinger · 25/09/2016 14:54

Get a covered litter box. Don't scoop out every poo straight away - my cat will always squeeze another out from somewhere at the sight of an empty litter box to mark it's territory.

And train your kitten to leave the curtains alone. Give it a scratching post to wreck instead.

These things are a necessary part of cat ownership. If you don't teach the kitten it can't learn not to annoy you.

AdaLovelacesCat · 25/09/2016 14:55

oh for goodness sakes people, lay off a bit...it is only a kitten, not a child. If she rehomes it, it will be perfectly happy.
'Total cow' seems OTT for someone who has told us she is not well.

Goingtobeawesome · 25/09/2016 14:55

Would you keep her if she had only pooed twice ?

The kitten is a baby. They are hard work. It's still early days. Don't be silly. Your kids would be very upset and worry about her being lost and starving to death.

We have a lot of animals and our latest is an almost nine week old puppy. We've had her for eight days and she's slept through once, peed and pooed on the carpet a few times and has been very full on. It's just how it is and I accept it.

KickAssAngel · 25/09/2016 14:55

Also get some kitten toys and a scratching post. You can encourage the kitten to use the scratching post by putting a little bit of catnip down.

Try teaching your son how to play with the kitten instead of chasing it (and prob. scaring it). Use the toys to entertain it and wear it out, then it will do less climbing.

Get a mat to put in front of the litter tray, it will cut down the tracking. Have you got a small handheld vacuum that you can keep near the litter tray and just hoover that bit frequently? It will also help.

Remember that kittens grow up very quickly and the climbing will end.

It would be really cruel to take the kitten away - both for your DC and the kitten, but if you really can't cope, then find a good humane animal center, and be honest with your kids about giving it away. They will work out what happened when they're older and resent you for it. Much better to tell them you have health problems which mean you can't keep the kitten. Then never get a pet again.

Ausernotanumber · 25/09/2016 14:57

I have tried catnip. My cat isn't bothered about it - the dog loves it though 😀

DrudgeJedd · 25/09/2016 14:58

YANBU to re-home the cat, explain to your DC that it was a mistake to get it and you're sorry but you can't cope with it.
You tried to do something nice for your DC and it didn't work out, there's no need for the nasty name calling on this thread, you said in your OP that you were going to find a good home for it, not throw it into a canal ffs.

DixieWishbone · 25/09/2016 14:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Thecatgotmytongue · 25/09/2016 15:00

I think you should have researched this better beforehand. The kitten is doing what kittens do - and cats do. It may settle down, or it may continue to do these things for a long time.

However, it's too late now. You clearly don't like the kitten and it should live somewhere where it is loved. Rehome it to a GOOD home or go to a rescue place with it, don't just get rid of it or have it put to sleep.

PeggyMitchell123 · 25/09/2016 15:00
Angry

That's all normal kitten behaviour, did you not research at all? Our 2 cats were just like that as kittens, then they were sprayed, started going outside and are now a lot calmer. It's a phase you have to pass. You have to play with a kitten lots as they do have a lot of energy, they need a scratch post etc.

If you can't handle it then yes rehome and never get a pet again! It's not fair to the pet or your children.

Original poster
SaggyBaggyPuss · 25/09/2016 15:01

Goodness me. Total hysteria on MN. Who knew that would happen Hmm.

Kitty has been treated like a queen. No cruelty or unkindness here.

Plenty of idiots on here calling me names and making assumptions though.

I got a pet as I did not want my DC to miss out due to my issues. The older 3 are not helping with the scooping/feeding as they promised.

I have tried. It can go out in two months (4 months old now). Not sure I can last that long.

OP posts:
thecatsarecrazy · 25/09/2016 15:01

yes very unreasonable. This is what cats do. If you have ocd then getting a cat was a terrible idea in the first place.

bumsexatthebingo · 25/09/2016 15:01

Sounds like the food isn't agreeing with your kitty or it has a bug. I've got a adult cat that we've had since a kitten and only on one occasion ever has poo been soft enough to stick to her and make it out of the tray. I would take her to the vet and see what they say.
I think YWBU to get rid of her. It is your OCD that is the issue - not the kitten. If the kitten is a problem how do you cope with kid germs and your son's friends coming over who may or may not wash their hands after a poo etc. Were you offered any help with the OCD when you were diagnosed?

OnionKnight · 25/09/2016 15:02

Sounds a normal kitten to me and you clearly didn't research anything before you got it, that's your fault.

liz70 · 25/09/2016 15:02

With that attitude please rehome this kitten.

Like human babies, young animals need training to do their toilet in the appropriate place at the appropriate time. This can take months so needs patience. They also have claws and growing teeth, so need to chew and scratch.

We had plenty of mess when our dog was a pup, and the teeth marks and scratches are still on our woodwork. It's all part of raising a young animal.

ghostyslovesheep · 25/09/2016 15:02

yes re home the poor thing sounds like you don't want it and the kids don't treat it well

I have 5 cats - they are animals - you know that right?

stick to stuffed ones from now on - please

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