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

I get that the kitten is harder work than you thought.

I don't get why you'd tell your children it ran away, rather than telling then "it's your responsibility to care for it, you agreed that. You have failed to do that, so it needs to be rehomed."

Then I'd explain that rejoining actually meant going to a cat centre. And I'd tell them their pocket money for the next month* was being donated to the centre.

*adjust as per average rejoining time from your chosen centre.

alltoomuch, cancelly asked if you'd save the life of a cat you'd never met over a human you'd never met. you've just said your cats are more important to you than any child, does that mean you'd save the life of a cat?

alltoomuch I don't mean to sound like I'm judging you for loving your pets. There's nothing at all wrong with that.

What I don't really understand is the idea that pets, even much-loved ones, are of equivalent worth to someone else's children. I find it hard to imagine, since I place a higher value on human life. Of course the lives of pets matter too, but they shouldn't take priority, in the philosophical sense, over humans.

I'm aware that 'choose between a pet and a person' is an abstract thought experiment and unlikely to ever occur in real life! But your stance strikes me as quite an unusual one. I'm a vegetarian, but human life is more important to me than animal life. It doesn't excuse animal abuse in any way, but it does mean that I don't see anything remotely morally reprehensible in OP deciding she can't cope with a cat after all and wants to rehome it.

Toomuch, your cat is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.

OP, I cannot quite believe you.

Please do rehome NOW and never get another animal.

I doubt it would ever happen..where I'd be in a position to save either human or cat at the same time. To me..equal importance.. and I'm entitled to that opinion ; would try to save both. Just as OP entitled to her views and what she chooses to do re her cat
No one has to like it or agree with me.
But I'm not going to lie to people please when my cat is more important to me than most people. He is. I've been in customer service for years and believe me, he's far nicer than the average person ;)

(and by the way, I'm not a typical cat lady). It was only in the last two years I had cats, more than 20 years after leaving home.

From my own personal point.. as I said… my OWN personal view is that MY cat means more to me than any child. I don't have children so that's all I know. I don't know it from a different perspective. If I was 'allowed' to have children perhaps my view would be different. I don't.. my body let me down..therefore what I love is what I know..here with me… go ahead and judge all you want. My family is DP and my pets. That's as important as any conventional family. It's mine.

regina no but mine are on my sm constantly
Think there are only one or two pics of me, the rest are of animals!
One of my boys is rather distinctive.

altoomuch I wouldn't judge you, just like I didn't judge the OP, shame a lot of other posters on this thread don't do the same.

I remember being on a Norfolk beach once and a woman's dog got caught in a riptide, she was devastated and the I think the lifeboat went out in the end but couldn't save the dog. Although I'm not a dog person I discussed with my mum going in to try and get the dog back. I just couldn't bring myself to take the risk because I'm not confident with riptides so I didn't do it. But every now and then I think of that woman and feel so sorry for her that she lost her dog that way. I don't know if I would have tried if it was a child.

all i don't judge, i'm the same.
I'd risk my life to go back in a burning building for one of mine.

He is an amazing companion to me. Live in the sticks and DP is away with work more than he's at home. Cat is incredibly loving and intelligent (part siamese.. male siameses are known to be exceptionally bright) e.g. we go for walks every night.. he walks to heel and follows commands yet he was never trained.. this was never an intentional thing but just evolved.. (he's not on a leash) He can also cross the road correctly and is just one very very smart kitty. More dog than cat really in the way he behaves

My cat is a part of this family. She is chipped nurtured and insured to the max.

all i had a neighbours cat that used to follow me on my walks, my cats are far to lazy for that
My one does follow me around the house though, especially when he thinks he's going to get food! ( which is always, i've spoilt them apparently).

Our old cat used to follow us to the park when the kids were little. He was sooo devoted. He'd also wail with worry if we crossed the slightly busier road at the end of our road and we'd have to take him home & stuff him in the house.

You should have got a cat, not a kitten.
Take it to a nice rescue centre.
I don't know what you should tell your children.

phonenix an older cat does not mean less work than a kitten.
My cats are old now and they've caused me more stress these last two years than they did when they were young

OP, that poor kitten

His upset stomach is probably because he's stressed and he isn't being properly socialised except for being chased by a small child (which is incredibly stressful for a small animal).

Please re-home him, and tell your DC what has happened and why. and never get anything more than a goldfish again

I don't recommend a goldfish as they require work too. I think you should rehome the kitten asap while it's likely to still be able to easily adjust to a new home. Then don't get another pet. They aren't toys.

I can't imagine not having a cat, but I accept they can make mess and damage things.

After reading about all different pets, I decided fish was hard work.

All to do with the water changing and ph levels and stuff like that.

This is a sad one, firstly, you must of know this was going to be hard for you to deal with but you have taken on the responsibility now. Can you for the moment keep the kitty just in the kitchen? The kitten stage won't be for ever , sounds like your furnitures already showing signs of being attack so even if you did find a new home it wouldn't solve that one.
Secondly, maybe you should find a new home if you can't welcome the kitten

All you crazy cat ladies - you do realise that if you tragically died at home alone and were not found for a while, your 'fur baby' would probably start eating you.

Just a thought.

If I was dead, why would I care?

So would your dh.

Meh. I'm dead.

What do I care?

So?