To not know what to do about my cats

[tartanfleece]

I have 5 (very loved) cats. But have recently moved. The house goes directly onto the street and is a main road through a town which in itself is in a rural location but does get massive lorries and buses.

Also I can't really afford them. They never seem to stop eating

And because this house is much smaller they are keeping me up. I was awake at 3:45 this morning because of one of them miaowing.

One is quite elderly. The others are aged between 3 and 7. They are all black which I understand is hard to rehome.

I don't know what to do. I have started thinking seriously about rehoming because this is so miserable but feel like an awful person. Am I being unreasonable? Can anyone help?

Dry food on its own, perhaps.
Feeding it alongside other (wet) food.... not so much.
In any case, I had 3 cats, lost my job, took a worse paid one because I had no other option and fed my cats that way until 1 passed away (due to a dog attack) and the other two are still purring now. As a short term (well as short term as possible) measure, surely it's better than being given away or put in a shelter and euthanised for being old/black/not a kitten?

One of mine often refuses wet food.
Another cat only eats dry if he's desperate... he's usually desperate about 4 hours after last wet meal.

Thanks. I don't want to rehome them. Just having a low moment this morning and was so tired as they kept me awake and feeling a bit lost. I know there is a life out here for me, I just don't know what it is or what it is going to look like yet and I am scared.

So sorry OP. My phone was playing up. Massive x post. I didn't see what you said about your reason for moving before I posted. No wonder you are feeling low and a bit overwhelmed. Maybe less about the cats thanks accumulation of everything. Good luck.

Do you have a secure FT job, Tartan?

CONtact cats protections

I think the people getting all pearl-clutchy about posters having a go at the OP need to get over themselves. People have different opinions, who knew??? And not everyone is massaging the OP's ego.

I have to ask @tartanfleece why did you move to a house on a very busy road? We have moved 5 times in 25 years, into private let, and also owned properties, and we have always, without fail, picked a property that is safe for our cats. Even social housing has a 'choice based lettings system' where you can pick your house.

So why pick one on a hectic and busy main road?

You need to look into rehoming them if you can longer offer them a safe haven.

Oh OP, I really do feel for you! I have 4 cats including an elderly one and I’d be heartbroken if I was no longer able to care for them. Please, please make sure they go to a proper rescue so that they’ll be properly regimes, please don’t advertise as “free to a good home” on FB or selling pages.

I’d try to keep your elderly one if at all possible as the change in environment could really, really affect it.

for you.

Regimes = rehomed

It’s not about being pearl-clutchy fgs (I hate that term, I only see it on MN!). it’s about having empathy and not kicking the OP when she’s down. She’s in the situation she’s in so what does it gain to make her feel worse?? Just because you want to disagree, there are ways of doing that without being horrible about it.

What mittens said. Fucking pearl clutching? Nah just reacting to people being cunts

Is there a local rescue that can place them in foster rather than kennels? Lots of smaller ones do and we have fostered in the past. If you are anywhere near the south glos pm me.

If they're miaowing more than usual, it could be because they've just moved, and are feeling unsettled. They could well calm down with time.

Horrible situation for you to be in op. You have my sympathy. I had to rehome a pair of cats as a result of a relationship breakdown years ago, and it really sucked. I felt so guilty.

I posted a picture of them on my FB feed and asked all my friends to ask all their friends if anyone could take them. It was in the days when FB was smaller, so friends of friends really were friends of friends, and I found them a lovely new home. Nowadays I’d make sure to do a careful home check as FB tends to be random acquaintances rather than real friends.

What area are you in approximately?

Sorry this is off topic but why are black cats harder to rehome?

Black dogs are harder to home as well apparently.

No flaming here. You've got a problem, you've admitted it and now you're asking advice on how to deal with it.

Rehome, perhaps advertise on a Facebook/pets4homes rehousing site. You can check out new owners and ask for evidence of a donation to the RSPCA instead of payment. That's what I did when I had to rehouse an animal - it weeds out the people who want the animal for nefarious purposes but also means someone else benefits from the situation. Good luck

Sorry tartan just read your above post. I hope you feel better soon

Hi. I have 5 cats, live in a small terraced house with a busy road at the front and manage on the minimum wage (full time). I can't pretend we live a life of luxury but I feed them on whatever is the best offer at the time ( although they have cheap fish as a treat once a month). They tend to avoid the busy road and stay away from the traffic - the older ones just sleep indoors all day anyway. Make sure yours are regularly wormed and flea treated ( worms could be the cause of yours being hungry a lot), fed and watered with clean litter trays and they are likely to adapt. In return they will repay your kindness with a lifetime of companionship.

Maybe obvious but have you tried feliway to try to calm them? They sound stressed (understandably)

Pei Do you always talk such shite or only online where you can be a foul mouthed bully?

OP I really feel for you as it sounds like you've had such a hard time lately. Rehoming pets is hard but they will be absolutely fine.

Hug and a cup of tea from me

Don't feed them aldi wet food, it is pure crap ( meat content only 5%]
Buy some good quality dry food and give them a pouch once/twice a day.
You could give them fish also ( sardines, mackeral, pilchards in tomato) picked up very cheaply.
Watch out for the oil ones as it will make them poop!

I got our two cats from Cats protection. They advertised them but they still lived in their original home until we picked them up. And one of them is black. They were about 5 when we got them. So I would recommend CP. I’m sorry you’re having a hard time Tartan