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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not be enjoying my cats?

158 replies

msalex · 06/12/2017 11:41

I’m not going to rehome them. And I do love them in a way.

But I realised this morning I get no pleasure out of them at all and to be honest I wish I’d never got them.

They demand food as soon as I get up but it’s somehow not enough. After I’ve had a shower and am trying to get ready they are mewing round my feet wanting a second breakfast Hmm

One of them miaows so loudly - a real yowl of a sound and he does it at 2/3 am for me to put him out (can’t put a cat flap in - it’s a bottom floor apartment in a listed building) and it really disturbs my sleep terribly.

The eating, they just never stop. Even when their food bowls are full every time I stand up they thunder through to the kitchen and stand over their bowls miaowing.

I feel horrible as I feel irritated by them.

OP posts:
Aeroflotgirl · 06/12/2017 11:43

Oh no, how long have you had them?

ThisLittleKitty · 06/12/2017 11:45

I had this it was so annoying. Everytime I walked in the kitchen the cat would run in for food. Even after being fed. Literally every time.

Original poster
msalex · 06/12/2017 11:46

Quite a while - it’s been worse since I moved here as I have less space from them but I think I’ve just always had cats so it’s seemed natural to me to have them. And I do love them and will always do right by them but I don’t get any pleasure from having them. It’s such a relief when they are both outside.

OP posts:
JollyGiraffe · 06/12/2017 11:46

Do they go outside?

We always put ours out at night so they can go hunting/do whatever mysterious things cats do at night (no catflap). They would always be at the door for breakfast in the morning.

Wolfiefan · 06/12/2017 11:46

So your cats miaow because they're hungry? Feed them more. Or maybe leave a bit of dried food down too.
They cry in the night? If they're active and have enough attention in the day they will soon learn that nighttime is for sleeping. Don't get up and let them out.
How old are they? Boys or girls? Neutered?

VioletHaze · 06/12/2017 11:47

That sounds horrid. What kind of food are you feeding them? It sounds like they're not happy with it - have you tried changing their diet? Mine tend to be horrible unless they have their exact preferred brand of biscuits.

gingerclementine · 06/12/2017 11:49

Can you put a little kennel style shelter with sheepskin in it by the garden door and leave them out at night. They could sleep warmly enough in that except in bitter winter. That would stop them disturbing your sleep.

My cat shouts for food as soon as he;s been fed, but i find giving him a cuddle shuts him up. And I like cuddling him. If he gets too annoying and shouty I just nudge him outside for a while.

Original poster
msalex · 06/12/2017 11:50

Wolfie they eat loads and they always have biscuits. I say QUITE clearly in my post that they miaow for food even when their bowls are full.

They do go outside yes - this is another problem as someone always wants to go out and someone always wants to come in and yes it’s just cats but when you’re struggling in with a pile of shopping and needing a wee and there’s a cat undecided which side of the door he wants to be on, it gets you down!

They love their food, that’s the problem really. I feel them Gourmet and they love it. They also have Ian’s.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 06/12/2017 11:51

They aren't miaowing for food if they shout when their bowls are full.

claraschu · 06/12/2017 11:51

We put a cat flap in our listed house door. It never occurred to me that a cat flap would be a problem.

baublegirl454 · 06/12/2017 11:52

Please don't shut cats out at night. They are most vulnerable to getting hit by cars at night, not to mention the cat killer, who is not operating purely in Croydon/M25 but all over the country. My cats have dry biscuits available all the time, and 2x wet meals a day. They never pester for food

Original poster
msalex · 06/12/2017 11:52

Well, whatever really Wolfie, start a bunfight somewhere else, I’m not interested

OP posts:
Original poster
msalex · 06/12/2017 11:53

Clara it’s an apartment. The door that lets people out of the building is a shared one. I can’t put a cat flap in.

bauble mine do. Cats are different

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 06/12/2017 11:54

How is that starting a bunfight?! Confused
A cat with a bowl full of fresh food in front of it that it likes is not miaowing out of hunger.
It could be UTI, boredom, hormonal or a medical/behavioural problem.

crazycatgal · 06/12/2017 11:54

Are they neutered?

Original poster
msalex · 06/12/2017 11:55

Yes, always have been, they both came from the cats protection league. Males. And they are lovely, friendly cats. I’m not trying to be horrible. But they are exhausting me.

OP posts:
SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 06/12/2017 11:56

It sounds as though the cats are enjoying you.

Seriously, they are doing this because they can. Cats are arseholes like that. If they know they can make you ask 'how high' every time they meow 'jump', then they'll keep doing it.

Flumplet · 06/12/2017 11:58

Do you ever give them wet food? That’s more filling I think and keeps my 4 quiet for a bit.

thetemptationofchocolate · 06/12/2017 11:59

I've got a yowler. Going by her body shape she has oriental breeding in her background and has certainly inherited the Voice from them! It's lucky that she also likes sleeping as if she yowled in the night I can see myself writing a similar post to OP's.
With mine, her meowing is like a running commentary on life in general, maybe that's what yours is doing? It's one of her quirks.
It does sound as though you haven't really clicked with these cats - how long have they lived with you and how old are they?

MargaretCavendish · 06/12/2017 11:59

How long have you had them? Like a poster above, I don't think this is about the food if they have constant access to dry food, so I'm wondering if it's new behaviour?

And I adore my cats, am a total crazy cat lady who's obsessed with them - but they still drive me loopy sometimes! When I work from home I end up shutting them out of the spare room (where I work) as otherwise they are so annoying. So I don't think it makes you a horrible person to feel irritated by them!

Original poster
msalex · 06/12/2017 11:59

They have wet food mostly, really. Up to 6 pouches a day.

OP posts:
Original poster
msalex · 06/12/2017 12:01

I’ve had one of them for eight years. He’s no trouble tbf. He’s a greedy cat and he doesn’t know which side of th door he likes. But he’s not really any trouble.

Cat 2 I got this last summer. And he is the most loving, patient, gentle cat. Gorgeous. But he is a yowler

OP posts:
JollyGiraffe · 06/12/2017 12:02

Unfortunately, cats are mostly quite irritating!

The not deciding whether they want to go in or out thing is extremely common, as is miaowing constantly for food/'give me attention'/'leave me alone'/'talk to me'!

You may just have to get used to it I'm afraid, if you want to keep them..

IMightMentionGriddlebone · 06/12/2017 12:06

Okay, I honestly don't want to offend you, but is it possible you're depressed?

I swear I've seen posts like this many, many times before, except about babies, not cats. If you were posting this about a baby, everyone would be suspecting you had PND.

Is life generally a bit tough at the moment?

PrincessoftheSea · 06/12/2017 12:07

It sounds like you just don't like cats.

Why did you get them?

YABU for not liking catsShock

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