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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to buy a kitten in these circumstances?

54 replies

RainyDaysSplash · 25/04/2018 16:18

I would like to adopt a kitten, I have found a lovely ragamuffin breeder who has kittens available at present. It's an indoor only breed.

I work from home but travel to my parents on a Friday evening, returning Sunday morning. This would mean the kitten/cat would either have to travel with me to my parents (they already have 2 cats), or be left in my house over the period of time. I do have a sister who lives nearby and is happy to pop in to feed the kitten/cat and give it company on the weekend whilst I am away.

This arrangement is not going to last forever as my parents are in the process of selling their property and will be moving, so I won't have to travel a distance or stay over.

OP posts:
Aprilmightbemynewname · 25/04/2018 16:20

Imo those cats don't know they are an indoor variety!! Cats should imo be able to choose to experience the outdoors. And anyway 1 kitten = trashed house.
How about a hamster?

Trinity66 · 25/04/2018 16:21

I would do it if you could take the kitten with you, otherwise probably not especially not when it's a baby.

TyrionsNextWife · 25/04/2018 16:22

A kittens too young to be left at home for that length of time, it would be better if 2 siblings were bought together so at least they wouldn’t be lonely.

Original poster
RainyDaysSplash · 25/04/2018 16:22

I could take the kitten with me, I am just worried about the other 2 cats and how the kitten would cope? In the summer months my parents cats are outside mostly anyway so the kitten would pretty much have free rein.

OP posts:
Original poster
RainyDaysSplash · 25/04/2018 16:23

I'm considering buying siblings and will decide when I go to view/visit the kittens. I know it is always better in most instances to buy two cats together.

OP posts:
TyrionsNextWife · 25/04/2018 16:24

Also kittens need a lot of supervising, so your sister wood have to be more often then just for feeding.

MargaretCavendish · 25/04/2018 16:24

This arrangement is not going to last forever as my parents are in the process of selling their property and will be moving, so I won't have to travel a distance or stay over.

Then just wait? The problem with this arrangement is that although it might work for an adult cat (I've known plenty who are just fine with being left alone for a couple of days), it's not ok for a kitten - when they're little they need a lot more supervision, and the recommendation is that you confine them to one room while you're out, which is ok for a day but pretty miserable for a whole weekend. I really would wait until you don't need to do the travelling and get a kitten, especially as that's a foreseeable time. I'd also like to put a plea in for you to get a rescue or unwanted kitten rather than buy from a breeder!

newme175 · 25/04/2018 16:24

Cats and kittens can be left alone for a bit and generally fine with that (as long as your sister 100% comes in and feeds). But in your situation I would get 2 kittens so they can keep each other company.
You might end up getting a second anyway as they are addictive (speaking from experience and my older cat wasn't as accepting to our new arrival)... so might as well get 2 straight away :)

MargaretCavendish · 25/04/2018 16:25

I could take the kitten with me, I am just worried about the other 2 cats and how the kitten would cope?

This is a recipe for disaster - cats take a long time to adjust to other cats (months not weeks) and if you keep coming and going they'll never adjust and will constantly hiss and potentially fight. It's also incredibly stressful for your parents' cats to have these constant invaders (from their point of view) in their territory, so really not fair.

newme175 · 25/04/2018 16:26

Never heard of kittens needing to be supervised.... and we had/have 2 adult cats now. Maybe I had very confident ones!

Crispbutty · 25/04/2018 16:26

Cats are creatures of their own habitat. I think it would be very disruptive to take it away from its own home every few days. I also think that it is unkind to leave a kitten, or even a cat on its own for two days a week too. Cats like company. Kittens are also very inquisitive, and need pretty constant supervision.

Why not wait until your circumstances change and you are not going to be away at the weekends.

MargaretCavendish · 25/04/2018 16:27

Also, some cats hate the car - if you have to stay all weekend, I assume it's a fair distance? Putting a cat that hates it in the car for, say, three hours twice a week is borderline cruel, and will also be hellish for you - one of ours literally screams the entire journey.

Original poster
RainyDaysSplash · 25/04/2018 16:29

I wasn't aware that kittens needed constant supervision either. We had kittens all throughout growing up and my parents always worked full time so were away from the house for hours at a time?

OP posts:
MyotherUsernameisaPun · 25/04/2018 16:29

It's not true that you need two. Cats are solitary animals by nature and don't need the companionship of other cats. That said, if you wanted two as long as you got them at the same time it would be fine.

I don't think you can reasonably regularly leave the cat alone, however - especially while it's young. Can you wait until after your parents have moved?

Also, does it have to be a breed? There are millions of kittens in shelters needing homes (and many would be suitable indoor-only cats!).

Original poster
RainyDaysSplash · 25/04/2018 16:30

It's a 45 minute drive each way. Alternatively, my sister would come in to feed and bring my niece to play with the kitten for an hour or two.

OP posts:
MargaretCavendish · 25/04/2018 16:30

If you really want to get it now, why not get an adult cat? Again, so much more ethical than buying a breeder's kitten and the right cat (it's much easier to assess their temperament when they're adults) would be fine with being left all weekend, so no issue there.

Original poster
RainyDaysSplash · 25/04/2018 16:31

I've looked at shelters and 99% state that the cats aren't suitable to be around young children, which I have.

OP posts:
MyotherUsernameisaPun · 25/04/2018 16:31

Agree that you shouldn't take it to your parents with you. It will be very disruptive to your parents cats - my sister used to regularly bring her cat to our parents and it always caused big hissy fights and lead to my parents' cats peeing everywhere for a few days after a visit

MargaretCavendish · 25/04/2018 16:32

We had kittens all throughout growing up and my parents always worked full time so were away from the house for hours at a time?

Kittens don't need constant supervision to the extent that you can't go out for the day. Leaving one all weekend isn't really ok, though. If it gets itself trapped in something (they do this!) then waiting for you for 10 hours is miserable, waiting for you for 48 hours may kill them.

Claire90ftm · 25/04/2018 16:32

@Aprilmightbemynewname - THANK YOU!! There is no such thing as an "indoor cat". Just a cat that is being imprisoned. No cat should be forced to live indoors just because you're scared of it going outside. They need the space to run around and be outdoors. It's just cruel to keep them inside. So personally, I don't think you should get it for that reason.

Original poster
RainyDaysSplash · 25/04/2018 16:34

Claire90ftm The ragamuffin breed has a very friendly disposition so they are not good at defending themselves against other cats or animals at all. Hence why they are regarded as an indoor only breed.

OP posts:
Glumglowworm · 25/04/2018 16:34

If the situation with your parents is going to change, just wait until then to get a cat

IMO it’s unfair to leave a kitten alone for that long, even with someone popping in. And unfair to both kitten and your parents cats to take the kitten with you

Original poster
RainyDaysSplash · 25/04/2018 16:35

Well, it wouldn't be left for 48 hours MargaretCavendish as my sister would be coming in to feed and play with the kitten. But I take your point about leaving it for extended hours.

OP posts:
Littlechocola · 25/04/2018 16:35

Just wait

KirstenRaymonde · 25/04/2018 16:36

Yes you would be very unreasonable. Kittens need to be fed 4 times a day when they’re little as their stomachs are so small. They could also get trapped in something. Plus they need time with you to become tame. I wouldn’t leave my adult cats this long without someone minding them, let alone kittens. Also - ragamuffin? There’s no such thing as an indoor breed. Wait until you can take proper care of a kitten.

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