To think this isn't my problem now...

[sneezycat]

I recently got my cats rehomed, due to a number of reasons. It wasn't an easy decision, but a necessary one. I found a lady who I thought was ideal...she is familiar with the breed and used to be a veterinary nurse. She also runs a cattery, and my cats have stayed there once.

I explained beforehand that one of the cats had cat flu as a kitten and she still goes through periods of being a bit snotty and sneezy. She said it wasn't a problem and she'd still take them. She told me to cancel their insurance as she would sort all that out. Cats settle in well, lots of pics of them with the family etc...

Fast forward 3 weeks, I have received an email saying she can't keep them as the snotty cat has probably got feline herpes as a result of having cat flu previously, which means it could shed onto her clothes and therefore be passed on to the cats staying in the cattery. She has asked me to sort out a new home for them.

AIBU thinking she had all the relevant info before taking them on, so now rehoming them should be her problem? I'm not in a position to take them back. I should add that I'm not usually this flippant about things like this, but I have so much stress at the moment, I really could do without this as well.

It was your responsibility to get her tested but it seems you didn’t give a flying fuck. A bit of a sniffle as a kitten isn’t the same as herpes.

Sure not your problem, you dumped her. Now the poor woman will have to have her out to sleep.

“Put” to sleep.
She runs a cattery and you seem to not give a crap this is affecting her livelihood.

More poor animals victims of people who don't care enough.

Equally, Valasca this woman took in a cat with a known health condition which would potentially affect her livelihood. Why did she do this? Of all the people she could now ask to rehome the cat, the OP is the least likely! If she could house the cat, she still would be!

Because she was a former customer and trusted the OP to be honest with her. And now the woman has found out this cat has been housed in her cattery before with herpes. The OP has lied.

@Valasca I was completely honest about the cat's health...as I was when they stayed at the cattery. It wasn't a problem then, and she said it wasn't a problem now. If I'd lied about it then I would obviously be a terrible person, but I didn't and I'm not.

@starcrossedseahorse you don't know the circumstances so you can't make this flippant comment.

@Valasca if you rtft which I assume you haven't, you'd see that I told her the cat had cat flu, not a sniffle!

Valasca are you the cattery owner?

Poor cats. The pair of you sound uncaring. Neither of you have had them properly tested for these "sniffles", neither of you seem to be putting much effort into rehoming them. Perhaps you should just have them put down?

You're right, OP. None of us know what you are facing or why you cannot keep these cats and I can imagine any number of bloody awful scenarios that might result in you thinking rehoming them is for the best (though, not many that don't involve a professional charity helping to do that).

What I do know is that I am surprised at the phrasing of your question. I would expect something along the lines of 'AIBU to be upset new cat owner has let me and my cats down?'

Not "it's her problem now" which suggests a sense of relief that you might not be morally obligated to your (ex) pets and can wash your hands of them.

fwiw I happen to think once you take on an animal it is your responsibility to see it right for the rest of it's life. If that means you have to step in again now, then that's what you should do. That's how I view my own pets. Not least beacuse I love the bones of them and would do anything in my power to ensure they have a happy and healthy life (with or without me).

I'm pretty surprised that she took a cat with cat flu if she runs a cattery. I wouldn't use a cattery if there were known cat flu cats there.

It IS her problem, bu she has alreadyy shown herself to be less than careful. I'd call the RSPCA, explain and ask for advice.

I didn't know the connection between cat flu and cat herpes.

@Honeyroar as I've said a number of times, one of the cats had cat flu, not 'sniffles'. I spent an absolute fortune trying to get her better and she has always been exceptionally spoilt.

@missbattenburg yes, I agree the phrasing came across as uncaring, which wasn't my intention. I was very careful when I chose somewhere for them to live. The fact that this lady already has a cat of the same (very high maintenance) breed and was a veterinary nurse were big plus points. I also visited her house to see where they would be living. I really can't step in now and that's why I went to so much trouble to find them a new 'forever' home.

Why cannot she just give the cat to a rescue place for them to find a suitable cat free home?

As an ex vet nurse she should have realised the potential for virus shedding when you told her the cat had flu. It would be relatively easy to test for this. You were up-front with her and she should have known better.

@Jaxhog I didn't know the connection either and it has never been mentioned in the umpteen vet appointments we've had over the years, otherwise I would've mentioned it.

Just looked up feline herpes and it's one of the annual innoculations advised for all cats - FHV. Apparently, as many as 90% of cats in shelters and catteries have it. But an annual immunization will limit it so it doesn't bother your cat particularly. I'm guessing it's one of the reasons catteries ask for your cat to be up to date with it's jabs.

So she may be talking rubbish, unless your cats aren't innoculated or she doesn't insist on her cattery residents to be.

I think this lady did the right thing telling you - she has decided she can't keep the cats and has informed you as a first port of call.

Just say you called her to check on the cats in a months time and she said "oh, I decided to get rid of the cats" and hadn't told you - most people would want to know what happened to their ex pets so they could make sure they were OK.

You are assuming that she is trying to make you responsible for the cats again and you are reacting very defensively to that. She may not be - she may just be giving you a heads up.

@SendintheArdwolves you may be right, and I actually hadn't thought of it like that. Perhaps she was just giving me first refusal, but it didn't instantly come across like this. I haven't responded yet anyway, so I'll bear this in mind when I do.