AIBU by saying no to looking after the 'outdoor cat' which I've just been informed will be staying with the house for 'a few weeks' after completion?

[ExchangedCat]

Having recently exchanged the seller has been in touch to say they're taking all the pets except their 'outdoor cat' and could we look after it got a few weeks until they're settled?

We won't be moving in fully for the first few weeks as the house and garden need a fair bit of work. I'm also slightly worried that we have no idea where the cat is given the neglected state of the garden.

Voting:
YANBU - say no to the cat
YABU - say yes to the cat

Poor cat

I would but then I love cats and I’m a bit of a sucker for them

IME the RSPCA are useless.

No way would I do this even as a animal lover. What happens if the cat destroys something in the house because of the stress of finding its owners gone? What if something happens to the cat and you can’t get in touch with the owners, who sorts vet bills?
There is so much that could go wrong here. You will have more then enough stress with moving and decorating etc without the added stress of someone else’s pet, that also you don’t know from Adam could be a horrible little thing that dont like humans lol.

I would make up a allergy or something as to why you can not have the cat.

I love cats so a house that came with a cat would be a bonus for me. I do think it’s a weird ask though and you are completely within your rights to say no.

I have a cat that I adopted after she was left pregnant in her previous owners garden after they moved.

You’re going to end up with a cat.

Just say no because you won't be living there for the first few months. If you're having a lot of building work, it's not going to be a great environment for a cat anyway. shrug

Happened to me. We were expected to feed a cat neglected and left to fend for itself as previous tenant got evicted and left it. The neighbours fed it too, but it was still skinny and flea ridden. I love cats, but I couldn't afford to feed, shelter, worm and vet treat it so I rang the RSPCA.
The neighbours were cross, but the poor thing needed a home and treatment which they went prepared to offer.
I'm happy that he went to a shelter, we made a small donation too but needless to say, my NDN wasnt happy. If she wanted it so bad perhaps she should have adopted it, it spent most of its life crying to get in both our back doors and it was also a VERY cold winter, 7 years ago!

If they left it I'd take it straight to cats protection where someone might adopt it who actually loves it.

My parents bought a house once, turned up on moving day and previous owners had left a horse, a sheep and a tropical fish.

@Sleepinglemon Oh my god I’d be over the moon if I got a free horse with my new house!

We had this issue once and they never came back for the cat.

NO!!! do not agree to take the cat as you are likely to then be permanently responsible for it - including vet bills if anything happens to it.
If they don’t take the cat which I think is highly likely as they will not be able to find it anywhere at the crucial time then have a look on Facebook locally to you as hopefully there will be several rescues/lost & found pet groups that will be able to help/give advice/trap & rehome if needed.
I seriously hate people that move house and leave their animals to fend for themselves/rely on the kindness of others 🤬

Noooooooo dont do this.

As somebody who moved, and who’s outdoor cat (no not feral we love her I’m just slightly allergic she has her own space outside and doesn’t ever like being inside anyway) got spooked from the moving trucks, I would say yes I will lay out the food you provide and let you know if your animal shows up etc.
I personally for two weeks plus, drove an hour one way every other day, put food and water out and called for my kitty to come up. Sixteen days! But we got her back and she ended up showing up so we grabbed her!
Maybe it’s a situation like that?? Either way I would do it because I would want somebody to do that for me and I live a motto of do to others as you wish they would do to you

Nope!!

I had an outdoor cat

I still manage to catch her and drag her to the new house....where she has suddenly decided she prefers being an indoor cat

That poor cats got shitty owners & they are preparing to dump it.

The rspca won’t care, they never do.

I’d leave dh behind before the cat.

I did.
We bought a house. The owner asked if we wanted his 7yr old cat as he couldn't take her with him

At the same time we were moving, the neighbours of a cat who'd started visiting our flat, asked if we wanted that cat.

My own cat had not long died.

Anyway, we had both cats. God I miss them both.

@Sleepinglemon please let us know what happened with the unexpected pets!

I would catch it, put it in a box and take it to their new address. Leave it on the doorstep. Why on earth would you want to inherit someone else’s manky cat.

If they give you money for the food, then I don’t see an issue. Bit of food and some water and that’s it. I’d do it. There are two stray cats living in the communal car park where I live and I feed them and give them water every day.

Ha ha ha...they can't catch it!

I love cats, crazy cat lady type, but no. This is just not on. Why can't they just take their cat when they move? Hoe incredibly strange. Poor cat.

It looks like they want to dump the cat on you. You have a cat now.
Totally unacceptable.
I would but then I love cats.

If you want a cat go for it. Even if they come and fetch it there's a good chance the cat will hoof it back to what it considers home (that's what happened when we moved house when I was a kid)