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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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?

193 replies

ExchangedCat · 17/10/2019 20:04

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

OP posts:
GuidoTheKillerPimp · 18/10/2019 20:35

@ZigZagIntoTheBlue

Absolutely not! All belongings, live or inert need to be gone!

This made me laugh. I’m quite drunk...

Aragog · 18/10/2019 20:48

YANBU

Sleepinglemon · 18/10/2019 20:53

@Babybel90 @KatieKat88 the fish was the only animal that was healthy. Sadly the horse and sheep had been badly neglected. We called a vet to them straight away. Sheep had to be put to sleep on day 1. Luckily the horse could be nursed back to health and lived a long and happy life in my parent's field. She was such a funny, cantankerous horse, we loved her. Fish was given away with tank.

KatieKat88 · 18/10/2019 21:04

That's so sad, at least the horse got to live a better life!

numberoneson · 18/10/2019 21:09

Poor cat. Unless you're allergic, or anti-cats for whatever reason, why wouldn't you take pity on the poor creature and put out food and fresh water for it? Or of course, if your budget won't stretch to it, that's obviously understandable. But I think what others have said is sadly probably true - they won't come back for it.

NoobThebrave · 18/10/2019 21:16

If it's truly ferral it will mostly feed itself and not want to be moved.... if you are moving to a rural and neglected property you may be very grateful for a 'ratter'. If an average sized more urban property and just a grumpy cat they are being CF's.

Ambridgedweller · 18/10/2019 22:24

My cat is a (now spoilt rotten) rescue moggie who loves routine and does not respond well to change due to a really horrible start. If this was the case with their cat I 'd be understanding if not it's more than cheeky.

Aunaturalmama · 18/10/2019 23:00

Does nobody here have skittish outside cats?! Lol everybody keeps saying why did they leave the cat....hellloooooo they can’t catch said cat 😬🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Shirls22 · 19/10/2019 07:21

Its very odd but you have to put the cat first and sort this out

Absolutely not, it’s the owners responsibility to sort this out. I m am a cat lover and have had cats all my life but am amazed at the cheek of these people, I ve moved house many times and my cat/ cats have always come with me and if it’s not been possible then they ve gone to a cattery where they ve been well looked after to avoid them being stressed. If this cat is not vaccinated the owner needs to take it to the vet and get it vaccinated to make sure they re able to put it into a cattery

It would be awful to put a feral cat in a cattery, I wouldn t be surprised if it would pass away within a couple of days due to stress

Seriously? Cats feral or otherwise are very adaptable and Catteries are very cosy warm places designed to protect them and keep them safe!...... it’s not some POW camp, it’s more likely to think all its Christmases have come at once

YANBU

Doryhunky · 19/10/2019 07:33

Your solicitor needs to deal
With this in correspondence and you should get an undertaking they will remove the car from the property.

Sockypuppet · 19/10/2019 07:43

A POW camp! Do the kitties have to break rocks all day?

Tumbleweed101 · 19/10/2019 08:09

I can see where the owners are coming from tbh. My cat was a farm kitten who doesn’t come indoors except in winter. She’s friendly and spends time hanging around us in summer in the garden but just doesn’t want to be in the house.

It would be very stressful for her to be moved into a strange environment for two weeks before being taken to another new environment a couple of weeks later. Maybe that’s the same for their cat? I’d find it far easier to leave her where I know i can find her than risk losing her during that two weeks at the friends house.

There is a good chance you won’t even see the cat except at food time.

scaryteacher · 19/10/2019 08:55

I would feed it, but I am driving my two 16 year old feline overlords back to Cornwall on Monday from Belgium, with overnight stops to make sure they get 15 hours rest between car journeys.

Middersweekly · 19/10/2019 10:03

Poor Cat! Sounds like they are hoping you will take on the cat for them as they no longer want it. I don’t know what to suggest really other than putting food outside for it whilst you’re having the work done to the house and seeing if they do indeed return to collect it in a few weeks. If they don’t then take it to an animal shelter and tell them it’s been abandoned by the previous owner. Confused

Youngatheart00 · 19/10/2019 10:05

I haven’t had time to read the whole thread. But Please get in touch with Cats Protection or the RSPCA if you are worried about an animal. It shouldn’t just be abandoned

Original poster
ExchangedCat · 19/10/2019 10:27

why wouldn't you take pity on the poor creature and put out food and fresh water for it?

Because we won't be around to do so every day. I don't want the responsibility of a cat I know I can't care for the way I would expect to if it was my own pet.

@Sleepinglemon I am Shock at the people who abandoned their animals with your parents. It's good to hear the horse was able to enjoy her remaining time with a loving family

I've responded to the seller to say we can't take on responsibility for the cat, but have received no response.

OP posts:
Streamside · 19/10/2019 10:40

My very caring daughter started looking after feral cats at our home about 10 years ago.We trapped, neutered and returned as many as we could but more and more kept coming.At one time we were feeding about 15 per day. The costs were huge and I remember us finding a litter of kittens who all had cat flu.The vet charged a consultation fee for each kitten and they grew up to require constant veterinary care.
If you agree to keep the cat you need to know if it's been neutered and who will pay the veterinary bills.Thankfully, as a result of ten years of tnr, we're down to having 5 reasonably healthy feral cats but even regular worming is expensive and logistically so difficult.

gigglingHyena · 19/10/2019 10:43

No way would I officially be taking responsibility, although I'd end up putting food out of I saw the cat around till someone was able to catch and rehomed.

This is how we ended up with a cat growing up. Neighbours further along the street moved, asking the new owners to feed the cat for a couple of weeks till they were in thier new property. New owners did appear to be feeding the cat, as there wer bowls outside when we went to investigate. However, the cat made it's own arrangements and old neigbours never did come round (we'd told new owners where the cat was)

Old owners of our house had a semi feral outside cat and also did a two step move. They were only a couple to doors down so kept feeding themselves but did ask if wed mind helping them catch the cat the day before move day as it might be happy still to come into our house. We dutifully allowed the cat inside, and waited for them to arrive with a box. They'd gone out so it was a couple of hours before they were able to getbther. Yup, we had the wrong cat.

Sara107 · 19/10/2019 10:59

No. An outdoor cat? That sounds like an unwanted cat. If there is a cat hanging around after you buy the house get in touch with the RSPCA or local Cats Protection people to come and get an abandoned cat. If the owners want it they can then negotiate with the charity to retrieve it.

Iminagony · 19/10/2019 11:10

Of course YANBU.

It's their pet, and goes when they go.

I have cats, no way would I have left them in my old house for the nee owners to look after.
Ridiculous.

Hearthside · 19/10/2019 11:21

They are cheeky bastards who have no intention of coming back for the cat , poor creature. I love cats so i would end up feeding it and probably worrying if it disappeared 🙈 we had one ours disappear which we had for years and we were gutted , just don't get how people intentionally do this .

YouJustDoYou · 19/10/2019 11:28

I cannot believe the cheeky fuckery of those on here trying to guilt trip the op into looking after the cat!

Theresnobslikeshowbs · 19/10/2019 11:44

I’m not a cat person (apart from dp’s cats but they have better personalities than some human I know!), but surely anyone should be putting the cat first? Ok the neighbours are dicks, but is it fair to take that out on an animal who has no control over that? Poor thing 😔

rebbonk · 19/10/2019 12:14

My bet is that the cat will stay with the house. In my experience cats are far more attached to their territories than to their 'owners'.

pinkstripeycat · 19/10/2019 12:43

To the poster who said I’ve even covered my garden fence in anti-cat spikes

Do you know how nibble and clever cats are. Your spikes won’t stop them. If they get hurt it will be your fault and you deserve to have cats poo in your garden Grin

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