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AIBU?

Unbelievable!

61 replies

Cloverleaf20 · 30/03/2021 17:22

Found out yesterday my sister took her two cats to a rehoming centre as she’s basically fed up of them! They are old cats, the thought of the poor things being stuck in a cage shocked has made me feel I don’t what anything to do with her again ! AIBU to feel this way ?

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HeyDemonsItsYaGirl · 31/03/2021 14:18

ClaireEclair I adopted a 12-year-old and he's wonderful. His health is starting to fail now (at 18) but we've had six great years.

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UhtredRagnarson · 31/03/2021 14:22

Poor kitties. They’ll be very stressed. Hopefully they’ll be rehomed soon.

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Easterbunnyishoppingmad · 31/03/2021 14:23

I hope you tell her you are bored of her after x years and will be giving her a wide berth from now on...
What a cow.

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ttcforsecondtime · 31/03/2021 14:24

I don't like cats but your sister is a cruel heartless cow

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littlepattilou · 31/03/2021 14:38

That is rather callous to rehome your older cats because you're fed up of them. But we don't know if that was the actual REAL reason for the sister doing it.

She may be in a seriously bad financial position, and cannot afford the vet fees of older cats. Our two are 17 and 15, and they have (between them) cost us nearly £1500 in various vet fees this past 6 months.

However, we stopped the pet insurance 10 years ago, when it went went up two and half times the amount, to nearly £60 a MONTH for the two. Se we have saved £6,000 in pet insurance in the last ten years. And that's not even taking inflation into account. Could be £7,000 or even £8,000 saved. So although it came at a bit of a bad time (with us having 20% less pay for 8 of the last 12 months with us both being furloughed,) we were OK with it.

But as I said, we don't know the exact circumstances of the sister taking the cats to a cats home, so we shouldn't judge really. She may have said she is fed up of them, but in reality, she may be struggling financially. She's hardly going to admit it if she is. Who wants to admit they're having financial problems?!

As someone said earlier, I am sure they will find a lovely new home with someone a bit older, who wants an older cat, that won't outlive them. And at least the sister didn't just strap a slab to their back(s) and chuck them in the canal!

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Rukaya · 31/03/2021 14:39

When you take on a pet, you take it on for life. You don’t rehome it when it gets old

Pets can't always be for life, any many of things can happen that makes it not feasible to keep a pet.

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IstandwithJackieWeaver · 31/03/2021 14:41

@Cloverleaf20

I firstly didn’t know she was doing it. Just fed up of them and secondly I have got a house full of animals here already . The reality of old cats being rehomed together is very slim unfortunately.

A friend of mine rehomed two elderly cats together fairly recently - they get on really well with her children and are never happier than when curled up asleep next to or on someone.

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thevicarstroketwice · 31/03/2021 16:45

@Rukaya

When you take on a pet, you take it on for life. You don’t rehome it when it gets old

Pets can't always be for life, any many of things can happen that makes it not feasible to keep a pet.

If you take on a pet with that attitude, you are a good summary of all that is wrong in the world.

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FOJN · 31/03/2021 16:56

Pets can't always be for life, any many of things can happen that makes it not feasible to keep a pet.

This may be true but you should not take on a pet if you don't believe it's for life at the time you get them. They are living things, they bond, we become their world, they are optional additions to our lives so when we make that choice we owe them our best for as long as they live.

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XenoBitch · 31/03/2021 17:00

@FOJN

Pets can't always be for life, any many of things can happen that makes it not feasible to keep a pet.

This may be true but you should not take on a pet if you don't believe it's for life at the time you get them. They are living things, they bond, we become their world, they are optional additions to our lives so when we make that choice we owe them our best for as long as they live.

I have never known of anyone who at the time of getting a pet, didn't think they would have them for the duration of the animal's life. Life can throw any number of curveballs at us, and sometimes rehoming a pet is in it's best interest. I nearly had to rehome my greyhound as I was too poorly to look after her. I did not in anyway think that would ever happen.

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XenoBitch · 31/03/2021 17:02

Didn't think they wouldn't have them for the duration of the pet's life... that should say!

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Joinedjustforthispost · 31/03/2021 17:04

That’s awful, we adopted our rescue boy at 1 years old he’s been living outside and we sadly lost him at 18 years old. We took the good and the bad days even when he started getting frail and had some sort of cat dementia? My parents did tell me it’s name but we didn’t dump him because he was an inconvenience he was family. Pets are for life! I’d struggle to hold my tongue I hope your sister doesn’t get a new pet because she’s bored and they are young and cute.

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Rukaya · 31/03/2021 17:04

This may be true but you should not take on a pet if you don't believe it's for life at the time you get them. They are living things, they bond, we become their world, they are optional additions to our lives so when we make that choice we owe them our best for as long as they live

Believing things doesn't make them come true though. Shit happens, that's life.
Also I can assure you that my cat does not think I am his world. He would eat my face even before I was dead, I have no doubt!

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Joinedjustforthispost · 31/03/2021 17:05

@Joinedjustforthispost

That’s awful, we adopted our rescue boy at 1 years old he’s been living outside and we sadly lost him at 18 years old. We took the good and the bad days even when he started getting frail and had some sort of cat dementia? My parents did tell me it’s name but we didn’t dump him because he was an inconvenience he was family. Pets are for life! I’d struggle to hold my tongue I hope your sister doesn’t get a new pet because she’s bored and they are young and cute.

Sorry I meant he was living outside when he was rescued!

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WeekendCEO · 31/03/2021 17:11

I wouldn’t want anything to do with her either. I’d tell her what I thought and tell her to fuck off. I don’t bother with people that discard animals.

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Rukaya · 31/03/2021 17:14

wouldn’t want anything to do with her either. I’d tell her what I thought and tell her to fuck off. I don’t bother with people that discard animals

You'd disown your sister for rehoming her cats, without even asking her why? Some sister you would be! Some people are better off with animals, and staying away from people.

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XenoBitch · 31/03/2021 17:17

If you take on a pet with that attitude, you are a good summary of all that is wrong in the world

It is called being a realist. Shit happens and sometimes that shit means you have to give up your pets. Some people hold on to them, much to the detriment of the animal. Far better to give up the pet and give it a chance to find a new and loving family.

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XenoBitch · 31/03/2021 17:21

YANBU for being upset... and if your sister gave up her cats then went on to get kittens, I think even the best of us would struggle with that.
But, it also depends on why she is rehoming them. "Fed up" could be her speak for something else that maybe she is too embarrassed to discuss. In any case, if she can't or wont look after them properly, it is best they get a chance to be rehomed to someone who can do that.
Most of the cat rescues I am aware of have waiting lists now so they wont be stuck in cages for long.

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WeekendCEO · 31/03/2021 17:26

You'd disown your sister for rehoming her cats, without even asking her why? Some sister you would be! Some people are better off with animals, and staying away from people.

Without asking why? OP said the reason was she was fed up with them. It’s extremely unlikely that I would get on with a person that could do that. I’d be more disappointed if it was a family member. Not someone I would want around me at all. My kids and partner would feel the same too.
I get on with people that are good people and you’re not a good person to me if you get rid of a pet because you’re fed up with them.

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toocold54 · 31/03/2021 17:27

Are you able to rehome them? If you ring and explain then I am sure they’ll let you if you are able to.

My pets are old now but when they go I am planning on adopting elderly pets. My gran used to have just elderly pets too so there are people who will take them.

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eatsleepread · 31/03/2021 17:29

My cat is 10 years old, and I've had him for the past 9. I love him, but he is the biggest pain in the tits I have ever known.
I can't agree with what your sister has done, but I am assuming she has her reasons, and it's not quite as simple as in your opening post ...?

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Salarymallory · 31/03/2021 17:33

Your sister sounds sensible

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Topseyt · 31/03/2021 17:37

@Hadjab

I’m not a pet owner so could somebody please enlighten me as to why rehoming your pet isn’t actually a responsible thing to do? Surely the alternatives are worse?

Do you really need to ask that?

The pet is a living, breathing sentient being. They have feelings too and when you adopt one you take it on for the duration of it's life if at all possible.

You no more get rid of a pet because you are fed up of it than you get rid of your children because they have driven you round the bend.

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XenoBitch · 31/03/2021 17:42

The pet is a living, breathing sentient being. They have feelings too and when you adopt one you take it on for the duration of it's life if at all possible

It is only possible to adopt a pet because someone else had given it up.

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Rukaya · 31/03/2021 17:45

You no more get rid of a pet because you are fed up of it than you get rid of your children because they have driven you round the bend

Pets are not children and it's ridiculous to compare them. I wouldn't get rid of my child is she bites me, but a dog? Different thing altogether.
I think all but the most rabid animal people understand that.

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