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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to say her cat can’t come for Christmas?

184 replies

OneRuleForThem · 14/12/2021 21:39

Someone who is invited for Christmas Day at mine has said they are being their kitten. This is not normal behaviour, right, asking to any pet owners? I don’t know much about pets but kittens can be left alone for much, much longer than puppies can, I think and would be ok for one single day by themselves if pre planned. I don’t understand why she want to bring it with her just because it’ll be Christmas Day. AIBU to say it can’t come I don’t want it ruining things? Haven’t replied yet.

OP posts:
AwkwardPaws27 · 14/12/2021 21:41

Bizarre, & very stressful for the cat.

mistermagpie · 14/12/2021 21:42

How weird. How young is the kitten? This is the kind of thing people tend to do with dogs but I've never heard of someone doing it with a cat! I love cats and I would still say no, it would be terrifying for the cat too.

Brusca · 14/12/2021 21:43

It's completely unfair on the kitten.

LouiseBelchersBunnyEars · 14/12/2021 21:44

Just say you’re allergic. That’s always worked with me when people wanted to bring their dogs round.

I mean, I am actually allergic, but it still works!

belimoo · 14/12/2021 21:45

Is it just for the day or is it overnight?

MeltedButter · 14/12/2021 21:45

The kitten would hate it.

Boood · 14/12/2021 21:45

YANBU to say she can’t bring the kitten, but if it’s still really tiny I wouldn’t leave it alone for a whole day either.

Original poster
OneRuleForThem · 14/12/2021 21:47

@belimoo

Is it just for the day or is it overnight?
Not over night, just the whole day
OP posts:
ChangeChingyChange · 14/12/2021 21:48

Allergies sorry no!

Original poster
OneRuleForThem · 14/12/2021 21:49

@mistermagpie

How weird. How young is the kitten? This is the kind of thing people tend to do with dogs but I've never heard of someone doing it with a cat! I love cats and I would still say no, it would be terrifying for the cat too.
It’s 3 months I think
OP posts:
Original poster
OneRuleForThem · 14/12/2021 21:51

I’m not sure if 3 months for a cat is considered a cat or kitten but this one is still small

OP posts:
BobbieT1999 · 14/12/2021 21:52

Kittens can't be left for long, unfortunately, so I understand why she wants to bring it but it's cheeky to tell you that she is and you're within your rights to say no. Just beware thar it might mean she can't come at all.

AlfonsoTheUnrepentant · 14/12/2021 21:53

Three months is still a very small kitten.

The host/ess sets the rules; the guest is free to accept or decline.

BobbieT1999 · 14/12/2021 21:53

And yes 3 months is still a young kitten - at 3 months may have only just left its mum, poor thing.

TimeIhadaSeasonalNameChange · 14/12/2021 21:53

I wouldn't take a kitten somewhere (unless it was v v young and being bottle-fed) but if it was youngish I wouldn't leave a kitten for too long on its own.

DelurkingAJ · 14/12/2021 21:53

We took our first cat along with us for Xmas years ago…he’d have been about 9 months at that stage and had a ball…sat in the cat basket and purred his way around the country then put the fear of cat into my PIL’s dog. But obsessed with him though we were we’d never have taken him on a day trip. Well within your rights to say ‘no’, OP.

Brusca · 14/12/2021 21:54

Three months is typically when kittens leave their mums, so still very young and can't be left for a long time. Kitten may not even be fully vaccinated/chipped which makes taking her away from home even more risky.

alienbaby · 14/12/2021 21:55

Tell her its animal cruelty. That's like a kittens worst nightmare. Guaranteed it will slip out a door or get lost pr something. Tell her to get a cat sitter for the day

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 14/12/2021 21:55

3 months is still very much a kitten! Imo, its ok to ask if they can bring an animal, but its definitely ok to refuse it. I say that as having 3 cats of my own. I'd never dream of asking to bring my kitten for the day though!

WeatherwaxLives · 14/12/2021 21:56

I wouldn't want to leave a small kitten (they must only have had it for a week or two if it's only 3 months?) alone from morning till night, but I absolutely, positively, wouldn't want to take a small kitten to a strange house that wasn't kitten friendly (cables to chew, things to choke on) and where people may have had a drink or two and aren't used to keeping an eye out for where the kitten is. How horrendous it would be if the kitten hurts itself or if someone trod on it. It's an awful idea.

Aprilx · 14/12/2021 21:56

@OneRuleForThem

I’m not sure if 3 months for a cat is considered a cat or kitten but this one is still small
Of course it is still a kitten! 😁

I wouldn’t really like to leave a kitten for that long, but leaving it is much better than bringing it. Cats and kittens are not “portable” like puppies and dogs, you can’t just pluck them out of their surroundings like that. This would be hugely distressing to the kitten.

SmolCat · 14/12/2021 21:57

It can’t really be left yet. But even so they should have asked you rather than telling you!

RobinPenguins · 14/12/2021 21:58

Definitely not normal. People who try to bring their pets to other people’s houses need to get a grip. A kitten probably can’t be left the whole day, but that just means she can’t come for the whole day.

Snog · 14/12/2021 22:00

Mine will be 4 months old at Christmas, I'm wondering how many hours I can leave them for on Christmas Day

Mylittlepixie · 14/12/2021 22:00

3 months is very small. Probably just separated from mum recently. They really cant be left alone. Kittens at that age are just as attached as dogs.
Im not sure if taking it would be a good solution though. We recently got a kitten and shes 4 months now. We decided to host this year because we dont want to leave her alone for so long. And alone in my house means with the dog and another cat.

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