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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think this is cruel to keep cats like this

48 replies

Minifigure282 · 10/02/2022 18:29

I'm a huge cat lover, my cats are very spoilt so I accept I may be being unreasonable and I'm hoping I am so I can stop thinking about it.

My friend has 2 cats and a dog. The cats came 1st. Dog arrived and they all get on OK but the cats dont respect the dogs space. They sleep in his bed, disturb him when he's sleeping, pinch his food while he's eating and he's naturally getting snappy with them.

Friend has converted her spare bedroom into the cats rooms. They've got a cat tree, beds and have their food in there. So the cats spend most of their time outside (they are pretty feral) and when they're in they're in their room.

I just feel sad for them that they can't roam freely around the house.

OP posts:

Soubriquet · 10/02/2022 19:05

It could be worse.

My cat is an indoor cat now. She never used to be but now she refuses to go out. She spends 99% of her time upstairs away from the dogs. She had access to my room, bathroom where her litter box and food is, big bedroom and occasionally kids room but this rare because dd had an allergy to cats. She also lays on the stairs.

Occasionally she goes downstairs but very rarely because the dogs annoy her.

She is allowed to go outside. She just chooses not to

EmpressSuiko · 10/02/2022 19:06

My cats tend to stick to one room, they have the option to roam the house, two of them will relax in the living room when they fancy it, I hardly ever see the other one! Occasionally he ventures away from his bed and the cat tree but he likes to be up high so he tends to spend most of his time on shelves/on top of cupboards. They are all very loved and get lots of attention everyday. If her cats like to roam out side I’m pretty sure they’d find a second home if they were unhappy. If they keep coming back then they must feel safe and comfortable in their home.

Soubriquet · 10/02/2022 19:09

This is how stressed my cat is at being an indoor cat

Yes she’s laid under the duvet whilst sprawled on my like a baby. She will actually claw at the duvet to get under it, just so she can lay on my like that.

Spoiled brat. Good job I love her

To think this is cruel to keep cats like this

CleansUpButWouldPreferNotTo · 10/02/2022 19:14

Minifigure282
Well I wonder if they'd be less feral if they had more social interaction. When I say feral, they came off a farm and only like a very limited fuss. I've been scratched by both of them on numerous occasions but I know some cats are just like that.

In my experience free-roaming farm cats will never be cuddly pet cats. They might come close, but only for short periods of time. Sounds like they have the perfect set up now, freedom to roam and a cosy dry comfy cat-condo aka own room to return to.

DontWiltMySpinachPlease · 10/02/2022 19:17

Sounds like a good solution to them bullying the dog!

thecatneuterer · 10/02/2022 19:18

Sounds fine to me and assessing what is and isn't suitable for cats is part of my day job.

christmastreewithhairyfairy · 10/02/2022 19:34

I don't think this is ok at all and surprised so many people do! Not about space/territory but more about company. I assume the family don't spend lots of time in the cat room, so don't they miss being around people? Or have I missed something?

SpiderVersed · 10/02/2022 19:39

YABU - they have all of outside plus a dedicated indoor room with all their needs met for recreation, food and sleeping?

Lucky cats!

thecatneuterer · 10/02/2022 19:41

@christmastreewithhairyfairy What you've missed is that they are semi-feral. Semi feral cats don't particularly want human company, but they do want cat company, shelter, food and access to the outside. They have all that.

Linguini · 10/02/2022 19:43

I'd judge anyone poorly for having cats then getting a dog. That's completely insensitive and anti-cat.
But it sounds like these pet owners have tried to negate the issues as best as they can.
And to be fair it's not your problem.

The cats will probably leave home eventually.

Linguini · 10/02/2022 19:44

[quote thecatneuterer]@christmastreewithhairyfairy What you've missed is that they are semi-feral. Semi feral cats don't particularly want human company, but they do want cat company, shelter, food and access to the outside. They have all that.[/quote]
No, the cats are "pretty feral". They were probably taken in as domestic cats all of which are pretty feral.

Hugasauras · 10/02/2022 19:47

Sounds fine to me. DCat has the run of the house and mostly prefers to be in one room sleeping on the spare bed anyway! And she's a mainly inside cat as she's a bit fat and lazy.

christmastreewithhairyfairy · 10/02/2022 19:49

But were they "feral" before the dog effectively forced them out of their home or they've just become that way? I've had lots of cats including rescues and I find it sad

SaySomethingMan · 10/02/2022 19:50

Have my first

narcdad · 10/02/2022 19:55

I can see your point, they have to learn to live with each other and that is not going to happen if they are always separated.

On the other side they are allowed out (don't get me started on house cats)

Maybe you could still suggest she re introduces the cats to the dog, gets them a high perch / flat in the door of the room.

User1isnotavailable · 10/02/2022 19:56

Oh my. The cats sound fine. You do realise that some children live in much worse conditions than cats @Minifigure282

narcdad · 10/02/2022 20:00

@Linguini

I'd judge anyone poorly for having cats then getting a dog. That's completely insensitive and anti-cat. But it sounds like these pet owners have tried to negate the issues as best as they can. And to be fair it's not your problem.

The cats will probably leave home eventually.

You'd think awful of me then 🤪 I had my cat 7 years then got a dog (although cat was actually bigger than the dog), we did proper training, introducing etc and cat lived to 19, both loved each other to bits. Dog still with us, old boy now though.

thecatneuterer · 10/02/2022 20:44

@christmastreewithhairyfairy

But were they "feral" before the dog effectively forced them out of their home or they've just become that way? I've had lots of cats including rescues and I find it sad

Yes they were. According to the OP they came from a farm, they don't particularly like human interaction and have scratched her a few times.

thecatneuterer · 10/02/2022 20:49

@Linguini No, the OP says they came from a farm and didn't like much human interaction, which is of course standard for feral farm cats. What on earth do you mean by 'all domestic cats are pretty feral'? By definition, they aren't. A feral cat is one that had no, or very limited human interaction as a small kitten. That's the definition. A domestic cat is one that was brought up as a kitten in a household with interaction. Of course feral cats can become tame, but often they don't.

lljkk · 10/02/2022 20:56

yabu

Nula123 · 10/02/2022 22:40

At least they can go out. If you want to talk about cruel, then look no further than ‘house cats’ :( Owners will say it’s in their cats best interests as there’s a busy road etc..how about don’t get a cat if you live near a busy road then. Selfishness in the extreme.

StarCat2020 · 10/02/2022 22:45

You’re thinking like a human. Think like a cat
This has made me laugh so much.

Love it

Be less human, be more cat!!

newnameforthis76 · 11/02/2022 21:48

They’re cats, not people. All they want is their own space, which they’ve now got. A cat’s natural lifestyle is to divide its time between roaming outside and sleeping in a safe, warm place. That is exactly what these cats have got. They’re not sitting in their nice comfy den thinking ‘Hmm, I wish I could sleep in a different room today.’ They don’t give a shit.

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