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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband going through bin for cat food

354 replies

mrsgumpy · 02/11/2025 20:25

So I need some perspective on this. And yes I know it is ridiculous to be arguing about cat food.

My husband hates waste. He thinks I don't get all the cat food out of the sachet when I feed the cat. I try to squeeze all the cat food out but I find it disgusting so I am not going to use a teaspoon and scrap every last bit out of the sachet. I prefer to get as much as I can out by squeezing the sachet and then chucking it in the bin. However, every time I feed the cat, DH goes into the rubbish bin, finds the sachet and then scraps the rest of the cat food out. It drove me a bit crazy for a while and then I just decided to let him go for it. This morning it started to irritated me all over again to see DH rummaging in the bin and then trying to scrap out tiny morsels of cat food from the sachet.

I am the first up in the morning, which is why I feed the cat otherwise I would just leave him to it. Whenever he feeds the cat it is such a palaver that the poor cat is almost beside himself with waiting for something to eat. DH also likes to ration the cat's food to avoid waste so he eeks out the cat food in small portions over the course of the day, which means we have a constantly meowing cat around the house. Drives me crazy.

Ok, so what do you think? Am I being unreasonable? Should I just let DH rummage through the bin for cat food and not care about it?

OP posts:
NCembarassed · 16/11/2025 08:17

@mrsgumpy I don't know how you're dealing with this, I'd have lost my temper long ago - and I'm generally very placid & conflict-avoidant.

He's lucky you don't have my Dcat. If she's not fed at the right time snd in the correct quantity (not too little), she bolts her food and then vomits it all up somewhere inconvenient to clean.

We ended up switching to frozen deliveries of food. The pouch size is determined by her weight, so we know it's the right amount. She’d always had supermarket food, but kept being sick (no underlying health issues according to the vet). We eventually found a brand that mostly worked for her (puking reduced by about 40%), but all the local supermarkets had supply problems with it. The brand we are with now has proved reliable, and she doesn't throw up any more unless her devoted slaves cock up on the timing. If the kids delay her meal I always point out her stomach is way smaller than theirs, so she gets fed first. I don't expect it to be eaten immediately, she grazes, but it's all gone before her next meal.

I'd be so tempted to serve your husband half his meals and put the rest in the fridge quoting his own reasons back at him, but it would no doubt cause more problems for you.

If he isn't an absolute wonder in every other respect (actually even if he is) I'd be considering divorce in your situation.

Matsukaze · 19/11/2025 18:26

It is not wasting cat food, it is ensuring the poor cat has had enough to eat

Midgetgemsplease · 04/12/2025 23:23

I'd really love to know how you're getting on OP and your lovely cat too 😊

mrsgumpy · 26/02/2026 21:59

Midgetgemsplease · 04/12/2025 23:23

I'd really love to know how you're getting on OP and your lovely cat too 😊

Thanks for asking. I have taken over feeding the cat and he is much happier (as am I).

Thanks everyone for your advice and input. Was really helpful.

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