AIBU thinking this is just really irresponsible to get a kitten!

[Catswisk]

Name change as I don’t want this to be linked to my other threads incase it’s outing!

since my DD started nursery she’s been friends with another little girl, naturally I became friends with the mum, both our daughters are now 11 and are still in the same school. We enjoy each others company and get along well etc.

a few years ago DH and I managed to get on the property ladder, shortly after moving in we got DD a kitten.

DDs friend then started nagging her mother for a kitten after seeing ours. So her mum bought her a cat too, shortly after getting the cat the mum was asking me costs for cat food and spaying insurance etc, they are more cash strapped than us as she doesn’t work, the mum has told me she is on benefits.

the mum has been making more comments to me recently about the cost of living and that cat food, litter etc all rising, they never had their cat spayed as it was too expensive, for that reason the cat is a house cat. She’s also said that she doesn’t insure the cat as the cat doesn’t go out.

None of the above really bothered me, the cat was always healthy looking relaxed and fed when we visit. However DD came home from school early last week and said that her friend has a new kitten.

I just don’t understand why you’d take on another animal knowing you’d struggle to afford them. I’m a huge animal lover and I just don’t think it’s right, AIBU to stop hanging out with this woman?

How, by sharing baths and splitting the council tax? 😂

Unless the new kitten is the opposite sex

Not only this, but it's very easy for an indoor cat to sneak out - especially an intact cat that will want to fulfil its sexual urges. An entire female who gets out when she is on heat might come back with unwelcome additions to the household. An entire male will roam until he finds a female, and he will very likely spray in the house - and the spray of a tom cat makes normal cat wee smell like Chanel No. 5 by comparison!

When I was fostering cats who went into heat because they were waiting to be spayed, I got into the habit of making sure they were shut in a room before I opened the front door.

But I live on my own in a flat so doing that was far easier than it would be for someone with kids & a house with more than one exit.

Agreed.
Double the cats double the costs.

I think people should have to pass some training or get a licence before they are allowed to keep pets

And neutering should be compulsory except for licensed breeders.

If we ever get to the stage where nobody is dumping tiny kittens in bin bags like rubbish, and nobody has a houseful of unneutered cats & kittens riddled with worms & fleas, and kittens aren’t giving birth at six months old when they’re still babies themselves, then we can rethink.

Why would you stop hanging out with her just because she's got another kitten. Slight over reaction if you value her friendship & your Daughters are friends. She may be willing to pull her belt in a bit to afford another cat & if she's not planning on having it neutered or insured then it's not going to cost her that much more than having one cat. She may have a moan about the cost of things but she must be an animal lover to even think of having 2 pets never mind one.

she must be an animal lover to even think of having 2 pets never mind one.

No. Unless she’s completely missed everything about why it’s cruel not to neuter cats - indoor or otherwise - and has a firm plan in place for what happens if one of her cats needs dental work or has a tumour.

Mind your own business judgey

I lost my first indoor boy to kidney disease, most probably genetic. My current boy is also now an indoor only cat but was a stray before I got him and has FIV (cat AIDS) and will probably have a much shortened life plus it means his other condition (again probably from being a stray for a long time) can't be fully medicated due to the AIDS. He's currently on 6 weekly injections at the vets and daily food supplements, and will be for life. I am so glad both were/are insured!

Every time a child strokes a dog in the street they are risking taking fleas home to their own cats

Just to emphasis the point above - typical timing - cat somehow managed to injure his leg last night involving an emergency visit to the vet this morning. Visit, 2 different injections, tablets, will have been quite expensive but as he's insured just had to pay the excess for that condition.

Honestly I find all pet ownership of predators irresponsible. Their poo is grim and their food consumption leads to more co2 in the environment.

At least their cats are kept inside so they are fully responsible for the cat shit and less local birds are killed