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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to leave my cat behind when the builders come and we move out?

37 replies

Heathcliffscathy · 27/03/2010 20:06

put this in here, because it is quite boring, but i want some responses! builders coming. We're moving out. will be out for 10 weeks. so, do we leave the cat here, it will be looked after by neighbours and fed by them (it goes in their house anyway already) but won't have access to our house a lot of the time...OR do we take the cat with us but keep it inside in the flat we're going to?

feels like a lose lose for the cat, but wondering about best option?

OP posts:

BrahmsThirdRacket · 27/03/2010 20:08

Take it with you! It may think you've abandoned it. I couldn't leave mine behind

CaptainPicardsPineapple · 27/03/2010 20:09

If it were me I would be taking my cat with us, she's part of the family, not quite the same as leaving as a child behind but still she's an important component of our household.

The cat will cope with staying indoors for a few weeks.

BitOfFun · 27/03/2010 20:09

I'd leave it.

SilveryMoon · 27/03/2010 20:10

I'd take mine with me. 10 weeks is a long time

Lonicera · 27/03/2010 20:10

cats hate disruption , so I imagine you cat will be very upset by building work/ absent owners if you leave it behind

MrsC2010 · 27/03/2010 20:10

Take it, they're part of the family and would wonder where you've gone/maybe wander off.

maristella · 27/03/2010 20:11

if you leave it behind you might find, on your return that the cat has decided to belong to someone else

arry · 27/03/2010 20:14

Please take it with you - it will get extremely distressed when it can no longer access its house, cats are very territorial. When we had work done on our house I put 3 cats in kennels for 8 weeks - cost me a bomb but I knew they were safe and not traumatised.

MyCatIsABastard · 27/03/2010 20:14

I'd take my cat (even though he is a bastard). He gets fed by the neighbours when we go on holiday and gets very pissy with us when we return after just a week(crapping where you can stand in it, swiping at you randomly in the dark, yowling). I think he'd probably hire a hit squad if left for 10 wks.

JackRabbitBauer · 27/03/2010 20:17

Is it an inside or an outside cat?
I would have thought an outside cat would be happier left behind IMO, as long as you warn the builders it will be fed elsewhere but may wander in so not to brick it up
In indoor cat would be better with you.

fliight · 27/03/2010 20:23

If the neighbours are very fond of it, I'd say make sure it can't access anywhere dangerous in your absence, and leave it in their care. BUT make sure they keep it inside in their house for a few days, so it gets the idea of where 'home' is - it's going to end up living with them, it can't possibly live in a disrupted house full of buildres and machinery. So it needs to either be adopted into their care, until and for a short while after you come back, or it needs to come with you.

Hope that makes sense. If you just go, it won't know where you are and will try and get in the house and possibly be in danger - and it may wander off.

The neighbours are its new home, for now, and that means keeping it in - maybe up to a week actually. And lots of fuss from them and the same food it likes etc etc.

Original poster

Heathcliffscathy · 27/03/2010 20:26

oh kerrist...ok. he is definitely an outdoor cat but affectionate and gets v pissed off when we go on holiday....think we will try to take him with...anyone know of any good catteries near sw london?

OP posts:

BelleDameSansMerci · 27/03/2010 20:26

I'd take it with me.

vidia · 27/03/2010 20:27

If you leave the cat behind, who will be dealing with the litter tray?

Original poster

Heathcliffscathy · 27/03/2010 20:29

it goes outside! no litter tray

OP posts:

lowenergylightbulb · 27/03/2010 20:30

My heart says take him with you. But my head says that the temp. move and confinement to a flat would be confusing and distressing for him.

It's a tricky one isn't it?!

Original poster

Heathcliffscathy · 27/03/2010 22:00

it really is!

OP posts:

LetThereBeRock · 27/03/2010 22:03

Take the cat.

Surprise · 27/03/2010 22:06

Cats tend to be settled geographically, rather than attached to people. So it will probably be far happier in its usual stomping ground minus you, rather than in some strange place. As long as your neighbours are happy to look after it, then i can't really see there'll be a problem. Can you provide somewhere close to the house for him to sleep?

poshwellies · 27/03/2010 22:06

At this moment in time ,I'd leave my dh,children and the damn cat there .

drivingmisscrazy · 27/03/2010 22:08

this isn't helping much, is it, OP? we had this exact situation - 2 mostly outside cats, building work, renting meanwhile in a place where cats were definitely NOT welcome (lovely friends, cheap rent, hate cats), so we had no choice really. Figured that they could access part of the house and that at least they wouldn't be stuck indoors somewhere unfamiliar for weeks on end, and could access their territories. It was OK, they forgave us.

Pannacotta · 27/03/2010 22:17

I think a decent cattery would be your best bet.
Not great to leave the cat there with the builders making lots of noise/mess and not great to have him couped up in a flat either.

We have two old mogs and part of the reason I keep delaying the building work we need is I'm not sure what to do with them...

artydeb · 27/03/2010 22:33

Is the flat far from your house? Maybe you could leave the cat if the neighbours agree to the extra care but drop by for a while as often as you can to see him? My cat would go crazy cooped up indoors but I think she'd like to see us a bit if she stayed put. We're still not helping really are we?

Missus84 · 27/03/2010 22:36

If it's already familiar with the neighbours and their house then I'd leave it - less distressing than moving it.

ravenAK · 27/03/2010 22:44

If it's an outside cat, & you'll be about regularly, I'd leave it - but be prepared to find that when you move back in, the cat has found a new family?

Would you be devastated if that happened?

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