Rehoming pet due to anxiety

[1234throwaway]

Please be kind. I am really struggling.

I have quite severe GAD. One of the things I worry most about is my cat. I love her so much and I am terrified of her coming to harm. I get lots of intrusive thoughts and images - finding her dead on the road after being hit by a car, or her falling out of a window, or me hurting her somehow. It’s starting to affect me letting her outside - on days when I feel especially anxious I want to keep her in, or I shut her in earlier than I would usually. There've been a couple of times where I’ve got really anxious and grabbed her and brought her inside, which then makes her anxious. She loves being outside more than anything. It would be incredibly cruel and she would be really miserable to be kept as an indoor cat.

I know this isn’t fair on her and I feel even worse that my anxiety is impacting on her enjoyment of life as well as my own. It’s got so bad that I am wondering if I should rehome her - it would break my heart and we are well bonded, but it might be the best thing for her. She’s only young and has years ahead of her.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? What did you do?

I’m doing CBT at the moment but it doesn’t seem to be helping much.

OP, if you’re doing these behaviours so that your cat will be ‘safe’ this sounds like some kind of obsessive compulsive behaviour. Don’t rehome the cat until you have read and implemented ‘Overcoming OCD’ by Professor David Veale. Honestly changes my life in one weekend. Xx

Not being narky but why did you get the cat in the first place? For company? I need to care? Does he/she give you any comfort? Maybe it's your anxiety telling you the cat is unhappy and better off without you, which I'm sure is not the case!
My cats have caused me lots of worry but I have to tell myself, what will be, will be. They need fresh air and exercise just like we do. Relax. Breathe. All will be as it should.

@TheSilentSister She adopted me. Unwanted by a former neighbour. I am really attached to her and she does bring me comfort, when I am not worrying about her. I wish it were so easy just to relax!

@HappyMonkey24 Thats interesting, thanks for the recommendation. I do have some OCD traits, but I haven’t noticed specific behaviours related to keeping the cat safe (yet, anyway). But I will definitely look the book up, as I can get really overwhelmed by intrusive thoughts (not all related to the cat).

If you get lots of intrusive thoughts, that’s the Obsession part covered. That’s called Pure obsessional OCD. If you act off the thoughts at all, for example by bringing the cat in. That’s the compulsion. I cannot recommend that book highly enough even if you just think you’ve got intrusive thoughts. I was crippled by them and it literally changed my life. It will be the best £10 you ever spend honestly. ( I should genuinely get commission, the amount I recommend that book on here! ) Xx