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Original poster

Anyone regretted having a cat?

124 replies

MozzchopsThirty · 25/03/2016 20:38

I've never had one, would like one for me & dcs
Seen one we like and suitable for our home at local cats protection centre

I'm so nervous about it going wrong, worried that she'll scratch furniture, carpets etc
Worried about allergy
Worried I won't cope

OP posts:

Thread gallery

ShatnersBassoon · 25/03/2016 20:44

I think every cat owner has moments when they wonder why they decided to have a hairy, pooing, weeing, noisy, furniture-wrecking, get stuck up a massive tree when you're in your pyjamas, annoying alarm clock beast in their house.

The reward far outweighs the trouble though. On balance. Most days, probably...

sphinxster · 25/03/2016 20:50

Never. Except at 7am everyday when I'm trying to carry 5 month old ds down the stairs for his breakfast and there's two of the little bastards cuties purring around my legs.

SingingMyOwnSpecialSong · 25/03/2016 20:52

Dcat can be a total pita but despite his yowling when he is hungry (frequently), scratching stuff he shouldn't (sofasin a rented house, lost our entire deposit) and costing a fortune at the vets (thankfully just the excess on the insurance, i love petplan) i wouldn't change him for the world. He is very sweet when he wants to be and i love watching tv or reading with him curled up on me purring. Don't get the chance very often now but i used to spend Sunday afternoons laying on the sofa watching films and he used to stretch out on me and relax so much he would have twitchy dreams. Bliss.

cantbelieveImquittingcoffee · 25/03/2016 21:02

I would just say choose carefully...
I wanted to get one small young female cat when I was single and living alone, went to a rescue place and the crazy lady who owned it basically bullied me into taking away 2 massive long- haired recently rescued (psychologically damaged) adult male cats there and then - she wouldn't take no for an answer. They were absolutely beautiful cats but not right for me at all - they needed lots of attention, hated being left alone (I was out for 12 hours most days) so they peed and pooed all over the house in protest, and I was so allergic to them that I had to take antihistamines every day. It was one of the most upsetting things I have ever done but I ended up having to give them up after about 6 months, the original crazy lady wouldn't take them and I had to go to Battersea dogs & cats home. I felt so so bad about it but it came down to a very bad fit and a badly run rescue centre, so I would just say be careful about making sure you find the right pet for your family, because if I had done that I'm sure the outcome would have been completely different!

Original poster

MozzchopsThirty · 25/03/2016 21:06

We actually visited the centre with another cat in mind but he wasn't very keen on children and could be a bit scratchy they said.
This is an 18 month old girl who was all nuzzly and purring
The dcs loved her

I've just had new carpets and an extension built, should I re think then?
I was under the impression that if I got a scratch board and litter tray all would be well

OP posts:

TheToys · 25/03/2016 21:12

We have a non destructive friendly, 2 year old, low maintenance girl from a rescue. Choose carefully and you won't regret it.

lottielou7 · 25/03/2016 21:16

I absolutely love our ragdoll who we got a year ago. I was very against getting a cat but now we're getting another.

Haffdonga · 25/03/2016 21:18

Don't rethink. Cats don't tend to knock down extensions. If yours is allowed outside your carpets will be fine too,

Little girl cat sounds lovely. You wont regret it.

kimlo · 25/03/2016 21:18

Thee litter tray will be fine, but she will ignore the scratch post. My kittens hide behind theres to jump out at each other, or chase each other around it but never ever use it to scratch. Thats what the setee is for.

Stars66 · 25/03/2016 21:29

I don't regret getting my cat, she can't be very loving indeed. But she does scratch up the carpets and doesn't use the scratch pad, or the little house thing we bought. My daughter loves having a pet, and it does make the family

Northernlurker · 25/03/2016 21:30

Ours scratches the carpet a bit but not much. Sofa is unscathed. No peeing or pooing in house except when accidentally shut in when she clearly does it in protest.

VilootShesCute · 25/03/2016 21:33

Scratching furniture can be discouraged in many ways. Our cat isn't allowed in our bedroom or kitchen and has learned not to go in there with just the word NO shouted firmly. We had a cat once who loved me way too much and liked to sleep on my head. Was a sodding nightmare. But he was amazing despite that. Although I didn't think it at the time as suffocation by cat was a real fear when you're woken up with a cat on your face at 2am.

Roseberrry · 25/03/2016 21:33

I don't regret either of my cats but I've had a lot of times where I could happily send them away! They do what they want and don't care about what you want them to do. If you can learn to love that then you'll be fine.

CatThiefKeith · 25/03/2016 21:34

Mine is no trouble at all... unless you count the numerous posts about him on the village facebook group He comes in to sleep and use the litter tray. Comes over all affectionate about once a week.

And makes a massive drama about having 3 legs twice a day for the school run.

He's ok. Brain damaged, limpy and a pita, but I luff's him anyway.

nooddsocksforme · 25/03/2016 21:35

I moved into a new build 4 years ago with my 2 and they have destroyed my new carpets .it's very upsetting but my 2 ds love the cats so much even though they are both adults and so I won't get any more cats I still feel that the joy they brought is much more important than scratched carpets . They use the scratchpole btw but still scratch the carpet . Nothing on the sofas tho

Original poster

MozzchopsThirty · 25/03/2016 21:43

I'm planning on her sleeping in the utility room and her just being allowed in there and the two living rooms.
We have a nice garden and she'll be able to go outside although centre said not for 4-6 weeks

I'm sleeping with her blanket tonight to test my allergy!!

OP posts:

Schwabischeweihnachtskanne · 25/03/2016 21:45

My kids would love a cat. DH hates them. Sometimes I am tempted to try to talk him into it - kids would be ecstatic.

Then I'll be reading a MN thread ostensibly about something else entirely and there will be posts about cats being sick in DCs beds in the middle of the night (on a thread about night time toilet training DC) or repeatedly peeing behind the sofa.

I'll then remember that the first time I took my PFB to my parents house their cat shat right in the middle of their sofa, and that growing up the cat they had then used to use the corner of the living room as a toilet and the carpet was permanently stained even though she had a litter tray and was allowed out and her brother cat who they also owned was properly house trained...

That will remind me of the friend who got two cats whom she cannot keep off the kitchen work surfaces of her open plan downstairs no matter what she does and says that every day she wishes she hadn't got them, but her DC love them so she is stuck with them now for the next 14+ years...

Then I think better of it and keep my mouth closed and we stick to rabbits. DD is nagging for indoor guinepigs. We might eventually give in to her on that.

RedOnHerHedd · 25/03/2016 21:46

I have an indoor cat that we got from a rescue centre when he was 10 weeks old. He's very loving, sleeps on our bed and needs constant cuddles. He hasn't damaged any of our carpets or furniture, uses his scratch post for what it's meant to be used for.

However... He's a great alarm clock when it's time for food and he leaves cat hair EVERYWHERE, even with frequent brushing.

But regrets? No, absolutely not. He's part of the family.

idril · 25/03/2016 21:54

I don't regret having mine for one minute but if you are worried even now about furniture scratching, allergies etc then my advice would be don't get a cat.

Cats are a responsibility and they will scratch furniture and possibly wee in your house and leave the place covered in fur, walk on your work tops, sleep on the table and many other things.

For me, that is a small price to pay for the love you get in return but I grew up with cats so I knew what to expect.

If you are having doubts now, I think it's a bad sign.

idril · 25/03/2016 21:57

Reading my post back, I think "bad sign' is the wrong phrase. It's a good sign that you are thinking seriously about the decision. But having a litter tray and a scatch post do not necessarily mean that all will be well.

Original poster

MozzchopsThirty · 25/03/2016 21:59

I know that's what worries me
But I don't want to get a cat and have to return her in a month because it's not going well!
It would destroy the dcs and I want this cat to be family

OP posts:

Original poster

MozzchopsThirty · 25/03/2016 22:00

Here is a pic of her

OP posts:

SlipperyJack · 25/03/2016 22:01

Once, when treading in bare feet on half a vomited-up vole. While hungover (me, not the vole).

Otherwise, never. And I've had lots of cats.

Original poster

MozzchopsThirty · 25/03/2016 22:05

But if my cat isn't allowed in the kitchen the worktop think shouldn't be an issue hopegilly

OP posts:

Canshopwillshop · 25/03/2016 22:09

No. Do it!

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