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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

NameChange30 · 25/03/2016 22:51

We scoop out the poo straight away (or first thing in the morning) because it can be a bit smelly! But the wee is OK to leave. We have clumping litter so we scoop out the clumps once a day (in the morning). They don't use the tray much tbh as they prefer to go outside. But it's good to have the tray as an option for them, especially as we keep them in at night.

RedOnHerHedd · 25/03/2016 22:51

Mine used to like to try and poo in the bath when you're sat on the toilet having a poo yourself. I think he thinks I need a poo buddy. He hasn't done this for a while though.

And once he peed on my brand new rug because we had guests staying over for Christmas, but I'm guessing he was just letting them know that this was HIS house. He hasn't done that since either.

NameChange30 · 25/03/2016 22:53

Red at your poo buddy 💩

RedOnHerHedd · 25/03/2016 23:00

Yeah, he likes to do everything with me.

He won't drink water out of a bowl though. He requires fresh running water every time I visit the toilet for a wee. He'll sit in the sink and lick the tap until you turn it on and then he'll drink the fresh water. No, my cat's not spoilt at all!

He also wears a tie.

notagiraffe · 25/03/2016 23:04

Never. He's curled up in my arms, like a live hot water bottle, soft as cashmere and purring with contentment. He is so cuddly and good natured and handsome and cheeky. Love him except when he jumps on the window sill and throws up down the back of the radiator

Original poster

MozzchopsThirty · 25/03/2016 23:07

I love that your cat wears a tie

OP posts:

RedOnHerHedd · 25/03/2016 23:10

He's Lord Business Cat. (Not his name, but he's Lord Business Cat in his tie )

Original poster

MozzchopsThirty · 25/03/2016 23:11

excellent

OP posts:

MoonlightandMusic · 25/03/2016 23:14

Frequently but only briefly, generally when cleaning up (again) the latest spraying incident the latest spraying incident from the little one. We had two, down to one now due to diabetes.

The first one jumped up on DH's shoulder in the rescue centre when we opened her door and still follows him around like a dog - only one accident in 14 years and no furniture clawing. Is nice to vets too!

The other one was thrown out of a moving car at about six weeks old (we got him from the vet at eight weeks) and spent his life yelling at you at unsociable hours / spraying / squabbling with other cats (except his housemate).

On the plus side, when he did decide to sit on you it was a 'moment' and he adored small child and would track them around the house/sleep on their bed.

If 'yours' (and she's v.handsome) is happy with the children, and needs a home, then I'd be in the 'you won't regret it' camp.

Awholelottanosy · 25/03/2016 23:29

I have a cat who adopted me. He's so low maintenance, never scratches anything or pees or poos inside the house. He was so timid he'd cower when you tried to stroke him but he's much more at home now and sleeps on my bed most nights. Never brings dead birds or mice in and is happy in his own company during the day. He's a lovely little thing and I adore him! I guess you don't know what a cat's going to be like but if you get a rescue cat, they will be able to give you some insight into his character. There's so many lovely cats needing a good home, do it...!!

Here he is...

Awholelottanosy · 25/03/2016 23:33

Forgot to add photo!

Original poster

MozzchopsThirty · 25/03/2016 23:36

Oh he's gorgeous

OP posts:

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 02/04/2016 18:45

Erm, good luck keeping the cat off the kitchen worktops . Just admit defeat and buy a handheld steamer.

We had a rescue cat years ago (she was 2yo, we had her till she was 17yo). At the time DH and I worked Full time, we had a cat door and big garden, no DC. We wanted an adult not a kitten.

She had a companion (we rescued two cats, they weren't related or bonded) but very quickly the cat decided (in the words of Sparks -70s Pop Combo) "This Town Aint Big Enough For The Both of Us" and her housemate returned to Rescue. He found a new home quickly.

Bad Points:
She wrecked my stair carpet , through the carpet, underlay to wood. I had to nail it back.
She brought me Dead Things (Field Mice usually) which I didn't mind. Also Live Things (Birds Mice) that I did mind because I had to dispatch them if they were injured.
And a Frog (which was ok)

She endured my DC under protest , scared my DD by hovering on the landing and leaping through the banister.

But did I regret having a cat? No.

CrazyCatLadyTS · 15/04/2016 15:40

Never regretted having both of mine, they're my sunshine :)

However, we had to change ALL floors to laminate or wood after they arrived.
Our girl was easy on carpets but the boy automatically destroyed all carpets despite the presence of 5 scratching boards, even the ones nailed to the walls. We had to change the wallpaper into our hall because he liked it and scratched it back to the plaster.

I just say that if you're not prepared to 'suffer' damages to furniture or floors, just don't get pets, nor dogs either.... our doggie used to chew the heck out of furniture, brought stuff down from kitchen tops, etc.....

AnnieBeeBee · 19/04/2016 17:06

Yes!!!! I have just posted a question about how to rehome our cat.

Our cat scratches everything. Eats leaves and pukes all the time. Brings in half dead animals.

And what also drives me crazy is the absolute non-stop mess and the stench of the cat litter.

My husband is the one who bonded with the cat, though, not me.

And now that we have kids (I always had pets as a child so this has really shocked me), I actually can't take it anymore, which is why we're looking to rehome her.

To be honest, of my friends who have kids (in London) and had a cat before the baby came, more than half of them rehomed their cat within a year or two. Really sad, actually. And I'm one of them, which makes me feel guilty.

But ... Think carefully. A pet is a massive commitment. And I really do believe one you should be prepared to take for the duration of their life (I know - the irony - since I'm not...).

AnnieBeeBee · 19/04/2016 17:58

That came across so negative. Sorry! Probably the pregnancy hormones today

northernshepherdess · 25/04/2016 14:28

Annie bee... unless you reeeeealy hate her, I'd try to keep hold of her.. passing on a 'problem' even to the seemingly most dedicated of people may mean your cat ends up in a totally less tolerant situation.
I've had cats of my own since I was 15. In 2011 I had to say goodbye to both my 19 and 17 year old cats.. and we've had 3 cats stolen.
In the same year we got another from a friend, who also gave one each to two of our other friends.
Now these are the most gentle and tolerant cats you could ever meet and have never hurt any of the children even when being covered in stickers or facepainted etc BUT they caused a literally awful shituation in every one of their homes and we are the only ones who still have one. All others have been disposed of in one way or another.
They all have a bowel disorder which means they only poo diarrhea and have NEVER had a solid poo.
He is truely disgusting and the worst time resulted in poo all up and over the fridge freezer and work tops. He poos on shelves and in drawers, in the washing, in every room, under beds... literally anywhere he's standing!
I hate him. I'm sick of getting out the carpet washer! But the children love him and you couldnt want for a better natured cat so I just keep cleaning and have a strict routine of putting him out.
My baby is due in 9 weeks!

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 28/04/2016 07:36

Feliway plug in or spray REALLY works ime,get it before you get the cat. It really helps settle them and helps eliminate scratching as they're not trying to leave their scent everywhere.

I limit our cat to certain rooms, not hard ime.

There's a product called Petalcleanse for allergies which was positive reviews.

ScrotesOnFire · 28/04/2016 09:33

I have a cat.
She's very small and very cute.
She's very tolerant of and gentle with my 2 year old.
Moderately affectionate.

On the bad side,
She TRASHED my dining room chairs as a baby, I have wooden ones now.
I can't have synthetic rugs as she pisses on them though fine with my sheepskin ones.
She needs to be thrown outside every night else she jumps on and off the bed, scratches the bed, bites our feet, runs laps around the house...

ScrotesOnFire · 28/04/2016 09:34

She does have an endearing trait also of bringing home crisp packets, twigs, chocolate wrappers etc and presenting them proudly.
She's not much of a hunter!

NameChange30 · 28/04/2016 09:42

Did you get the cat, OP?
If so how's it going?

minimuffin · 28/04/2016 11:08

I regret it - we got two litter mates. They are 20 months now. Lovely, well-behaved, quiet, not demanding, not big hunters as we keep them in at night.

But there is is nothing I like about having them. I get nothing out of having them other than a load of extra chores. I have to hoover our seat cushions every morning before the DC sit down for breakfast because the cats sleep there for some reason and they are covered in hair. (Got short haired cats so wasn't expecting his). Am sick of cat hair everywhere. Hate dealing with litter tray. Hate the fact they poo in pots outside as well. Hate how they've wrecked sofas and rugs. HATE it when they bring in little birds (luckily only about 4 so far) - I find it really upsetting. I had lived with a cat once before in a flatshare and loved it so I am really surprised this is how I feel but I do. I wish we hadn't got them.... The DC love them but don't play with them as much as I expected. I don't know what to do! I feel guilty as I know someone else would adore them and not mind them just being cats doing what cats do... If in doubt, and you still haven't got one, I wouldn't but that's just me.

CattyMcCatface · 28/04/2016 11:13

If the cat is already using a scratching board, could you not ask for it and buy them a replacement? It will have her scent on it and will be familiar to her so she may continue to use it in the home, which she might not do with a new one with a different 'smell'.

millymaid · 28/04/2016 11:15

We got our first cat about 18 months ago. I was also worried about the hassle and damage, and just maybe not being a good cat owner. 18 months on we are all totally in love with the cat. He is honestly less trouble than some of my house plants. Cats will scratch and they will kill little creatures. Ours is too lazy to do much hunting and we got him a bell collar which I think helps. Just do it, you'll all end up loving it.

SooBee61 · 28/04/2016 11:17

Don't get a cat if you're very very house proud but otherwise they're a joy to have. The worst ours does is tread bits of litter out of his tray (clean usually) and use an older sofa as a scratching post. If you have a leather sofa this shouldn't happen but it can still show scratches. Somehow you forgive them!

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