Has anyone ever regretted getting a cat?

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Really interesting reading in the dog thread. I was expecting prevalent "no".

Is there the sane sentiment for cats? Or are they easier to fit to your life?

A little.

I have a dog and a cat. Always had cats, got the dog a few years ago.

In some ways the dog is easier. I have a small breed that only needs moderate exercise. Other than that the only input is a groom now and again. I have “control” over where he goes so he’s always safe on a lead or in a safe environment. Holidays he isn’t even much of a tie, I have several family members that take him, often I’ll take theirs in return so it works well.

Cats I find more stressful. Where is it? Is it Ok? Did it come home this morning? Will I be scooping it off the road? Vets for bites/ticks/fleas again?
They’re more of a tie for holidays. I either have to find a good cattery, and if it’s a good cattery (or even cat sitter) I have to plan and book well in advance, sometimes a year for the summer. Then I feel I can’t leave it for more than a week, two at most. Current cat is an ex breeding rescue who got unbelievably stressed in catteries, but won’t be comfortable at home on her own for extended periods either.

Before it’s not been so much of a problem. But our family is older (teens) and we’re better financially so we want some good holidays before it’s just me and Dp. That’s the main tie with the cat. So far i’ve manages to talk my mum into staying in my house with her dog, but she prefers to have my dog in her house which leaves the cat....

I regret getting my "twins" on a regular basis. When they raid the bin, do a massive poo just as I'm about to sit down for tea, get lost and frighten me half to death...... the list goes on.

Then they do some thing super cute and lovable and I stop regretting it again

I adore mine. She's a total cow and won't give me any cuddles and last night DH had to stop her from climbing on the roof but she is mine and I love her

I had spells of regret when my kids were very young and I was up every several times a night and never later than 6am to get up. I was really low, constantly getting ill and the cat miaowing for food, or cleaning its litter tray or finding wee in boxes under the stairs or in the baby buggy, or being the only one bitten by its fleas even though we were paying a fortune to get good flea treatment from the vet etc just felt like more things I couldnt handle.

The kids are a bit older now and love the cats and I dont regret having them at all now.

I have 4 cats and regret one of them.

He's just really crap. He has no affection and gives nothing back. I don't think he likes humans at all. He only really comes in for food and to puke on our carpet. But we still have to care for him (and pay for him, and clean up after him) just like one of our other 3 lovely, friendly pusses.

Never. But then, I've always had cats and so I think maybe I just don't know what life is like without cats.

We had a cat when I was baby, it helped me learn to walk. It didn't appreciate how exciting this was. My parents had to choose between cat and me. Fortunately they chose me. I think that cat told every other cat about me and that's why I get scratched.

Only when they decide to use the litter tray at 2am and dig to the center of the earth.

They’ve helped me through depression and grief like no human ever could. Have also had dogs - which I adored.

A friend did not adopt the right cat for them. The cat didnt really like being stroked, not affectionate at all so wouldnt sit on a lap and really didnt like men. I think they do regret it a bit but the cat is becoming a bit more friendly with time.

I massively regreted one of my cats back in March when he knocked my car keys into the recycling and they went in the blue bin ( and bin lorry ) before anybody noticed. But generally no , I have had cats with differing personalities, some not as friendly as others ( I am a vet so I tend to get waifs and strays), but no i dont regret any of them. The recycler of keys was a kitten that came in to be put to sleep as he had horrific cat flu and was severely anaemic. He is a real character.

Have only had lovely cats so no regrets here.
Currently enslaved to four furry overlords 😺

Although I have loved and cared for all my cats, I don't think I will have another. I had one that just peed everywhere, vommed for the fun of it and would yowl to be let out in the middle of the night, only to look outside and then settle in the sofa. There were no underlying medical issues.

The one I have currently is a killing machine, I've cleaned up many decapitated wild baby rabbits and moles. I know it's nature but still really unpleasant. He's clawed carpets until they have great big loops pulled up and he likes to swipe and attack people at random for fun. He is a handsome bugger and behaves beautifully when he visits my neighbour for 'afternoon tea' each day. I just seem to get the brunt of his naughty side.

Nope, not one bit and I have four.

I love the very bones of them and all their stupid ways apart from the Tortie who is not stupid and only two thumbs away from world domination.

Regret isn't a word I'd use as I never wanted a cat in the first place. She was an accident. But here she is and I'll care for her properly until she goes. Will never be a fan of them I don't think.

Never, ever again though.

Before I got pixie-lou I would have said I've never regretted getting any of my cats but this one is do different to any other I've ever had ,she is nasty and vicious ,she thinks nothing of leaping from the table onto a head with teeth and claws at the ready ,she leaps from behind chairs or sofa again teeth and claws and if you tell her no she hisses at you . She won't let you fuss her her and will only get on to you so she can dig her claws into you before jumping down,we have started calling her demon cat, her mother was the total opposite

Never, total feline joy, gentlest sweetest cat there ever is

Never for a second. We have 2 and they’re just fantastic.

We don’t have any cos I’m allergic. Came back from putting my bin out this morning to find this beauty sat in my conservatory- no idea whose she is but she’s been here about an hour much to DD’s delight

No, cats are the easiest pets in the word. Our girl lives mostly outside, she has a massive garden to play in, she does all her toileting outside, she really is so easy.

Honestly if we forgot to feed her, I know she would just go and get her own food!

She got locked in the house one day accidentally and she went an pooed in the bath. I mean, what a legend.

The dog on the other hand was an absolute nightmare and I cried every day that we had him.

My first was wonderful with me until I had dc - after that she adored and hated me in equal measure and used to randomly attack me, although was never anything other than gentle with dc.
When she was PTS I swore I would never have another pet and for 8 weeks I loved having no hair, no litter, no vicious ankle biting. But it wasnt right without her, so I got boy kittens who are just lovely, albeit destructive little fuckers, who climb my legs all day but give the best cuddles.

Nooooo we love our cats SO MUCH!!!!

I regret OH and the children getting our 2 cats - but I wasn't all that keen to start off with as I'm really not a cat person.......... We had one before them who was lovely and not very cat-like - these two bring in lots of things (and I like birds so hate it when they kill them), scratch the carpets badly and leave hair everywhere (which ends up on my clothes).

On the plus side, the rest of the family love them - but I'm not convinced.......

Definitely fit easier into your life. I think they become a bit more problematic when they get older - mine stopped going out and started using a litter tray and eventually just shit anywhere as he went a bit senile - this went in for about 4 years so quite a long time. Also curtains duvets etc completely wrecked from claws. I would never regret having him though but I don't regret my other let's either even though they are hard work

I regret what one of our is doing to my carpets but she's a rescue and affectionate so reluctantly forgiven.

We have three cats. I love them dearly but they are hard work. One shreds every bit of fabric in sight. She's destroyed every carpet and the sofa, despite us buying scratch posts, pads and everything going. Her brother, despite being being neutered, still sprays everywhere so I'm forever wiping down pee-covered skirting boards. He also hunts and brings in numerous dead and semi-dead creatures.

Our oldest cat is very sweet but has developed a habit of dragging her bum across the floor every time she does a poo so I'm constantly scrubbing shit off wooden floorboards. It's not worms, the vet can't advise as to why she does it, so there's not a lot we can do but constantly clear it up and hose her bum off.

So whilst I love the cats, I'm not sure I'd get more as and when they die off.