Heartbroken at having to rehome my best friends

[Ak75]

I have had cats all of my adult life (I am 46 now) and moved to a private rental 6 years ago after leaving my husband and managed to find a landlord willing to let me bring them. I now have to move to a flat as I have to massively downsize as 2 of my kids have moved out and there are so few properties available I have had to take the only one who will accept me on a housing benefit top up.

No one will let you take pets in the current market, trust me I have tried.

I have contacted a cat rescue that helped rehome my mums cats when she had to go into a care home this year and have secured a place for all 4 of them next week.
I am doing my very best to be positive and tell myself I'm doing my best for my cats as they will be safe and warm and there is nothing else I can do, I have to move as I can't afford my rent now 2 of my kids have grown up even with working more hours, the financial loss is just too much, but I'm devastated. I feel like I'm letting everyone down, I'm so low and would give anything to find a solution :(

I’m so sorry OP, that sounds really sad and stressful for you.

If it helps at all, we adopted adult cats where the previous owner was in your mums position and couldn’t keep them, and they really are safe and warm and happy and loved.

As previous posters have said, it’s worth considering whether they are well behaved enough to be secret cats (as long as they would not cause any damage). Perhaps 4 is a lot of secret cats but 1-2 is achievable ,..

It is very difficult to evict tenants. Can you train your cats now to be house cats so they get used to not going out and therefore don’t make much noise when cooped in the flat. Then clandestinely take them… that is if they don’t make mess and take them to your DC’s home for inspections. Landlords can’t refuse pets without good reason. So once you’re in, hopefully you can stay in.

I am a ll. I allow smaller pets, just not massive, destructive dogs.

Echoing what others say, please TAKE THE CATS and put them in a catery on inspection days.

I would also lie and keep the cats

Yep, keep the cats.

I say this as many years back I had 2 cats and had to,leave my flat suddenly and new LL said no cats (and it was small 3rd floor flat). Nice lady at work offered to keep them for me until I had a place where they could live with me. 18mths later I bought a flat and went to get the cats. She had given one of them alway to a lonely old neighbour.

I didn't have the heart to take the cat aways from the old lady, so took back just the one. It was so sad.

So, take the cats.