Rehoming cats :(

[SmithL]

I'm feeling absolutely heartbroken as we have made the very hard decision to rehome our 4 cats :( they are being collected tomorrow and I am dreading it!!
Two of them are brother, who I took as kittens after they'd been dumped in a bag in a graveyard :( they will always be my babies. Fast forward a few years and I met my now husband, and together we took in two more rescue cats. Then we had our first child and we decided to stop the cats coming into the house as I just couldn't keep up with the constant cleaning etc. They were in the garage and had free access to outside. However things changed this summer when they got fleas, for the first time ever :(
I just can't cope with them. We have had another baby and I'm struggling with PPD, and I know that the cats deserve so much better. I just don't have time to give them any attention.
I'm sat here crying my eyes out, not wanting to let them go, but also feeling like it is the best thing for them and for us.
If anyone has any advice, I would appreciate it.

The way these cats were shoved outside with only access to a garage, and no one bothered with flea ointment for them,
The cats are better off somewhere else.
You are better off, less stress and guilt.

Sorry about your PPD. It'll pass. Look after yourself. Your cats will hopefully find a happy home now.

Sorry OP but it definitely sounds like they'll be better off somewhere else.

Poor cats. Glad they're going to a home to get the love and attention they deserve

Are they going to a rescue?

I just wanted to say I'm sorry you are going through this.
Are you getting treatment for your PND?
It's this which is making you feel overwhelmed.
Fleas are just a regular annoying hazard with cats and dogs, you can treat pets with nexguard etc and get some really good spray for carpets, vets would be able to advise but regular flea treatment is expensive (I tend to just do March - Oct)
Would you feel better to perhaps keep 2 of them?
You are not a horrible person you are reaching out for support.
Im sure you have given the cats a wonderful home and their will find a new loving owners.
Take care of yourself and if you haven't already please see a doctor for PND.

OP. From what you say, I'm not really clear why you're getting rid of them.
You let them get fleas. It happens, no big deal.
They have to live outside (I'm not clear quite why either). That is not going to harm the cats: treat the fleas, give them a comfortable outdoor life with warm beds, and keep them. Your DC will love them in a few years and if you get rid of them, it sounds like you'll really regret it.

They're going to be fostered until they find a home, well until someone takes them.

Constant cleaning? Were they dirty?

I know all about cat hair & bits of litter getting trodden out of cat trays but apart from that…

Thank you for this ❤️ we have actually been treating them for the fleas, but we just can't keep on top of it.
We made the garage their bedroom, they have actually been quite happy in there, I just know that they will be missing me and missing the affection.

Animal rescue is over run because people discard animals when they have children. You (collective you and partner) couldn't even be bothered to get flea treatment for them and kicked them outside. Think yourselves lucky whoever is fostering didn't report you for neglect. Not getting medical treatment is neglect.

The constant cleaning came from them walking on the kitchen surfaces, when they slept in there (before the garage) as they would go outside and come in wet etc. They also love to catch animals and we often had these brought in, which I just didn't feel was OK for a baby to be around.

OP. In the kindest way, I think your PPD is making this decision rather than your usual self. They will be fine in the garage and they will still get affection.

I'm afraid you're making quite an assumption there, we have the vet bill receipt from them doing flea treatments after we felt that the shop bought one just wasn't working.

Maybe that's true actually, I'm having massive doubts. I know I'm going to regret it :/

Sorry that you have personal issues and I hope you feel better soon.

But the poor cats, I don't understand why they've been exiled from the house. Surely there will not be any terrible mess, unless they are not litter or outside trained. my wee girl is an inside cat by her own choice , she sleeps next to me every night and we had our old boy long before our kids. He was never exiled either and died at 20.

I am not trying to be horrible. it def sounds they will better off getting new homes.

Shop bought treatments are rarely effective. A regular monthly/quarterly treatment will control the fleas.

I really wish that I'd done it all differently, if we had known that we were going to have a family it would have been better to just have the two cats, it would have been more manageable but we just didn't know then.

I agree with @Chaotica . Maybe give yourself breathing space before you make a final decision? In the meantime get flea treatment from the vets (eta:sorry just realised you have done this).

It is a shame sometimes that MN is anonymous, I bet if there were a cat loving MN member or two near you they would help you out with the cats for a bit until you feel more yourself.

Seriously they will be happy enough outside and that will be less stressful for them being in foster care.

Keep on with treating the fleas, you will get there. Once that happens they could come in for the evenings for affection.

Have they got cosy shelters in the garage to keep them warm?

You are in the thick of a difficult time right now.

You could consider the animal rescue trying to find new homes for one or two of them.

Could you keep two? I do get how much extra work it seems to be when you've got young children as well, but you clearly love your cats and I'm sure your DC will too. (TBH they might be happier outside for a bit while the house has toddlers, however cat-loving the toddlers are.)

Well my ideal plan would be to keep my original two, the brothers, and long term have them back in the house

I think that this is a bit of a knee jerk reaction to you stress. If they’re only going to be fostered, I would try to keep them at home (in the garage) until a permanent home is found. Then they only have the stress of moving once rather than twice.
The garage can be made really cosy for them. Make a snug bed in a corner out of draughts, add a plug in radiator too.

Re the fleas, it’s good to change products. We had a flea problem for a couple of months this year for the first time in ages too. We threw away all fabric beds that were too big to wash regularly and replaced them with a plastic tub bed, which we filled with fleece blankets that can be regularly hot washed.
Good luck either way. Personally I’d persevere and if a fabulous home turned up then think again.
And I fully understand where you are. Cats can be messy and take a lot of cleaning up after.

Two of mine go in an outside pen overnight and tbh they wait by the back door to be carried out at bed time and it's only been maybe a month. It's cosy in there and they cuddle up together on their feather & down quilt (an old coat) as snug as a bug 💕

That sounds good, bless them.
I'm really wondering whether we could make it work.