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.

On a local cat rescue rehoming page there's often a bio of the cats who need homes. This always comes up. :(

I realise you've had to make a very difficult til decision. But why was there "constant cleaning?" And why didn't you routinely treat them for fleas?

Yeah. You don't deserve to have pets. Don't get any more

You are so lucky you have found a rescue with space to take them into foster.

It happens every day, people have babies and out goes the pet / pets.

ah well.

please don't change your mind, they will be better off with new families, at least then they will be in a home and not a garage and they will get the love and attention they deserve and need.

My MIL thought I would get rid of my dogs when I had my baby, don't think she realised we had 6 cats at that point too.

Your poor cats. Rescues are absolutely overrun at the moment - literally bursting at the seams with pets that people have changed their mind about. It's so sad.

I have four cats: two who go outside, two who don't. Yes, keeping litter trays clean and clearing up the occasional dead mouse or furball is a little unpleasant. And I have to hoover a fair bit. But they're really not dirty. Even when they get on the kitchen surfaces, it's fine: I just sanitise them work surface before I cook or prep anything. It takes 1 minute.

It's not unhygienic for children to be around pets. If anything, it's usually good for them to be exposed to normal every day microbes that are present on pets.

I say this as to me it sounds like your PPD is making this decision and letting unfounded fears about germs and dirt cloud your judgement. First, by exiling them to the garage and then by getting rid of your cats entirely. That's not a normal reaction to what is basically a normal situation (bit of extra daily cleaning, some fleas that re proving stubborn to eradicate).

Fleas happen and you must treat your home (Indorex spray from the vet) as well as the animal with prescription flea treatment.

What's your partner doing to help? What does he think about the situation? Is this a well thought out joint decision or are you listening to the anxious thoughts and trying to justify them? Either way, getting rid of your cats won't solve the problems - the anxiety will just move to another area of your life.

If you really do need to surrender your pets then please do make a very generous donation to whichever charity takes them. They're all drowning in vets bills at the moment.

Are you the poster who has posted before about her DH and the 4 cats? If not, there are a lot of similarities. Although finding two of them as kittens in a church yard is a new twist. Posters on the (your?) last thread were deeply concerned about the lack of care for the cats.

Where in the UK are you? Might be someone on here who could help out. We'd love to have cats like these!

No that wasn't me.