Would it be really bad of me to rehome my cat?

[Hopeysgirlwasntbig]

We have had her for 14 years. She isn't particularly affectionate, she comes in for food then goes out hunting for birds .

The past couple of years we have had increasing problems with her fouling inside the house, despite us buying a litter tray. We used to have a cat flap but she refused to use it, so we're often woken at 5am by her miaows to be let out.

We have to keep all the bedroom doors shut in case she fouls the carpets, she's 'christened' most of the rooms.

This morning DH came down to a nice turd on our cream rug in the lounge. Bless him, he cleaned it up and he's got a paralysed arm.

It is concerning me her pooing on the rug because my DD plays there, she's 10 months old.

Would it be bad of me to rehome her? Also how would I go about it?

[expatinscotland]

he was lucky, cargirl.

an exclusively outdoors cat doesn't tend to live as long.

[twoluvlykids]

i almost re homed my cat with a friend who lives on a farm,he's not at all affectionate (the cat,not the friend), but i'm pleased i decided to keep him.he was messing indoors,& was suffering from stress(!).btw,mil's cat lived to be over 21.

[Jux]

Will you do this to your mum too? Perhaps your kids will 'rehome' you when you become a bit of a bother?

She's your cat, you took responsibility for her when she was cute and no trouble, and now she needs a bit of care and understanding (and a visit to the VET) you want to get rid of her because she's too much bother.

I'm reminded of whoever it was who got rid of their cat because it didn't match the new carpet (probably an urban myth - I hope so).

Take her to the vet.

[CarGirl]

Ahh didn't realise he was so unusual, our other cat was a former pedigree show house cat hence was reluctant to go outside but even he was subjected to having to sleep in the kitchen (access to cat flap) it only took a week for him to stop crying at night. Felt very mean but there is no way I was sharing my pillow and bed with him (he was very affectionate)

[Quattrocento]

Have every sympathy. I nearly posted on the female fantasy thread that my fantasy is a cat-free life.

Notwithstanding the above am with the majority here - your cat and all that. You can't go around putting them down. Tempting, particularly as you bend down to clean up yet another pile of poo...

I think you should get rid of the cream carpet btw. Cream carpets are not compatible with incontinent cats, or with children (continent or otherwise).

Also a few nights suffering miaowing will sort out the being locked in problem.

Have you tried teaching her to use the catflap both ways?

[expatinscotland]

It's not unusual, CarGirl, but it is cruel to put an old cat with obvious health problems out all night because the owner can't be bothered.

[CarGirl]

I was suggesting this assuming that the vet ruled out health problems tbh. I wasn't meaning about shutting out all night I was talking about deluxe kennelling like the catteries have so the cat could be supervised when inside and have a warm safe place to go when not in the house (whether that be at night or not)

[expatinscotland]

Nor was I suggesting it's unnatural for a cat to want to be outdoors all the time.

This was my original response:
'By expatinscotland on Sun 10-Aug-08 13:58:18
putting an old cat outdoors at night when she's not as able to defend herself is cruel, too.

really, if you can't take her to a vet and look after her properly you need to get rid of her - and i'm not going to say 'rehome' because i'm with moondog.

you should NOT get another pet until you are prepared to look after it until it dies.

pets get old, sick, make a mess, etc. if you're not prepared to deal with and want to put them out to pasture because of their issues, then don't get another one.

i find putting a healthy animal down shocking and cruel. i'm glad ot see more and more vets refusing to do this.

our cat lived to be about 15. we don't know because he came to us as a stray. he was a Persian and when his cancer got so bad he was no longer wanting to eat or drink we had him put down. '

Not a word about cats and their desire to be outside hunting.

Only pertaining to the OP, who has a cat which is old and obviously has a health problem that is behind her incontinence.

Because this thread isn't about you and me, CG, it's about someone who needs to get rid of a the cat because it's become a nuisance to her, and as such, she really has no business having a pet.

[expatinscotland]

'Am genuinely worried about my DD playing where a cat has shat. Baby more important than cat.'

This line says it all.

You should get rid of the poor animal. Not 'rehome' it - you want rid of it.

Fair enough.

Just please don't get another until you're willing to honour it as the lifelong commitment it is.

[bella29]

I was trying to stay off this thread but I can't....

I've taken on lots of rescue cats, oldies & kittens, house soilers etc. I've also kept them alongside babies with no problems (toxoplasmosis, the big scare story about cat poo, is very rare & regular worming plus basic hygiene prevents that).

I agree that pets are a lifetime commitment & shouldn't be offloaded when the going gets tough, but at the end of the day if the owner cannot/will not provide the environment the cat needs, then isn't it better for the cat to be rehomed? There's always the chance some fool like me will walk into the shelter and ask what's the one that's hardest to rehome, can I have that one please?

[expatinscotland]

I agree, bella, I just hope the OP doesn't get another animal and continue the cycle.

[bella29]

Absolutely.

[CarGirl]

yes expat I agree we got off topic.

I've decided to not get another cat because of the cost as they got older if they need uninsurable work done like teeth and because of the work - cleaning up the hairs (I'm allergic so it was more of an issue to me).

But absolutely our cats were our responsibility until do us parted.

I miss my cats, even the wailing that would wake me up at 6am, the being washed, the damage to our leather sofa, the being sat on and pestered.

[PInkyminkyohnooo]

My cat is about this age and she has a bladder problem, so has quite a few accidents.

I love her. She had been dumped by her first owbers and though she drives me mad sometimes I would not get rid of her.
We had to rehome our dog as he wasn't safe with the children, it was one of the most upsetting things we ahve ever had to do ( I know that prolly makes us lucky) but an old lady cat would not take well to being moved on, I don't think.
We have an indoor tray for her, and that solves most issues, though she still has the odd accident and she has a lovely bed on the attic landing where the children cannot go, so she has a private space. It's only for a few years now, but I made a committment when I took her on and I don't intend to fail it.

[expatinscotland]

We, too, would LOVE another cat.

But realistically, we also can't afford to take on any more vet bills so we have left it for now and gotten some fish instead.

Even now, she needs Frontlined once a month, it's about £6 a month, plus her insurance, food, litter and the like.

She's about 8. Again, she came to us from a family who could no longer keep her and they thought she was about 2 when we got her.

I know DD1 and DH would enjoy a dog, but until we find a more permanent place to live and I get back to earning to cover its needs, we might just get a hamster.

[Quattrocento]

You want cats? I have a surfeit of cats...

[expatinscotland]

Would like one, Quattro, but really can't afford one just now .

But, I see it in this way: when the time is right, the right cat will come into our lives.

This is has happened to us time and again.

[CarGirl]

Yes but Quattro you have kittens, I want a cat, I too think one will come along when the time is right, both of ours were 7/8 when we gave them home.

[expatinscotland]

DH had Smokey, the Persian found as a stray in Berwick upon Tweed, when I met him.

After a few months, we thought he'd like a companion.

We casually mentioned this to someone he knew, and next thing you knew, his brother was chapping on our door with Pepsi, our black and white female, in a carrier.

They had 5 kids in a two-bed flat and one had been mistreating her.

So DH and I just looked at each other and said, 'Guess we're getting a black and white female!'

That was 6 years ago.

Smoke passed away last October. Still haven't scattered his ashes. I'm sure when the time is right we'll know.

[Quattrocento]

"when the time is right, the right cat will come into our lives"

I love the fatalistic attitude Expat but how do you account for the fact that five entirely unwanted cats have come into my life? Did I do something wrong?

[CarGirl]

Quattro they came into your DH/DC lives you're just being a mug lovely doing all the day to day looking after them.

[CarGirl]

I have no idea why my hyphens aren't working....