Got the kittens - not sure how I feel about the whole thing now...

[FindMyLocalSite]

I have NC because if I get slated I can disappear.

After years and years of daily begging by the DC, we have got two kittens from a rescue centre. They came on Friday, they are 10 weeks old.

I was always a bit ambivalent about the whole cat situation. I feel a bit 'meh' about cats; even though I am an animal lover, I have never felt a desire to own one or live with one.

Anyway. I researched for months, if not years, and when we felt the time was as right as it was ever going to be, we went for it. This has been a long process of research, visiting rescues, registering with them and finally waiting for 10 weeks once we knew two orphan kittens had been allocated to us.

The two kittens, a boy and a girl, came home Friday evening. They slept through the night in their open travel crate (by choice, they have several bed choices). In the morning I opened a pouch of wet food and the smell of it made me feel sick. Later on they both used the litter tray and the smell brought tears to my eyes. I went out shopping and when approaching my house, I started dreading the smell of cats, cat food and cat litter in my house.

I then started mentally resenting the cost and aggravation of owning cats. The extra planning and expense it will involve when we go on holiday...

I am having a bit of an inward panic.

Is this normal? Is this because they're too new and too little for me to have bonded to the point where no effort is too much for the little kittens and then cats? Don't get me wrong, they already live like royalty, we take care of them and the DC are smitten. But I want to love them. Will that happen with time?

[RubbishMantra]

That's quite sad catbasilio. My 2 lads give me so much happiness.

That said, I wouldn't be happy if someone "encouraged" me to have a dog, which happened recently - ie, "You've got to get a dog!" I stood firm, and am dogless.

You're giving him shelter, warmth, kindness and food though, despite your ambivalence. And as you say, you're a busy mum, so the feeding, cleaning of litter trays can seem like yet another chore. Could you delegate this stuff to DCs?

Have a look on Zooplus for cheaper (and better quality) cat food and litter.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

I'm a bit the same Catbasilio, they bring a lot of happiness to DH and the DCs but not so much me. I'm fond of ours but that's all.

[imjessie]

Catsan is the best litter in my opinion .

[catbasilio]

RubbishMantra I think the point is not how much I spend (I prefer the best quality - and by the way cat care would beat all the savings from cheaper cat food/litter) but that I am not particularly keen on my cat. I can barely find 10 mins for him. The children help but they aren't mad about him either. He is just there.. and we are there... so is there a point of having him? I am drawing to a conclusion that he may be happier in another home where he could get more attention and cuddles. He really is a good cat but I simply lack time to make him my priority.
I guess sometimes you just fall in love with a pet and nothing else matters. In our case it didn't happen! And even more so, I am ready to keep the cat for the sake of my kids, but when we calculated the annual expenses (almost £800-1000 per year) even DC1 said it seems a bit too much and we could do without him. I don't know whether DC1 is just picking upon my moods but I was surprised that even DC1 is not so attached to the cat.
To add to the doubt, we do not allow the cat into bedrooms - I have an aupair so I cannot sleep with the bedroom door open, and DC1 doesn't like that the cat bites his head at night (wants to play).
Oh overall it just does not seem rewarding emotionally at all.. just another thing to take care of.
I am really sad that it worked out this way but now seriously considering to rehome the cat.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

To be honest catbasilio, it sounds as if everyone might be happier if you rehomed him. He's getting very little interaction and you all seem to resent him.

Personally I love the very bones of my cat and would do anything for him but I do understand that not everyone is like that.

If you do decide to rehome him, please don't offer him for sale on the internet.