Need to re-home my cat asap

[Starlive23]

I need to re-home my cat asap. The cat has attacked my toddler. CP and RSPCA both have waiting lists of months and I just wonder if anyone has any suggestions I haven't thought of.

Cat is about 15 years old. Very aggressive towards young children and other animals. I don't want to have her put to sleep but am running out of options.

She was a stray when we got her from CPL arond 10 years ago,but they said if she's aggressive, they may not take her back.

I'm feeling absolutely horrible about the whole situation so please, no posts about how cruel I am!

There is a chance the cat may be ill or have some pain which is treatable. If untreatable or something advanced then fine PTS.
A small local rescue may take cat. I despair when I hear of things like this.

Honestly if it was unprovoked and cat has started attacking people more I'd PTS it would be kinder for the cat. You've given her a good 10 years but no one is going to re-home an old aggressive cat.

The only cat I experienced who would bite as a first reaction bypassing warnings like flat ears/growling/spitting/scratching was a feral cat that a relative took on as a 'pet'. I'm very used to cats but she was something else and I know they let her 'have' a certain room their kids aren't allowed in and easy access to outside. She's about the same age as your cat and definitely hasn't mellowed over time.

Your cat sounds stressed and probably wasn't best to try to keep her as a pet but I totally understand your decision came from a good place. Some cats just aren't suited to being a pet. I know PPs have mentioned this but do you have an outdoir space she can access? Or ensure they are separated as much as possible? I know that's easier said than done with a toddler and cat who are inseparable.

Killing a healthy cat is vile. I don't care how you dress it up, that's what you're doing.

Are there any local rescues? Ours has helpers who will take in older cats, including aggressive ones, as they understand that there is usually a reason for that aggression and it can be minimised in the right environment.

Until you find a suitable home, keep cat and child in separate rooms. It's not difficult.

Starlive-please ignore the unkind posts- some people lose all rationality on this subject. It leads to unhappy outcomes for both animals and people.

BertrandRussell with my relative's cat they do have an outdoor set up for her too as well as indoors, but she's had that set up for years so is used to and happy with it. I know what you mean though but I'd be inclined to try to offer that as an additional safe space before PTS.

Yes I agree with Bertrand - it’s not healthy cat if it’s attacking people, my old cat and dog have arthritis and they haven’t hurt anyone. And you’ve already been to the vet so you’ve done your best.

@thatwouldbe yes - you've echoed what our vet said a while back when we took her in for a check up. He said she was probably feral from the start and her aggressive behaviour is unlikely to stop altogether, but that it might improve,which I suppose it has a bit, but not as much as I'd hoped.

People seriously think it's better to pass the cat to a rescue completely unfamiliar surroundings with nobody that she knows around her where she may or may not find another home and would probably end up being put to sleep anyway? Or considering cats don't actually think about the future and live minute to minute, would it be kinder to have her quietly put to sleep at the vets with her owner next to her? Next time the cat goes for her child it could scratch her eyes. The child's safety has to come first. I don't understand the rationale that all animal life has to be preserved at all costs. we're talking about an elderly aggressive cat that has attacked two people one of them a small child. If it's this wired all the time, what's it's quality of life like?

Starlive23 ah ok, that can't be fun for anyone then, its always a hard and heartbreaking decision to have a pet PTS, sorry.

You know your cat best, if you don't feel you want to look for a sanctuary then PTS is the option. However I have a little story...

I adopted a damaged cat, didn't know at the time that he was a bit of a problem but once he was 'home' it was too late. I had taken him and he needed someone to love him. I loved him.

He would attack me, every day as part of his routine he would go for my ankles and bite, play fight. He would ambush me in the garden and always go for my ankles. If he was in a weird mood he would also jump at my head. I learned how to deal with him and was always careful around him although sometimes was lax and it resulted in an injury of some kind, only once did I need medical treatment and that was my fault really.

No way would he have been OK with children, although most of the time he was great, a normal cat, loved cuddles, laps, but had been a farm cat we think, badly treated and injured so could turn instantly and attack.

Almost 11 years he was with us, I adored him, he was my friend. BUT there were times when I was afraid I wouldn't be able to cope, not down to him, just my life, and I knew it would be wise to make provision in case something happened and he needed to be rehomed.

I found him a home for life, to live out his days should something happen to me. I knew he would be cared for, as were all the other unhomeable pets, for the rest of his life. I never needed to give him up, he grew old with me, eventually the day came to say goodbye and he went to the vet for the last time, but it was made easier knowing that there was someone out there that would have taken him in and given him love in spite of his problems.

He was old, he was unpredictable, he also wanted to be alive until the day he just looked at me and I knew he was ready to go. I felt it was right. However, my other cat was not ready, even though she was ill, and I will always regret not giving her those last few days of love that she fought for.

What would people suggest if it had been a dog that had bitten a child unprovoked?

OP, how young to children have to be in order for the cat to attack them? And, would you be willing to say approximately what area of the country you live in?

I would consider adopting your cat if the location and timing would work out - it would have to be after I finish my house purchase (probably 2-3 months) though. My kids (7 and 9) are pestering for a cat and I always go for the old or poorly ones that nobody else wants!

@rodentattack I'm in the West Midlands area but would be happy to travel! My DD is 1 but, just to be honest with you, I don't think the cat would or could ever be affectionate towards children of any age. She's quite aggressive towards anyone she considers a threat to her, and she seems to consider everyone a threat.
I would love for you to re-home her but feel it's important that I don't down-play how aggressive she can be, as I'd hate to just swap the situation over to you instead.

rodent are you willing to risk this cat attacking your dc?
OP has been very honest about how aggressive this cat is and although I’m a huge cat lover who has taken in strays and done volunteer work for the CPL I would agree that unfortunately the best option fo this cat would be PTS and I certainly wouldn’t suggest it was rehomed somewhere where there are children. It’s a lovely offer but seems unwise to me

Also, OP would have to keep her child safe for another 2-3 months?
Not a good idea at all

Not sure adoptions arranged over Mumsnet are any better than adoptions arranged over Gumtree to be honest. I’m sure you are perfectly a perfectly fine and honest cat lover, Rodent. But I have had cats for pushing 50 years and there is no way I think this one should be in a house with children. Particularly children who want a cat- they won’t be able to stroke it or have it sit on their laps or play with it. Not fair on the children- and a move is not fair on the cat.

Thanks for your honesty, OP - it sounds like not a great idea for me to take her on then 😔

One possibility is to contact local farmers (if you're in a rural enough area) to see if they would be interested in taking her on as a 'working' cat. Her being unfriendly wouldn't matter in that case, although obviously it would depend on whether she's likely to take to a more outdoor life.

Bertrand and others, I wouldn't want to risk my kids being injured, of course. I was basing my offer on OP's remark that the cat is aggressive to very young kids, and the thought that maybe mine would be old enough to live peacefully with her. From subsequent comments it looks like that's not the case.

Pts. You can’t keep a cat that attacks a child. Nor can you pass that cat on to someone else. Your cat has had fifteen good years.

Far far kinder to pts.

Animals don't know anything about quantity of life only quality. It would be cruel to move her around at 15 years of age. At her age and with a history of being aggressive she's not going to be rehomed is she really.

Please don't advertise her as free on Scumtree. You will always know where she went if you pts

Thanks anyway @rodent I know you were trying to do a good thing which is very kind. Hopefully you can get a more suitable cat for your DC to enjoy.

Farm cat is a terrible idea. They need to earn a living by catching mice. They have to earn their keep. A 15yo cat is pretty much at the end of its lifespan. It's not a life for an old cat.

Please, please, please do not advertise the cat on gumtree or wherever they get cats for baiting dogs on there and she does not deserve that.
It would be better to have her PTS if you cannot find her a good home with a relative or friend.
My 17 year old cat is dangerous around children as well and can only live with a single person (me), she has to be shut in my room when I have visitors.
Maybe you know an elderly couple or person who would like her?

Sorry this doesn't really answer the question, but has the cate bite broken your DD's skin at all? If it has it's important to get her medical attention as cat bites are known for going septic without immediately looking especially bad, and it would be more serious in a toddler. Scratches don't usually need medical attention though.

I'm very sorry that it's come to this. At least you've been able to give your cat a nicer life than she would have had otherwise.