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Leaving DH - what about my cats ?

6 replies

kittensinmydinner2 · 13/07/2019 16:28

Hi All,
I've NC because the detail I'm going to give is quite outing if connected with other posts.

So DH and I have been married for 12 yrs. He has bipolar. Which obviously isn't his 'fault' . We live in a beautiful rented house which costs us £1500 a month. DH earns well as do I. Our children are all grown up except one who is in last year of a levels.
DH will not stick to Bipolar meds and has been off them for a couple of years. Instead he self medicated his mental health with alcohol. He is an alcoholic. Not a rolling in the aisles, litre of vodka type of alcoholic but 2 bottles of wine a day supplemented by whisky/ginger ale mixers.
The cost of this and his subsequent moody behaviour has finished it for me. He will pick an argument on the colour of the sky.. all very irritating and I don't want to put up with it.. so that's the background. He refused to stop drinking. I don't want to live with it - so I have an amazing opportunity to leave BUT ...

Dear friend is building an annex. She has offered it to me at half the rent I'm paying now. I can afford this. I want the peace for myself and child. It's beautiful. However , dear friend has a beautiful dog. She is a Weimerana x pointer.. she has never lived with a cat.

My furry loves have only ever seen a dog once. My Dss came round with her cat friendly Norfolk terrier. My boy took one look and plastered himself to the window in the style of the 'Garfield' dolls you see stuck to the rear windscreen of the car. He was absolutely terrified. My other boy (they are 4 yr old brothers) just scarpered. ...

So. What do I do. New house is not attached to the Weimaraners house. It's across the garden. We are very very rural . She roams free.

I left a few weeks ago to go stay with friend but had to return as missed my cats too much and they were very very unhappy without me.

Any idea how I can introduce Cat to dog ... (dog is 9yrs old) with as little stress as possible.. Or do I have to stay where I am ?
I will not rehome them. Boy1 LOVES me.. massive cuddly bear..

OP posts:
RandomMess · 13/07/2019 16:45

Keep your cats in has housecats??

Our dog was put with cats at 12 months old and was ok with them in the house. She will chase cats she doesn't know if they run but she's a terrier.

Our cats were 9 when the terrier moved in with us fro previous multiple dog and cat house. Cats were not impressed and stayed out the way etc for s few weeks. Cats are the boss although we never leave the dog uncreated if we go out/overnight.

Fluffycloudland77 · 13/07/2019 16:48

House cats or catio, my dad built a catio years ago.

Good luck.

RandomMess · 13/07/2019 16:51

Oh yes a catio great idea!

kittensinmydinner2 · 13/07/2019 17:02

Thanks folks . I am desperately googling a catio...

OP posts:
FoxSquadKitten · 13/07/2019 17:06

They'll all get used to each other eventually but until then a catio is perfect.

catsnoring · 14/07/2019 14:56

depending on garden layout you might not even need a 'fancy' catio if there is scope to add a catproof fence (fence height of your choosing with inward facing netting at the top).

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