Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Why did they get kittens

34 replies

Dollymixture22 · 29/10/2019 20:19

I have just heard a friend has got two new kittens. She has decided they will be outdoor cats. With no access to the house. She has bought a kennel for them to sleep in, and will bring them inside if they want to play with them, otherwise they will live outside.

Why bother getting cats under these circumstances? It’s going to be a cold winter, I feel very uncomfortable about this arrangement.

OP posts:
Vinorosso74 · 29/10/2019 20:24

Hopefully the cats will vote with their paws and move in elsewhere!
People like this make me very angry. Cats are living creatures not toys you can choose to play with. The cats will not be very sociable if they don't have much human contact either. Does she actually know anything about cats????

Tractorgirlz · 29/10/2019 20:26

Yeah the cats will be very distant because they won’t be used to much contact. How awful getting little kittens to live outside in winter. They really shouldn’t have pets!

Wolfiefan · 29/10/2019 20:28

Kittens can’t be outside pets. They need to be inside. Certainly until neutered and even then still in at night. I couldn’t be friends with such a person.

KatherineJaneway · 29/10/2019 20:29

Because she is ignorant and cruel.

Papergirl1968 · 29/10/2019 20:29

I’d be round there to tell her what a fucking disgrace she is, and then never speak to her again. Could be the friend of someone like that.

Winterdaysarehere · 29/10/2019 20:30

They won't be there long op. Dcats decide their owners.

SamBeckett · 29/10/2019 20:34

The only time I would sort of agree with a cat been a outdoor only cat would be one that is born semi feral and that lives on a farm / small holding . they are normally capable of finding a warm spot in a stable / barn etc and even then I am not keen on it .

For your friend to buy two kittens and keep them outside ( presuming she does not live on the aforementioned ) is very odd and not really fair on the kitten/cats.
Will they be locked in the kennel and only allowed out when it suits her or can they come and go as they please ?
If for what ever odd reason she does decide to keep them outside she needs to buy a large good quality heated shed with lots of things for the cats to sleep on and play with but then she is likely to get all the local cats staying at the 'hotel' Grin
You are right to feel uncomfortable about this imo

( this is why home checks should be carried out before anyone is allowed to but any pet )

Original poster
Dollymixture22 · 29/10/2019 20:35

She’s not a close friend, but I made my feelings known to our mutual friends, I hope it gets back.

WHat makes me really cross is she got he kittens form the same shelter that turned me down because I work. My cat was kept inside until she was nearly one, she has a cat flap and spends most of her time inside. She is very well cared for, with family members dropping in on her during the day while I am at work. I do work long hours, but she is by never home along for more than eight hours.

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 29/10/2019 20:36

She must have lied to the shelter. No way would they let her have kittens and keep them outside.

BuffaloCauliflower · 29/10/2019 20:38

The cats will not play with them and probably won’t come in the house if they haven’t been domesticated. Cats need constant bribery to be friendly, they won’t take part time love.

OnlineShopping · 29/10/2019 20:40

WHat makes me really cross is she got he kittens form the same shelter that turned me down because I work.

It’s normal for rescue centres to visit the homes after the cats have had a few months to live there, to make sure they are settling in and all is ok. I would contact the rescue centre so that the visit can be immediate rather than waiting.

YeOldeTrout · 29/10/2019 20:42

Story doesn't add up.

MsTSwift · 29/10/2019 20:43

Noooo. Our babies kept inside until neutered and old enough they were desperate to run around the garden which we let them from 6 months but always in at night

Winterdaysarehere · 29/10/2019 20:43

Report her to the shelter. I reported my friend - her dh really, for cruelty towards their ddog. They came and removed the ddog the next day.

gamerchick · 29/10/2019 20:44

I'd be contacting the shelter as well.

GoldLeafTree · 29/10/2019 20:46

@YeOldeTrout how so?

OP, if you are sure she got them from the same shelter then contact them

BucketOfTheDetective · 29/10/2019 20:48

Tell the shelter that she will be keeping them outside. Poor kitties will be lucky to survive the winter 😞

ClientListQueen · 29/10/2019 20:48

Yep, only if like @SamBeckett said
We adopted two who live on the stables and live a life of luxury! They have a giant indoor stables with loft, shelter, loads of hay/straw/rugs to sleep in, people around 12hrs a day to fuss them, constant supply of mice and acres to roam with no traffic. But they can choose whether to be inside/outside and it is dry and sheltered
Not just chucked out in the back garden

BeardedMum · 29/10/2019 20:50

Report to the shelter. I recently reported someone to the RSPCA and they did come out and sorted it out. Feel so much better for having reported it. Poor animals😟

YeOldeTrout · 29/10/2019 20:51

I'm struggling to believe shelter rejected OP but accepted her acquaintance's plan to have them as outdoor cats only.

Animal shelters are run by idealists.

Original poster
Dollymixture22 · 29/10/2019 20:55

Sambecckett - it is out in the country. There aren’t stables, but I suppose there are a lot of sheds and outbuildings etc.

The kennel is apparently quite large, and I assume they would be free to come and go as they please.

I know I spoil my cat, she has a heated pad even though she sleeps inside, and I put the heating on for her when I am at work.

The kittens are relatively new, and are inside now. Maybe the plans will change once they become part of the family.

Old trout, not sure what part doesn’t make sense to you. Ask and I will try and explain better.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dollymixture22 · 29/10/2019 20:56

Okay old trout - I assume they didn’t tell the shelter of their plans, but wasn’t privy to their discussion.

Not sure why I would lie about this😳

OP posts:
Original poster
Dollymixture22 · 29/10/2019 20:58

This is actually the second person I have heard of who keeps cats outside from this shelter (it’s the only one for about twenty miles).

However the other family decided to do this after a few carpets got ruined. This family seem to have decided almost immediately.

OP posts:
cricketmum84 · 29/10/2019 21:30

I would inform the shelter. If they are a responsible rescue then they will have done home checks. If they know the kittens are being made to live outside then hopefully they will take them back.

What a horrible person 🤬

TrainspottingWelsh · 29/10/2019 21:41

Ditto reporting their plans to the shelter.

I've had outdoor cats before. But there's a big difference between offering a home to older ferals that would struggle in the average home, even in the unlikely event of the average family wanting one, and taking on kittens and chucking them outside.

Plus the fact I have a range of warm outdoor shelters, stables, barns, outbuildings etc and they were always welcome in the house should they be willing. Not deliberately neglecting kittens for convenience.

Swipe left for the next trending thread