Made a mistake and don’t want a cat!

[DontWantACat]

About a month ago, a young cat turned up in my garden (live rural, lots of farms, horses/livery places, therefore always lots of cats), very skinny and obviously been in some difficulty as its neck was missing loads of hair, had healing cuts on it. Definitely not someone’s pet. I put out water and food for it, it wasn’t in great shape and while I’m really not a cat person, I couldn’t see an animal in difficulty without trying to help. Fed it for a week or so and it hung around, got its strength back.

Went on holiday for 10 days and thought it would break the cycle and the cat would move on again. Nope. The minute I got home it was there. Had lost weight again so I fed it again. And I’ve now been feeding it for 2 weeks.

It’s become completely obsessed with me. If it sees me in the kitchen it’s staring in the window/door, it’s sleeping outside the door every night, if I walk outside it’s walking around my feet. If it sit outside it’s rubbing off me and wrapping its tail round me. Or talking to me and doing the blinky eye thing.

But I don’t want a cat! I lost my last 2 pets about 6 weeks ago and I don’t want the responsibility again for a while. I’m also not really gone on cats, and definitely don’t want one in my house. I also don’t want to be responsible for vet bills and such.

I’ve rang the local rescues, they’re full. Shared in groups I’m part of, no takers.

What do I do? Do I stop feeding it? Will it move on?

our cat ( that adopted us) did bring in a dead field mouse and dropped it by my feet while Iwas working ftom home. I have to say I made a loud noise in shock ( maybe not quite a scream) and he ran out with it. He’s perhaps done it once or twice since but was met by the same panicked reaction and I think got the message and doesn’t do it now . It’s natural instinct for them snd not their fault. It shows they love you apparently.

I’ve just logged out on Facebook as the algorithm seems to think I want to see lots of pictures of animal cruelty probably because I’m on lots of rescue groups. Don’t seem to be able to get away from it even here. Poor little soul let down by another human. Please take her to the vet. Much better option than starving the poor thing.

@DontWantACat

get in touch with Garman they are in Ireland and interested in the cat. Please keep feeding her until she has a home.

Please do this op

Please don't give up on the cat.I think you have afew offers on here now someone will take her from you.You've done a really good thing by feeding her.Thank you

I'm trying to find the earlier pp who also said she would take the cat. I did "love" her post when I saw it this morning, so she will at least get an update today about this thread but if anyone comes across it ( I have scrolled but now can't see it, maybe tag her directly so she gets a "you were mentioned" and can get in touch with the OP.

Meanwhile op please put some food out just until you get her moved on. The problem now is she will be traumatised by you turning on her. It isn't the same situation as a true stray now.

Hopefully @Garman or the other poster who asked about a passport will make contact.

For goodness sake, someone in ROI wants to take the cat. Don’t abuse it, just organise with that poster to collect it. Poor bloody thing. Just do the right thing for it and let the person organise collecting it.

I agree. This is cruel and OP seems to think it’s a joke. Just take the poor thing to a vet in a basket and leave her there.

She’s got zero chance with you - you’ve already said when you left her for 10 days she was thin when you came back. You’re leaving her to starve.

@jd88123 !

Found you!

OP has been struggling with this little cat. (see updates). Would you still be up for looking into taking her?

Also calling you @Chucklebunnie and @UnaGatita ?

Oh OP this is horrible. Catch the cat and take it to the vet. Maybe they won't put it to sleep as it will have a home to go to. That's better than you throwing water on the poor thing. It thinks you're it's friend and it just wants a trustworthy companion. I hate cats and all the destruction they cause to wildlife but you can't abuse an animal in the way you've described, even if it did scare you. Look at this way, if it is PTS then that's less wildlife destruction and it gets a peaceful passing versus starving to death. But hopefully it won't have to be PTS and will go to a shelter.

For some reason OP hasn’t taken anyone up on their offer to take this cat, despite clearly hating it for behaving like any normal cat. All a bit sinister tbh, to prefer to let a cat starve and be thrown water on when people would take it. Also as I said earlier, I guarantee if OP told a shelter what she’s planning to do, one of them would take the cat. I’ve fostered cats for years and even when we’re chock full if someone came in saying ‘I’m going to starve this cat and throw water on it until it fucks off’ one of us would find a space even if it’s a temporary box in the garden or something.
and by the way OP throwing water on the cat isnt going to make it stop coming to you, cats don’t respond like that to this kind of cruelty, it will simply be confused and fear you that you’ve started feeding it and now you’re harming it. Give it away now you vile creature.

Ireland is so fucked up and backward for dealing with animals. Where my parents live its covered with unspayed feral cats, no charities actually help woth trapping and spaying them

She's had a fright. She said all along she didn't want a cat.

But Op you have come this far saving her, so please just wait till those posters who showed interest in giving her a loving home get back to you. It would be a shame for her to be PTS if someone was prepared to take her.

OP I've gone back through the thread to save you the bother and these are the posters who you could PM: @Garman @jd88123 and maybe @Chucklebunnie and @UnaGatita who may be more open when they realise how things have changed.

She’s also said she’s an animal lover. I’m pretty sure there is no fright that would make any animal lover respond to an animal with such cruelty.

For abusing a cat?

I know. But she has saved the cat thus far, and it would be great to get the cat moved on to a pp who would love her.

Not sure if I hope or don't hope this was just a wind up thread to get us all upset. because I don't understand why she isn't reaching out to those posters.

I know, that’s what I mean it’s a bit sinister. Fair enough if you don’t want the cat but to prefer to starve it and chuck water on it than give it a safe home is just creepy

Completely agree @DontWantACat this cat is a vulnerable animal and I implore you to let someone with more compassion care for it

Actually reading through it all i think this is a wind up. Unfollowing

I have to wonder too.

I think, on the whole, that's better.

Jesus. Is that what you do to your ‘big dogs and rodents’ when they do perfectly normal things, chuck water over them and starve them? I get you’re frustrated with the situation but you are being cruel. Take her back to the vets or take one of the posters up on their offers.

But, nonetheless, don't let that stop the pp who demonstrated interest from getting in touch with OP if they think they can help! Might as well flush it right out.

She's had a fright. She said all along she didn't want a cat.

And then fed it repeatedly and encouraged it to keep coming back…

@DontWantACat if this is real, that's really, really poor from you. The cat isn't hunting out of spite, it's a natural instinct. And it loves and trusts and depends on you. I don't believe you can love animals if you'd treat one like that.

Also everyone saying awww I'd take her if she was in the UK - it's Ireland not outer Mongolia, if you meant it you could do it.