Page 6 | Made a mistake and don’t want a cat!

DontWantACat · 2026-07-04T23:37:36+00:00

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?

XelaM · Yesterday 07:29

You're some kind of weirdo OP. I'm not a cat person at all, but if a cat had "found" me and became so attached to me, how could you have the heart to starve it and throw water over it?!? What the actual fuck?!? Just leave it at your vet clinic. You're horrible and not an animal lover.

historyismything82 · Yesterday 07:32

Lordy that was a quick turn of events. I'm assuming you're on your way to the vets with the cat, OP?!

Locationvshousevsgarden · Yesterday 07:34

OP please do not do this. And stop thinking its a vile creature for doing what is natural to ALL predatory animals (even dogs in the wild!). You don't have to like it but its natural its not doing this because its evil or want to annoy you!

I suggest you get a small outdoor shelter perhaps one you already have from guinea pigs, buy a cheap feeder feeding twice a day and pop it in there so the cat knows where food it and others can't get to it. Hopefully someone in the next week will come to the rescue and give this poor animal what ot deserves - a home.
I know u say you're a dog person but have u ever stopped and looked at the cat and thought - this is happening for a reason... and might be exactly what you need ? They are very perceptive animals and probably knows u are grieving too
Things happen for a reason is all I will say 🤔BTW the blinking is affection (I have 2 cats and 2 dogs)

Ansjovis · Yesterday 07:34

Shaking my head at some of the replies here. Implying people are overreacting by reacting negatively to the OP's plans to starve and abuse a cat. Please do the decent thing and don't withdraw food until you've found someone who will take the cat. I can try to imagine the situation from your perspective as I really, really hate dogs (if I could click my fingers and make it so that dogs never existed, I'd do it) and would find it really challenging to suddenly be responsible for a stray, but I still wouldn't purposefully harm one.

Itsseweasy · Yesterday 07:35

I’m a cat person and to be honest would feel exactly the same way you do if it was a dog I was helping.
However, rather than trying to make it go away by actively denying the cat food you bought for them and throwing water on them, please consider taking the cat to the vet now.
Clearly this cat is unable to defend itself against other cats and is going to suffer. It would be far kinder for the vet to put it to sleep if they can’t rehome.
I understand the cat upset you last night but please, please consider this.

Mistysmom · Yesterday 07:36

DontWantACat · 05/07/2026 01:02

I’ve tried friends and no one is in the market for a cat. Maybe I’ll ask my mother to put it in her siblings chat group, someone there might be able to take it.

I know, it’s genuinely a nice cat, as cats go, but it’s just so obsessed with me, needy, constantly there now, and I just don’t want a cat! It’s tried to get in the house, I can’t leave the back door open anymore for fear it’ll come in and get on the counters or furniture (happened already)… I feel under siege! And it brought a dead mouse to my door a few days ago. I just can’t!

I genuinely don’t mind feeding it, but I don’t want to be responsible for it, but equally I know if it gets hurt or sick I’ll be bringing it to the vet and I just don’t want that.

Can I get the cat to just move on again do you think?

awww he/ she has chosen you! especially by bringing a dead mouse to you, thats their way of leaving you a present ro say they love you! ♥️

Whaleandsnail6 · Yesterday 07:36

DontWantACat · Yesterday 02:36

Not the update that everyone wanted I’m sure but maybe it’s a realistic viewpoint some people have of cats.

Have continued to feed it, got a response from CDPA that they could spay the cat for €60 at a vet 1.5 hour away from me. So that involves buying a carrier, getting the cat in it, 3 hours driving, hanging around for the appointment, and then looking after the cat while it has its procedure. They use a cone so it would need to be inside for a minimum of 3 days. I do not want a cat in my house.

Even with all of that I was considering it, until today. The cat has eaten 2! field mice today alone on my patio, and a baby shrew a couple days ago that I had been happily watching an hour before. I’ve woken up to numerous other dead animals on my doorstep over the last few weeks that have then disappeared so I assume it’s eaten them as well. Won’t attempt to tackle another cat, or even one of the corvids, just the small defenceless animals.

But the final straw… I have just been woken up, and scared out of my absolute fucking wits at 2 in the morning by this cat. Was in bed, and the door started opening. I’m a light sleeper and don’t fully close my bedroom door. Thought it might have been a breeze through the windows in the house on the latch. No… it was the cat. No idea how it got in the house, all windows and doors closed, or how long it’s been in here, I’ve been in bed since 10pm. I ran it down the stairs, couldn’t see it go out the door so had to go through the house again and eventually found it in another room and ran it out the door. It then had the audacity to come back again so I checked a jug of water on it.

I’m done. Food bowls outside removed, thrown the rest of the cat food I bought in the bin. Never liked cats, they’re an absolute scourge to wildlife and the cat will get the jug of water every time it comes here.

If dogs were out killing rabbits and cats like this, people would be up in arms. I tried my best, helped it when it was weak, but my god they’re disgusting animals.

Please don't do that...take it to the vet and leave it there today

Being put to sleep if it come to it, is better than having learnt to trust someone, to then suddenly having water chucked over her every time she comes and displays normal, trusting behaviour for a cat.

She doesn't know you don't want her.

She doesn't see anything wrong in eating mice and birds.

.its fine you don't want a cat

.its not fine to feed it for weeks, gain its trust and then turn on it

Catch it and surrender it to the vets today

underthehawthorntree · Yesterday 07:37

A lot of the rescues have chip machines so you may be able to get someone to come out and check it for a chip as a starter for ten.

I think you have to continue feeding it until you find a rescue space for it. Otherwise it will starve and probably still hang around you from confusion.

Locationvshousevsgarden · Yesterday 07:37

Or if you really don't want any part of it anymore the vets will take it - sign the form. But don't withdraw food and abuse it by throwing water.. she won't understand why a good human now suddenly is mean to her....

loulouljh · Yesterday 07:42

Poor cat. Eating small animals is just instinct to it. You cannot now chuck water on it and not feed it. That's horrible. This will now keep me away at night!

MrsMitford3 · Yesterday 07:43

IsEveryUserNameBloodyTaken · 05/07/2026 01:35

Be careful trying to get rid of cats on social media as dog fighters send their Mrs with kids in tow to get bait.

Show quote history

THIS!!!!!!!!!!

Please do not give any animal away on social media

MrsMitford3 · Yesterday 07:45

oh no just saw the update.

One of the most heartless posts I have ever seen.

I can not believe what I have just read.
That poor poor cat

Mistysmom · Yesterday 07:46

DontWantACat · Yesterday 02:36

Not the update that everyone wanted I’m sure but maybe it’s a realistic viewpoint some people have of cats.

Have continued to feed it, got a response from CDPA that they could spay the cat for €60 at a vet 1.5 hour away from me. So that involves buying a carrier, getting the cat in it, 3 hours driving, hanging around for the appointment, and then looking after the cat while it has its procedure. They use a cone so it would need to be inside for a minimum of 3 days. I do not want a cat in my house.

Even with all of that I was considering it, until today. The cat has eaten 2! field mice today alone on my patio, and a baby shrew a couple days ago that I had been happily watching an hour before. I’ve woken up to numerous other dead animals on my doorstep over the last few weeks that have then disappeared so I assume it’s eaten them as well. Won’t attempt to tackle another cat, or even one of the corvids, just the small defenceless animals.

But the final straw… I have just been woken up, and scared out of my absolute fucking wits at 2 in the morning by this cat. Was in bed, and the door started opening. I’m a light sleeper and don’t fully close my bedroom door. Thought it might have been a breeze through the windows in the house on the latch. No… it was the cat. No idea how it got in the house, all windows and doors closed, or how long it’s been in here, I’ve been in bed since 10pm. I ran it down the stairs, couldn’t see it go out the door so had to go through the house again and eventually found it in another room and ran it out the door. It then had the audacity to come back again so I checked a jug of water on it.

I’m done. Food bowls outside removed, thrown the rest of the cat food I bought in the bin. Never liked cats, they’re an absolute scourge to wildlife and the cat will get the jug of water every time it comes here.

If dogs were out killing rabbits and cats like this, people would be up in arms. I tried my best, helped it when it was weak, but my god they’re disgusting animals.

Read full thread now, thats cruel OP, its a cat for goodness sake. Its in their nature to hunt mice etc. I suggest you go the rescues and say it is an emergency as otherwise it will be subjected to animal cruelty seems as you like throwing jugs of water over the poor animal

anyolddinosaur · Yesterday 07:48

Dont understand how anyone can identify as an animal lover and then harm a cat. OP if you dont want a cat or like cats then the only decent thing to do is to take it to the vet. If it is humanely put to sleep it wont suffer, you want it to be attacked by other cats and give birth to more animals who will suffer and probably die young.

You are cruel, not the animal lover you claim to be.

Anon4778 · Yesterday 07:53

Where in the country are you OP? I would take this cat. It’s crying out for love and a home.

Garman · Yesterday 07:54

OP I’m in Ireland and looking to get a cat, message me if you want and we can see how far we are from each other.

Bogstandardname · Yesterday 07:55

I can't believe you would consider purposely harming an innocent creature. Lots.of names occur to me to call you but I would be banned from the site.

Isanyonereallyanonymous · Yesterday 07:57

Please please take the cat to the vets now.
Being humanely put to sleep if they can't re-home her is far kinder than you just stopping feeding her when she's got used to it, especially as she seems prone to being attacked. Unfortunately it's natural instinct for them to hunt, I understand if you have/had rodents you'll probably feel even more strongly about this, but you're obviously an animal lover so please don't let this be a reason you're cruel to her.

Zanatdy · Yesterday 07:58

Sorry but how cruel to start feeding it and it begins to trust you and then you do this. Please take it back to the vets and let them rehome it. Surely even if it was PTS that’s better than you letting it hang around wondering why you’re not longer feeding it. It would be different if it had an owner and was just chancing it, but it doesn’t. Please take it to the vets. I feel so sad for this cat.

HouseFullOfChaos · Yesterday 08:00

Please take the advice of a previous poster who suggested taking it to a rescue centre and leaving it there despite the rescues protests. Just dump it on the counter in a cardboard box and leave it there, run away if necessary.

You've shown the cat love and fed it, it's cruel to turn on it. All of your actions towards it showed her she could trust you. At the moment it sounds like it'd make a lovely pet but if you're cruel to it you'll make it all nervous and not as easy to re-home.

Marmalademorning · Yesterday 08:08

Catsfredwilma · Yesterday 05:37

WTF!?!?
Shame on you.
I hope the cat finds her person ☹️

It probably won’t ever trust another human being again after this.

101Alsatians · Yesterday 08:12

Was so obvious you were out of your depth when you had no idea how to tell if it was male or female, and didn't get why her neck was injured.My 10 year old would know better.

I get you didn't ask for this,but don't be a knob eh?I am not a huge cat person (where I am,cats outnumber people,rehoming almost impossible) but they don't deserve to be ill treated.'Scourge' my arse.I had a stray showing the exact same behaviour,more of a feral though I think.Caught him,got him snipped/wormed/flea treated...because it's the decent thing to do.

He settled down x100 once he was physically comfortable.Still here 2 years later,just hangs out in the garden all day.Only see him 4 breakfast and dinner,which takes what 2 mins of my time.

whattheneighboursthink · Yesterday 08:15

Why would you decide to leave it to starve rather than leave it at the vet.

It's often said there's worse things for an animal than being PTS. And you're planning on a worse thing.

autumn1610 · Yesterday 08:16

i Know you mentioned rescues but I was wondering if you have tried smaller local ones. I foster for one purely ran off Facebook (England unfortunately) or join a local lost and found pets page for your area and put the cat on there. There are multiple in my area and even though all are saying we can’t cope with the number of cats one would trap and find a foster home. The bigger rescues who have a premises will likely like you said are full there is a massive cat crisis at the moment. But some of these smaller ones on Facebook are really picking up the pieces

User3456 · Yesterday 08:17

Please take it back to the vets. They offered to contact rescues and get it rehomed and you declined just in case it might be put to sleep. It's unheard of for a healthy, friendly cat to be out to sleep. Take it back and ask them to find somewhere for it. You can't just abandon it after having fed it for months. It's just been following it's instincts. I appreciate you don't want a cat but give it a chance to get a home where it's wanted. If you stop looking after it it will really suffer (and will kill even more wildlife when it's hungry) .