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?

Agreed. The dead animals were presents for the op that it later decided to eat because its hungry. It desperately wanted to be with the op and did not deserve water thrown at it! Now she’s going to starve it on purpose! The cat trusts her and loves her. What a horrible woman.

What a fucking stupid reply.

A difficult situation all round. It sounds like this cat won’t stop coming back if you ignore it op. The only option is to take it to the vets or rescue and refuse to take it away with you. What happens to it after that is their decision. It’s a better option than the alternative.

This.

Ask MumsNet to add on to the title ' Urgent home needed - In Ireland '

I cannot believe you have turned against this cat !

If you had been in England or Scotland someone would have had the cat for you by now.

You do not feed a cat for weeks then suddenly start throwing water at it coz it brings home a mouse / whatever.

edited as I didn't see this was already in The Litter Tray, it was showing as ' talk ' for me.

Me neither. The food could have been taken to a shelter. I get OP doesn’t want the cat however, more I read the OPs updates the more I think there was a bit of virtue signalling going on as tbh no one can be so kind to the animal then become so uncaring.

Wow! That took a turn!

Revolting way to treat an animal. Encourage it, feed it and then abuse it for responding.

NFTFT but are any local rescues willing to come out and scan him? Quite a few rescues by me do. I would give them a donation but no obligation and it could be less than the vet.

You can’t call yourself an animal lover and then do this. You’re horrible. Just surrender the poor thing.

Poor little cat . Ask around to see if there are any kind people who would take the cat . It's obviously bonded with you and is now in a worse situation than it was before .

OP I am not a cat person and wouldn't want a cat killing wildlife in my garden either. But even if you suddenly don't care about the welfare of the cat anymore, chasing it away will not solve the problem. She'll end up page pregnant and then you'll have lots more cats killing wildlife in your garden.

It would be better for everyone, including you and the local wildlife, if you took the cat back to the vet, signed the waiver and left her with them. Hopefully they will find a loving home for her.

Please don't keep throwing water on her. It's cruel and it won't help anyone either.

Cats are far from disgusting. They are natural hunters. You did not show this small creature mercy you gave it the minimum to quell your conscience. Then found the first excuse to turn your back on it- a cat displaying it's natural behaviour. I hope the poor thing finds someone to care for it is all I can say. It will likely end up in the same state as you found it sadly, probably depressed now it has become attached and then rejected

Funny thing is I've never been disgusted by a cat only a human

Think you got a massive fright last night and reacted strongly due to being woken and having to find the cat hiding in the house. A window probably left open due to the warm weather.

The small creatures are gifts for you, that's the cat's nature but you don't like seeing them harmed and that has hardened your heart against the cat.

Drop the cat at a shelter, tell them you won't be around for the rest of the summer and you are afraid it will starve. It might be hard to argue and leave the cat there but you need to now. You don't need a carrier, put a blanket or towel on your car seat and a laundry basket with slits on top. I had to do that in an emergency vet run once, it worked fine and once there I placed the cat in the basket and put the towel across the top to carry her in.

Things will seem better in the light of day. Cats can seem spooky at night time with their glowing eyes and you're upset about the small creatures which is ok. Drop the cat at a shelter Monday evening if you can.

Good luck OP. We had the same thing, even down to going on holiday and the bloody cat was asleep on our doorstep when we returned.
She's 20 now, owns the house and sleeps in our bed.

Our adult DD is currently trying to adopt a cat and said it's like wading through treacle as the rescue centres don't return calls or say they aren't suitable (despite living in a beautiful, rural home, working from home 3 days a week, and having exp of owning cats). The ones she's spoken to want the cat to be indoors only.

I felt that way when I had to put my young cat to sleep. I was and still am devastated about it.However,I did get another cat a couple of months later figuring having another cat to care for would help with the grief. It did help and there are so many cats and kittens who would love your love.

This is true, @DontWantACat Cats do leave dead kill as gifts for humans, it's been studied many times. I also think you acted out of shock and fear and hope when you're feeling a bit more rested you will reflect and realise that your determination to abandon the cat now is a poor course of action.

If you're animal lover as you say then you won't judge a young vulnerable cat by human moral standards and will finalise arrangements for it to be removed safely.

Please do consider checking out the posters in the uk who have offered to take her. Please also stop calling her 'it'. You may not be a cat lover, but she's an innocent as the guinea pigs you've had.

We were adopted by a young cat/ kitten, couldn’t find anywhere with space to have him so we kept him. I’m not a cat ( or wasn’t) person but couldn’t not help him ( no owners to be found) we love him so much now and he’s been no trouble at all in fact we’d had a couple of mice and he’s sorted that out for us. He spends his time patrolling our garden and our two elderly neighbors gardens so earns his keep ;) Hooe you find a solution

Bless you.

You’ve had not one but two offers to rehome this cat, and you do that? FFS. Get onto the person who offered from Ireland and don’t be mean to the poor thing. Chucking water over it because it’s come in to find someone it thinks is kind is ridiculous. This is not a person but a cat.

She already claimed to have taken the cat to the vets to be microchipped so must have access to a carrier.

How unromantic.

Yes and Op kept guinea pigs.
I worked in a children's zoo back in the 80's when rabbits and guinea pigs were kept together.
The guinea pigs regularly ate the baby rabbits.

@DontWantACat you have had offers from people in Ireland to take this cat. If you don’t take up one of these offers, and you leave the cat to starve, you will be abusing this animal

OP get in touch with Garman they are in Ireland and will take the cat. Please keep feeding her until Garman takes her.

Someone repost Garman's comments each page to make sure OP sees there is someone in Ireland who wants this cat