I regret getting a cat

[tellmesomethingtrue]

It is too expensive. Annual vaccinations, insurance, flea and worming. I wish I hadn’t got her to be honest. How do poor people afford pets?

Are you allowing her to go outside? Is it reasonably safe for cats where you live? In my experience cats are much happier when they are allowed to go outside (get a cat flap) and it makes life much easier for the owner.

Mine is very similar. Started around £5pm for the early years and now paying £10 for the 7yo and £18 for the 13yo for lifetime cover because I haven’t changed providers for a few years. I’m surprised at other people paying £50+pm

Our cat is 19. Never had a vaccination since she was a kitten. We have never had insurance and never been to a vets. I guess we have been very lucky.

Put her up for adoption there is a pets4homes website or cat protection can advertise her while she stays at your home. It's crueler to keep her she will feel unwanted but you're wrong for not checking the maths, don't get any more pets please.

If OP doesn't want the cat she should return her to the shelter, not put her up for adoption on Pets4Homes where anyone could take her.

This is really common when cats come to new environments, it is usually caused by stress.

You can find lots of information about it online.

I fostered two cats about 2 months ago and one of them started doing this after I’d had them for about 20 days.

Watch out for the cat struggling to pass urine (lots of visits to the litter tray or other areas but not passing urine), lots of grooming if their genital area of passing blood, as these can all indicate stress induced cystitis. Sadly my cat symptoms did progress to this and she required a 3 week course of anti-inflammatories and pain relief to sort it out.

In the meantime, have you heard of Feliway plug-in infusers? They can really help cats settle into new environments and it may help prevent her symptoms from worsening.

I get my flea and worm stuff from Atlantic pets. Delivery is quick.

I get Credelio flea stuff and grind into a lic a lick.

https://atlanticpetproducts.com/

Cats normally do this when stressed or in new situations. My cat wees and even defecates in her pet carrier when we arrive or go to the vet. She’s petrified. Then lays low down on their table to try to hide. Vet has never hurt her. Well not mine anyway.

Even better, return her to the same place. Saves on paperwork.

The same place might not be able to take her back. The Sspca where I got three cats from no longer take owner surrenders. They are inundated and they only take abuse or neglect cases

It’s really easy to be sympathetic from a distance, though.

I do have some compassion for the OP. Any thread on here where someone admits less than delight in their pet tends to end badly (apart from this one maybe which is good for a laugh!) but honestly my cats have driven me to depression in the past, or perhaps more accurately pre existing depression has been exacerbated by them. I’m not sure which! Demands for food constantly, miaowing, dead rats outside the house 🤢 shitting in places that aren’t the litter tray … vets bills.

And before anyone thinks I’m horrible, I’m not: they were always well cared for, I did love them in a way and was sad when they died. My DH doesn’t like cats so we don’t have them now. I do miss them in a way but I understand where the OP is coming from.

There are times my cats drive me round the bend all day every day. I still wouldn't part with them. I was simply stating that a cat peeing on a bed happens

One of my cats refused to use a tray (newspapers). Two of my cats that are gone now shredded my hall wallpaper (left from the previous tenant). Cat puke. Scratching couches - you name it. They are banned from the stairs now because of a loose carpet incident (not entirely his fault) where I slipped on it and broke my leg

Yes they can drive you daft. The issue in the beginning was cost. If she really doesn't want the cat then she'll rehome it I'm sure. Hopefully to someone reputable

Some of these cat issues can be solved or minimised, though. If a cat is allowed to go out when it wants, with a cat flap, it will happier. It will do most of its scratching outside. It won't need a litter tray. It's less likely to wee on someone's bed. It's less likely to vomit in the house. I admit that it may bring mice or birds inside, though. That can be reduced by getting a somewhat older cat, and putting a bell on its collar.
My cat has a tendency to vomit after eating her dry cat food. I've solved that by keeping the conservatory door shut (her food and her cat flap are there) for a time after she eats. She now no longer vomits inside.

I know you were. I wasn’t trying to be argumentative, just that I do have some compassion for the OP. Just like with children, the reality and the dream can be different!

In my last flat I lived in a flat on a very busy bus route.

In this one there's a main road where cars speed and the next street is also a main road. Most cat owners here keep their cats in for that reason

My cats have always been indoors and I made that decision for a reason. If I owned a house I would potentially get a catio but the design of my flat would make it pretty impossible

OP - are you able to get a cat flap? If that works in your home and area, I really think it will help both you and the cat. I do understand that it's not always possible, in which case I hope you took that into account when choosing the cat.

Scratching is a natural behaviour (to sharpen claws etc) and also sometimes indicates boredom or stress.
With a little bit of research it's quite possible to find ways to help your cat minimise this behaviour.

Maybe but cat protection has advertised cats that were still with the guardian, they may not physically have the cat back at their shelter but facilitate the adoption.

So the vet can prescribe and sell me 3 months of Nexgard for £55 but I can buy the same brand online for £28?!? This doesn’t make any sense

Yes it does. Vets want to make profit obviously.

Vets want to make money. Especially those who sell out to a large organisation. They know plenty of owners who will pay these fees too.

Of course it makes sense.

Vets aren't warehouses that can store hundreds of each product like online chemists can. They also need to cover additional costs - staffing, electricity, heating, insurance, equipment etc.

Yes but you need to add in the cost of the prescription from your vet which could be £30 . Of course medicines from practices cost more because you are contributing to the overheads - building / utilities / staff etc

Cats are expensive. I had two from kitten and I could definitely feel the money every single month going out on their food, then the treating them for worming and fleas. I hated it that I had fur all over my house and all over my clothes. I hated that sometimes I’ll come down to poo randomly in my kitchen or on the other occasion they’ve been sick in my kitchen. They were indoor cats and I hated that my house constantly stunk of cat piss and poo.
I hate that after a long days work I would have to come back feed them change their litter - The worst was having to do the weekly whole litter box change. The joy that I got from them didn’t make up for the labour and costs involved in their care.

Cut a long story short, I rehomed them through the ginger cat house rescue charity. Found a very lovely family with a beautiful home and garden for them. They are so happy and so am I.

If you need to rehome them, think of yourself as their foster mum until they find there forever home. I would definitely recommend the ginger cat house rescue charity - they will match you with potential new owners and they do their own due diligence and checks on them. As much as I didn’t want them anymore? I really wanted them to go to a good home and I was able to meet the family beforehand and I went there a couple times after my cats had moved just to see how they were getting on. Absolutely no regrets!

I have indoor cats. My house doesn't stink of piss and poo. She isn't their foster mum. She's their owner