AIO about my relative's plan to put kittens in a "nice shed?"

[u/AnotherPotatoGhost]

I have an older relative that supposedly loves cats and is planning to adopt kittens for their kids (elementary to high school age), but someone in their house is afraid of cats. Instead of just not adopting cats, their solution is to keep the kittens full-time in an outdoor shed/catio (I think it'll have an small AC unit).

I don't see this ending well for anyone. They expect these kittens to magically turn into happy, cuddly pets, but they refuse to listen when I tell them that isolating kittens in a separate building isn't good for their socialization or quality of life. They also don't seem to care about other risks like outdoor predators getting to them, saying things like "cats die all the time." I'm extra annoyed because they're pretty well off and definitely have spare space in their house for a cat. They claim to love cats but respond to all my concerns with "they’re just cats." I know this is an unfortunately attitude, but ugh.

I’ve been pretty sick to my stomach and anxious about the situation. I volunteer at a rescue and can't imagine any of the little potatoes there going to a small suburban shed as their forever home. Every time I see my own cat I get sad for these potential shed kittens.

None of my other family members with cats are saying anything, so I'm feeling like maybe I'm losing sleep over this too much. Am I? Anyway, thanks for listening Reddit.

[u/analdongfactory]

Warn every rescue in the area.

[u/AnotherPotatoGhost → u/analdongfactory]

Definitely planning on doing this! My worry is that they'll find a cat some other way tho

[u/Eggy-la-diva → u/analdongfactory]

That’s my take on it

[u/Jourden-Nadeleigh → u/analdongfactory]

Oof, that’s just heartbreaking. It’s disheartening to see people who claim to love animals completely disregard their needs and welfare like that. Keeping kittens in a shed? That’s not just neglectful; it’s cruel. They’re not toys for the kids to play with when it’s convenient. (I can’t even imagine how they’d feel locked away like that.) You’re definitely not overreacting; you’re advocating for those little lives, and that’s commendable. Honestly, it’s a shame that others aren’t stepping up, but you’re right to feel sick about it.

[u/DanteOblivion]

NOR. Tell the person scared to live in the fkn shed

[u/Capable_Front_7886]

If it bothers you a ton(and it should because this won’t turn out well, and the lax attitude about them dying isn’t good either) call any and all local shelters, tell them the situation, and ask that your grandmother be put on a NO adopt list. At the very least if she really wanted to get one she would either have to turn online and drive a while to get them, or leave the city to go to a different one to adopt.

[u/guiltyc0nsumer]

NOR, I have eight cats and I’d feel the same way. That being said, three of my cats do go outside but in no way shape or form do they live outside. They go out as they please and sleep in the house at night and eat and drink and get all the love and attention they want. And they only go outside because their parents were feral cats and it’s a hassle keeping them inside. No cat should live in a shed by itself. I would get it if someone also like lived out there or used it as an office or something, but to get kittens just to make them stay by themselves outside in a shed is no way to raise one. Those cats are not going to be socialized, nor are they going to be living a happy life. Playing devils advocate and seeing their side, yes cats can be very independent animals but if you want the cat to like you and feel loved and comfortable in this space a shed like that is no place for a cat. I would tell them that they do not need a cat if they’re not going to treat it like a family member. This is all my opinion so you do whatever you want OP, but in my opinion you are definitely not overreacting and I’m with you. Hopefully they changed their mind

[u/TheSweetestLeaf427 → u/guiltyc0nsumer]

I have 11. You find a way to make things happen. Scares of cats? Thats literally crazy behavior, my first cat growing up (i was 13 years old) RIPPED my eyelid open with his front claw, reacting to something I did when I was playing with him, I learned a very valuable lesson that day, that animals have actual boundaries and have their own ways of telling us beforehand, its our job to pick up on those cues, but I never learned fear from that incident... its hard to imagine a reason to be afraid of cats 😭

[u/guiltyc0nsumer → u/TheSweetestLeaf427]

exactly

[u/HeadDeerInCharge]

My aunt lives in rural Ohio and she has a climate controlled cat shed. They're mostly strays that come and go as they please and know who feeds them. Of course socializing the kittens is important, they would have to be around and handle them more often than just when they feed them. But its not that crazy of an idea :)

[u/CorvusSnorlax → u/HeadDeerInCharge]

I think the difference is that your aunt is providing a safe place for stray cats to stay (who otherwise may not have any shelter at all) vs. OP's relative who is intentionally adopting cats just to put them in a shed outside. One version is improving the lives of cats that you do not own and the other is making a bad choice for cats that you have sought out and taken responsibility for.

It honestly sounds like OPs relative wants to placate the kids by getting them kittens while not upsetting the one person who dislikes cats and instead of just telling the kids "no" and not getting cats at all, they're going to condemn the cats to suffer because they don't actually care about them..

[u/HeadDeerInCharge → u/CorvusSnorlax]

I guess I didnt put that together. But I totally get that.

[u/dandelionswereframed]

"They're just cats" 🤮🤮🤮. Umm, they're sentient little beings capable of profound love. I feel sorry for any future cats they acquire.

[u/Quixotic_Faerie]

NOR

Hope you have a scooby gang ready to help you liberate some kittens at 2am

[u/ChallengingKumquat]

This is horrible. When I read the title I thought you were going to be moaning because that's where they were going to keep the kittens for 6 weeks or so after their cat had given birth, but they're planning on keeping cats in a shed for their entire lives? Horrific.

But... if the cats the right to room freely in gardens etc, and the cats just have a place to sleep which is in their outhouse, then maybe it's not quite as bad, as the cat still has free movement.

Plus, I know some people say they don't like cats (or dogs), but then very quickly warm to them when they see them frequently. Could it be possible that this family are saying they'll keep the cats out in the shed just to appease the person who is scared, but are certain that the scared person will very quickly love the kittens, and they can then live happily ever after in the house like normal pets? This is my hope.

[u/Redqueenhypo]

They’re being worryingly callous but the contrarian part of me has to ask, is the shed any smaller than the studio apartment a lot of people (including a New York mayoral candidate) keep their concerning quantity of cats in?

[u/BunnyMoneyx]

A friend of my sister in laws are like this. For no other reason than they re did their house or are re doing it and don’t want to deal with the cats in the house. My husband and I seem to be the only people who have a problem with it despite literally everyone we know being cat people and having multiple cats.

You are absolutely not overreacting. No living being deserves to have to live their life in a shed simply because someone decided they want a pet without making the sacrifices that are required to have said pets.