Telling my flatmates I'm getting a cat

So for a very long time now I have wanted to get a cat. And yesterday was my birthday and my parents are going to buy me a kitten!! The only issue is I'm nervous to bring it up with my flatmates. Do you think they will say no and would they be justified in doing that?

They are a couple and they are the only ones on the lease as I sublet despite asking to be added to the lease. So they can really do what they want and their proposal would be "do it or leave". It is a no pet lease.

They are very very clean and houseproud. Although I dont like things to be very messy or disguisting, I am a little more chilled about this than them, like I can handle there being a few dishes left overnight, wheras they would complain. There was a girl living in my room before me who they complain about ALL the time, saying she was a nightmare, and she was very lazy (I doubt she was particularly lazy, just not at their level of expectations) and I think they compare me to her a lot and find us the same. I also spend a lot of time in my room like they moan she did, but because they usually dominate the living room. Anyway why I'm explaining this is that this girl used to have pets including two cats. They complain a1ll the time that they ended up mostly looking after her cats, that she didn't clean after them and they were smelly and one was aggressive. He's jokingly said before that my one redeeming feature is not having annoying animals like she did. Because this girl was on the lease they ended up just basically bulllying her until she decided to leave. With me, they could just tell me to leave instantly.

Anyway a few months ago they announced to me they were getting a kitten. They knew I love cats and this likely wouldn't be an issue with me. Their cat is now around 5 months old and she's a lovely cat. They take very good care of her. I have never minded her or her bad habits like using the carpet as a bum cleaner or clawing the walls to destruction and I've happily looked after her when my flatmates are on holiday or away.

I've jokingly talked about "adopting all the cats" and stuff like that before and they've reacted badly. I know they would prefer I didn't get a cat.

But can they say no or be annoyed? Also, I'm worried if I get a kitten and it has any bad habit or I ask them to look after it one night or something, they will be angry and add it to their armoury of how lazy/annoying I am. Would this be fair considering I haven't been bothered by them?

I actually get on reasonably well with them and they are nice people. I really love this flat and living here and I don't want to jeapordise this. But I'd really really want (and regardless my parents are now getting me) a cat.

Would they be justified in reacting negatively?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1

username1623349

They can say no and kick you out, yes. Although no I don't think it's justified, seeing as they have one of their own. They don't particularly sound like good housemates anyway, so if they do kick you out you can find someone better. There's not much you can do, you're getting a cat regardless of what they say

Reply 2

Tabstercat

Why are you living with these people. They sound horrible.

Reply 3

Duncan2012

Your parents don't have to get you a kitten. This won't end well.

Reply 4

LiquidGold

Yes they can say no and they can kick you out on short notice if you bring the cat into the flat

Reply 5

Reue

Original post by Kerrias

Would they be justified in reacting negatively?

When it comes to renting - being justified doesn't matter at all. As long as the law is followed, people can do whatever they want for any or no reason.

Reply 6

Anonymous #1

It sounds selfish if you're going tell your flatmates that your getting a cat. They will end up looking after it, since it's going to roam around the flat, and you won't be locking it in your room when you go out, since that's cruel. Also you'll have to put a litter tray in your room and it will smell horrendous (but that's up to you). When you let it loose in the flat it could roam into on of your flatmates rooms and get cat hairs everywhere, pee on/destroy their stuff. You cat could develop bad habits like my outdoor cat: meowing very loudly in the middle of the night, ruining the carpet with her claws, cat hairs on your pillow etc.

So a few reasons you shouldn't get a kitten, when you know they don't like pets - and you could get kicked out. Maybe tell your parents not to get you a cat, maybe a goldfish.

Reply 7

doodle_333

It would be unfair as they have their own cat but if you are subletting on a no pet lease then yes, they can kick up a fuss and boot you out if you get a cat when they don't want you to.

Reply 8

Kerrias

Original post by Anonymous

It sounds selfish if you're going tell your flatmates that your getting a cat. They will end up looking after it, since it's going to roam around the flat, and you won't be locking it in your room when you go out, since that's cruel. Also you'll have to put a litter tray in you r room and it will smell horrendous (but that's up to you). When you let it loose in the flat it could roam into on of your flatmates rooms and get cat hairs everywhere, pee on/destroy their stuff. You cat could develop bad habits like my outdoor cat: meowing very loudly in the middle of the night, ruining the carpet with her claws, cat hairs on your pillow etc. So a few reasons you shouldn't get a kitten, when you know they don't like pets - and you could get kicked out. Maybe tell your parents not to get you a cat, maybe a goldfish.

My flatmates got a cat of their own already, without asking if I was okay with it or asking my thoughts, just told me its what they were doing. So there is already a smelly litter tray in the living room and cat hair and claw marks everywhere. If they had a genuine allergy or aversion or just didn't like cats or animals, I wouldn't consider bringing one home but they have a cat already so clearly don't mind.

In any case I decided to speak to them about it last night. They told me no. At first they had no reason then they said it was because it might not get on well with their cat and I wasn't being fair on their cat. I think in actual fact it would do their cat a lot of good to have another cat to interact with and some company as they leave her shut in one room, the living room, by herself overnight and during the day when noones home so around 20 hours a day in one place and alone which I don't think is fair on her. Also, their cat is still young and theres no reason they wouldnt get on. In the event they didnt I would deal with that and find a new cat-free home for my cat.

I think they've behaved quite unfairly. They didnt consult or ask my opinions when they got their cat, just showed me a photo one day and announced she was coming home soon with them, but they have told me no.

Also I know that, legally, they can do what they want and can kick me out. I was just wondering if I was alone in thinking they were being unjustified and unfair. Also, if anyone has any advice on how to move this forward because cat or no cat, I dont want to let this slide without making them aware I think theyve been unfair but if i rock the boat too much they can kick me outm

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

Original post by Kerrias

Also, if anyone has any advice on how to move this forward because cat or no cat, I dont want to let this slide without making them aware I think theyve been unfair but if i rock the boat too much they can kick me outm