husband is mean to my cats

Hi, everyone how are you? I am in a really tough situation and I really need some advise. I have two female cats whom are sisters. Najwa was born 6-6-06 and Layla 10-28-06. They are very differant cats. Layla is very shy and scared (a huge baby) and Najwa is more the trouble maker. I have had both since they were onlt a few weeks old so were all 3 very attached to one another. I love them so much you all! The problem is my husband. He got them for me when we first got married and he always loved them. Now we have a baby and everything and he just seems to hate them. He keeps saying cats are for kids and we have a family blah, blah, blah. I tell him people of all ages have animals and you do not get rid of your pets (family) just like that. I planned to always have them. For awhile now he has been being mean to them. He treats them like they are humans. If they do something he does not like he feels he must punish them. He hits the, very hard, kicks them, throws them. Najwa gets over it and does not care but Layla is scared to death always of him. My husband and I fight ALL THE TIME bc of this. I do not like this and it makes me so mad. I love animals and I hate that he treats them this way. Sometimes I feel he is jealous bc I love them so much. He will never even spend any money on them bc he says they are just animals. He buys crappy meow mix food from the Dollar Store. He also has never got them any shots or fixed. My cats have never been around anyone but us, never been outside. So I think they would act insane around others. Even when someone knocks Najwa growls and Layla hides. I do not know what to do. I want them with me bc I love them so much. They have been the only friends I have had and always loved me so much. But then on the other hand my love sees they deserve better. What do you all think I should do, please any tips?

If you love your cats, please get them out of the house and find a loving home for them because it's really not fair on them. Me personally if my partner so much as shouted at one of my cats he would be out the door quicker than he came through it, but that's me.

Can i ask what you do when you see your husband hits the cats. Do you say something or are you scared to?.

Any sort of abuse to an animal is not accepted!!!! Either you leave with your cats and child, or you get a trusted family member such as a mum or sister to take the cats off your hands.

This man is an abuser and you need to report him!

If he can change like this after having a child, how do you know you and your own baby are safe? You really need to get some help

Oh my god!!

I completely feel for you but listen, you've gotta get yourself and the cats or just the cats out of that situation. What he is doing is animal abuse and "people" abuse too since he knows how much you love them.

I know it may not be practical for you to leave, or kick him out but in all fairness, the best thing for your cats is to be in a warm safe place, where there is no chance of someone kicking them or throwing them.

Please don't stand aside and let him do this to you!

as a general rule, if someone mistreats animals, they will soon start on people.

I'm moving this to SOS because of the situation

I do not know your financial situation, or how much you love your husband, but my advice is to get out fast. Once you remove the cats, you and the baby are next. I am guessing that this man has knocked you around a few times too. If you have family or friends, turn to them for help. Look for agencies that help women get out of abuse situations. This may sound extreme, but why wait for the inevitable? If you leave now with the baby and the cats, perhaps it will be enough to make him come to his senses and get help. If you can't get out right away, you will have to get the cats another home. Have you told him you will leave if this continues? You've taken the first step by asking for help here, now continue along and get out.
good luck.

I have to agree with the others. If your cats are your only friends and you find a new home for them what will your husband find fault with next??? Do you have any friends or relatives that you can give your cats too-perhaps temporarily. I think there is moer to your situation-help seek help right away before you and your baby are harmed.

yes, my situation is long! I just want to think of my cats now bc I love them and I am tired of them being hurt for nothing. His day is just obcessed with them and being annoyed with them. Yes, they do things bc I never got mad at them and let them do anything (my fault) but at the end of the day they are only cats and I can not get mad. I tell him this as well. They are not humans they are cats! He was always fine with my cats then all the sudden his parents do not like them and said a lot of things now guess what hes the same and says the same things. He is 100% abusive to them. He is always gone in the day and they have fun around the house but when hes home its like hes mad if they dare step anywhere he can see them. He just always yelling for them to get out of the room were in, just always on them bothering them always. If they play or anything hes yelling and mad bc they dare move or make a noise. My cats alway seem to cause us to fight. It makes me mad at him always. I do love my husband and do not want to leave him over my pets! I just wish I could find a way to fix it but I know I am dreaming. I have talked to him before and it was ok for awhile but it always goes back. Especially if he is mad at me he always takes it out on them I guess bc he knows I love them. Layla is very scared of him. I have no family or friends here bc were new to this place. My mom told me she would take them but they would have to go outside (they have never been out and I do not think they could handle it bc they are very scared of EVERYTHING and never been out). But she is also across the country. You know when we moved he made them ride in a small carrier together for 12 hours with no going to the restroom, they were crying and so was I. Hes just not an animal lover what so ever and I am. I want them for selfish reasons I know, I just love them so much even writing this is making me cry. I feel like no one could ever love them or treat them the way I do plus I am all they know. They would miss me and be sad (I dont want that). But the problem is the way he is to them. I also told him before that weak men picky on animals. Last night najwa made him mad you should have saw him. he was shaking he was so mad. He kicked her then she ran and he ran after her and was about to punch her and was yelling. As always daily I chased after her and protected her. But what person gets so mad at a cat? She is not even a bad cat. Its insane. I want someone who can give my angels what they deserve.

Number 1: GET THOSE POOR CATS OUT OF THERE.

That's a no-brainer. Their lives are in danger.

You love them, right? Then you need to protect them. If you don't protect them, then you can't really love them; your actions don't support the notion of love if you're just standing by and letting them be abused.

Get them out of there.

Sorry if I'm being rude, but this makes me so angry. This guy's a monster, and he's got two little helpless beings at his whim. Please stop abetting him by doing nothing. The first thing I thought when reading the carrier story was, that's like a nazi.

Don't romanticize it - they're not going to pine away for you if being with you means getting abused. Get 'em out of there.

Please get them out today. And don't get any more pets unless you're not with him any more.

If you will do nothing else, tell him you will call the cops. There are laws against what he's doing. Then if he does it again, follow through - call the cops and the ASPCA cops. Take pictures while he's doing it for evidence and so that he knows it's not going to be his "secret" any more.

Sorry, but this just makes me furious. Get those poor cats away from that abuser.

Forget reasoning with him at this point. You wouldn't argue with a fire, right? You just do what needs to be done to keep the living creatures safe. For God's sake, at least get between him and the cats when he's abusing them, so he has to get through you to get to them.

I know I'm being harsh but this makes me sick.

Those cats do not deserve to be punished like that...

Your husband has a poor way of expressing anger but you did a good thing by wanting the cats to be safe. Although, if he is willing to harm a cat, that could be channeled towards you or your child. Just be careful!

The only way the cats can be safe is if they are in a different home. Hope you find your cats a loving home Good Luck with everything!

IMO your Husband has some real problems.
If he can get so mad at an innocent animal that he will actually kick it then he needs serious help NOW.
I've known my Husband since we were 5 years old and if he EVER so much as raised a hand to any of our cats either he'd be out the door before he knew what hit him, or me, our kids and the cats we leave.
Thankfully he's an animal lover and would never do anything like that.

Yes, you could find a new, loving home for your cats...but, as someone else said if the cats aren't there for him to take out his aggression on WHO is he going to take it out on?
You? Your Child?

Obviously I can't tell you what to do, but if it where me I'd remove myself, my Child and my cats from the situation ASAP.
He's an abuser and nobody deserves to be abused...not people or animals.

Originally Posted by theimp98

as a general rule, if someone mistreats animals, they will soon start on people.

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I have to second this statement. You will probably be next since you are defending your cats. Please leave him with your cats and your child.

You say you love him and don't want to leave him...would you love him just as much when he kills one of the cats? Or if he strikes the baby? Thats the next step in this scenario.

Think about it.

This thread is sad and difficult for me to read.

I'm not going to tell you to pack up and leave your husband - that's something that will probably happen not far down the road, but you aren't at that point yet.

The first thing you need to do is locate and contact a no-kill shelter in your area, explain that your husband is abusive to the cats and that you cannot protect them and therefore feel giving them up is the safest thing you can do for them.

Your husband obviously has some serious issues and you may have to make one of the hardest decisions of your life to take your child and leave him. If you have already saved your cats and given them the opportunity for a better life, you will have 2 less things to worry about when you need to make that decision.

I'm assuming that since you don't have family nearby that you have nobody to turn to for help so contacting your humane shelters seems to be the very best you can do for these cats if you truly love them as you say you do. Please do not get any more animals until your husband has had help in anger management or until you are no longer with him - whichever comes first.

I'm sorry you are living such a nightmare. I'll pray that you'll find the strength to do what you need to make the cats and your life and possibly your baby's life safer.

It is also hard for me to read this thread. My heart bleeds for your poor kitties!
Get the cats out of that house as soon as possible before he kills them! No animal deserves to be treated like that, they love unconditionally, unlike humans. Personally if my SO ever was abusive to my animals he should think twice about going to sleep with me in the house....
I hope and pray that you and your baby are not next. Maybe that is harsh but it is true that abusers start out with animals.
Good luck to you.

Everyone has written great posts to you and there's nothing I can add except to tell you that my heart breaks for your cats and you. I know you think no one will love them like you do but I promise that there are lots of people out there who would love nothing more than a furry friend to love and spoil! In fact, that's why we are all here!

Originally Posted by x7anooonah

He treats them like they are humans. If they do something he does not like he feels he must punish them. He hits the, very hard, kicks them, throws them.

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I'm a human and I would NEVER tolerate someone treating me this way. This is NOT how people treat one another and we must have even more compassion when it comes animals.

hey have been the only friends I have had and always loved me so much. But then on the other hand my love sees they deserve better. What do you all think I should do, please any tips?

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You know the answer to your question already... but you love them so much that it doesn't make letting them go any easier. Isn't seeing them in a safe place better than worrying if they will survive the next assault from your husband?

Originally Posted by x7anooonah

I just want to think of my cats now bc I love them and I am tired of them being hurt for nothing. ...

He is 100% abusive to them....

I want them for selfish reasons I know, I just love them so much even writing this is making me cry. I feel like no one could ever love them or treat them the way I do plus I am all they know. They would miss me and be sad (I dont want that)...

I want someone who can give my angels what they deserve.

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Better sad for a little while than dead! I'm sure if you look hard enough you can find an angel for you angels. You might even find someone willing to keep you informed about them so you can stay in touch and won't have to miss them as much. I wouldn't give them to your mom though... they deserve to be spoiled house cats the rest of their lives!

I think the only fair thing for your cats is to find them 100% loving homes... right now they are in a 50% loving home and it could cost them dearly.

You need to stop fretting and wringing your hands and do something.

If you don't you are every bit as bad as your husband is. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but I believe it very strongly. The cats would be better off at a shelter than in your house.

You must rehome these two cats as soon as its possible today or tommorow,,Sometimes loving something means having the love to let them go. These cats can not be abused like this. I feel so horrible after reading your post. I hope things work out for you..call a no kill shelter and get them out of the house.
If he is punching them and hitting them they are going to be injured badly and I'm sure he will not let you take them to a vet.. Then you will have a even worse problem..

Please, please, please rehome your cats asap. I know you are in a bad situation and right now they are probably your only friends but think about your cats. How will you feel when your husband kills one of them (not if when). It will be hard to let them go but please know that they will have a better life if you do. I Googled your town and I think this no kill shelter is in your town:
www.petsandpeople.com
Please give them a call and see if they can take your cats or if they know a group that can. Please do it for the sake of your cats.

trust me I know you all are right that is why I am home on here asking! Is there anyway that I could keep them together? I do not know what layla would do without Najwa shes so shy and scared around everyone but me and Najwa . So do you all agree I should call a no kill shelter? Is there anymore suggestions that I could have? I would be willing to give whoever takes them all of their things as well for free if I knew it was a good home. I wish I could find an older lady who loves cats to take them and they could have what they deserved, what I am not allowed to give them .