Whether it be an ancient pharaoh giving a royal burial to his dog, or Hagrid looking after a dragon, giant spider, or a 3-headed dog, people have been known to be crazy about their pets. I surely was in love with my pet fish who never even acknowledged me.

Even this woman considers her cat as her own kid and refuses to keep her in another room despite her getting aggressive and scratching her family. Her sister-in-law is concerned about it hurting her kids during Christmas, so she sought advice online.

More info: Mumsnet

People have been known to be crazy about their pets, and some even consider them as their children

Image credits: Andréas BRUN / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

The poster’s sister-in-law has an aggressive cat who has bitten and scratched their family in the past, including the children

Image credits: juiceboxjuggle

Image credits: Tabitha Favor / Pexels (not the actual photo)

This Christmas, the poster is dreading going to her in-laws as she’s concerned the cat will harm her children

Image credits: juiceboxjuggle

Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

She doesn’t know how to tell her sister-in-law about it as she gets upset if asked to keep the cat in the other room

Image credits: juiceboxjuggle

The poster wants a relaxing Christmas without having to worry about the feline hurting her kids but doesn’t know what to say to her sister-in-law

Today, we dive into a story where the mom is highly concerned about her sister-in-law’s aggressive cat hurting her children during Christmas. The original poster (OP) tells us that the cat scratches and bites them for the smallest of reasons and even keeps at it under the table while people eat.

Now, despite its aggressive nature, the cat’s mom refuses to keep her in the other room as she considers the feline her child. She got upset when the poster suggested it last year and replied that the pet should be “free to roam.”

Well, this has put OP in a tight spot as she doesn’t want a stressful Christmas where she has to worry about the cat hurting her or her kids. Her husband will not do anything and her mother-in-law says that her daughter is not married and doesn’t have kids, so the cat is her family and she couldn’t ask her not to bring it. 

To get expert insights, Bored Panda interviewed Nicole Dias, a die-hard animal lover who has been a compassionate mom and cat sitter to multiple felines for the past 15 years. She has also looked after quite a few aggressive cats and strongly believes that the owner has a great influence on the pet’s behavior.

“The owner’s emotions and reactions can directly affect the cat’s behavior. If the owner is anxious, the cat may mirror that stress and become more reactive,” Nicole explained. She further narrated that the sister-in-law’s actions sound a little insensitive as she should be aware of how the children might catch the cat scratch disease because of her pet.

According to Nicole, when you are looking after a pet, it’s best to be aware of such things and take precautions accordingly. 

Image credits: Bizon / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Many folks commented that the sister-in-law was acting quite irrationally as she was not considering the safety of the kids. They said that it was sad that OP was burdened with caring about this when the owner’s brother should be the one informing her that it might harm their children.

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People online also came up with suggestions like a Pet Remedy spray or a couple of fresh catnip kick sticks to keep the animal distracted. When we asked our expert for her advice for people stuck in similar situations, she suggested leveraging the cat’s bond with the owner and highlighted these points:

• Calm Presence: Encourage the owner to act as a calming influence for the cat during high-stress moments, as their presence may naturally reassure the cat.
• Interactive Play: Suggest that the owner engage the cat in vigorous play before meals or gatherings to burn off excess energy and reduce the likelihood of aggressive outbursts.
• Strategic Positioning: Position the owner and their cat in a comfortable area slightly away from the busiest parts of the house, such as the dining table, so the cat feels secure but still included.
• Owner-Delivered Rewards: Have the owner give the cat treats or praise for calm behavior during meals or interactions, reinforcing positive behavior.
• Comforting Items: Suggest the owner bring familiar items (e.g., the cat’s favorite blanket or toys) to create a safe, familiar zone where the cat can retreat if she feels overwhelmed.

If the poster is dreading talking to her sister-in-law, these insights definitely sound like something she could actually consider. However, some folks pointed out that the cat mom’s extremely emotional reaction to keeping the cat away was very manipulative and unfair. 

They advised OP to directly tell her how her pet is hurting the kids and give her an ultimatum that either she keeps the cat away or OP and the kids leave. It definitely sounds like a tricky spot, doesn’t it? If you were in OP’s shoes, what would you do? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Folks online said that the sister-in-law was being very manipulative by reacting extremely when she should actually consider the safety of the kids

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