I no longer want to look after my daughter's cats.

Exactly what I said Anja it’s beyond cheeky.

The cats will be just as happy in another home with someone who really likes them. I would have no compunction about rehoming them.

"chasing them off the kitchen worktops. " Yuk, yuk yuk!! This made me shudder and feel quite ill.

I used to be a Nanny in a house where the Siamese cat regularly slept in one of the cooking pots under the kitchen workbench - and yet its owner insisted on the must meticulous hygiene everywhere else (and rightly so).

I am NOT a cat person although when the children were young and a stray cat adopted us, we took him in and had him for 8 years.

I'm sure there must be people out there who'd love a cat to keep them company. Keep asking around.

Have you done some free, heart-strings advertising? "Lonely little cat needs a loving home" sort of thing in local shops, vets' clinics and so on?

Don't let your conscience prevent you from making this effort to re-home them - you and they both deserve it.

Rehome them! This is unfair on you, and the cats will be absolutely fine in new homes. I was landed with my Dd's big, boisterous dog through similar circumstances. I managed to train him so we kept him and take good care of him. But it was NOT my choice, I'm just lucky it hasn't worked out too badly. Four cats?? No!

You have my sympathy. We were left with a cat when DD went off travelling and to uni. We got quite fond of her but we aren't cat people and DD had moved on.
We always had to arrange cat sitters when we went away and she became ill while we were on holiday. Our cat sitter had to nurse her. She was 21 when she died.
Luckily we didn't get a puppy too or a pony DD begged us to. She has a dog of her own now who comes to us when DD is on holiday.

Do you know that the RSPB reports that cats kill 55 million birds a year. I hate cats, their calling cards and remains of killed birds, by them, left in my garden. Keep them in overnight!

My daughter has found a cat re-homing person who is prepared for you to keep the cats in your own home until a new owner is found. That way you dont have to go and leave them in a shelter. She semi-adopted a stray, but cant keep it now they are moving, nor can she bear to take it to be put in a cage even temporarily as its always had its freedom. Re-homing takes longer and you have to be prepared for people to visit the cat, but the plus is you meet the new owners and have a great chance of getting through the re-homing process without angst.

This is very unfair -and expensive - on you when you had no choice in the matter. Contact Cats Protection or your own local cat rehoming charity. Explain the situation and they can add the cat's to their rehoming list. It may take some time to find new homes, but at least you will see a light at the end of the tunnel. I'd be just as frustrated as you are, you have been taken advantage of in a very selfish way. Tell your daughter you've had enough, you need her help to rehome them and stick to your guns. You've done more than enough. I'm a cat lover and have one adored cat, but at least she was my choice.

Don’t feel guilty about not loving the cats. They won’t give a damn as long as they’re fed and got somewhere warm to sleep. Both my last moggies (foisted in my be DS!) lived until they were 20! Sorry ? I like cats but would never get another one for the reasons you mentioned (litter trays ?, jumping on work tops, sleeping on clean ironing etc) plus they are such a tie. I totally agreed with Urmstongran. Give DD a deadline then rehome ❤️

Darned predictive text! That should say ‘foisted on me by DS’?‍♀️

They are some of the reasons why I don't have pets. It's rather like having a permanent child. No hairs, no poo pick-ups, no walkies in all weathers, no muddy paws, no vet's bills, no expensive food or litter, no cattery/ dog pound bills or paying someone to feed and walk them.
My unalloyed joy was with my children but I do understand that, for some, pets are a comfort to talk to etc.
What I don't really understand is why people don't like to always be open with family or even with friends, with regard to helping out with GC, lifts, pets, finances or anything else.
GN is a great sounding board when you feel at the end of your tether but don't let family frictions go unaddressed.
I've always believed in honesty being the best policy, otherwise people think all is ok when it's really not.
It doesn't need to be confrontational. Just a reasonable chat over coffee when there is nothing and nobody to interrupt.
I hope the cat situation becomes more bearable but, as they age, be prepared. Good luck.

Fortunately cats don't really care whether you like them or not as long as you treat them kindly. But why the heck should you have them if you don't want to? Cats are not hard to rehome as a rule. Start looking into the possibilities of it.

Apparently the recipe for Frontline was changed a year or two ago to counter the fleas getting adapted.

MissingLincs
You are right: Frontline is no longer recommended by Vets. We used it decades ago on our cats but Vet put our cat, Susie, on Advantage. Susie passed away 3 years ago. Our new cats are on Stringhold as recommended by their Vet. It works. We treat them every 4 weeks

Sorry to disagree, Nannymarg but cats and all pets do know if they're not loved. I have watched my cats grieve when a sibling dies, go into a depression, stop eating through pining, get upset if I go away ..... exhibit all the emotions a human would show in those situations.

I took in a little rescue cat who had been fed and kept warm and safe in a cat sanctuary, so according to your reckoning she should have been fine .... but she wasn't because she had not been shown any affection, and she was a sad quiet little thing. After a week of lots of TLC, cuddles and strokes and playtimes, she was my little shadow, returning my love 10-fold. Love makes the difference.

And cats can be trained from kittens not to jump on the worktops and tables, and other places you don't want them to go (I have trained all of mine over the years with a rattle-tin). No need for them to be a nuisance.

Good luck MissingLincs with rehoming them and then both you and they will be happier.

STRONGHOLD !!!

Readymeals Cats do care ... please see my previous post.

Completely understandable that you are fed up of looking after these four cats.

I hope that posting on here may help you feel better - even though pp are jumping in to try and solve the situation for you - and you've clearly said there is nothing you want to do about it.

Sometimes we just need to vent. Vent away OP.

Well Sparklefizz, when you go away or the group changes they experience a change in circumstances and it's true cats don't like changes. But it is my belief that cats (unlike dogs) don't actually know how you feel, they are only aware of your behaviour.

have you told your daughter , that I think is the first step.
She may want to take them but if not you can rehome them without guilt.

Op is just stressed and has had enough I dont think she actually means the words in the true sense of things ,otherwise she would not have had them with her for so long.
I do think its time for her to rehome them . It was thoughtless of her daughter to leave her with them .OP should have addressed this issue years back before the resentment kicked in.

You have been so kind and responsible in caring for the cats for so long and have nothing at all to regret if you hand them to a centre for rehoming. As another poster has said, this is sad for you and the cats, who must get the idea they are not loved. We have taken on a cat who was not wanted and handed in to a local charity; he has blossomed and is now shiny and happy - I think he knows that we love him and he responds to strokes, fuss and conversation. You all deserve a break - the cats could go to a loving home, and you can have a much needed hair free home and perhaps even a holiday. Your daughter was irresponsible in doing this to you all those years ago, and as she seems to have washed her hands of the cats for so many years she really is not entitled to any opinion about their future.

P.S. 'Frontline' no longer works -the little devils have become immune to it. Our vet told us this.

All cats deserve a loving home and YOU deserve to have a cat hair-free home, if that's what you want! Why on earth do you feel you have to "grin and bear it"? Is that how you deal with all your problems - feel that you can't do anything about them (or constantly put the needs of others, even cats, above your own?) In that case, why not try to do things differently, and do what's best for everyone - rehome the cats. They will have a loving home and you will have the cat-free one you deserve. (Try Cats Protection - in my experience, they are wonderful when it comes to cats). Life is FAR too short to "grin and bear it". (PS if you feel guilty, tell everyone you've developed a cat allergy!)

As a cat lover with only 4 at the moment ( used to be 6 & fostering kittens for Cat Protection) I would advise you to find them another home ASAP.
No cat should live where it is not wanted & loved.
If you don't like cats then you should not have to put up with them- someone else will love them.
Maybe your vet can advise- they may know someone who has recently lost a cat & needs another- do try & keep them together.