Need motivation

My family and I had a house fire a few weeks ago. All living things are fine. All our stuff isn’t. We’ve been in hotels in air bnbs and now we’re in a rental for perhaps 6-9 months. We have a 5 yr old and a baby due in Feb next year. An elderly dog and two young cats.

I am not coping well today. I am considering rehoming the cats. I can’t hear my husband bitch and moan about the animals anymore. He likes them which is the frustrating thing. He pets them and enjoys them but bitches about them being underfoot and in everything. It wasn’t so bad in our own home because his office had a door. In the rental his office doesn’t have a door. So they can be in his space during the day while he’s working. Which I can see being an issue.

Also one of the cats pooped on the carpet in what will be the babies room / spare room. They’ve never done that before. I can’t cope with another cat who has litter issues.

Here’s where I’m a horrible person. They were IN the house during the fire. They are fine and have been vet checked. So I get this is all new to them. They’ve also been through a traumatic event but one of them started the fire. I kinda look at them as dangerous now. They turned the hob on while we were away. The rental has a hob cover bc I bought it but I’m now still nervous about everything they do. I don’t feel safe with having them. They didn’t mean to do it, it’s not their direct fault they are far from evil masterminds but we’ve got a baby coming and I remember how hard it was last time with our son being tiny. I don’t want to forget something and they do it again. Unlikely but it’s a fear now.

I also hate the cat boxes and the way their food smells. I love them but they are demanding and I don’t always have the bandwidth to be everything to everyone and they like me best. I am at my wits end. Do I re-home them do I keep them and see if we settle into life like before. They’re purebred and young so they won’t be in a shelter long and we don’t have kill shelters like America does as I’m in the UK. I just feel like a failure if I rehome them.

Anyway I am depressed today. We’ve lost all our stuff, we’re sleeping on airbeds until furniture comes. We’re low on funds until the insurance pays out again hopefully next week. The house feels empty and soulless because it’s empty more or less. Today is a bad day. Usually I can get over it but this morning I am heavy.

Anyone have experience with fires and animals and what to do. How to perk up. How to do it all and not implode. Oh and I go back to work on Monday.. yay.

Posted Sep 13, 2026, 6:16 AM UTC

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