As I type this, one of my two kitties (Fuzzbert) is sleeping curled up on the fuzzy pad I bought specifically to put on the very large desk which I got specifically, in part, so that he would have enough space to lay on it.

So I’m extremely sympathetic to being a little cat-obsessive.

But stories like this haunt my nightmares. The mere thought I could ever get to this point is terrifying.

AITA for refusing to eat food after a cat licked it and for being grossed out by my MIL’s hygiene?

My mother-in-law lives in a flat with six cats and a dog.

We went over there recently for lunch, and as usual, the cats were everywhere – including on the dining table, where the plates, cutlery, and starters were already laid out.

At one point, I saw one of the cats lick one of the starters.

I immediately took the cat off the table, picked up the plate with the food it had licked, and brought it into the kitchen, assuming it would be binned.

But in a rare move, the kitchen sent back a dish.

A few minutes later, my MIL came out holding the same plate and said, “I’ve already taken off the bit that was licked – it’s fine to eat now.”

I said, “Sorry, but I’m not going to eat something an animal’s licked.”

She seemed a bit put out, took the plate back into the kitchen, and chucked it.

It’s all part of a pattern.

This isn’t the first time I’ve felt uncomfortable there.

The whole flat smells strongly of animals – you can even smell it out on the landing.

There’s a litter tray in the kitchen, where the cats do their business, and then they jump up onto the kitchen counters and the dining table.

I find it incredibly unhygienic, but I usually bite my tongue out of respect.

How would she even KNOW, anyway?

In this case, though, she hadn’t seen the cat lick the food – I had.

So she had no idea which bit was affected and, honestly, it felt like she just pretended to sort it out so we’d still eat it.

I didn’t raise my voice or make a scene – I just calmly said I wasn’t going to eat it. But she clearly took it badly.

AITA for refusing to eat it and for being disgusted by what I think is a serious lack of hygiene in her home?

Let’s scoop through the comments:

People were pretty grossed out.

Clearly no effort at training has been instituted.

Even if she’s fine with it, she shouldn’t think anyone else should be.

Man I feel so grateful for my well-behaved, dumb little kitties now.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.