Cats Are Not Disposable

[MissStepcut]

I agree. As much as my two cats hate each other, I just couldn't give the new one away. It just isn't right. I owe it to her.

I don't know the background at all, so please don't take this as an accusation, but if the home life for two pets is such that they can't get along, sometimes wouldn't it be in the best interests of both pets to separate them and give one away?

I think pet owners absolutely have an obligation to make sure any animal they have taken in remain in a happy, healthy home. I just don't think the ONLY way to achieve that is to keep it yourself. If you personally can't imagine leaving your pet with a new family, I understand that, you have a strong emotional attachment to it. But I don't get how that has to extend to other people, IF they are being responsible in re-homing.

 

[Lottie]

I agree that to treat animals as disposable is cruel and thoughtless, but not everyone feels that they have a choice. Before we had our daughter we had two cats that we had from tiny kittens and were treated like royalty. When I fell pregnant with our daughter I had no concerns about having a baby and pets at all. When she was born they were very confused and unhappy - understandably as they had been relegated a few rungs down the ladder in place of the baby. They initially began to urinate on her things - bouncers, her playmat, blankets so I consulted my vet who advised that they were trying to assert authority over the baby and to use a Feliway plug to relax then and give them plenty of extra attention.

We did this but it got worse, car seats, toys etc had to be replaced and they used to go into her room and urinate in the corners. Enough is enough, we were lucky to find them a happy home with grown up children so that they could get the attention they obviously needed. I realise that we were the making of the problem in that our priorities changed when we had a baby and they couldn't possibly be expected to understand this, but there is a line and however much we love them, animals are animals and I feel that my priorities were in the right place at the time.

We do have a cat now but the running order in the house is the right way this time - he came into a house with children already in place and we purposefully chose a breed that was known for being good with children. Claude is very loved and very happy - and we learned a very valuable lesson.

 

[Laila619]

I agree. As much as my two cats hate each other, I just couldn't give the new one away. It just isn't right. I owe it to her.

I don't know the background at all, so please don't take this as an accusation, but if the home life for two pets is such that they can't get along, sometimes wouldn't it be in the best interests of both pets to separate them and give one away?

I think pet owners absolutely have an obligation to make sure any animal they have taken in remain in a happy, healthy home. I just don't think the ONLY way to achieve that is to keep it yourself. If you personally can't imagine leaving your pet with a new family, I understand that, you have a strong emotional attachment to it. But I don't get how that has to extend to other people, IF they are being responsible in re-homing.

Miss Stepcut, good points. Honestly I've thought long and hard about all this. I even posted a thread about it on PS. I could probably justify giving the second cat away. The problem is that I know of no one good and responsible who could take her. If I did, it might be a different story. But I just can't in good conscience drop her off at a shelter. I would be condemning her to possibly a much worse life, and maybe even death. Right now, she is at least fed, warm, safe, and she loves my hub and me. Maybe I'm wrong though, and I should keep looking into finding someone nice to take her? It's just so tough, since I vowed to care for her for life.

 

[Amys Bling]

agreed.

I also can't take the " we can no longer keep the dog we had for 6 years because now we have a baby!"

seriously?!?!?!

 

[Lottie]

agreed.

I also can't take the " we can no longer keep the dog we had for 6 years because now we have a baby!"

seriously?!?!?!

Again I think this depends on the situation - no one would rather hear "well, we really like the dog so although he growls at our baby and we are frightened to let him near it we are keeping it". Most people are not deliberately cruel or neglectful and I am really sick of reading about toddlers being mauled because our affection for animals has blinded us to the safety of our children.

 

[MissStepcut]

For what it's worth, I think I might have a slightly different perspective since I spent most of my life on a farm or in a farming community. It's just a fact of life that you love and care for some animals... until you eat them.

I recently decided to give vegetarianism a try (again) because I just abhor the way industrial farms handle animals. But on the spectrum of animal treatment, responsible re-homing seems like a pretty mild sin, even if it is for fairly selfish reasons.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

I hope that those who dump or neglect pets get dumped and neglected in the same way by someone they love. Let's see how they like it .

 

[LGK]

For what it's worth, I think I might have a slightly different perspective since I spent most of my life on a farm or in a farming community. It's just a fact of life that you love and care for some animals... until you eat them.

I recently decided to give vegetarianism a try (again) because I just abhor the way industrial farms handle animals. But on the spectrum of animal treatment, responsible re-homing seems like a pretty mild sin, even if it is for fairly selfish reasons.

I think the key bit there is the "responsible rehoming". That's such a world away from dumping off some poor pet that cannot fend for itself in some parking lot.

 

[yssie]

Shelter story 1:

Many years ago a family adopted two fluffy orange sibling kittens. A few weeks ago two fluffy orange sibling cats in rather poor condition were found at a local kill shelter, and brought to the shelter for recuperation and re-adoption. They'd been microchipped, and were confirmed to be the same cats. My shelter has return any time for any reason throughout the lifetime of the cat policy for just this reason - they don't want animals to wind up in worse situations thanks to careless/heartless ownership. One cat had a severe eye + lid infection, and the eye had to be removed - with treatment it wouldn't have been a problem, they believe it progressed to that point because the previous owners had decided it wasn't worth dealing with, as they were just going to get rid of them anyway. They are two of the sweetest fluffballs I've ever met, and I hope they get adopted soon!

Shelter story 2:

A woman called in begging that the shelter take her cats: she was moving, and couldn't take them on the plane with her (which is total BS, I just flew across the country with three cats and they're just fine!). The shelter said they're full, and she replied that she didn't have time to organize anything else, so she'd just leave them in the airport parking lot. I pray she was just mouthing off in anger - or, if not, that she gets run over by a truck.

Shelter story 3:

A couple adopted a young cat. They brought her back several months later. When she went out she was sweet, cuddly, and overtly affectionate, when they brought her back she might as well have been feral. They said they had "no idea what had caused the change, she ran away one day and came back and was totally different".

Turns out they'd put the harness on wrong, and she'd managed to chew most of it off, but an inch or so of it was embedded in her skin behind her front leg, and was at this point horribly infected. It apparently took about five seconds to diagnose - the limp was kind of a dead giveaway that something was wrong.

 

[ForteKitty]

WTF is wrong with these people!!!!!

 

[Kaleigh]

NO they aren't... I have just gone through this... If I get emtional excuse me, as I am a HUGE animal lover....


Cutest kitty shows up at my door, had me at Meow... I fed her.. I wished so badly I could bring her inside but kids are allergic so is hubby... BUT kids weren't home, neither was hubby so yes I brought her inside and had her in the family room during the hurricane. Oh she was such fun, and was living life.. She came to me one month tot the day after Casper died. Casper was 17 and died July 12th. The cat showed up on August 12th...

I was going away, so boarded the cat, had her micro chipped, shots etc...

I got sick so didn't go, and found out the cat belongs to my neighbor...We were talking about something else, and I said ya know anything about this cat??

I had found out from the vet that the cat was de-clawed...

She said OMG, I was wondering where she was figured she had died....Oh that's so great you have her.. I said you can pick her up at the Vets. She said, yeah but my husband is allergic..

I said you have had her for years. YOU de-Clawed her.

I picked her up at the vets, and dropped her off with the Nanny ...Along with the toys I had bought, all the food and the pet Carrier.

Have I gotten a thank you?? Nope. And will not be holding my breath.

And she's very much in the public eye.....

I know I did the right thing in feeding her, and boarding her, since I was to go away. Not knowing it was my neighbors cat..

BUT her attitude,total fail...

 

[Arkteia]

My second job in this country was doing clinical trials and one of them included vaccine for cat allergy. I saw many people coming in preferring to take shots (and participate in trials, which is more risky), just in order to keep their pets they developed in allergy to. The vaccine did not always work, and some of these people had to give their animals away, but each time it was a tragedy. The study design included only males, so I could see how men treasured their pets.

This being said, I can understand that things like allergy could be a rationale to give your animal away, but to a good home and people who you know.

"You become responsible forever, for what you have tamed". (Antoine de Saint-Exupery, "Le petit prince"). I do not think one can say any better.

 

[Gypsy]

And people ask me how I ended up with 5 cats. Heck I'd have a hundred if I could take care of them.

I read everyone's stories as long as I could... but I stopped when I started to get homicidal urges.

Some people genuinely don't get it. My step-father (whom I respect because he has never attempted to have a pet since he knows he isn't a pet person) doesn't get the pet thing.

We were moving from NJ to CA and agonizing over how to transport the cats my stepfather says to me: "We have shelters in CA. Don't they have shelters in New Jersey? Why can't you just check them into a shelter there and then when you get to CA check out three more?"

Like they're library books.

 

[Laila619]

We were moving from NJ to CA and agonizing over how to transport the cats my stepfather says to me: "We have shelters in CA. Don't they have shelters in New Jersey? Why can't you just check them into a shelter there and then when you get to CA check out three more?"

Like they're library books.

That's really it in a nutshell.

Some (I would hope most) people view pets as beloved family members.

Others seem to view them as things you collect or have in the house for fun...but expendable. Sad.

 

[Supers]

Some of these stories just make me sad and mad. Really - what's wrong with some people?

As far as I'm concerned pets are part of the family. I was devastated to lose one of my girl cats earlier this year to cancer and I mourned as I would a family member. My boy cat is also one with bathroom issues, but I deal with it instead of saying I'm going to rehome him.

 

[Verdy]

No pets are disposable, whether they be cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, or anything else. If you're going to adopt a pet, you have to be ready to care for it as if it were your child, just like you wouldn't put your child out in the street because you couldn't feed or cloth them, the same thing goes for pets. They're a part of your family that you have to care for everyday, just as if they were your own children. If the owner is sick and cannot feed and properly care for the pet, that's different. There is a physical barrier between you and the proper care of your pet, but just putting one out on the street because you've grown tired of having them in your home is ridiculous. I remember driving by on I-495 with my parents one day, and we saw something moving in a paper bag on the side of the road, we stopped, pulled over, and found a kitten with it's front and back paws severed. I was sick on the spot. There is no excuse for anyone to harm or put out a pet, we're animals too, and just like we wouldn't like it done to us, they don't appreciate it either.

 

[ForteKitty]

No pets are disposable, whether they be cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, or anything else. If you're going to adopt a pet, you have to be ready to care for it as if it were your child, just like you wouldn't put your child out in the street because you couldn't feed or cloth them, the same thing goes for pets. They're a part of your family that you have to care for everyday, just as if they were your own children. If the owner is sick and cannot feed and properly care for the pet, that's different. There is a physical barrier between you and the proper care of your pet, but just putting one out on the street because you've grown tired of having them in your home is ridiculous. I remember driving by on I-495 with my parents one day, and we saw something moving in a paper bag on the side of the road, we stopped, pulled over, and found a kitten with it's front and back paws severed. I was sick on the spot. There is no excuse for anyone to harm or put out a pet, we're animals too, and just like we wouldn't like it done to us, they don't appreciate it either.

now i'm having homocidal thoughts... there are times when i envy Dexter.

 

[asscherisme]

I am so sick of hearing about people "getting rid" of their cats because their new apartment doesn't take them/their new roommate is allergic/whatever. Don't take that apartment or live with that roommate, then! HOW HARD IS THAT? When you adopt a cat, you're responsible for that cat for its entire life. Cats aren't some cute accessory that's fun until you want a new apartment.

I overheard a conversation about this yesterday, and it took all my willpower not to say something. And apparently I'm still mad!

I totally agree. My 2 cats are family and they are just as attached to me as I am to them. My kids definately think of them as family as well.

 

[monarch64]

For what it's worth, I think I might have a slightly different perspective since I spent most of my life on a farm or in a farming community. It's just a fact of life that you love and care for some animals... until you eat them.

I recently decided to give vegetarianism a try (again) because I just abhor the way industrial farms handle animals. But on the spectrum of animal treatment, responsible re-homing seems like a pretty mild sin, even if it is for fairly selfish reasons.

I grew up on a farm as well. Seeing livestock in every shape but butchered (including birth, stages of growth, feeding, grazing, mating, etc. and also being trucked off one day to their death so humans can eat them) will give you a very different perspective from most of your peers. There is a certain love that develops between farmers/handlers and their stock/animals. A very strange dynamic, as well, if that stock is sold off for...? Usually food.

Vegetarianism (and I'm not trying to turn this thread into that) is a tough thing, and like any conviction, you'll have your critics. I chose to stop eating meat, period, 6 years ago this month due to a hereditary cancer i.e. preventative measure. I didn't like eating meat prior, I just did so because it was what I thought I should be eating.

Life, to me, is all about critical thinking, as well as acceptance of each other's choices. I may have shut out certain things in my life regarding personal habits/choices, but that does not mean that I am not open to listening and hearing things others have to say/feel.

So, my sad pet story is: I adopted a kitty while I was in college, for companionship. Always knew that even if I couldn't keep her, she had a place with my parents, who also love kittehs! I kept her for 6 years. When I was previously married, my ex and I adopted a puppy, and moved into a house. My cat who was 6 at the time absolutely hated the puppy and hated the house even more, she peed constantly outside of her litterbox, all over the carpeting in our new home. I took her to the vet, who callously remarked, "cats are like cars, sometimes you have to test drive a few to get the right one." I never returned to that vet. I had her tested for everything from bladder infections/UTI's to cancer. Negative. She just wasn't adapting to her new situation, unfortunately. I happened to work with a young lady who had just lost her TWENTY THREE YEAR OLD cat to old age. She was in a stable situation herself, wanted another kitty, and we agreed that her home could offer a better place for my cat (with the understanding that if things didn't work out I would take my beloved kitty back). Everything worked out. Happy ending for all involved. But I still miss my Tinkerbell (they renamed her "Baby") to this day, even though she bit my feet every morning at 4.)

Pet adoption involves a ton of responsibility. I could preach on and on about this subject, but I feel like the majority of PSr's are aware and helpful to the cause already. Let's all be advocates for those who cannot speak.

 

[movie zombie]

chemgirl, i so love the picture of your "belly up" girl kitty.

complete agreement that cats are not disposable....nor are dogs, birds, etc. having a pet is bringing someone into the family. i shudder to think how these people would treat a human.

 

[ForteKitty]

chemgirl, i so love the picture of your "belly up" girl kitty.

complete agreement that cats are not disposable....nor are dogs, birds, etc. having a pet is bringing someone into the family. i shudder to think how these people would treat a human.

I know how these people would treat a human. My ex-friend's soon-to-be ex-husband was broke at one point and in school, so he wanted to put his cat down. Why? because he couldn't afford to feed her anymore so she might as well be put down. Didn't even consider taking her to a shelter. I ended up taking the cat.

He recently told her that the most they can spend on her parents, should they ever get so sick they need the money-- after they burned thru all their savings and the house, etc... was $500 a month. Because that's all he is willing to budget into their expenses. Even tho HER parents were the one who housed and fed him while he was in law school, when he claimed he was too broke to have his own apartment, and his own mother wouldn't have anything to do with him. And HER parents were the ones who co-signed a chunk of his loans.

They make VERY good money, and yet that's his attitude towards her parents. They're only worth $500 to him. Sounds about right, coming from a guy who wanted to put his cat down because he claims he couldn't afford it. (he could definitely afford it.. he was working, not paying her parents any rent, and managed to save $14k for her engagement ring, so dont tell me he couldn't afford a $7 bag of cat food)

 

[monarch64]

ForteKitty: I hate your ex-friends!!!!

 

[ForteKitty]

HE was never my friend. Let's make that perfectly clear... NEVER. Unfortunately he came w/ her, and she came w/ history so she stayed around longer. But NO LONGER!

 

[centralsquare]

I am so sick of hearing about people "getting rid" of their cats because their new apartment doesn't take them/their new roommate is allergic/whatever. Don't take that apartment or live with that roommate, then! HOW HARD IS THAT? When you adopt a cat, you're responsible for that cat for its entire life. Cats aren't some cute accessory that's fun until you want a new apartment.

I overheard a conversation about this yesterday, and it took all my willpower not to say something. And apparently I'm still mad!

It is surprising. I see people get pets on a whim. Ithink people need to think about the reality of the obligations from the begining.

 

[blacksand]

I'm gonna admit something.

Back in 2007, I bought a bunny. I didn't tell my parents....they found out when I brought the bunny home.

I don't think at the time that I realized how much work animals are, no matter what kind. I did take care of my bunny. Did I take the best care of him? No and I blame my stupidity in 07 for that. When he passed away after having lived too short of a life, I blame nobody but myself and I will never, EVER forgive myself for it. In 2007, I never thought I'd be going back to school or that my life would change as drastically as it did in 4 years. I went from living at home with my parents full time in 2007 to living in North Jersey with my now FI in one year. I never could have predicted that I'd meet and move in with someone, let alone get engaged by 23. Things happen. Life is unpredictable. I've learned a serious lesson through all of this. I do have a dog who is very well taken care of because my parents have been able to help me. I don't want to make it seem like I didn't take care of my bunny because he was taken care of....he was fed, played with, etc. but I do think that if I had been more smart with my choices in 07. FI tried to adopt another dog recently and I very quickly made him throw that idea out the window. I absolutely, 100% will never get another animal again until *I* am 100% stable, living in one place (I travel between three) and work a full-time job that can support any vet visits whenever they are needed without worrying where the money will come from. Having had to see my bunny pass away is something I really still can't talk about without getting very emotional...

Autumn, I don't think anyone ever realizes how much work bunnies are. I have two rescued buns, and they drive me insane. They are destructive, needy, obnoxious, shed boatloads all the time, get into everything no matter how carefully you bunny-proof, and then they look at you with their twitchy little bunny noses and you sigh and forgive them...again.

More importantly, while I can't stand people who treat their pets as disposable, there is also no reason to beat yourself up about what happened to your poor bunny. You obviously loved him, and you learned a lot from the experience. That's what matters most. My first guinea pig was a pet store purchase. My guinea pig care guidebook, also purchased from the pet store, said it was fine to keep him in an aquarium, that hay only needed to be fed as a treat, that a muesli-style pellet was best, and that he should have a salt lick and treat sticks with lots of seeds to keep his teeth down. ALL of those things were dead wrong. But that's what I did. He got sick after about a year and a half. We did take him to the vet, but the vet (who obviously wasn't super knowledgable about small animals) prescibed an antibiotic I now know to be very bad for guinea pigs, and he died. Knowing everything that I know now, I feel horrible. That poor guy had a terrible life, and it ended way too soon. It was all my fault, because I didn't do the research I should have before I got a guinea pig. I didn't learn my lesson until after he died. It is tragic, but what is important is that I did learn my lesson, as did you. All my pets are rescues now, I know about proper housing, a healthy diet, where to find good vet care, and how to catch illnesses before they become a problem. I donate space in my home (not to mention time and money!) to help foster animals for the rescue. It doesn't make up for what I did with my first guinea pig, but at least it shows how far I've come. You clearly take good care of your dog and are being very responsible in your decisions about taking in any new animals, which shows that you've come a long way, too. Try not to focus on your bunny, but instead focus on the good pet owner you have become as a result of lessons learned.

 

[y2kitty]

My sister was at Petsmart on December 26 one year. She sees a guy holding a Great Dane puppy and because we have one, goes up to him to pet the puppy and talk. She says "We have a mixed one, she's smaller, only weighs 120" and the guys seriously says "Great Danes can weight 120 pounds?! They didn't tell me that at the pet store I bought her from"......oy vey.....

 

[bee*]

I don't know how anyone gets rid of their cats (or dogs). When I took Amber and Manolo on, I agreed to be there and mind them always and that is what I will do. DH and I would love to go travelling but we will put it off as there is no way we will leave them for longer than 3 weeks (and they stay with my parents when we go away). I couldn't imagine getting rid of them.

 

[Asu]

Pets aren't disposable,but I think find a new loving home sometimes is the only human and responsible way to go at it.As for me,I'm at the end of my rope with one of our cats,and I'm looking to rehome him in a loving house,where he can be the only pet and have all attentions on him,since apparently is what he need.He can't get over the fact he has to share my husband's (since he hates me and actively try to hurt me) attentions with two other kitties and pee everywhere.I tried for two whole years and nothing worked.I'm going to give litter reeducation a try,but if it doesn't work,he is going to someone else's home.Not anyone else's,but someone who will be able to give him plenty of attention and will have only him as a pet.

 

[Glitz]

I can't believe all these nightmare kitty stories I like to consider my cat a rescue, she's a russian blue and a tiny little thing. The lady I got her from told me she was originally going to use her for breeding but that she was to small to be a breeding/mother cat and it wouldn't be healthy. When I called to arrange a pick-up date I asked if she would be able to have her fixed for me when I got there, but the woman refused, she told me incase I didn't come get the cat she didn't want to lose the option of using her for breeding! Really?!? She just told me that the cat isn't good for breeding, but the woman clearly wouldn't have cared. So I went a rescued my little fur baby from that woman before she was used as a kitten making machine!

This was my friends FB status the other day, I find it perfectly fitting to this thread:
"FREE TO A GOOD HOME: 2 year old child. Genuine reason, i've just got a new puppy so no longer have the time for the child. Also worried the child may bite the puppy. Child currently kept in a crate. Needs home by tomorrow or it'll be put to sleep. Thanks. YOU WOULDN'T DO THIS TO A CHILD SO WHY DO U SEE IT AS ACCEPTABLE TO DO IT TO A DOG? If you can't dedicate 10yrs to a dog, don't get one!! copy and paste if you agree."

 

[Pandora II]

I agree. As much as my two cats hate each other, I just couldn't give the new one away. It just isn't right. I owe it to her.

I don't know the background at all, so please don't take this as an accusation, but if the home life for two pets is such that they can't get along, sometimes wouldn't it be in the best interests of both pets to separate them and give one away?

I think pet owners absolutely have an obligation to make sure any animal they have taken in remain in a happy, healthy home. I just don't think the ONLY way to achieve that is to keep it yourself. If you personally can't imagine leaving your pet with a new family, I understand that, you have a strong emotional attachment to it. But I don't get how that has to extend to other people, IF they are being responsible in re-homing.

Totally agree with this.

There are times when it really does become the case that you cannot keep an animal and then it is the right thing to do to find a new, loving and responsible home for it.

My parents first siamese cat was a year-old when we got her. The girl who owned her had met and got engaged to a man who was terribly allergic to cats so there was no way she could keep him.

My husband is very allergic to cats and has been going through a 3 year programme of weekly shots at the hospital for the last 2 years. It has only made a very slight difference. We cannot stay in my parents house overnight and even going there for lunch means that DH has to dose up on antihistamines and suffer severe allergic reactions. He's even worse with dogs. Had I had a cat or dog when I met him then I would have had to have them rehomed.

With children, I think many people who have never had a child have no idea how hard the first years can be especially if you don't have family nearby or any other kind of help. When Daisy was born I had two pythons and two pygmy hedgehogs. Hedgehogs are the smelliest, messiest animals I have ever owned and require a lot of work on a daily basis to keep them clean. I struggled to manage to juggle the baby, the house, my health which was in a very bad way for the first weeks after the birth and the animals. After a month my husband begged me to rehome the hedgehogs and I refused. After 3 months when I started getting PPD, the mental health team told me that I needed to rehome the hedgehogs and I found them a wonderful home with 5 others where I am sure they are in hedgehog luxury.

Had we had a cat then it would have been easier as they are a lot less work and my parents would have stepped in to help (they took the hedgehogs once for a week and said never again), but had our child had severe allergies to a cat then we would have had to find the cat a new home. Whatever you may feel about your pets before you have a child, they do take second place once the child is there no matter how much you think they won't - and I really believed I would never put a child above a pet and yet I now do.

If you have a dog who doesn't take to a new baby or becomes aggressive or overly frightened then I think it is good pet ownership to seek to rehome if possible before anything tragic occurs.