What to do about my cat?

[erica k]

I think you should first get your cat's health checked out. Then, you should talk to no-kill animal shelters. Honestly, I would never consider having an animal put down unless their quality of life was suffering immensely. I would not be able to leave the animal at a shelter where death would also be imminent. I think there are enough no-kill shelters out there that you might be able to find a better solution to this situation.

I see so many 'problem' cats on petfinder, and I really do believe that there is someone who would be willing to give your cat a good home for the few years left to her.

ETA. I went to a cat sanctuary in Laguna Beach, hoping to adopt, and they told me that they aren't available for adoption. It sounded like a nursing home for kitties. I wonder if there are other places like that for difficult cats.

 

[erica k]

aha, i found it! it''s called the Blue Bell Foundation, and it costs about $6500 to place your cat there. apparently you ''can'' adopt cats; i wonder why they told me i couldn''t. hmm, maybe i don''t look trustworthy!

(i have two cats that i adopted elsewhere)

here''s a

link that discusses cat retirement communities.

i think you have three (maybe more than three) options.
1. have your cat euthanized
2. send your cat to a typical shelter where she will likely be euthanized
3. send your cat to a retirement community

option 3 sounds expensive, but might be your best bet.

 

[princesss]

I agree with whoever said that you have to put your family first, but, hun, family doesn''t just include humans. When you adopted her, you made the commitment to keep her healthy and happy for the rest of her life. Now, it doesn''t sound like she''s all that healthy, so I''d recommend taking her to the vet anyways. But if that vet says that it can be fixed, well, then, you decided years ago that it was your responsibility. DO NOT put this cat down unless the vet says she''s miserable/in terrible health/really can''t be helped.

Remember, this is an animal that relies on you for everything. EVERYTHING. And you agreed to provide everything for her. Not until it became inconvenient, but for the rest of her life.

I''m sorry if this seems like an attack, but it seems as if you''ve forgotten your responsibility to a helpless creature you promised to protect.

 

[Cleopatra]

Have you tried purchasing hepa filtered air purifiers and placing them in several rooms in the home - you can purchase very large purifiers that can span 500 square feet of your house.

These air purifiers rid the air of pet dander, cat hair and all sorts of allergy causing stuff....It works for me!

Try buying one or two and placing them in the living area and bedroom - run them ALL DAY every day and see if his flare ups get better. Purifiers combined with allergy medication could do the trick.

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 6/11/2008 5:10:36 PM
Author:violet02
So she''s always been a difficult cat. She loves me but hates just about everyone else. She''s very mean. She''s sweet for about a minute then attacks you. She lures you into thinking it''s okay to pet her. The older she gets the worse it gets.

I''ve lived with a ''very mean'' cat. As in one that only likes a few people, is attackish, and is a screaming, spitting dangerous wildebeast at the vet. They don''t lure you into thinking it''s okay to pet them - you''re placing emotions onto the cat that aren''t there. She''s is quite probably giving signals that she''s had ENOUGH petting and they are being ignored. So she has to resort to other means to tell you to stop. Some cats don''t like a lot of petting. There are clear signs of agitation before striking. I have had to learn this the hard way but they were clearly there.

I can''t even comment on anything else. I have tried multiple times but can never bring myself to submit the post. I recognize you may love this cat but the whole thing is nuts to me, especially given this cat''s age. If you''re getting a house in the somewhat near future, a cat room doesn''t seem out of the question. That''s all I can really say.

 

[Babyblue033]

Date: 6/13/2008 4:18:37 PM
Author: princesss
I agree with whoever said that you have to put your family first, but, hun, family doesn''t just include humans.

I agree with this as well. For me, my cats were my family BEFORE my BF, well before my children (when we decide to have them), and not something I got because I had nothing better going for me at the time

Not saying that''s the case for OP at all, just my response to all too often expressed "family comes first" statement because it all depends on how one defines "family" and where you put your priorities (which is a personal decision of course).

Allergies don''t always get worse like someone stated, sometimes it can actually get better after prolonged exposure as your body builds immunity to it (must be carefully monitored). That was my case, it went to worse before it got better, but it did get better to a point where I can now manage it for the most part. I did everything I listed in my previous post, even MOVED because we thought carpet was a huge contributing factor, and "evicted" my cats from my bedroom (only Roxy still sleeps with me, but she ain''t no cat and I have no will power when it comes to her

).

 

[dutchflowers]

Date: 6/12/2008 12:41:38 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 6/12/2008 12:31:25 PM

Author: movie zombie

Date: 6/12/2008 9:35:05 AM

Author: Cleopatra

Date: 6/12/2008 9:29:32 AM

Author: thing2of2

I am certainly not against putting a dying animal out of his or her misery, and I understand that your fiance has allergies. But your cat''s comfort doesn''t seem to be your motivation. It sounds like you''re pretty much keeping your fingers crossed that she''s sick enough that you can put her to sleep and not feel too guilty about it. That''s just so unbelievably awful to me that I can''t even really fathom it. In fact, I reread your posts just to make sure that''s really what you''re saying, and yep-that''s what you are saying.



When you adopt an animal, they are your responsibility. Of course your circumstances will change, but that is not your cat''s fault. She doesn''t deserve to die because your fiance doesn''t want to deal with allergies. Euthanizing her when she doesn''t have a terminal condition is simply amoral.



It sounds like you already have your mind made up to do so, in which case, I can only hope that you will never adopt another animal again.

I agree with every word of this. The animal is your responsibility and I don''t believe that any creature should be put down for the convenience of an owner.


There have GOT to be options for you - FI taking allergy shots/medication or making a room in the house the ''cat room'' - there''s GOT to be another alternative...

+1.


movie zombie

+2.

+4 (Dutchflowers and her kitty)

 

[VRBeauty]

I absolutely agree that pets are a part of the family, and that they are your responsibility once you adopt them. I once deferred what would have resulted in a major life change because of my cats. I would have had to find new homes for two cats that I thought were unadoptable -- one due to illness, and one due to aggressive behavior. I''ve had people look at cat-inflicted scratches on my arm and had other cat owners tell me that cat would be so gone if it was theirs. I''ll probably pay as much to board my cats when I (finally!) go to Europe for vacation later this summer as I paid for my airline tickets. And really, I hope Violet is able to find a housing situation that allows her to keep her cat without impacting her HTB''s health, or to find an alternative living situation for her cat. I don''t think she would have posted the question if she wasn''t looking for options. But there is that possibility that no options are available -- all shelters and probably foster cat situtations are awash with kiittens right now, and Violet lives in one of the most difficult and costly housing markets in the country. There are very few people in my life that I would put ahead of my cats in a difficult situation like this, but there are some and yes, they would come first.

 

[2Artists]

I think that is is great that you rescued your pets to begin with. I really hope that you can figure out a great solution that works well for all involved (for those with fur and those without it).

 

[violet02]

Once again... I haven''t put her to sleep and I will wait to see what the vet has to say before anything else further happens. If I didn''t care about my responsibility to her she''d already be at a shelter or I''d have just plain old put her to sleep. Considering she''s well taken care, and my FI is living separately from me so the cat has a home currently, of I don''t think I''m shirking any responsibility here just trying to come up with options.

I like the cat retirement home idea. I''ll look into it. Depends on her health since she''ll need a prescription diet etc.

I think it''s one thing to disagree or state disagreement but it''s antoher thing to say ''i hope you never adopt another animal again''. You say that because you think i''m just a killer when i''m obviously not. So that''s pretty mean. I have two very healthy adopted pets and one day I may adopt more, but not another cat due to the allergies. You should feel anger towards the people that mis-treat pets. When I got my dog he''d been chained in a backyard for four months, and he''s a lhasa apso.. not an outdoor type dog. He had never had his hair or nails cut. It''s a longer story but suffice to say he''s groomed once a month and very healthy. Well cared for. Even though my FI is allergic to my cat he still comes over everyday and gives her greenies when he treats the dog so that it''s equal treatment.

We''re doing the best we can here by looking for options. In the meantime we will still live separately. And yes we have hepa filters in my house. I always run one due to my own allergies.

 

[2Artists]

I really like that story about you saving your dog (poor little guy). That type doggie is so cute. I am glad he is doing so much better now.

female half 2Artists