If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
That is a very good point.
The main reason I have so many cats is because my mother died relatively suddenly from colon cancer. At the time I moved in to help take care of her, the cats, and the house, I brought 10 or 12 cats from my apartment, and my mother had about 25 cats. During the year between her diagnosis and her death, and across the two years following that, I have taken in other cats, but the overall number has gone down to the low 20's for a variety of reasons. I just took another one to the vet to be neutered today, and I have someone who MIGHT adopt him, but I am prepared that they might not after all. Thank god for my vet and the non-profit org Feline Friends. My comment was not directed toward people who have "unexpected curve balls" in life, but at people who think of pets as a temporary disposable aspect of life, like a car or furniture that when you move you get rid of and get a new one. I realize that a lot of people put even less thought into having children, so how can you possibly expect them (not accusing everyone who is a parent of being this way) to be RESPONSIBLE and DEDICATED toward their cats and/or dogs? "Agua Girl" wrote in message ... Whenever someone starts out by saying " I can't imagine"....I usually respond with "lucky you". I know it's unfathomable for some of us to think about giving up our animals after 7 years but life has a way of throwing curve balls and you never know when you may be in the position to do something "unfathomable". My step mother got very very sick. She has always been a huge cat lover...like crazy cat lady type. At the time of her illness she was down to just 12 cats. Obviously with her so ill and my dad taking care of her, it was impossible to continue to care for 12 cats (and two dogs) so they had the unenviable task of finding homes for 10 cats, some of whom they had for 5 or 6 years. They kept the two oldest and did find the others homes. The fact that anyone is LOOKING for a good home for their cat should be enough. With so many just dumping them off on the side of the road I don't think we should judge those who at least try and re-home them. I can't imagine what turn my life would take that might put me in that position. It won't be kids ...errr...maybe I shouldn't say that (knock wood) but one never knows so until then..... :-) AG "onebyone" wrote in message ... Michele, I have to laugh out loud at your last sentence! For years when people would ask my husband and I when were we "going to start having kids"? I would tell them they we weren't, because "we were afraid that one of our children would have allergies to our cats, and we would have to put the child into Foster care". The looks on their faces were priceless! LOL Michele, you are my kind of person!!! "Michele" wrote in message om... I don't understand how people can have 2 cats for 7 years, invest in their medicals, etc., and presumably really love these pets and then just decide that it's time to have kids now and let's get rid of the cats and move on to something else "more important" (people usually consider humans outweigh animals in the scheme of things). I realize that people's priorities should be addressed before animals' (if I had a kid who was sick and a cat who was sick at the same time, I would take the kid to the pediatrician before I would take the cat to the vererinarian), but if you know that SOMEDAY you might start a family with which the animals could be incompatible, THINK for a minute. Get an older animal, or hold off until you have a place without so many "space limitations". ALWAYS I hear these situations after the fact. I know that some of what I have said may rub some people the wrong way. But I have 22+ cats (all spayed/neutered/rescued/strays), and I always say to people that I won't have kids (I am spayed/neutered myself anyway) because if the kid turned out to be allergic, I would have to give the KID up for adoption. Michele |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
Hi - I forgot to mention that I do consider myself lucky in a
relative, half-empty/half-full kind of way because if it were not for the cats, I would never stop crying. Some people said we should get rid of most of our cats when my mother got sick, but there were not many we would want to give up that would make good pets. And of course we all know that the good shelters are full and have long waiting lists. I am committed to these cats (in more than one sense of the word!), my only fear is if something happens to me, what will happen to them. Guess I should re-evaluate my life insurance policy... Michele "Agua Girl" wrote in message ... Whenever someone starts out by saying " I can't imagine"....I usually respond with "lucky you". I know it's unfathomable for some of us to think about giving up our animals after 7 years but life has a way of throwing curve balls and you never know when you may be in the position to do something "unfathomable". My step mother got very very sick. She has always been a huge cat lover...like crazy cat lady type. At the time of her illness she was down to just 12 cats. Obviously with her so ill and my dad taking care of her, it was impossible to continue to care for 12 cats (and two dogs) so they had the unenviable task of finding homes for 10 cats, some of whom they had for 5 or 6 years. They kept the two oldest and did find the others homes. The fact that anyone is LOOKING for a good home for their cat should be enough. With so many just dumping them off on the side of the road I don't think we should judge those who at least try and re-home them. I can't imagine what turn my life would take that might put me in that position. It won't be kids ...errr...maybe I shouldn't say that (knock wood) but one never knows so until then..... :-) AG "onebyone" wrote in message ... Michele, I have to laugh out loud at your last sentence! For years when people would ask my husband and I when were we "going to start having kids"? I would tell them they we weren't, because "we were afraid that one of our children would have allergies to our cats, and we would have to put the child into Foster care". The looks on their faces were priceless! LOL Michele, you are my kind of person!!! "Michele" wrote in message om... I don't understand how people can have 2 cats for 7 years, invest in their medicals, etc., and presumably really love these pets and then just decide that it's time to have kids now and let's get rid of the cats and move on to something else "more important" (people usually consider humans outweigh animals in the scheme of things). I realize that people's priorities should be addressed before animals' (if I had a kid who was sick and a cat who was sick at the same time, I would take the kid to the pediatrician before I would take the cat to the vererinarian), but if you know that SOMEDAY you might start a family with which the animals could be incompatible, THINK for a minute. Get an older animal, or hold off until you have a place without so many "space limitations". ALWAYS I hear these situations after the fact. I know that some of what I have said may rub some people the wrong way. But I have 22+ cats (all spayed/neutered/rescued/strays), and I always say to people that I won't have kids (I am spayed/neutered myself anyway) because if the kid turned out to be allergic, I would have to give the KID up for adoption. Michele |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
Hi - I forgot to mention that I do consider myself lucky in a
relative, half-empty/half-full kind of way because if it were not for the cats, I would never stop crying. Some people said we should get rid of most of our cats when my mother got sick, but there were not many we would want to give up that would make good pets. And of course we all know that the good shelters are full and have long waiting lists. I am committed to these cats (in more than one sense of the word!), my only fear is if something happens to me, what will happen to them. Guess I should re-evaluate my life insurance policy... Michele "Agua Girl" wrote in message ... Whenever someone starts out by saying " I can't imagine"....I usually respond with "lucky you". I know it's unfathomable for some of us to think about giving up our animals after 7 years but life has a way of throwing curve balls and you never know when you may be in the position to do something "unfathomable". My step mother got very very sick. She has always been a huge cat lover...like crazy cat lady type. At the time of her illness she was down to just 12 cats. Obviously with her so ill and my dad taking care of her, it was impossible to continue to care for 12 cats (and two dogs) so they had the unenviable task of finding homes for 10 cats, some of whom they had for 5 or 6 years. They kept the two oldest and did find the others homes. The fact that anyone is LOOKING for a good home for their cat should be enough. With so many just dumping them off on the side of the road I don't think we should judge those who at least try and re-home them. I can't imagine what turn my life would take that might put me in that position. It won't be kids ...errr...maybe I shouldn't say that (knock wood) but one never knows so until then..... :-) AG "onebyone" wrote in message ... Michele, I have to laugh out loud at your last sentence! For years when people would ask my husband and I when were we "going to start having kids"? I would tell them they we weren't, because "we were afraid that one of our children would have allergies to our cats, and we would have to put the child into Foster care". The looks on their faces were priceless! LOL Michele, you are my kind of person!!! "Michele" wrote in message om... I don't understand how people can have 2 cats for 7 years, invest in their medicals, etc., and presumably really love these pets and then just decide that it's time to have kids now and let's get rid of the cats and move on to something else "more important" (people usually consider humans outweigh animals in the scheme of things). I realize that people's priorities should be addressed before animals' (if I had a kid who was sick and a cat who was sick at the same time, I would take the kid to the pediatrician before I would take the cat to the vererinarian), but if you know that SOMEDAY you might start a family with which the animals could be incompatible, THINK for a minute. Get an older animal, or hold off until you have a place without so many "space limitations". ALWAYS I hear these situations after the fact. I know that some of what I have said may rub some people the wrong way. But I have 22+ cats (all spayed/neutered/rescued/strays), and I always say to people that I won't have kids (I am spayed/neutered myself anyway) because if the kid turned out to be allergic, I would have to give the KID up for adoption. Michele |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
"Michele" wrote in message om... Hi - I forgot to mention that I do consider myself lucky in a relative, half-empty/half-full kind of way because if it were not for the cats, I would never stop crying. Some people said we should get rid of most of our cats when my mother got sick, but there were not many we would want to give up that would make good pets. And of course we all know that the good shelters are full and have long waiting lists. I am committed to these cats (in more than one sense of the word!), my only fear is if something happens to me, what will happen to them. Guess I should re-evaluate my life insurance policy... Michele "Agua Girl" wrote in message ... Whenever someone starts out by saying " I can't imagine"....I usually respond with "lucky you". I know it's unfathomable for some of us to think about giving up our animals after 7 years but life has a way of throwing curve balls and you never know when you may be in the position to do something "unfathomable". My step mother got very very sick. She has always been a huge cat lover...like crazy cat lady type. At the time of her illness she was down to just 12 cats. Obviously with her so ill and my dad taking care of her, it was impossible to continue to care for 12 cats (and two dogs) so they had the unenviable task of finding homes for 10 cats, some of whom they had for 5 or 6 years. They kept the two oldest and did find the others homes. The fact that anyone is LOOKING for a good home for their cat should be enough. With so many just dumping them off on the side of the road I don't think we should judge those who at least try and re-home them. I can't imagine what turn my life would take that might put me in that position. It won't be kids ...errr...maybe I shouldn't say that (knock wood) but one never knows so until then..... :-) AG "onebyone" wrote in message ... Michele, I have to laugh out loud at your last sentence! For years when people would ask my husband and I when were we "going to start having kids"? I would tell them they we weren't, because "we were afraid that one of our children would have allergies to our cats, and we would have to put the child into Foster care". The looks on their faces were priceless! LOL Michele, you are my kind of person!!! "Michele" wrote in message om... I don't understand how people can have 2 cats for 7 years, invest in their medicals, etc., and presumably really love these pets and then just decide that it's time to have kids now and let's get rid of the cats and move on to something else "more important" (people usually consider humans outweigh animals in the scheme of things). I realize that people's priorities should be addressed before animals' (if I had a kid who was sick and a cat who was sick at the same time, I would take the kid to the pediatrician before I would take the cat to the vererinarian), but if you know that SOMEDAY you might start a family with which the animals could be incompatible, THINK for a minute. Get an older animal, or hold off until you have a place without so many "space limitations". ALWAYS I hear these situations after the fact. I know that some of what I have said may rub some people the wrong way. But I have 22+ cats (all spayed/neutered/rescued/strays), and I always say to people that I won't have kids (I am spayed/neutered myself anyway) because if the kid turned out to be allergic, I would have to give the KID up for adoption. Michele You're going to Heaven, girl. If there is one. :0) |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
"Michele" wrote in message om... Hi - I forgot to mention that I do consider myself lucky in a relative, half-empty/half-full kind of way because if it were not for the cats, I would never stop crying. Some people said we should get rid of most of our cats when my mother got sick, but there were not many we would want to give up that would make good pets. And of course we all know that the good shelters are full and have long waiting lists. I am committed to these cats (in more than one sense of the word!), my only fear is if something happens to me, what will happen to them. Guess I should re-evaluate my life insurance policy... Michele "Agua Girl" wrote in message ... Whenever someone starts out by saying " I can't imagine"....I usually respond with "lucky you". I know it's unfathomable for some of us to think about giving up our animals after 7 years but life has a way of throwing curve balls and you never know when you may be in the position to do something "unfathomable". My step mother got very very sick. She has always been a huge cat lover...like crazy cat lady type. At the time of her illness she was down to just 12 cats. Obviously with her so ill and my dad taking care of her, it was impossible to continue to care for 12 cats (and two dogs) so they had the unenviable task of finding homes for 10 cats, some of whom they had for 5 or 6 years. They kept the two oldest and did find the others homes. The fact that anyone is LOOKING for a good home for their cat should be enough. With so many just dumping them off on the side of the road I don't think we should judge those who at least try and re-home them. I can't imagine what turn my life would take that might put me in that position. It won't be kids ...errr...maybe I shouldn't say that (knock wood) but one never knows so until then..... :-) AG "onebyone" wrote in message ... Michele, I have to laugh out loud at your last sentence! For years when people would ask my husband and I when were we "going to start having kids"? I would tell them they we weren't, because "we were afraid that one of our children would have allergies to our cats, and we would have to put the child into Foster care". The looks on their faces were priceless! LOL Michele, you are my kind of person!!! "Michele" wrote in message om... I don't understand how people can have 2 cats for 7 years, invest in their medicals, etc., and presumably really love these pets and then just decide that it's time to have kids now and let's get rid of the cats and move on to something else "more important" (people usually consider humans outweigh animals in the scheme of things). I realize that people's priorities should be addressed before animals' (if I had a kid who was sick and a cat who was sick at the same time, I would take the kid to the pediatrician before I would take the cat to the vererinarian), but if you know that SOMEDAY you might start a family with which the animals could be incompatible, THINK for a minute. Get an older animal, or hold off until you have a place without so many "space limitations". ALWAYS I hear these situations after the fact. I know that some of what I have said may rub some people the wrong way. But I have 22+ cats (all spayed/neutered/rescued/strays), and I always say to people that I won't have kids (I am spayed/neutered myself anyway) because if the kid turned out to be allergic, I would have to give the KID up for adoption. Michele You're going to Heaven, girl. If there is one. :0) |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Purrrrss fur a sad Meowmie. Maui mite hafta find a noo home... | Panda ov Toes | Cat community | 25 | October 22nd 04 03:53 PM |
I'm Terminally ILL: MIssy & Rascal Need a Loving Home | onlyThreeCats | Cat community | 5 | September 4th 03 11:02 AM |
possible temporary home needed for LA Maine Coone | Debbie Trujillo | Cat health & behaviour | 8 | August 14th 03 08:17 AM |