Giving my cats up - advice pls!
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 9:50 am
Hi all
Im really looking for advice as we are in a tricky spot. We got 3 cats from a rescue centre about 7 yrs ago. They had been strays for a years or so and were then at the centre for another year. We knew they might be difficult but decided that was ok. They never really became like "our" cats and in all the time they have been with us have been more like cats who happen to share our house! ☺ they dont reallt like being handled but are acually lively natured and dont scratch or bite etc. We accepted this was they way they were and that was all fine. About 18 months ago we found out they were visiting our elderly next door neighbour (where one cat goes they all do - they r very close). It later transpired they were getting the odd meal there! I was not overly bothered, ourneighbours are nice, they dont get out much and liked the cats company. I was also aware that the cats dont like being in the house when our boys are about as they are noisy etc and the cats get much more peace next door ( should say the cats came b4 we had kids). We are now at the pount where we see very little of the cats and they are almost always next door and are getting most of their food there. It was time for the boosters at the vet this weekend and knowing how hard they can be to catch, we asked the neighbour to stop feeding them for just a couple of days and to not let them in. That way theyd come back to ours and id keep them inside til after the appointment. Well the morning came and no cats. Turned out they were happily sleeping in our neighbours house and we had to cancel the appointment.
The whole situation is now really stressful. The neighbours wife died a few weeks ago and he is lonely. We are at a point where we need to either tell him to stop letting the cats in altogether or we need to give the cats to him and say they r no longer our responsibility. My worry is that he'd agree to stop feeding them but still do it out of bloody mindedness to prove that he can. He is not malicious or a bad person, but i think he likes a bit of one upmanship. I really just dont know what to do. On the one hand these are our pets and there is a principle at stake. On the other, maybe they prefer it at his since its quiet and there are no kids and i should be thinking of them not me. I would be sad to give them up even if they have never really felt like our pets.
What would you do? I feel constantly sick thinking about whats the right thing! Ive ģot 2 shut in the house finally and hoping to get them to vet this week for boosters, but this morning one looks like shehas the cold-really snotty nose! This has further added to the stress levels.
Husband thinks we should give them away as we are paying out on insurance and vet bills for cats that live with someone else! He has said its my decision tho.
Sorry for such a long post, just needed to get it all out!
Im really looking for advice as we are in a tricky spot. We got 3 cats from a rescue centre about 7 yrs ago. They had been strays for a years or so and were then at the centre for another year. We knew they might be difficult but decided that was ok. They never really became like "our" cats and in all the time they have been with us have been more like cats who happen to share our house! ☺ they dont reallt like being handled but are acually lively natured and dont scratch or bite etc. We accepted this was they way they were and that was all fine. About 18 months ago we found out they were visiting our elderly next door neighbour (where one cat goes they all do - they r very close). It later transpired they were getting the odd meal there! I was not overly bothered, ourneighbours are nice, they dont get out much and liked the cats company. I was also aware that the cats dont like being in the house when our boys are about as they are noisy etc and the cats get much more peace next door ( should say the cats came b4 we had kids). We are now at the pount where we see very little of the cats and they are almost always next door and are getting most of their food there. It was time for the boosters at the vet this weekend and knowing how hard they can be to catch, we asked the neighbour to stop feeding them for just a couple of days and to not let them in. That way theyd come back to ours and id keep them inside til after the appointment. Well the morning came and no cats. Turned out they were happily sleeping in our neighbours house and we had to cancel the appointment.
The whole situation is now really stressful. The neighbours wife died a few weeks ago and he is lonely. We are at a point where we need to either tell him to stop letting the cats in altogether or we need to give the cats to him and say they r no longer our responsibility. My worry is that he'd agree to stop feeding them but still do it out of bloody mindedness to prove that he can. He is not malicious or a bad person, but i think he likes a bit of one upmanship. I really just dont know what to do. On the one hand these are our pets and there is a principle at stake. On the other, maybe they prefer it at his since its quiet and there are no kids and i should be thinking of them not me. I would be sad to give them up even if they have never really felt like our pets.
What would you do? I feel constantly sick thinking about whats the right thing! Ive ģot 2 shut in the house finally and hoping to get them to vet this week for boosters, but this morning one looks like shehas the cold-really snotty nose! This has further added to the stress levels.
Husband thinks we should give them away as we are paying out on insurance and vet bills for cats that live with someone else! He has said its my decision tho.
Sorry for such a long post, just needed to get it all out!