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You know, this is a great subject, one that most of us dread to even think about, but think about we must if we truly love our cats.
I have so many right now, and there is ONLY one person in this entire world I would trust mine to. LOL Oh, boy, I really have to think about this......
On the serious side, I have thought about if I do go first before my cat family, from natural causes that I know about, and I did not have anyone I could entrust my "family" to, I would, GULP, turn to euthanasia. I would never leave my cats with someone I know who would not care for them on my level....which first of all is a rare thing indeed. And my babies have suffered so much, I cringe to even think of returning them to another hell. No. Better for me to do something so darn hard that I have tears in my eyes, right now, just writing about it.....I would find the super human strength to go through with giving all of them the right to freedom without any more suffering.
But, in the case of an accident, I must get serious and start thinking, making decisions, righting down my wishes, and then getting the document notarized. Wow, this is not easy to talk about!!!
You know, this is a great subject, one that most of us dread to even think about, but think about we must if we truly love our cats.
I have so many right now, and there is ONLY one person in this entire world I would trust mine to. LOL Oh, boy, I really have to think about this......
On the serious side, I have thought about if I do go first before my cat family, from natural causes that I know about, and I did not have anyone I could entrust my "family" to, I would, GULP, turn to euthanasia. I would never leave my cats with someone I know who would not care for them on my level....which first of all is a rare thing indeed. And my babies have suffered so much, I cringe to even think of returning them to another hell. No. Better for me to do something so darn hard that I have tears in my eyes, right now, just writing about it.....I would find the super human strength to go through with giving all of them the right to freedom without any more suffering.
But, in the case of an accident, I must get serious and start thinking, making decisions, righting down my wishes, and then getting the document notarized. Wow, this is not easy to talk about!!!
I think the local Humane Society might find a good home if you contribute something to them. The suggestion of a local rescue society is a good one. In my humble opinion, cats are very adaptable. They roll with the punches. You think 'Oh, my little darling would never survive without me', but the cats I've seen that were in second homes seem to be fairing very nicely, thank you.
We have no family and friends already have animals. It would be an imposition on friends. We will set up a trust( I think this is money in an account that gives off interest on an annual basis. The interest goes to the cat's upkeep. After the cat passes the money goes elsewhere so the guardian of the cat does not - well - kill the animal to get the money.) I think the executor sees that the trust is upheld (for a small annual fee). There will be a little extra in the trust for the kind person and provision for emergencies. We will leave the entire estate (house and all assets) in the trust and it will only revert to others after the cat deceases. Let us hope that the 'others' do not try to harm the cat. Boy, that would make a cute movie.
I think if a person can save, they should do so for their pet because the pet is not like others in a will. The cat cannot get a job or collect welfare. It's up to us to provide for it as best we can.
I know in NY there are groups, such as Kitty Kind, who I have seen in pet stores with old cats. Many of these cats get homes and the people in the org go to the person's house to be sure they are neat and clean, etc. I have seen the people in pet store who adopt them and they look like very nicely dressed presentable people who just love cats. If I were a cat owner elsewhere I would ask around in pet shops and at the vets. I'll bet there are good groups all over who might help.
I will bet cats who have papers are easier to adopt out when they are older, so if you can afford a purebred cat when you are older that might be a consideration, though there are so many needy excellent cats in shelters that I feel bad to say that.
Thank you, everyone, for helping me think about this.
In Portland where I live the Oregon Humane Society makes a provision to take care of a pet for life if the owner predeseased it. You can make a bequest in a will or enter into an annuity set up by the organization.
You can ask them to try and rehome your pet or have them keep it for life. I think it's a great idea.
Garden of Eden: What a heartbreaking post. I hope there is a better answer than euthanasia. Perhaps as Minervah stated, you can make provisions in your will for them. I intend to do so.
Garden of Eden: What a heartbreaking post. I hope there is a better answer than euthanasia. Perhaps as Minervah stated, you can make provisions in your will for them. I intend to do so.
It, to me, is selfish. Life goes on and animals can survive without their owners and adjust to a new family.
People do.
This reminds me of cultures in which, if the husband died the wife was expected to immolate herself or they killed and buried the wife with the husband, in his grave.
My suspicion is, in cultures where the man is boss he often became a tyrant at home where people could not fight back. Wives sometimes killed their husbands in undetectable ways. They prevented these murders by killing the wife after the husband died.
At least, that's my theory.
People should be responsible and think of these things before taking on a pet.
Of course, if you believe in the hereafter then your pet might be with you after death if you kill him. You'd have to be pretty sure of that, though.
You know, this is a great subject, one that most of us dread to even think about, but think about we must if we truly love our cats.
I have so many right now, and there is ONLY one person in this entire world I would trust mine to. LOL Oh, boy, I really have to think about this......
On the serious side, I have thought about if I do go first before my cat family, from natural causes that I know about, and I did not have anyone I could entrust my "family" to, I would, GULP, turn to euthanasia. I would never leave my cats with someone I know who would not care for them on my level....which first of all is a rare thing indeed. And my babies have suffered so much, I cringe to even think of returning them to another hell. No. Better for me to do something so darn hard that I have tears in my eyes, right now, just writing about it.....I would find the super human strength to go through with giving all of them the right to freedom without any more suffering.
But, in the case of an accident, I must get serious and start thinking, making decisions, righting down my wishes, and then getting the document notarized. Wow, this is not easy to talk about!!!
In some ways, this is the most selfish post I have ever read. There are plenty of great people out there that would provide great homes for your babies. This isn't Egypt where all your animals were killed to be with you in the afterlife. That is enough reason to not add anymore animals to a household if that is something you would consider in old age. Animals that have homes shouldn't be euthanized just because the owner dies. It sounds like you need to make more friends so that you won't be depending on this option. No one can replace me but they can come close. I am not going to euthanize my animals out of my own selfishness.
Perhaps it would be wise to just volunteer in a shelter than to have animals of your own if euthanasia is the only option for your pets if you are to die. Why should an animals life end because yours does?
I would never leave my cats with someone I know who would not care for them on my level....which first of all is a rare thing indeed.
I find this comment incredibly disturbing. We all take the best care possible of our animals in we have any kind of conscience. What do you do that is so "rare?"
You don't know that someone else couldn't care for them as well as you. Making arrangements ahead of time with a trusted friend or family member or signing them into a cat "retirement" home or as I stated before, making a bequest in your will to an animal shelter that that has provisions to take care of them are all viable options.
To kill a healthy animal is not the way to go. Just as an aside, who would do the killing? I don't think any reputable vet would and I don't think a shelter would take them for just the purpose of killing them. It seems to me it would be a really bad thing to ask people who are devoted to taking care of animals to destroy them when there are alternatives.
When I reach a curtain age I'll just not keep pets anymore and enjoy a retirement if you will from the high costs of feeding,litter/vet care ect. Problem solved. I understand however this isn't realistic or wanted for everyone.:
You have to understand however by passing ownership, there's no for sure the cat wont end up declawed, on crap pet foods or bounced from home to home to home. Less then 25% of cats stay in forever homes according to one rescue study.
I did have a will that provided money for anyone who took over my previous pets in sort of a general way. Probably too general. Usually the more specific the better. Has anyone googled to see if there is much info on this?
I think reflecting on your age and/or situation when considering a pet is something that is very overlooked. In trying to find a home for the 2 feral kittens I took in I had some offers from people 65+ and when asked what there plan was if the cats outlived them I got crickets, or insulted indignation. And I do not want them to go into the system as an old cat.
It is also one of the reasons I do not want to keep them myself. I'm only 54 but I have no support system in terms of family, friends. I'm not sure where I'll end up when I retire. I am not convinced that I will be able to keep them for their entire lives. But it seems impossible to find them good forever homes. I've been advertising through vets, papers, craigslist, work bulletin boards - nothing other than people too old, declawers, people who after a few minutes you realize have churned pets through their household routinely.
I'm not thrilled by the idea of people considering euth'ing. But I do understand the thought process of wanting to ensure that your pets don't end up in abusive situations. Shelters do not home screen, cats can and probably are adopted by hoarders, soon to be hoarders and who knows what other situations. Both this August and September are free cat months. And even if your pet is adopted by a good home there is no guarantee that that person doesn't end up rehoming them due to unforseen circumstance and so on down the road. 75% in more than one home, pretty big statistic.
People who are disturbed by the post on euth'ing as a possible option are basing that on the idea of 'well I'm sure a good home will be found'. Just not the case. Possible? yes. Likely? no. Partly it depends on age and cuteness. I too believe that cats adapt just fine to a new home. That's not the issue. Personally I would only consider the possibility euth'ing (after long hard thought) for an old animal or animal very unlikely to be adopted.
Last time I was at the vet they had two cats who's owner had died. I have no idea what happened to them. I'm sure the vet techs tried to find a home. If not off to the shelter, where they were either euth'ed or adopted out - for who knows how long.
There is quite a dynamic between trying to ensure your pet (or rescue in my case) won't end up in some tortuous situation and just releasing control and hoping for the best.
My own personal stance is to not have pets that I think will outlive me or that I won't be able to take care of if I get ill. Or if one or the other of those happen, are old pets for whom euth'ing would a soon reality anyway. Which sounds hard but is the world we live in.
I wish I could find home for these 2 plus the abandoned one outside that tries to fight her way in every time I open the door. Its all pretty stressful to have all these cats I don't even feel are mine to be this huge responsibility because others obviously don't. Then I would go to the shelter and adopt an old cat.
As an aside I do wish there were more volunteer programs aimed at helping people keep their pets longer. When people get sick or old their pets end up in the system when sometimes a volunteer who could scoop litter or deliver food and heavy boxes of litter, provide dog walks when ill etc. could keep the pet in the home. That would keep some animals out of shelters.
As an aside I do wish there were more volunteer programs aimed at helping people keep their pets longer. When people get sick or old their pets end up in the system when sometimes a volunteer who could scoop litter or deliver food and heavy boxes of litter, provide dog walks when ill etc. could keep the pet in the home. That would keep some animals out of shelters.
That is a GREAT idea. I would gladly help people with their cats in my community.
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