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Word to the wise ( I don't mean to be harsh) it might help it, if you put a limit on how many cats you have- in most cities having 16 cats is breaking the law and can get you arrested/fined. Then all that happens is the cats possibly get put to death by animal control and made into pet food. or they go to homes where they are fed trash foods exactly what your trying to avoid and then god knows what else.
Also if you keep on adopting cats your making all the cats suffer by lowering the quality of food you can afford- face it it is IMPOSSIBLE to save them all.
Well, I think most people here have a pretty good handle on what amount they can deal with. I think one poster here has 20 something cats. Some people can do it, some can only handle one. The fact that the OP has 16 and is feeding them mainly raw, sounds to me like she's doing alright. But yes, your point is understood.
OP, quick question: Are you cooking the food, the raw food? I ask because you mentioned a bone grinder. I was wondering why you don't just let them eat the bone, as it is, in the chicken, for example. It's great for their teeth that way, saves you money by not having to take them in to get their teeth cleaned. Chicken bones are very easy for them to get through. I sometimes let the cats gnaw on a pork rib bone every so often, but it's not easy for them to get through so I pick it up after a few minutes, but chicken, you can just toss them a small drumstick, just as it is, they'll eat that whole thing, bone and all.
Word to the wise ( I don't mean to be harsh) it might help it, if you put a limit on how many cats you have- in most cities having 16 cats is breaking the law and can get you arrested/fined. Then all that happens is the cats possibly get put to death by animal control and made into pet food. or they go to homes where they are fed trash foods exactly what your trying to avoid and then god knows what else.
Also if you keep on adopting cats your making all the cats suffer by lowering the quality of food you can afford- face it it is IMPOSSIBLE to save them all.
Hi Catsmylove,
I don't know how much you have been involved in cat rescue, if at all, or if you understand how more enlightened cities, towns and counties understand that not only do cats who are tame and have been abandoned by selfish former "owners" (I am not even going to address the feral cats out there) deserve, need and MUST be protected and cherished and allowed to live out their normal lives, but you REALLY need an education. Big time. I am sure you don't want to hear that, but you are advertising your serious lack of knowledge of the cat rescue world where people care for multiple cats legally and with great care and food and vet care.
We care for 11 cats who live inside and 5 outside, 3 or 4 of whom are throw aways by selfish humans and are tame. We just cannot handle 16 inside so we provide shelters, heated, some of them, in the winter months, and all the food they need and we also got them all spayed and neutered and will provide them vet care when they need it.
I think that your post is nasty and mean spirited. Your attitude is cruel and heartless.
I don't need someone with your cruel attitude to "help" me by "warning" me of the consequences of "taking more". I don't take on more than we can handle and our cats have an indoor outdoor 16 foot enclosure, have pet insurance, get raw and canned food, have loads of beds and we clean our 13 litter boxes 2x a day or more. We have a paid cleaning crew and a well paid pet sitter as well, and we are part of a large, very very large network of wonderful women (mostly) rescuers who have anywhere from one cat to 22. Our vet tech has 18 and they thrive.
Be sure you know what you are talking about before you expose your ignorance.
If i'm "nasty" its because I'm honest..... I feel people who do this need to know about pet food and what goes into it. Most people cannot care for nearly 20 house cats. i know i couldn't. I have 2 that's enough for me. Around here( twin cities metro area) its 3 any more then that your breaking the law. Also my suitation is different we have people from the state checking in yearly.
If i'm "nasty" its because I'm honest..... I feel people who do this need to know about pet food and what goes into it. Most people cannot care for nearly 20 house cats. i know i couldn't. I have 2 that's enough for me. Around here( twin cities metro area) its 3 any more then that your breaking the law. Also my suitation is different we have people from the state checking in yearly.
You are only Y-O-U. I agree, I am sure that YOU, shown by your attitude, could never do what we rescuers do. It would take a big attitude adjustment.
I could never be a physicist, athlete or computer scientist. But, you see, there are those out there, and I am one, who have a skill-set, attitude and financial resources, educational background and network set up with other rescuers, and a single family home to provide for many cats who have been abandoned by humans. You just don't have enough background - this is proven by your erroneous assumptions - to know that we do exist, those of us who can do what I have described.
I live in NYC. We can have 50 cats in one house if we want to. (And we wouldn't do that!) So long as we are in a house and we are (NYC is not all apartment buildings, we have thousands and thousands of single family houses here. ) I have a yard and trees and grass, etc.
But more to the point, I think you are just hateful in your attitude towards the concept of rescuing many cats and I can't help you there...
I have met plenty of people like you. You are going to have to decide for yourself if you wish to keep that kind of attitude.
Martha Anne (did you know, you have the same name as my Aunt?) please don't be too harsh on Catsmylove...you and I know that there ARE some folks out there who DO take on more than they can handle. Many really love cats they just can't think of turning one away, and we have seen hoarding situations happen... this poster does not know you. Wasn't trying to judge you. 16 sounds like a lot, to many people. But I think we've all agreed that "too many" is whatever number a person can't care for properly...and obviously, you are doing it well. Obviously, you're not "that person." And yet not everyone who feels that 16 would be "too many" (for me, it would be, one is enough for me) is some ignorant jerk who doesn't love cats or get you. We just walk in different shoes.
I lost a close friend this week, he passed way too young, and I want to put the message out loud and clear, life is too short to get upset over the opinions of people who don't know you. Indeed...life is too short to get upset about much, at all. Be at peace, my cat loving internet friends...tomorrow is guaranteed to no one.
Martha Anne (did you know, you have the same name as my Aunt?) please don't be too harsh on Catsmylove...you and I know that there ARE some folks out there who DO take on more than they can handle. Many really love cats they just can't think of turning one away, and we have seen hoarding situations happen... this poster does not know you. Wasn't trying to judge you. 16 sounds like a lot, to many people. But I think we've all agreed that "too many" is whatever number a person can't care for properly...and obviously, you are doing it well. Obviously, you're not "that person." And yet not everyone who feels that 16 would be "too many" (for me, it would be, one is enough for me) is some ignorant jerk who doesn't love cats or get you. We just walk in different shoes.
I lost a close friend this week, he passed way too young, and I want to put the message out loud and clear, life is too short to get upset over the opinions of people who don't know you. Indeed...life is too short to get upset about much, at all. Be at peace, my cat loving internet friends...tomorrow is guaranteed to no one.
I am sorry if I was too harsh. But her post was very harsh, too. Not to mention ill informed and judgemental. And I would never, even before I did any rescue - had no animals for decades - say the mean things she said, or assume things the way she has.
I am so sorry about the loss of your friend. I am afraid I give the impression that I am more upset than I am! I just put it all out there and forget about it <ggg>. Sorry, I just do!
Martha Anne (did you know, you have the same name as my Aunt?) please don't be too harsh on Catsmylove...you and I know that there ARE some folks out there who DO take on more than they can handle. Many really love cats they just can't think of turning one away, and we have seen hoarding situations happen... this poster does not know you. Wasn't trying to judge you. 16 sounds like a lot, to many people. But I think we've all agreed that "too many" is whatever number a person can't care for properly...and obviously, you are doing it well. Obviously, you're not "that person." And yet not everyone who feels that 16 would be "too many" (for me, it would be, one is enough for me) is some ignorant jerk who doesn't love cats or get you. We just walk in different shoes.
I lost a close friend this week, he passed way too young, and I want to put the message out loud and clear, life is too short to get upset over the opinions of people who don't know you. Indeed...life is too short to get upset about much, at all. Be at peace, my cat loving internet friends...tomorrow is guaranteed to no one.
Sonic, I have no patience with comments like hers. They are not kind, not understanding and certainly show a profound ignorance of the rescue world. RE: your friend, I am very sorry to hear that, but I also feel this way: I have lost close friends and even a sibling: I don't feel that you are supposed to all of a sudden decide to be "nice" to those who don't say nice things or have poor attitudes. Life is to be lived. I am sorry, you have expressed how you like to live and I don't want to live my precious years, days on earth as you do. I don't value keeping my mouth shut to people who are hostile to cat rescuers and don't have a clue. The poster is an adult who is in a cat thread/forum and I expect her to know about rescuers and those who competently care for many cats in one home. I don't want to insult her intelligence. She knows.
As for you, maybe you could have spoken up for rescuers to her ,but you did not.
Well, I think most people here have a pretty good handle on what amount they can deal with. I think one poster here has 20 something cats. Some people can do it, some can only handle one. The fact that the OP has 16 and is feeding them mainly raw, sounds to me like she's doing alright. But yes, your point is understood.
OP, quick question: Are you cooking the food, the raw food? I ask because you mentioned a bone grinder. I was wondering why you don't just let them eat the bone, as it is, in the chicken, for example. It's great for their teeth that way, saves you money by not having to take them in to get their teeth cleaned. Chicken bones are very easy for them to get through. I sometimes let the cats gnaw on a pork rib bone every so often, but it's not easy for them to get through so I pick it up after a few minutes, but chicken, you can just toss them a small drumstick, just as it is, they'll eat that whole thing, bone and all.
Three Wolves, No, we don't cook the raw food because the entire idea is to provide the nutrients that are destroyed with cooking. I am sure you agree on that .. Re: your question about letting them eat the bone, yes, we WILL do that but in the early stage they don't want to do it. I have already put out very fresh chicken wings and they gnawed a tiny bit and walked away. I need to get them addicted to raw and soon they will go for the wings and necks (which they also did not eat when I put them out, even cut them). I agree entirely with your suggestions, in theory - it's just a matter of a little more time. And thank you for your comments.
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.. Re: your question about letting them eat the bone, yes, we WILL do that but in the early stage they don't want to do it. I have already put out very fresh chicken wings and they gnawed a tiny bit and walked away. I need to get them addicted to raw and soon they will go for the wings and necks (which they also did not eat when I put them out, even cut them). I agree entirely with your suggestions, in theory - it's just a matter of a little more time. And thank you for your comments.
