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We returned a cat once, after 2 weeks, for similar reasons. I felt guilty but it was the right thing to do. At this point we no longer go looking for new cats, they just sort of show up at my door.
We returned the crazy kitty to the shelter on Sunday. They were going to make us wait, but after I told them our first cat contracted ringworm from her they were able to put her in an "iso" cage. Honestly, I don't feel bad anymore. I'm just relieved that she's gone.
We are so consumed with battling the ringworm infestation in our first cat (and consequently our entire home!), we don't have time to feel sorry about anything.
Thanks to everyone for your comfort and advice. If you are curious about how our first cat is doing with ringworm or if you have any advice, please check out my other ongoing post "Please Help! Cat has RINGWORMS!"
What I got was a total psycho! DC would attack without warning, he would latch onto my forearms and shred them with his claws and teeth; he would jump onto the back of the couch and wrap himself around my head, digging in his claws and fangs; he would run around the apartment like a maniac; he would launch himself at my face with all claws extended, ears pinned back, eyes wide and staring, mouth wide open and hissing - he was out of control. I couldn't even sleep with him in the bedroom as he would attack me during the night.
You have described my cat better than I could ever describe my male cat..I call him the Terror cat....He is very smart...But a total Psyco!
Mine is over a year old already and has not changed, but even if he is a Terror Cat and a Psyco I love him very much...Am, I sick or what?
With all due respect, I would NEVER have done what you did in returning the kitten to the shelter after just two months. This from someone who is barely able to keep a roof above her head but who has rescued cats and dogs and many other critters over many years and with nary a thought about whether they'd "fit in" or not. They all fit in eventually.
I'm fuming but trying hard to write something which won't be cause for my post to be tossed for inappropriateness.
I guess my bottom line is that the cat you have right now suits you perfectly, doesn't invade your pristine space to any degree and thus you should simply enjoy your space with that one cat.
It's tragically amusing to read that you were the little kid who, "brought home every stray animal--even rescued a fallen bird from our willow tree .."
WOW! And yet you would basically rescue a kitty from an animal shelter and then return it after just two months because it didn't happen to fit into your precious lifestyle in short shrift?
Again with all due respect I've no compassion at all for you. My compassion is for the cat which you rescued and then dumped back into the system.
No-kill shelters are awesome but even no-kill shelters have their limitations.
Don't adopt, please. Enjoy the cat which you have which seems amenable to your lifestyle. Cheers!
Ringworm is easily treatable and no excuse to dump an adopted kitten back into a shelter!
That is total nonsense. Just like there are many people that are able to put up with you, there may be a few that, while they can put up with you, might not give you as much love as you deserve because you grate on their nerves. I think that crazy cat would be perfect in a home with a few 'tweenagers' or young adults that would think crazy is loads of crazy fun, instead of this nice couple seeing their other cat constantly hiding and being terrorized by a cat that is either ADHD or hasn't learned his boundaries by a mother cat yet, and is unlikely to learn boundaries AT ALL by a cat that is hiding. Not to mention the fact that cat number one could've possibly been so stressed and developed these huge fungal infections. From STRESS. And possibly crazy cat brought it. If you have more than one cat with a fungal infection it is SO very much harder to completely rid everyone of. Why fight it FOREVER just because you feel like giving someone a guilt trip. Please apologize.
I agree. I don't understand the point of keeping any animal that is making the entire family, as well as other animals, totally miserable as well as causing illnesses. If I had my kitten first and then got DC I almost certainly would've returned him as I believe he would've attacked her too and goodness knows what harm he would've caused. We all want to give these animals a safe and loving home and it tears our hearts out when things don't work out, but we have to be sensible about this too. If the kitten had been a dog that was terrorising the family, nobody would hesitate to recommend a return! If a family is daily dreading coming home to an animal and constantly worrying and fearful about what will happen next, who does that help? I'm quite sure someone out there will have the right chemistry with this cat and be able to raise her to be the perfect pet - for them.
I'll give a great personal example.....I had to put my cat to sleep because of cancer. I went to animal control to save a new cat (not the humane society but animal control). It was a feral kitten, I knew it, but I think that I can do all and adopt it anyway, vaccinate it, fix it, feed it IAMs, shower it with love and my two kids do, too. The cat was ALWAYS hiding, slinking away and we always had to go find him. After 6 months and everyone feeling like the cat was scared mindless no matter what, I decided to rehome him to a couple that does nothing but rescue cats - they have their own tremendous cat room with at least 15 other cats, old & young, feral & friendly. The ferals can hide in the condos or cuddlers and come out when they wish. He fit in just fine there. He still hides, but through the window, they can see him come out and socialize with the others, he just hates humans. Now why wouldn't I want him to be in a place that appreciates him for his personality and he gets the attention that is right for him?
With all due respect, I would NEVER have done what you did in returning the kitten to the shelter after just two months. This from someone who is barely able to keep a roof above her head but who has rescued cats and dogs and many other critters over many years and with nary a thought about whether they'd "fit in" or not. They all fit in eventually.
I'm fuming but trying hard to write something which won't be cause for my post to be tossed for inappropriateness.
I guess my bottom line is that the cat you have right now suits you perfectly, doesn't invade your pristine space to any degree and thus you should simply enjoy your space with that one cat.
It's tragically amusing to read that you were the little kid who, "brought home every stray animal--even rescued a fallen bird from our willow tree .."
WOW! And yet you would basically rescue a kitty from an animal shelter and then return it after just two months because it didn't happen to fit into your precious lifestyle in short shrift?
Again with all due respect I've no compassion at all for you. My compassion is for the cat which you rescued and then dumped back into the system.
No-kill shelters are awesome but even no-kill shelters have their limitations.
Don't adopt, please. Enjoy the cat which you have which seems amenable to your lifestyle. Cheers!
Ringworm is easily treatable and no excuse to dump an adopted kitten back into a shelter!
I think I'll follow some wise advice my dad gave me many years ago...if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.
tough decision jupiterfire..... but i too think you made the right one .... for your sake, for kitty #1's sake and really, for crazy kitty's sake too .... somewhere out there is a home that is better suited for crazy kitty.......
You made the right choice. Don't feel guilty - your heart is in the right place and soon, the kitty will be in the right home. Some cats are just meant to be only children.
We've had always way too many cats and have been lucky that they could sort out their differences. At one time, we had 2 separate clans because that was the only way we could make it work. We were fortunate to have one person home full time to supervise and referee. After some natural attrition, and a new home for all of us, we all live as one big happy clan.
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