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I agree with this part of your statement and, to an extent, the part about your cats and dogs. I'm not assuming you guys are in debt at all. Never once said that or implied it. OTOH, some of you have posted that you would be willing to take out exorbitants amount of money out (2nd mortgage) to pay for your pet's surgery.
I stated my financial limit on pet care and implications were made that I do not care for my pet because of this. That is how this squabbling back and forth began. I take great offense to this, because it simply is not accurate and is a blatant mischaracterization of who I am. I do not place the same value of an animal's life as I do with mine or any of my (human) family members. It's as simple as that.
No, the opinion that you don't care about the cat has nothing to do with the money discussion.
You were quite clear in your initial posts that your lifestyle and convenience is more important that the cat. You said so. So that's fine. Now you know, you are just not the kind of person who should have pets.
You've received a ton of useful advice in this thread, but ALL of it requires time, patience, consistency, work and dedication on your part. To train a cat to scratch where you want her to scratch, you have to be there. You've said you aren't there, and don't plan on being there, so unless you decide to sacrifice your partying, and stay home with her every night and on the weekends to bond with her and teach her where to scratch, then taking her back to the rescue is the right thing to do for her.
Poor kitty. I hope she can find a home where she can be loved and accepted.
Thank you for not mutilating her by having her toes amputated, clearly you aren't heartless. You just aren't meant to have pets.
OTOH, I do want to point out that, though we may not agree on some of these things, I guess the world really does need more people like you. People who are devoted to animals and willing to give them a loving home no matter what the cost is to them.
I'm not an animal hater. I love all the pets I've ever had growing up. My cat is the first pet I've had since moving away from home.
I'm also very concered with my finances and I am currently trying to get out of debt (student loans). Anything that would set my financial goals back significantly, I consider them to be a major burden, because I don't want to continue being bogged down by debt. I want to eventually own a home and start a family. That won't happen if I'm dropping hundreds or thousands every other month on non-essential things. This is the source of my reasoning. It's not that I believe pets are inanimate, replaceable objects.
Z3N1TH ON3 I think this post really gets to the heart of the matter, your stressed, not just about the cat, about everything.
PLEASE, forgive me for making assumptions based on your few posts, but:
It appears to me that you're just starting what was supposed to be one of the greatest times in your life, only to find that circumstances (student loans, current economic uncertainty, etc.) have hijacked the life you envisioned and left you off-balance? and worried.
Your focus on financial responsibility is commendable given how little there seems to be, in general, in this day and age.
However, in has been my experience that a truly responsible person will attach the same level of importance to all aspects of their life, and that they consider their reputation and character to be an irreplaceable asset.
The choices you make now in fulfilling your commitment to an animal you agreed to protect, may be your first, but certainly not your last, test of your character. In these uncertain times, your actions are the only thing you control, and you are completely responsible for them.
There is no shame in admitting when our good intentions put us in "over our heads" and asking for help.
Years from now, I doubt you'll remember the cost of the damage deposit on your apartment, but you will not be able to forget any damage you do to yourself and your cat by not facing this situation responsibly.
SO, on a practical note:
Here are some Cheap sisal mats that you can put down in the areas your cat is scratching until you find an ethical way to fulfill your obligation to her. Amazon.com: kraco sisal - Home & Kitchen: Home & Garden
Also, there are monetary costs associated with declawing, (please don't declaw her, You wouldn't agree to have a radical mastectomy as elective surgery: bad analogy, sorry) What is the average cost for cat declaw
and that's if there are no complications.
You could be running back and forth to the vet for weeks.
Also, if you think about it further, would you really put her through elective surgery AND then leave her for hours on end to suffer alone? Of course not!
There are no degrees of responsibility, it is absolute, or not at all.
Let us know if you need help you finding resources in your area to help you and your cat through this difficult time.
Actually, I don't think anyone is insinuating anything here. I think we are taking in exactly for what you have said yourself.
I think you came into a group of pet lovers as someone who "isn't attached" to their cat and expected some sort of sympathy and acceptance and now for some very unexplainable reason you are somehow shocked that you are simply not going to find it in this group.
The one we all find empathy for is quite honestly your cat. Many of us have rescued cats just like yours - those who have found their way into shelters for a second or even third time due to irresponsible people who think owning a pet is a hobby or their right as a human being. Those who only want a bit of companionship whenever they are lonely and need a playmate as they watch t.v. on a Saturday night.
OP: When you toss a question out there and ask for advice you are going to get people who give extreme responses and people who don't. When you mentioned that there was a chance you may give up your cat; people who are devoted to their pets and have worked in rescue and know how dire the situation is for cats in shelters (understandably) said things you didn't like. When you ask for advice you have to know that you're not going to like and completely agree with all of it.
In terms of your situation, previous posters have said to explore different types of scratching posts and tell your kitty how good she is when she scratches on the posts. I think those are good suggestions. My cats go immediately to their scratching posts when I get home from work because they want me to talk sweetly to them, tell them they are a good kitty and give them attention (they've missed me!). They've learned that scratching on their posts is the easiest way to immediately get attention. Through repetition and persistance your cat will learn this too. Sprinkle catnip on the posts, put them over the area of the carpet she scratches. You may want to try soft paws so that she can't destroy anything in the interim until she "gets" what you're trying to teach her. And the good thing about all this is it will help you bond with her as well.
Everyone is different when it comes to their pets. I don't think that because you won't take out a second mortgage for your cat, that you're a bad owner. There are too many cats dying in shelters to be so picky about a what a good pet owner means. And like another poster said, if this is your biggest problem in life, you're doing ok!
DON'T YOU EVER judge me or insinuate that i don't love or take care of my pets.
Do you understand me?
You do not know me!
Nope, don't know you. But I'm not going to apologize, because, based on your posts in this thread, I have formed the opinion that you do not want this cat, because she is not "laid back and easy" and I stand by that opinion.
To explain my comment more fully:
I don't know you, but what I do know is what you have posted in your thread. And you have made many statements in this thread that make very clear that there are many things more important to you than this cat. You came here for help, but in your first post you were pretty clear that you want to get rid of her. By your own words, you are not willing to invest any time or money into this cat.
The kitty didn't ask to come live with you and she deserves better than someone who is never home, and feels that she is not worth investing any time or money into. Reread your posts if you do not understand why I have formed this opinion.
As I have said, twice now, but you seem to avoid reading the more positive comments in my posts, is that there is nothing wrong with not being a pet person. Admitting it, to yourself and to others, is a big step.
To you, not spending money on her, and spending time going out, are more important. To me, that says you aren't a good candidate for a pet. Pets have feelings and need socialization company and attention, and often cost a lot of money.
So you made a mistake. Giving this kitty a chance to have a life filled with the attention and care and loving she deserves, in a home where she will get these things, is the most loving thing you can do for her now, since you have repeatedly stated that you do not intend to spend any money or time on her.
Yes. I have had three cats in my family growing up and we took excellent care of them. And God forbid, they were ALL declawed in their front claws. Their behavior did not change as a result of this. They were very affectionate.
One of the cats, who I was particularly fond of, came down with a form of cancer. I remember my mother and I feeding her mush protein through a siringe device, as she was not able to hold down solid food and was not eating on her own. We did this for several weeks, trying to keep her alive because she was an important part of our family. We eventually had to put her down due to the increased pain and suffering. I was much younger then and I cried when we had to do that. It was very painful for me to lose my companion.
I adopted my current cat from a shelter about a year ago. I have provided her with a loving home since then. I recently started a new job that has me home a lot less often than before. So yes, things have changed in my life that are beyond my control. As soon as I get home, the first thing I do is play with her. In fact, I spend a significant time playing with her when I am home. That is all I can do for her. If that's not enough, then yeah, I guess she needs to go back to the shelter.
The disrespect I am receiving on this board is despicable. People are insinuating that I do not care for my cat or provide her with a loving home and that is the furthest thing from the truth. These posters need to step back and re-evaluate the rudeness of their posts.
The disrespect I am receiving on this board is despicable. People are insinuating that I do not care for my cat or provide her with a loving home and that is the furthest thing from the truth. These posters need to step back and re-evaluate the rudeness of their posts.
I'm so confused by your posts. You seem to be so offended by people here implying that you don't care enough for your cat, and yet you divide your time between this thread and the "How much debt would you take on to save your pet's life?" thread you posted over on the finance section where people pat you on the back for not being one of those crazy cat people.
I think your conversations over there are demeaning and insensitive toward anyone who, in your mind, is financially irresponsible enough to spend lots of money on a pet who needs medical attention. Some people view pets as members of their family, and some don't. So you're not a cat or pet person. Why not just leave it at that and stop trying to prove otherwise?
This is where you are wrong. Just because I'm not willing to remortgage my house or take out a ton of debt/expenses to pay for my pet's medical care does not mean that I'm not a cat or pet person.
It means that I have different financial priorities from you and that I believe there is a significant difference in value between an animal member of my family and a human member of my family.
If I had a son or a daughter, I would give my life to save their's. I would not give my life or financial well-being to save an animal's life...EVER!
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