Seeking a good home for my cats :(

[Anonymous]

I feel badly for the OP since she clearly has taken giving up the cats as her ultimate last option. She clearly loves them dearly, dearly enough to hold on to them anyway and suffer-on if the solution is anything less than ideal for her pets. If you must criticize her choices, please try to do it in as gentle a manner as you would if you were face to face with her.

OP: there is a rescue organization that I'm aware of (Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation) that is a no-kill non-profit organization. I believe that their cats live in "foster" homes until homes are found for them. This might be less stressful and adjustment/daily life for your special-needs cats. I don't however know that LDCRF can accept them, but it's worth a call. Also try Googling other no-kill organizations in the area or call the Humane Society/SPCA and ask if they know of any people or groups that could help you. They will also have the best interest of your loving pets at heart.

All of this being said - I also have 2 cats that we had a tough time reconciling into our new life with baby and a move. We still don't play with them or lavish them with the physical affection that we used to (and I feel terribly about it). But they are cats and their needs are basic. Unlike dogs you can leave them for a weekend with food and water. And having 2 cats is great b/c they have company. Don't take yourself to task too harshly. Continue to give your cat his shots, continue to feed them and clean the litterbox - don't worry about anything else. Perhaps you will find as the other posters have said that your perspective changes over time, or perhaps you will find a new home for your cats that you approve of, but whatever the outcome you have many of our support. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG. I don't even know what to say. This is just too heartbreaking that you are looking to discard 2 elderly cats, one of whom is diabetic, who have been your companions for their entire lives. They are YOUR responsibility. You chose to have a baby and live where you live knowing you had this responsibility. If you are overwhelmed, try anything and everything else before you get rid of 2 family members. Talking to friends, moving, cutting back on other expenses, counseling, whatever. This is truly awful.

I agree...

[Anonymous]

OP, I am sorry for your situation. I have a dog and two cats, and I LOOVE my pets, esp the dog, who were my world until my son was born, and I find myself sometimes yelling at the dog to leave the baby alone (she's just sniffing), etc. I think you are just overwhelmed (not saying "just" to minimize it). Please give it some time... my son, now almost 21 mos, LOOOVES our pets, esp the cats frankly. I think things will get better... Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I am the 16:42 poster and am sorry if my post felt like "piling on" ... Like the 19:10 post, I was hoping to offer recognition and support -- I've been there, it's really really hard -- and encouragement -- if you give it some time, you may see that things get better and you'll be glad for having held on. I know you've got an apartment move coming up -- maybe you could see if there's someone who could help with the cats temporarily during the move? Might be easier to find temporary care than a new home for them. Best of luck to you and everyone in your family.

[Anonymous]

i come from a perspective of both having been the mother of a newborn & having worked at a rescue and tell people that if people this society did not have a "disposable" view of their animals then shelters would not be the way they are. people do dispose of animals for the same reasons they dispose of old clothing - their life circumstances change and instead of keeping a commitmant it is easier just to forget about it.

my in-laws think i should get rid of my two cats because i am moving to the d.c. area and they will be an extra expense as far as pet deposits & in some cases rent. of course i could never fathom throwing them away because it is more convienant than working a little harder or doing without somewhere else.

how would the OP feel if her husband dropped her because she's changed since the baby or his lifestyle changed or maybe 10 years from now when he might be feeling a mid-life crisis comming on. but it all goes back to commitmants & yes we all change & life changes within 10 years when we first made the commitmant but that does not make the commitmant any less significant.

ther is a quote by Ghandi that i find to be very interesting when examining how different people treat their animals:

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

since society is made of individuals that can be applied i believe to individuals as well.

[Anonymous]

OP- I'm another person who feels like I could have written your post this time last year. Our two cats were our babies before we had our baby. Then along comes DS and they suddenly seemd like just two other "people" to take care of. In addition to feeling guilty that I was giving them none of the love and attention they got pre-baby, I resented the extra work they caused.

During the rough months, DH pretty much took over kitty care, as I did the majority of baby care. That helped a lot. Now DS is 13 months, sleeps 12 hours a night and life has gotten so much easier for all of us. DS LOVES the kitties and lets out this adorable little scream any time he sees one of them. One of them keeps away, but the other lets DS yank his tail, pull his whiskers, and tackle him. It's so cute!

[Anonymous]

maybe bc I am not a cat person, I am going to stick up for the OP-if you cannot take care of the cats anymore, then you can't take care of the cats anymore. While I agree that finding another home for them will be difficult, if having them is causing you a lot of stress you need to do what is best for your family. Life is full of tough decisions and I think forcing yourself to take care of the cats will only cause your resentment to add up making life unpleasant. I hope you find a home for them but do what feels right for you.

[Anonymous]

PP, I think your first line says it "you're not a cat person." I'm not saying you're right or wrong but to those of us who are "cat people" or animal people or whatever, I think it is fair to say that we have different views on the disposability of animals. And, fwiw, I think that OP's first post makes clear that she does love her cats (i.e., is a cat person) and that's why I think she'd regret making this decision under the stress of the first few months of recovery/post-partum.