It’s not how cats are , it’s how people are. 

If you’re nice and fun and you play with the cats when they are young you get playful cats that love you and snuggle with you. 

If you’re a stiff, dumb jerk with the cats and don’t play with them and lock them in a room/the basement or whatever you get unloving cats who don’t play. 

It’s YOU, not them. Cats are naturally intensely playful and loving - it’s just that stupid uptight people squash their spirits for them.

This isn't true. We are cat people and have three cats. We adopted all of them from shelters at 6-8 weeks. Our first is super loving and a great pet. Our second two were adopted as a pair from the same litter. One is a great pet, though not quite as affectionate as our first. The second from that litter is all but feral. We have loved on her since she was tiny, but she is so so neurotic. She spends most of her time cowering or sleeping in our closet. I promise we never did anything to her. We didn't have kids when she was little. No trauma after the adoption. Same litter as her brother. Yet she is totally scared of everything. We've been working on her for 10 years and she's still mostly feral.

I have a farm and it is true people drop cats off all the time. I rehome the friendly ones. I have spent a bloody fortune neutering them and getting their shots.

Unfortunately OP’s cats do not sound the type to come up to a stranger when they are scared. These don’t get saved because I can’t save a cat I can’t touch. Also, I have a very territorial barn cat who loves nothing more that to attack and chase away poor city kitties with no real world smarts. PP is right the coyotes get those usually.

However, I do NOT shoot cats. Maybe I should because it would be better than being killed by a fox or coyote. But I love cats.

I don’t get as many dogs here, maybe because the coyotes chase them away. I would not tolerate a dog because I worry it would kill my own cats and dog. It is rare for a dog to attack full grown farm animals. In my area people tend to drop dogs by the highway unfortunately, where they don’t last long.

Farm people usually do love animals but it isn’t fair to make your unwanted pets our problem. I am the one who has to listen to them die at night and it isn’t pretty when coyotes hunt small animals. The shrieking is terrible.

The cats are probably a bit on the feral side and never properly bonded with humans as kittens. That’s soemthing that can’t be fixed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PP: take a drive out to the country, and leave them near a farm. They sound like excellent barn cats.

As a farm owner in rural Frederick County, do NOT do this. We shoot cats (and dogs - it happens a lot, unfortunately) that are dumped on our property - or those that don't get eaten by foxes or coyotes first. Farm country is not a place for city idiots who don't want to be responsible, to dump their problems or inconveniences. Swallow your pride, and turn your cats back into the rescue you got them from.

Wow. Why? How hard would it be to hold a domesticated dog until Animal Control came to get it?

The people I know who live on farms love dogs and all animals in general. If a sweet, hungry hound wandered onto their property they would be more likely to offer the dog their own dinner than they would be to shoot it.

That said, of course you don't just drop an animal off on somebody else's property. Poor dog would be likely hit by a passing truck before a farmer even realized it was there.

It can take days for AC to get out to us because farms aren't really a priority in the county (this isn't like being in a city with city AC, where a shelter is a block or two away) and stray animals can and will chase livestock enough to cause injury or death. We have enough experience with losing poultry and high vet bills from injured cows/horses that we euthanize strays as to not take a chance, and most of our dairy farm neighbors practice some sort of SSS (Shoot, Shovel, Shut-up). City cats usually don't last long at all because of natural predators and disease, and unfortunately, it's not a pretty hound or a poodle or that is dumped, it's unwanted pit/rot mixes that can and do kill calves/goats/poultry and horses.

Ok. So why can’t OP just bring her cats to your farm? Sounds like the cat problem will be solved quickly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PP: take a drive out to the country, and leave them near a farm. They sound like excellent barn cats.

As a farm owner in rural Frederick County, do NOT do this. We shoot cats (and dogs - it happens a lot, unfortunately) that are dumped on our property - or those that don't get eaten by foxes or coyotes first. Farm country is not a place for city idiots who don't want to be responsible, to dump their problems or inconveniences. Swallow your pride, and turn your cats back into the rescue you got them from.

Wow. Why? How hard would it be to hold a domesticated dog until Animal Control came to get it?

The people I know who live on farms love dogs and all animals in general. If a sweet, hungry hound wandered onto their property they would be more likely to offer the dog their own dinner than they would be to shoot it.

That said, of course you don't just drop an animal off on somebody else's property. Poor dog would be likely hit by a passing truck before a farmer even realized it was there.

It can take days for AC to get out to us because farms aren't really a priority in the county (this isn't like being in a city with city AC, where a shelter is a block or two away) and stray animals can and will chase livestock enough to cause injury or death. We have enough experience with losing poultry and high vet bills from injured cows/horses that we euthanize strays as to not take a chance, and most of our dairy farm neighbors practice some sort of SSS (Shoot, Shovel, Shut-up). City cats usually don't last long at all because of natural predators and disease, and unfortunately, it's not a pretty hound or a poodle or that is dumped, it's unwanted pit/rot mixes that can and do kill calves/goats/poultry and horses.

As someone who knows a farmer who has animals dumped on her property on a regular basis I can tell you that this is true. It’s either the shot gun or the kill shelter for your pet ASAP. And if they catch you I hope that you can run fast too!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever had cats before? They are not dogs. Just because they don't let you hold them doesn't mean they're not bonded to you. That said, it sounds like you really don't care about them, so I would look at surrendering them to one of the many rescue organizations around here. We got our two cats from Lost Dog and Cat Rescue - they are a great organization.

Op here. Hoping to meet the actual person(s) they would go to, so I don't want to resort to giving them to a rescue org. We got them from a rescue org, one that misled us into believing the cats 'would come around' to being loving.

This is such a strange statement and one I have a hard time understanding a rescue org would say. I would think they might have said they wouldn't been so skittish or scared after awhile, but loving? You can never guarantee that with cats. They love you in their own way, but not all cats will love to be held, sit on your lap, sleep with you. It just isn't how cats are.

It’s not how cats are , it’s how people are.

If you’re nice and fun and you play with the cats when they are young you get playful cats that love you and snuggle with you.

If you’re a stiff, dumb jerk with the cats and don’t play with them and lock them in a room/the basement or whatever you get unloving cats who don’t play.

It’s YOU, not them. Cats are naturally intensely playful and loving - it’s just that stupid uptight people squash their spirits for them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PP: take a drive out to the country, and leave them near a farm. They sound like excellent barn cats.

As a farm owner in rural Frederick County, do NOT do this. We shoot cats (and dogs - it happens a lot, unfortunately) that are dumped on our property - or those that don't get eaten by foxes or coyotes first. Farm country is not a place for city idiots who don't want to be responsible, to dump their problems or inconveniences. Swallow your pride, and turn your cats back into the rescue you got them from.

Wow. Why? How hard would it be to hold a domesticated dog until Animal Control came to get it?

The people I know who live on farms love dogs and all animals in general. If a sweet, hungry hound wandered onto their property they would be more likely to offer the dog their own dinner than they would be to shoot it.

That said, of course you don't just drop an animal off on somebody else's property. Poor dog would be likely hit by a passing truck before a farmer even realized it was there.

It can take days for AC to get out to us because farms aren't really a priority in the county (this isn't like being in a city with city AC, where a shelter is a block or two away) and stray animals can and will chase livestock enough to cause injury or death. We have enough experience with losing poultry and high vet bills from injured cows/horses that we euthanize strays as to not take a chance, and most of our dairy farm neighbors practice some sort of SSS (Shoot, Shovel, Shut-up). City cats usually don't last long at all because of natural predators and disease, and unfortunately, it's not a pretty hound or a poodle or that is dumped, it's unwanted pit/rot mixes that can and do kill calves/goats/poultry and horses.

Anonymous wrote:

Don't come when called.

After this comment, I have doubts that you have had cats before.

I've had cats all my life, some cuddly and some completely aloof. None of them come when called. They're not dogs.

Let me clue you in a little about our friends Felis Catus OP, as you sound like you have VERY unrealistic expectations when it comes to your cats.

In a nutshell; cats are self centered, stuck up, entitled & downright haughty.

If I ever tried to make one of my cats come on command by calling their name, I'll tell you exactly what would happen...

First, they'd glare up at me in utter disbelief and utilize the scowl of animosity & loathing for daring to interrupt them during one of their 9 hour groom-a-thon baths. In perfect unison, they'd roll their eyes HARD at one another, silently judging me & wondering if I'm being obtuse for making such a ridiculous attempt. Then comes the ol' squinted side eye, as they try to determine whether I'd smacked my head on the pavement to even make such an ill fated request. Finally, they'll give me the middle finger, toss their food bowl at my head & silently comiserate with one another just how rough they have it & why is good help so hard to come by?

Look op, cats are b!tches who come on their own time & not a millisecond sooner.
Are you telling me that you've owned not one, but multiple cats who come on command? Come on.

It sounds like you're grasping at straws looking for reasons, especially since you have your perfect dog now.

If you wanted them to come or play, you should've bought them that cat toy with the long stick & feathers dangling down from the end of it. No cats can resist playing with that... even if it's for just a few minutes.

Sorry, but it sounds like you expected them to make ALL the effort by pro-actively coming to you.
You had unrealistic expectations and YOU set them up for failure.

They never even had a chance, did they?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PP: take a drive out to the country, and leave them near a farm. They sound like excellent barn cats.

As a farm owner in rural Frederick County, do NOT do this. We shoot cats (and dogs - it happens a lot, unfortunately) that are dumped on our property - or those that don't get eaten by foxes or coyotes first. Farm country is not a place for city idiots who don't want to be responsible, to dump their problems or inconveniences. Swallow your pride, and turn your cats back into the rescue you got them from.

Wow. Why? How hard would it be to hold a domesticated dog until Animal Control came to get it?

The people I know who live on farms love dogs and all animals in general. If a sweet, hungry hound wandered onto their property they would be more likely to offer the dog their own dinner than they would be to shoot it.

That said, of course you don't just drop an animal off on somebody else's property. Poor dog would be likely hit by a passing truck before a farmer even realized it was there.

You should die.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with PP: take a drive out to the country, and leave them near a farm. They sound like excellent barn cats.

As a farm owner in rural Frederick County, do NOT do this. We shoot cats (and dogs - it happens a lot, unfortunately) that are dumped on our property - or those that don't get eaten by foxes or coyotes first. Farm country is not a place for city idiots who don't want to be responsible, to dump their problems or inconveniences. Swallow your pride, and turn your cats back into the rescue you got them from.

I agree with PP: take a drive out to the country, and leave them near a farm. They sound like excellent barn cats.

Anonymous wrote:np here. people are being so mean to the OP. With you all around, why would anyone try and adopt a cat vs. getting a purebreed kitten? You bashers need to think about the consequences of your criticisms, as you are not helping the pet adoption situation.

OP gave them a chance and they are not working out in the household. She's trying to do what's right for her household AND not take the easy way out--she's also trying to do what's right for the cats.

I applaud you, OP. Let us know what you decide to do.

+1

If the OP didn't care, she would have abandoned the cats a long time ago.

np here. people are being so mean to the OP. With you all around, why would anyone try and adopt a cat vs. getting a purebreed kitten? You bashers need to think about the consequences of your criticisms, as you are not helping the pet adoption situation.

OP gave them a chance and they are not working out in the household. She's trying to do what's right for her household AND not take the easy way out--she's also trying to do what's right for the cats.

I applaud you, OP. Let us know what you decide to do.

I'm judging you hard but going to offer advice anyway.

Go back to the original rescue--it's a part of the contract and they are obligated to take them.

Unless you offer a generous donation you will have a very hard time getting another group to take them because they usually pull from shelters. You might try an organization that specializes in feral cats because they will be more accustomed to dealing with cats like this. Offer money. They will have to do a lot of work to place them in home.