I’m a horrible person
Lewis had been acting odd the last few days, so I took him to the vet today. Turns out, he has two bad puncture wounds from another cat in his neck. Now he’s wearing a neck cone, and I have to give him antibiotics and pain meds the next 10 days.
So, this marks the end of our attempt to make them outside cats. :-( I feel horrible, forcing them outside when they obviously don’t want to be there.
The other option is anti-anxiety meds for the cats. We need to get some bloodwork done to make sure they are healthy enough, and then we’ll go there. If this doesn’t work… I don’t even know where to go from there.
I have contacted several no-kill shelters in Atlanta, and all are full. I have put ads on Petfinder.com and Craigslist. But seriously, who is going to want a cat who pees everywhere? I don’t have much hope that I’ll be able to find another home for them.
I cried all the way home from the vet. I feel like I have just been so overwhelmed with everything lately, and I am between a rock and a hard place with these cats. I am trying to do right, and the thought of having them euthanized just breaks my heart. And I feel like a horrible person for forcing them outside and then having them get attacked by a neighborhood cat. They don’t even like being outside. I feel caught in this house I don’t like with these horrible smells all throughout it, and I can’t do anything about it.
5 thoughts on “I’m a horrible person”
Aw, I’m so sorry! Animals can be cruel to each other. :(
I’m probably going to sound anti-animal here, but once upon a time, I had to send two cats to a no-kill shelter because it became an issue of my sanity or their presence in my home. I could no longer go on dealing with the issues of cohabiting with animals. That experience made me a strict observer of a humans-only rule in my house! I would have been pushed there much harder and much faster had there been a child involved.
So, all that to say, I support your decision to move on from your time as a cat owner. Being a mom can really clash with this other role, and obviously, your role as mom must supercede.
There will be an opening (or two) soon enough with the shelters. Keep trying. Your animals will eventually find new homes and you will eventually find that peace and cleanliness you’re craving for your domicile. You’re NOT a horrible person for wanting these things.
I feel the same as Becky, just because you might not have a pet cat doesn’t make you a cat lover at heart. Being a mommy is most important, and keeping your sanity! I’m sure there will be a time again later when a cat can come back into your life. Don’t feel horrible! With all that you’ve had going on lately it’s hard to keep up with everything!
Thanks, guys. I will keep trying at the shelters. I wonder if I adopted 2 cats if they’d take mine? ;-) Hehe I think two OTHER cats would do fine – cats who didn’t know life before Savannah, who were used to the commotion of a baby. I hope to keep owning cats… though I probably would wait until after baby #2 at the earliest, maybe even waiting until after we are done (baby #3?).
I feel like a horrible person because I forced the cats outside when they didn’t want to go, and then Lewis got hurt. I hope he’s okay. I have to get him tested for Feline Leukemia in 6 months. My first cat, Misty, died from that – it’s contagious between cats and my cats weren’t vaccinated for it (since they had always been indoors).
I’ve always had animals growing up, and was known as the animal-lover in the family. After getting married – and even more so after having kids – my priorities shifted. We made our dog outdoor-only when she kept peeing and pooping all over the place, and tied her up when she kept running off. I used to take her with me everywhere I went, but she always went to the bathroom in the car, even though we would take her for numerous potty breaks.
I tried having indoor cats, but they would stand at the doors and windows and meow and howl, and it drove me crazy… so I opted for indoor/outdoor. Then they started bringing fleas and ticks inside, and getting them in the crib, so I kicked ’em out.
Well, we’re pet-free right now. As much as I love animals… or maybe I just like them from afar… I like that I don’t have the extra responsibility on my plate. Maybe when the kids are older we’ll think about pets again.
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