Sell me on cats

[Reynard]

We decided not to get another cat for the opposite reason, after our latest one died.

We thought there was a good chance any new cat we got would outlive us - my wife is 74, I am 65, and every cat we have owned has lived to at least 18 years, some over 20 years, apart from one which got run over.

Have you thought about fostering for a rescue instead?

OK, not Cats Protection, who now have a policy of no fosterers over the age of 70, but independents and the welfare arms of cat breed clubs are always looking out for volunteers. Whether it's taking on mums with kittens, or having somewhere that the oldies can go to live out their lives in comfort, there's always a way of taking on a cat without strings attached.

 

[lazybloke]

There is one nasty aspect to having a cat (or dog or probably some other pets). You will become very attached to them and chances are you will outlive them and reasonable chance you will have to say "Yes" to the vet. And that is very very difficult. Losing them is bad enough but having to make that decision to authorise the vet even worse. And when you decide to take on a pet you are almost certainly taking on that final decision and loss.

As I commented above these days for me dogs are my focus but I know of 2 people who had several dogs but after losing the last decided "no more" as losing them was just too traumatic.

Sorry to be a bit negative.

Ian

I've had too many trips to the vet like that over the years; One of the vets used to run out of the room afterwards in floods of tears.
They go into the job because they love animals, and spend their days putting them down. Awful.

 

[november4]

Hate cats, love dogs and birds

 

[Time Waster]

There was a south african vet online post that went viral about putting a pet down (in that case a dog). He basically said if that is needed do not leave it to the vets to handle but actually be in the room comforting the dog. It was a long and emotive post about how the dogs last moments are in fear desparately looking out for someone they know like their owner.

I read it and knew there and then I would never put our dog down without me being in the room with it. No matter how much it scarred me I would not let my dog die like that without me being there, trying to comfort it. Jeez! I am getting emotional just thinking about my dog feeling like that vet wrote about. It is just wrong and I do implore you all, if you have to have your dog or cat put down thenbe there for it. Do not let it happen without you.

If you ever doubt it then I hope someone finds that post by the vet and puts it up here. It will affect you and make you be with your pet in the last moments.

 

[Mo1959]

There was a south african vet online post that went viral about putting a pet down (in that case a dog). He basically said if that is needed do not leave it to the vets to handle but actually be in the room comforting the dog. It was a long and emotive post about how the dogs last moments are in fear desparately looking out for someone they know like their owner.

I read it and knew there and then I would never put our dog down without me being in the room with it. No matter how much it scarred me I would not let my dog die like that without me being there, trying to comfort it. Jeez! I am getting emotional just thinking about my dog feeling like that vet wrote about. It is just wrong and I do implore you all, if you have to have your dog or cat put down thenbe there for it. Do not let it happen without you.

If you ever doubt it then I hope someone finds that post by the vet and puts it up here. It will affect you and make you be with your pet in the last moments.

Totally agree. It’s the final act of kindness you do for them no matter how awful it is.

 

[raleighnut]

There was a south african vet online post that went viral about putting a pet down (in that case a dog). He basically said if that is needed do not leave it to the vets to handle but actually be in the room comforting the dog. It was a long and emotive post about how the dogs last moments are in fear desparately looking out for someone they know like their owner.

I read it and knew there and then I would never put our dog down without me being in the room with it. No matter how much it scarred me I would not let my dog die like that without me being there, trying to comfort it. Jeez! I am getting emotional just thinking about my dog feeling like that vet wrote about. It is just wrong and I do implore you all, if you have to have your dog or cat put down thenbe there for it. Do not let it happen without you.

If you ever doubt it then I hope someone finds that post by the vet and puts it up here. It will affect you and make you be with your pet in the last moments.

I've always been there when any of my pets that needed to be put to sleep in order to remove their suffering. There was one Cat who was really ill and the vet didn't hold out much hope for him but gave him an injection and told me he was very dehydrated and hungry and to hand feed/water him and return in 2 days, she didn't know that I was prepared to look after him for 48hrs giving him alternate syringes* filled with water and slightly diluted 'pate' style Cat food. When I returned she actually thought it was a different Cat, not completely recovered yet but well on the mend as she was prepared to have to euthanise the poor lad. He went on for another 5 years.

* When syringe feeding you need to put the food into the side of their mouth and angled slightly upwards towards the roof of the mouth to prevent it going into their lungs.

 

[DCLane]

@raleighnut - son no. 1's Manx was similarly unwell and I hand-fed him expensive small pieces of roast beef as that was all he would eat.

A few days later he went out and I saw him going down the road with what appeared to be a rabbit. He was all happy with himself afterwards and three years later is still fine - he's 14 now.

 

[Mike_P]

A neighbours cat has a bell. So used it that when he loses it along with his collar he goes home and "asks" for a new one. That alerts wildlife so the "gifts" he takes home are feathers.

Found out today mice are also "gifted", a bit different to another neighbours former cat who decided chasing a mouse in her house was too much hard work. I got called in by her to evacuate the mouse while the cat just watched.

 

[raleighnut]

Found out today mice are also "gifted", a bit different to another neighbours former cat who decided chasing a mouse in her house was too much hard work. I got called in by her to evacuate the mouse while the cat just watched.

One of my Cats used to bring Mice in and release them, dunno which one, I seem to remeber @Reynard having a similar problem

 

[Reynard]

One of my Cats used to bring Mice in and release them, dunno which one, I seem to remeber @Reynard having a similar problem

I did. With the much-missed Madam Poppy.

Madam Lexi just rips the head off and leaves them for the postie to step on.

 

[fossyant]

Hate cats, love dogs and birds

TTFN then...

 

[stephec]

The trouble with cats is that they're not content with just their own garden, they always end up trying to invade next door.

 

[slowmotion]

Cat owners make great claims for the cleanliness of their pets.

How come their houses stink of cat piss and fishy cat food? I suppose that they are just habituated to it.

 

[Alex321]

Cat owners make great claims for the cleanliness of their pets.

How come their houses stink of cat piss and fishy cat food? I suppose that they are just habituated to it.

Any that do that are not looking after their cats well.