Need to blow off some steam!

[EMSnurse]

I have had pets all of my life. They have always been clean, neutered, and indoors. When I met dh and got married, I had one cat and one tiny dog. He had a cat, so she came as part of the deal. She has not been declawed and is not spayed. That was several years ago. In the meatime, my elderly cat and dog both passed away. I got myself another tiny dog. My son got deployed to Kosovo, and guess who got to cat-sit? She is still with us 4 yrs later, also unspayed and not declawed. On August 30th, dh's cat got out somehow. On Aug 31st, we were awakened at 3 am by a squalling sound under the porch, which turned out to be a tiny drenched kitten. Being an animal lover, I couldn't leave it outside. So, the two clawed cats have destroyed my furniture, door frames, carpet, etc. The stray has brought fleas into my house. Dh's cat is now pregnant. I just spent $77 I can't afford getting preggers-safe flea control, I have a stray I can't find a home for, and another litter on the way. ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!! Okay, I feel better (sort of).

[Aloha from paradise]

I can relate to the furniture. None of my cats are declawed but all are fixed. I think it's wonderful you took the kitten in:) A lot of people would not have done that. Maybe after the kittens are born and weaned you can get the adults fixed.

[EMSnurse]

I can relate to the furniture. None of my cats are declawed but all are fixed. I think it's wonderful you took the kitten in:) A lot of people would not have done that. Maybe after the kittens are born and weaned you can get the adults fixed.

We are definately getting them fixed. We haven't been able to afford it before, but had decided that we should be able to get it done in about a month. All this time with no "accidents", and just before we can finally afford to get them fixed...I just want to take my little pooch and pull the covers over our heads.

[Shann]

I can understand your frustration :hug you should look around online, I know quite a few places offer low cost spay/neutering and will send you a certificate to give your vet. That might lighten the load, def let them know at least one of them is a stray that you took in, that will help. :)

[Bahet]

Was your DH opposed to getting his cat fixed or something? I realize the cat came as part of the package but I'd have gotten it spayed if DH didn't.

[EMSnurse]

Was your DH opposed to getting his cat fixed or something? I realize the cat came as part of the package but I'd have gotten it spayed if DH didn't.


When he first moved in, he was opposed, but I convinced him. Unfortunately, we had been unable to afford it. Now, that we can afford it, too late. It WILL be happening once the kittens are weaned.

[dangerousfem]

If you contact your local animal shelter.. especially the SPCA and tell them you have strays you want to get fixed, they will send you certificates for half off.

[LadyLuna81]

How far along is the momma cat? Most vets will do a spay even while they are pregnant. And, the 77 dollars you spent on pregnant safe flea control could have spayed her at many places.

I also don't understand why you took in another animal (your new dog) when you couldn't afford vet procedures for the animals you did have.

Insofar as the scratching issue, have you provided them with proper places to scratch? Tried clipping their nails?

[EMSnurse]

How far along is the momma cat? Most vets will do a spay even while they are pregnant. And, the 77 dollars you spent on pregnant safe flea control could have spayed her at many places.

I also don't understand why you took in another animal (your new dog) when you couldn't afford vet procedures for the animals you did have.

Insofar as the scratching issue, have you provided them with proper places to scratch? Tried clipping their nails?

My animals all see the vet for their routine health care, and if they get sick. They are all healthy and well cared for. I took in the stray because I couldn't in good conscience leave that tiny thing outside, in a thunderstorm, crying a the top of her tiny lungs. I am actively trying to find a home for her, I have no intention of keeping her. The cats have scratching posts, and dh trims their nails religiously. It is primarily his cat that does the damage, she is simply and ill-mannered animal, and for some reason, he adores her. By the time I had convinced him to get them fixed, we had a family crisis that kept us from being able to afford optional things. As I said earlier, now that we can go ahead and get them spayed, it's too late. Our vet charges $85 per cat, double that if they are pregnant. I doubt he would let me do that anyway. I don't know why I felt the need to explain this to you, I guess I felt like you were judging me when you don't know anything about our situation. So just to be clear, we are clean, not on welfare, and our animals are healthy. I simply needed to vent about the unexpected hassles with these animals. Just for the record, my dog was neutered as soon as he was old enough, because it was my choice and not that of my dh.

[EMSnurse]

The cats will be getting fixed asap. The pregnant one as soon as the kittens are weaned, the other one in a few weeks from now. I'm going to see what I can do about taking the kitten to the humane society here since they have have a "no kill" cat shelter. I just have to figure out when I can take off work to do it. That have an after hours drop box, but that seems a bit odd to me, after all, it's a kitten, not a library book. What if someone dropped a kitten-eating pit bull in there first? Anyway, I will check on discount spay coupons while I'm there, our vet participates in their program.

[LadyLuna81]

I didn't want to sound like a ..um...female dog :) which is why I hadn't responded at first. I, too, would have taken the kitten in. I wasn't judging about that at all. And I realize now that it seems to be your husband that was against spaying the cat. I don't get why some people are so against it, but I do understand that some are and that you must have tried your best to convince him.

A lot of human societies have weekend hours, try to see if they'll let you bring kitty in then.

I also know a lot of people wouldn't spay a pregnant cat because of their abortion beliefs. I didn't know how you'd feel about it, or if you knew it was an option.

And I never meant any of it this to claim you weren't clean people, or on welfare, etc. I'm not either, but there were times when I couldn't take an animal in because I knew I couldn't afford it. Being poor doesn't mean dirty or welfare at all.

[EMSnurse]

I didn't want to sound like a ..um...female dog :) which is why I hadn't responded at first. I, too, would have taken the kitten in. I wasn't judging about that at all. And I realize now that it seems to be your husband that was against spaying the cat. I don't get why some people are so against it, but I do understand that some are and that you must have tried your best to convince him.

A lot of human societies have weekend hours, try to see if they'll let you bring kitty in then.

I also know a lot of people wouldn't spay a pregnant cat because of their abortion beliefs. I didn't know how you'd feel about it, or if you knew it was an option.

And I never meant any of it this to claim you weren't clean people, or on welfare, etc. I'm not either, but there were times when I couldn't take an animal in because I knew I couldn't afford it. Being poor doesn't mean dirty or welfare at all.

I know you weren't trying to be...well, you know...but that's one of the reasons I am so frustrated. I have always been a responsible pet owner. For years I didn't have pets because I didn't feel I could afford them. When I could, I got the dog and the cat. Now I feel as if I have been forced in to doing just the opposite. It has always been one of my pet peeves, people who let their animals breed indiscriminately, and now here I am, because someone in my household was being irresponsible and let the cat out, because someone wouldn't let me get them fixed when I wanted to. I have more cats than I want, one of each would suit me just fine. Our Humane Society doesn't have weekend hours, so I am just going to take 1/2 of vacation and take the kitten. I'm working toward finding homes for the new kittens, if I'm lucky, I can have them all adopted before they're born. Within a couple of months I should be back down to two cats, which is where I will be from now on. My son took an apt that doesn't allow pets when he got back from Kosovo, so I might as well consider his cat permanent. Oh, and dh does not believe in aborting the kittens, I however, would if I could. As far as the household destruction, I just told dh I hope he likes the shredded couch and table and carpet, because it will have to do until the cats die of old age. I refuse to pay thousands of dollars for new scratching posts. I'd rather sit on the floor.