Thinking about acquiring another owner

In our Saturday paper (the Oregonian), there is always a focus on
pets and pet issues, and there is always a column in which they
feature an animal in need of a forever home.

This past Saturday, the local no-kill shelter (Cat Adoption Team)
had a picture of an older, longish-hair black cat.

Who looked so much like Belle (my heart cat, RB) that I burst
into tears. I miss my kitties!

Since, DH and I have been discussing if, and how, we might make a
go of it with another animal. We paid the pet deposit on the
apartment, so that's not an issue. But can we really feed and
appropriately vet a new owner? I want to be sure, because I don't
want to be in the position of "she seems sick, but we can't
afford the vet". That's why we rehomed all our other animals more
than a year ago.

But oh, I miss my kitties.

Deborah

"Phoenix" wrote in message
...
In our Saturday paper (the Oregonian), there is always a focus on pets and
pet issues, and there is always a column in which they feature an animal
in need of a forever home.

This past Saturday, the local no-kill shelter (Cat Adoption Team) had a
picture of an older, longish-hair black cat.

Who looked so much like Belle (my heart cat, RB) that I burst into tears.
I miss my kitties!

Since, DH and I have been discussing if, and how, we might make a go of it
with another animal. We paid the pet deposit on the apartment, so that's
not an issue. But can we really feed and appropriately vet a new owner? I
want to be sure, because I don't want to be in the position of "she seems
sick, but we can't afford the vet". That's why we rehomed all our other
animals more than a year ago.

But oh, I miss my kitties.

Deborah

Purrs for the right decision to become clear.

Joy

"Phoenix" wrote in message
...
In our Saturday paper (the Oregonian), there is always a focus on pets and
pet issues, and there is always a column in which they feature an animal
in need of a forever home.

This past Saturday, the local no-kill shelter (Cat Adoption Team) had a
picture of an older, longish-hair black cat.

Who looked so much like Belle (my heart cat, RB) that I burst into tears.
I miss my kitties!

Since, DH and I have been discussing if, and how, we might make a go of it
with another animal. We paid the pet deposit on the apartment, so that's
not an issue. But can we really feed and appropriately vet a new owner? I
want to be sure, because I don't want to be in the position of "she seems
sick, but we can't afford the vet". That's why we rehomed all our other
animals more than a year ago.

But oh, I miss my kitties.

Deborah

{{{{{{Deborah}}}}}} It's a tough decision. I'm of a mind that you need to
look after yourselves first. Times are tough. Try not to make an emotional
decision. Cats *do* need vet care, often unexpectedly. I'd love for you to
have a new owner, don't get me wrong. But not if it's likely to put you in
financial dire straights.

Jill

Phoenix wrote in
:

In our Saturday paper (the Oregonian), there is always a focus on
pets and pet issues, and there is always a column in which they
feature an animal in need of a forever home.

This past Saturday, the local no-kill shelter (Cat Adoption Team)
had a picture of an older, longish-hair black cat.

Who looked so much like Belle (my heart cat, RB) that I burst
into tears. I miss my kitties!

Since, DH and I have been discussing if, and how, we might make a
go of it with another animal. We paid the pet deposit on the
apartment, so that's not an issue. But can we really feed and
appropriately vet a new owner? I want to be sure, because I don't
want to be in the position of "she seems sick, but we can't
afford the vet". That's why we rehomed all our other animals more
than a year ago.

But oh, I miss my kitties.

Deborah

I know you miss them, but what if kitty gets very sick and needs $1000
worth of surgery. You can only get one if you can afford the unexpected.
Wish I could be more positive

Bobble

On Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:42:13 +0000 (UTC), Bobble
wrote:

Phoenix wrote in
:

In our Saturday paper (the Oregonian), there is always a focus on
pets and pet issues, and there is always a column in which they
feature an animal in need of a forever home.

This past Saturday, the local no-kill shelter (Cat Adoption Team)
had a picture of an older, longish-hair black cat.

Who looked so much like Belle (my heart cat, RB) that I burst
into tears. I miss my kitties!

Since, DH and I have been discussing if, and how, we might make a
go of it with another animal. We paid the pet deposit on the
apartment, so that's not an issue. But can we really feed and
appropriately vet a new owner? I want to be sure, because I don't
want to be in the position of "she seems sick, but we can't
afford the vet". That's why we rehomed all our other animals more
than a year ago.

But oh, I miss my kitties.

Deborah

I know you miss them, but what if kitty gets very sick and needs $1000
worth of surgery. You can only get one if you can afford the unexpected.
Wish I could be more positive

Bobble

If that was the case, we'd never have got one cat, let alone ended up
with our crew... we've been fortunate that none of them have ever
needed much vet care. We don't have a thousand dollars to spare for
HUMAN care, let alone the cats. That doesn't mean we love them any
less! When they need to go to the vet, we take them and expect it to
cost $150 or thereabouts - one cat's been in once for hairballs, one's
been twice for minor infections (lord only knows how she catches them
being inside-only and a scaredycat to boot), and the third has never
needed the vet in six years. They're healthy, youngish inside-only
cats, and allowing $500 a year for vet care between the three of them
is more than adequate, barring emergencies.

If you have a reliable roof over your head, enough money to keep your
furbaby in store-brand kibble, litter, and canned food without having
to starve yourself to pay for it, and enough time and attention to
look after it, I'd say go for it. Just don't adopt a geriatric or
special-needs kitty if you know you can't afford to pay for the vet
care that they'll need.

On Oct 21, 10:14*pm, Kajikit wrote:
On Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:42:13 +0000 (UTC), Bobble
wrote:





Phoenix wrote in
:

In our Saturday paper (the Oregonian), there is always a focus on
pets and pet issues, and there is always a column in which they
feature an animal in need of a forever home.

This past Saturday, the local no-kill shelter (Cat Adoption Team)
had a picture of an older, longish-hair black cat.

Who looked so much like Belle (my heart cat, RB) that I burst
into tears. I miss my kitties!

Since, DH and I have been discussing if, and how, we might make a
go of it with another animal. We paid the pet deposit on the
apartment, so that's not an issue. But can we really feed and
appropriately vet a new owner? I want to be sure, because I don't
want to be in the position of "she seems sick, but we can't
afford the vet". That's why we rehomed all our other animals more
than a year ago.

But oh, I miss my kitties.

Deborah

I know you miss them, but what if kitty gets very sick and needs $1000
worth of surgery. *You can only get one if you can afford the unexpected. *
Wish I could be more positive

Bobble

If that was the case, we'd never have got one cat, let alone ended up
with our crew... we've been fortunate that none of them have ever
needed much vet care. We don't have a thousand dollars to spare for
HUMAN care, let alone the cats. That doesn't mean we love them any
less! When they need to go to the vet, we take them and expect it to
cost $150 or thereabouts - one cat's been in once for hairballs, one's
been twice for minor infections (lord only knows how she catches them
being inside-only and a scaredycat to boot), and the third has never
needed the vet in six years. They're healthy, youngish inside-only
cats, and allowing $500 a year for vet care between the three of them
is more than adequate, barring emergencies.

If you have a reliable roof over your head, enough money to keep your
furbaby in store-brand kibble, litter, and canned food without having
to starve yourself to pay for it, and enough time and attention to
look after it, I'd say go for it. Just don't adopt a geriatric or
special-needs kitty if you know you can't afford to pay for the vet
care that they'll need.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Karen, is Tessie the one you speak of that you have had six years???
That
can't be! It just seems a short time ago when you took her in. I
remember
how apprehensive you were about it. (now I bet you can't imagine NOT
having her!) She's a lucky girl. I still can't believe it's been six
years.

Sherry

"Kajikit" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:42:13 +0000 (UTC), Bobble
wrote:

Phoenix wrote in
:

In our Saturday paper (the Oregonian), there is always a focus on
pets and pet issues, and there is always a column in which they
feature an animal in need of a forever home.

This past Saturday, the local no-kill shelter (Cat Adoption Team)
had a picture of an older, longish-hair black cat.

Who looked so much like Belle (my heart cat, RB) that I burst
into tears. I miss my kitties!

Since, DH and I have been discussing if, and how, we might make a
go of it with another animal. We paid the pet deposit on the
apartment, so that's not an issue. But can we really feed and
appropriately vet a new owner? I want to be sure, because I don't
want to be in the position of "she seems sick, but we can't
afford the vet". That's why we rehomed all our other animals more
than a year ago.

But oh, I miss my kitties.

Deborah

I know you miss them, but what if kitty gets very sick and needs $1000
worth of surgery. You can only get one if you can afford the unexpected.
Wish I could be more positive

Bobble

If that was the case, we'd never have got one cat, let alone ended up
with our crew... we've been fortunate that none of them have ever
needed much vet care. We don't have a thousand dollars to spare for
HUMAN care, let alone the cats. That doesn't mean we love them any
less! When they need to go to the vet, we take them and expect it to
cost $150 or thereabouts - one cat's been in once for hairballs, one's
been twice for minor infections (lord only knows how she catches them
being inside-only and a scaredycat to boot), and the third has never
needed the vet in six years. They're healthy, youngish inside-only
cats, and allowing $500 a year for vet care between the three of them
is more than adequate, barring emergencies.

If you have a reliable roof over your head, enough money to keep your
furbaby in store-brand kibble, litter, and canned food without having
to starve yourself to pay for it, and enough time and attention to
look after it, I'd say go for it. Just don't adopt a geriatric or
special-needs kitty if you know you can't afford to pay for the vet
care that they'll need.


I appreciate your sentiments, Karen. But vet bills are usually unexpected
even with what seems like a perfectly healthy cat. When Persia came to live
with me I didn't know she was going to have frequent bladder infections. I
did my due diligence and took her to the vet. Then I discovered blood in
the kitty litter. Her vet found a small tumor in her bladder and she needed
surgery. (Thankfully it wasn't malignant.) That was $900 right off the bat
and they let me pay in installments.

Then when she got older she developed hyperthyroidism. The radioactive
isotope therapy was another large chunk of change. Again, unexpected.

Keeping a roof over your own head should be the first priority. In this
case I don't think it should be an emotional decision based on a cat that
reminds her of a cat she lost.

Jill

On Oct 21, 8:14*pm, Kajikit wrote:
.. Just don't adopt a geriatric or
special-needs kitty if you know you can't afford to pay for the vet
care that they'll need.-

One of our local shelters offers elderly/cats with medical problems up
for adoption under a scheme in which you take kitty in and provide
feed/litter etc but if there are any problems requring vet attention
you bring kitty to their own vet for free treatment and
medications...it means an elderly cat or a cat with medical problems
(often one and the same) gets a good home and the slave doesn't have
to worry about unexpected vet bills..very popular apparently
esepcially with pensioners who don't have a lot of money but enough
for the food and litter and would ideally like to adopt an older cat
but are put off by the prospect of vet bills...so it's a good result
all round, elderly cat or one with health problems gets out of the
shelter and into a loving home...slave on modest income doesn't have
to worry about vet bills

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

On 20/10/2011 4:26 PM, Phoenix wrote:
In our Saturday paper (the Oregonian), there is always a focus on pets
and pet issues, and there is always a column in which they feature an
animal in need of a forever home.

This past Saturday, the local no-kill shelter (Cat Adoption Team) had a
picture of an older, longish-hair black cat.

Who looked so much like Belle (my heart cat, RB) that I burst into
tears. I miss my kitties!

Since, DH and I have been discussing if, and how, we might make a go of
it with another animal. We paid the pet deposit on the apartment, so
that's not an issue. But can we really feed and appropriately vet a new
owner? I want to be sure, because I don't want to be in the position of
"she seems sick, but we can't afford the vet". That's why we rehomed all
our other animals more than a year ago.

But oh, I miss my kitties.

Whilst being able to afford 'any' vet bill that might arise would be
ideal, think of all the unwanted pets that will be euthanized simply
because they are 'excess to requirements'.

And then compare that tragic death to a loving but financially
challenged home where kitty is cherished, fed generic kibble and vet
care can only be up to a small, set amount and no more.

Neither is ideal, but one is far FAR better for kitty than the other.

The bigger question is: if kitty does get sick and needs expensive
treatment that you can't afford, could you cope with the thought of
having to look into your kitty's eyes and know that s/he will either
have to suffer or be euthanized because you don't have the money to fix
whats wrong? Or could you comfort yourself with the idea that kitty may
have lived a short but it was a life full of love, she was safe and
warm, she didn't want for a meal (even if it was not the 'best' food) or
fresh water, and that even that short but loved life was better than
being stuck in a shelter, out on the street, or worst of all, killed
because kitty was unwanted, go ahead and acquire an owner. If you
couldn't cope with the former, its not time yet, if you could do the
latter latter - even though there may well be tears and heartbreak at
some point - then go ahead.

Many of us have had to make tough decisions like that - there's not an
infinite bucket of money out there, and alas is a decision between the
hip pocket and quality of life for the beloved critter. I don't regret
not giving Fluffy the oncological treatment that I could have, had I had
far more money than I did (and do). Fluff had had a good life, she was
loved and loved us back. Euthanasia once her quality of life became too
poor was the only realistic option we had. Do I wish I had all the money
in the world to treat her? well, that would have been nice I guess, but
considering she was only minutes away from death when we got her and she
was with us for 12 years before we had to let her go, I suspect she got
a good deal with us.

Yowie

Yowie wrote:

On 20/10/2011 4:26 PM, Phoenix wrote:
In our Saturday paper (the Oregonian), there is always a focus on pets
and pet issues, and there is always a column in which they feature an
animal in need of a forever home.

This past Saturday, the local no-kill shelter (Cat Adoption Team) had a
picture of an older, longish-hair black cat.

Who looked so much like Belle (my heart cat, RB) that I burst into
tears. I miss my kitties!

Since, DH and I have been discussing if, and how, we might make a go of
it with another animal. We paid the pet deposit on the apartment, so
that's not an issue. But can we really feed and appropriately vet a new
owner? I want to be sure, because I don't want to be in the position of
"she seems sick, but we can't afford the vet". That's why we rehomed all
our other animals more than a year ago.

But oh, I miss my kitties.

Whilst being able to afford 'any' vet bill that might arise would be
ideal, think of all the unwanted pets that will be euthanized simply
because they are 'excess to requirements'.

And then compare that tragic death to a loving but financially
challenged home where kitty is cherished, fed generic kibble and vet
care can only be up to a small, set amount and no more.

Neither is ideal, but one is far FAR better for kitty than the other.

The bigger question is: if kitty does get sick and needs expensive
treatment that you can't afford, could you cope with the thought of
having to look into your kitty's eyes and know that s/he will either
have to suffer or be euthanized because you don't have the money to fix
whats wrong? Or could you comfort yourself with the idea that kitty may
have lived a short but it was a life full of love, she was safe and
warm, she didn't want for a meal (even if it was not the 'best' food) or
fresh water, and that even that short but loved life was better than
being stuck in a shelter, out on the street, or worst of all, killed
because kitty was unwanted, go ahead and acquire an owner. If you
couldn't cope with the former, its not time yet, if you could do the
latter latter - even though there may well be tears and heartbreak at
some point - then go ahead.

Many of us have had to make tough decisions like that - there's not an
infinite bucket of money out there, and alas is a decision between the
hip pocket and quality of life for the beloved critter. I don't regret
not giving Fluffy the oncological treatment that I could have, had I had
far more money than I did (and do). Fluff had had a good life, she was
loved and loved us back. Euthanasia once her quality of life became too
poor was the only realistic option we had. Do I wish I had all the money
in the world to treat her? well, that would have been nice I guess, but
considering she was only minutes away from death when we got her and she
was with us for 12 years before we had to let her go, I suspect she got
a good deal with us.

As usual, Yowie, you have not only expressed a view very similar to my
own, but you have done so very eloquently.

--
Joyce

There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary
and those who don't.