Loving cats <> taking care of cats

This is just a freeform musing occasioned by several recent events -

1. Tammy Quist's homepage slogan "She will never know freedom, can she
at least know compassion?" (http://www.wildcatsanctuary.org/index.htm)
2. The decision to find another home for Henry even though I loved him
3. The "hard tasks" Megan endured to get Henry acclimated.
4. Dealing with Louis' **** problem
5. Thinking while at the vet's that they had such a horrid job..
seeing sick cats and putting some to sleep

Now, the thing these have in common is the fact that the nutty cat
lover like myself quails at the "inconvenience" for the cat. Tammy's
(and Megan's) necessary work secluding and "inconveniencing" the cat
for their own good - so that they could live successfully with other
cats. Realizing that just loving Henry was not the same as convincing
him and Louis to get along. Realizing that a possible two week
seclusion period might be necessary to get Louis re-potty-trained.
Realizing that euthanasia is indeed the most sympathetic thing we can
do.

Cat hoarders don't understand this. They think bringing the stray in
from outside, while being incapable of caring for them, is a favor to
the cat. It's a favor to their own unformed emotional maturity.

The owner whose cat is in utter misery with a terminal illness, who
keeps the cat around for years, suffering, doesn't understand this.

I really love cats - but I don't have the maturity that people like
Tammy and Megan have to realize that anthropomorphizing cats is a
dangerous thing, since the very fact they're living indoors with us is
an unnatural convention.

The newest thing is switching our cats to wet food. Tiger's pretty
mad. The weak, immature cat-lover in me says "oh, Tiger shouldn't be
inconvenienced. Just give him his dry food back" while the smarter
person says "hey, all indications are that this step is in the cat's
best interest".

I dunno. Do you guys know what I'm talking about? I want these kitties
to be extremely happy - and have trouble looking past the short-term
problems toward the benefit over the long haul.

Breeders, trainers, fosters, vets - these guys are at a different
emotional level than most of us are required to attain. They know that
sometimes that cat's gonna be ****ed, but it's for their own good. The
rest of us struggle with this, I guess.

BLink

Brian Link wrote:
This is just a freeform musing occasioned by several recent events -

1. Tammy Quist's homepage slogan "She will never know freedom, can
she
at least know compassion?"
(http://www.wildcatsanctuary.org/index.htm)
2. The decision to find another home for Henry even though I loved
him
3. The "hard tasks" Megan endured to get Henry acclimated.
4. Dealing with Louis' **** problem
5. Thinking while at the vet's that they had such a horrid job..
seeing sick cats and putting some to sleep

Now, the thing these have in common is the fact that the nutty cat
lover like myself quails at the "inconvenience" for the cat. Tammy's
(and Megan's) necessary work secluding and "inconveniencing" the cat
for their own good - so that they could live successfully with other
cats. Realizing that just loving Henry was not the same as convincing
him and Louis to get along. Realizing that a possible two week
seclusion period might be necessary to get Louis re-potty-trained.
Realizing that euthanasia is indeed the most sympathetic thing we can
do.

Cat hoarders don't understand this. They think bringing the stray in
from outside, while being incapable of caring for them, is a favor to
the cat. It's a favor to their own unformed emotional maturity.

The owner whose cat is in utter misery with a terminal illness, who
keeps the cat around for years, suffering, doesn't understand this.

I really love cats - but I don't have the maturity that people like
Tammy and Megan have to realize that anthropomorphizing cats is a
dangerous thing, since the very fact they're living indoors with us
is
an unnatural convention.

The newest thing is switching our cats to wet food. Tiger's pretty
mad. The weak, immature cat-lover in me says "oh, Tiger shouldn't be
inconvenienced. Just give him his dry food back" while the smarter
person says "hey, all indications are that this step is in the cat's
best interest".

I dunno. Do you guys know what I'm talking about? I want these
kitties
to be extremely happy - and have trouble looking past the short-term
problems toward the benefit over the long haul.

Breeders, trainers, fosters, vets - these guys are at a different
emotional level than most of us are required to attain. They know
that
sometimes that cat's gonna be ****ed, but it's for their own good.
The
rest of us struggle with this, I guess.

BLink

I also have a hard time medicating/pilling or otherwise doing something
to my cats that I know is going to make them mad. I have a hard time
saying "no" when they want outside late in the day. It's just your
compassionate nature that doesn't want to inflict pain or or **** them
off, or make them think you're "punishing" them.
Funny thing is, I don't have a problem in the world pilling other cats.
Just mine. Even weirder, my daughter is an RN, and she can NOT inject
cats.
I don't have a problem with euthanasia for a very ill pet, not if it's
performed properly. I never have. I just have a problem with suffering.
Sherry

On 2005-05-20, penned:

I also have a hard time medicating/pilling or otherwise doing
something to my cats that I know is going to make them mad. I have a
hard time saying "no" when they want outside late in the day. It's
just your compassionate nature that doesn't want to inflict pain or
or **** them off, or make them think you're "punishing" them.

For me, I think it's the fact that I cannot, and will never be able
to, tell them *why*. As far as the cat's concerned, you're just being
arbitrarily mean. I'll never be able to explain to Oscar why I have
to put her in the plastic thing, subject her to a noisy moving thing,
and then allow a stranger to touch her.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

Brian Link wrote:
This is just a freeform musing occasioned by several recent events -

1. Tammy Quist's homepage slogan "She will never know freedom, can
she
at least know compassion?"
(http://www.wildcatsanctuary.org/index.htm)
2. The decision to find another home for Henry even though I loved
him
3. The "hard tasks" Megan endured to get Henry acclimated.
4. Dealing with Louis' **** problem
5. Thinking while at the vet's that they had such a horrid job..
seeing sick cats and putting some to sleep

Now, the thing these have in common is the fact that the nutty cat
lover like myself quails at the "inconvenience" for the cat. Tammy's
(and Megan's) necessary work secluding and "inconveniencing" the cat
for their own good - so that they could live successfully with other
cats. Realizing that just loving Henry was not the same as convincing
him and Louis to get along. Realizing that a possible two week
seclusion period might be necessary to get Louis re-potty-trained.
Realizing that euthanasia is indeed the most sympathetic thing we can
do.

Cat hoarders don't understand this. They think bringing the stray in
from outside, while being incapable of caring for them, is a favor to
the cat. It's a favor to their own unformed emotional maturity.

The owner whose cat is in utter misery with a terminal illness, who
keeps the cat around for years, suffering, doesn't understand this.

I really love cats - but I don't have the maturity that people like
Tammy and Megan have to realize that anthropomorphizing cats is a
dangerous thing, since the very fact they're living indoors with us
is
an unnatural convention.

The newest thing is switching our cats to wet food. Tiger's pretty
mad. The weak, immature cat-lover in me says "oh, Tiger shouldn't be
inconvenienced. Just give him his dry food back" while the smarter
person says "hey, all indications are that this step is in the cat's
best interest".

I dunno. Do you guys know what I'm talking about?

Yep. Sure do.

I want these kitties
to be extremely happy - and have trouble looking past the short-term
problems toward the benefit over the long haul.

Nothing exeplified that sort of feelinmg than when I had to take my
8-week old infant son in for his first vaccinations. Broke my heart.



Breeders, trainers, fosters, vets - these guys are at a different
emotional level than most of us are required to attain. They know
that
sometimes that cat's gonna be ****ed, but it's for their own good.
The
rest of us struggle with this, I guess.

I still struggle with it, even after having worked in the rescue field
for so long.

Nothing worse than having to euthanize your own pet. It's bad enough
doing it to a sick animal for whom you are not the guardian. It's
worse doing it to a healthy animal for lack of home. But doing it to
your own animal is one of the most gut wrenching things you will ever
do. It's a power I am glad I have yet sorry that I have as well.

I don't understand people who don't stay with their animal during
euthanasia. I don't care how hard it is, IMO, it's disgraceful not to
be there with the animal during its final moments. I found myself
drawn to the animals at the vet who were merely dropped off for euth.
I felt like they needed and deserved someone, and since nobody else
really "got it" except for one other tech, she and I would always be
the ones to be there for the animal. It really made me hate people
sometimes.

-L.

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
For me, I think it's the fact that I cannot, and will never be able
to, tell them *why*. As far as the cat's concerned, you're just being
arbitrarily mean. I'll never be able to explain to Oscar why I have
to put her in the plastic thing, subject her to a noisy moving thing,
and then allow a stranger to touch her.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

If and when you have to put him in a carrier, just talk to her

Shure the one act of crating in itself is one thing, but don't underestimate
her, she trusts you right.

The whole experience will register in her mind, not the one deed.

Just think, at some point you are also going to be the one who opens her
prison door! lol
(once your back home)

-L. wrote:
snip
I don't understand people who don't stay with their animal during
euthanasia. I don't care how hard it is, IMO, it's disgraceful not to
be there with the animal during its final moments. I found myself
drawn to the animals at the vet who were merely dropped off for euth.
I felt like they needed and deserved someone, and since nobody else
really "got it" except for one other tech, she and I would always be
the ones to be there for the animal. It really made me hate people
sometimes.

-L.

Do you wish to cherish the memory of your pet's last moments as having its
eyes open ... or closed? This I believe is what separates those who watch
their pet's euthanisation from those who won't.

Philip wrote:

Do you wish to cherish the memory of your pet's last moments as
having its
eyes open ... or closed? This I believe is what separates those who
watch
their pet's euthanisation from those who won't.

I don't know what you are talking about as an animals eyes remain open
when it is euthanized. If you are saying you would rather remember
seeing the animal alive, that's just a cop out to spare your own
feelings. Your animal's last memory will be of being scared and alone
at the hands of a stranger. Who deserves to carry the burden - you or
your beloved pet? I know I want my animals to know they were loved by
ME right until the last breath.

-L.

-L. wrote:
Philip wrote:

Do you wish to cherish the memory of your pet's last moments as
having its eyes open ... or closed? This I believe is what
separates those who watch their pet's euthanisation from those who
won't.

I don't know what you are talking about as an animals eyes remain open
when it is euthanized. If you are saying you would rather remember
seeing the animal alive, that's just a cop out to spare your own
feelings. Your animal's last memory will be of being scared and alone
at the hands of a stranger. Who deserves to carry the burden - you or
your beloved pet? I know I want my animals to know they were loved by
ME right until the last breath.

-L.

Now you are anthropomorphizing a bit, Lyn.

"Philip" wrote in message
ink.net...

Do you wish to cherish the memory of your pet's last moments as having its
eyes open ... or closed? This I believe is what separates those who watch
their pet's euthanisation from those who won't.


I held each of my cats when they had to be euthanized. I was not watching
their eyes; I was stroking them and taling to them. Was it difficult? Yes,
very difficult -- but I considered that to be my last gift of love to a
beloved companion. When I think of these wonderful pets, I think of their
personalities and the special times we had together; I seldom think of that
last moment of euthanasia, but I also don't "block" it -- that was a
difficult time but was not traumatic to me because I was concentrating on
assuring that my cat's last moments would be as peaceful as possible and not
moments filled with fear (as would happend if they were left alone in a
vet's office).

MaryL

I made the hard choice,when my dear Lenny became ill but resisted any
definitive diagnosis, to let him have exploratory surgery, in the hope
that what was causing his illness was a cohesive tumour that could be
removed. It wasn't, and he was euthanized during the surgery, when
they found it was hopeless. *I* wanted him back, but I couldn't put
him through the pain and confusion of recovery, only to have him
continue to waste away for a couple more weeks. The most devastating
though is that the last thing he knew was I left him.

He liked his vet and I had spent more than an hour with him, waiting
for the specialist surgeon, while he sat in a window and watched
squirrels and stole the clinic cats' toys and water. They let me carry
him back to the surgery - but if I'd ever done this before, I'd have
know to ask if I could stay until he was sedated. He was a very
attached and very vocal cat, and called after me as I left the room.

When his companion Lucy passed a couple months later, I was there with
her. No surgery that time. She had palpable, large, sudden tumour
growth. Yeah, it was damn hard, but I stayed with her. My vet gave
her a sedative shot first, on a nice blanket-covered exam table, and
she walked back across the table into my arms and hunkered down. I
got to talk to her and pet her as she drifted off.

I don't think it's anthorpomorphizing to understand the difference
between an anxious, confused, or scared animal and one that is
comforted and calm because their familiar person is right there with
them. Letting Lucy go was easier, because I knew she was tired and
sick and loney without her Lenny, but also because I knew she was calm
and comfortable.

Johanna