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What Price For Kitty?



 
 
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  #21  
Old February 14th 05, 07:20 PM
Mary
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"kitkat" wrote in message
om...
Mary wrote:

I am their caretaker, and it is my responsibility to not
only get them health care but also to see to it that they do not
suffer unnecessarily.


This is so key. I hope that if and when the time should come that I have
to make "big decisions" I am strong enough to do what is right by the
cat...I simply can not imagine life without my Luna! I don't like to
imagine life without Jasper either, but I kinda feel like he came to us
on borrowed time as it is and I feel grateful to be able to give him a
comfortable happy home to live out his senior years, however long that
may be. Luna I have had since she was 6 months old...so it is
just...*different*.

I simply can not put a price on my cats. When Luna looks at me with her
big round eyes and she is just full of wonder and contentment...well I
could just float away! As for Jasper, when he squeaks with excitement
because we are home and near him...that is what it is *all about*.


pam


Asking the question to me was like asking the question "How much
is too much to spend on your child?" As Priscilla recently said, I
openly admit that my cats are substitute kids. (I also spend a
good bit of my disposable income making sure my nieces
and nephews do not want for anything, too.)


  #22  
Old February 14th 05, 07:22 PM
KellyH
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wrote in message
...
But I feel it necessary to point out what a HUGE population of poor
and indigent there is in America. There are MILLIONS of elderly and
disabled living on $700 - $800 per month, TOTAL. That's BEFORE the
rent/utilities are paid! (Next we purchase cat food and litter! LOL)

They have NO jobs, NO credit cards, NO homes to mortgage. Perhaps NO
family.

Most do not have cars. Even their food 'choices' (like they 'have' a
choice???) would probably appall you. Or the list of things they
routinely, on an every day basis, do without. Like meds, soap,
diabetes accessories, nightclothes, coats, bedding, etc.

Are these folks (me), not supposed to have the companionship of
pets???


Honestly, I don't know. I know for these people, a pet may be their only
source of companionship. However, is it fair to that pet to keep him, when
you can't afford basic vet care? I'm actually going through this debate
with my fellow shelter workers. We just started a community service program
to vet cats and dogs of low-income people, for little to no cost. I feel
bad sometimes handing a cat back to someone who I know cannot afford to care
for it. OK, we vetted it this time, but what about next? We're only doing
routine stuff like spay/neuter and vaccines, what if this cat gets a urinary
blockage (easily treatable, but costs several hundred dollars to fix)? Will
he die because of this?

If feel like, it's one thing if you are doing OK and able to afford a pet,
and then hard times hit. But if you take on a pet when you have no income?
I do have a bit of a problem with that.

The fact is Hospitals do not REFUSE to treat children unless you have
cash in your hand, as they do pets...


Hospitals are also non-profit (oh please, not that debate again) in many
cases, vet clinics are not.

I really wish there was some sort of Medicaid and WIC for pet owners. I
know, our gov't barely wants to provide health care for people, let alone
animals.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG


  #23  
Old February 14th 05, 07:25 PM
KellyH
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"-L." wrote in message
oups.com...
It's sad that most ngs can't discuss ethics and things like that
without it resorting to a flame-fest, and immaturity. I love these
types of discussions. I think there is a lot of potential for
learning.


How true. I actually like to debate, and enjoy threads that get long and
heated, while others beg for people to stop disagreeing.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG


  #24  
Old February 14th 05, 07:26 PM
Glarb
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"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
It's a scary question, but I'm sure that all of us have wondered at one
time
or another how much we could really afford to spend to keep our loved ones
alive. That's one of the reasons so many folks talk about either having
pet
insurance or keeping a separate account just for pet emergencies.


For a family member I would sacrifice everything, including my own life.
There is a strict limit on the cat, however. Come on people, get real.



  #25  
Old February 14th 05, 07:27 PM
Mary
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"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...
On 2005-02-14, Glarb penned:

I don't know, and I hope I never have to find out. But then, I have it

easy;
my husband and I both work, and we have no children, so Oscar is my only
dependent. It must be a lot harder for people who have children, parents,

or
others depending on them for care.


I know this is true. I have a sister who loves animals and feeds
everything that shows up--but she cannot afford vet care.
She's out in the country, in a county where there are no
rescue programs and no help with spaying and neutering.
I suspect people drop animals near her house.

She has five children and they live on one low income.
When I see intact cats roaming and breeding (about
every other Christmas there is a litter of kittens) it
kills me, but I can't pay for them, she can't pay for
them, and there are no local services or rescues to
help. They are far enough out that there are also
things that eat cats. The same cats are not around
for more than three years, on the average. But they are
barely getting by--with a lot of help from the family,
they just barely feed and clothe the kids and pay
the bills.

It's Robeson County, North Carolina, in case anyone
has any better luck than I did finding an agency that
might be able to help her with spay and neuter.


  #26  
Old February 14th 05, 07:28 PM
Glarb
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"-L." wrote in message
I also recognize that many people with cats truly cannot afford
adequate vet care. Yes, they shouldn't have cats if they cannot afford
them, but many people do. They do the best with what they have.


If you limited pet ownership to people who can afford catastrophic health
care for their pet, then you'd have an awful lot of homeless dogs and cats,
don't you think?



  #27  
Old February 14th 05, 07:29 PM
Mary
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"Rhonda" wrote in message
...
Very hard decisions must be made at that point.

Our diabetic, pancreatitus cat had a very bad year a few years ago. The
vet bills were $4,000 in 6 months. After a couple of months of good
health, he had an intense pancreatitus attack at Christmas. At that
point, we had a horrible discussion of money vs. cat care vs. quality of
his life.

It ended with me not being able to face losing him at Christmas, and not
being able to give up hope.

After a few days in the hospital being treated by an internist, he as
home again. I was never so glad that we spent the extra few hundred, he
had a long, beautiful, healthy year after that. It was a joy to have him
that extra time, and I never would have forgiven myself if we would have
let him go without another try.

It's a very personal and tough decision. I believe for animal-lovers
that most times the money is a problem is after you've spent tons
already and are not certain of their quality of life. For people who
just say that they won't spend a certain amount on their pets, I don't
think they understand the commitment they've made by bringing them home.


When you truly love a creature, I do not believe you can even think of
it in terms of placing a dollar amount on it. You just know you will do
everything you can, including borrow or sell your possessions if need be.


  #28  
Old February 14th 05, 07:30 PM
Mary
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"Glarb" wrote in message
...
"-L." wrote in message
I also recognize that many people with cats truly cannot afford
adequate vet care. Yes, they shouldn't have cats if they cannot afford
them, but many people do. They do the best with what they have.


If you limited pet ownership to people who can afford catastrophic health
care for their pet, then you'd have an awful lot of homeless dogs and

cats,
don't you think?


So what is the answer? That it is okay to deny your animal that you
allegedly love the care they need just because you need the money
for something else? Isn't that what you are after here? Some
rationalization that will allow you to neglect the animal?


  #29  
Old February 14th 05, 07:32 PM
Mary
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"KellyH" wrote in message
...
"-L." wrote in message
oups.com...
It's sad that most ngs can't discuss ethics and things like that
without it resorting to a flame-fest, and immaturity. I love these
types of discussions. I think there is a lot of potential for
learning.


How true. I actually like to debate, and enjoy threads that get long and
heated, while others beg for people to stop disagreeing.

--



This is not what Lyn means, KellyH. She is a control freak,
and wants only a certain style of discussion. You are much more
of a free speech person--with a lot more backbone than Lyn.
You can actually admit it when you're wrong, and you can see
others' sides.


  #30  
Old February 14th 05, 07:33 PM
Mary
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"Glarb" wrote in message
news
"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
It's a scary question, but I'm sure that all of us have wondered at one
time
or another how much we could really afford to spend to keep our loved

ones
alive. That's one of the reasons so many folks talk about either having
pet
insurance or keeping a separate account just for pet emergencies.


For a family member I would sacrifice everything, including my own life.
There is a strict limit on the cat, however. Come on people, get real.


Okay. "Real" is that you don't love your cats the way many of us do.
Takes all kinds. But don't expect anyone to congratulate you for this.


 




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