Does Everyone Think You're Crazy?

[Purr-tender]

I have 8 cats, 5 came in the last 6 months, Momma Lily was pregnant and had 4 beautiful babies. She just walked out of my ferns one Saturday morning and I took her in. I love them all very, very much. My family (sister and brother who do not live with me)think that I have a problem and that I should get rid of them! First, let me tell you my home is clean, the litter is cleaned at least 2 to 3 times a day, and the cats are well fed. I am so tired of justifying keeping them. I did try very hard when the kittens where born to find good homes for them but the only takers wanted barn cats! I feel like some crazy cat collector, but I know that I am not. These are wonderful, sweet creatures that need and deserve a loving home. It does overwhelm me some days. And it is hard for my husband (not an animal lover)to tolerate. I guess I need to hear from those of you who have multiple cats how you deal with it all.

[kimlovescats]

There are many days that I question my own sanity as well! Then I see how happy and loved my babies are, and I know that I have done right by them! Thankfully, my hubby loves them as much as I do! :D

[catmandu]

Actually I have no family and the only people I deal with are the Librarians and Cashiers.
I really dont care at my age if anyone thinks I am sane or crazy, my Cats love me and I love them.
And thats all that matters in My World.

[Purr-tender]

I think that I could deal with this much better if I was as fortunate as you to have a husband that felt the same as I do. My husband is a great guy and my best friend, but this is one area where we don't fit.

[Catty1]

Well, maybe HE can find a good home for a couple of them?

[Purr-tender]

Catty, He did try. He checked with guys at work that he knew loved cats, but they were at their limit. He told me that he understands why I took momma in, but he just can't bond with them. All he sees is the fur and using the house as a scratching post.

[Catty1]

OK....I am glad he did try to find homes. I guess I was judgemental...sometimes people who complain don't try to solve the situation.

At least, the guys at work know who to contact!

Could he wear a t-shirt at work that says "Ask me About My Cats"? :)

I hope things work out!

[Anikaca77]

When I was rescuing cats people at my work called me crazy cat lady. I only at 4 at the time I was rescuing because I was just TNR or adopting out but then I ended up keeping one and well so now I have 5. Some people think that's too many but I don't think it is. I love my babies and they love me.

Melissa

[Abby&Buddy'sMom]

I dont think you are crazy at all, You seem to have a big heart for those kitties in need. :)

Most other people would "just get rid of them" :mad:

Some days I would like to have more, but I am afraid to disrupt our happy little family, as my 2 get along so very well.

[Purr-tender]

I honestly would love to go back to when it was just Big Mo and Callie, it was so much easier then. But I am so in love with this lastest crew I really cannot image not having them here with me. There is no doubt that Callie would love it like it used to be. Every evening it was her and me in the recliner, now when she comes in to sit with mom, someone else has my lap, and it's usually 2 of the babies. She jumps up, sees who is there, hisses and runs out of the room. It make me feel awful. At night she would sleep beside me, now I have to shut the bedroom door or we would have a bed full. Anyway, I know this will all work out and hopefully there still might be someone that I completely trust that will give the newest kids a wonderful forever home.

[Freedom]

I don't think you are crazy. How can I, when I have SEVEN! But yeah, people do think it is odd. Bah, they don't know what they are missing.

I was thinking about your immediate situation. Your husband. If he doesn't bond with them, that is one thing. But is he is being upset by them, then maybe think about what bothers him. You wrote that the cats are scratching up the house. Um . . . I would have a problem with that, too!

I have many shapes and sizes of scratching posts all through the house - just none in Dad's bedroom. All get used, often. The two oldest, I have replaced the rug on them. With this many cats, I find I just HAVE to have this stuff.

I often wonder about those "kitty starter kits" they sell. Litter pan, scoop, 2 plastic dishes (food and water), and maybe a catnip mouse. WHERE'S THE SCRATCHER? It is really a required thing with a cat. Sigh.

Because we have been spending so much time up at Dad's house this year, I bought another scratching post for up there as well. A tall, tall one with perches on it too.

And yes, I also have moments when I think I must have gone around Jupiter a time or two! But I just pick up and cuddle someone and that feeling disappears real fast. :D

[Purr-tender]

Freedom, the cats do have several scratching posts around the house and they are very good at using them. But my one little one, Squeak, is naughty and have caught him scratching the loveseat in the tv room. When I catch him or any of the others I tell them "NO" and move them to a post and take their paws and make scratches on the post to show them what I want. I even put catnip on the posts. My husband's feelings are very important to me, and it is very upsetting knowing that this is his home too. But what am I going to do with the babies. I have tried posting "wanted good homes" posters at my local vet's and my friend's (who is an animal lover, too) beauty shop, not to mention all the calls that I have made. But thanks to irresponsible owners not spaying and neutering their pets, all the "no kill" shelters are FULL and so many here are already caring for drop off cats and kittens!! I know that I did the right thing in taking in Momma Lily but I feel like it backfired on me. But I would not trade this experience with her and her babies for anything in the world!!

[CultureJunky]

I've been told by my Sister in law that I'm sad cause I'm always talking about cats and I look after the ferals with my mum, plus my own two.
But I don't care, it kind of hurt my feelings though.
But I think that people who don't have a bond with cats or any animal just don't understand what it's like.
They don't get what it's like to see them happy and contented, and they certainly don't get how it feels to have the company and companionship of a cat, how it makes you feel secure and how they interact.
I guess those kind of people are the ones that don't see that cats have personalities and are all individuals. The kind of people who think animals are 'dumb' cause they're an animal.
You're not crazy, you find happiness in having cats, I do, I know that having my two has made me feel so much better, they're there when I feel sad, when I feel happy, they make me happy.
I have depression and have had for years since I was very young, and I know that my cats bring me comfort and help me when I'm not well.
I think people who don't like animals are the crazy ones! :D

[K & L]

After we've now hit, I believe, the 30 mark...everyone has pretty much given up on lecturing us! :D Crazy? Yes! But we both love this so I do not justify my household anymore. Like you, my house is very clean, litters are clean, cats are fixed, shots, healthy, well fed, have access to a nice outdoor cat run, so :p to those that don't understand.

Our garage could really use some sprucing up, and as soon as we have some more funds, this will happen.

I say hats off to all who rescue, have even one cat, and LOVE these precious creatures!

[fragrancehound]

I get that from my boyfriend too! I simply tell him that they are my babies. Quite frankly I like animals a lot more than humans these days, ;)

[catnapper]

Yup, we have 5 and people's eyes usually bug out when they hear that. It seems perfectly normal to me.... I guess until you live with that many it seems outrageous. 5 is my limit for taking care of them financially... even then its a stretch - thank goodness I work for a petstore to get a discount off everything :p

The funny thing is hubby - who did not want cats in the first place. I swear he loves them more and just last night he was making plans to build them a new cat tree for Chritsmas! Take into consideration this is also the same man who took 3 years to patch a hole in the wall that only required slapping a board up near the ceiling of the mudroom... and he's going ot build a whole cat tree? I'm confident he'll actually build it since its for HIS cats. So maybe he's the one who's nuts around here!

[jazzcat]

I have 5 that are definitely mine and the two rescued kittens who will probably end up being mine. Honestly I don't know if I'm up for two more cats. I feel 5 is my limit but I don't know what else to do. It would be very hard to find a good home for Decker, the little wild kitten. None of the rescues are willing to take him because of his feral behavior and the best I can probably find for him on my own would be a home as a barn cat. :( With some of the behavior he has started the past few days I don't know if I can keep him in the house. :( :(

My family and friends think I'm nuts to have as many as I do with my orginal five. I don't want to tell them about these other two. I just try to laugh it off and say I'm a card carrying member of the Crazy Cat Lady Club but the jokes and comments do get old. :rolleyes:

[rg_girlca]

Nope not crazy at all Purrtender. Some family members are amazed at the amount of cats that I have, but they also understand it because of my love for cats. I have one sister though that won't come into the house to visit because all of a sudden she is allergic to cats. :rolleyes: Her loss, not mine.
Mu hubby wasn't much of a cat person, but now......................... :D
All I hear is, "There's MY Mookers", or, "How's MY baby Willy," and even, "Come here MY Poppy Woppy." He is even the one who told me to bring Sweetpea into the house. Gosh, I love that man of mine. :D

[orangemm]

Truthfully, I like my cats (and other people's) more than most people! And, I'm at the point in my life where I don't give a fig if anyone knows it.

So if I have 2 or 10, it's really no one else's business, except me and my hubby. We've been together 27 years and during that time at least 2 cats have graced our house; at times we had as many as 7. My family knew and never said a word. Our house was clean and (relatively) fur free, didn't smell, but it did have a few little scratches here and there. Those cats lived happy and healthy lives and brought us great joy. I miss all who have gone to the RB and I treasure the ones who live with me now.

Be a Cat Crazy Lady with pride! :D

[heidiv]

I have to agree with Orangemm I have 4 cats and have had up to 5 with my fosters. If people don't like it that is their problem. I have a confession!!!!!

A girl came to my house and started complaining about all of the discusting cats that I have...... Yet I may add I have an entire wall of pictures and wooden plaques that state"Spoiled rotten cats live here" and "The cats and its housekeeping staff reside here" And then have the nerve to complain about my discusting cats. She was whining about all of the cat hair and how all of a sudden she was becoming allergic.

I hate to admit it since she was carrying on down at a gathering in my basement and she was not invited to my house in the first place I went up stairs found her shoes and jammed a TON of cat hair into her shoes!! :eek: :eek: Isn't that aweful of me??? She will think again before she complains about my four legged furry babies again. Or she will get hives!! I just thought that was VERY disrespectful on her part. She could have left but she chose to complain and push my babies and that just wasn't the thing to do.
That is aweful of me isn't it?????

[Purr-tender]

Heidiv, your confession was hilarious!! Some people are just plain rude, I would have loved to have seen her face when she found the cat hair! :D

[catcrazylady]

I am living with around 20 cats at the moment. I too am very lucky because hubby loves them as much as I do. There are many people who think I'm nuts but I figure the only one who really counts is God. I truly believe that by putting the lives of his creatures before material things or pressure from what other people think is crazy, is the right thing to do.
I think God put lots of different types of caring people in this world. Many care for humans and many care for animals. Being a member of PT shows you how many animal angels are gathered just in this one spot. I think thats pretty incredible and anyone who doesn't like it needs to take it up with God because he is the one who made us this way! :D
Enjoy your babies and poo on what others think! ;)

[KitCat]

So long as they are well cared for and you have been keeping up with the litter box I think it's OK. The problem is when the houses are filthy and the cats are not well cared for.

[Marigold2]

Good Morning,
I have just been reading all the posts here. I too would have more cats if only my husband let me. We have two now. But we also have a bunny, a bird, one hamster, two rats, three frogs.
No I don't think anyone here is crazy except perhaps me. I think everyone is doing a great job with the time, funds and training they have. The problem is that people don't get their animals fixed and one female cat can have hundreds of kittens in her life time and they can and so forth. With over one million animals being put down every year due to overcrowding it is no wonder many people can not take on another animal in their household. I congratulate anyone who is helping to control the pet population and adopting. More money needs to be given to no kill shelters. Perhaps a vet in your local area can do low cost spaying and neutering one weekend a month. I don't really have an answer that hasn't been suggested before, just a lot of postive thoughts on what everyone here is doing. You are all doing such good work. Be proud.

[jazzcat]

I am living with around 20 cats at the moment. I too am very lucky because hubby loves them as much as I do. There are many people who think I'm nuts but I figure the only one who really counts is God. I truly believe that by putting the lives his creatures before material things or pressure from what other people think is crazy, is the right thing to do.
I think God put lots of different types of caring people in this world. Many care for humans and many care for animals. Being a member of PT shows you how many animal angels are gathered just in this one spot. I think thats pretty incredible and anyone who doesn't like it needs to take it up with God because he is the one who made us this way! :D
Enjoy your babies and poo on what others think! ;)
Thank you Lisa! Dealing with the potential of two new cats and not being sure about it I really needed to hear that.
I sure have missed you!!!

[kimlovescats]

I also agree 100% with what Catcrazylady Lisa has said!!! These are God's creatures, why should I question it? I was given this love in my heart for a reason and a husband who feels the same for a reason.

Heidiv, that is hysterical about the cat hair in the shoe!!! :D

K&L ... you've passed me now! (just barely) ;)

[jenluckenbach]

Does Everyone Think You're Crazy?
YES (But not necessarily because of the cats. LOL LOL LOL)

but seriously, I swear to you, people never liked me....not in grade school, not in high school, not in collage, not at work, not even in my own family. So why on EARTH would I care if they think I am crazy or not for caring for a (more than a normal number) of cats?!?!?!

I have always danced to the beat of a different drum and it sure as heck never bothered me not to be like everyone else.

And I too agree whole-heartedly with CCL, well said!

[Karen]

The original questions is really "Does Everyone (who doesn't belong to Pet Talk) Think You're Crazy" right?

And Jen, I like you just fine! ;)

[QueenScoopalot]

There's NO WAY you're crazy! Just so long as the current families are well taken care of, and don't carry on the never ending cycle of birth..it's no one's business but yours and your cat lovin' hubby! I do rescuing, and there are more than I can count filtering through my doors every year. Luckily I have a few foster homes to take some of the overflow, but there have been times I'll admit that I can't count them all! Especially when I have several nursing moms under the roof, and their offspring. :rolleyes: And luck has it that I just made it through my 17th year of being married on Halloween, and hubby accepts my passion, as my "life's calling", and I accept his as his music and never ending gigs. ;) Granted there are days that (OK weeks sometimes) that he has to endure an entire family in our tiny bathroom, but so be it. They eventually find new nitches in the world. ;) Keep being crazy...cat crazy rescuing..the world needs more passsionate persons like you & your hubby! :D