Bothered my someone at another board I go to

[Rocky'smomma]

I don't know how to approach them really...This friend of mind at this parenting board I go to just lost her family cat due to Feline Leukemia,,,well, in the post she started says she just never got around to getting his leukemia shots..she has a son who is 6 years old and is sad about the situation, but she is already talking about getting another cat and saying it will be an outside cat too already....I have put a link up to this thread where this board is and I am angry that she is even considering getting another cat, knowing that she may not get around to getting this cats shots again and then it may die because of her irresponsibilities taken......I have known her for a while, and she knows how I feel, but I am just soo angry that she is even considering getting another cat..she says that cats are cool and a catless house is not.....I dunno...tell me your thoughts would you? thanks...
http://www.simplymoms.com/forums/in...st=0#entry39338

[PayItForward]

RIP Poor cat.

Does this lady show remorse about her RBcat ? You don't say..

As you can't stop her getting a second cat, I personally would go on damage control.

Can you re-educate her on the proper care of her cat (without shouting at her)

Suggest a good vet, which send out yearly reminder cards.

Post about the affects of diseases on cats / dangers for badly inoculated cats.

I can't think of anything else.

Fingers crossed that she has learnt her lesson (at the expense of her first cat) and treats the next cat properly.

PS. Maybe alert the local RSPCA shelter if she 'forgets' about the new cats shots.

[AngelZoo]

Rocky's: Aww and I was hoping you were talking smack about someone from TCS. Ahh well. ;)

Offer to go with her, when she wants to go adopt a new cat, and privately inform that shelter of what she did in the past and that she plans to make this new cat an outdoor cat.

Not only will hopefully the person at the shelter educate this lady, but also flat out might not adopt out to her. And might put her name on the "list" for other near by shelters and rescues to NOT adopt out to this lady.

[PayItForward]

And might put her name on the "list" for other near by shelters and rescues to NOT adopt out to this lady.

That would help the shelter animals :) but not the ones offered free in the papers etc :(

Sadly, anyone can get a cat if they want one. Though I wish this was not the case.

If she adopts a shelter cat, at least he/she would be up to date with the shots, when she adopts it.

Training the lady is the best idea. She needs to know what proper vet care a cat requires.

[Rocky'smomma]

I would go with her, but she lives all the way in washington state..I am Arkansas...I have never met her IRL either..I have just known her through message boards for almost 2 years now....I have chatted with her and let her know that if she does get a new kitty, this kitty needs to be indoors only..that is the safest way to protect our kitties....she is not too offended but yet, I don't know if she is so much of a cat lover or just wants to buy it for her son and that's it...

[PayItForward]

I would push for annual shots first, seeing as lack of medical care killed the first cat.

Will this be an outside or a inside/outside cat ?

[catland]

Originally posted by Rocky'smomma
I don't know if she is so much of a cat lover or just wants to buy it for her son and that's it...


Then that's the angle you use with her. Let her know that it sure would be traumatic for her son to lose another cat just because it didn't have the required vacinnations. You'd sure hate to see that happen. Educate her that Feline Leukemia is a virus, and if her one cat caught it, a new cat could get it too.

If/when she gets a new cat, gently but firmly pester her to get that cat to the vet! Send her links to web-sites about Feline Leukimia and other diseases that kitties get when they don't get their shots.

good luck.

[carole]

Yes try and educate her is the approach i think i would try and take, however does not always work , i have friend with three cats who never vaccinates any of them, all inside/outside cats, so far they are healthy but its risky, not one i am prepared to take. she is a very dominant person and there is no telling her. so good luck with your friend ,hope u have better luck than me with mine.

[Cataholic]

I think I would send her an email that begins and ends with compassion for the kitty. Type it out, and reread it the next day.

You can't CHANGE her. You don't want to alienate her, necessarily. So, if you do it with compassion, and facts, that is the best, and all, you can do. After that, you run the risk of offending her, and losing any other opportunity to educate her.

Sometimes we see it as a 'either/or' situation. If it doesn't work now, maybe it will work in six months.....

[IttyBittyKitty]

Rocky'smomma, Good on You for trying to educate your friend. There are too many people who just don't care about vaccinating their pets ... all you can do, is try your very best to educate your friend without coming across too judgemental. In a lot of cases, people won't listen to you, but if you change just one ignorant person's mind and they do the right thing then it is worth it!!!

Good luck ... I hope she does see sense for the sake of her child who obviously loved the cat.

[carole]

I guess its a bit like the debate of whether to vaccinate your child or not, there are those for and against it, same with cats maybe do you think?