upsetting call about my former fosters

[emily_the_spoiled]

I just have to vent to people who will understand. Over the last year or so I have participated in a military foster program (when soldiers go overseas). During this time I had two fosters, Gay and Bigodinho. They are both wonderful cats. I originally took care of them last summer/fall and then the soldier's mother took them from me. Well she went away in December so I took them back in, along with another cat she adopted (Pearl) from Petsmart. She then picked them up in the middle of January and I thought everything was okay with them. Well last night I received a phone call from her asking me if I knew anyone who would be willing to adopt older cats (about 6 yo). She has decided that she would like to get rid of Bigodinho and Gay because they are "too much work". When we talked about this she said that she wanted to get a dog instead of two cats and she was planning on keeping Pearl. This just makes me very upset ...

Right now I don't have the room to take them in, but I know she was looking for me to volunteer to take them from her. I am planning on buying a house and moving during the summer. I didn't tell her, but if she would keep them until then I might consider taking them in.

I just don't understand how two cats would be more work than a dog and how she could get rid of them so easily...

Sorry for the long posting

[K & L]

That's so sad. We had 3 dogs, who are all deceased now due to old age, and they were more work than the 18 cats. Don't get me wrong, I also love dogs and this is the first time in my entire life I have not had one. We just feel cats are less maintenance, we don't have to walk them, we don't bath them, we don't house train them, etc. Hopefully they'll get a good home.

[catmandu]

That is upsetting , but today , people get tired of things a lot faster , because there are so many new thingds , that they dont treasure the old. I would never get rid of my Old Friends , as I treasure them , and The Found Cats all hope that they can get The Furr Ever Home , that they deserve!

[Grace]

I'm curious - how is the soldier's mother going to explain to her son why she is getting rid of his cats? Does he even know?

[catnapper]

What a spoiled, lazy woman! Kittens are a lot of work - Older cats sleep! Seriously, the only way I could think of a cat being "too much work" is by maintaining the litter. Thats's a whole three minutes out of your day to scoop Whew! Its always wiped me out. (note the sarcasm.) Unless the cats have health issues, but I'm sure you are well aware of the state of their health.

Do you know of anyone esle that could foster the cats until summer? I'm afraid that if she thinks they're too much work that she'll not want to wait until then. Grrr... some people need to have their heads examined.

[emily_the_spoiled]

The cats are in perfect health. I had them for almost 8 months and never had any health issues with them, so I know they are in good shape.

Supposedly her son (the soldier who is now in Iraq) has said that he didn't want the cats when he got back. Although part of me is wondering if that is just being in Iraq and facing the potential for his own mortality...

I made her promise to keep me posted on what she decides. If she does make the final decision to get rid of them I will step in at that time. I just didn't want to make it "easy" for her to think that she could dump her unwanted pets on me...

I tried to explain to her that a dog is MUCH more work than older cats (we had dogs when I was growing up so I know). But she seems set on getting herself a dog. I even suggested that maybe she could get the dog and still keep the cats...

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

I can't understand people like this, but I can sympathise, as we see this, and worse, at the shelter on a regular basis.

I hope you can stay in touch with her, so a solution can be found. What about theorganisation who originally placed the cats with you - could they find another forster home until the summer?

[jazzcat]

I just wonder how long it will be before she gives away the dog because it is too much work. Geez!
My one little dog is as much work as all three of my cats together.

[emily_the_spoiled]

I know that based on what some of you see this is nothing, but it is just another example of human callousness to me. I can't believe that she would be that selfish. And you are all right, a dog is even more work (regardless of the size). but she doesn't seem to think of it that way. When she was on holidays her mother had a dog and she enjoyed the time she spent with it. I tried to explain that she was on holidays then and had the time, but when she is working and travelling (for work) she won't have the time with a dog. It is almost like she wants the latest "toy" and doesn't realize this is an animal with feelings and a life

Now that I know what she is thinking I am definitely going to keep an eye on things to make sure that she doesn't get rid of them without contacting me. I figure maybe by the summer time she will be tired of the third cat and want to get rid of it also

[Logan]

Oh dear, situations like this make me so angry!!! I do hope those two, and possibly three, kitties find a loving, accepting home. I don't blame you one bit for being so upset!

[Corinna]

oh my gosh she is in for a huge wake up call! My two good dogs take so much more work than the 2 kitties. even scooping the box every day is nothing to keeping the mine feilds clear in the yard. (newfys and springers really poop a lot) I suppose shes getting a little lap dog but they are still work actually i have found more becouse people (not pet talkers) tend to let them get away with out being trained cuz they are small. My two have to be just becouse of size. but they would be any way cuz i like to be a good doggie neighbor

[nibblets]

Her reasoning of the cats being too much work is ridiculous! Buddy, bless his heart, is much more needful and more to handle than Julie. She only asks for her food, a clean litter box and a nice window to sit by. Buddy requires much attention, grooming, letting him out and in to do his business... He gets very jealous if Jules is getting more attention and he will start barking or whining and pouting. He likes to shred Kleenex, get in the trash, scratch on the doors....
She should never have taken them in the first place if she was not willing to go the whole nine yards with them.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Originally posted by jazzcat
I just wonder how long it will be before she gives away the dog because it is too much work. Geez!

You were reading my mind, weren't you Jazzcat?

This woman doesn't deserve to have any pets!

[NoahsMommy]

I hate to see how long the dog gets to live with her before he too, has the same fate. And they give almost anyone an animal if they fork over the $$$. Sad.

I'll never understand this side of people. Animals are NOT disposable. You don't see me getting rid of Olivia because she enjoys using our couch as a litter box, do you? It just amazes me people have this type of attitude.

[emily_the_spoiled]

The one thought that went through my mind last night when she told me this was "How could you even think of getting another pet?" I had always liked this woman, but this has definitely changed my opinion of her. Pets are not disposable and you can't just get rid of them because you think they are too much work. But I also know that almost nothing I say will change her mind and she will go ahead with this when she is tired of them. Hopefully she can hold on until I get a house in the summer or we can find someone else to take the cats before she turns them into the shelter.

Part of me wonders what her son is going to say when he comes back from Iraq and he may have changed his mind about them...