Moral Dilemma

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've been thinking about this thread a lot today. Maybe you should tell them to just rehome the younger cats because Puss was there first. Usually younger cats are much easier to place and will adapt to their new homes much faster too.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

I am wondering...
Are the younger kitties actual kittens?
Did these people educate themselves on what it's like to add kittens to an only older cat? Did they do a proper integration? And do they fully appreciate how lucky they are to have a 19 year old cat without a lot of difficult-to-manage health issues? I'm guessing it's a no to all but the first of these questions.

This families children definitely don't need to learn that just because something is old, it gets disposed of.

I know what it's like to have people as friends with pets which they don't treat properly, or at least properly in my opinion. Of the closest families to me either by friendship or blood relations, 5 have pets and only 1 of them treats their pets even close to what I think is right. It's hard to hold your tongue. You have to weigh: Is my friendship with these people worth letting our differences in what we do with pets slide? Or is the way I think pets should be treated strong enough to strain or end a friendship? I'm not confrontational enough to say a whole lot to our friends who, in my opinion, are lacking in their pet parenting....so I pretty much let the pet thing slide and keep our friendship going. It doesn't always sit well with me to be that way, but.....

[Pinot's Mom]

Momto4:The kittens were adopted last Christmas and are just over a year old. They did not do a proper integration and are really very lackadaisical in their treatment of all the kitties. Every time I go over there I pay special attention to Puss because I know he gets no attention whatsoever and I make sure he has food and water. The cats are indoor/outdoor at will and can spend a good deal of time outside before anyone lets them in. I hate it, but, as you said, I'm not confrontational, either. I did tell the husband what I thought of his plan with Puss, and what could be causing the problems (the problem, by the way, is the young ones have started improper bathroom habits; no wonder!), but it fell on deaf ears.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Ah, deaf ears...one of the worst things a person can have no matter what you are trying to enlighten them about.
Poor Puff. I will send vibes that some other solution comes up besides euthanization!

[pomtzu]

Sounds like you're up against a brick wall Maggie. What a shame that this is happening. It seems like they shouldn't have any pets at all since they pay no attention to them. I can't imagine why they would go to the "bother" of taking on 2 more, when they ignore old Puss. Poor kitty. I hope your friends don't carry out their plan to eliminate him - it just breaks my heart thinking about it.

[Pinot's Mom]

Ellie, you're right, they should not have cats. They regard cats as something I can't fathom. My kitties have always been family and I just don't get it. They are really warm, generous, loving people who don't think kitties need any loving or care. It just doesn't compute.

KAK: they will not think of rehoming the little ones.

[Indigo Bully Connection]

This is really disturbingly disgusting to me. I don't get it I can't believe they're really considering doing this!

[carole]

What i don't get here is the logic behind this decision, it just does not add up,maybe they just cannot be bothered with taking care of an elderly puss and knowing that in time he will get things wrong with him and need care,but yes they are being unkind in their decision IMO, to think i do anything i possibly can to keep my ole Ash going and he is only 14 with CRF, and they cannot give this old cat the time of day.

Hopefully what goes around comes around, they will be old one day, maybe no-one will want to care for them either. GRRR...is all i can say.

Please keep trying to talk with them and see if you can make any headway, you may well be able to turn their thoughts around to not making such a decision, it is just as well Puss is none the wiser isn't it?

[aTailOf2Kitties]

sure is nice of everyone here to determine who should and shouldn't own pets

[Cataholic]

sure is nice of everyone here to determine who should and shouldn't own pets

Not sure I quite follow you here. We are on a pet forum. We have been told that this family intends to PTS an otherwise healthy senior cat because it is old. Really, that doesn't seem like the type of person that should have cats (or any pets). Where are you finding fault with people's reactions? You agree with this practice?

To the OP and those talking about being non-confrontational, I am curious. Are you saying that you don't say things to people when confronted with situations like this? To the OP- have you come right out and expressed your feelings on this very topic? I can't imagine not saying anything. Those animals have no voice but ours. No friendship- be it friend OR family- can mean that much to me that I can't speak out on what I see as the ills of this world.

I am true to myself, first. This has nothing to do with being confrontational (though, of course, I have no problem with that), this has to do with being true to yourself, to standing up to what you consider inhumane treatment to animals.

You say, "They are really warm, generous, loving people who don't think kitties need any loving or care. It just doesn't compute." This makes no sense. Why would you want a friendship with these type of people? If your friendship can't be traded on to teach, educate, influence others in the way they treat/view those dependent on it, what good is it?

When it comes to some things, and the humane treatment of animals is one of them, one is either in it with me, or against me.

[carole]

Cataholic does raise some valid points, i too was rather surprised at your reaction,and did not know quite what to say about it, but she has summed it up. Why would you find fault with people's reactions here?

[Pinot's Mom]

Cataholic-just to let you know, I have voiced my opinion and concern. They don't think their treatment of the kitties is out of line. In the husband's words, they have food, and a roof over their heads when they want it. He also figures he's given Puss 19 "good" years he wouldn't have had as they took him in off the street. I disagree and will try to change things if I can.

[pomtzu]

sure is nice of everyone here to determine who should and shouldn't own pets

I too found this post as strange to say the least, but having been viewed as a poster that's confrontational at times, I figured I'd just leave it alone.

Thank you Cataholic for expressing what I was thinking.

[carole]

I think we should give Pinots Mom more credit here and have faith in her, i am sure she will do her best to change their minds, you can only do so much, people have different ideas, some would consider our love and care towards our pets extreme and nutty even,unfortunately not everyone feels as we all do,and what Pinots mom expressed about their feelings is more common than not.

Let us just keep hoping she can change their minds, I know she will do her very best, good luck, as i am sure you are going to need it, and bless you for trying.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

why do I find fault with this thread? Because it's nobody's business. If Pinot's Mom knows these people, she needs to deal with them herself, not spread their business on an internet forum.

Puss is their cat, not ours. Obviously if they feel they cannot give him the care he really needs then it's up to them to find him a new home or humanely PTS.

Plenty of people out there have pets that are just that...pets. They're not family members, they're not children, they're animals. As long as they receive proper vet care and some sort of attention on a regular basis, I'm not gonna judge someone for not coddling their animals. Would you rather a dog be a backyard pet, or just die in a shelter. Should "barn cats" all be killed to save them from a life outdoors?

Puss has obviously been cared for to some extent or he wouldn't have lived to his advanced age. If this family feels that Puss isn't happy any more or requires more attention than they can give him, then let them find a new home or PTS rather than let him slowly decline.

Bottom line, I refuse to "throw somebody under the bus" just because they don't care for their animals as much as I do for mine. I sure as hell ain't gonna share their business with other people who don't know them just to make myself feel better for butting in.

I'm not gonna pass judgement until I hear Puss' owners give their side of the story. If I told someone I kicked a dog and they spread it all over the internet, then everyone here would be ready to firebomb my house. Never mind that I kicked that big dog to get him to let go of the little dog he was attacking. There are 2 sides to every story and in Puss' case we've only seen one. Do you know what I'm getting at?