I love house cats, but I'm done!

[Boyd01]

Sorry to hear about this. I have buried my own share of old cats in the yard over the years.

in 2020 a hungry feral cat showed up and I couldn't resist the urge to feed her. [...] Still too afraid to allow me to touch her, but I think that is about to change.

Well... big progress here. Almost exactly two years after she arrived, this feral cat began letting me pat her. It just built slowly from that, and now she's an affectionate, sweet cat that just loves to be petted. Still different from a cat that was domesticated as a kitten, but her progress is remarkable. The other cat has been jealous to have this new "competition", but generally they are getting along well.

 

[eyoungren]

Sorry to hear about this. I have buried my own share of old cats in the yard over the years.

Yes. That first shovel of dirt after placing them in the hole is always the worst. Ultimately, the finality of it though does bring a bit of peace - knowing they are properly buried.

It isn't something though I wish to repeat in the remaining decades I have.

Well... big progress here. Almost exactly two years after she arrived, this feral cat began letting me pat her. It just built slowly from that, and now she's an affectionate, sweet cat that just loves to be petted. Still different from a cat that was domesticated as a kitten, but her progress is remarkable. The other cat has been jealous to have this new "competition", but generally they are getting along well.

View attachment 2040146

That is good to hear.

 

[eyoungren]

Bear is still going strong, but a bit ornery now that a 5 month old kitten has moved in. Neighbor's older son across the street brought home this lovable kitten. I saw it eating on their front porch, so I went over to see it. Kids wanted to keep her but the mother said she didn't want it in the house and was just going to put it out on the street, so I said I would take her and try and find a home for her. Didn't take long for her to butter me up.
View attachment 2040139 View attachment 2040141
She tries to make friends, but Bear barely tolerates her!

Hopefully they manage to work it all out soon. Glad you were able to take the kitten. All the cats I've had (except for the first) have been rescue cats. Being able to give a cat a good home when there was no certainty of it before is the best feeling.

 

[Allyance]

Over our 40+ years of marriage, we had many many cats, all rescues or offsprings of them. We had 6 when we left CA for NY State and the "farm". Lost count after awhile. Here is a picture of our first cat, Mama Doo, she was rescued from under our house in Glendale CA, she was the matriarch of all our cats. She ended up having several litters in CA before she got fixed. She flew to NY in 1990, and stayed with us for along time before she got cancer of the lymph nodes. She had one operation, but we knew the best option was to put her to sleep, so I dug her a spot in the "Pet Cemetery". She decided to watch me dig her own grave, sitting by the edge.

 

[Herdfan]

Yes. That first shovel of dirt after placing them in the hole is always the worst. Ultimately, the finality of it though does bring a bit of peace - knowing they are properly buried.

A local funeral home with a crematorium will do animals. So all of ours are in nice wood boxes on a shelf. The two my wife had when we got married are in one box together, a stray we adopted is in a box by himself because the other two hated him so we didn't think it right that they would have to share perpetuity with him. And the mother and sister ragdolls of my daughter's cat are in the third, but with room for her to join in the future.

On a happier note, people who say cats can't be trained, haven't tried. When we come up from watching TV in the evening, I can simply say bedroom and the two boys race to beat each other into the room. Sometimes I can just point and they go.

 

[Jumpthesnark]

So, he's gone now.

Died some time between 11pm August 5th, 2022 and 3:40am August 6th, 2022.

Near as we can tell he was 15. We got him in 2011 and he was already 3 or 4 years old then. There was a family in our old neighborhood that was moving and they simply dumped him in a park. He followed them home, so to appease her children, the mother was going door to door with the cat to see if anyone would take him.

My wife and I had already agreed at the time, 'no more animals', so when the woman knocked and asked my wife turned to me. I misunderstood her, thinking she wanted the cat. So, we ended up with him. The kids lied to us and told us he'd already been neutered. That lie cost me $40 when I paid to make it real.

So, 11 years and one move with us. My daughter used to follow him incessantly with an iPhone 3GS, taking pictures. She was only three or four at the time we got him. So there are lots of pictures to remember him by.

But…I've had cats in the house for 40 years now and before I was born until 1983 there was a dog in the house.

Yesterday the litterbox, food and water bowl and the remaining cat litter were removed.

We finished burying him in the back yard about two hours ago. It's interesting because he was always an inside cat. He absolutely refused to ever go outside. Yet now…he's outside.

My wife and I have agreed yet again, no more animals. We cannot do them justice. One kid is in his sophmore year of college and another just started her first year of high school. They have their own lives. My wife is starting her second year of teaching and after so many years of staying home and taking care of young children is focused on her career and getting her master's degree.

No one's here during the day except me (I work from home) and I'm not interested in giving the time and attention necessary anymore after so many years.

Farewell JJ, rest in peace. You were a great cat.

So sorry for your loss. Cats can be a pain in the butt, especially if they're indoor cats and especially when they get older and they depend on us more. But they're still amazing animals - aloof, mysterious, warm, cuddly, self-conscious, hilarious..... often at the same time. When we let them into our lives, we are rewarded with their presence.

Despite the hairballs, the litter boxes and their attendant odors and cleaning, the picky eating, the fur left on carpets and furniture.

So yeah, a real pain. And missed mightily when they're gone. Glad you gave JJ so many good years as he did for you in return.

 

[jagolden]

So, he's gone now.

Died some time between 11pm August 5th, 2022 and 3:40am August 6th, 2022.

Near as we can tell he was 15. We got him in 2011 and he was already 3 or 4 years old then. There was a family in our old neighborhood that was moving and they simply dumped him in a park. He followed them home, so to appease her children, the mother was going door to door with the cat to see if anyone would take him.

My wife and I had already agreed at the time, 'no more animals', so when the woman knocked and asked my wife turned to me. I misunderstood her, thinking she wanted the cat. So, we ended up with him. The kids lied to us and told us he'd already been neutered. That lie cost me $40 when I paid to make it real.

So, 11 years and one move with us. My daughter used to follow him incessantly with an iPhone 3GS, taking pictures. She was only three or four at the time we got him. So there are lots of pictures to remember him by.

But…I've had cats in the house for 40 years now and before I was born until 1983 there was a dog in the house.

Yesterday the litterbox, food and water bowl and the remaining cat litter were removed.

We finished burying him in the back yard about two hours ago. It's interesting because he was always an inside cat. He absolutely refused to ever go outside. Yet now…he's outside.

My wife and I have agreed yet again, no more animals. We cannot do them justice. One kid is in his sophmore year of college and another just started her first year of high school. They have their own lives. My wife is starting her second year of teaching and after so many years of staying home and taking care of young children is focused on her career and getting her master's degree.

No one's here during the day except me (I work from home) and I'm not interested in giving the time and attention necessary anymore after so many years.

Farewell JJ, rest in peace. You were a great cat.

So sorry for your loss. Even when they are being PIAs, you still have a place in your heart for them.
Very difficult to go through. We’ve been there seven time, and still have three.

May he Rest In Peace.

 

[max2]

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[MisterSavage]

So, he's gone now.

Died some time between 11pm August 5th, 2022 and 3:40am August 6th, 2022.

So sorry for you loss. Losing a pet is so hard. I swore we wouldn't have another cat after I lost my last one. My current cat had different plans. 😭 She's lucky all the cat rescues were full when she forced herself on us.

 

[eyoungren]

So sorry for you loss. Losing a pet is so hard. I swore we wouldn't have another cat after I lost my last one. My current cat had different plans. 😭 She's lucky all the cat rescues were full when she forced herself on us.

Well, my wife and I won't reject a new pet if there are no other options for it.

But actively seeking a new one? No. I'm tired, my wife has other things needing her attention and my kids really just don't care. I just don't want to shortchange any new pet.

I can't control life of course, so I can't say 'never again'. But I can try and avoid it as much as possible.

 

[Todd H]

So sorry for your loss. I’m dreading the day mine passes away.

I’ve had mine since he was a kitten. He was a rescue from a local vet. I mainly got him for my son, who is autistic. And since the day I brought him home they have been best buddies. He sits in the room with my son most of the day and is very gentle with him. Of course, he also loves the rest of the family and is nothing but a lap cat. I’ve never had a cat this sweet and loving.

He’s around 14 years old now but still runs around like a young cat. He’s been an indoor cat since we got him. He’s never pooped or peed anywhere but his litter box. I don’t think we could have asked for a better cat.

 

[satcomer]

I have personally seen new domesticated cats roaming around homeless! This always tells me the economy is failing even for Women sense the abandon their cats when loose a house! You know when Economy goes bad feral cats triple!

 

[MisterSavage]

Well, my wife and I won't reject a new pet if there are no other options for it.

But actively seeking a new one? No. I'm tired, my wife has other things needing her attention and my kids really just don't care. I just don't want to shortchange any new pet.

I can't control life of course, so I can't say 'never again'. But I can try and avoid it as much as possible.

Ha! I was the same way. Everyone around me was all "KEEP THE CAT" and meanwhile I'm on the phone calling every cat rescue group I can find.

 

[eyoungren]

Ha! I was the same way. Everyone around me was all "KEEP THE CAT" and meanwhile I'm on the phone calling every cat rescue group I can find.

I think I will stick with YT cat videos.

Attachment forms the moment they get their little paws on you.

 

[Graham Caracas]

Animals live outdoors, or in barns. Your house isn't a barn...or is it? My general rule is that nothing lives in the house that can't use the toilet or hold a job.

 

[jz0309]

Animals live outdoors, or in barns. Your house isn't a barn...or is it? My general rule is that nothing lives in the house that can't use the toilet or hold a job.

Guess you don’t have children either…

 

[Allyance]

Resident porch cat. Had to put a sheet of plexiglass on bottom half of screen so he wouldn't destroy it again. He is a good boy, very affectionate, demands scratches and pets.

 

[JT2002TJ]

Guess you don’t have children either…

I know right. I have a 10 month old son, my cat can survive for a week without me home (food bowl, large water fountain, very large kitty litter igloo). If I left my son alone (THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN) he wouldn't make it 2-3 days.

 

[eyoungren]

Animals live outdoors, or in barns. Your house isn't a barn...or is it? My general rule is that nothing lives in the house that can't use the toilet or hold a job.

I'm just going to say this…

There's a big difference between having pets in 1982 when my dad first allowed cats and 2022. In 1982 the cat(s) came with the house we were renting and there was zero my dad could do about it. Also we were rural and they were outside cats anyway. But the resultant offspring came with us when we moved in 1984.

Today (2022), I live in Maricopa County (in Arizona). We had a sheriff a few years back named Joe Arpaio. Maybe you know of him?

He and his sheriffs were very, VERY good at finding, arresting, charging and seeing convictions on animal abusers. Conversely, they were very, very bad at doing the same to murderers, rapists, thieves and other kinds of criminals. But you abuse an animal and they will lock you away for a very long time. Double that if your crime involved a dog. They take dogs serious out here.

The sheriff has since changed - but this has not.

And stuff that'd be totally okay in 1982 is animal abuse now. Leave your outside cat out in 118º heat in August with no water and no food?

Yeah, it ain't 1982 anymore.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Animals live outdoors, or in barns. Your house isn't a barn...or is it? My general rule is that nothing lives in the house that can't use the toilet or hold a job.

The thread is about cats which are pets, not cattle. Wait until you have kids if that’s your philosophy now.

 

[JT2002TJ]

The thread is about cats which are pets, not cattle. Wait until you have kids if that’s your philosophy now.

This might not be the best idea...

 

[eyoungren]

I find it very important to clean the litter box, it helps both our cats and the air in our house.
Cleaning the litter box is essential for both you and your pet. Whether domesticated or not, cats love to leave their litter in a clean environment.
Leaving dirty feces in the box will force your cat to defecate elsewhere in your home. If you can't get the dirt out, empty the can and wash it out with soap and hot water.

Yes, I agree. But after 40+ years of doing that I am no longer willing to do it anymore. My cat has died since this thread was started, so now I don't have to.

No plans for having any more animals.

 

[JT2002TJ]

My cat also passed since my last post. I will never get over it, she was a huge part of my family and with us for almost 17 years...

When I get home, or come in the garage door, she is no longer there waiting for me to come inside. She did this her entire life.

 

[DianaMR]

My cat also passed since my last post. I will never get over it, she was a huge part of my family and with us for almost 17 years...

When I get home, or come in the garage door, she is no longer there waiting for me to come inside. She did this her entire life.

So sorry for your loss. I know the older I get, the harder it is. Have 2 Ragdolls, 5 and 10, now and a Papillion that is 13. Trying to prepare for that loss but you never really can. I don’t plan on having anymore. I just can’t handle the grief.

 

[eyoungren]

My cat also passed since my last post. I will never get over it, she was a huge part of my family and with us for almost 17 years...

When I get home, or come in the garage door, she is no longer there waiting for me to come inside. She did this her entire life.

Very sorry. I don't think that ever goes away. I know sometimes I will catch something out of the corner of my eye and turn, expecting my cat to be there. It's been almost three months for me.