Re: Have to put my cats up for adoption

Sorry, but yes, I do mean to make you feel bad. You got cats KNOWING your DH was allergic and not a fan of cats? What a real crappy thing to do.

Poor things.


I'm sorry but I agree. Why would you get cats if DH wasn't a "cat lover". Of course the first thing they do wrong he's going to hold it over your head as a reason they have to go.
My DH doesn't love cats and I don't love big dogs but neither of us expected the other to get rid of animals that we made a committment to.

Re: Have to put my cats up for adoption

Re: Have to put my cats up for adoption

Re: Have to put my cats up for adoption

First I will preface that I am involved with animal advocacy groups - so I have a very deep commitment to animals as well as my family. Many children walk into my home, including my husband's - who used to be on a breathing machine - he loves our cats and wishes I took the cats his mother threw away, PS he has never even coughed in my home. I personally could not have been with a man who didn't like animals, that was a relationship deal breaker for me - but that's just me.

Although I would never give up my pets, I will first commend anyone who tries to find a suitable home (by that I mean does research and interviews potential adopters) for their pet as opposed to the heartless idiots out there who "dump" their cats and dogs on the street to fend for themselves. So many wonderful volunteers spend time retrieving these injured, sick and hungry fur babies - giving of their time, their homes and even their money on what someone elsed deemed "just an animal".

We have MANY family members with allergies - we had our HVAC mechanic install central air cleaners (air purifiers are the most worthless things that anyone ever marketed - go for a central system) - no one will know you have a cat - I have FIVE cats - no one sneezes on my clock! I also have HARD WOOD FLOORS - I have to say - kids will do more damage than any 10-20 lb cat. Heck - I do more damage to my floors - and they are BRAND NEW wood floors, the cats run on them and everything, my floors look great - and what good is a home you can't LIVE in? Again, I have 5 - and no scratches - not even on the furniture... one of the cats that lives with my husband and I is a feral... in other words, we took her in from our yard when she was almost a year old and she has never left the house yet she was not born into the hands of humans so she is still going through a very slow socialization process, she gets along great with the other cats, she is not aggressive at all, but she has all her claws (again, my furniture and floors are all intact and this is a cat that still is extremely instictive b/c of her start in life outside) - she was never "trained" to use a litter box, but she was put in a separate room with her food, water and a litter box - and WHALLA, the cat understood - this is my bathroom. All 5 cats share 3 litterboxes - I have no accidents and my house doesn't even smell.

I could never get rid of my cats. We have many friends with many babies - infants and toddlers than have crawled the same floors as my 5 kitties. My home is immaculate most would say and I am proud to say. No child has ever left here ill or with cat scratch fever or any other odd ailments. A young childs immune system often benefits from having animals around, and for me personally, if my children have pet allergies - just as if they like I did as a child had allergies to dust - I would get them medical treatment. Very few people - especially children truly cannot live with animals. For most children - the benefits of growing up with pets far outway's the risks as long as adults are responsible (never leave animals and children unattended, bathe your pets, don't let children play rough with animals, etc.)

Please to all bear in mind something I got from an animal charity over the weekend - it's the Ten Commandments of Animals and I will onlly post the first one...

"My life is likely to last 10-15 years (or more). Any separation from you will be painful for me. Remember that BEFORE you bring me home."

Finally - can't find a no-kill shelter to take in the kitties - I have been told you can post up to 3 adoption ads for free in NEWSDAY... give it a try. Also talk to local Veterinarians. Petco in Syosset has kitties that are rescued by another group - you can call them and ask for the name of the rescue group that helps them adopt out the cats.

Message edited 11/7/2006 2:32:45 PM.