Anyone interested in adopting two wonderful cats?

[philipph.livejournal.com]

It's come to our attention that we're gone too much of the day these days (what with school and work) to give our two kitties the love and attention they deserve, and since this won't end for quite a while still, we've decided they need to have people who can.

I'm incredibly distressed at having to do this, so at least I want to see if I can find them a good home (together if at all possible).



One is a large (and gluttonous, so we've kept him on a strict diet) fuzzy orange tabby. His name is Fisher. He's a little over 6 years old, and is a great cat. The degree to which he helped Callie (see below) adjust to her new home was amazing. It's like he was training her. Sociable and loving.

The other is a slim little tuxedo kitty. Her name is Callie. We got her from the 2nd Chance for Cats (used to be in Somerville... now all the references I see are for JP?) when she just just not quite a kitten anymore about 3 years ago. So she's 4 or so. She was born in a storm drain, but she's become curious and sociable and completely adjusted to the people life.

They've lived with other cats for a few weeks and gotten along well, when we were on vacation a few years ago. So they'd probably be okay in a household with other cats. Callie has never interacted with dogs before, so that might be a somewhat iffier proposition.

Please let me know if you'd be interested in giving these two a new home. They've had an awesome life so far, and have a lot more love to give and receive. We're just not around enough to trade it with them properly, and that's unfair to them.

They'll come with a host of kitty paraphernalia. Automatic litter box (with "forever" tray). Shed-enders (as seen on TV! :-). Toys. Carrier.

I'm going to miss them terribly. Just typing this is getting me teary.
If I don't get any takers, I'm open to suggestions for no-kill shelters. I was very impressed with the 2nd Chance people, so I was going to get back in touch with them. Have they moved? Other recommendations?

Comments

[divasue.livejournal.com]

They are adorable! Unfortunately our building doesn't allow pets. I know that this is a tough decision you are making, but I was wondering if it might be better for them to continue to live in your home, albeit a lonely home, than living in a shelter? They do have each other after all and once in the shelter system who knows where they will go. Perhaps an even lonelier home...

[veek.livejournal.com]

Ooh, this gives me an idea (sigh, no, I can't take them either) — if you have trouble finding a home for them, perhaps it might be worth contacting a fostering program and asking them to help? You could be the foster home, and the program might know a good house or three to which the kitties can be eventually transferred.

[skate97.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I've had cats my whole life, as have my parents, and as long as they are together, they don't need that much human contact, and will probably be happier in the home they know now then moving. Good luck!

[whaler.livejournal.com]

I hope you can work something like this out. The idea of giving up a pet unless you ABSOLUTELY have to makes me very sad.

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

They're really adorable. My wife and I used to have a cat that looked a lot like Fisher.

We've gotten all of our cats from the Merrimack Valley Feline Rescue. If you have to resort to a shelter, it's a pretty nice one. http://www.mrfrs.org/subpg/programs/adoption.php is their adoption info, it looks like they mostly take cats from towns on the North Shore though.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

Read your contract with the shelter, the contract you got when you adopted Callie. Often, shelters and responsible breeders have clauses in their contracts that say if you, for any reason, want to give up custody of the critter, you are obligated to give up custody of said critter to that shelter, and not do any self-placements or bring it to another shelter. I don't know if you have a similar contract regarding Fisher.

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

ding!

i've only worked with dog rescues, but this is usually the #1 rule. if anything comes up, they'll take the dog back.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

This is what I think, too...As long as you're home at least once a day, they're a lot happier than they'd be in an unfamilar cage at a shelter.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Clearly they love their current owners and something can be worked out. Cats aren't like dogs -- they can spend much more time without humans, especially if they have a companion cat.

OP, could you find it in your budget to hire a pet sitter to come spend a half-hour or so a day with them? Sounds like you wouldn't even need a professional, just someone responsible with a loving heart. I really, really think you can work this our without having to say goodbye to them.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I should add, my two kitties live and thrive in a home where humans are low-presence. We both work and often are doing our theatre things in the evenings. The kitties have fresh food and water at all times, and they love each other and can cuddle and lounge and command the house as they please. The attention they get at night is just fine, and they greet Mommy at the door happy and relaxed.

I really urge you to think about keeping your kitties. Don't over-estimate the need for human presence in cats. If it were dogs it would be a different story. But you're dealing with the much more autonymous feline, and I'm sure if they could speak they'd say they wanted to stay right where they are!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

You're probably right. As long as there's fresh food and water, windows with sunshine to sit in, cool breezes and warmth in winter, and someone coming home to them at night for cuddles, they do just fine. They cats pictured look very healthy and happy. Unless they need meds multiple times a day or something, I hope the OP keeps them right where they want to be.

[cosmicgarden.livejournal.com]

It's all been said, but just to weigh in - could you ask your vet's opinion first, before you give them up? Are you sure they're unhappy?

I love the idea of getting friends to check in on them, or a local teen who wants a couple of hours of easy work this summer. Check Care.com to see how much pet sitters are asking for.

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

I agree with other posters. I have a cat and she is home alone a lot at times and honestly she does not seem to care all too much. I put in a half hour at the end of the day of playing cuddling and then she is completely done with me. Are they meowing a lot when you are home? Knocking things over? Trashing your house/pooping/vomiting everywhere? These are the signs of lonely/unhappy cats. Otherwise I wouldn't worry so much about it -- cats tend to be really independent from what I've seen.

[philipph.livejournal.com]

Some of those signs are exactly what made us decide this would be the best approach. The level of desperation they exhibit when we are home, just to be wherever we happen to be, has increased a lot lately. Non-stop "talking" to us, too. And an increase in peeing and scratching (not dramatic, I'd say, but definitely noticeable).

[sungold123.livejournal.com]

This makes me think they need to go to the vet before you do anything. It may be a medical problem instead.

[beatniktea.livejournal.com]

I am interested in this a bit. I am on the lookout to adopt a cat, although I was more interested in kitten adoption. And of course being someone who would be new to cat ownership completely it probably wouldn't be the best fit for me, plus I was looking for just one cat. They are both so sweet though.

[shadow.livejournal.com]

I second the suggestion of those above regarding keeping your cats and getting visitors, etc.

On Second Chance Shelter for Cats: there are a couple of people involved in running the shelter/ fostering, and I think the experience can depend a lot on who you deal with. I had a very bad experience with one of the foster home providers. I'm not willing to talk about it here, but if someone's considering using them and wants details, ping me on my personal journal.

[noradeirdre.livejournal.com]

Oh, please do reconsider your decision- they have each other and I am sure they would be so much happier to stay with you. They seem like beautiful and good-natured companions.

If you must go to a shelter, please call Friends of Marblehead's Abandoned Animals- they are affiliated with Marblehead Animal Control and are strict no-kill shelter. http://www.marblehead-animal-shelter.org/

But I do think that you can hopefully keep them. Please, please, please reconsider.

[redcolumbine.livejournal.com]

Of course they miss you when you're away, but there are two of them - they have each other for company. I agree with everyone who's said, please don't uproot them. Cats take to upheaval much worse than to the absence of their humans.

[snarkyman.livejournal.com]

Please consider keeping your cats. As others said, I'm sure they miss you, but they are far better off in a safe, loving home than they would be elsewhere.

The shelters are overrun with cats these days and you'll be lucky to find anyone to take them within the next 6 weeks. We fostered a stray last October. Only the MSPCA in Boston would take her without waiting, but they euthanize 30-40 cats a day that they cannot find homes for. We ended up finding loving home for her within a few weeks.

[lusciousnichols.livejournal.com]

Philipp, Philipp, Philipp...this should teach you to ask for help in here.

You'd have probably felt less guilt if you'd have sold them to a lab, dumped them in the countryside, or had them euthanized than to be dragged across hot coals in here.

Tsk, tsk. How dare you care enough to try to find a kind, loving home for them.

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

Yes, because that's exactly what people are saying.

I'd love to, but I'm allergic

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Sigh...

[purpless77.livejournal.com]

Honestly, not trying to make waves. But I'm wondering if it really is an issue of not being around much of the day or you just not wanting them anymore. Which is a shame. If it is the latter I suggest you seriously rethink any pets in the future. As I doubt you'd do this to a child and pets are a true responsibility and commitment you make.

I do agree with others. If you truly want your cats and were only worried about not being around often enough, keep them. Pets are more independent [especially cats] then some give them credit for. Of course they will be happy to see you when you are home and they would also rather stay where they have settled into and consider home then be shipped off to a stranger only to get used to another home and might then get stressed if it will be a permanent home or not. Animals do fear abandonment and not staying where they consider home.

If you just don't want them, I do hope you're looking hard into this and not just giving them to anyone who says they want cats. There is a reason people say not to put out free ads for pets. I also second the suggestions above about contacting the shelter/s you got the cats from. And not have pets in the future as for this not to happen again.

Giving you the benefit of the doubt, I hope you've realized you're fine to keep your cats despite not being home often.

[philipph.livejournal.com]

So I finally found Callie's paperwork.
And she's from "Safe Harbor for Animals", in case anyone cares at this point.
I misremembered the name of the place (which explains why I was surprised to find them listed in JP).

Looking over what I signed, I see that the item about returning them to the shelter is in there.
And so are the following points that stand out to me:
"I will not leave my cat(s) alone for more than ten hours without human care and companionship".
And I kind of disregard the time about someone having the right to come over and inspect our place whenever they feel like it, simply because I find it hard to believe that the volunteer staff could possibly have time/energy for that. But I remember thinking that was kind of outrageous at the time I signed it.

Dare I ask how many other pet owners break their agreements?
Move cross-country, or even across town, and forget to notify the shelter they adopted from? (it wouldn't even have occurred to me that I should do that, were I to move)

There is some logic to not giving them to strangers... so the mood I'm in dictates the following: "Screw you all, you can't have my cats, because you'd probably just torture and kill them"

Secondarily, I should note that apparently I am not in fact thick-skinned enough to post on LiveJournal. At least not on a topic that I am this sensitive about.

[philipph.livejournal.com]

And "Safe Harbor for Animals" doesn't exist anymore: "I'm sorry, the number you have reached is not in service".
According to this: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MA35.html
seemingly having passed the baton to http://www.pawsafe.org/ who in turn have decided that MA is not where they want to do business. Or something.
That's pretty messed up.