I don't get people sometimes

rang_27

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The worst part of being a pet owner is that final journey that we must take them on. I've know for a while that there are people who can't or won't make that trip, but I got a big reminder yesterday. Someone brought us (at the shelter) a cat they claimed was 8-1/2, then said 10 (I think he's 12 -15) and was supposedly in good health. Well it took us all of 1 day to notice his LARGE urine output. He had a blood sugar test & sure enough he's diabetic. We have no way of knowing how long it was untreated for or what kind of condition his organs are in, but if looking at him is any clue this has been going on a LONG time. We bought the DM food, but insulin is not realistic for us to do. We are all volunteers & every day is run at a differnt time. The director is currently working to get the people to take him back (or at least to get them to have the guts to have him PTS) Just thinking about him breaks my heart. He was a faithful compainon for at least 10 years & the thanks he gets is to be dumped at a shelter to die.
I have to stop because I'm on my lunch break at work & if I keep thinking about him I'll lose it.
 

white cat lover

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I just cannot imagine doing that to your beloved cat!!!
I know we get many cats surrendered here that have health problems & reazlistically, not only can the shelter not afford to treat the cat, but they stand a 99% chance of being euthanized. There is a gorgeous DLH white w/ grey stipes siamese looking surrender cat that has massive amounts of hairloss....she's 14 years old. The family decided to move to an apt. & didn't want to pay $250 to have the cat there.
I dunno what's gonna happen with her. (Sorry to hijack!)

I really hope that the poor kitty can be treated...but if not, perhaps you could be there for him at the end? I know it would be difficult, but he should have someone there for him!
 

katiemae1277

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I totally agree with you! What is wrong with these people!!? our pets give us unconditionally love and devotion and what do we do to repay them? dump them like garbage
I hope something can be worked out for these poor kitties
 

graciecat

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I agree with you.
How in the world could you just give up a cat that you'd had for that many years and not have a second thought about it?
Or worse still, how could you let a cat get that sick without trying to get him some help?

As for the ones who brought the cat in just because they didn't want to pay to bring her to their new apartment...I hope to God they never have another good nights sleep in their lives..but sadly if they are heartless enough to drop the cat off they'll probably sleep like babies.
I understand that money doesn't grow on trees and maybe the $250 was just to much for them...but you know what, I'd have begged, borrrowed or stole to get that money.

Chances are if they talked to the landlord he may have let them pay the fee in installments, but I'm sure they didn't even bother to ask.

It's no wonder that I like animals more than I like most people!
 

booktigger

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This is a subject that really gets to me too - I have had a few oldies that have come via the vet refusing to do it, and getting them agree to a rescue stepping in - poor Tom (12) was dangerously obese with stress related cystitis and bad teeth (that had to wait due to how big he was) - I worked out he cost the rescue nearly £100 in vet care, I personally paid over £100, never mind food and litter for 14.5 months. I just can't comprehend how someone who has had a cat from a kitten could do it after that length of time - Tiger, my latest resident was 13 and her owner had had her from a kitten - that poor girl cried all the way here, all she had known was him and his house. And finding people who realise how wonderful and special these oldies are is so hard that the last thing we need is people dumping them.
 
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rang_27

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I just wish people would really think before they take them home. It's so important to remember you have a life outside of them, but you are their whole world.
 

callista

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This and other cases of maltreatment of animals can be explained by one simple phrase:

"Just a cat".

While technically true, the statement that an animal is "just an animal" implies an inherent worthlessness. Rather than looking at a cat and seeing a cat, these people look at a cat and see something which is not human.

The unwillingness to realize that animals also have personalities, feelings, and thoughts puts animals at the same level as material objects, and results in the treatment of these animals at the same level as material objects: Use them when they work; when they no longer work, throw them away.
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

I just cannot imagine doing that to your beloved cat!!!
I know we get many cats surrendered here that have health problems & reazlistically, not only can the shelter not afford to treat the cat, but they stand a 99% chance of being euthanized. There is a gorgeous DLH white w/ grey stipes siamese looking surrender cat that has massive amounts of hairloss....she's 14 years old. The family decided to move to an apt. & didn't want to pay $250 to have the cat there.
I dunno what's gonna happen with her. (Sorry to hijack!)

I really hope that the poor kitty can be treated...but if not, perhaps you could be there for him at the end? I know it would be difficult, but he should have someone there for him!
I hope that you could be there for this kitty if that is what they have to do. It would be terrible to be all alone, they at least need someone there with them to hold them and tell them that they are loved.

 

gayef

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I treated 3 diabetic cats over a 6 year period and during a particularly dangerous episode with the last one, an emergency vet pretty much summed it up ... she said, "The leading causes of death in diabetic cats are 1) owner euthanization and 2) owner drop-off at a shelter." *sigh* Knowing what I know about treating diabetic cats and how problematic it can sometimes be, I agree that not everyone is suited to take on the responsibility. However, if you come to the realization that you cannot, for whatever your reasons, treat the cat at home effectively, then at least have the dangly bits to humanely end his suffering. The chances of a diabetic cat being placed into a caring, nurturing home environment are next to zero. The title of this thread says it all for me ... "I don't get people". Maybe I never will.
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by silentNate

Just read this and it brought a tear to my eye, sometimes I'm ashamed of some members of the human race
I am too, I would much rather care for animals instead of humans. Animals just seem to appreciate every thing that you do for them. People do not appreciate nothing, they expect you to do stuff for them.
 

duchess15

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It's sad that people do end up doing that to their pets. But sometimes it makes me wonder because they wouldn't do that to their children. My cat is my child so if something happens to her, my heart would break, but I would do everything possible to help her. I've already spent so much on her getting her fixed up that helping them in the end is only natural.
Sometimes people think it is only an "animal" and that gives them an excuse to do what they do. It just makes me mad that they would abandon them just like that. I feel for all those kitties out there and always wish I could adopt them all, but I can't. So I do the best I can with the ones I do have. Sometimes I wish I understood the minds of people who throw out or drop off animals they no longer need or want. Afterall, this isn't some product you bought in the store that you can refund your money back for. It's just a pathetic situation where some people just don't care.
 

lsulover

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I don't really think that people like that would do the same thing to their children, and by that I mean that they probably wouldn't just drop them off.

But there is probably nothing of any kind of real love in the home. They probably just buy and buy for the kids. Probably don't make them mind or nothing like that.

I don't know, I am like everyone else here, I just don't understand people. I think that is why sometimes I like animals more than I do people.
 

graciecat

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This is a little off topic, but.
There is a commerical that runs here...it probably runs all over the country.
It's for Pedigree dog food.
They show all of these dogs in shelters and the dog lists all of the things that it 'knows' and the last two lines are..."I know I'm a good dog but the only thing I don't know is why I ended up here".
"I just want to go home."
Everytime I see that commerical I have to fight back tears.
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by Graciecat

This is a little off topic, but.
There is a commerical that runs here...it probably runs all over the country.
It's for Pedigree dog food.
They show all of these dogs in shelters and the dog lists all of the things that it 'knows' and the last two lines are..."I know I'm a good dog but the only thing I don't know is why I ended up here".
"I just want to go home."
Everytime I see that commerical I have to fight back tears.
I have never seen that commercial, thanks for telling us about it, at least if I ever see if I will be prepared. How very sad, I just can't hardly imagine going through life knowing that I had ever not been loved by someone.

 
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rang_27

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Originally Posted by Graciecat

This is a little off topic, but.
There is a commerical that runs here...it probably runs all over the country.
It's for Pedigree dog food.
They show all of these dogs in shelters and the dog lists all of the things that it 'knows' and the last two lines are..."I know I'm a good dog but the only thing I don't know is why I ended up here".
"I just want to go home."
Everytime I see that commerical I have to fight back tears.
I haven't see that one either, but oh man it would make me ball if I did. I have no news on Trevor at this point because Monday nights are very crazy for the director of the shelter. I have class tonight, but if I get a chance I will be calling her. Otherwise I probably won't know anything until Saturday.
 
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rang_27

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Well I talked to the director last night, I wish I had good news. I didn't get details, but he is still at the shelter. So it looks like the decision is ours. We didn't get to really talk about it because she is caring for 4 sick kittens & someone came over to help her.
 

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Whatever the next chapter is for that poor kitty, I am sending mega {{{{prayers and vibes}}}} that he finds loving smiles, comforting strokes and scritches, and a peaceful place to be. I sincerely hope that some very special rescuer comes his way, but maybe it must be that he go Home now, and if so, may the love of TCSers all over the world light his path over RB.
Thank you for sharing this heartbreaking story, so that we can all renew our spirits to gear up to help cats everywhere, in whatever way we can. Bless you for not giving up, but instead choosing to stay involved - that is true courage and dedication
 
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