Raise your hand and say hi - I just want to know I'm in good company!
I'm 27, live alone in a big 'ol house I'm trying to renovate, and I have 12 cats currently. My 'high' number was 14 - but I managed to get two of them adopted out to a good family (the plus is, the lady works with my mom - so I get pictures and updates!)
I'm constantly worried that I'm going to turn into 'the lady down the street'. When I grew up, there was an elderly woman down the road who lived in a trailer, rarely went out, and when she did, it was inevitably to go to the grocery store to pick up box after box of cat food, but only a few vegetables and the rare piece of meat for herself. When she passed away, it was found that she had over 40 cats living in her two bedroom trailer! Unfortunately, most of them were put to sleep due to poor socialization, and the fact that I live in a small town, where it is still acceptable to toss a bag of rocks and kittens into a pond to 'clear up the nuisance'.
My biggest problem is that my grandfather lives by a couple different farms, and there are constantly new cats showing up to his house. I take the ones that are either too small to be away from their moms, or have some sort of wound/health problems. Unfortunately, TNR is not an option for me - I've brought it up to my grandfather, and he doesn't feel comfortable with it, as they are not 'his' cats.
Also, my problem was componded by the fact that I waited too long to get one of the stray/ferals neutered. He responded to my kindness by getting two of my female cats pregnant.. they have since all been neutered/spayed. Don't bother to beat me up over this, I do penance for it everyday when I change/scoop the four litter boxes!
Luckily, I have homes for most of the kittens (except for one I fell in love with - total lap kitten!). But I know as soon as I rehome them, I'll be back out at my grandfathers, trying to make a dent in the neglected cat population.
So please, tell me your stories about all your cats, and help me convince myself that I'm not going to end up like the woman down the road!
I'm 27, live alone in a big 'ol house I'm trying to renovate, and I have 12 cats currently. My 'high' number was 14 - but I managed to get two of them adopted out to a good family (the plus is, the lady works with my mom - so I get pictures and updates!)
I'm constantly worried that I'm going to turn into 'the lady down the street'. When I grew up, there was an elderly woman down the road who lived in a trailer, rarely went out, and when she did, it was inevitably to go to the grocery store to pick up box after box of cat food, but only a few vegetables and the rare piece of meat for herself. When she passed away, it was found that she had over 40 cats living in her two bedroom trailer! Unfortunately, most of them were put to sleep due to poor socialization, and the fact that I live in a small town, where it is still acceptable to toss a bag of rocks and kittens into a pond to 'clear up the nuisance'.
My biggest problem is that my grandfather lives by a couple different farms, and there are constantly new cats showing up to his house. I take the ones that are either too small to be away from their moms, or have some sort of wound/health problems. Unfortunately, TNR is not an option for me - I've brought it up to my grandfather, and he doesn't feel comfortable with it, as they are not 'his' cats.
Also, my problem was componded by the fact that I waited too long to get one of the stray/ferals neutered. He responded to my kindness by getting two of my female cats pregnant.. they have since all been neutered/spayed. Don't bother to beat me up over this, I do penance for it everyday when I change/scoop the four litter boxes!
Luckily, I have homes for most of the kittens (except for one I fell in love with - total lap kitten!). But I know as soon as I rehome them, I'll be back out at my grandfathers, trying to make a dent in the neglected cat population.
So please, tell me your stories about all your cats, and help me convince myself that I'm not going to end up like the woman down the road!
