This might seem odd, but If something happens to me...

Can I count on some TCS members, to make sure my babies will be taken care of?
I know it is a Lot to ask... I know I haven't been here long... But I have absolutely no family in the US, and my friends are mostly back in LA - and they are NOT cat people. My kitties are everything to me, and the thought of them ending up in a shelter just KILLS me. I would trust them to nobody more than to a fellow TCS member - All it would need to be done is to get them back to the rescue they came from, or, give them a loving home, of course. But the rescue would take them back.
Note: I am NOT sick, or depressed, and there is nothing bad going on in my life - besides being unemployed forever, of course - but I have been thinking of this for a long time, and tonight I finally decided to throw it out there...
Well there it is... If someone wants to take note, the rescue is Merlin's Hope, and the Owner is MeLinda.
Thanks for listening, and by the way, I will do the same for you, no matter where you are, so if you need, don't be afraid to ask

As long as you make sure people that aren't going anywhere will have you and your family's contact info, I'm sure some people would be willing to help.

I've had some thoughts, too. If DH was fine the cats would be well cared for, but what if there was a bad car wreck or something that killed us both? I'm wondering if I could use a will to put stipulations on my life insurance (there's 200k worth) to force any beneficiaries to make sure my cats are taken care of before they could have even a dime of it.
I don't trust my dad, and DH's parents have the "just cats" mentality - their idea of taking care of them would be dumping them at a farm somewhere.

We have provisions for the cats in our wills and have discussed with the people who will be taking them how they will be cared for etc. They will be split up, no one will take 5 but I know they will be in good hands and split the way they get along best and not which cats the people taking them like better.

There have been several threads like this in the past and TCSers have always said they will look out for another TCSers cat if something happened to them

Oh, sweetie... please don't let such things prey on your mind! I'm right here in Plano, and you bet I'd be there for your kitties if something terrible happened. In fact, I'm PMing you my email and phone, so you can put me in your contact information, okay?

Don't let this worry you one bit, m'dear... your babies are covered.

I think it's always good to be prepared and make sure the ones you love are cared for after you die. We don't like to think of it and, especially when we're relatively young, we always assume that we won't die for a long time.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I've had some thoughts, too. If DH was fine the cats would be well cared for, but what if there was a bad car wreck or something that killed us both?

I'm wondering if I could use a will to put stipulations on my life insurance (there's 200k worth) to force any beneficiaries to make sure my cats are taken care of before they could have even a dime of it.

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Maybe you should talk to the nearest no-kill shelter or rescue group. Perhaps you could have a provision in the will that leaves them a sizable donation in return for guaranteeing your kitties will be cared for and (if possible) adopted out to a new loving home. I've been thinking of doing something along those lines myself.

Originally Posted by Grogs

Maybe you should talk to the nearest no-kill shelter or rescue group. Perhaps you could have a provision in the will that leaves them a sizable donation in return for guaranteeing your kitties will be cared for and (if possible) adopted out to a new loving home. I've been thinking of doing something along those lines myself.

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The nearest shelter is pretty far away, and it is a kill shelter. I live in a rural area where, unless an animal makes a person money (and sometimes not even then), animals are largely viewed as disposable. People think I'm crazy to spend any money on my cats, let alone what I do at the vets.
No shelter here, and one very poorly organized group of people that mean well but are doing it more as a hobby for themselves. They'll take in dogs and rarely cats. Lets not even get started on the reptiles...

If my mother moves back to this state I won't have to worry. Otherwise I'm sort of stuck between a rock and the middle of nowhere. Hence why I'd have to tie the 200k up.

I´ll Pm you my friend...
thanks for the courage to bring this in public... ...there are nothing bad with this, I mean I´m so sure many people who sourronding you, will going to contact with TCS...

I've had the same worries. My sister would have been my cat's guardian, but with her recent aneurysm, I'm not sure if she's in a position financially or physically to care for them.
I am single and just turned 55 and the three cats I have will probably be my last. What will happen if I'm hospitalized (or worse), I have no one to care for them.

This won't be of much help to someone in Texas, but if you live in Oregon...

Oregon Humane has a program called Friends Forever. I'm in the process of filling out the packet, which is my case is going to be about a 100 pages. You record information on each pet, their temperment, current environment, food, etc. There are different options on how to "remember" Oregon Humane, but I decided to make them a beneficary of a percentage of my IRA. It was the least expensive. In fact, there was no expense and you can make changes at any time. Setting up a trust for pets can cost big bucks.

Their first option will be to place animals in the home or with relatives, but considering how many I have that's not going to take care of them all. And there's always the possibility that something can happen to DH and I at the same time. They have a good track record of placing animals.

Originally Posted by Cinder

This won't be of much help to someone in Texas, but if you live in Oregon...

Oregon Humane has a program called Friends Forever. I'm in the process of filling out the packet, which is my case is going to be about a 100 pages.

You record information on each pet, their temperment, current environment, food, etc. There are different options on how to "remember" Oregon Humane, but I decided to make them a beneficary of a percentage of my IRA. It was the least expensive. In fact, there was no expense and you can make changes at any time. Setting up a trust for pets can cost big bucks.

Their first option will be to place animals in the home or with relatives, but considering how many I have that's not going to take care of them all. And there's always the possibility that something can happen to DH and I at the same time. They have a good track record of placing animals.

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Ooohhh... I'm currently in Oregon... I will have to check this out for myself. After my brush with death last year, I have thought of this as well. My friends cared for them while I was in the hospital, but I can't guarantee they would do anything if I were never coming home. JoJo is seriously bonded to me, and I think it would break her heart to lose me. I know it will break mine to lose her when that day comes.

I will have to look at their program.... Thank you for bringing this up. And maybe other states' Humane Society centers have something similar.

Originally Posted by RubSluts'Mommy

Ooohhh... I'm currently in Oregon... I will have to check this out for myself. After my brush with death last year, I have thought of this as well. My friends cared for them while I was in the hospital, but I can't guarantee they would do anything if I were never coming home. JoJo is seriously bonded to me, and I think it would break her heart to lose me. I know it will break mine to lose her when that day comes.

I will have to look at their program.... Thank you for bringing this up. And maybe other states' Humane Society centers have something similar.

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Just search Oregon Humane Friends Forever and it should take you right there. The contact person, Gary, was very prompt to return my calls and answer any questions. I suggest ordering the packet. There's a four page form to complete for each pet and it covers everything I can think of that you'd need to know about any animal.