TheCatSite.com › Forums › General Forums › IMO: In My Opinion › Should you get a cat if you can't afford it?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Should you get a cat if you can't afford it?

post #1 of 82
7/12/06 at 2:53pm
Thread Starter 
We had someone at our shelter telling us that she'd found a dog, and how wonderful a person she'd been by feeding it for the last year, and since it was a stray and she'd been so good by feeding it, would we pay to have it spayed.

We said if it's a stray, we can come and pick it up, and it can be spayed, microchipped, vaccinated, and put up for adoption, but if she's been feeding it, and wants to keep it, she'll have to pay for the spaying and vaccinating herself.

She started asking how much it was for the vaccinations, and spaying, and how much adoption fees were, so was trying to decide if it was worth just surrendering the dog, then adopting it once it was up for adoption. We told her the costs were very similar, and there was no guarantee that she would get the dog if it went up for adoption (someone else might adopt her first, the dog may not pass the behavioural test etc).

One of the vets ended up saying to her that if she couldn't afford the $90 to have it spayed and vaccinated that maybe she shouldn't have a pet, because if something happens to it and it desperately needs medical attention, would she be able to afford that?

I think that this is so true. If you are not in a good financial situation, I think you should really think about whether you should get a pet. I read a lot of posts on this website about people who ask health questions saying their pet is badly injured or very sick, but can't afford to take the cat to a vet.

It's one thing if your pet's treatment is going to run into the hundreds of dollars, and it's a one off thing, and you need some help trying to raise the money, but it's another to not to be able to afford basic medical attention for your cat, and not know a vet who can help in these situations, and have no emergency money for this situation.

I am lucky now that my husband and I are in a good financial situation, but there was times that I wasn't so stable, and I always had a back up plan for these sort of situations.

For those people in a not so good situation, please make sure you have a back up plan in case your pet has something go wrong. Put $10 aside whenever you can, ring around vets who take payment plans, or ring around rescue groups to find organisations that can help so you know who to take your cat to if they do get hit by a car, or have a seizure, or are bleeding from places they're not meant to.

If you can't do any of this, then maybe you should rethink whether you should really have a cat. No matter how cute it is and how much you love cats, if you can't give it the proper care when it needs it, maybe you shouldn't have one.

My 2c worth...
Reply
post #2 of 82
7/12/06 at 2:59pm
I think everybody (except animal abusers) has the right to acquire a cat.

I never could afford my six (now five) cats if I did not join various cat forums and learn how to properly take care of them while saving money. The cat forums helped me save at least 75% of the costs, without ever sacrificing their living standards.

Affording a cat is not financial status, it is a state of mind. Even the poorest can afford medical care for cats if they are smart enough.

There are plenty of rich people who feed their cats table scraps and don't give them any medical care at all.
Reply
post #3 of 82
7/12/06 at 3:16pm
We made a decision to get Dori. It was important to me that we be able to afford to have her. I strongly feel that when making a decision to get a pet that you be able to afford their care which does include routine vet care such as spay/ neuter, vaccinations, etc. It is also very important to have a plan in place for an emergency type situation where you are suddenly stuck with expensive vet bills. I will be the first to admit that when we got Dori, I wouldn't have been able to afford an emergency on my own... but I knew how to get help if I needed it.

Where I do think it is different is when it comes to a situation where an animal suddenly shows up into your life. Brody showed up on my doorstep on Thanksgiving. I had NO intention of ever getting a dog and was not happy about him having to stay with us. I did everything possible to find his home. I did the right thing, even though funds were tight at the time, and got him in to see a vet. He didn't appear to be in the best of health, and I found he wasn't. I spent money on his vet appointments (several of them), medicine, etc. Brody had big behavioral problems, and was a sick dog. If I would have brought him to the shelter he would have been put to sleep. I called a few rescues and they had no room. As time passed and I nursed him back to health, I became too attached and now I can't just give him up. He is due for heartworm treatment now which is expensive, I am still working on that. He needs to be neutered, and without a doubt needs obedience classes. This is a lot to deal with, especially when you didn't ask for it.

All this to say, I can understand and empathize with this person's position. I would love her to be able to find a way to get the care for her dog and be able to keep him. I don't think she should have to give him up....At least she knows how important the spaying is.
Reply
post #4 of 82
7/12/06 at 3:23pm
Somebody who is not willing to do what it takes to provide for their cat should not have a cat, regardless of their financial situation.
We have had people come here saying they could not afford a vet and then when they realized how important it was, they've skipped on paying bills or rent or what-have-you in order to take the cat to the vet. I've talked to people who could pack their cat into their brand new BMW convertible and take it to the best vet in the state no problems and won't because they don't feel like it or the football game is on.

I don't have much money, but I've bought Zissou pet insurance for the year, have a credit card reserved for medical expenses (used for other stuff but paid off in full every month), and plan her yearly exams into my budgets. I make min. wage, part-time while going to school. So if I can do it, most people can. But I know I can afford one cat for now, and will be volunteering in a no-kill to satiate my need for more.

That said, I think there should be a better balance between people who say pet ownership is a privilege reserved for the affluent, and people who say anyone can/should have as many pets as they want. Having children, I guess, is also a privilege-- it is a choice that is made consciously-- that should be reserved for those who can financially/emotionally/etc care for them-- but it's not. And once people have children, there are all sorts of things set up for them to get help. It should be the same for pets. Everyone (yes, every single person) can fall on hard times financially and it isn't fair to tell someone they suddenly have to give up their pets because they can't care for them. For one thing, we all know where those pets would end up.
Reply
post #5 of 82
7/12/06 at 3:25pm
Animals are a big responcibility. They need to be fed and watered everyday. They need to be taken to the vet and cared for everyday. If you can't afford a pet, you should not have a pet.
Reply
post #6 of 82
7/12/06 at 3:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shengmei
I never could afford my six (now five) cats if I did not join various cat forums and learn how to properly take care of them while saving money. The cat forums helped me save at least 75% of the costs, without ever sacrificing their living standards.

Affording a cat is not financial status, it is a state of mind. Even the poorest can afford medical care for cats if they are smart enough.
By your response I'd say you are one of the most responsible people that I've ever met! You took the time to learn to be creative to find ways to afford their medical bills.

If a person cannot afford a pet and are not willing to do the things you talk about, then no, they shouldn't get a pet. You've made personal sacrifices on behalf of your babies.

I've seen enough sad stories at the humane society to realize that you are the exception, not the rule. The worst was a woman that was on the road to being a hoarder - about 16 cats and 2 dogs and she couldn't afford to have any of them speutered. The cats were interbreeding and her problem was getting worse and worse. Worse off, we went into the house and she didn't even have food for them. She was poor with a big heart but was in over her head. These are the types that shouldn't have pets.
Reply
post #7 of 82
7/12/06 at 4:03pm
I hope the woman that the OP was referring too manages to find someone to help her with the vets costs.

Wouldnt it cost the shelter more in food, space and time to take the dog if she surrendered it than if they paid at least part of the vet fees?

At least she was looking around and approaching organisations to help her. It would have been far easier for her to not feed the stray in the first place.
Reply
post #8 of 82
7/12/06 at 5:21pm
There really is a big difference between being unable, and being unwilling.

We have very modest income, 6 cats, a dog and two parrots, financially speaking, we cannot afford them.
However, we work through other people for free routine medical, and if an emergency were to come up, we'd put my truck title in hock in a heartbeat!

So no, I do not think your income should dictate your ability to have pets, however, your willingness (or lack thereof) should.
Reply
post #9 of 82
7/12/06 at 5:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by eburgess
Animals are a big responcibility. They need to be fed and watered everyday. They need to be taken to the vet and cared for everyday. If you can't afford a pet, you should not have a pet.
I agree with you.
Reply
post #10 of 82
7/12/06 at 5:32pm
I agree that it is truly noble and kind hearted of the woman to choose to feed the stray and seek means of caring for him. Also as mentioned, it's a different situation when a kitty (or pup) suddenly appears in your life. Similarly, I wasn't planning for a little girl when Sierra arrived, and we sure weren't expecting a little sister when Serenity joined us! Perhaps had I allowed finances or even logic to take precedence over my heart, my life wouldn't be so full of love and joy as it is now.

However, given the well thought out choice, I feel a person who cannot afford to properly care for their cat should not take on the responsibility for the same simple reason that a person shouldn't acquire, say, a condominium for which they cannot make payments, a child they cannot feed, or even simply a yard they cannot mow.
Reply
post #11 of 82
7/12/06 at 5:40pm
I really had no intentions of having any pets until school was done, but if I didn't take the ones I did in, they'd be in worse off if I never took them in.

That being said, when Yen's kittens needed vet attention, we took them in and put it on credit and we've had to scrimp and save to pay it off.

Thankfully Mittens hasn't had any trouble but if she did we'd find a way.

My stance on this is, if you aren't intentionally trying to get a pet and one comes to you for care (ie.stray) and you can't afford it, I'd rather the person take in the cat than not at all.

Now if you know you can't afford it and take in a cat, well that is another thing.*what I meant to say is if you can't afford it and go looking for a pet, well that is another thing*

ETA: Holy..sometimes I think I should read back what I type LOL. I've been out of it the last couple days.
Reply
post #12 of 82
7/12/06 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 
I didn't say you need to be of a certain status to have a pet, I just said that you should have certain plans and backups if you don't have the upfront $$ for the basic care.

The lady who rang us up wanting us to pay for the dogs neuter just TOLD US it was a stray she'd been feeding. I mean come on - if she HAS been feeding it for a year - it's her dog. It may have been her dog for years, but she was just giving us a line to get a freebie spay. If we paid for part of hers, then everyone would want discounts. We're part of the Police Department and just can't give out discounts - where do you draw the line?? It's low cost as it is - how many places can you get a large dog spayed for $90 and get excellent treatment??

It's certainly one of the things people should think about when they get a pet - along with Do I have time for this pet? Do I have room for this pet? Will it try and eat the pet gerbil who runs free throughout the house? Should I really get this feral kitten if I'm a haemophiliac... (yes, we just had that one recently - she just planned to declaw the cat!!!).

Since volunteering at the shelter, I've become very touchy about this sort of thing. There's so many people who take cats who really shouldn't!
Reply
post #13 of 82
7/12/06 at 7:09pm
I think if someone wants to own a pet, it is a great idea to create a budget first.....figure in the expenses of spaying, deworming,vaccinating, food, flea treatement, emergency expenses, water - yes it does affect your water bill , litter,and the proper grooming instruments. If you're able to save up and see that you can properly provide for an animal on your income, then i say adopt- the animal will have a nice home where it will be properly taken care of, and you will have the companionship of an animal. (and in a side not, I don't make much $, but i do budget my animals care into my savings and i always save a little bit extra for emergency care- emergency clinics are usually more expensive than normal vet. offices if it's after hours, a weekend, or a holiday). If you are unable to financially support an animal, i think that you should hold off on adopting one, and volunteer instead. Think of how much good you would be doing! - I still volunteer and I have several animals. That way you are able to spend quality time with needy animals, you will be helping them, and you will enjoy it. Then when you are financially ready to adopt and properly care for a pet, you should adopt.
Reply
post #14 of 82
7/12/06 at 7:47pm
I don't think someone should actively seek out to get a pet they cannot afford, but sometimes it is either you rescue them without necessarily thinking ahead, or let them fend for themselves.
All of my crew were emergency rescues, being picked up from a busy intersection, being thrown out in the cold, taken from someone that wanted to see if a kitten could be flushed down a toilet, or from an abusive situation. Everybody is spayed and neutered, and luckily no one has needed vet care when we were impossibly broke.
Reply
post #15 of 82
7/13/06 at 12:08am
I personally never intented to get cats, as at that time, i didn't want to be tied down. but then one came along, I had no idea of vets bills, got a large emergency vet bill, and had to count up the pennies from my jar and take them to the bank, and arrange an overdraft just to get to the end of the month!! But then I had got the cat bug, so ended up going for another cat - the second just happened!! But by that time, I decided to get a credit card purely for vets bills (it does occasionally get used for other things, but rarely, and they are paid off - except the computer), and if it hadn't been for the credit card and overdraft, i couldn't have afforded my cats (I now know they can be insured despite being 10+, but that only happened last year). If I had realised that by taking on oldies I would spend about 2k in 4 years, I may have just decided to go for a younger cat, but I know how much of a difference I have made to their lives, and if they need treatment, it is done and I worry about paying the credit card later. I do know of cat owners that are the complete opposite though - and one of them thinks her cats are spoiled (yet have no toys, no posts, no beds, poor litter tray maintenance, no annual vet visits etc) - I dont think she should have as many, esp when she said hers aren't wormed as often as they should as she can't afford it.
Reply
post #16 of 82
7/13/06 at 1:12am
When someone takes on an animal of any kind their responsible for that animal no matter what. So if they can't afford the food, the shots, the spay/neuter and any medical bills that may arise then no i don't think they should get one in my opinion.
Reply
post #17 of 82
7/13/06 at 4:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arlyn
There really is a big difference between being unable, and being unwilling.

We have very modest income, 6 cats, a dog and two parrots, financially speaking, we cannot afford them.
However, we work through other people for free routine medical, and if an emergency were to come up, we'd put my truck title in hock in a heartbeat!

So no, I do not think your income should dictate your ability to have pets, however, your willingness (or lack thereof) should.
I think Arlyn said it perfectly! When I've had an emergency or an illness I may not have had all the money readily available, but I shuffled things around in order to be able to pay for it, but as far as BASIC medical care, food, etc, no you should NOT have a pet if you can't afford or come up with a way to pay for these things. Many many people get pets not realizing that they cost money, and that leads to not getting altered which leads to unplanned litters, you get the idea.
Reply
post #18 of 82
7/13/06 at 5:53am
a year is a long time to feed a "stray" i would agree that it would now be considered her dog. although i do feel like she might have been calling for help with the cost at least she was looking into it and is responsible enough to want to get it fixed and all that. i totally agree that by taking a animal in they need to make sure in some way that they can get it the proper treatment and in her eyes maybe she was. im scared that by turning her down that this dog will now be without getting fixed and adding to the over population its a hard call. cause now she has the dog and its not fixed.
Reply
post #19 of 82
7/13/06 at 6:37am
Being a responsible cat owner definitely neccessitates being able to provide basic medical care, along with having a backup plan for emergencies. I agree that if person isn't in the position to provide this, they should reconsider having a cat (whether it's a planned adoption or a rescue) until their circumstances change. It's just not fair to the cat. That's not to say this person wouldn't be a caring owner, but realistically, love isn't enough. That said, I definitely don't believe someone's financial status is indicative of the level of responsibility they'll demonstrate as a cat owner or the love and care they'll provide. I know of several situations where money wasn't an issue for the individual or family and the cat's medical and emotional needs were still neglected. I've also seen many cases where someone living on limited budget has made every possible sacrifice to see that their cat not only has a loving home, but medical care when needed. Money doesn't determine a person's committment level to their cat, compassion and selflessness do.
Reply
post #20 of 82
7/13/06 at 7:34am
It has been my experience and observation that people can afford what they find is important to them, whether it be animals or material things. I've so often seen/heard people (a single mom I worked with one time) complain how she couldn't afford groceries for her and her daughter but had booked her ski weekend with her friends. It all comes down to priorities!

If you want/have an animal I believe you should be able to afford at least basic medical needs.
Reply
post #21 of 82
7/13/06 at 8:15am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by april31
a year is a long time to feed a "stray" i would agree that it would now be considered her dog. although i do feel like she might have been calling for help with the cost at least she was looking into it and is responsible enough to want to get it fixed and all that. i totally agree that by taking a animal in they need to make sure in some way that they can get it the proper treatment and in her eyes maybe she was. im scared that by turning her down that this dog will now be without getting fixed and adding to the over population its a hard call. cause now she has the dog and its not fixed.
She booked it in to get it spayed and all of its shots... The vets squeezed her in as soon as they could so she couldn't change her mind.
Reply
post #22 of 82
7/13/06 at 10:02am
Personally, I say if you can't afford your pet with the first set of shots/fixes, then you should wait until you can.
To me its like deciding to have a child when you can't afford one.

Then again though, she could just be cheap...probably makes $50K a year, lives by herself but doesn't want to make the expenses for another life.
Reply
post #23 of 82
7/13/06 at 10:11am
To me its like deciding to have a child when you can't afford one
thats one of my long standing jokes if people waited untill they could aaford children no one would have any. not meaning its not right just meaning they are expensive an di dont think people really know how much untill they have one. really though i guess same thing could go with getting a new animal u can research it and then the day happens where its hurt and then your hit with a big bill.
Reply
post #24 of 82
7/13/06 at 2:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sarahp
She booked it in to get it spayed and all of its shots... The vets squeezed her in as soon as they could so she couldn't change her mind.
I am really glad to hear that.

Personally I believe all cats born in the U.S. should be able to be rehomed. To do so, we need to spay/neuter most cats and lower the adoption standards. I am not sure how it is possible, but it could be done.

I definitely wish I had adopted my cats from a shelter instead of taking them in from the streets. They are definitely much, much cheaper if they are from the shelter.

The shelter in College Station has "adopt one get one free" specials in August. I wished I knew about that before I got my five babies.

I recommend you keep this lady's address and mail her as many coupons as possible. All of my friends know I love any pet-related coupons.
Reply
post #25 of 82
7/13/06 at 2:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shengmei
The shelter in College Station has "adopt one get one free" specials in August. I wished I knew about that before I got my five babies.

That's cool.
Seattle Animal Control was running a great special when I adopted my dog.
It was called "Home For The Holidays". I adopted him on Christmas eve.
Their goal was to get as many, if not all of the adoptable animals in homes before X-mas.
It was $50 off of the adoption fee and two years extension on county pet license.

I too think more shelters should run specials, especially regarding the adoption of older, or otherwise less adoptable animals.
Nothing that would break the bank mind you, just small things for incentive.
Reply
post #26 of 82
7/13/06 at 2:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shengmei
I am really glad to hear that.

Personally I believe all cats born in the U.S. should be able to be rehomed. To do so, we need to spay/neuter most cats and lower the adoption standards. I am not sure how it is possible, but it could be done.
.
If by lowering adoption standards, you mean allowing potentially unfit people to adopt, I disagree. Do you mean the questionnaire or the references needed to adopt? I wouldn't like to see this. I think that it saves rescue orgs alot of heartbreak to be stringent with their practices. If they adopted to anyone with $100 to put down on an animal, they would simply see a greater number of animals on the street or coming back to their shelter....

I don't think that its a matter of income but a matter of evaluating your life and making necessary sacrifices to take in an animal. As you said before, I do agree that there are alot of well off people mistreating their animals..but this is a different argument than we are speaking about I think.

If you are such a severe financial situation that you have a really hard time feeding yourself, for example, I do NOT think you should own a pet. Volunteer at a shelter if this is the case...You do more good for yourself and all of the animals involved.

However, if you want your pet budget to come out of other miscellaneous or luxury expenses (such as entertainment, restaurants, trips, etc.) then I think its your own choice and very feasible for a person on a modest income to own a pet responsibly.

Have you thought of what you would do if some or all of your cats came down with a severe intestinal virus or other illness? How well could you manage if you were faced with a $1000 vet bill tomorrow? That is the only question for me that determines capability of a person in owning animals: having the capability and capacity to take care of them in the face of emergency as well as day to day..

I understand what the OP is saying and I too get frustrated when so many people come on here and say.. "my cat is really ill. Please make a diagnosis for me and help me treat him as I don't get paid for a month.." You can't allow an animal to suffer like that for own sense of personal entitlement.
Reply
post #27 of 82
7/13/06 at 2:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shengmei
I am really glad to hear that.

The shelter in College Station has "adopt one get one free" specials in August. I wished I knew about that before I got my five babies.
.
One of the shelters I know of here has a "adopt a cat and get a buddy free" special during kitten season.
Reply
post #28 of 82
7/13/06 at 4:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rosiemac
When someone takes on an animal of any kind their responsible for that animal no matter what. So if they can't afford the food, the shots, the spay/neuter and any medical bills that may arise then no i don't think they should get one in my opinion.
I agree completely. All of our cats, minus Minnie, were surprises. We were in school when we got each of them and money was tight. But when time came for their yearly appointments, their spayings, and emergency situations...they were top priority. We struggled a lot, and we really sacrificed a lot with some of the situations, but they come before anything else.

Now that we have financial security and we're saving and such, there's always a credit card on the side in case an emergency happens.

I think it's irresponsible to not have some way to provide for your animal or baby. My fiancé is in the Army and he works with guys that live paycheck to paycheck, but still have babies. I don't think you should reproduce or take responsibility for another life if you can't provide for them 100%.
Reply
post #29 of 82
7/13/06 at 7:27pm
I have read through, and agree with a lot of what has been said in this thread. The thing I keep going back to though, is that I don't feel like the same rules apply when a pet suddenly shows up on your door step. I feel like that is an extenuating circumstance. If you decide to keep the pet, without having planned on acquiring a pet you just have to do the best you can to adjust. It isn't fair to the animal that someone wasn't responsible to care for them, but it also isn't fair to the person who found them on some levels. I found myself so angry at times with Brody's previous owners that it wouldn't have been pretty if I had met them at that moment. I think this is one of the circumstances where the willingness to provide care has to outweigh the means. Common sense should still apply though... for example, you can't keep an animal if it means you are going to end up living in the street to provide care for them.
Reply
post #30 of 82
7/14/06 at 12:56am
I think the circumstances will be individual in each case. AS for the woman with the dog, since the shelter told her that someone else may adopt the dog before she does, the dog would probably have been alright getting surrendered. I have been to shelters all over this country and I have seen some very, very sad sights; if I lived in those areas, I would seriously reconsider surrendering an animal to such situations. But on the other hand, would I deprive an animal of human comfort, such as I could give, instead, forcing it to go back out on the streets. Sure, maybe someone with better resources might come along, but one has only to see the numbers of euthanasias and look at the dead animals along the roadway to see what the odds realistically are. For those of you who kept the pets & sacrifice so much to ensure their care
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: IMO: In My Opinion
TheCatSite.com › Forums › General Forums › IMO: In My Opinion › Should you get a cat if you can't afford it?