Hard decision to make

Ok here is the situation. My kitty Buddy is almost 6 months old and is going to start spraying soon. Now my kitty is my son. Im sure everyone understands that. But the problem is that right now we are haveing difficult times. My soon to be husband lost his job a few months ago and there are not many jobs at this time around here. Buddy needs to be nutered but we dont have the money right now. I dont want to get rid of him I love him so much. This has been tearing at me for awhile now. My boyfriend says we will have to get rid of him only he loves him vry mush also. I also have a 6 year old stepson who is vry fond of Buddy. This is one of the hardest decisions I will ever have to make. Someone plz help me!

It is a hard decision to make. Have you looked into low cost clinics in the area? Most states have them for both cats and dogs. If the decision needs to be made, its best to do it now while he is still pretty young. If you cant afford to take care of him properly, then its usually best to find someone who can. Just please dont take him to a pound or humane society. Try and find him a home on your own through the papers and such.

Is Buddy an indoor cat only? Do you have other cats? If he stays indoors and is the only cat in the household, you can delay neutering until you have the money to do it. He will most likely not spray anything if he is the only cat. Cats spray because they are marking their territory. If he has no competition, he probably won't spray. If he is an outdoor cat, however, he definitely needs to be neutered! Good luck.

I have heard of males that were only cats in the household and sprayed. It is really best not to delay neutering a male IMO. Also, like Sandie said, there are additional costs such as food and other medical bills (at least vaccinations and routine check-ups).

This is a tough call, but one that you need to make. I think you should try and assess your future money-wise and decide if this is some temporary difficulty or perhaps you don't want the extra expenses for the next few years.

If you decide to keep him, do look for low-cost clinics.
Check out this link:
http://www.spayusa.org/

First of all I want to say that I kind of got offended when someone stated that if I cant "properly" take care of Buddy I should get rid of him. Buddy is VERY well taken care of. He gets Purina kitten food all day. Plus he gets half a can of soft food for breakfast and half for dinner. Buddy also has a large plastic container that is his toybox. I guess you have helped me with my decision. I have decided that Buddy is like a secound child to us. And we wouldnt get rid of our other son so why do that to him? Yes he is an inside cat and I WILL get him neutered once I get the money. I know I asked for your help but you made me feel like a bad person. That I dont "properly" take care of him. Well all I can say is that I TY for your replys but I love my cat and I cant get rid of him.

Oh Patti, I don't blame you. I wouldn't be able to get rid of my baby either. In Oregon they have clincs called Companion. It is a low cost clinic. I had to take Lily there to get her spayed because I didn't have $100 or whatever to do it. It cost me $30 and the people there were so kind. I am sure you have something around your area like this. They seem to me to be pretty safe!!

You obviously took that whole thing the wrong way. I never said you were not taking care of him. I was saying that if you think you can't afford to get him the care he needs, it is better for both. Through Spay USA the surgery for males is usually 45.00 and that is low. A set of routine vaccinations is the same price. I apologise if you took what I said the wrong way. At any rate, I am glad he is going to keep his home.

Patti, please do not be offended by the replies given to your post. Everyone here has one main dedication & that is the welfare of all cats. Their are people who do have to give up their animals because they are unable to take care of them, that is a decision that only they (you) can make. It sounds to me like you simply have a temporary set back. And I can assure you that everybody on this forum has at one time or another had such setbacks. I certainly have. Keep your kid, since he is obviously loved very much & possibly the spraying problem will not arise & you will have the opportunity to neuter him before he starts. Now go give him a big hug.

Patti,

I have 7 cats and I have also hit very hard times. I will eat cereal, soup, taco chips and dip for dinner in order to make sure my cats have food to eat and clean litterboxes. I have found that my cats bring me the most joy no matter how hard times are. Keep your kid. Recycle soda cans if you have to. Take the money you would normally spend buying lunch and put it in a cup till you have enough money to neuter him. It's amazing how we find ways to make things work out. You can do it.

Have you tried checking into animal foundations in your area? In Kentucky there is a place called Buried Treasure, which is an antique/resale shop that gives proceeds to help with spaying and neutering. I used their services to get my pet spayed. You fill out forms and if your financial status meets their criteria they will either pay fully or partially for your pet to be spayed or neutered. You may be able to check your local animal shelter or vet office to see if they have info on an animal foundation such as this in your area. Good luck.

Thank you all for your opinions! I found a plce that will neuter for $15. It is a drive but it is worth it! Thank you agin!