It So Hard To Talk About This.. But Need Advise..

[candicew]

It so hard to talk about this.. but need advise..
We stated our journey living with cats, by adopted two.
I fell now, after now having 5, we should of stopped at the two.
We can NOT AFFORD all cats now
I am so sad but it's the honest truth.
I try to feed good quality dry food and I had to stat feeding fancy feast (as .67 x10 a day was cheaper then 1-2 x10 a day) but you can do that math, that alone is $200 in wet food a month.
The monthly expanse have been too much. Our last adoption cam into he house sick. very sick. she got all the other cats sick with that cat flu thing and now, all our cats get it all the time. It's horrible and expensive with vet bills and meds..
I LOVE THEM ALL so much, but with vet bills, litter, dry food, and so much more, we are looking at $500 a month or so on just the cats.. give or take a bit.
My husband works three jobs. And I'm honesty trying to figure this out. We bairly get by as is and honestly, most cat things have been raked up on CC.. I can't believe it. I knew they would cost money to upkeep, but I did not realize how much each month.
We are at a cross roads here. I would hat to surrender them back to shelters and as embarrassed as I am to be her talking about this, I am here looking for options on who to save money if possible.
My husband says switch to just dry.
But I have read that is unhealthy.. is that true?
He also says use cheaper litter. We currently use Swheat and I like it but yes with 5 cats we use almost 2 36b bags a month! it's crazy as that is $100 in litter a month. I have tried clay before and found it super stinky and yucky. Maybe there is cheap Ok brand?

As far as this cat flu, is it true ones it gets in the house with the cats it never goes away? And it just keeps popping up? the antibiotics and eye drops are expense. The the vet visits are as well. Non of it cheap. I am sad and quite fustated that our last cat at this cold and wish she never did but now we have to deal with it.

Again I LOVE MY CATS! But I am just not sure what to do here. Please be nice to me .. I do love them and am looking for helpful advise.
With my husband asking me cut down food, quite drastically too. telling me to feel them 1/2 as much so go from their 10 cans to 5 for all 5, I just don't know. I feel that the responsible thing to do would be to have them adopted into homes that can afford to feel them properly. I do not want to underfeed them but 250$ in wet and dry a month is just not affordable anymore for our family.

 

[Yanaka]

I sympathize with your situation. I am lucky enough to have my mom provide for me when I need, and that's how I could afford keeping my two fosters.

How old are they? I think if it comes between malnourishing them (weird suggestion from your husband) and surrendering them at a good shelter, the latter solution is best. Please don't underfeed them, that's animal abuse.

A lot of cats get on with just dry food, so maybe you can complement with wet just once in awhile and stimulate their water intake a lot. Are you at home all day? If you are, that means you can make sure they have water. I'm sure there are solutions to work on that if it really comes to not giving wet food anymore.

Cheap litter is fine. I'm not sure how you pay for 100/mo just on litter bags? I pay $6 to 15 a 40-lbs bag depending on the brand and where I get it. Frisco (unscented or no) on Chewy is -$6 depending on how much you order I think. It's not the big clay thing, it's just fine.

 

[candicew]

Thank you. I will wait for more to chine in, if they feel JUST dry is OK. They currently eat, Yes I am home, so can watch their water. I do love them. And it would kill me to surrender them, I want them to be happy and healthy. Nothing in me would EVER malnourish them. I currently feed, the indoor adult by royal cane and then as well as the kitten , simply nourish SOURCE . But to give up wet and only feed dry that would get very costly too, no?

This is the litter I use, Swheat Scoop® Multi-Cat Natural Cat Litter - Clumping | cat Litter | PetSmart
5 cats use a lot so 2 bags a month is almost $100 yes, Swheat Scoop® Multi-Cat Natural Cat Litter - Clumping | cat Litter | PetSmart
some months I don't use that much, but seem our last adoption as well, like to make MESSES in the box. smashes her push all up in , dig up her pee and the other cats pee .. its horrible and gross.. and unstanity. I need to get rid of more litter then I should have to, if she was a clean cat.

 

[Yanaka]

$40/bag is huge. I would never pay that much for litter lol. I use this or the scented version: Frisco Multi-Cat Clumping Cat Litter

Works perfectly well and there are 4 more lbs.

Sounds like your cat doesn't like it when there's too much pee in the boxes? Do you have more boxes and do you change the litter often? When I'm home, I scoop every time I get. I also keep a good depth of litter in the boxes.

If I were you, I'd change the dry food if you find a good grain-free version that's also cheap and that they digest well. Might help you with further vet bills. Dry is always cheaper than wet, IMHO.

 

[candicew]

and I would really love to hear from others that have adopted a cat that has gotten all the others sick. 3 of the 5 are now sick again, I guess that is why I am here posting. I am at a breaking point. they might all need antibiotics and eye drops again + the vet visit bill. The SPCA acted like this "cat flu" was nothing and is common all over shelters and played it off but now, I am paying each month for so many vet bill and meds when a few of them get sick over and over because this "common" shelter illness is now in all my cats and it NEVER goes away It heart breaking. see it's not just the food. When you spend $40 on the vet visit + 50+ for the meds (per cat) and then if the eye is too inflated they also give an inflammation shot(wish is $25 more) its really getting expense

$40/bag is huge. I would never pay that much for litter lol. I use this or the scented version: Frisco Multi-Cat Clumping Cat Litter

Works perfectly well and there are 4 more lbs.

Hum, I have never seen hat brand up here. I am in Canada. I will look around. What about just he big ting they sell at costco? does clay stay not stinky?

 

[orange&white]

If you wish to keep all the cats, then switching to kibble is better than feeding them half the calories they need in canned food. As an alternate, you could switch to raw or cooked homemade food. I feed 3 cats a raw homemade diet for around 50 cents per day for each cat. I do scour weekly grocery ads for sales, and stock a small freezer when prices are good.

And unscented clumping litter is effective and usually inexpensive. I find sales at 25 cents/pound and also stock up on sales. I clean the clumps out at minimum once a day, usually twice, sometimes more often if I'm just walking by and notice "a deposit". Keep a little covered trash bin with a liner right next to the litter boxes. It keeps the boxes from having to be completely dumped and refilled with fresh as often.

We'd all like to have the very best for our cats, but most of us are on budgets and provide the very best we can afford. It doesn't mean you love the kitties less. I'd rather have someone adopt a cat (or two, or five) and feed it the least expensive kibble and give it a box of yard dirt, than have that cat sitting homeless in a shelter somewhere.

 

[Yanaka]

I didn't see you were in CA. I also use this brand which is on your website:
DR. ELSEY'S® Precious Cat ULTRA Cat Litter - Unscented, Clumping, Multi-Cat Strength | cat Litter | PetSmart

Same thing than Frisco.
The only way to not have a stinky litter box is to scoop it up once/twice a day.

 

[Yanaka]

I'd rather have someone adopt a cat (or two, or five) and feed it the least expensive kibble and give it a box of yard dirt, than have that cat sitting homeless in a shelter somewhere.

True, but having 5 cats when the person says 2 should have been the limit is quite a problem... What happens when they need to see a vet again? 5 cats = 5 times the chance something goes wrong...

 

[di and bob]

If it came down to surrendering my cats, they would get all dry. My cats are well fed,(I have four) and I don't spend NEAR that much. I feed regular Purina Cat Chow and my cats all are healthy and live over fifteen years. Walmart has canned Friskies for 48 cents a can, the cheapest I have found. I get whatever clumping litter I can get on sale, just make sure it is clumping, you don't have to change that very often at all, every few months, just keep adding as you take the clumps out. Even the "off" brands work well. Scoop Away is 12.98 online at Walmart for 38 lbs, and I have used this often. Keep a clean pan ready and just pour the old into the pan, clumping eliminates the need to change the litter so often. I think you have to feed what you can afford. Vet bills can be avoided by giving your cats L-lysine for all those kitty colds, get it cheapest on Amazon. Keeping them indoors can avoid yearly shots, go to every other year, most vaccinations last far longer than a year, do some research. Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[Kieka]

It isn't uncommon for cats to come out of shelters with URI or contagious colds/flus of one sort or another. For them it isn't a big deal because it does happen so much. And yes, once a cat has had it they are more likely to get other infections in the future. When you have a multi-cat household it can be like kids in school where it just gets passed around. I would isolate the ones who are sick from the ones who aren't so it stops spreading. Wait until no one shows signs of being sick for at least a week before you bring everyone back together.

Dry food only, assuming you find a decent grain free one it is not abuse or mistreatment to feed your cat all dry food. I don't know what is available in Canada but the pet food industry in general tends to be a little better there than the US. Look for something with named meats, minimal starches and no grains. If you have to get a food that isn't grain free then try to find one where the grain is not in the top five. You do want to keep any eye on water intake and it does raise the risk of a later urinary problems (especially with males). You could also do one wet meal a day and get a wet food where you can buy a larger can to split so it goes further. I know we all want to feed our cats the best, but sometimes it is the best you can afford and there is nothing shameful with that. Just do the best you can on the budget you have.

The litter, I am sorry but that price is crazy. I think you are trying to do the best litter because it is natural or smells good. But when you are talking about costs it is the most expensive option out there. I usually buy whichever is on sale within the Tidy Cats brand (and unscented) then keep the box as clean as possible with frequent cleanings. Given that you are talking about rehoming due to cost I would seriously evaluate that purchase. I would say it would be more important to spend you limited budget on higher quality food and just buy whichever clumping litter is on sale (unless there is a behavioral driver behind that product in which case maybe just one box with the specific litter for the specific cat?). I know the big box pet stores here even have a bulk litter bin where you bring your refillable box and pay by the pound for litter.

 

[orange&white]

True, but having 5 cats when the person says 2 should have been the limit is quite a problem... What happens when they need to see a vet again? 5 cats = 5 times the chance something goes wrong...

Yes, I know, but it does look like there are less expensive options to get and keep all the cats healthy at this point by cutting some of the current costs and sale shopping products. Also low cost clinics are a good alternative to the more pricey veterinarian private clinics. If Candice gets the budget down to a reasonable level and still can't afford all 5 cats, then that's a bridge to be crossed a bit later perhaps.

 

[Yanaka]

orange&white , I agree! Although going to a low-cost clinic isn't necessarily that easy. I tried going to the one in my area, and I had to wait an entire month for an appointment. They only do walk-ins for vaccines. So that's not great for a URI...

For the URI (I'm guessing that's what your cats have), I spent $500+ right after adopting my kitties. The male got sick just after I signed the adoption papers, and I had been fostering him for over a month before that LOL talk about bad luck! I'm lucky the sister didn't develop it, but it was close.

 

[Willowy]

Yikes, I have 22 cats and don't spend that much on food and litter (well, OK, yes I do but for a lot more cats, lol)! So I think you can cut back on those things, even though Canadian prices are somewhat higher.

Basically, when it comes to adult cats, it's better to keep them even if you have to cut back on the quality of their food/litter, because it's very hard to find good homes for older cats and besides, they'd miss you!

For food, canned Friskies ought to be fine, and you can rotate in some stores brands, too, if your cats like the.. I don't recommend store brands as the only food, but Friskies is fine for that. For kibble I've been using Purina Beyond which I've found to be quite acceptable. Amazon has a good price for it (in the US anyway). I don't recommend feeding dry food only, because that can lead to urinary problems, especially in males, and that's expensive to treat. Most cats do well on 50/50 canned/dry.

For litter, Swheat Scoop is very expensive. If you want to stick with a non-clay litter you might consider chicken crumbles (if you're near a farm store). But if price is the main object, I think if you got the cheapest clay litter and changed it daily, that would still be cheaper than Swheat Scoop. If price isn't the main/only object, it might take a little experimenting to find which litter you and the cats like best. But don't feel bad about finding a more affordable litter!

With URIs, sometimes they're viral not bacterial. If the antibiotics haven't been working that might be why. Unfortunately, just like with humans, if it's a virus all you can do is provide supportive care and treat the symptoms as they come. This kind of home nursing care is annoying and time-consuming, but not expensive, thankfully. Just make sure they stay hydrated and are eating enough, steam up the bathroom every now and then to loosen congestion, and it will eventually pass.

 

[Margret]

Get the cheapest clumping litter you can find and just add baking soda to it; that will take care of the stink. And don't worry about brand names on the baking soda; buy the cheapest you can. Occasionally you may find that Arm&Hammer in a really big box is cheaper than a lot of smaller boxes of the store brand; when that happens get the big box -- with that many cats you'll certainly go through it quickly enough! When the store brand is cheaper, get that. It won't make a smidgen of difference if you change brands in the middle of cleaning the boxes; neither the cats nor you will notice any change at all. Scoop frequently, and make sure you fill the boxes to at least a 2 inch depth (approximately 5 cm.); it's worth buying a deeper box if necessary to get that depth without having litter kicked out of the box.

Before switching to all dry food make sure that all of the cats are willing to drink water when they're thirsty, some cats never seem to put it together that that's what water is for, since many cats get all of their moisture from food.

I wonder whether a deep cleaning of the house would get rid of the repetitive illness issue, using a steamer on the carpets and upholstery. Has anyone ever tried this? The problem is that it would be a fairly big expense up-front, but if it worked it would save both pain and money down the road. Here in the U.S. it's possible to rent a rug steamer and do it yourself; that should be possible in Canada as well, and I would think that steam would kill most germs, but I don't know about viruses. You'd want to wash all bedding at the same time, of course, perhaps use just a little bit of chlorine bleach in each load, being careful to make sure it's diluted before it comes in contact with fabrics.

Margret

 

[Yanaka]

I wouldn't recommend Friskies's dry food. There's almost no meat in there, it's really awful!!! Her cats will want to eat all the time, they'll get fat and sick and it'll cost her so much more money down the way :/

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

This is a such very hard situation to be in!

I know I won't be popular with some of my reply, but I guess I am just focusing on your own words (excerpted below), and feel a strong sense of worry for the care of the whole family (you, your hard-working husband, your three boys, the two birds, and the family of now five cats... Ariel, Jophiel, Willow, little Rosemary, and Seraphina) --

It so hard to talk about this.. but need advise..
We stated our journey living with cats, by adopted two.
I fell now, after now having 5, we should of stopped at the two.
We can NOT AFFORD all cats now
I am so sad but it's the honest truth.
... It's horrible and expensive with vet bills and meds..
I LOVE THEM ALL so much, but with vet bills, litter, dry food, and so much more, ... My husband works three jobs. And I'm honesty trying to figure this out. We bairly get by as is and honestly, most cat things have been raked up on CC.. I can't believe it. I knew they would cost money to upkeep, but I did not realize how much each month.
We are at a cross roads here. ...

Again I LOVE MY CATS! But I am just not sure what to do here. Please be nice to me .. I do love them and am looking for helpful advise.
... I feel that the responsible thing to do would be to have them adopted into homes that can afford to feel them properly. ...

It's a really tough situation when, as you said, much of the cat-related costs are being put on credit card(s). I hate to say it, but doing that could get the whole family into an even tougher situation in the future. You never know what costs could pop up in the future, besides the load you are carrying now!


I am all for adopting and saving cats, but I guess only if you are able to care for them well without also possible hardship to them and hardship to your family! What a hard situation to be in, when all your cats are so loved! The decision will be something for you and your husband, but I guess I think you could look at the cats you've let into your home in 2017 (Willow, Rosemary, Seraphina) and maybe think about which one could most easily be rehomed to another family, if it comes to that?

Please trust that I'm sending an infinite number of hugs and good wishes!

 

[Willowy]

I wouldn't recommend Friskies's dry food. There's almost no meat in there, it's really awful!!! Her cats will want to eat all the time, they'll get fat and sick and it'll cost her so much more money down the way :/

I agree that it's a low-quality food, although far from the lowest quality (some store brands, Alley Cat, and Kit & Kaboodle are the worst). But, bottom line, even if all a cat owner can afford is low-quality kibble, spay/neuter and basic vaccinations, and euthanasia when necessary, that's a better home for the cat than a shelter or being homeless. There is no excise for neglect but that's not neglect. Even low-quality kibble will keep a cat alive.

 

[Yanaka]

I agree that it's a low-quality food, although far from the lowest quality (some store brands, Alley Cat, and Kit & Kaboodle are the worst). But, bottom line, even if all a cat owner can afford is low-quality kibble, spay/neuter and basic vaccinations, and euthanasia when necessary, that's a better home for the cat than a shelter or being homeless. There is no excise for neglect but that's not neglect. Even low-quality kibble will keep a cat alive.

Friskies is kind of neglect, though, at least from my perspective. If it comes to choose between an entire life on Friskies, and two months in a shelter before finding a family that will feed the cat better food, I think it's worth the wait...

If the poster does have that many animals and her husband has to work three jobs to survive, it seems like it's a tough situation that even Friskies food might not fix.

 

[Willowy]

Friskies is kind of neglect, though, at least from my perspective. If it comes to choose between an entire life on Friskies, and two months in a shelter before finding a family that will feed the cat better food, I think it's worth the wait...

I don't agree with that at all. First, most shelters are KILL shelters. It is not a matter of "waiting for 2 months"; it's a matter of life or death. Second, Friskies dry food is a best-seller. The vast majority of cats in the US eat food of that quality. What makes you think the person who adopts the cat will feed anything else? And I don't think a cat, if able to make the choice, would choose 2 months in a cage over eating cheape rfood.

I feed dry Friskies and Cat Chow to my farm cats and they do just fine. I don't feed the cheaper foods to my indoor cats because cheaper foods mean more litterbox odor . But that is not neglect. All commercial cat foods in the US are "complete and balanced".

I do agree that if this is a bigger problem than can be solved with cutting costs a little, other steps may need to be taken. But there is nothing wrong with cutting costs when necessary.

 

[Yanaka]

Not all shelters are kill shelters. It's a matter of choosing. Where I volunteered and fostered they're not a no-kill shelter officially, but they keep cats for months and months until they're adopted. Yes, being in a home is better. But I'm very uncomfortable with not giving the cats a chance to eat something else than Friskies in their lifetime. McDonald's is legal, yet it contributes in making people sick. Plus, it's not only a matter of food. If they don't have the money for the vet, it's worse