Dear Friends of TCS,
Like many of you might know I am the carer of a colony of feral cats. They are at my workplace, where I feed them every day when I go to work, and where I have the permission to access when the site is closed (weekends and holidays).
I was even awarded the badge for being a friend of ferals.
I always bought them the food, I paid for their spaying and their health care when needed. All this money was out of my pocket and I didn't care.
I also have a couple of semi-ferals around my home, that I have to feed regularly.
Then my two house cats fell ill.
Some of you might know of Lola, who was seriously sick from a rare disease who cost me a fortune to treat exactly two years ago. But I didn't care. And only two months later she was diagnosed with an oral SCC that took her away from me in March last year. The cancer treatments cost me a fortune too, but I didn't care.
Then it was Pallina's turn. Some of you have followed her HT issues, the trip abroad to have her treated with I-131. This cost me another fortune, but I didn't care.
Then something weird happened, she got a liver disease of unknown nature, we fought hard for months, it cost me another fortune, but I didn't care.
Well, I never cared. I always paid for all vet bills and the best food.
Till the moment when I realized that I hadn't cared too many times and now my bank account is totally drained, especially after the last three vet bills for Pallina.
To top this all, I just found two kittens (not siblings) in desperate conditions that I have taken home after having them cured at the vets' using the last money I had...
Now I realize that not only I cannot afford to give these tiny furballs what they need (the vets and the pharmacy were so kind to cut on the bills) in term of food, but even my colony is at risk, because I won't be able to buy them the food they need daily.
So I think that along these years "I bit more than I could chew", I spent all I had for cats, and now I am paying the consequences.
Will I be able to turn my face the other side when I see another kitten in need?
How will I give up the colony? Will I be able to ignore them most of the days?
Did any of you have to take such a terrible decision?
Did any of you find themselves in such a situation even for a short moment in life? How did you manage this situation?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Like many of you might know I am the carer of a colony of feral cats. They are at my workplace, where I feed them every day when I go to work, and where I have the permission to access when the site is closed (weekends and holidays).
I was even awarded the badge for being a friend of ferals.
I always bought them the food, I paid for their spaying and their health care when needed. All this money was out of my pocket and I didn't care.
I also have a couple of semi-ferals around my home, that I have to feed regularly.
Then my two house cats fell ill.
Some of you might know of Lola, who was seriously sick from a rare disease who cost me a fortune to treat exactly two years ago. But I didn't care. And only two months later she was diagnosed with an oral SCC that took her away from me in March last year. The cancer treatments cost me a fortune too, but I didn't care.
Then it was Pallina's turn. Some of you have followed her HT issues, the trip abroad to have her treated with I-131. This cost me another fortune, but I didn't care.
Then something weird happened, she got a liver disease of unknown nature, we fought hard for months, it cost me another fortune, but I didn't care.
Well, I never cared. I always paid for all vet bills and the best food.
Till the moment when I realized that I hadn't cared too many times and now my bank account is totally drained, especially after the last three vet bills for Pallina.
To top this all, I just found two kittens (not siblings) in desperate conditions that I have taken home after having them cured at the vets' using the last money I had...
Now I realize that not only I cannot afford to give these tiny furballs what they need (the vets and the pharmacy were so kind to cut on the bills) in term of food, but even my colony is at risk, because I won't be able to buy them the food they need daily.
So I think that along these years "I bit more than I could chew", I spent all I had for cats, and now I am paying the consequences.
Will I be able to turn my face the other side when I see another kitten in need?
How will I give up the colony? Will I be able to ignore them most of the days?
Did any of you have to take such a terrible decision?
Did any of you find themselves in such a situation even for a short moment in life? How did you manage this situation?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!