So what about “your” crossing over the bridge before your babies?

trudy1

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Just sitting here in my easy chair and got to thinking...” very good chance some/most of my rescues might outlive me. They are mostly raised, spoiled inside cats . But now I’m thinking about doing some long/short range planning.

The last thing I’d ever want is for them to be surrendered to a shelter! I read stories like that every day listing some poor elderly dog or cat “owner passed away, needs forever home” for some aged baby who doesn’t understand what’s happened to their life! You can see it in their eyes! Just depressing.

Anybody given any thoughts to morbid stuff like this.

Oh, and don’t say “family will step up” because the last thing you’d want to be is taken in by my in-laws!
 

Winchester

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Talk to somebody about taking the cats, whether a relative, friend, shelter. Make a will, specifying where the cats are to go, should you pass. Set money aside for their care. It’s important.

My sister has agreed to take “all cats in our possession“ upon our deaths. Our wills specify that and also designates the amount of money in my savings that is set aside for their care. It took me a while to save that amount, but I wanted to make sure they had funds for vet care. I trust her to take good care of them.

And because it is not fair for her to take on a ton of cats, we have agreed not to take on the responsibility of more cats. We will never have more than three, once we get down to that amount. She has cats of her own.
 
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trudy1

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Glad you all have relatives you can rely on but as I said, this is not the case
 

susanm9006

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When I adopted Willow I was just turning 60 and I had my son agree to be her godparent and to care for her if I passed. Now I also have Lola, who just came to live with me after my mother recently died. They are 11 and 9 so I do hope I can outlive them but if not I think my son would take both. If I were to lose both and was still in relatively good health, I would foster a senior cat.
 

Tobermory

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We have a local organization that takes in abused, abandoned and/or hoarded large and small animals from law enforcement or other rescues or shelters (but not from individuals). I volunteered there for three years and it’s where I adopted Mocha. They will take back any animal that they adopt out, plus they have a program where they will take animals if you name the organization in your will and leave a certain amount (or more) of money for their lifetime care. If something were to happen to both my husband and me, my three would go there.
 

fionasmom

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I have beneficiaries designated who will receive money to accompany the upkeep of my cats along with instructions in my will and trust. None would go to a family member, so I understand where you are coming from.

You might check into rescues in your area. There are some (and you would have time to check to see if they are reliable) who specialize in older animals or animals who lost their only caretaker. A friend in northern CA got a Queensland heeler from one several years ago. You also might find a good rescue who is willing to work with you for future need.

There is a rescue in CA called Cathouse on the Kings who will take cats only with no other place to go, but there is a steep entry amount required. They have been around for a long time.

Depending on the circumstances and condition of myself in relation to my pets at the time, certain other stipulations would be made. If I drop over right now, my dog will be euthanized tomorrow as he is 15, huge, and in extreme failing health. Some people have a problem with this, but in the case of an elderly and ill animal, I think that rehoming might be the wrong thing to do.
 

Tobermory

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If I drop over right now, my dog will be euthanized tomorrow as he is 15, huge, and in extreme failing health. Some people have a problem with this, but in the case of an elderly and ill animal, I think that rehoming might be the wrong thing to do.
That’s a great point, fionasmom fionasmom . Lily and Iris are 17, and going to the care farm would be cruel. I need to update my will regarding them. Euthanasia would be kinder. Mocha would be stressed, but she’s only seven and could adapt with the right adopter.
 

fionasmom

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It is almost funny, but I have updated and re updated my animal files, removing the ones who have passed along with their identifying photograph and adding the new ones. This does all change over time and has to be current.
 

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When Mom got Muffin, my sister and I were completely against it. If anything happened to Mom, what were we supposed to do with Muffin? “Oh, put her down if I die,” was my mother’s response. At that time, Muffin wasn’t even a year old! Put down a kitten? But that’s how much my mother cared.

Later on, she told my sister she wasn’t worried. “Pam will take her. She won’t let anything happen to her.” The following year, Mom ended up in a nursing home. Muffin became ours. I wouldn’t give that baby girl up for anything. And Mom knew that would happen.

I’m not happy about how it happened. I don’t feel that we really had a choice. I wasn’t putting down a young cat. And she wasn’t going to a shelter, not if I could help it. So she became part of the family.
 

posiepurrs

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The breeder (who became a dear friend) of my first silver has agreed to work with my daughter to place all of my pets. I asked her because I know she has a tender heart and will look out for the best interests of the animal. My daughter will contact her when needed.
 
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trudy1

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There appears to be two schools of thought: 1) family will take them, 2)those of us who are now comparing our years to our cats and wondering
 

artiemom

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Most of my family are dog people. Geoffrey would not be accepted. I do have a cousin who May take him,; but they are so much older than I.

I have someone who will be able to make sure he gets to a rescue.

I stated that in my will. I mentioned one rescue, but not certain if that will still be in existence. I also mentioned a larger one, and alloyed a small sum for his care. I do not have much money.

At this point he is 5 years old and I will be 67, later this year.
Geoffrey is complicated. So , unsure.
 

Kat0121

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Most of my family are dog people. Geoffrey would not be accepted. I do have a cousin who May take him,; but they are so much older than I.

I have someone who will be able to make sure he gets to a rescue.

I stated that in my will. I mentioned one rescue, but not certain if that will still be in existence. I also mentioned a larger one, and alloyed a small sum for his care. I do not have much money.

At this point he is 5 years old and I will be 67, later this year.
Geoffrey is complicated. So , unsure.
I always thought that you and I were around the same age. I'm 51.

DD loves the girls and they love her too. She'll have my life insurance after I'm gone so money shouldn't be an issue but she works also.
 

MonaLyssa33

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I have a lot of cat people in my family, so if I were to die suddenly, I'm pretty certain they'd be taken in by someone. I told my former roommate that if I died that I'd want her to take Willie, but Willie has since died, so I think she'd probably be willing to take at least one of them.
 

allmykitties

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I'm still pretty young (55), though my youngest cats are just over 1yo. I am at my utter limit on number of cats, and I'd have to see where things were when it is time for Jemmy and Leo, but I do favor adult cats (weirdly enough for someone who loves cats, I'm very "meh" on kittens). I have made plans for any cats who do outlive me (to be updated as time passes--right now, my expectation is that I will outlive all of my current cats.

I do remember as a teen getting a cat who had outlived his previous owners. My dad was the person from church who usually brought communion to these shut-ins who were mother and daughter (90 and 60). Sam had been an adult cat who was their indoor/outdoor cat for 12 years (that is, he was an adult when he first showed up to them). The rest of their family lived pretty far away, and they died within 3 months of each other. The rest of the family was going to have Sam put down because none of them wanted him, but my dad said that we would take him. So Sam went on to live with us another 8 years, and I still remember him with a great deal of fondness.
 

Maria Bayote

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I have been having health problems lately so this also crossed my mind. I told my husband if in case something happens to me while we are both here overseas that he should ship my cats to our home country where my kids are. I do not trust him with my cats. LOL

I also asked my son and daughter to take care of all the cats and dogs even when I am gone. It is a sad thought, but it can happen.
 

DownTheLane

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I think about this a lot. I'm in a pretty bad place mentally at the moment, and I speculate a lot about what would happen if it took a turn for the worse in that direction... I know my parents would take care of them, I'm still pretty young and live at home. But I just can't abandon my babies like that. Luci is especially fixated on me and I don't think she'd know what to do without me around, she already struggles when I'm gone for a couple of hours. For me they're a reason to hold on, to keep going.
For me it would be family, my parents or uncle. I'm sure they'll keep them in memory, if not just because they love them. I wouldn't know what to do with them otherwise, I don't have a lot of friends but that could always be an option.
Of course I hope that no cat will have to stay behind after finally finding their forever home, but unfortunately it's inevitable at times...
 
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