Do you have a plan if you suddenly found yourself unable to care for your cat(s)?

[Frank123]

That is, if you were to suffer a sudden illness or trauma and had to be hospitalized or incapacitated for a period of a few days or longer, how would your cats be cared for. Especially for those who live alone.
I ask because over the weekend I was hospitalized with an acute illness. The only other person in our household is my father. However, since he's elderly and recently experienced a hip fracture, it's difficult for him to stoop and bend over to feed the cats and clean the litter boxes. Luckily my sister was able to come over the house and take care of the cats.

 

[Bobsk8]

I am a senior citizen, 79 years old and just adopted a cat. I prearranged with my daughter that if anything happens to me, she will find a home for the cat. Also the rescue organization, said that they would always take the animal back if needed.

 

[doomsdave]

No, but I should.

 

[susanm9006]

Before I adopted Willow my son agreed to be “godparent” to my next cat with the understanding that should something happen to me that he would take care of her.

 

[Furballsmom]

This is so important

I have written instructions for Poppycat's daily care, but not really people in place for that if my partner can't.

I'm additionally looking into a cat care organization that would take him, for the rest of his life if I can no longer care for him myself.

 

[DreamerRose]

I'm not sure what is going to happen. My youngest agreed to take Mingo when I adopted him because I was afraid of what would happen to him if something happened to me. Unfortunately, Mingo took an instant dislike to son, and that's not going to work. Best solution would be for youngest to take Lily and oldest to take Mingo. Mingo gets along fine with him, but he lives halfway across the continent. So I don't know.

 

[kittyluv387]

My bf has 1 cat and I have 2 boys. My bf said he would take them but I don't think he would be able to handle 3 cats. Plus my cat needs to eat raw. But I mean age wise I'm okay since I'm almost 33...but yeah kind of uncertain it's true.

 

[Xraystyle]

I have friends nearby who are cat-friendly who could take care of Puar, but the issue would be getting the message to them if I was somehow incapacitated. They all know I have a cat, so I assume someone would hear about it (my boss at work, who would probably be called to be my guardian, would be the first to know and she's clever enough to check my instagram to find my closer friends). But I've never outright told people what they should do.

We might be in a what-if situation soon as I'm checking in on my friend's cat while she is visiting her parents in Oman. However, Oman just issued mandatory isolation for travelers from Korea...My friend went in before this mandate, but she's supposed to come back on Saturday and I'm not sure if she'll be allowed to leave or if there will even be a flight for her to take! Luckily, both myself and her boyfriend know the code to her apartment and have the care instructions for her cat...so worst scenario, we just carry on checking in on the cat or he can take it with him (he lives in a different city, so not the best solution, but possible). I can't take the cat to mine because I'm still worried Puar might be a little contagious himself (and also her cat has peeing issues that I just could not deal with)

Interestingly, one of my neighbors has a sign on their front door that informs rescue services that they are living with a cat. Nice idea!

 

[Koveshnikov]

our friends and heirs are owners of an animal shelter ... they will take care of our cats ...

 

[Koveshnikov]

I have friends nearby who are cat-friendly who could take care of Puar, but the issue would be getting the message to them if I was somehow incapacitated. They all know I have a cat, so I assume someone would hear about it (my boss at work, who would probably be called to be my guardian, would be the first to know and she's clever enough to check my instagram to find my closer friends). But I've never outright told people what they should do.

We might be in a what-if situation soon as I'm checking in on my friend's cat while she is visiting her parents in Oman. However, Oman just issued mandatory isolation for travelers from Korea...My friend went in before this mandate, but she's supposed to come back on Saturday and I'm not sure if she'll be allowed to leave or if there will even be a flight for her to take! Luckily, both myself and her boyfriend know the code to her apartment and have the care instructions for her cat...so worst scenario, we just carry on checking in on the cat or he can take it with him (he lives in a different city, so not the best solution, but possible). I can't take the cat to mine because I'm still worried Puar might be a little contagious himself (and also her cat has peeing issues that I just could not deal with)

Interestingly, one of my neighbors has a sign on their front door that informs rescue services that they are living with a cat. Nice idea!

to the question of cats locked in houses ...

 

[verna davies]

I have a short term plan and a long term/permanent plan. My friend has a key to my home and will call twice a day if it's short term but if long/permanent then the shelter where I adopted my cats from have a scheme called Cat Guardian where they will take my cats back and find new homes for them. I have also written instructions for the type of home needed and a brief medical history.

 

[Winchester]

Should something happen to Rick and me, my sister has agreed to take the girls. All of them. In fact, it's in our wills and we have money set aside to go to my sister for their care. If it's just one of us, the other will care for them.

Sad to say, but we don't trust our son to care for the girls at all. He'll take the money and the cats will go into shelters. I do trust my sister.

 

[di and bob]

I just plan to outlive them right now. I have no one to take them and could not bear to see them go to a shelter. Once they are gone, hopefully in many years, I will no longer have cats or any other pet, but will stay involved through my shelter, donating time and supplies, and getting more involved with TNR in my area. I could also offer to take care of other people's pets if I am still able.

 

[Jem]

On the short term, I have so many relatives living nearby that are willing and have cared for my kitties when we've been away so I assume they would not hesitate to help out of needed...that is, if my husband was also incapacitated as well. I have a short list of 6 people I can contact in an emergency, most of them being willing to continue the care for weeks if needed, I even have 2 house keys floating around between my family members...I think my sister and Dad, are in possession of them at the moment, so if I'm completely unavailable, someone can get into my house if needed.
Long term...Obviously my husband would just continue to care for them, they are his babies too. But if something happened to both of us, I don't really know.

 

[kashmir64]

My son will take them - both short and long term.
One of the cats is his anyway. Although it's hard to tell with her sometimes as she's with me most the time.

 

[MissClouseau]

I have two plans for the shortterm but it wouldn’t work longer than a week. Then again, if I had to be hospitalize for a week I think my brother who lives in another country would come to town and he could take care of Hima.

I don’t even want to imagine what would happen to her if I passed. I think my brother would be willing to take her but flying is risky for Hima. And he has his own (male) cat. Hima gets nervous around male cats.

 

[Noahh]

Well, there are 3 other people that live at my house, and the cat food and water is always accessible to them all day, every day. My dad also made the water bowl auto refilling. So, when the water goes down, it refills itself. So, in all, I don't really have a plan, but I also don't need one right now either.

 

[Lari]

My husband would take care of Lelia, as would I with Sparkle. Past that, there was a clause in my adoption contract that if I couldn't take care of her, she had to go back to the TNR, so I don't know if they'd allow any next of kin after my husband. I remember a couple years ago they had a cat whose owner had died.

 

[neely]

If something happened to me my DH would be responsible for our cat's care and visa versa should something unforeseen happen to him. Long term, our oldest daughter who is in love with Carleton would step in and watch over him.

Note: You don't necessarily have to be old or ill for something to happen. I've known perfectly healthy, young people who died in a major auto fatality or other accident.

 

[doomsdave]

This is an area of the law that's evolving a lot. Time was, estate plans for animal care would often be set aside if considered "excessive" (by an ailurophobic judge?) but it's taken a lot more seriously now.

I think the most important thing is to talk about the situation with people you'd like to give the animals, as property, to. And, over time, ask again, and review your plans. Don't just do a will or living will, stuff it in a drawer or deposit box and forget about it.

Here's a website, which, I think is a great start, by Nolo, which is dedicated to empowering ordinary folk under the law.

Estate Planning for Pets

Keep in mind that the law will vary by state or province.

And, if you have aging cat-people relatives, it's smart to talk with them sooner instead of later, though my parents didn't like talk of estate planning, until mom died, then dad was willing to listen.