Going nuts - it's not them, it's me, need some help

[seaturtle]

Hi,

I have 7 litle furries, and until recently, no problem. It's a lot of work, but that's okay with me.

IN the past month, though, I've had spraying from a couple of males because of a stray (better now, but I still have to medicate them and a female every day), one for surgery with bladder stones, and one for surgery for an abcess from an animal bite.
Now another one may have diabetes, so I am at the vet's again, supposed to try to get urine sample, but of course she won't pee in the right pan.

And for some reason, they are on me all the time, which could be comforting and endearing, but I find myself getting irritated when yet another one begs or jumps on the table or insists on going out, coming in. They seem to want to get me going -- this is a change from before, when things were rather peaceful.

What I don't like is that I can get irritated with them. I don't ever even raise my voice, but it's affecting my sanity level.

I guess my question is - am I am ogre, or have others felt this way - and how do I reposition my thinking so that I am not reacting this way? It't not their fault. They're just being cats, and I guess I'm being human.

Thanks for any advice.

Seaturtle

 

[larke]

Hi, you need a break! Seven is a lot to manage even when everything's fine, let alone when some are ill. Have you even considered possibly allowing a couple to have new homes with people you trust? You're allowed, you know :-). It's so hard to resist them when they're young, but if they grow up and start being difficult, you can go nuts - been there, though the most at once I've dealt with was 5, and that when I was a lot younger, had some help and did end up finding a new home for one of them. How big/small is your place, and how many boxes do you have to manage?

 

[aswient]

You are definitely NOT AN OGRE. I know exactly what you mean. I'm taking care of 9 furries. They all range in age from 1 year to 10, the two youngest ones I call my two delinquents. They chase everybody. Have wrestling matches on the bed while I'm in it, etc., etc., etc.

Its natural to get worn out. But like a mother of human kids, you keep telling yourself, as they get older they'll quiet down, then when they do you'll miss the chaos.

 

[kristykitty]

I think it takes a special kind of person to take care of 7 furries, which you obviously are!

And it's only natural you'd get worn out. If you could bare to part with a couple of them and find them other homes, that might be something to look into. Because it's really hard to spread yourself out over 7 kitties, and maybe some of them can go to homes where they'd get more time/attention than you're able to give, then you will have more time/attention to give to the ones that stay with you.

Or perhaps you just need someone else to help you with them. It's really hard to do that all alone!

 

[jennyr]

You are not an ogre - I am at my wits' end myself right now, having five kittens and their mom to care for on top of my own cats, who now number 8. This morning I realised I had taken on too much when 14 cats accompanied me to the bathroom. I get mad at them, especially when my cats fight the kittens and then among themselves - they are also feeling stress and 3 have even been ill. Just take a few deep breaths and try to find some space for yourself in it all. I just keep telling myself it will get better.

 

[seaturtle]

Hey, folks,

Sigh of relief over here, thank you all so very much. I'm glad to know I'm not alone.

I had nine, but did re-home the two females who were the pariahs, and they went to excellent home (two best friends had had their cats die, and my former cats are absolute queens now). The remaining ones...I don't feel I can part with them right now. I still miss the other two so much that I can cry over them.

I am 61 and am on disability, so sometimes my energy does get a bit frayed at the edges. They all get along pretty well, a few chasings here and there, nothing major. And I do pay individual attention to each one each day. And of course spoil them rotten.

Oh, and I work eight cat pans, twice a day.

Thinking about it now, perhaps the thing that gets to me most is that they all eat in different places. I have 7 rooms, large ones, a full basement and a large garden space I made for them, all fenced-in and safe against strays entering or mine getting out. But for some reason, each one has his/her eating place, some one high shelves, some on my bed, another in the kitchen, two in the laundry room, one in the front room (but only on the table, mind you). I walk through my apartment and every time I turn a corner, another face is staring at me telling me it's time to turn around and get another handful of food.

Water: they refuse to drink out of their bowls, will drink only out of washed-out quart joghurt containers. And only fresh from the tap water, not stuff that's been there a few hours.

Sometimes, it's amusing, but at others....I am pulling my hair out.

I've also been under great personal stress, so I guess that's contributing.

If I could just send them on a very small vacation, say a few days, I'd calm down, I think.

Your suggestions I will take to heart and see if I can possibly get myself to re-home at least one more.

At any rate, I am so glad I am not alone in this. I guess it's like having kids, which I never had: you have to cat-proof everything. And some are on special diets, so I have to stand and watch them eat to be sure no one steals anyone else's diet food.

Sorry for the long post, but this is the first time I've voiced these things, and your understanding just opened the floodgates. Thanks again for listening.

Seaturtle