I think I am here to vent. As I approached retirement, I wasn't planning to have a pet. I hoped to travel. Today I am partly retired (work part time) and I have 3 1/2 cats. The half cat is my neighbors cat that moved to my yard because the food is better and it's more fun here. I also have asthma and a level 5 cat allergy, but I get shots and take medication.
I worked in a poor neighborhood of and noticed abandoned cats. I couldn't stand it, so I started caring for them. Nobody else in my office had ever paid much attention. Hah! I ended up with 10 cats. I neutered them all with the help of a cat-loving no kill shelter. As I neared retirement, the shelter helped me. They took the adoptable cats, plus two people in my office adopted a cat. Two cats had to be euthanized. That left two cats that the shelter considered too feral to be adoptable. I took them to my back yard, put them in a large cage for two weeks, and they acclimated. Frankly, they knew they were on to a good thing. That's when my neighbor's cat decided to move to my yard to join the fun. I have cat shelters (kitty tube, feral villa and rubbermaid homemade shelter). I have a shed that I told myself I bought for garden tools, but I really bought for the cats. They have chairs and benches and tables. The back patio looks like Hoarders, but it's a cat haven. One of the unadoptable cats now stays inside at night. My allergies tolerate him so far. Tom turned into a lover. But he is afraid of everyone but me. He runs and hides when he sees anyone but me. The female comes inside for five minutes and goes to the door to be let out. Cali does not want to be petted, brushed or even touched. She will twine herself around my legs, but that's all. My neighbor's cat wants to come inside to live, but I think he should live at home and just visit. Another cat turned up. He is a year old. He bites and scratches. I had to spend two nights in the hospital after he bit me (cellulitis). I thought I would be safe from stray cats in the suburbs, but no. Now I have Frankie. Like the female, he does not want to be brushed, petted or even touched. But he loves it when I play with him using the fishing pole toy. I play with him twice a day. Frankie will come in, lie down and relax for 20 minutes, then beg to go out again. It is summer now. I wonder if my asthma and allergies can tolerate letting Frankie stay inside this winter.
I don't take vacations, because I don't know who can take care of my cats. Tom is afraid of everyone but me. He also has chronic diarrhea. The vet said it will cost $3000 to diagnose inflammatory bowel syndrome. I will assume Tom has it and save $3000. Frankie also has frequent diarrhea (All my cats are neutered, wormed and annually examined by a vet). I am home a lot for them, and don't want want to leave them alone most of the time while I vacation. (Did I mention I also care for my 92 year old mother. My siblings could take over with her, but they don't want to care for my cats)
Like I said, I didn't sign up for this; I was drafted. I get a lot of pleasure out of my problem cats, but if one more shows up, he/she is going to the shelter.
Thank you for letting me vent.
I worked in a poor neighborhood of and noticed abandoned cats. I couldn't stand it, so I started caring for them. Nobody else in my office had ever paid much attention. Hah! I ended up with 10 cats. I neutered them all with the help of a cat-loving no kill shelter. As I neared retirement, the shelter helped me. They took the adoptable cats, plus two people in my office adopted a cat. Two cats had to be euthanized. That left two cats that the shelter considered too feral to be adoptable. I took them to my back yard, put them in a large cage for two weeks, and they acclimated. Frankly, they knew they were on to a good thing. That's when my neighbor's cat decided to move to my yard to join the fun. I have cat shelters (kitty tube, feral villa and rubbermaid homemade shelter). I have a shed that I told myself I bought for garden tools, but I really bought for the cats. They have chairs and benches and tables. The back patio looks like Hoarders, but it's a cat haven. One of the unadoptable cats now stays inside at night. My allergies tolerate him so far. Tom turned into a lover. But he is afraid of everyone but me. He runs and hides when he sees anyone but me. The female comes inside for five minutes and goes to the door to be let out. Cali does not want to be petted, brushed or even touched. She will twine herself around my legs, but that's all. My neighbor's cat wants to come inside to live, but I think he should live at home and just visit. Another cat turned up. He is a year old. He bites and scratches. I had to spend two nights in the hospital after he bit me (cellulitis). I thought I would be safe from stray cats in the suburbs, but no. Now I have Frankie. Like the female, he does not want to be brushed, petted or even touched. But he loves it when I play with him using the fishing pole toy. I play with him twice a day. Frankie will come in, lie down and relax for 20 minutes, then beg to go out again. It is summer now. I wonder if my asthma and allergies can tolerate letting Frankie stay inside this winter.
I don't take vacations, because I don't know who can take care of my cats. Tom is afraid of everyone but me. He also has chronic diarrhea. The vet said it will cost $3000 to diagnose inflammatory bowel syndrome. I will assume Tom has it and save $3000. Frankie also has frequent diarrhea (All my cats are neutered, wormed and annually examined by a vet). I am home a lot for them, and don't want want to leave them alone most of the time while I vacation. (Did I mention I also care for my 92 year old mother. My siblings could take over with her, but they don't want to care for my cats)
Like I said, I didn't sign up for this; I was drafted. I get a lot of pleasure out of my problem cats, but if one more shows up, he/she is going to the shelter.
Thank you for letting me vent.
) probably wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you. You really have made a world of difference. Never say never about a vacation. There may be another crazy cat person out there that could be the perfect person to look after your group while you are gone. 
Kuddos to you MJO!!!!!!! Sounds like your heart won out. I think this is your calling. Embrace it my friend 
We need more people like you out in the world these days. And you venting is just fine 
This is the place to do it 
