*sad Today,hope For Tomorrow*

[steve0]

Hello,
My plight for my two ginger boys is taxing.
Last Wednesday, I broke my lft. collar bone. I already have a disability from a TBI\tramatic brain injury\ in 1980 so I need some feed back please. before the injury it was all hunky dorie. Now my daughter has to move back in with poppa, till I heal. BUT she wants to move cats to basement. Not much room in me lil' abode.
It's dark and gloomy there. This is making me worry for the boys.
Another alternative is giving them to a farm where they would be barn cats.
I just turned 70.
It's getting very hard for me to maintain them as right now I can hardly walk.
HELP

 

[shadowsrescue]

Why does she want to move them to the basement? If they are your beloved cats and they make you happy, they should be allowed to be with you. Can you try reasoning with your daughter. I am sure she does not want you to be unhappy.

Giving them a barn program would be hard. You would need to be sure that they are provided food and not just there to hunt. Are they used to being outside cats at all? If not the adjustment would be very very hard.

I hope that you can persuade your daughter to allow you to keep your cats. I also hope that your collar bone heals quickly.

 

[steve0]

Hello,
My plight for my two ginger boys is taxing. Want this to work, daughter is not a cat lover..
Last Wednesday, I broke my lft. collar bone. I already have a disability from a TBI\tramatic brain injury\ in 1980 so I need some feed back please. before the injury it was all hunky dorie. Now my daughter has to move back in with poppa, till I heal. BUT she wants to move cats to basement. Not much room in me lil' abode.
It's dark and gloomy there. This is making me worry for the boys.
Another alternative is giving them to a farm where they would be barn cats.
I just turned 70.
It's getting very hard for me to maintain them as right now I can hardly walk.
HELP!!! "ME IF YOU CAN, I'M FEELING DOWN"

Why does she want to move them to the basement? If they are your beloved cats and they make you happy, they should be allowed to be with you. Can you try reasoning with your daughter. I am sure she does not want you to be unhappy.

Giving them a barn program would be hard. You would need to be sure that they are provided food and not just there to hunt. Are they used to being outside cats at all? If not the adjustment would be very very hard.

I hope that you can persuade your daughter to allow you to keep your cats. I also hope that your collar bone heals quickly.

She has decided to move in with me as my health is on the down slide. Nobodies lives forever.
I have had LONG-LONG discussions and she doesn't care for cats period. I cannot change her position on this. I am the aged now. Disheartening as it is, I must abide. Shoot!! I just retired 4 years ago. What else can I do? They've become way too much for me to handle. This she is right about that..
They have been indoor cats since I adopted them, about 5 years ago.
I've taken them to the vet one time. Tried in vane several. There dosent seem to be an avenue of approach for someone with a disability who has the desire to help animals that need it. Anywhere!!

 

[steve0]

My typing is amiss I'm in too much pain. thanx for your attention

 

[surya]

Have you contacted rescue groups in your area to see if they can help? Indoor cats put out in the country to fend for themselves usually die. And the basement sounds too dark.

 

[1 bruce 1]

I mean no disrespect so I apologize if I sound snarky, but your daughter is being extremely selfish. She's moving into YOUR home, your home is your rules and banishing your cats to the basement because she "doesn't like cats" is a terrible thing to do to one's parent(s).
JMO. I hope you can find a good solution and I'm sorry you're going through this on top of being in pain. =(

 

[maggiedemi]

Well, what is your basement like? Some basements are really nice with carpet and furniture. Ours is an old ancient cement basement that looks like a dungeon. My cats love it down there though, they have window seats and things to climb. They don't live down there, but they go down for a few hours every day.

 

[trudy1]

So I’m confused. You seem to be saying ....cats in the basement until you heal.... but then you say ...they are getting to much to handle? If going to the basement is temporary and things will be back the way it was before you fell? That’s better then faced with an alternative of getting rid of them I would think.

I’m sorry you have to go through this. However if you are faced with just the need to get rid of them, everyone is right about relinquishing them to a barn cat program...it would be very hard on them, if not fatal. But a rescue group might be promising, especially if you explained your predicament.

Does seem odd that if she cares enough to move in a see to your needs she would not be willing to put up with two cats....but that’s just me..

Please keep us posted.

 

[1 bruce 1]

So I’m confused. You seem to be saying ....cats in the basement until you heal.... but then you say ...they are getting to much to handle? If going to the basement is temporary and things will be back the way it was before you fell? That’s better then faced with an alternative of getting rid of them I would think.

I’m sorry you have to go through this. However if you are faced with just the need to get rid of them, everyone is right about relinquishing them to a barn cat program...it would be very hard on them, if not fatal. But a rescue group might be promising, especially if you explained your predicament.

Does seem odd that if she cares enough to move in a see to your needs she would not be willing to put up with two cats....but that’s just me..

Please keep us posted.

The cat barn program is a good idea in theory and works for some outdoor, non-declawed cats that need relocated, but for formerly pampered house cats I wouldn't recommend either. Not only would it be hard on them, but the prospect of being put into a new place to live (unlike what they're used to) and the possibility of other cats that are "street tough" bullying them is too great. We have barn cats that just kind of landed here and never left, and they're tough, smart cats. My house cats wouldn't stand a chance with them. =/
My concern lies in knowing others in similar situations; family moving in, family hates cats, cat owner decides to give up the cats and 2 weeks into the new situation new family member(s) decide "it's not working out" and leaves...leaving the home owner alone again, without their cats. (Or dogs, as this happens frequently with dog owners too.)
IF the basement is finished, nice, and easy accessible to the original person that started this thread, it could be do-able short term. I know the original person stated they had a lot of pain issues and some injuries so access to the basement might be no easy task, which would leave feeding/litter box duty up to someone who dislikes cats. There's a small, snowballs chance in you-know-where that this person might change their mind if they're around nice, friendly cats, but the odds of them getting any kind of attention or interaction are slim if the owner can't manage the basement steps on their own to visit, feed, play with them, etc.
I don't envy this person situation. I'm hoping the daughter will buck up and realize her demands are a bit ridiculous and deal with the fact that her parent has two cats that they dearly love and she can put her dislike aside for their sake...

 

[steve0]

Well, what is your basement like? Some basements are really nice with carpet and furniture. Ours is an old ancient cement basement that looks like a dungeon. My cats love it down there though, they have window seats and things to climb. They don't live down there, but they go down for a few hours every day.

You know maggiedemi
The basement is unattractive to them..The won't go down there. I always kept the door closed. I guess I could enhance the area down there to make it more appealing.
I tried to put litter box there but they were lost and would not go there. This is starting to sadden me and put stressors on our relationship.
We should be BONDING not in a BATTLE.
I'm lost here and don't want them to go. She then says, "So the cats mean more to yo than I? So sad.
If they have to go I want them to have a home comparable to the one I have provided here.:'o(

 

[shadowsrescue]

I am so sad that you are having to deal with this. I would tell your daughter that the cats are very much a part of your family and while they don't mean more than your daughter, they mean just as much. They have been with you through difficult times and they are a source of comfort to you.

Is there a way to keep the litter box in your bedroom? Maybe allow them to be in the bedroom during the day and then allow them time out to roam at night when you are all sleeping?

Many people who don't like cats, have never had a positive experience with cats. Has she seen you interact with the cats or seen the enjoyment they provide to you?

Keep trying if you can. You are in my thoughts.

 

[surya]

If your daughter cared about you, she would not ask you to get rid of your fur children. She is using emotional blackmail saying you can not love her and the cats. This is very selfish. They can not defend themselves. Someone has to speak up for them.

 

[trudy1]

So what did you end up having to do? I’m hoping for a positive outcome.

 

[steve0]

Well, I want to state I am truly sorry for not posting an Update. My time has been full with recovery from a broken collarbone.
All has pretty much worked out.
She doesn't like the hair & litter on the floor and has stated such; although, whence I could not do the chores, she handily did them for me.
I am blessed some times and other times I manage to get them done.
Carpal tunnel has become an unwanted guest lately. After 37.5 yrs post TBI, one arm has been a challenge, I must say, now over use of the good arm has introduced me to my new friend...c'est la vie.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Well, I want to state I am truly sorry for not posting an Update. My time has been full with recovery from a broken collarbone.
All has pretty much worked out.
She doesn't like the hair & litter on the floor and has stated such; although, whence I could not do the chores, she handily did them for me.
I am blessed some times and other times I manage to get them done.
Carpal tunnel has become an unwanted guest lately. After 37.5 yrs post TBI, one arm has been a challenge, I must say, now over use of the good arm has introduced me to my new friend...c'est la vie.

Well, I don't like the hair and litter either But I'm glad she would do the chores anyway and didn't seem to mind.
I'm sorry about the CT though. They call them the golden years why?

 

[kittychick]

SO glad this situation worked out!!!!! My heart broke every time I looked at this thread. I didn't know what to add that could really help. So I was THRILLED to hear your daughter had softened some and she had begun to understand you need them as much as other people need their children!!!!! Yeah

 

[steve0]

Hello Again my feline friends...
This morning I was hearing a scratching in my kitchen where I feed my ginger boys. Then after they are done eating.. {I feed them Royal Canine hairball remedy dry & wet}, let me say, this has totally changed their digestive issues and hairballs are GONE!! A thing of the past. My long hair ginger just licks the gravy off as does the short hair after done, this is where the scratching comes in, after investigating I think my long haired regal boy is trying to cover the rest of the wet food, the residuals are little ball shaped pieces 1/4 x 1/4...Are they showing their dislike for whats left? I'm thinking i'm right on target..
I don't know? I'm @ a loss here..Any ideas? Am I wrong with my assumptions?

 

[KarenKat]

My girl Olive tried to bury her wet food - it’s an instinctive trait to hide from possible predators. She does it when she’s done eating, so if she doesn’t like the food she buries almost immediately and if she really likes the food it’s after she’s full. She even goes back and eats the food minutes after “burying”.

Did you recently switch from dry food to wet? The wet food smells stronger which might be a reason for the behavior change. If they are only trying to bury the remnants and they both eat the food I would not worry too much, especially if it is really helping their digestion and preventing hair balls.

 

[1 bruce 1]

My girl Olive tried to bury her wet food - it’s an instinctive trait to hide from possible predators. She does it when she’s done eating, so if she doesn’t like the food she buries almost immediately and if she really likes the food it’s after she’s full. She even goes back and eats the food minutes after “burying”.

Did you recently switch from dry food to wet? The wet food smells stronger which might be a reason for the behavior change. If they are only trying to bury the remnants and they both eat the food I would not worry too much, especially if it is really helping their digestion and preventing hair balls.

Yep, I think this is their way of saying they're full but the food is valuable enough to hide and save so someone else doesn't get it. It can help in a multi-cat household to pick up the uneaten food, fridge it, and offer it later at room temp to the cat.