Public Service Announcement
Please spay and neuter your cats. Dogs too, but I see cats as being more of an issue; there are laws about dogs running loose. There are no laws for cats.
I work for a non-profit. We rescue cats. We take in surrenders and pick up strays; we take in pregnant cats, very angry cats, feral cats, old and sick cats. We take them in, we patch them up, and then we try to find them homes. And there is one undeniable truth: a lot more people want to give us cats than want to adopt one. We have cats who have been living at the sanctuary, cared for by us, for over 10 years. There are so many kittens out there, young cats – they can walk down to the MSPCA and be greeted with litters – so why would they want an 8 year old cat who needs a bit of medicine? And most of our cats don’t have overwhelming health issues, either. Some do, sure – and those ones we don’t even list as adoptable. But the ones who are simply old? Or who have been diagnosed with FIV? People pass them over time and time again.
Our organization is getting our name out there. We’re adopting out more cats than we were before. But you know what we’re getting a lot more of? Phonecalls. “I found a cat. It’s in bad shape.” “I have to move, the landlord won’t let me keep the cat.” “My son is allergic, I need to get rid of my cat.” Over and over and over. Multiple calls every single day.
And what gets me most is the sense of indignation these people have. I realize that they have busy lives and there are probably more important things going on than a cat. But they get pissed off when we tell them we can’t take any more. We’re full. Full. We’re privately-funded, upkept with volunteers. We can’t afford to take in any more. We can’t afford the food, the vet bills. And we certainly can’t afford to take in several new cats every single day.
Trust me, it’s not because we don’t care. We wouldn’t be doing this thankless job if we didn’t care. It’s not that we don’t want to help these people – we do. We want nothing more than to take in every unwanted cat. But we physically can’t. And these people say to us well, what am I supposed to do? And we say… we don’t know. There are other shelters in the area. They’re full too. The SPCA will take the cat… because they euthanize probably more than 90% of the cats they take in. That’s a lot of dead cats, people. I couldn’t do that job. But someone does. And they’re probably sick of it.
It astounds me how many people think they can give up 13 year old cat and someone else will “find it a good home.” They walk away with a clear concience. But the truth is, that cat probably died at the hands of a stranger. It probably was a very nice cat, a very friendly cat. There’s just too many nice, friendly cats.
I am frustrated… beyond frustrated. I am angry. I am sad. I see the war raging over abortion – little bundles of cells that could become something. Potential life. And yet here are real creatures – real, live beings with thoughts and feelings, who are scared, who hurt, who want nothing more than to be loved – left forgotten behind an abandoned building. You think they WANT live like that? Hungry and alone? Yelled at and chased by the business owners who don’t want them there? Hit by cars, killed by coyotes? That’s no kind of life for a domesticated animal. As independent and snotty as cats are – and yes, I love them, but they are snotty – they are domesticated. They depend on us. They are spoiled creatures who need us to take care of them.
I just wish people would think ahead. And I wish people didn’t see our organization – which is trying hard to help those cats who are truly in need – as a get-out-of-jail-free card when they no longer have the time to deal with unwanted behavior.
The economy is bad. People are in rough shape. I understand that. It’s just fucking depressing. There’s only so much we can do. At some point we have to admit that we can’t save them all by ourselves.
This makes me cry. :(
I know. I wish I could save every cat out there. It is horrendous how some people treat their pets, and the poor strays – it breaks my heart.
I am a foster mom through the SPCA and Rabbit Haven. I’ve been reading your blog since you lost Devin, but had to delurk because this is something I know about. I was so glad to see this post on your blog. People truly don’t realize that when they take an unwanted animal to a shelter, chances are, it won’t survive 2 weeks. They think, “He’s a good cat. Someone will take him”. Yeah, that someone was you and you left him for dead. I get very angry, too. Especially this year. In CA Animal Services is putting down perfectly healthy 8 week old kittens because there are just so many of them that there is no room left. Good for you for speaking the truth and getting it out there for the world to see. Kudos my dear.
Although I admit to being more of a dog person than a cat person, it makes me so upset, too, when person after person goes to a breeder or pet store to pick out their pet. Don’t they know there are so many other pets in shelters who need a good home? I wish “rescuers” were the majority, not the minority. I wish people didn’t think all rescue pets had “issues.”
I totally agree with you. People don’t seem to realize that getting a pet is (or should be)a lifetime commitment. It is not a committment of convenience, and as soon as it becomes inconvenient, that ends the commitment. It makes me so angry and so upset that beautiful animals suffer at the hands of ignorant people. Thank God for people like you, who give of their time and energy to help ease the situation. You and others like you are heroes.
This hurts my heart. I have the ultimate soft spot for cats and I hate that there are so many out there who will not find a home.
I just adoped #3 cat (kitten) this week.. I found it in the fender weld of the truck my husband is fixing up.
I pulled it out the truck, I had a dentist appt for my daughter later that day.. Didn’t want to toss it out of the truck to get killed in traffic later or a dog kill it..
What to do? I already have two grown spoiled housecats (spayed & neutred since they were old enough for the procedure).
I took the scared kitten in, showed it the food/water dishes and the litter pan.
I left the scared kitten alone in the house while I went out to do my stuff for the day. I wasn’t going to keep the kitten I told my husband on the phone.
By the time I was done with errands and 30 minutes from home, a name popped in my head..
Now we have 2 cats and a kitten.. The kitten will be spayed and neutred when its of age.
I have a HUGE soft spot for animals and if I could afford it, i would take in every animal :)
I could only justify the new kitten by TRYING to convince my husband it was for our daughter. She needed a cat of her own (grown cats ignore her and don’t want to play, while the kitten wants to play with her and she tries to play with it). I don’t think he is totally convinced the kitten is for Hailey but doesn’t object to us keeping it ;)
I have fostered orphaned kittens before, also. It is very aggravating how people just toss their pets aside. Okay, I understand that the economy is bad….will they just toss their children, spouses, parents, etc. aside also? I have a cat (DH says NO more after I had three!) and a cocker spaniel. At one time I thought it would be great to raise cocker spaniels, but I see tons and tons at the rescues…..how could I bring MORE puppies into the world. Thanks for posting your public service announcement! :-)