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I posted this thought on Twitter/Facebook yesterday, but I felt the need to grumble about it more in depth: we're in talks with an adoption agency to give up the cats. There are several reasons for this, 4-month-old Wesley only being one of the reasons:
1. Wesley. Travis and I work full time. We only end up having about an hour to ourselves in the evening after baby time, dinner, and chores (bottles, laundry, dishes, etc.) That hour doesn't usually involve cats unless I'm cleaning up after them. Wesley's not allergic to them as far as I know, but I don't feel good about all the cat hair that gets EVERYWHERE. I worry about keeping the house clean enough when he becomes mobile.
2. Cleaning up after them. I don't mind cat hair, but I do mind three cat's worth of cat hair that can't be shed outside because they're indoor only. Even so, I don't mind it as much as my cats throwing up. It didn't used to happen very much, but now after almost EVERY meal, one of the cats will throw up--ON THE CARPET. I've switched food several times as well as feeding schedules, but it keeps happening. I've researched it, and all I can come up with is that it's something kittens will do before they mature. These guys aren't kittens by a long shot, but they were strays, so maybe it's something psychological? Who knows. I'm tired of cleaning up cat vomit. (Sure it's dry food, but ew.)
3. I have roommates, not pets. It's been four years, and I've been able to pet two of the three cats, but only on their terms. I can't pick them up, and they've NEVER rubbed on me or purred because of something I did. I don't have the time to work with them to gain their trust, apparently. They are comfortable in my house, but when either of us approaches them, they run. (And it didn't help that two years ago our house was broken into. One of the cats hasn't really been the same since then. He permanently lost a level of trust with us.) I've read stories where people with strays worked with them for 10+ years before they were comfortable being held, but I just don't think I'm the right person to try to mellow out these cats. They're happy being in their clique, and they need to be split up to accomplish anything.
There are other benefits to giving up the cats such as getting back space in the areas of the house they live in, being able to get whatever furniture/curtains I want without the fear of them being scratched, getting back money from food and litter, etc. I know I've been content to let them amuse themselves, but I think it's time for them to move on to another home that can give them more attention.
1. Wesley. Travis and I work full time. We only end up having about an hour to ourselves in the evening after baby time, dinner, and chores (bottles, laundry, dishes, etc.) That hour doesn't usually involve cats unless I'm cleaning up after them. Wesley's not allergic to them as far as I know, but I don't feel good about all the cat hair that gets EVERYWHERE. I worry about keeping the house clean enough when he becomes mobile.
2. Cleaning up after them. I don't mind cat hair, but I do mind three cat's worth of cat hair that can't be shed outside because they're indoor only. Even so, I don't mind it as much as my cats throwing up. It didn't used to happen very much, but now after almost EVERY meal, one of the cats will throw up--ON THE CARPET. I've switched food several times as well as feeding schedules, but it keeps happening. I've researched it, and all I can come up with is that it's something kittens will do before they mature. These guys aren't kittens by a long shot, but they were strays, so maybe it's something psychological? Who knows. I'm tired of cleaning up cat vomit. (Sure it's dry food, but ew.)
3. I have roommates, not pets. It's been four years, and I've been able to pet two of the three cats, but only on their terms. I can't pick them up, and they've NEVER rubbed on me or purred because of something I did. I don't have the time to work with them to gain their trust, apparently. They are comfortable in my house, but when either of us approaches them, they run. (And it didn't help that two years ago our house was broken into. One of the cats hasn't really been the same since then. He permanently lost a level of trust with us.) I've read stories where people with strays worked with them for 10+ years before they were comfortable being held, but I just don't think I'm the right person to try to mellow out these cats. They're happy being in their clique, and they need to be split up to accomplish anything.
There are other benefits to giving up the cats such as getting back space in the areas of the house they live in, being able to get whatever furniture/curtains I want without the fear of them being scratched, getting back money from food and litter, etc. I know I've been content to let them amuse themselves, but I think it's time for them to move on to another home that can give them more attention.
