# Do you ever feel guilty?



## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Do you ever feel guilty when you get really busy and don't have a lot of time for your fur babies? Lately I am so busy that I leave the house when I wake up and I don't get home until the middle of the night. By the time I get home I am so tired I can only clean their litter, feed them and go to sleep. I just feel like they think I am forgetting them! I also can't just stay home more because I'm working and will be losing my job at the end of August- so I need the money. The only time I have for cat forum nowadays is when I'm working in my pull tab booth! I just wish I could tell them what I was doing and that they would understand. I hope I'm not the only one who gets guilty for being a less than ideal parent sometimes.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

I know they are mad at me too. Right now I am at home fresh from a 15 hour work day and they won't even look at me! Usually Sinatra loves making eyes at me but tonight as soon as I look at him he looks away. I guess when he wakes me up in 5 hours for cuddles/hints for treats I will cuddle him back instead of rolling over and going back to sleep.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I'd say that it's time for treats, then. :grin:

With my house cut in half, and Cleo and Gigi sleeping on my half, the twins definitely get the short end of the stick during the week. I was actually worried that they might turn feral with so little human contact. Then I realized they're such bratz, I probably wouldn't notice.

I do feel guilty, but they have each other. Hey - maybe that's why you saw your two cuddling the other day, they're bonding more!! :grin:


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

When I read what you wrote, Nutmeg stood on my computer and kissed me. I think she agrees with you about the treats. Now she is chewing on a metal picture frame.....


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## Meezer_lover (Apr 19, 2011)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> When I read what you wrote, Nutmeg stood on my computer and kissed me. I think she agrees with you about the treats. Now she is chewing on a metal picture frame.....


You give metal picture frames as treats? Yoshi would like that.

I feel guilty lately because it's been so **** hot, that I haven't been sticking to our play sessions. I usually play Da Bird/Mouse with him 2-3 times/day. But it's been over 80 degrees in the house every day for the past 1.5 weeks or so.....so it's too hot to play (probably more hot for me than Yoshi). 

I can see the affect it has on him.....he seems to be getting into trouble more often now. Last night he wouldn't stop crying, as he sat on top of my chest in bed. It got so bad, that I had to pick him up and put him in his bedroom and shut the door! I got NO sleep.....
I think he was crying because he has a baby fang that still needs to fall out. The adult one is almost entirely in....right next to it. And the baby one is now starting to turn brown. Can't feel very good.....poor baby.


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## yingying (Jul 19, 2011)

When Meatball was three month old, my work kept me quite busy (now it's better) and I didn't have Metoo yet, so Meatball is home alone for long hours everyday. I felt soooo guilty and bought her many toys (almost one new toy each day). Some electric ones are really expensive. But she won't play with them. She would rather play with packing foam peanuts, straws, my pencil... Now that's some hundred dollars wasted...


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## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

I know the feeling - been feeling guilty of all my running around without the Tuffster too - I wish he was like a puppy that you could put in one of those little cute bags and take with me.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

When I worked I felt like that sometimes as well. During the busy season I'd work 12/14 hour days and get home, make dinner, feed him, clean his box and zonk out. I always felt awful and made sure that my first day off was dedicating (at least in part) to reminding him how much I loved him.


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

I don't really feel guilty because going to work is, after all, what supports my cats' lifestyles. Sometimes, being outdoor cats, they don't have time for _me_.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Yes I give metal frame treats, doesn't everyone?

It is hard as well because I don't see my boyfriend much either with my work schedule, so I have to dedicate some time to him too!


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Every time I try to tell them that I am supporting their spoiled lifestyle they just meow at me...Sinatra only speaks Portuguese and I don't speak it at all!


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

It's not so much guilt as worry for them and hurting because they're alone all day, especially in this heat because I can't leave the a/c on all day for them and I have to leave the bedroom door closed (introductions period) so there's little circulating air. When I adopted Prince I was working from home and we were together 24/7, then I started traveling, I adopted Princess and started being away half the hours of the day, and now Prince is a lot less happy. These are not easy times for him. How do I cope with MY feelings? I tell myself, when I'm too anguished, that in the streets where I found them they wouldn't be better off. How do I cope with THEIR situation? When I'm home and not passed out in bed, I devote myself totally to them (and the strays, of course). Still, I have a very bad feeling a lot of the time. On the other hand, they're a real royal couple, they eat treats and play with toys and sleep in beds and get spa treatments especially carried for them by me from Europe and the US. They get tons and tons of petting each day, they sleep in my bed if they want to, and they're constantly monitored for what they feel like, what might be upsetting them, what they're feeling.


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

When I say the streets, I mean in my country there are no shelters and very few adoptions, so a street cat usually doesn't get lucky in any sense. The most they can hope for is some kind human to feed them every day some cheap kibble for street cats, throwing it on the ground without looking back for a second at the cats themselves. They shy ones don't even get to eat. I spend average 2 hours a day with my strays, petting, feeding the shy ones, relating to each one of them the way they like it and feel secure with. There's little difference between how much I devote to the royal couple and my strays. My strays, if sick, get vet treatment too.

One very important thing to remember is that we are away about 11-15 hours a day, and they need most of those hours to sleep anyway.


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## konstargirl (Feb 4, 2011)

For my fishies yes. I used to give them so much more attention than I already have. Now they just hide all day. I think I'll start doing that now..


For my cat Misa nope. She's an attention seaker. Lately I've been giving her more attention than to my fishies.  Her looks are asking for attention. lol


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## Luxxa (Apr 7, 2011)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> It is hard as well because I don't see my boyfriend much either with my work schedule, so I have to dedicate some time to him too!


I also don't get to see my boyfriend very often due to our busy work schedules. We probably see each other twice a week and when he comes over to see me he complains about how much attention I give to the cats instead of to him. But as soon as Tom or Madelyn jumps up on his lap and cuddles with him, he just melts. Then a few days later he'll go on about how much he misses the cats, haha. 

I can't help feeling guilty when I have a really long work day, but it helps to know they have each other for company - much like Sinatra and Butters.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Last year my cats went from having me home almost 24/7 for over 3 years (laid off, job working from home and laid off again) to being alone for 12-14 hours a day, seven days a week for the first few months I had the store open. I definitely felt guilty. Now I'm gone for 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. They've re-adjusted, but definitely get clingy at times.


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## kitari (Dec 3, 2008)

I dont feel guilty. Ive got 2 (soon to be 3) they keep each other company.


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## littlesushi (Jun 8, 2011)

My fiancé and I both work full time and have been spending much of our weekends busy with wedding planning so I do feel guilty at times. But we make sure to give them lots of love when we get home. We knew we wouldnt be home a lot before getting them, and we chose to get 2 so they keep each other company while we are away, busy, or sleeping.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

I feel guilty when I'm working lots and not home with them too. What's more, I MISS them. I would definitely rather be with them than working. I think they know that on some level. But as was mentioned previously, that cat food isn't going to buy itself!


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