# Apparently 15 years means nothing



## Wicked_Felina10

I got a pretty upsetting facebook message from the wife of one of my husband's former coworkers. Apparently she, her husband, and her baby are going to be moving. While they are going to take their two large dogs, her husband doesn't like cats and does not want to take their cat, Whiskers, with them. Basically, she asked if I could take her because she doesn't really want to take Miss Whiskers to the pound because she's had her for 15 years.

Yeah, that's right. FIFTEEN YEARS! How can someone have a pet for 15 years and just throw her away like that?! I was only blessed with my angel for 8 years and I would give anything in the world to have had her for 15 + years. I'm in tears just thinking about it. 

My fear is that Whiskers won't survive the part. While this woman can easily toss her aside, Whiskers is going to be devastated and so confused. I've seen pets mourn themselves to death over losing their special person. 

The thing is, I can't take her. My husband and I are closing on a house and will be moving the first of the year. I don't want to put Whiskers through moving twice. Furthermore, Whiskers is an indoor/outdoor cat. The place we are moving is near a busy highway and there is a Rottweiler next door. Not to mention the fact that my cat, Colonel Mustard, is strictly indoor only so I can't put in cat doors.

I apologize for the long post. I'm just so upset!


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## maggie23

Grrrr! that makes me so mad, too. but that's all i'll say. otherwise i'll say things i might regret!


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## LaurulFeatherCat

She will adust to being an indoor cat. Really. I myself would take her in a minute. She is fifteen years old... give her a chance. Changing houses twice in one year is better than being abandoned and dead in my opinion.


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## Nan

I would first reply to her and tell her she has a pretty heartless husband!

And then tell her if she takes that cat to the pound, it will be put to sleep, probably immediately. Ask her if she can live with that? If she intends to do that, she should at least take it to the vet where the cat would be with the person she loved to the end instead of being scared by being abandoned.

If you do want the cat, go ahead and take it. Since it's a new territory for the cat, you wouldn't want to let her out anyway. So it may be the time to keep her indoors for good. 

That really frosts me that people think so little of their pets.


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## Wicked_Felina10

I told her that I would try to find a home for Whiskers, but if I couldn't, then I would take her. I refuse to let that baby die alone and scared.


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## my5kitties

Also take into consideration that your recently departed cat may be trying to tell you something with Whiskers. Just something to think about. ;-)


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## Wicked_Felina10

@my4kitties - Funny you should say that, because Whiskers resembles Miss Stink in a way. 

My husband doesn't think we should take her because she is old and he doesn't want to see me have to go through what I went through with Stink again. I told him that I am not going to put my comfort over Whisker's life. Thankfully, he supports whatever decision I make.


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## Nell

You'd be surprised how resilient some cats can be. She may be 15, but she may adjust just fine. If she's currently indoor/outdoor, she's probably a bit better accustomed to handling different environments and situations as well. And besides, how special really is her "special person" if she's willing to dump her after 15 years? Maybe you are actually her special person!


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## orrymain

I knew someone like her. She took her cat to the humane society because she meowed too much. She had her cat for 9 years. Then wanted to get another kitten!! When I found out what she had done I gave her a piece of my mind and I never spoke to her again. Makes me want to scream when I hear things like this. I hope you can give her a good home for however long she lives. Poor kitty deserves at least that.


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## Mrgnx11

*priceless*



Wicked_Felina10 said:


> @my4kitties - Funny you should say that, because Whiskers resembles Miss Stink in a way.
> 
> My husband doesn't think we should take her because she is old and he doesn't want to see me have to go through what I went through with Stink again. I told him that I am not going to put my comfort over Whisker's life. Thankfully, he supports whatever decision I make.



that fuzzy feeling i get when i know someone is as warm-hearted as you! best of luck hon!


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## Arianwen

I know it's hard but you are doing the right thing to think of taking her. Fifteen is old and I'm not pretending otherwise but my old Trixie lived to be over 20.


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## Alex Harris

This cat is lucky to have you. I always say people like this will be treated badly when they get old. Please let us know how it goes.


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## gosha

this is very sad, a cat doesn't even take much space as large dogs, they are pretty much self content and don't need to be walked every morning etc. What a prick this husband is. I hope kitty will find loving home.


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## scottd

This happens all the time. I don't understand it and it disgusts me.

One of my chihuahuas was surrendered at 1.5 years of age because they just didn't want her anymore. I took her home with me because she wasn't eating and we decided to adopt her. I saw the people that surrendered her come back to the shelter and wanted to look at other dogs a couple weeks later. They were not approved to adopt. She was abused or at the very least in a very hostile environment.


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## Wicked_Felina10

The couple will not be moving for a few weeks, which is good since we will not be moving until that time, too. 

Does anyone have any tips for helping Whiskers adjust to the move and helping Colonel Mustard adjust to Whiskers (and vice versa)? After Miss Stink passed, CM grieved right along with my husband and I, and he is a lot clingier than before.


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## scottd

Feliway might help keep both cats from getting stressed out.


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## inzekesmemory

Just an FYI, Most shelters, pounds, etc...want to be made aware if you know of someone who adopts or has an animal and treats them like "dispo-critter". I know my local shelter has a DNATA list DO NOT ADOPT TO AGAIN!!!!


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## Mrgnx11

I would just give them both plenty of attention and keep them comfortable  They'll be okay. The first priority is to make sure they're in a safe, healthy home and you'll already be providing that!


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## Wicked_Felina10

Thank you all for the suggestions! I hope that she adjusts well and I'm going to do everything I can to make her next years comfortable.


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## jawramik

As awful as that is, at least she's making some sort of effort to find a home for Whiskers. I got my cat Cal because his owners moved and just left him behind at their old apartment complex.

In both cases, I can't fathom how anyone could do that. When you take an animal home, you are consenting to being responsible for its well-being for its entire life. It's no different from having a human child in that respect. I mean, sometimes things happen and it becomes in the best interest of both you AND the cat to find another home for the cat, but most people only care about THEIR interests and seem to have no problem throwing away a pet they've had for years just because they can't be bothered to consider what's truly best for the cat. It really breaks my heart.


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## 3furbabies

Thank you for saving this old soul. This is awful and unfortunately it's not uncommon. There's someone on my fb right now wanting to get rid of her 2 year old cat she got 6 months ago and who has been through 4 homes already for no reason at all. One of my neighbours had an indoor/outdoor cat that we met the day we moved in here(this past summer) 
. Basically he became a ft outdoor cat because the dad didn't want him and the daughter went back to college and was never home. They stopped feeding/caring for him so I ended up taking him to a non kill shelter. It broke my heart and I didn't want to but one of my three cats sites male cats and attacked him bad and he was very very aggressive after that incident so had to get him out of the house ASAP. My one cat was on edge for a month after.

P.s. we tried talking to the neighbours but they refused to answer the door so we wrote a note and they didn't respond. People like that make me sick.


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## Marcia

Wicked_Felina10 said:


> @my4kitties - Funny you should say that, because Whiskers resembles Miss Stink in a way.
> 
> My husband doesn't think we should take her because she is old and he doesn't want to see me have to go through what I went through with Stink again. I told him that I am not going to put my comfort over Whisker's life. Thankfully, he supports whatever decision I make.


I understand your husband's concern. I adopt old cats with similiar circumstances and my husband used to feel the same way. I know it's heartbreaking when someone dies so soon after adopting, but tell him it's not about you, _it's about the cat_. If not you, who??? You will be hard pressed to find someone willing to take in a 15 year old cat and you sound like you have the heart to do it. It would be very hard for me and my opinionated mouth to not give this woman a real tongue lashing on her way out the door, though....


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