Executing a cat for peeing.

[soblessed53]

You want to believe pet urine doesn't contain germs go ahead. Like I said before read about "zoonoses"!

This

"I don't know, I just like animals more than I do people most days. If my cats pee on the carpet, I clean it up. Now human babies, forget it. I wouldn't get near a diaper to save my soul. So to each their own I guess."






does not surprise me at all!

 

[Teshi]

I've had a number of cats in my life, and none of them have ever exhibited any of the behaviors described in the article. I think that saying that anyone who adopts a cat is likely to face these problems is a pretty extreme overstatment.

No one has answered my question, as far as I can tell. How do you rehabilitate a cat that is persistently vacilating between cowering and hiding, crying, and peeing in inappropriate places? Let's assume that "spend thousands on replacing home furnishings" isn't an option for most people, and that the behavior actually needs to be corrected. And it's unsafe to sleep with earplugs in, incidentally - it's bad for your ears to begin with, and what if there's a fire alarm, or if one of the kids has some crisis, or something like that?

 

[awashinlove]

I've had a number of cats in my life, and none of them have ever exhibited any of the behaviors described in the article. I think that saying that anyone who adopts a cat is likely to face these problems is a pretty extreme overstatment.

Says you and the few like you? Some people get away without it. Look at the numbers, most don't. Myself and millions like me would be out of work if most had your luck.

No one has answered my question, as far as I can tell. How do you rehabilitate a cat that is persistently vacilating between cowering and hiding, crying, and peeing in inappropriate places? Let's assume that "spend thousands on replacing home furnishings" isn't an option for most people, and that the behavior actually needs to be corrected. And it's unsafe to sleep with earplugs in, incidentally - it's bad for your ears to begin with, and what if there's a fire alarm, or if one of the kids has some crisis, or something like that?

I did answer you a few posts back. However, this cat wasn't cowering and hiding until they locked him in a bathroom. But that wasn't hiding, that was escaping. If you read the article, Goldie was friendly and pleasant. If you don't want earplugs, get used to meowing. I've got two females and a male who caterwaul, it's not a big deal unless you make it one.

Again, if you can't handle a problem, don't get a pet with high potential for one. It's that simple.

 

[soblessed53]

Sorry this was screaming and peeing before they moved. Not the other stuff after Goldie became "unhinged' 3 days after the move.

 

[Teshi]

Says you and the few like you? Some people get away without it. Look at the numbers, most don't. Myself and millions like me would be out of work if most had your luck.

Oh, seriously. If you're going to say "look at the numbers," you'd best provide some numbers to look at.

I did answer you a few posts back. However, this cat wasn't cowering and hiding until they locked him in a bathroom. But that wasn't hiding, that was escaping. If you read the article, Goldie was friendly and pleasant. If you don't want earplugs, get used to meowing. I've got two females and a male who caterwaul, it's not a big deal unless you make it one.

Meowing is not the same thing as "howling," which is how the author describes the noises the animal was making. Howling is not, as far as I can tell, a common, healthy cat noise.

Again, if you can't handle a problem, don't get a pet with high potential for one. It's that simple.

Are you seriously proposing that only people who can spend thousands of dollars on replacing furnishings, and who are willing to wear earplugs (dangerously) at night, should get cats?

 

[Dagna]

Trust me, I'm fully aware of zoonoses. I also know that most of those zoonotic diseases are usually transmitted through bites and feces. Not cat urine. And generally, there's at least some minor implications that the feces actually has to be ingested in order to get those diseases. Obviously, with proper hygeine, such as handwashing and cleaning all pet urine & feces appropriately, these really aren't common at all. I've got a whole list of zoonotic diseases that I can post if you'd like.

 

[HeDied4Me]

Excuse me?

I said the idea sounds good, in theory. But then I went on to explain how, in practice, it would actually lead to more homeless cats.

First of all, slim? Have you checked the numbers of cats in homes vs. those killed or abandoned? Peeing and singing is not remotely, almost maybe, somewhat sorta slim.

Sure, many cats will pee in the house sometimes, and some cats will make noise.

On the other hand, peeing on the pillows repeatedly and yowling all night and acting tortured if confined in one room is not the behavior of the average housecat raised indoors since kittenhood, especially not with proper attention and litter training.

I don't consider willing to accept your cat only when he's acting perfect "good." The type of home you describe are exactly the homes that need to stop adopting.

I'm not talking about people who only accept cats who act perfectly. I'm talking about people who don't mind having to clean up the occasional cat vomit from the floor, ignore some loud meowing at 3:00 in the morning, or keep some cleaning solution handy in case the cat pees somewhere aside from the litterbox.

But those same people might not want to deal with coninually finding pillows or blankets or furniture soaked with strong-smelling cat urine. They might not want to lose sleep every night because a cat is yowling all night long. They might not want to have to wonder why the relatives and friends just don't come to visit anymore.

The cat owner who tolerates that is a rare find. And if they can tolerate it, that's wonderful. But, unfortunately, there aren't many people like that.

But we could seriously dent the breeding industry if the millions of kittens bred each year suddenly found no market.

Sadly, I don't think that's going to happen. Those kittens are bought by people who don't do research, and there are enough people who don't research, and buy kittens rather than adopting, that the responsible pet owners aren't going to be able to dent the breeding industry.

What's the difference? We already have millions of homeless cats, and I can assure you the majority have held onto their natural instincts. Don't you get it, yet? Cats pee! Cats sing! The same cats filing through the system now would be the same ones in the system if people decided beforehand they couldn't handle cleaning responsibilities. The only difference would be that the spirits of these animals would still be intact, and breeders would have no reason to destroy more lives.

There would be many more cats that would be homeless, too. If my family had expected all cats to behave like Goldie, we never would have adopted our two cats. However, we adopted Silver and Bituminous (who certainly do not behave like Goldie), and as a result, they have a loving home. Our cats aren't perfect, by any means, but they're usually rather well-behaved. Aren't they better off being with my family, than being homeless?

Spend thousands? I don't recall ever spending thousands. This woman spent thousands, and the cat was destroyed, anyway. Obviously, you don't need to spend thousands to deal with the same and worse issues, so let's x that.

That doesn't quite follow... Just because the cat was put down, that doesn't mean that the thousands spent initially would not have been necessary even if she didn't euthanize the cat.

No, it stayed the same, because most cats will have some sort of problem and end up in some sort of facility. Those who really love cats but don't want to deal with peeing have the option of adopting an older cat who's already been "tested" in multiple situations, and those that don't leave breeders stunned and cats with fewer scars.

No, it wouldn't stay the same. Because as I said, many cat owners --like myself-- who happily own cats, would not have adopted their cats in the first place, if they expected the cats to all behave like Goldie.

I wouldn't even consider giving up my two cats. But if, before I adopted them, I expected all cats to act like Goldie, I never would have adopted a cat in the first place. And as a result of that decision, two more sweet, affectionate cats would have been homeless. And believe me when I say that I'm not alone in this. People who will adopt a cat even if they expect him to behave like Goldie are a rarity.

See what I mean when I say there would be more homeless cats? There's absolutely no way that so many people (who are now willing to provide a loving and permanent home for their cats) would adopt cats, if they all expected the worst.

Though "love them" would be in serious question. Most people who can't tolerate pets love the pet's love, not the pet itself. It's a lose-lose situation for the animal.

I wouldn't be able to tolerate owning a cat that peed all over the house and yowled all night long. Does this mean I don't love the two cats that I have? Heck no. Why should it?

 

[soblessed53]

Also how on earth can people be expected to hold down a job,if they cannot get their sleep because of nightly disturbances? And nope I sure would not "LOVE" such a creature! No way!

 

[HeDied4Me]

Says you and the few like you? Some people get away without it. Look at the numbers, most don't. Myself and millions like me would be out of work if most had your luck.

"...the few like you"? Most of the cat owners I know have well-adjusted, calm, and clean cats.

Can you show us these numbers to which you're referring, please?

 

[PorcelainHeart]

The cat needed serious trainning, it's not all his fault.

 

[soblessed53]

Did you people even read the article? "

Believe me, we tried with Goldie. During the four years we had him, we spent hundreds of dollars on medical tests to get to the cause of Goldie's refusal to use the litter box. There was no physical problem, so we progressed to psychology. We tried Prozac (though the package insert says nothing about it being a cure for a compulsion to urinate on pillows), and a product called Feliway, a pheromone that is supposed to reduce a cat's anxiety. Our anxiety increased as the treatments failed. We moved on to home décor, spending thousands of dollars to replace carpets so soaked with urine that they created their own microclimate. Goldie turned his attention to bedding and area rugs. "



HOW DARE YOU SAY THEY DIDN'T EVEN TRY! Really, HOW DARE YOU?

Talk about UNFORGIVING! The only thing that would satisfy some of you is if this family went through hell the rest of their lives just to keep this cat from hell alive!

 

[awashinlove]

Aren't they better off being with my family, than being homeless?

You have no guarantee whatsoever they won't start acting like Goldie. None. And if they do, I indeed pity them, because their lives could have been spent in a natural pride.

Sadly, I don't think that's going to happen.

Well of course not, have you looked at man recently? I, for one, only see things getting worse.

"...the few like you"? Funny, most of the cat owners I know have well-adjusted, calm, and clean cats.

Can you show us these numbers to which you're referring, please?

Perhaps you simply don't keep the company of braggarts. The information is everywhere you turn, you can start here. But why don't you start in your own town? Speak with your local shelter, and then conduct your own census. My local kill shelter (outside Reading, PA) takes in on average 30 pet cats week (sadly, strays are immediately destroyed), while for the last summer months and the three fall months they average that number nearly each day. They accept animals from half of my district, which is roughly 10,000 people. Of those people, two years ago about 40% had at least one cat for at least two years. The math shows you that more are left in a year than those that are in homes, and these numbers do not include those that are dropped off at rescues or foster homes, nor those that are rehomed personally (I myself, as a first step foster home, average one cat for every week of the year. I'm one of 37 first step foster homes within five miles of my home). While some are rehomed in light of allergies, moving, or new babies, it's common knowledge (you can find multiple articles at Center for Companion Animal Health) the number one reason is urinating, followed by scratching. In CF alone, among the few here we have people who have had urinating problems with cats or have known those who've had the problem.

But I'll repeat for you, don't take my word for it. Don't even begin to. I speak from my experience and the experience of the many I know in the feline rescue community. So if you have any solid evidence to the contrary, please share it. You'll bring millions of us hope that no one else has been able to find.

HOW DARE YOU SAY THEY DIDN'T EVEN TRY! Really, HOW DARE YOU?

Sorry, what she did try was absurd. I can't even figure out how disgusting you have to allow things to get for one cat to soak a carpet. I see no evidence of simply being responsible.

Also how on earth can people be expected to hold down a job,if they cannot get their sleep because of nightly disturbances? And nope I sure would not "LOVE" such a creature! No way!

To end, this discussion could really close at this point, as there's simply a gap that can't be bridged. Some of us fail to understand how someone could possibly justify Goldie's owner's actions, and there are others of us who can't understand the thought process of the former. I believe God's given some of us a compassion for animals, and others of us have their passion elsewhere, and we all keep one another on a fairly straight path.

 

[soblessed53]

I do think it is time for us all to agree to disagree,the debate has gone on long enough and this is a heart issue. Some feel others equate animals as EQUAL to or even more highly valued than mankind,and others feel animals ARE more worthy than mankind. So be it, I choose to give the humans[whom God made in His image] my compassion ,not some misfit animal, but I have no more to say on this thread.

 

[HeDied4Me]

You have no guarantee whatsoever they won't start acting like Goldie. None. And if they do, I indeed pity them, because their lives could have been spent in a natural pride.

Even if they started acting like Goldie, we wouldn't just give them up. I didn't say that. I said, I wouldn't have wanted to adopt a cat if I expected it to behave like Goldie. There's a huge difference between not wanting to adopt a cat, and giving up a cat you've had for twelve years.

However, I see no reason why either of my cats would go insane and start continually peeing around the house and yowling all night. If they did, there would almost certainly be some cause which could be cured. In the case of Goldie, it sounds like a lifestyle problem, not just a sudden occurance. Lifestyle can't necessarily be changed, but a sudden change in behavior usually has some cause which can, and needs to, be resolved.

And what do you mean when you talk about a "natural pride"? Do you think cats should be released into the wild? Do you think my cats would be happier roaming the woods without any human attention, having to fight to survive, and risking being killed by coyotes and raccoons? And killing birds to eat?

Somehow I think they'd prefer to be sleeping in the sunlight on the back of the couch or sitting on someone's lap, purring.

Perhaps you simply don't keep the company of braggarts. The information is everywhere you turn, you can start here.

This says that the most common trouble people have with their cats is refusal to use the litterbox. Of course. That makes perfect sense. I never disputed that. But from what I saw, it doesn't say that the majority of responsibly kept house cats have this problem to the extent that Goldie did.

But why don't you start in your own town? Speak with your local shelter, and then conduct your own census. My local kill shelter (outside Reading, PA) takes in on average 30 pet cats week (sadly, strays are immediately destroyed), while for the last summer months and the three fall months they average that number nearly each day. They accept animals from half of my district, which is roughly 10,000 people. Of those people, two years ago about 40% had at least one cat for at least two years. The math shows you that more are left in a year than those that are in homes, and these numbers do not include those that are dropped off at rescues or foster homes, nor those that are rehomed personally (I myself, as a first step foster home, average one cat for every week of the year. I'm one of 37 first step foster homes within five miles of my home). While some are rehomed in light of allergies, moving, or new babies, it's common knowledge (you can find multiple articles at Center for Companion Animal Health) the number one reason is urinating, followed by scratching. In CF alone, among the few here we have people who have had urinating problems with cats or have known those who've had the problem.

There are any number of reasons why a person might drop off a cat at the shelter because of litterbox problems. Maybe the person's spouse complained and refused to keep the cat. Maybe the person didn't know how to respond properly to the cat's refusal to use the litterbox. Maybe the person is one of the irresponsible people who will get rid of a pet the first or second time it does something they don't like. This doesn't mean that all those cats' problems were as serious and unresolvable as Goldie's.

However, since you insist that people shouldn't adopt unless they expect their cat to pee all over the house and yowl all night (despite how this policy would cause the number of homeless cats to increase), I don't see any reason for me to try to debate further.

 

[encouraging loves animals]

It sound like the cat may have had diabete's that were not picked up. , or a kidney problem
it terrible. we had to put down our cat because of Cancer in the throat-she lasted two weeks longer as I hand fed her. apart from that- she was fine, but i think she may have had undianosed kidney problem. i miss her.

 

[ceedaisy]

I think we must remember that we are not to judge other Christians motives. We do not know what lies on their heart , only God.

I can't rightfully judge this family since I do not know their heart. Even if I think it is sad they put the cat down, when maybe someone more experienced could have helped the cat. Or maybe the cat didn't like the family. It happens. However, I do not want to be judged by others for considering my cat and dog as part of my family. I feel God placed them in my home for a reason. I love them very very much. And my child does come before my pets. And just because I love my own child so much I would lose my life for him, doesn't mean it is idol worship toward my son and that the love is blinding my love for God. Same goes for my pets, though, I probably wouldn't lay my life down for them. So before judging others who love their pets deeply remember that pets serve an important role in our lives. Besides being healthy for older citizens (all ages really) in keeping blood pressure down and keeping depression at bay , there are drug dogs, seeing eye dogs, bomb dogs, k-9 dogs , cancer sniffing dogs , and Miracle animals God uses to save a family from a burning house , before an epileptic attack, earthquakes, or criminal attacks . These animals are part of families who love them also. Without these families we wouldn't have great service animals.



And please no comments about the extrodinary extremes some owners go to , to pay for the vet bills and such. We are not to judge others motives. And especially we are not supposed to bring each other down by criticism.



And a PS. As far as bird pets go , it is unhealthy to keep them as pets because of the particles from their wastes and the dander. The best owners for birdies are those that have no breathing problems and keep the cage clean on a regular basis.

 

[ceedaisy]

Did you people even read the article? "

Believe me, we tried with Goldie. During the four years we had him, we spent hundreds of dollars on medical tests to get to the cause of Goldie's refusal to use the litter box. There was no physical problem, so we progressed to psychology. We tried Prozac (though the package insert says nothing about it being a cure for a compulsion to urinate on pillows), and a product called Feliway, a pheromone that is supposed to reduce a cat's anxiety. Our anxiety increased as the treatments failed. We moved on to home décor, spending thousands of dollars to replace carpets so soaked with urine that they created their own microclimate. Goldie turned his attention to bedding and area rugs. "



HOW DARE YOU SAY THEY DIDN'T EVEN TRY! Really, HOW DARE YOU?

Talk about UNFORGIVING! The only thing that would satisfy some of you is if this family went through hell the rest of their lives just to keep this cat from hell alive!

I don't think they tried everything either. It sounded like quick fixes and expensive ones at that. I will explain my approach below.

And hopefully this will answer some of the question on what to do with a cat problem. I would start with restricting access to bedrooms by keeping the doors shut while trying to retrain the cat. Using moth balls or better yet the disks on furniture while you are away. The smell bothers cats. Try to have a couple of litter boxes to see if that helps. And the litter brand may be a problem too. Some cats don't like certain kinds or brands. Litter box locations sometimes are a problem. Cats like some privacy, but also don't want to feel trapped with only way to escape. I have seen tips to keep their food where they have "accidents". They don't eat where they eat. After a stressful event, such as moving, new family member, or anything new really, the accidents can happen about a month later. So don't expect the cat to act out the next day, it can take a month before side effects blossom. Also moving the litter box an inch a day to the area the cat most often uses. This is a pain, but it has helped. And this is all in addition to going to the vet to make sure underlying issues are not the source.

As far as hiding and such, my cat always hides when things get hectic and wild. All I can suggest is to be constant and loving with the cat. Offer treats and playtime. Move slow and not quickly letting the cat come to you. After a period of time the cat will gain trust. This is just quick tips. Patience is always the best way.

These may not help at all. But it is possible to keep the cat off beds and such. And if circumstances warrant it, a good kennel for the cat would be a good idea in case you have to leave the house.

 

[LienShen]

How far do you go though?

I have a friend of mine who makes the same amount of money that I do, has been married for 17 years and they live in an apartment. They have no children, they can't afford it (I have two children and my husband doesn't work), and they have a crappy car because they can't afford a new one. They don't have enough for the downpayment of a home either.

The reason? They have three cats. All of whom have various medical problems. They spend well over $35,000 a year on vet bills, cleaning bills, and other such things. They never eat out, because they can't afford it and they can't really enjoy their lives because they barely have enough to go to the movies. They both feel trapped by these cats, but they made a commitment to the cats when they brought them into the home. So the cats suffer and are miserable (they have neurological problems, diabetes, arthritis, and are all severly overweight), and the parents are suffering and miserable and they secretly wish that they could get rid of the pets so they could be free to live their lives. But they don't, because it isn't right.

My point is that what good is a family pet that is miserable and makes everyone else miserable? Isn't four years of effort good enough? What do you have to sacrifice to be a "proper" pet owner? How far does it go?

I also knew a guy many years ago that felt his dogs were more important than his children. His wife left with the kids when their daughter had to have her appendix removed after it ruptured because of the pinworms all of his dogs were carrying. And the flea bites were awful, it was in the carpet and in the kids clothes and hair.

There comes a point where you have to use common sense and sometimes you have to make priorities that are hard but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be made. And it certainly doesn't mean we should judge and condemn them for their actions. It's very hard to walk in another mans shoes when you don't know what size and colour the shoes are to begin with.

 

[ceedaisy]

How far do you go though?

I have a friend of mine who makes the same amount of money that I do, has been married for 17 years and they live in an apartment. They have no children, they can't afford it (I have two children and my husband doesn't work), and they have a crappy car because they can't afford a new one. They don't have enough for the downpayment of a home either.

The reason? They have three cats. All of whom have various medical problems. They spend well over $35,000 a year on vet bills, cleaning bills, and other such things. They never eat out, because they can't afford it and they can't really enjoy their lives because they barely have enough to go to the movies. They both feel trapped by these cats, but they made a commitment to the cats when they brought them into the home. So the cats suffer and are miserable (they have neurological problems, diabetes, arthritis, and are all severly overweight), and the parents are suffering and miserable and they secretly wish that they could get rid of the pets so they could be free to live their lives. But they don't, because it isn't right.

My point is that what good is a family pet that is miserable and makes everyone else miserable? Isn't four years of effort good enough? What do you have to sacrifice to be a "proper" pet owner? How far does it go?

I also knew a guy many years ago that felt his dogs were more important than his children. His wife left with the kids when their daughter had to have her appendix removed after it ruptured because of the pinworms all of his dogs were carrying. And the flea bites were awful, it was in the carpet and in the kids clothes and hair.

I can certainly see why the couple is unhappy. If my kitty or dog gets to be in such bad health, I would have to consider ending the suffering. Having one pet can be expensive enough when they get older, I can't imagine having all three pets to pay medical bills for. I applaud them for trying to do what is right and trying not to be selfish. It shows they regard life very highly. They may not be happy about it, but still they press forward in doing the right thing.

And shame on that husband for making a choice like that. If I couldn't get my husband to cooperate in using simple fea and parasite control or goes against my wishes and gets pets when we can't afford the proper care and maintenance resulting in my childrens becoming sick and worse, I would tell him GOOD BYE. Plue he isn't doing the animals any good either. Those things make the animal sick also.
Well gotta go to work. See ya's

 

[PorcelainHeart]

I wish we could get rid of bad humans like animals, but we can't so we have to deal with bad people. I would never put my animal a sleep unless they are on their death bed. I do prefer animals over humans most of the time. Pets are just more nice and less judgemental.