Kelly

March 08, 2005
We finally had to get rid of Kelly, the four-year-old peeing cat, last weekend. I took her to the local Humane Society. :-(

It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do -- harder than when we took our 14 year old cat to the vet to be put to sleep cuz she was suffering. (Only other time I had to do that was when I took two kittens in about 20 years ago because I'd offered to take a few too many of the landlord's kittens, and couldn't afford to take care of that many properly with shots and all)

Because she didn't pee in the house daily, I probably would have kept her anyway --though my husband would threaten she was going each time she went through a spell. But she would endear herself to us again and we'd keep her. But when we decided on the move -- a 12-hour drive and a new home with new carpets (She's peed on every new rug we bought) we started wondering what we should do.

She does horribly in the car -- cries incessantly -- LOUDLY. Different people said the vet could give her a kitty-type Dramamine, but my husband just couldn't bring himself to spend any more money on her. (We'd run tests before to see if her peeing was anything other than behavioral -- which I knew it was behavioral, being we'd adopted her at 5-6weeks. But I let the vet talk me into spending the money on the tests).

Anyway, I was of the understanding that no one would adopt her -- that if I took her to the Humane Society and told them the truth, they'd put her to sleep anyway. So I called my vet to make an appointment for a euthanasia shot -- figured I'd hold her, cry a lot, and bury her in our yard with our two old cats.

I knew she wouldn't do well in a "no-kill" shelter, and wasn't really sure that was the answer anyway. This vet does volunteer work at the local Humane Society, and asked why I didn't want to take her there. I told him cuz I knew they would put her to sleep, and why should she have to suffer sitting in a cage for a while just to be put to sleep in a few days, when it could be all over in a few minutes in his office.

He told me they don't automatically put them down anymore, and that they actually had found homes for cats with even greater "special needs" than Kelly -- especially since we could somewhat control it. (Changing litter frequently, not leaving wet towels out, spraying Feliway, etc)

So I took her in last Friday -- had filled out the forms ahead of time -- wrote one and a half pages selling her sweet points! (groan??) Told of her peeing -- and the ways we could avoid it, said we couldn't take her with us on the long drive to GA.

Got to the Humane Society, did all the stuff -- donation, receipts, etc. The whole time, Kelly's crying a bit though her carrier, cuz she's hearing the dogs barking down the hall, and rubbing her face on my fingers through the carrier bars. I'm never gonna be able to forget her face :-(

When the kid came around the counter to take her cage from me, we had a slight tug of war, cuz I was still petting her through the bars... Then I started bawling right there in front of God and everyone. He said they'd try to get her a good home. (Yeah, well I hope so. . .)

I'm really having a hard time with this, the boys and my husband seem to have accepted that we'd prayed and that God would find her a happy home, but I'm not so sure. And to be honest, I STILL would rather hear that they just put her down pretty quickly and didn't let her suffer in a cage (if she was having a hard time and was considered unadoptable) but, of course, they will never tell me that. ('Course I'd rather she was adopted too, but when I checked with friends who know her sweetness, they didn't want to do the extra work to take her, either)

My guys don't want to talk about missing her, cuz they are already talking about how happy she must be in her new home, so I'm feeling like I have to keep quiet about it to them. I went to the Harford County HS website tonight, and she isn't amongst the cats up for adoption, so I guess they put her down. (She's been there 4 days; I would guess that's enough time to determine how she takes to caged life or whatever)

I never want to do this again! If we ever get another kitty that pees, I'm gonna take it back immediately before I get too attached to it. I could live with it -- a purring kitty is warmer than a stupid ole bathroom rug! Besides, I don't have much of a sense of smell! But I know my husband couldn't live with it -- it had bothered him from the time she was 2 months old when this all started. (And while I CAN live without rugs, I'd rather keep the hubby!)

I hope it's okay that I dumped on you, I got so bummed out after looking at that website.

- Carol

UPDATE ON KELLY:

3/9/2005
I went to the HS Web site again today, and there Kelly was! She didn't look upset, stressed or anything. I feel much better about it, seeing her. At least now, she'll get a chance at being adopted, and she doesn't look all stressed out or unhappy -- again, I'd rather she'd just been put down if she was going to be crying in her cage. I wish we could talk to these critters and help them understand some things -- what must they be thinking, ya know?

Just seeing Kelly’s picture today confirmed what my husband had said he felt -- that God was going to take care of her -- I was refusing to believe that -- I still know she may be euthanized, but seeing her peaceful face in the picture was the assurance she wasn't grieving or whatever, as much as I had worried. (My husband had been telling me all along that I wasn't giving her enough credit)

- Carol

UPDATE ON KELLY:

3/15/2005
I just went to the Humane Society website to check if she's still there, and under her name it says she's been adopted! I hope she'll be happy and not pee on their rugs! hehe!

(If they really give the part I filled out that tells about her personality and her "habits", they may deal with less problems than we did - maybe? Ya know, the forewarned is fore armed or something? Two pages worth! LOL)

The boys wanted me to call the HS tomorrow to ask about Kelly's adoptive family. I had to explain they couldn't do that, but God knows and will keep looking out for her. :-) I wish I would trust Him more readily!

Anyhoo, just wanted to let you know!

- Carol

◄Return

Posted March 20, 2005