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I haven't posted in years and a lot has happened since then. We moved our cat (Pixel) across the country, had a baby, and then moved back. Now we are going to Europe for an extended time and not sure what to do with our cat. That's the short story.
long story:
She handled the first move just fine, but when my husband starting traveling for work she started having anxiety. Every time he traveled, she would vomit and have bloody stools. When my dh and I went on trips together, we left her with a pet-sitter. Inevitably we would come home to piles of feces, and then I would have to work for weeks to get her to go in the box again.
I hate to admit it, but when baby came along, Pixel really became a burden to me. I remember being pregnant and thinking "I hope I can love my daughter as much as I love my cat" but since the baby, I have really only tolerated the cat. It sounds horrible, but our life has just been crazy, too crazy for Pixel. Pixel can not stand my now 19 month old daughter. Everyone said it would get better but so far it hasn't. She hides from her all day and only comes out when dd is asleep at night. She still had the above mentioned accidents and it was so hard to deal with cleaning up after her as a SAHM alone all day with a baby, no family around, and dh in another country. But I did it. I also discussed all this with her vet and she was prescribed anti-depressants. I have never been able to give them to her consistently. She took pill pockets for about a week before she caught on and will NOT take them in food. With a pill popper, it takes DH and I both to constrain her to get them in. Like I said, she has the anxiety most when DH is gone, and then there is no one to help with the pills.
Through all that I dealt with it even though I wasn't a happy pet owner. I feel like I made a commitment to her and I always said I would never give up my pet just because I moved or had a baby.
So now we are in a really crazy situation. We are between homes and living with my parents temporarily until my husband starts a work assignment in Europe. It will be 2 - 6 month assignment and we will split the time between 2 or more locations. My parents did NOT want the cat here. They dog-sit for my brother about once a week and travel a lot themselves. I asked everyone I know to watch my cat but no one was interested. Now Pixel has been at my parents house for over a month. She mostly stays in the basement (to avoid my dd) and if my mom goes down there for anything (like doing the laundry) she attacks and draws blood. She is notorious for scratching couches and has destroyed a couch down there. (She refuses to use scratching posts or cardboard) And then yesterday she came upstairs and peed in the living room. No idea why except that it was right after a visit from the dog. I feel terrible about the idea of leaving my parents in this situation. I looked into boarding her, but it looks like that would be about $750 a month which is not reasonable for us. My dh and I keep going back and forth about re-homing her. I honestly don't think she is happy with us. She doesn't like our lifestyle or certain family members of ours! On the other hand, once we are back from Europe (whenever that is) we are planning to get a house and for dh to stop traveling. I feel like in that situation we would be better equipped to handle Pixel's needs. (we have always lived in small apts)
OMG sorry for the novel but I want you all to understand where I'm coming from! Please share any advice you have. Any ideas for cheap boarding, or tips for re-homing will be greatly appreciated. TIA!
long story:
She handled the first move just fine, but when my husband starting traveling for work she started having anxiety. Every time he traveled, she would vomit and have bloody stools. When my dh and I went on trips together, we left her with a pet-sitter. Inevitably we would come home to piles of feces, and then I would have to work for weeks to get her to go in the box again.
I hate to admit it, but when baby came along, Pixel really became a burden to me. I remember being pregnant and thinking "I hope I can love my daughter as much as I love my cat" but since the baby, I have really only tolerated the cat. It sounds horrible, but our life has just been crazy, too crazy for Pixel. Pixel can not stand my now 19 month old daughter. Everyone said it would get better but so far it hasn't. She hides from her all day and only comes out when dd is asleep at night. She still had the above mentioned accidents and it was so hard to deal with cleaning up after her as a SAHM alone all day with a baby, no family around, and dh in another country. But I did it. I also discussed all this with her vet and she was prescribed anti-depressants. I have never been able to give them to her consistently. She took pill pockets for about a week before she caught on and will NOT take them in food. With a pill popper, it takes DH and I both to constrain her to get them in. Like I said, she has the anxiety most when DH is gone, and then there is no one to help with the pills.
Through all that I dealt with it even though I wasn't a happy pet owner. I feel like I made a commitment to her and I always said I would never give up my pet just because I moved or had a baby.
So now we are in a really crazy situation. We are between homes and living with my parents temporarily until my husband starts a work assignment in Europe. It will be 2 - 6 month assignment and we will split the time between 2 or more locations. My parents did NOT want the cat here. They dog-sit for my brother about once a week and travel a lot themselves. I asked everyone I know to watch my cat but no one was interested. Now Pixel has been at my parents house for over a month. She mostly stays in the basement (to avoid my dd) and if my mom goes down there for anything (like doing the laundry) she attacks and draws blood. She is notorious for scratching couches and has destroyed a couch down there. (She refuses to use scratching posts or cardboard) And then yesterday she came upstairs and peed in the living room. No idea why except that it was right after a visit from the dog. I feel terrible about the idea of leaving my parents in this situation. I looked into boarding her, but it looks like that would be about $750 a month which is not reasonable for us. My dh and I keep going back and forth about re-homing her. I honestly don't think she is happy with us. She doesn't like our lifestyle or certain family members of ours! On the other hand, once we are back from Europe (whenever that is) we are planning to get a house and for dh to stop traveling. I feel like in that situation we would be better equipped to handle Pixel's needs. (we have always lived in small apts)
OMG sorry for the novel but I want you all to understand where I'm coming from! Please share any advice you have. Any ideas for cheap boarding, or tips for re-homing will be greatly appreciated. TIA!