Disposable Pets

Since I have a lot of time on my hands being unemployed I spend most of my time with the local animal shelter usually cleaning cages in the Cattery.  I clean up cat poo and give them food and water and a little love squish if they will allow it.
 

When people find out I work there they get all sad.  They couldn’t do it; seeing all the stray animals that come in.  “It’s heartbreaking”, they say.  Not to me.  For the strays that come in I know they are receiving medical attention if needed.  They get a warm/cool place to stay and two square meals a day.  They even get to go to the spa for a mani and pedi plus a new do. This is the Ritz for them.

The ones that break my heart are the pets whose owners don’t want them anymore; pets that they have had for 7 or more years and suddenly they don’t want just cuz.  I’m not talking about the down-on-their luck owners.  I mean the owners who get tired of their pets and trade them in for a newer version or they are just bored with them. 

Today I saw two cats that were 8 years old and they were surrendered by their owners because they don’t have time for them. How much time do cats really need from you?  You give them water, throw out some kibbles and clean their litter box.  Done.  It seems our society has become so use to things being disposable that we have decided to treat living creatures (human and animal) the same.

Here’s a little something about me.  I love dogs, Labradors specifically.  They are a dog’s dog.  They are big, fun and lovable.  When my dog Barney died, that was it for me.  No more pets.  PERIOD. THE END.  Then fate stepped in and gave me two cats.

Baelor (street name: Booger Boy)
He is waiting for me to stop taking his pic so I can give him his sugar spanks.

 All I ever knew about cats was that they were vicious predators.  They would claw your eyes out and smother you in your sleep and if you died they would feed on your corpse.  I didn’t know nothing ‘bout no kitties!

But after struggling to overcome my fear and lack of knowledge of cats, and then learned to become an exceptional servant to them, I could never give them away because I grew tired of them.  Once I made the decision to allow them in my home I made a promise to care for them for all their lives and I will.  If I need to give them away, it’s because I am dying or about to become homeless. 

So don’t feel sorry for the strays in the shelters, feel sorrow for the pets that have been deemed disposable by their owners.  And if you feel the urge to get a pet, check out your local animal shelter, you just might find the perfect pet that someone threw away.

Not my real cat. This is a stand in for Baelee (AKA:Sister Girl, Miss Baby Girl). She does NOT pose for pics.