We are contemplating the Fulltime lifestyle and would be taking our 2 dogs. But in the past couple of years my cat population has gone from 2 neutered cats to 8 neutered cats. One lone kitten drifted into our life, followed by her sister a couple of weeks later. Both promptly delivered multiple cats. I have no plans on taking 8 cats with me on the road, but have no idea what to do with them. I love them all, but can't let the cats run my life choices.
Help!
Ruth Ann (RA)
Giving my son his inheritance NOW! The sticks and bricks!
SW VA.
We are contemplating the Fulltime lifestyle and would be taking our 2 dogs. But in the past couple of years my cat population has gone from 2 neutered cats to 8 neutered cats. One lone kitten drifted into our life, followed by her sister a couple of weeks later. Both promptly delivered multiple cats. I have no plans on taking 8 cats with me on the road, but have no idea what to do with them. I love them all, but can't let the cats run my life choices.Help!
You've done your part in rescuing them and giving them a roof
over their heads, now ask for the help of a cat rescue group in
your area to help 'you' out.
I have found that your local vet will have a number of a rescue
groups that are 'reputable' and that you can trust. They usually
maintain a list of rescue orgs they know they can count on.
I would start with a phone call to your local vet.
Good Luck! I am going full-time too. And I have had to make some
decisions about my pets also. My vet was very helpful.
See you down the road.
31 ft Four Winds
Chevy Tracker 4x4 BlueOx Aventa LX We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
Try Craigs List, you can give away many things there.
While traveling with 2 cats might be fun, 4 will be a project, and more will be difficult. So you have a choice - give up some cats or give up the thought of seeing the greatest places on earth in your RV!
The problem might lie even deeper than the cats. What about all the other things you have in your house that you will need to give away or put into storage? I suggest only storing what can not be replaced, like pictures. Furniture and family airlooms should be sold or given to other family members to care for.
I know someone who moved from California to Oregon 9 years ago and still has some furniture in storage in California. I figure it must be valuable, afterall they paid $1,200 a year for 9 years and will probably pay the 10th year too. I hope to get the stuff out of storage before the 11th year goes by. I wonder if they know where the lock keys are? Have termites eaten the furniture? Did it get water damage from a roof leak several years ago? It will be interesting. . .
Fred.
Money can't buy happiness but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche or Country Coach!
How about family and friends, we have four cats that are not going with us, we did work out a deal with our daughter, we also have a 27 yr old blind horse, all impossible to take.
Often when you spread the word that you need help with something like this you may get some offers.
Are you taking any of the cats with you?
It is always hard to re-home beloved pets and many times we overwhelm ourselves in our efforts to rescue the ones we wind up with. It sounds like you have had your hands full and if your friends &/or family aren't willing to adopt your kitties then you need to explore all your options.
A rescue group would be a good start, you can find these groups in your area many ways. Here is a link to Petfinder.com where almost every shelter and rescue group lists available pets. Put in your city, state and look for the available cats in your area, that will bring up the rescue groups, and go from there.
Good luck!
Cat
(Jim just reads the forum once in a while)
Our '04 Sunline T2499 & Silverado picture is on the profile page
Live simply, love wholly, give generously, care deeply, speak kindly.
No, Sher, we are not taking any cats with us. I am actually very allergic to cats. So a confined space like an RV would be intolerable. Right now I consider my cats indoor/outdoor cats. They are outside 90% of the time...but come into our large bathroom on winter nights.
Someone suggested Craigs List. Please try not to use this as a way of finding homes for your kitties. Anyone can answer an ad on Craigs List. Some of them may not be nice people. Cats can be used as bait animals for dog fights. It's an ugly truth.
We are also going full time in the next two months. I over extended myself with we adopted 3 kitties instead of the two I had intented. I could very easily have found myself in the same situation as you. We are suckers for cats needing homes. I volunteered with a cat rescue group thru Petco last year. That's the reason we have 3 cats now. If I were in your position I would try a rescue groups thru PetCo or PetSmart (or both) if they have them in your area. Because they run on donations, maybe you could offer to donate something in order to get them to help you.
There may be other rescue organizations in the phone book. A few years ago my next door neighbor found 4 kittens in her flower bed. They were very young, 5 to 6 weeks old. She could not keep them (she had 2 dogs) and I already had 7 cats. I called a rescue group that was several miles from here, they agreed to take them. I donated a little money and food when I took the kittens to them... It was worth the peace of mind of knowing this rescue group would find homes for them, rather than just giving them away.
Good luck.
BTW, we are planning on heading to Va. as soon as weather permits. This will be the first leg of our fulltime life.
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MrsSoCalToolGuy wrote: Someone suggested Craigs List. Please try not to use this as a way of finding homes for your kitties. Anyone can answer an ad on Craigs List. Some of them may not be nice people. Cats can be used as bait animals for dog fights. It's an ugly truth.
We are also going full time in the next two months. I over extended myself with we adopted 3 kitties instead of the two I had intented. I could very easily have found myself in the same situation as you. We are suckers for cats needing homes. I volunteered with a cat rescue group thru Petco last year. That's the reason we have 3 cats now. If I were in your position I would try a rescue groups thru PetCo or PetSmart (or both) if they have them in your area. Because they run on donations, maybe you could offer to donate something in order to get them to help you.
There may be other rescue organizations in the phone book. A few years ago my next door neighbor found 4 kittens in her flower bed. They were very young, 5 to 6 weeks old. She could not keep them (she had 2 dogs) and I already had 7 cats. I called a rescue group that was several miles from here, they agreed to take them. I donated a little money and food when I took the kittens to them... It was worth the peace of mind of knowing this rescue group would find homes for them, rather than just giving them away.
Good luck.
BTW, we are planning on heading to Va. as soon as weather permits. This will be the first leg of our fulltime life.
Barb made some good points as well....I would also stay away from "Craigslist". Over the years I have found that a lot of people don't know how to find rescue groups. When I suggested Petfinder that was just a way for Ruth Ann to locate all of them in her area. Going to Petco or Petsmart on a Saturday might also help her become aquainted with a couple of the groups.
Thanks Barb for working to find the kittens a place where they have the chance to be adopted into a good home.
Yes, I actually DO have people here that I can ask about it, now that I thought more about it through this discussion. My son used to work for people who are in the process of establishing a "no kill" animal shelter for our county. Her and her husband have a large farm populated with dogs and cats awaiting adoption. Talking to her might be my first step.
We're not ready to leave on our adventure yet anyway. It will be spring of 09 before we can go. I'm going back to school for a year for nursing, now that we are empty nesters. My DH is ready to retire, but I am not. The one year LPN program was a compromise because I really am headed to RN, but can go from LPN to RN mostly online/on the road.
We live in SW Virginia, not far from the Blue Ridge Parkway...Roanoke. Beautiful country here. Enjoy your first taste of the fulltime life, Barb.
Since you have time, I'd ask around and try Petfinder.com
Also, if you Goggle "pet rescue" you'll probably find several places where you could rehome your kitties
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If I were in your position I would try a rescue groups thru PetCo or PetSmart (or both) if they have them in your area. Because they run on donations, maybe you could offer to donate something in order to get them to help you.
