Had to give my cat to the shelter today, hoping it was the right thing to do.

[acejka]

We've had her for 3 years but are guessing she was about 5. She was given to my MIL and MIL was told she was litter box trained, and grew up with dogs, but the person (MIL's friend) just couldn't keep up with dogs and a cat and MIL had just lost her dog.

Kitten (her name) peed everywhere! There was no litter box training at all. Friend wouldn't take her back and admitted eventually that the cat was allowed to go anywhere in their basement.

MIL wanted to give the cat to the shelter, we were moving out and thought maybe we could try to retrain her.

We tried and tried, everything you can think of! She's been checked several times by vets for various ailments-nothing. We've tried, paper, poo-pee pads for dogs, every litter on the market at this point. Different kinds of boxes, amounts of boxes, places for boxes.

We've also used every cleaner on the market to clean up after her.

We got her to the point where we would put the boxes in a "kitty playpen" (as named by the pet store) and we would leave the top open so she could go in and play (different levels and stuff to climb) but our dogs couldn't get anywhere near her boxes and then she could come and go in and out of it. That worked for a while, but it was hard work keeping it clean and fresh because she would flip the litter boxes and go on the floor of the playpen/cage thing.

It got to the point where no matter how much we cleaned, the basement was starting to smell like cat pee and she was always flipping the boxes, the food, water everything. She is the sweetest little cat, but there was just something wrong with the bathroom situation.

We finally made the decision to take her to the shelter, and I am heartbroken, I finally gave up and I feel like a failure, I certainly wouldn't give up a kid if it had trouble potty training but this was becoming a huge problem. I just feel like such a bad pet owner, all I can do now is hope that someone can figure out how to train her, or that she does better around other cats, and no dogs. I know that they will probably put her to sleep and that bothers me, but I feel like we've exhausted all options at this point.

 

[legalsea]

We've had her for 3 years but are guessing she was about 5. She was given to my MIL and MIL was told she was litter box trained, and grew up with dogs, but the person (MIL's friend) just couldn't keep up with dogs and a cat and MIL had just lost her dog.

Kitten (her name) peed everywhere! There was no litter box training at all. Friend wouldn't take her back and admitted eventually that the cat was allowed to go anywhere in their basement.

MIL wanted to give the cat to the shelter, we were moving out and thought maybe we could try to retrain her.

We tried and tried, everything you can think of! She's been checked several times by vets for various ailments-nothing. We've tried, paper, poo-pee pads for dogs, every litter on the market at this point. Different kinds of boxes, amounts of boxes, places for boxes.

We've also used every cleaner on the market to clean up after her.

We got her to the point where we would put the boxes in a "kitty playpen" (as named by the pet store) and we would leave the top open so she could go in and play (different levels and stuff to climb) but our dogs couldn't get anywhere near her boxes and then she could come and go in and out of it. That worked for a while, but it was hard work keeping it clean and fresh because she would flip the litter boxes and go on the floor of the playpen/cage thing.

It got to the point where no matter how much we cleaned, the basement was starting to smell like cat pee and she was always flipping the boxes, the food, water everything. She is the sweetest little cat, but there was just something wrong with the bathroom situation.

We finally made the decision to take her to the shelter, and I am heartbroken, I finally gave up and I feel like a failure, I certainly wouldn't give up a kid if it had trouble potty training but this was becoming a huge problem. I just feel like such a bad pet owner, all I can do now is hope that someone can figure out how to train her, or that she does better around other cats, and no dogs. I know that they will probably put her to sleep and that bothers me, but I feel like we've exhausted all options at this point.

I do feel for you! Sometimes that simply has to be done. My ederly mother recently had to take her cat to the shelter, since it was also peeing, etc., and she simply could not cope with it. She felt awful about it, but it simply had to be done (she tried the vet, etc, all to no avail).

 

[lovesmurfs]

We (briefly) had a similar situation with a kitten/cat -- it was awful -- we had litter boxes on all house levels and she wouldn't use any of them. It was spring/summer, so we decided to make her an "outside" cat until we could figure out what to do (she was spayed). Our next door neighbor (who had 2 other cats) took her in and NEVER had a problem. Peer pressure or something.

You can only know that you've done all you can. I'm still irritated at the former coworker who told me she was litterbox trained. It's so irresponsible.

 

[almacdonald]

You know what's going to happen to an 8 year old cat at the shelter right?

 

[minnieandmickeymouse]

You did the best you could. I wouldn't have tried as long as you did. The cat would have been gone pretty fast if it was peeing in my house.

 

[ginna74]

we had the exact situation ...... she was peeing all over the place... we had to put new carpet down.... then we did it again... after that, We reallyyyyyy thought about the options. I DIDN'T want someone to abuse her once they realized she was peeing, so with that in mind hubby took her to the woods and was painlessly put down. I loved that cat and had her for years. She just wouldn't stay in the box. and she was ruining not only the carpet but the floor under it, and we had spent so much money. We had too...

 

[diesel]

we had the exact situation ...... she was peeing all over the place... we had to put new carpet down.... then we did it again... after that, We reallyyyyyy thought about the options. I DIDN'T want someone to abuse her once they realized she was peeing, so with that in mind hubby took her to the woods and was painlessly put down. I loved that cat and had her for years. She just wouldn't stay in the box. and she was ruining not only the carpet but the floor under it, and we had spent so much money. We had too...

Painlessly put down!!!!! How? You should have brought the cat to a vet to euthanize it.

 

[Hillbeans]

we had the exact situation ...... She was peeing all over the place... We had to put new carpet down.... Then we did it again... After that, we reallyyyyyy thought about the options. I didn't want someone to abuse her once they realized she was peeing, so with that in mind hubby took her to the woods and was painlessly put down. I loved that cat and had her for years. She just wouldn't stay in the box. And she was ruining not only the carpet but the floor under it, and we had spent so much money. We had too...

omg......how about letting the cat live on a porch or outside or something.....? This is awful.

 

[turkeymama]

I had to take a dog to the shelter last week. It broke my heart too, so I know how you feel. I tried like mad to find a home for this dog. My sister rescued him from the street, left him with me "temporarily" when she went on a cruise, and never took him back. We just could not afford him. He ate a lot, and I couldn't afford the vet bills. DH took a huge paycut this year when he got laid off and we are really starting to feel the effects. I have never taken an animal to a shelter until now and I was so depressed for days. I still feel guilty, but I have to put our family first.

I'm sorry for how your feeling, but it sounds like you went over and above to try and make it work. Don't beat yourself up too much.

 

[Laura]

Painlessly put down!!!!! How? You should have brought the cat to a vet to euthanize it.

Exactly. Euthanization is quick and painless. Not to mention more humane than getting blown away. This isn't post-Civil War Texas, where you have no other choice but to shoot Old Yeller with your shotgun.

 

[almacdonald]

we had the exact situation ...... she was peeing all over the place... we had to put new carpet down.... then we did it again... after that, We reallyyyyyy thought about the options. I DIDN'T want someone to abuse her once they realized she was peeing, so with that in mind hubby took her to the woods and was painlessly put down. I loved that cat and had her for years. She just wouldn't stay in the box. and she was ruining not only the carpet but the floor under it, and we had spent so much money. We had too...

Wow. that is messed up logic.

 

[dalt01]

usually if you get them fixed that will stop......oh and i personally cant see how anyone can part with a pet that has been part of their lives for years.....if the cat could talk it might say.............ya know you knew about this from day one.........and NOW its a problem? as for the other poster getting rid of a dog that eats to much..........you did not know he was going to have to eat?

 

[lovesmurfs]

we had the exact situation ...... she was peeing all over the place... we had to put new carpet down.... then we did it again... after that, We reallyyyyyy thought about the options. I DIDN'T want someone to abuse her once they realized she was peeing, so with that in mind hubby took her to the woods and was painlessly put down. I loved that cat and had her for years. She just wouldn't stay in the box. and she was ruining not only the carpet but the floor under it, and we had spent so much money. We had too...

Not to assume (well, maybe), but did any of the money you spent go to checking the health of the cat? If you had her for so long and she had just started doing that, perhaps there was something physically wrong. There are humane ways of going about putting down animals. I can't imagine shooting a "loved" pet in this day and age.

 

[dalt01]

we had the exact situation ...... she was peeing all over the place... we had to put new carpet down.... then we did it again... after that, We reallyyyyyy thought about the options. I DIDN'T want someone to abuse her once they realized she was peeing, so with that in mind hubby took her to the woods and was painlessly put down. I loved that cat and had her for years. She just wouldn't stay in the box. and she was ruining not only the carpet but the floor under it, and we had spent so much money. We had too...

moderator give me my 10 points now...........that is the stupidist damn thing i have ever heard....

 

[Nolcrest]

I DIDN'T want someone to abuse her once they realized she was peeing, so with that in mind hubby took her to the woods and was painlessly put down. I loved that cat and had her for years.

Painless for whom? I'm glad you didn't want anyone to abuse her.

 

[C.Ann]

You know what's going to happen to an 8 year old cat at the shelter right?

Gee - doesn't the OP feel bad enough already? Not to mention there is always the chance - slim as it may be - that someone will adopt the cat.. Even a worker who takes a shine to it..

 

[ginna74]

well LOL at my post getting so much attention....but I knew that when I posted, some would go overboard, just the nature of the (dis) beast lol but GAWD people though...

 

[clgwli]

OP, a good friend of mine had the same issue with a kitten. Turns out the cat was fine by herself. Everyone who took her in and had other pets had pee everywhere. During the process of checking her out by the rescue group, they realized it was an anxiety issue. When the kitten was finally rehomed to a petless home she did fine.

I hope this gives you some hope for your cat. I do know how hard it can be when things like that happen

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

we had the exact situation ...... she was peeing all over the place... we had to put new carpet down.... then we did it again... after that, We reallyyyyyy thought about the options. I DIDN'T want someone to abuse her once they realized she was peeing, so with that in mind hubby took her to the woods and was painlessly put down. I loved that cat and had her for years. She just wouldn't stay in the box. and she was ruining not only the carpet but the floor under it, and we had spent so much money. We had too...

well LOL at my post getting so much attention....but I knew that when I posted, some would go overboard, just the nature of the (dis) beast lol but GAWD people though...

OMG, this is FUNNY to you? How can you "love" an animal for years and have her head blown off?


"....deleting and backing off now before I get points, too."

 

[Darsa]

YEah, I'm not going to respond to that particular post for fear of points, and just say I'm sorry you had to do that, I *definitely* feel your pain.