To put my four elderly cats to sleep even though they are not dying?

[Turningtiger]

DH lost his job and we've had to move to a cheaper area of the city we live in. The house we have found to accommodate our family and within our price range does not allow pets. We will also probably have to move abroad next year because most of the jobs that DH can get are in Europe.

We have gone through periods of boarding our cats while we have been looking for somewhere new to live and all the turmoil it has brought about. It has been expensive boarding as each cat has a different health condition which needs a lot of attention, giving meds, vet visits etc, so we've had to pay extra for the very kind lady at the boarding to do that too.

I have volunteered for animal rescues in our area for 20 years, and I know what pressure they are under. I know that most people abandon their animals without a second look, and if they do make a donation to the shelter before they disappear, it's usually just enough to cover the initial vaccinations and perhaps a spay. I've also had these cats so long that I don't feel I could trust someone else to look after them in a way that they wouldn't suffer. I know that doesn't sound rational, but I've just had them for so long, I know them so well.

There is also an element for me of feeling terribly embarrassed, after all these years of volunteering and donating, to present the same story as everyone else who we have rolled our eyes at over the years. In the "rescue" world I volunteer in, there is no excuse to abandon your animals.

I am temped now to put them down, so that I can know that they had a fantastic life and that they did not suffer. It will save me a lot of anxiety (yes I'm aware I am thinking about me). I know also that this doesn't sound rational either. But to me it feels like the right thing.

What do you think? The cats are all 16 from the same litter.

Murder ffs? Do you live in a Disney cartoon?

Ever wondered where ancient strays, bait animals on gumtree, old pet horses in abattoirs come from? So called fucking animal lovers who are too selfish to do the decent thing and prefer to pass the animal to an uncertain and probably unpleasant future so they can congratulate theirselves on being too caring to put it down. There are far, far worse fates than death.

And I'd shoot any pet of mine myself before I passed it on to one of the so called animal lovers with this attitude.

Ivymaud, there do seem to be a lot, yes, sadly.

it's the first one I've come across Ivy, even so I think it is something that needs to be considered by all animal owners and there also needs to be an understanding of just how stretched rescues are and what rehoming can result in if it doesn't get done properly.

i think the reality is that there are too many animals for too few homes and the potential risks to an animal with an uncertain future are huge.
This is from my local rescue:-

Our volunteers work tirelessly to help as many cats as possible. Volunteers have full time jobs, families, illness and everyday issues just like everyone else. We tell as many people as possible to neuter their cats and even struggle with admin to get neuter grants, we encourage Trap Neuter and Return of all ferals and strays and again arrange funding. We would dearly love to scoop of the streets every stray and feral cat and get them to safety. We simply can't and that's because all our volunteers homes and pens are overflowing with the sick, the wild, the unwanted. As fast as one is adopted (which isn't very fast) another moves from a spare room into its pen. We can't take on more fosterer's or cats as most people who offer say they can foster for a week or so but then where is cat supposed to go. Ferals are in every street, every industrial estate, every shopping centre, allotments, farms, villages, schools and all because people don't neuter. We answer numerous calls, emails and messages from people all thinking their stray is unique and their situation needs us to act immediately but most times it isn't unique it's the usual story of a cat having kittens outdoors. We do care it's very disheartening when people think we aren't helping especially if we have given advice and arranged funding for neutering. Why do you think we do this ? The only way to solve the current cat overpopulation problem is to neuter your cats, TNR ferals in your area, and most importantly support rescues and lower your expectations of what you expect them to do. Rescuers don't have a magic wand.

it's the first one I've come across Ivy, even so I think it is something that needs to be considered by all animal owners and there also needs to be an understanding of just how stretched rescues are and what rehoming can result in if it doesn't get done properly.

i think the reality is that there are too many animals for too few homes and the potential risks to an animal with an uncertain future are huge.
This is from one of my local rescues:-

"Our volunteers work tirelessly to help as many cats as possible. Volunteers have full time jobs, families, illness and everyday issues just like everyone else. We tell as many people as possible to neuter their cats and even struggle with admin to get neuter grants, we encourage Trap Neuter and Return of all ferals and strays and again arrange funding. We would dearly love to scoop of the streets every stray and feral cat and get them to safety. We simply can't and that's because all our volunteers homes and pens are overflowing with the sick, the wild, the unwanted. As fast as one is adopted (which isn't very fast) another moves from a spare room into its pen. We can't take on more fosterer's or cats as most people who offer say they can foster for a week or so but then where is cat supposed to go. Ferals are in every street, every industrial estate, every shopping centre, allotments, farms, villages, schools and all because people don't neuter. We answer numerous calls, emails and messages from people all thinking their stray is unique and their situation needs us to act immediately but most times it isn't unique it's the usual story of a cat having kittens outdoors. We do care it's very disheartening when people think we aren't helping especially if we have given advice and arranged funding for neutering. Why do you think we do this ? The only way to solve the current cat overpopulation problem is to neuter your cats, TNR ferals in your area, and most importantly support rescues and lower your expectations of what you expect them to do. Rescuers don't have a magic wand."

There have been several putting healthy pets to sleep threads recently and they are all complete and utter bollocks.

And putting them on AIBU just seems bizarre and inflammatory. Especially when the issue is behavioural, or related to housing, or money. There are specialist boards with excellent advice available for posters' genuine issues around living arrangements with pets.

And putting them on AIBU just seems bizarre and inflammatory. Especially when the issue is behavioural, or related to housing, or money. There are specialist boards with excellent advice available for posters' genuine issues around living arrangements with pets.

Exactly.

At least three threads on AIBU in the past week about PTS when there used to be none makes me scratch my chin.

People are sick if they create hoax threads about this topic. They might think they are clever but actually they are a tad deranged. Poor souls.

thewideyedpead, I don't foster, I never said I did. I took on 2 16year old cats in 2012 because the owner died and her daughter put an appeal on facebook.

I no longer have any cats and have applied twice to a fairly local rescue that mainly helps elderly cats, often with health problems. Each time someone beat me to it. I said I would either foster or, preferably, take the cat permanently.

I never said there are rescues that would definitely take the cats and that they would definitely have fosterers waiting. I said I know of rescues that may be able to help, even that I may be able to help myself. I have asked the OP a couple of times where she is and what health problems the cats have, as have a few other poster who also offered help, but she has not given that information.

I don't have a rosy view of cat or dog rescue. I am sure some cats do get stressed in a new home but plenty do not. As I said the two 16 years old cats I took had lived with their owner their whole lives and yet they adjusted very very quickly with me.

One lived with me for 4 years and the other 5 years. They may have been pts if I had not taken them so would that have been fair that they missed out on those extra years?

Yes the OP asked for advice. You gave yours and I gave mine. I am not saying she can definitely find a new home for her cats BUT I am willing to help her try and I know, despite all the negative posts, there there is a possibility that the cats can find a new home.

Yes, it is very sad, nina.

I would like to says thanks though to fellow cat and dog and bird fosterers and rescuers - it's relentless and its difficult.

Poor you, what an unimaginably hard situation. If there is no other option and the landlord will not budge then I think your idea is a kind and sensible one. You are putting their needs first. There is nothing more horrible to think of than a sick scared cat ending up in an unfamiliar environment. This way you will know you have done the best for them. 16 is a good innings for a cat!

Don't be so fucking stupid.

I'm not being "fucking stupid" thank you. I'm being deadly serious. You don't just have animals put to sleep because they become inconvenient, for fuck's sake. She made a commitment to take care of those pets and she needs to bloody well try harder. "Landlord won't take pets" is unacceptable. Find one that does, it's not bloody difficult. Her attitude is fucking appalling. What kind of fucking monster does something like this?

gah buggerit You haven't explained in any way why it's ethically better to eat hundreds of farm animals over a lifetime, but to object to the humane euthanasia of 4 elderly cats.

What I'm saying isnt that your viewpoint isn't understandable in view of your differentiation of pets vs farm animals ( which is irrational but somewhat ingrained in our culture) but that it's not an ethically superior viewpoint and therefore you can't afford to take the moral high ground. Either killing an animal is wrong or killing a animal is justifiable in certain circumstances. Now I'd say killing for food when people have been proven to be able to live on a vegan diet is definitely not more justifiable than the Ops circumstances. It's not like the animal concerned understands your commitment or had any expectations of you beyond that of the average pig.

I'm not a vegan but their arguments are generally consistent. They'd say don't PTS, don't eat animals. Some would say don't have a pet in the first place which is actually pretty sensible because if no one had pets we wouldn't have a surplus cat and dog issue.

dolce you're a vegan, right?

Can you not do better than that, cantsee?

when someone can explain why itsetgically superior to sustain the beat industry while condemning Humane euthanasia, in all ears. Until then, I dont need to do better thanks.

But I clearly do need to improve my typing - ha ha

"Can you not do better than that, cantsee?"

Says the person who thinks "well spend more money" is a sensible solution.........

I have explained, twice, for the third time IMO the difference is with pets you agree to take them on, treat them as family, care for them, and so on and so on. No such commitment to an animal bred for food.

I value pets lives more than I do animals bred for food. The same way I value my childrens lives over another childs life (if I absolutely had to pick).

I hope that explains my stance again for the 3rd time. In your opinion its not understandable, and you are of course entitled to that opinion, but that does not make me incorrect, as an opinion cannot be.

Well if you're criticising someone for a certain course of action, it would be usual to ensure one is not being a complete hypocrite, wouldn't it?

I just don't see how someone can be appalled at humane euthanasia of a geriatric pet while at the same time supporting a meat industry that is having to have CCTV made mandatory to ensure the most basic slaughter standards are met. Seems to be utterly wooly thinking.

Either be appalled at both or be appalled at neither.

Although do get it right, no-one is condemning euthanasia (I have PTS several pets over the years), people are condemning the OP not trying at least one other option due to them being embarrassed and "no one will love them as much as meeeeee"