To wonder if I should try to rehome pets

[terrinesea]

Contentious subject, I know.

Please try to tell me what you would do if you were me.

Until four years ago, I was doing really well, on top of everything, then things went tits up due to the trauma of a false allegation and not only did I lose my job, friends and home but I lost what felt like my identity too.

I worked in a different field and sort of had things sorted. My cats have been my constant source of companionship.

Now I have a real opportunity to start over. Abroad.

I’m desperate to go but I don’t know what to do about cats.

Should I rehome?

I've seen a scheme where elderly cats can be matched to elderly people (who might not have the energy for a young, lively cat and also might worry about not outliving one) - they are given help towards medical bills for the cat if needed. Perhaps there might be something like that near you, OP?

Please avoid the RSPCA, they are not likely to help with older cats and tend to PTS if they are not young and healthy.

Also when they rehome them and something goes wrong they don't take them back.

How many people on this thread have taken in 'rescue' cats?
Are they dreadfully unhappy? Do they hate you? Do they sit and pine for their previous owners?

FGS where do you think your beloved pets came from?
People who needed to rehome their cats for good or crap reasons.

As someone who has worked for the RSPCA on a voluntary basis for many years and someone who has had to re-home 2 cats because of their bullying behaviour towards the other animals in the home & my children, I agree that you should re-home your cats and obviously in a responsible manner. It will be hard for you (I cried buckets all the way home) but you do need to put yourself first and the cats will be fine. As long as the elderly one is in fine health it should have no problem in being re-homed. My two were snapped up within 10 days of being on the RSPCA website. Good luck op.

If I were in your position And one cat was old I would have them euthanised. My dear old boy was with me for 19 years and no way would he have coped without me .

I had an elderly pony and felt the same about her although luckily I could afford to care for her until the end . You have no idea if someone will care for them as you have and what will happen to them. Also the shock may kill them anyway .
I realise my view is probably going to upset some people but I am truly an animal lover .

I'm glad you are truly an animal lover, the rest of us couldn't give a shit either way obvs.

I had a similar dilemma many, many years ago (I'm quite old). I had the chance to go and work in New Zealand but couldn't take my cat. I didn't go. I've often regretted it and wondered how different / more fulfilled my life might have been, but I would make the same decision again. My cat reached the grand old age of 22 - that's longer than any relationship I've had. I loved that cat!

Ah, there we go Sporty, nobody else can ever have been in the situation OP is in, nor could we ever have mulled and agonised over solutions, because you are truly an animal lover.

applause, well done, applause, our experiences no longer count for anything.

Why are people so sensitive , I'm giving my opinion . It's not having a go at yours 🙄

When you spout your opinion and then posit that YOU are a TRUE ANIMAL LOVER (tm), you're basically saying those of us who have posted opinions that do not align with yours are, of course NOT animal lovers.

What were you expecting with that little dig at the end of your post?

It wasn't a dig at all .. it really wasn't . I hadn't even read the thread .. 🤷‍♀️

No doubt I'll get told off for not reading the tread either but I don't have time to read every thread and was responding to the OP only .