Support no-kill or save a life?
Not that I’m allowed to get another cat. The boyfriend has made it clear that if another cat moves in, he’s moving out. He does really useful things, like taking out the trash and using a toilet instead of a litter box. He’s also there for me to annoy incessantly when I’m bored with doing that to the cats. I guess there’s the whole “love” thing, too.
But every time I see adoptable cats, I want them. They are calling to me. I was at PetSmart today (I only shop there because I can get Taco’s prescription food there, which they SO INCONVENIENTLY put next to the adoptable cats) and these kitties were CALLING to me. One literally was, I told him I couldn’t have another mouth in the house. Taco is deafening enough. But there is always one that really really gets me. This time, it was a 10-month-old tabby/white mix. I generally don’t even like partly white cats (I like them all, I just usually don’t find them attractive). This big guy was so cute. I am a sucker for big paws, and he stretched those big mitts out at me, just BREAKING my heart.
Tell me he’s not cute.
This is where my moral dilemma comes in, even though it is a hypothetical one, since I can’t get another cat.
The kitties at this PetSmart were from the Pinellas County Animal Shelter. The animal shelter is NOT a no-kill facility, meaning if these guys don’t don’t find homes, they’re euthanized for space. I know it’s logistically not possible for a state-funded operation to avoid this, but I don’t particularly want to support it, either. So how can you choose between saving an animal that might otherwise be “put down” or supporting a facility (through your adoption fee) that makes every effort to not euthanize?
All of my cats are strays. Except Taco, his mom was rescued while preggers, so he’s never really known the streets. As much as I dream about having full-blood Bengal or a Cheetoh or a Toyger, there are so many stray, unwanted and unloved babies out there without it being necessary to breed more. Besides, Taco is part Bengal and if I pretend he’s bigger, Moosh is almost Panther-like.
KINDA like a panther, right?
I guess the end result is what really matters. You save an animal, no matter how you do it.
And when I can, I assuage my guilt by donating when I can, and taking my old clothes over to the Friends of Strays thrift store. I wish I could volunteer but two jobs take up most of my time and I doubt I’d be much help crying over wanting to take them all home. It would be like putting a drug addict in an evidence room.
Just in case anyone feels like donating…these are really good no- kill shelters that can always use the help:
Friends of Strays
Pet Pal Animal Shelter
Second Chance for Strays
Save Our Strays
MEOW hear this! 
I always avoid that area when possible because I would take them all home if I could. 😦 He is adorable but I do kinda have a thing for partially white cats! My other male cat that doesn’t look like Moosh is black and white and they have the same traits as all black cats. They are also super chill and he is now the most social and needs attention from EVERYONE! He is also the one that meows for hours in the middle of the night begging to meander outside the bedroom. Gotta love these rascals!
Oh, there can’t be any closed doors in this house or we’d never sleep. I really wish I could avoid that section but I can’t… And I have yet to find the million dollar idea to make me rich, thereby supporting a full crazy cat lady life.
LOL I hear ya sister!
I applied for a job at a non no-kill shelter. I knew, when I applied for it, that they pts animals (usually dogs) who could not be rehomed, rather than the ones who were just waiting a long time. I thought we were talking about vicious, dangerous animals. They invited me for a trial day and I fell in love with a Staffy boy called Solo (I’m usually ALL about dogs but this baby was amazing). We took him out to the ‘paddocks’ to play ball and when we came back a dog we passed snap at him. He snapped back. He was euthanised the next day. That’s not a dangerous dog, that’s a provoked dog doing a dog-thing. Fortunately, when they offered me the job I actually couldn’t take it due to ridiculous hours (that they had previously overlooked) and no way to get there for silly o’clock on Sunday mornings. I think I’d have turned it down anyway, despite my desperate need for money.
I volunteer at a no-kill cat sanctuary. We have two cats with us who have been waiting for their forever homes for a year and a half. They are absolutely wonderful but very shy around strangers – when someone does give them the chance they will be so rewarded. We have also recently rehomed a cat who had behavioural difficulties and would attack people for absolutely no reason. She pinned a previous owner underneath the duvet. Seriously, she was terrifying. But now she’s settled and happy and hasn’t put a single paw wrong.
I guess, what I’m getting at is that they all deserve a chance. Every single one. And that doesn’t help with the dilemma. Do you give the one a chance and support the every not getting theirs? I guess you have to. We’re all only one person and we can’t save all of them single-handedly. We just have to save who we can and give them the best life they can possibly have.
Sorry, that was such a rant. I am in a waffle-mood today. And no, not the food. Although…
Ranting is good. It gives me faith that there are people who out there who still give a crap about things. And I really admire that you volunteer at a shelter… I don’t know that I would have the strength to put myself through that on a continual basis.
I hope you made yourself some waffles.
Each month I take some food to the shelter where I got Zoey the Cool Cat. Then, at the end of the year, I’ll donate old clothes, towels, rags, etc, and if I don’t have any, I’ll buy some cheap ones at Walmart and take them over there.
That’s awesome. Hopefully you inspire others!
I hope so. The problem for me is that each month I leave heartbroken because I can’t take at least one little one home with me.
Just one?? Haha I leave heartbroken because I can’t take them ALL!