Why do people let their cats/dogs have babies?

Lotus-eater

FatVonD wrote: »

I do kind of agree with this though, when you see the hoops you are expected to jump through to adopt a cat I sometimes feel the charities are shooting themselves in the foot (they are clearly staffed by people like me:D) I know it's important that they go to the right homes but I've read so many particulars where they insist the cat is the only pet when most animal lovers are most likely already going to have pets.

This.

We recently tried to adopt a cat, I wanted a kitten because I know we'd be better off training it from the start.
I had a phone call from the charity, who grilled me about just about anything, the stumbling block it seemed, was that I have 2 small children.
Was asked all kinds of questions about them, like "don't you think it's dangerous to have a small child and a kitten together?" and something about what happens if the kitten scratches the child, or the child hits the kitten (they are both going to have to learn to get out of the way and not to do it :rotfl:)
Then we were supposed to have a home visit, but we found a kitten locally, it was nice being able to get one without another grilling

lazer

Answer - because people like kittens and like seeing them grow up.

For most it has nothing to do with moneymaking, as I don't know anyone that buys a kitten - unless pedigree, kittens are generally free to a good home?

I will be allowing my cat (when i get one...) to have one litter and I will personally keep one or possibly 2 of the litter (who will be neutered), and will re home (For free) the remainder.

It is lovely to watch your cat give birth, and watch her look after her kittens and watch the bond between them which in my experience continues for a lifetime.
Getting a rescue kitten, friends kitten etc is not the same as a kitten born to your own cat.

The grilling my rescue centres etc would put me off ever using one. What is the difference between getting an unwanted kitten from a friend and getting an unwanted kitten from a rescue centre, both are unwanted?

Would a rescue centre even allow me to have a cat as I would be keeping it outside? I do not allow pets of any kind into my house.

KateLiana27

lazer wrote: »

Answer - because people like kittens and like seeing them grow up.

For most it has nothing to do with moneymaking, as I don't know anyone that buys a kitten - unless pedigree, kittens are generally free to a good home?

I will be allowing my cat (when i get one...) to have one litter and I will personally keep one or possibly 2 of the litter (who will be neutered), and will re home (For free) the remainder.

It is lovely to watch your cat give birth, and watch her look after her kittens and watch the bond between them which in my experience continues for a lifetime.
Getting a rescue kitten, friends kitten etc is not the same as a kitten born to your own cat.

The grilling my rescue centres etc would put me off ever using one. What is the difference between getting an unwanted kitten from a friend and getting an unwanted kitten from a rescue centre, both are unwanted?

Would a rescue centre even allow me to have a cat as I would be keeping it outside? I do not allow pets of any kind into my house.

Wow. I appreciate your answer, because I asked for honest opinions, and it is useful to get a different perspective. But I have to say...

Please do not get a cat if you do not allow pets into the house. Cats are domestic animals and need a warm, dry, safe place to go when they are tired, when the weather is bad, when they are sick or injured. It is inhumane to lock them out all day and night. Of course, some cats prefer to spend most of their time outdoors, but that's different. Would you at least provide them with a safe outdoor cat shelter?

I have no problem with people taking on unwanted kittens from friends. The problem I have is with people CREATING unwanted kittens by letting their pets breed. Yes, kittens are cute, but they grow up to be big cats with a 15-year-plus lifespan, and with costly physical and health needs. I don't think "it's lovely to watch your cat give birth" justifies it, unless you plan to keep AND properly care for (not lock out) ALL the kittens. Bearing in mind there may be over 5 in each litter.

Please think this through

raven83

lazer wrote: »

Answer - because people like kittens and like seeing them grow up.

For most it has nothing to do with moneymaking, as I don't know anyone that buys a kitten - unless pedigree, kittens are generally free to a good home?

I will be allowing my cat (when i get one...) to have one litter and I will personally keep one or possibly 2 of the litter (who will be neutered), and will re home (For free) the remainder.

It is lovely to watch your cat give birth, and watch her look after her kittens and watch the bond between them which in my experience continues for a lifetime.
Getting a rescue kitten, friends kitten etc is not the same as a kitten born to your own cat.

The grilling my rescue centres etc would put me off ever using one. What is the difference between getting an unwanted kitten from a friend and getting an unwanted kitten from a rescue centre, both are unwanted?

Would a rescue centre even allow me to have a cat as I would be keeping it outside? I do not allow pets of any kind into my house.

I am totally with you on this one. I've not made any money from my kittens, in fact I am actually out of pocket. When my first cat had kittens we kept 2 of them, one went to my in laws and another went to a friend who loves cats and was already looking for a kitten anyway. I don't "palm" them off to whoever, if no one wanted to have my kittens, we would keep them. With this latest litter of 5, one with are keeping, one is going to the in laws again (their choice, they want a play mate for their other one) i didn't foist it onto them, 2 gingers boys are off to a cat loving nut who is a friend of the in laws and the last one went to a friend of mine who has cats and wanted another cat as she had to put one down not so long ago. So my kittens don't get palmed off to anyone and everyone, I always make sure they are going to loving homes. Aside from that all my cats are de-flead and wormed, so really I don't see how I have done anything bad.

lazer

KateLiana27 wrote: »

Wow. I appreciate your answer, because I asked for honest opinions, and it is useful to get a different perspective. But I have to say...

Please do not get a cat if you do not allow pets into the house. Cats are domestic animals and need a warm, dry, safe place to go when they are tired, when the weather is bad, when they are sick or injured. It is inhumane to lock them out all day and night. Of course, some cats prefer to spend most of their time outdoors, but that's different. Would you at least provide them with a safe outdoor cat shelter?

I have no problem with people taking on unwanted kittens from friends. The problem I have is with people CREATING unwanted kittens by letting their pets breed. Yes, kittens are cute, but they grow up to be big cats with a 15-year-plus lifespan, and with costly physical and health needs. I don't think "it's lovely to watch your cat give birth" justifies it, unless you plan to keep AND properly care for (not lock out) ALL the kittens. Bearing in mind there may be over 5 in each litter.

Please think this through

My cats would be provided with an outdoor shelter of some sort - akin to a dog kennel, I will look into this better when I am actually in a position to get a cat.
If my house had a utility room, porch etc, then I would allow the cat into this area of the house, but my house does not currently have this.

My family lived on a farm, and we had cats primarily to keep away mice.

I wasn't just that is lovely to watch a cat gave birth, it is also nice to see the relationship between the cats as the grow.

If I could not rehome the kittens from the litter, I would be in a position to look after them all if i had too.

I am well aware that my opinion differs from most, but I do not see pets and humans as the same. I would love a cat, but it is my pet, not an actual member of my family, its is my family's companion, and will be looked after and loved as such, but IMO an animals place is outside,

raven83

lazer wrote: »

My cats would be provided with an outdoor shelter of some sort - akin to a dog kennel, I will look into this better when I am actually in a position to get a cat.
If my house had a utility room, porch etc, then I would allow the cat into this area of the house, but my house does not currently have this.

My family lived on a farm, and we had cats primarily to keep away mice.

I wasn't just that is lovely to watch a cat gave birth, it is also nice to see the relationship between the cats as the grow.

If I could not rehome the kittens from the litter, I would be in a position to look after them all if i had too.

I am well aware that my opinion differs from most, but I do not see pets and humans as the same. I would love a cat, but it is my pet, not an actual member of my family, its is my family's companion, and will be looked after and loved as such, but IMO an animals place is outside,

I agree mostly with this but I must say all our cats have free reign of the house In fact I love nothing more than seeing one of my cats at the window or curled up in front of the fire but each to their own and all Also to us our cats are like a member of the family, each has their own personality and brings something unique to them that the other doesn't, I couldn't be without my moggies, they are like our 2nd lot of kids :rotfl:

shinyahashimoto

raven83 wrote: »

I agree mostly with this but I must say all our cats have free reign of the house In fact I love nothing more than seeing one of my cats at the window or curled up in front of the fire but each to their own and all Also to us our cats are like a member of the family, each has their own personality and brings something unique to them that the other doesn't, I couldn't be without my moggies, they are like our 2nd lot of kids :rotfl:

Yep I agree. My cats get out as much as they want, but they know they will always be allowed back indoors for some warmth, food, relaxation and attention. A cat makes a house a home

raven83

shinyahashimoto wrote: »

Yep I agree. My cats get out as much as they want, but they know they will always be allowed back indoors for some warmth, food, relaxation and attention. A cat makes a house a home

Exactly! First thing I did when i moved in was get a cat! And as for kittens and breeding them and stuff, I do it for my children too as I think it is good for kids to be around small animals and I think it helps them to develop.

FatVonD

lazer wrote: »

Would a rescue centre even allow me to have a cat as I would be keeping it outside? I do not allow pets of any kind into my house.

I certainly hope not.

Serious question, how do you imagine your kitten will know where to come home to if, once you have it, you just leave it outside?

Pollycat

Lotus-eater wrote: »

This.

We recently tried to adopt a cat, I wanted a kitten because I know we'd be better off training it from the start.
I had a phone call from the charity, who grilled me about just about anything, the stumbling block it seemed, was that I have 2 small children.
Was asked all kinds of questions about them, like "don't you think it's dangerous to have a small child and a kitten together?" and something about what happens if the kitten scratches the child, or the child hits the kitten (they are both going to have to learn to get out of the way and not to do it :rotfl:)
Then we were supposed to have a home visit, but we found a kitten locally, it was nice being able to get one without another grilling

I agree too.

When our next-to-last cat died we phoned CPL who flatly refused (not only flatly but bloody rudely too) to consider letting us have a kitten, despite my OH (who had taken the phone from me as I was getting so upset at this woman's attitude) explaining that we both worked flexi hours and I would leave home early, he would leave later, I would come home early and he would pop back at lunchtime to check on the kitten.

RSPCA were slightly better but wanted us to take 2 kittens, which we didn't want to.

We ended up getting a kitten from a farm and within 18 hours it was obvious that he was very ill indeed.
We took him to the vets and he had cat flu & pneumonia, the vet couldn't or wouldn't say if he'd live.

So that 'kitten free to a good home' cost us £90 (and that was almost 12 years ago) within a few days.

I wonder if those people that the CPL thought would be better owners than us would have been both able and willing to fork out that amount of money.

Yes, I am bitter - it still makes me angry whenever I think about it.

At least my 'kitten free to a good home' had over 11 years of happiness through me choosing him as I'm sure that all the other kittens in the litter would have died without veterinary care.