Cats moving to Australia- what would you do?

Iain_L

Maybe one of you that's vilifying the OP would step in and offer a home for her cats.

It's very easy to be judgemental without knowing all the facts. Let's stick with trying to help shall we.

Iain

dandelionclock30

I would take them but I've got 2 elderly cats of my own and they fight. 4 cats would be too much and mine would be attacking them.

What about you taking them Iain?

zzzLazyDaisy

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

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OP you should be ashamed at yourself by suggesting that an option could be for your pets to be put to sleep. Those cats have been dependant on you for years, are old and have given you unconditional love and affection.

Look, none of us have any idea why OP is going to Australia - and there is absolutely no reason why she should tell us. Life and family circumstances sometimes mean that we are left with horrible and difficult choices.

OP was asking advice - she has had the cats for most of their lifetime and wanted to know if they are likely to survive being taken to Australia, or even being re-homed. It is a fair question.

As I type I have a cat curled up on my feet who has been with me 6 years and was rescued twice before that. When he came to me he was a bag of nerves and would attack with claws and teeth at any sudden movement. He is now the most gentle affectionate cat you could hope to meet, but he is my shadow and suffers terribly with separation anxiety if I leave him for more than a few hours. When I was in hospital recently, he was fed and loved in his own home by my live-in carer who he knows well. But he didn't eat until I came home a week later. I have no doubt that if left for a long period, he would be perfectly capable of pining himself to death.

Of course, he is like my baby and I cannot imagine a circumstance or situation that would make me be parted from him. As other people have said, if I couldn't take him with me, I wouldn't go... but I don't know what is round the corner in my life any more than anyone else does, and sometimes we don't always have total control over what is happening in our lives.

lostinrates

We have travelled around the world with animals and haven't entirely ruled it out again. BUT there are some places and trips I wouldn't consider doing. For example, we had an offer to go to South America for six month to two years a few years ago and we were working out if DH and I could do it long distance relationship.

Quarantine is HARD on cats. We have lost a cat in quarantine and its easy to say 'if you loved you cat you'd take them' but sometimes, having seen it, you know that if you love you cat and you know it well you might choose not to put them through that period of time. One of our two I certainly feel it would be more harmful than worth the long term benefit of staying with us, though she travelled round Europe with us very happily on her pet passport.

Iain_L

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

I would take them but I've got 2 elderly cats of my own and they fight. 4 cats would be too much and mine would be attacking them.

What about you taking them Iain?

Ouch, did that strike a nerve dandylionclock30?

Not that I have to justify myself, but because of work, I have to live in Saudi Arabia, and have already adopted one 11 year old cat last year that would have been PTS as his owner was returning to UK. This lad will be coming back with me eventually, and will have to be integrated with our 3 cats and 2 dogs that my wife looks after at home.

I'm not in a position to take another couple, but hopefully someone else will be able to if that is what the OP decides to do.

Iain

stir_crazy

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

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I think that if you cant offer a pet a home for life then you shouldnt get one.It really is that simple.With the exceptions of dying or going into a home/care there are no excuses.

I don't think that it is right saying that you shouldn't get a pet if you can't guarantee it a home for life. Circumstances do change and sometimes it is better for the pet to be allowed to go to a more suitable home.

I have two young healthy cats and if the situation arose where I would be moving to another country there is no question that I would take them with me. BUT If OH and I lost our jobs tomorrow and had to move out of our house into cheaper rented accomodation to avoid becomming homeless - the likelihood is that I wouldn't be allowed to take my pets to that accomodation and would have to find them a new home.

Of course, I would try to do everything in my power to carry on providing a good home for my cats before that happened but hopefully you see my point. I sincerely hope the OP can find a new home for them before they leave.

Georgiegirl256

My opinions if this was me in this situation:

As much as I absolutely love and adore my cat and he's part of the family, I couldnt put him through the stress of all the upheaval of a long journey, moving to a different country that is really warm. It would be stressful for a cat of any age, never mind 13, I just think it'd be too much for the poor wee things.

If you start asking round now, you'll definetly find someone/place to take them in. We got our Charlie and George from The Cats Protection League and the RSPCA. I haven't read the thread fully yet, but is there no friends who could take them in? Could you put a notice somewhere advertising 'free to a good home'?

But this is where I have to be brutely honest OP, you say you adore them and that they're part of your family....then how could you even think about putting them to sleep? It makes me so angry when people say that :mad: Any vet who would ptts wants struck off in my opinion. They could live out the rest of their days in a happy home somewhere.

dandelionclock30

Iain_L wrote: »

Ouch, did that strike a nerve dandylionclock30?

Not that I have to justify myself, but because of work, I have to live in Saudi Arabia, and have already adopted one 11 year old cat last year that would have been PTS as his owner was returning to UK. This lad will be coming back with me eventually, and will have to be integrated with our 3 cats and 2 dogs that my wife looks after at home.

I'm not in a position to take another couple, but hopefully someone else will be able to if that is what the OP decides to do.

Iain

.

No ouch at all Iain, it didnt strike any nerve. :rotfl:

Money_maker

Perhaps the OP will be back with her location...

lostinrates

Re homes for life...

No one can actually guarantee a home for life, only do their best to ensure it.

E.g. There are pets I'd like whose life span is longer than mine, so I don't get one, yet many do. We're considering others that MIGHT outlive me, but not DH most likely.


But none of us can guarantee no accident, or as I discovered ten years ago, ill health. Many of my horses and ponies were put on loan and have been gifted to their borrowers. I thank god I had no cats or dogs at the time. But I could have done. They are a fear and a motivation in equal measure for me now.