[Jr_Bullit]

I love slackerism - too bad it can only last for a couple of hours each day ...

Okay - so I have a dilemna....

I have a wonderful, beautiful, fun, sweet cat that I adore. She keeps me company at night, talks lots, and so on.

I also have a busy hectic life that just isn't going to settle down. My average day is something like 5am-3pm minimum for getting up and working, home for a few minutes maybe, off to yoga or biking or climbing gym until 7 or 8, or out for dinner with boss...etc. Weekends I either leave the cat home or she gets hauled up to Canada. If Steve and I spend the weekend at my place, then we're out and about most of the day - very rarely just relaxing at home.

So - my current lifestyle doesn't make me a great pet owner, but we make do. She gets playtime in the evenings etc etc.
However, starting next month, I'm on the road a minimum of one full week each month for my company...
I can't and won't board her.
I hate the idea of leaving her home alone with someone coming by for a few minutes every day (if I can trust them to do that)
Steve will take her if I ask him - but he doesn't really "want" a cat for himself, and this is going to be a consistent me out of town kinda thing...I'd prefer to respect that...

So I'm at this weird dilemna point...I don't know if I'm really the right kind of person to have ANY pets....
But, at the same time, I hate the idea of coming home to an empty home each evening...

So what do I do? Do I work hard to find my baby the right kind of home?
Or do I just make her live through the loneliness of me not ever really being there for my own personal pleasure of still having a kitty at home?

This of course is trying not to take into account the fact that a dog would fit my lifestyle better cuz it could go riding with me on the weekends, and easily travel to and from Canada each weekend, I have family members who can take dogs in if I go out of town, and I feel safer having a bigger noisier animal at night in my place...

I've been struggling to make a decision for months...and need to decide before April...but I can't seem to get any further...I suspect no matter what I do I'm going to regret and be sad...

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

Get a second cat, pets love company

ok let me add to this.

Seriously if you are a pet lover, and you can get the coverage you need to make sure they are taken care of while you are away, a second cat will keep them both occupied. I am not a cat person, but that is in essence one of the "benefits" of a cat. You can leave them for a few days at a time to fend for themselves. (food and water provided of course).

 

[MMcG]

I'm struggling with this with my two dogs Jr_B - and I've decided to try and find new homes for them. Hopefully as a pair.

I am now working with the rescue organizations that I adopted the dogs from, as it is part of my adoption contract to do so,and I also put the word out to a few mtb forums as I now in general mtbers are great peeps.

Good luck in your decision making process.

Mark

 

[Jr_Bullit]

Get a second cat, pets love company

I had a 2nd cat - had to find her a new home from all the issues that arose due to territorial issues (she peed on everything! gross)

That and I'm trying to simplify life...not make it more complicated

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

I had a 2nd cat - had to find her a new home from all the issues that arose due to territorial issues (she peed on everything! gross)

That and I'm trying to simplify life...not make it more complicated

hmmm

get a fish tank for your current cat to watch?


Sorry I have nothing else. I am sure there are cats that are much worse off then yours when you leave it alone for a few days at a time.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Get a job that doesn't eat your life.

 

[Westy]

I take it you have an indoor cat. I pay no attention to my cat and it he perfectly happy as long as I let him outside for his daily killing spree.

 

[Snacks]

Get a job that doesn't eat your life.

Hahah....exactly!

Jr_B: Clifford acts the same when I come home after a being gone a week or being gone for 8 hours. I'm not saying he's not bright, but I don't think 'time' is real relative in his mind.

Keep your cat. You need the companionship for the three weeks you are in town.

 

[Jr_Bullit]

I'm working on the job that doesn't eat my life - but first I gotta make sure I can afford it

Gravey gets more and more attached/clingy the longer or more frequently I'm gone...and even if I'm in the other room now, she howls at the top of her lungs, I think waiting for a response from me that I'm really home. I wonder sometimes if she just sits in the middle of the living room crying hoping a person will talk to her.

She is an all indoor cat - and I love her for it. The personality that developed in her, versus all the other cats I've had, is totally cool. She's fun, almost kitten like still even though she's definitely not a kitten, pretty flexible, and I don't have any territorial issues with her at all.

I did buy her a DVD to watch that shows birds and mice and fish...but in addition to eating up my electricity by leaving the TV on...she's long since figured out it's a boring repetitive program...

 

[LordOpie]

someone should make inflatable pets.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I've got good news for you. Your cat doesn't really give a rats a$$ if you're around or not. I'm sure she acts happy to see you, but she's just humoring you. Cats are the best pets for a busy lifestyle.........

Just go about your business and don't worry about it.

-S.S.-

 

[tartosuc]

I'm working on the job that doesn't eat my life - but first I gotta make sure I can afford it

Gravey gets more and more attached/clingy the longer or more frequently I'm gone...and even if I'm in the other room now, she howls at the top of her lungs, I think waiting for a response from me that I'm really home. I wonder sometimes if she just sits in the middle of the living room crying hoping a person will talk to her.

She is an all indoor cat - and I love her for it. The personality that developed in her, versus all the other cats I've had, is totally cool. She's fun, almost kitten like still even though she's definitely not a kitten, pretty flexible, and I don't have any territorial issues with her at all.

I did buy her a DVD to watch that shows birds and mice and fish...but in addition to eating up my electricity by leaving the TV on...she's long since figured out it's a boring repetitive program...

thats funny!, did you know there is 2 kind of cats? one kind with a fast brain and one kind with a slow brain, the kind with the slow brain dont see the images on TV...

all the problems I had with my cat feeling left alone went away when i got another cat...the only thing is that you have to get it before your cat get too old to accept the other one...

 

[Jr_Bullit]

thats funny!, did you know there is 2 kind of cats? one kind with a fast brain and one kind with a slow brain, the kind with the slow brain dont see the images on TV...

all the problems I had with my cat feeling left alone went away when i got another cat...the only thing is that you have to get it before your cat get too old to accept the other one...

Yeah, I know some cats can't see the images - she sees them fine - and for a long time tried to "get at the" birdses and stuff...but she now just sort of looks all bored when I turn it on.

The one thing I don't want is a second pet right now . One is enough - I just have a guilty conscience that she's not getting the right kind of attention...

It's also in part that I'm genetically related to a "cat lady" - an my mom feels I already horribly abuse my pet by requiring she be an indoor cat.

 

[Snacks]

and even if I'm in the other room now, she howls at the top of her lungs

Hahaha....Cliff does that to sometimes. I'll be in bed and I can hear him out in the kitchen 'yelping'. I call his name a few times and he comes running in all excited.....silly cat


EDIT: St. Ed's 4pm

 

[Westy]

someone should make inflatable pets.

There was an hour long show on the history of taxidermy last night. neaky:

 

[dh girlie]

She's fun, almost kitten like still even though she's definitely not a kitten, pretty flexible , and I don't have any territorial issues with her at all.

Well if she's so flexible why not take her to yoga with you?

 

[dh girlie]

There was an hour long show on the history of taxidermy last night. neaky:

oh man...that is just nasty.

I did see on Animal Cops - San Francisco a story of a stray cat they found wandering the streets of SF...they scanned her for a chip, turns out she had one...they contacted the owners in FLORIDA...the friggin cat somehow got from Florida to San Francisco. Cat had been missing for 7 years...

 

[PonySoldier]

There was an hour long show on the history of taxidermy last night. neaky:

And having a display case full of stuffed pets was all the rage in Victorian England according to the show...

 

[chicodude]

I take it you have an indoor cat. I pay no attention to my cat and it he perfectly happy as long as I let him outside for his daily killing spree.

ink:


Sounds like my gato

 

[RhinofromWA]

someone should make inflatable pets.

Have you never been into an adult "novelty store"

Baaa baaa

sorry, sick-sick I konw.....or maybe you are into that sort of thing. You did bring it up.

 

[SkaredShtles]

oh man...that is just nasty.

Why? I'll bet Zack would look really *good* stuffed and put on a shelf in yer pad.

-S.S.-

 

[dh girlie]

Why? I'll bet Zack would look really *good* stuffed and put on a shelf in yer pad.

-S.S.-

Oh you DID NOT!! Time for me to tell YOU to **** OFF AND DIE...Bastard! and it's ZAKK...after Zakk Wylde, Ozzy's guitar player...

 

[SkaredShtles]

Oh you DID NOT!! Time for me to tell YOU to **** OFF AND DIE...Bastard! and it's ZAKK...after Zakk Wylde, Ozzy's guitar player...

Dude! He *rocks*!! Although Randy Rhodes was better.

-S.S.-

 

[Jr_Bullit]

EDIT: St. Ed's 4pm

Be there - or be square! We need a smiley that draws a square like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction...

 

[Brian HCM#1]

My opionion, find a good home for your cat. Your current life style is too busy to give the attention you want to provide for your cat. We have 2 cats (married into them) I've been wanting to get rid of them for sometime, Julie wont let me, plus they are getting too old to give away 13 & 14. It's not that I don't like pets, but now that we have 2 kids, we can't give the necessary attention that one of our cats requires. He gets pissed off (they stay in the garage when we're not home, and yes there is food, water, giant catpost etc, due to the motion sensors for the house alarm) So they pee, poo in the back of the garage, hack up fur logs. Julie just doesn't have the time to play with the cats like she once did, and you can tell they feel neglected. So thats my 0.02.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip> I've been wanting to get rid of them for sometime, Julie wont let me, plus they are getting too old to give away 13 & 14.

Bwaaaaaa..... dude - they'll both live to be like 25. You're screwed with those cats.

You *could* start letting them outside - 'round here the coyotes, foxes, or mountain lions would eventually get 'em.

-S.S.-

 

[dh girlie]

Bwaaaaaa..... dude - they'll both live to be like 25. You're screwed with those cats.

You *could* start letting them outside - 'round here the coyotes, foxes, or mountain lions would eventually get 'em.

-S.S.-

They're not very friendly or sociable cats either...but they are cute. Once Brian showed me one of his flip flops that the cat had chewed up...it was hysterical!

 

[Jr_Bullit]

They're not very friendly or sociable cats either...but they are cute. Once Brian showed me one of his flip flops that the cat had chewed up...it was hysterical!

Good to know my cat's not the only one with a shoe fetish - she attacks my slippers on a regular basis...

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Bwaaaaaa..... dude - they'll both live to be like 25. You're screwed with those cats.

You *could* start letting them outside - 'round here the coyotes, foxes, or mountain lions would eventually get 'em.

-S.S.-

I know one will just to spite me. They are sweet cats, dh girlie will vouch for that. Its just too much work for our lifestyle right now.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

They're not very friendly or sociable cats either...but they are cute. Once Brian showed me one of his flip flops that the cat had chewed up...it was hysterical!

1 is totaly socal, the other one hides till the kids are asleep.

 

[Atomic Dog]

a dog would fit my lifestyle better

Actually, I think a dog would be much worse than a cat in your situation. Sure you could take it riding, etc. but they require a lot more attention than a cat does. You can't leave for a weekend, or for a week with your dog inside your place. Cats are fine for extended periods. Just give em plenty of food and water, and maybe an extra litterbox.

My first cat was always home alone when I first got him. In a tiny studio apt. no less. His only issue is that he got to be lazy and fat. (Maybe he just learned that from me, though. )

 

[Jr_Bullit]

Well if she's so flexible why not take her to yoga with you?

I would - but the yoga ladies have one of those ****zu dogsies that runs around the office area...

That and in 100 degree room I can't see my cat enjoying the sweating aspect...

 

[Jr_Bullit]

Actually, I think a dog would be much worse than a cat in your situation. Sure you could take it riding, etc. but they require a lot more attention than a cat does. You can't leave for a weekend, or for a week with your dog inside your place. Cats are fine for extended periods. Just give em plenty of food and water, and maybe an extra litterbox.

My first cat was always home alone when I first got him. In a tiny studio apt. no less. His only issue is that he got to be lazy and fat. (Maybe he just learned that from me, though. )

Quite true about the dog vs. cat thing...the only big difference is - the dog could go with me on the weekends anywhere, on all my bike rides, down to my parents (who want a dog), ....there aren't many places I go where a dog would be unwelcome, so suddenly the dog has tons of attention - where a cat has not enough...

 

[dh girlie]

Good to know my cat's not the only one with a shoe fetish - she attacks my slippers on a regular basis...

His shoe looked like a pit bill worked it for a coupla hours! HAHA!

 

[Jr_Bullit]

His shoe looked like a pit bill worked it for a coupla hours! HAHA!

Ahhh - Gravey did that to a pair of running shoes of mine once. She attacks anything she perceives as taking me away - she even hid my keys once!!!

My shoes and clothes are now kept in a closed room or up too high for her to really get to them without getting into a lot of trouble for damaging something .

 

[laura]

Get a job that doesn't eat your life.