While I am against animal hoarding in every possible way, I can’t help but wonder lately…
Where have all the crazy cat ladies gone?
By definition, the term refers to a single woman who dotes upon her many, many cats. So, when exactly did this become a derogatory term? Why is it such a bad thing to be a lover of cats?
This thought dawned on me today when I was talking to someone from a primarily cat rescue; the compassion for felines in this society has slowly started to melt away. In this day and age, you see more and more cats running freely in the streets and you hear so many stories about cat abuse and torture. What has changed? I have almost 600 animal loving facebook friends, and I very rarely see people cross-posting about cats! Don’t get me wrong, I am a dog lover to my core, but when is it time for our feline friends to feel the love?
It hit the news lately (even though this happened months ago) that one of my preferred rescues, Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary, has two kittens in their care that have survived a terrible event. They were sealed in a meow mix bag and left to die on the side of a road. After being struck by at least one car, a dog was able to pull the bag of kittens to safety. Since the incident, the “bag kittens” have grown into healthy, very playful kittens (that are now up for adoption!) This story is amazing in itself, but everyone is focusing on the dog saving the kittens… What about the awful human beings that haphazardly threw the kittens to the side without another thought? Or what about the fact that the same rescue is working to place 25 more kittens that were abandoned after their owner died? Amazingly, none of these issues have been brought up.
Cats and kittens are usually the first animals to be put down in shelters these days (not including the animals deemed un-adoptable)… But why is this? With so many low-cost spay/neuter clinics, unwanted litters should be a thing of the past. Emphasis on SHOULD BE. In my experience I have come across four types of pet owners.
1) The owner that is too lazy to get their pet altered.
2) The owner that wants their children to witness live birth… (Gross!)
3) The owner that is too PROUD to get their male pets altered. (Stupid!)
4) The owner that has feral farm cats and doesn’t see a need.
All of these reasons are absolutely ridiculous. Especially number four. There are MANY trap-neuter-release programs available for feral cats! Every animal deserves to life their life, but why allow them to spread their seed to so many other unsuspecting cats (and cat owners?!) And don’t even get me started on people who actually BREED cats!
But I digress, back to my point…
With so many animal lovers out there, why aren’t more people stepping up to foster a few of these poor babies? When you foster an animal, you are giving him/her the time needed to find a furrever home! Yes, it does take time, but you are making it possible for the animal to have a second lease on life. While fostering can be stressful at times, it will be the most rewarding and fulfilling thing that a TRUE cat lover will ever do (if you don’t become a failed foster and just keep the little fluffball).
If you think that fostering is up your alley, then please think about contacting your local rescue or shelter! They will make sure that you are an approved foster, but the process will be worth it!
Don’t Forget to like us on facebook!!
–Mindi
Get out there and save a life… Please… 😀
PS…. if you know of a hoarding situation, GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND REPORT IT!
Bailing out Benji 
The ‘crazy cat ladies’ are alive and well. We are just so busy rescuing the forgotten felines, saving them from sure death in the ‘traditional. shelters, practicing TNR, trying to find worthy homes and worrying about the bills that we have been keeping a low profile!
Cats are viewed as “independent” and less needy. You have to wonder sometimes if people don’t help animals more for themselves, then they do the animal. The animal just benefits from the selfish acts of the human.
In reality, cats are equally demanding creatures that, while often aloof, respond very well to socialization and love.
The comparison between a cat and dog are really not that different.
A dog has to be taken outside to potty and the poo picked up. A cat needs their litter box scooped equally as often!
A dog loves to have affection. So does a cat!
A dog looks to it’s human for companionship! A cat waits for companionship as well.
A dog loves playtime and interaction. So does a cat!
Being a pet owner of both, I find both of them equally as snuggly, affectionate and can bond with both!
In short, those who have never experienced the joy of a feline companion…does not have their animal world complete!
I am doing my part in my rural neighborhood, which is a favorite animal dumping ground in Boone county, apparently. Every stray (a.k.a. someone else’s responsibility) that wanders over to my house gets live-trapped if they are shy, get spayed or neutered if needed, vaccinated, health-checked and, if no shelters are reporting them missing, invited to stay or wander off. Most choose to stay and they get pampered and socialized for it. All at my own expense, on my own time. The good news is that no new litters of kittens have been born (that I know of) in my immediate area since 2005. And I have met some of the most amazing animals in the process! I do this to counter the irresponsibility of others. No one pays me, no one helps me…it’s just the socially and morally correct thing to do. But, until low-cost spay-neuter programs are mandated, I don’t ever see this problem going away. Our veteriarians need to step up and stop overcharging for these procedures. Higher volume at a lower cost equals the same amount of revenue, which I am sure they are concerned about losing, and helps solve the cat overpopulation crisis in the process…a win-win for the cats, land and homeowners, and the shelter and rescues.
I currently have a mamma cat and four 10 week old kittens that were dumped at a ladies house in rural Tama county. She has been paying out of her pocket for years to get cats fixed that keep showing up at her place. She finally gave a call out to a local rescue group. She had 3 mamma’s with kittens and one mom had 7 offspring. I offered to take the mamma with the youngest kittens at the time were 4 weeks. I recently had a conversation with a friend whose mom has outdoor cats that she won’t get fixed. Her excuse is she fixes them and then they either run off or get killed, so why bother!! GOSH, its hard to reason with some people, so I am hoping to get this woman in touch with SPAY Iowa where she can get low cost spay and neuter to hopefully change her mind. I know quite a few veteriarians in my area that do help out with low cost surgerys. It’s like putting a Band-Aid on a leaky dam, too many more uneducated people out there letting cats continue to have litter after litter. How do we educate these people, how do we reach them to educate them? Start in the schools?
SPAY Iowa is not the organization I would recommend to talk to this lady since her mind is already closed.
I’d try a gentler approach with the Iowa Humane Alliance. You should contact them first and get some pointers.
Keep trying!
I have this conversation now and then with people as they don’t think we do many cats, when in actuality I am about 50/50, people just don’t see my cats on Facebook and PetFinder as much because I work through PetSmart and get them placed that way without the extra push of the other two PF and FB.
Let’s face it, there are a lot more cats running around homeless then dogs and dogs are more apt to be seized if running loose then cats as they seem to get in more trouble and many times don’t seem to be able to fend for themselves very well, you just don’t see colonies/packs of dogs.
I do think there are far more dog people willing to help cats then the other way around, with dogs you need more food $$ more space$$ medical can run more as the bigger the animal the more cost for drugs. But also with dogs you can get a larger adoption fee, it torks me how people complain about cat adoption fees, really, how insulting!
So I believe cats are getting as much help, there is just more of them running stray so it seems like they aren’t, I know I am doing my share and 100 people’s share that sit on their thumbs with both cats, dogs and pot belly pigs, hey where are all the Pot Belly Pig people???
Step right up, you are the next contestant to receive a homeless Pot Belly piggie : )
I have seven cats, all stray and feral I took in (and all spayed and neutered thank you) I am single. There are five on my bed right now. I guess that makes me a crazy cat lady.