If the people phoning today all pts their cats we'll have a shortage next year

[Desley (booktigger)]

He is lovely.
We dont seem to have had as many calls from people wanting to pts - and when we do, they tend to come from teh vet, not the person, so you have to believe them then - I remember once last year, the rescue lady went to teh vets for something and came back with three cats cos the owner was in teh consult room for pts at the time - she had asked for our help earlier in teh year, we advertised on teh website, but everytime we got an interest, no one could get hold of her - I always managed until one day even I stopped being able to get through, so I dont know if she changed her number but she never rang back, so we had to assume she was sorted till she turned up at our vets with them - and it wasn't even the one near her.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

love maclaren 

[LesleyW]

I've had this one used on me quite a few times as well, but I also get the one about if I don't help the cats will just be dumped and I think this one is carried out more than the pts threat and it is not just the moggies this is happening too now - I don't know whether the current financial situation is attributing to it but my latest addition is a gorgeous British Shorthair who, having been a housecat for his short 15 months, following a relationship breakdown, was just thrown out of the house with his friend, to fend for themselves.

I didn't hear about it until after the event but fortunately my neighbour did manage to find both cats, and managed to re-home one of them but was desperate for someone to take "Hudson" and came straight round to see me (unfortunatelly my threat of being full and taking no more in also falls on deaf ears. ).

However, I am glad she came to see me as MacLaren as he is now known is the most wonderful, placid, large cat and, having now been neutered, will save my hubby having to find me a birthday pressie.



So, although if everybody carried out their threat of PTS, I think we will still have a kitten explosion next year with all the un-neutered cats that are likely to be dumped because people cannot afford to keep them but do not take the responsible attitude with regard to finding homes for their "beloved" cats. 

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

I've had this played on me a few times but even so we can't take every cat that we get a phone call about.  I've only start ignoring the blackmail calls lately because financially and emotionally I literally can't take any more on at the moment.  I try to block these things out and I know it's hard but we are not miracle workers.  I did have someone collared me the other day that I know and she mentioned about a young grey/white cat that was getting ill treated and the woman had been throwing it out of a window, I did relent and told her if she manages to "get" the cat, I will take it.  I just hope the people who threaten to kill their babies can live with it on their conscience if they go through with it, but you will find most just use it as a form of blackmail, I have only been totally convinced once that someone was going to go through with it and that was with Jasmine who I did end up taking.  The "lady" already had her in the vets and told them she was going to have her pts unless I took her   

[Gail Bengal Slave]

The Cat vs Baby thing really grinds my gears 

No contsest - Fur Babes.

One of the guys at work asked me yesterdau - 'have you got kids' - I said yes 3 and they all wear fur coats   
he said ones with two legs not four.

[Ela]

I hate people who threaten pts, it is emotional blackmail, pure and simple, and the sad fact is, that we have to respond to it, and either find a space that didn't exist, or give a cat a space at the expense of a stray, who sadly might be incredibly needy. It is nice when you can

I agree with you 100%. We respond immediately because we just cannot take the chance that the threat may be carried out. don't we? I know our vet would contact us if someone went and tried to carry out the threat but I know at least one vet in Chesterfield who would do it.

Two cats. CP not returning calls,

In cases like that CP HQ should be contacted immediately.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I hate people who threaten pts, it is emotional blackmail, pure and simple, and the sad fact is, that we have to respond to it, and either find a space that didn't exist, or give a cat a space at the expense of a stray, who sadly might be incredibly needy. It is nice when you can persuade people otherwise, but that seems to be less and less.

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

Yesterday i changed a couples  mind about taking there one yrea old cat with them to france where they will live in one months time. She was one of our cat i rehomed in March. They hadnt not thought about ringing vets and get the lowdown on rules for immigration and pets, but relied on an artilce she found on line, I gaver her Defra number and she emailed me last night to say they will now take her with them.  Some people just dont seem to be capable of doing the basics before deciding on thing.s

[nessa (A C S )]

I hear you Angie I have had a few such calls the last one was a dog that was saved from being put in a bag and thrown into the river or fed alive to dog that the person that saved this dog a few hrs ago sad that they can keep the dog I explained that I need a bit of time to find a safe place to place the dog she gave me the normal story onthat she lives in rented accomadition and cant keep.....I try to explain that most people are either in bed or have there phone of in the evening any way I manage to secure kennell space but not until next week so I ring the lady back and explain this to her this is when she turns nasty saying that she is going to bring the dog to the xxxxx I explain that she dosnt want to do that as the dog will be pts she didnt seem to care, I remind her that it is almost 11pm at night and that if she can do better that me maybe she can run the office. I then said I would try again in the morning to get an emergency forsterer to thake the dog until wednesday......people just suck
I also had another dog and a cat who have been part of a family for yrs they had a new baby now they want rid of the pets......
they are just 3 of the call there was a few others........

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Not a good night for threads like this.......the now society and the throwaway society, no value even on a life 

[Angiew]

....how many of you get the soilded litter on your hands when changing a tray anyway ?????

  actually I sometimes seem to be to my elbows in it!
 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

What makes it worse is some doctors recommend it 

Yep and that doesn't help !
Of course you have to becareful when changing litter trays but lets be honest here ....how many of you get the soilded litter on your hands when changing a tray anyway ?????

[Mark]

What makes it worse is some doctors recommend it 

[Cheesecat]

The Cat vs Baby thing really grinds my gears 

Why does it have to be one or the other? How does she not care that she only "used" the cats until she got pregnant again, why didn't she leave the cats to find a decent home and just keep trying to get pregnant again  or get one of those fake babies or a doll, something that wont get hurt when she just discards them like rubbish!!

Its so annoying how people threaten with PTS as they know as a cat lover you wont want to let that happen.

  Angie xx

[Baggy]

So many people just seems to want everything sorted straight away, the "now" society drives me mad.
Am I really mean and cynical to think that the second case will probably want a new pair of cats once her baby is born and grown up?

I don't know how all you rescuers manage to hold your tongues sometimes.

[Tiggy's Mum]

How cheap is life to these people 

[Angiew]

People really don't give us much of a chance to help them rehome their cats.
for instance last two calls - 99year old father in law had stroke - feeds 2 feral cats. rspca advised leave them go elsewhere. man says he prefer to pts than do that. I said I think in this case the rspca might just be right. Neighbour feeding at moment. Have offered to supply food.

daughter (lost baby @ 6 months and got two cp cats) now pregnant again and having scans each week, husband relocated for work. Two cats. CP not returning calls, though doubt they can do much. offer to put on website, loan of cage..... said she may pts and lie to daughter.

perhaps I should just say 'well , if you can't find suitable homes then yes you should destroy your cats'

It might make next year a bit easier.