I'll probably be keel hauled in this forum but that's what I had to do. I haven't been a caregiver for very long. I'm caring for my MIL and my wife.
We came home from church one Sunday and found that my MIL had taken in a dog. Gidget, the half Jack Russell, half chi-weenie has been a good dog but the whole thing about being a caregiver and then to have to care for the animals too was over the top. Then there was the half wild kitten (later nudered) who pisses all over that my wife brought home.
They had to go. We found a really good home for the dog. Since the cat is half wild he'll be harder to place. Maybe he should become a barn kitty.
I hated to do this to my wife but the smell, the cat liter and puddles of cat pee were too much. I got to where I was embarrassed by the cat odor and the dog's shrill barking was annoying. At this new stage in life I've become a caregiver. I'm resigning from being a kennel keeper.
I understand the some facilities allow animals and that's great but those people are paid for emptying liter boxes. I'll know to ask for a room that hasn't had pets in it if that time comes.
If the dog was too much, oh well. The cat, if a male get it fixed. May help but once they start spraying/peeing its hard to correct them. Guess it will need to be a barn cat. There are videos online showing you how you can make a cat house out of a tote and Styrofoam cooler and insulation. The urine will ruin rugs because it gets into the mat. I had a cat that ruined a wall unit I loved.
You are the caregiver. Your wife will need you more and more as time goes on. As I said in your last post, maybe time for MIL to be placed somewhere else. Please do not feel guilty by what you have had to do. Caregiving is hard and you don't need any xtra responsibility.
We had some non-farming neighbors who asked if we could spare some meat next time we slaughtered a sheep. DH said OK if Stuart comes over to help with slaughter and butchering. “Oh no he couldn’t do that!”
Pets are supposed to help, one way or another. If they don’t help, do whatever you need to do.
There now, I’ve provided ‘people’ with an alternative target, so you can just duck!
Do not feel guilty -- you're not doing anything felonious. I have a Jack Russell Shortie and they can live to be 20 yrs old. Mine's 13 and now deaf, and looks to maybe having cataracts, and just had an enormous dental bill, losing 6 bad teeth. She requires special, expensive soft food for chronic UTIs. Sometimes older animals can require more care (like being incontinent) and get ill, requiring medications (like for diabetes). So, not only does rehoming those animals reduce the chaos it reduces the strain on your wallet as well. You don't need more stress. I'm firmly in your camp.
Think about what nature does. We shoot wild animals that are in this condition. Usually they can't get up. The alternative is to allow them to be eaten alive by foxes, ants and maggots. A quick death is a kindness.
I am an animal lover, have numerous pets, and I support you 100%.
I am in the position of getting legal advice to rehome a puppy. I have have two dogs, (11m, 4F) and they cannot handle the energy of a Cattle Dog, puppy. I have arranged for fostering until the end of the month, then have to figure out what to do.
The puppy belongs to my son who is currently in hospital in psychosis. I do not believe he will ever be capable of looking after a puppy and even if he was a Cattle Dog does not belong in an apartment.
A cat that pees in the house is not acceptable. Constant parking wears on our nerves.
You have far too much on your plate to look after animals too.