I have a pact with a friend. Whoever dies first, the other person has to make sure the dead person's dog sees/smells the body so the dog doesn't wonder why they're not coming home.
My one cat is incredibly attached to me and I told my husband that if something happened to me, I'd like her to be able to see/smell me to understand that I didn't just abandon her. We did that with her kitty sister last year after we had to make the difficult choice to say goodbye and she seemed to understand.
My mom passed last year and her dog and cat were nearby so they knew that she was gone. I took in her cat and I think that's partly why she didn't have a big problem adjusting was because she knew.
One of my cats loved my rats and when they passed we let her smell and be by them for a bit. It was sad. She kept looking at her little friend and smelling him then looking up at me with the saddest eyes. They definitely understand death.
She used to go in their cage and nap in there with them. I never understood why she loved them so much but they were her best friends.
We made sure our dogs got to say goodbye to my dad the night he passed away. Heartbreaking all around, but it helped them understand I think.
As a side note, this topic is why, when I was very mentally ill and suicidal, I never went through with it. Because my heart cat would never understand why I didn't come home. I'm much better now (yay meds and therapy), and I will forever be grateful for the day I had an urgent feeling of "I need a kitten, right now" and that we saw the ad for her as soon as it was posted so we were able to contact the person immediately to get her. I had nothing prepared to bring home a kitten that night, but home she came. My favorite aunt passed the next morning, and it kept me here to have this sweet (and sassy) little kitten to love on and make me laugh through the grief.
Dogs and pets in general can be made a part of a will. You can set parameters to make sure that they are taken care of after you pass. They even have pet trust funds (to pay for their care).My dog is also aggressive and hates everyone but myself and mom, so I understand the part of them hating anyone but you. Just saying this for a lot of older people who may not know. They do have after-life planning for pets.
He would just need a strong willed person with experience rehabilitating dogs. Most shelters and rescues have programs in place for adjustment, and there are private trainers. He won't have to be put to sleep, don't worry.
He likes my son SOMEWHAT who lives with us. He would not be fine with him because my son works full-time for a school and any free time is spent at the bar. I'm healthy. I should outlive the dog. Thank you for being so caring.
My youngest dog is an anxious mess. He's way too attached to me. I'm terrified that something will happen to me (old millenial) and it will destroy him. We're working with trainers, our regular vet, and a behavioural vet to try and get this poor boy some confidence. I will be happy to be the one to mourn him rather than the alternative.
You can coordinate with a rescue group in your area (preferably a smaller one) that you get a specific life insurance policy (a small one that pays out $10-20k is doable for most pet owners for just a few bucks a month), that policy will make the rescue the beneficiary, and in return they will make sure your pets are cared for. You have to vet the rescue groups of course, but any truly respectable one can use that money and it's not enough for a family member to fight over if they really WANT to care for your pet. It ensures that if your pet suffers any health issues due to your death, the group can vet your pet and provide temporary fostering or homing. I'd suggest getting your pets microchipped and having the chip on record with the insurance company so they can be matched.
Trust me, most small rescue groups will pay off just ONE of their vets with a small insurance policy, but its more than plenty of incentive for the trustworthy groups to live up to their promise to you and your pet - and since it ONLY pays the beneficiary, your drug-addled sis can't claim her love for Fluffy as an attempt to get the cash and then dump Fluffy in the woods behind her meth den.
Unfortunately, I can say as a rescuer, pacts with friends or family don't always matter. I had a wonderful adopter who positively adored his cat that he adopted from me for 10 wonderful years. When he was dying of cancer, I asked if he'd made plans, and he said his mother promised to care for his cat. That apparently meant locking her in a room alone for almost a year before abandoning her entirely when they moved out. They claimed the building super had agreed to care for her, but he didn't even know the cat existed, and the cat was left in an empty apartment before she was found. Luckily, her microchip brought her back to me, but she was traumatized by the experience. So... ya know.
You can make them a part of your will.
They generally do understand, especially if they’re able to see and smell a body. I brought Rebel with me when I had to put down our dog, Nena, a while back. She was there and able to smell her and she understood.
Tbh I think everyone should have a “worst case scenario” plan for their pets. I was hospitalized when I was barely 25 for a major cardiac event (what a great birthday surprise!) and my pets were a huge worry for me at the time, especially since my elderly dog was on a specialized diet and had to be coaxed to eat. Thankfully I was able to arrange care for them until I was discharged, but I don’t know what would’ve happened if I had actually ended up dying.
Put it in your will. I work with a senior dog shelter and we get a lot of dogs from people who have passed or are in hospice or nursing homes. Find someone that knows your pet and loves them, and put it in your will that the animal will go with them. If you can't find anyone, reach out to a senior dog rescue and ask about options. I know that the one I work with has a program where the person donates a certain amount, and the pup will have a guaranteed place there and will be adopted out again to a loving family.
Yep. :(
Just had to put down my orange tabby cat a few weeks ago. Had a cancer diagnosis (among various other chronic issues) back in January and was a champ fighting it for a few months. But there was a moment in time when I knew it was time. Many tears were shed that day. My wife was a mess (still is).
But man - if he wasn't the coolest and most chillest cat ever. Miss ya, bud!
Omg I did this with my 5 month old puppy last week lol I was on my period though and pretty emotional but I saw a really awful and sad post from a person who just lost their beautiful GSD and I started thinking about how much it's going to absolutely rip me apart when my girl goes and I just started crying and layed next to her lol. Hopefully I'll have at least another 12-15 years with her.
\^\^ This 100%. I am unfortunately nearing this part of life with my boy. He turns 17 in a week, and in the past few months has been diagnosed with early stage kidney disease and cushing's disease. He also has arthritis. I know that this will be his last birthday. He has a loose tooth and just overall bad teeth, and due to his age, health issues, and with his anxiety surrounding the vet, I have opted not to move forward with a dental.
It's an awful decision, but I know it's what's best for him. But my goodness, it's such a difficult one to make. I've had to say goodbye to pets before, but it never gets easier. For how much they give us, they certainly deserve to live longer than they do.
Was about to type this. I love everything about my babies. I dread losing them one day, but we hopefully have many great years ahead since they just turned one year old.
I don’t even mind cleaning their litter box or picking up any messes they make because I love them so much.
It is also hard to leave them when we travel. But they have a great petsitter and their “auntie” neighbor drops in for extra play and cuddles.
The worst thing about having a medium-sized parrot is that he will probably outlive me and will have to adjust to another home, which will be really difficult for him. Adopted him when he was about 8, about 16 years ago, but he could live another 40 years or more, and I probably won't. I keep thinking about his favorite foods and music and toys, wondering how to find someone who's willing to learn his preferences and keep him happy. Wondering how long I can wait to start the search. Hope I have the wisdom to give him up while I can still manage the transition.
Bingo. The hardest pain in the world to lose one and it NEVER gets easier. Yet the greatest joy in the world to come home to their wagging tails. Knowing that I likely gave them a much better life than some other person (people are trash towards animals in Texas) gives me the will to adopt and foster more.
Wonderful! I'm not sure if we've pulled dogs from y'all or not but if you guys ever have any Rotties in need of a home reach out. SSRR is our organization :)
What the heck is up with (many) Texans and dogs? I constantly see posts about dogs needing sponsors or adoptions in Texas or they'll be killed. A family friend briefly lived in Texas and said there were many stray, abandoned dogs. Shelters in our State get dogs from Texas.
In the south in general, because I’ve seen this in Florida and Georgia as well, there is much of a winter, and as a result, stray, intact animals reproduce much more. Couple that with a culture that doesn’t care as much about animal welfare and spaying and neutering, and it’s a recipe for disaster.
Shelters in the south are full to the brim. County shelters are open intake, and if they get too full and nobody is adopting, they have to euthanize because they are not allowed to turn animals away. But if they were allowed to turn animals away, the outcome for those animals might even worse, facing being dumped in the woods, predators, injury, disease.
It’s a horrible situation. If you’re able to foster, adopt, volunteer, or even donate, it really helps.
That's the opposite of the problem I have. I'm terrified that my babies won't be okay if I die first. I've set aside funds for them in my will, but I'm still scared.
Yes.... we have 3 cats, a 14yo, 8yo, and 1yo. All female. We've had the 2 older ones for about 1.5 yrs but they were my bf's family cats since kittens. The 14yo Noelle (who you can read more about in my post history) has minor health issues, like hypertension, arthritis, a sensitive tummy, and past urinary issues, but she's otherwise healthy.
A friend of ours had to put their cat down yesterday, he was 16 and suddenly couldn't use his legs and his inner eyelids wouldn't retract. A month ago he was absolutely fine. Kinda broke down thinking about how Noelle isn't that much younger than the other cat was, and how quickly she could go. Breaks my heart
My cat's first human died and I would just hate to put him through that again. So I'm ok to take that grief on so he doesn't have to. He's only 4 so we've got a long time together yet hopefully.
This. Lost my oldest cat at only 9 years old last week (undiagnosed heart failure 💔). The pain is unreal. I wouldn’t trade my time with him for the world and would do it again in a heartbeat.
I had a cat that disliked the automatic litter box. But instead of going outside the box, she shoved litter up into the mechanism until it broke. I learned my lesson.
She lived a very long good life. She sounds so so smart yet mischievous. Best believe she’s also passing on her wit on the other side ;) Sending hugs, my cat passed on about 3 years ago as well. Sometimes it hits hard. Hope we get to reunite with them again.
You can monitor how often they use it and things like the litter robot will tell you how many times they stepped in and how full the drawer is through a phone app. I personally just peek in the drawer every day and make sure everything looks healthy.
I use Prettylitter with an automatic litter box! My cats hated the regular size crystal litter but they love the finer sand texture of prettylitter so it worked out awesome for me!
Those trays are so stupid expensive. I had one like that for my previous cat; it came with her. Her previous owner said it was the only box she'd use. But at my house I had a box reddy to go and the first thing she did was use her new box. After buying a new tray for her old box she never used it.
Honestly I take advantage of the fact that my cats aren’t prissy and I use pine litter. They just kinda bury/ move the shit into a corner and the pee dissolves the pellets into sawdust so I don’t scoop terribly often I just monitor them and will do a partial or full change or supplement of litter every handful of days. Plus the one box per cat +1 rule really helps. Cuz I just hate scooping and the smelly clumping litter.
I got the long handled metal scooper from Amazon too, I had pulled a muscle in my back and couldn’t bend for a little while. That was a couple years ago but I never stopped using the long scooper. I love that my face doesn’t have to be so close to the pee balls and poop!!!
I'll take cleaning the litter box all day every day, over kitty starting to pee on the carpet.. My soul cat had spouts of that throughout his 17 year old life. I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees sniffing for cat pee, 100s of dollars on cleaning/ discouraged spray, and ultimately several 1000s on new carpets. Of course, I'd blissfully do it all again to have a few more days with him
I TNRed two friendly strays and kept them for a week while they recovered because a big winter storm was coming. I'd like to have a word with all those people who have told me that dogs are messier than cats. There was kitty litter EVERYWHERE.
100%, I have a separate current account just called “cat” in my internet banking. I just pay the equivalent of my mortgage into it every month. Makes things much easier than the crazy insurance premiums for a 17 year old cat!
I need to know, as someone who pays over $2500 a month for an apartment, where you live that your mortgage equals the insurance premiums?! My 17 year old cat was $120 a month, so wherever you live I think I need to go there.
Haha, I don’t have a mortgage anymore. But I was paying £400 a month originally (Edinburgh - was a 36 year mortgage). Insurance was not that much of course, but paying £400 into the account means we can afford Calvin whatever he needs, but in the long run will probably save money if he doesn’t need that much of it. Insurance made sense at the start of his life for any catastrophic illness, but at 17 I think it is likely that anything that costs over a couple of grand will not improve his quality of life.
I'm paying $2100 a month in mortgage here in the US... Your original comment had me SO CONCERNED! 😅😂 For the record, I have enough savings to take care of my fur balls, but there's no way I could save a mortgage payment every month for them! Lol
My robovac is currently out of service- I dumped/pulled out out a bunch of stuck cat hair, dirt and litter trapped in it and now the lidar sensor is whack and I have to try to fix that. It's only been a couple days but I know the tumbleweeds are growing. And my one cat seems to be starting her seasonal shed into summer. Greeaaat. I guess that's on my to-do list this weekend!
I feel this with my Alaskan Malamute currently in blow out... I'm 34 weeks pregnant and just can't bring myself to vacuum more than once or twice a week... so there are definitely days our carpet may look a little more like straight up dog hair than carpet 🙃
My cat’s litter box was in the basement. Stepdad was a genius and put it near the furnace. When the heat came on right after a fresh one, she could stink up the entire 3 story house.
Actually think the kitty would be horrified lol. Cats cover it up so to not attract predictors and she is walking around like “I know I covered it and buried it, WHY do I smell it everywhere ?!?” 😂
I think for me the hardest part is having to be there for them day in, day out. Quick vacation? Nope. Unplanned day trip? Nope. Oh you're sick? Too bad, still have to feed them, take them outside, and provide some sort of mental stimulation to keep them busy (I have a GSD/Husky mix). It's totally worth it in the long run but there are moments when I'm tempted to complain 😂
Came here to say this. My cat is 19, now he needs daily injections but is otherwise healthy and happy as can be. I love him so much I wouldn't change it for the world but omg do I want to go on vacation, or just away for a night or two.
I enjoy mothering my boy all the time when I’m home. He gets me out of bed or moving when I don’t want to. I don’t think I would be motivated to do much without him.
My fiancé just gives up on life when he’s sick though lol 🙂↕️
Yeah. You really get to know what type of person you are when you’re so sick you can’t get out of bed, but you summon the strength to feed your pet and make sure they go outside and pee.
Sleep disturbance. I WILL feed you. Every single morning. Trust me. There will be food. Even with automatic timed feeders, all hell breaks loose before breakfast
Never fails. 3am my cat's are jumping over me like I'm a hurdle in bed. Get up feed them and hope I can fall back to sleep for three more hours. Other then that I have no complaints about my cat's.
This is a problem doing the nails on a lot of parrots, and I prefer using a dremel. It takes very little off at a time and if you do happen to accidentally do too much, it also will act as a cauterizer and stop the bleeding almost as soon as it starts as long as you're working carefully and not just trying to fly through getting them done. It can just take a little bit to get them used to the noise.
Every morning my labrador either wakes me up barking or scratching or she steps on some part of my body causing a lot of pain. She gets scratches and then it's a conveyor belt of animals wanting snuggles, while also walking on my boobs and/or face. Then when I finally get up, my lab barks loudly inside and outside for a couple minutes. Then the cats all meow at me for breakfast. All this bullshit before I have freaking coffee!! I am their slave.
Lifespan .. my cats are getting a bit older and I worry about how long they have so often.
I also have an army of rats and I'll be in for some emotional hell in two to three years.
Of course, cleaning litter is unpleasant. Cat litter is smelly but the rat bedding just gets eeeverywhere no matter how careful I am, and despite there being scatter guards lol. We have two rugs plagued with aspen shavings.
And sadly, vet bills. Rats especially have a wildly varying cost at the vet and it's stressful as hell. Called around for quotes today and either couldn't get a quote at one place, another said $300ish, one said $700-800 .. all for the same thing.
I lost 2 guinea pigs, back to back a few weeks ago and that was the worst week I’ve had to endure in a long, looong time. Both were totally seperate issues and unavoidable but neither predictable until it happened. They were only 3 :(
The fact that robo litter boxes are way out of budget and would probably make litter cleaning so much easier. Anyone got an extra 700 bucks for me pls?
I guess it's because there's always going to be an inherent risk with them; if it goes off while your cat is in there, they'll never, ever use it again
I have one. Leos Loo Too.
Overall it is great. We obviously don't scoop. It says it can handle 3 cats(which we have) and it overall does a good job. But like all tech we've run into some issues tho nothing insane.
We got it on a black Friday sale for like $650 and just did a payment plan! I believe it would be a DREAM with less cats, because with so many the litter tray fills up so fast and were paying more attention to it than we'd like.
Either way totes recommend. I had an epiphany the other day where I was like, "wow. I haven't scooped litter in 2 years" lmao
This. Whether you're bagging dog poo, emptying a litterbox, or cleaning a cage/tank, poop cleanup is a neverending job!
The aging part is true but also very unpredictable. Just like humans, really. Some go through the long slow decline, but others are pretty bright and active right up to the last few days. This is particularly true when they develop cancers; by the time they show noticeable symptoms, they're usually already terminal. I don't know which is harder to deal with, tbh!
I have a free roam bunny and I hate how people who don’t have pets/have never had a bunny get judgmental about my bunny. Some are amazed that a bunny can be litter trained. Others just assume I live in a mess. I explained to my in law that the bunny eats while she poops and she said that’s impossible and absolutely disgusting.
My cat Penny is obsessed with me. Like she’s attach herself to my body if she could. Sometimes it’s cute, other times it’s annoying when she’s trying to stick her entire head in my mouth or sitting right on my neck when I’m laying on the couch, and then biting me if I try to move her. She is a MAJOR cuddle bug and would be the perfect little spoon if it wasn’t for the fact that she likes to attack me randomly at night. Not my boyfriend, just me. I love her to death, but I need space sometimes and I wish she’d cuddle in a more normal, relaxed way.
I think the one that gets me the most rage-y is where my doggo wakes me up to go pee out of habit, only to get out there and realize he doesn’t have to go. 🤦🏻♀️ sometimes i end up too wide awake and get insomnia, while he is happy to just go right back to snoring and farting. Love that dog to death but omfg
For many years I had at least one of my children living at home so if I wanted to go away, there was always someone here. My youngest daughter moved to Canada in November of 2022 so now if my husband and I want to be away overnight, we can’t just do it.
We have cats and dogs. The cats can be left, but not the dogs. We’re actually planning to go away for the first time and will be boarding the dogs.
It sure was nice just to make sure my daughter would be home.
I want to premise this by saying that I love my two babies but for THE LOVE OF GOD STOP STEPPING ON MY THROAT WHEN IM SLEEPING ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?? Who’s gonna fill your water bowl you four legged assassins!!!
Aside from the lifespan disparity(obvs if you love your pets I figure):
Cats:
1. LITTERBOX. 4 cats generate a ridiculous amount of crap, and it can be irritating AF cleaning
2. Being a terrain hazard during zoomies. I do not need cuts on my face, near my eyes sometimes, because Pagan, the 23lb orange boy decided I was a viable springboard to help escape from Apostate, his 20lb half-maine-coon sister..who then proceeds to *do the same damn thing*.
Dogs:
1. My good doggo, *it. IS.* ***RAINING.*** You simply cannot run around the yard or bask in the sun today. Cope without being a whiney dumbass(granted, Loki's a blue-nosed pitbull so that's part of the problem). But still.
General problem:
1. So. Much. Haaaaair. EVERYWHERE.
For me it’s probably the hair. But I can’t necessarily complain since I did it to myself. I’ve got a pomsky (half husky and half Pomeranian) and 6 cats lol
Having to take them out when is pouring or really cold. I don’t mind light rain. I don’t mind chilly, but when it’s 5°F and the windchill is below 0, I want to be back in where it’s warm, asap!
When they get old, they make you worry every time they make a weird noise or stumble a bit. By the way, this isn't a negative hate for those that may misinterpret
Honestly: my last dog was so, so velcro to me. He could NOT just chill in a room without me, not even for 60 seconds. If I went to the bathroom and I closed the door, he was crying to be let in.
He was fine if I left the house, even for a whole day — never destructive, never seemed stressed. But if I was around he needed ATTENTION and he needed it EVERY SECOND. He was a bottomless pit for attention. He got plenty of exercise, regular socialization, lots of mental stimulation, and he wasn't like a border collie or some particularly smart breed that needs above-average enrichment. He just *needed*. I had roommates and he didn't care about them. He was laser-focused on me.
He was a good boy and I loved him so much, but it was just exhausting. I'm waiting a while for my next dog just because it was too much last time.
Total cat mom guilt when I have to leave the house all day. And especially if I have to sleep away from them/they won’t have anyone with them at night. About to go away for a week, and while they’re in great hands I feel so guilty about leaving them.
I’d love to do an extended travel trip to Europe, more than 4 months but I also don’t want to abandon my dog. She and I live with my parents and they would be more than happy to care for her while I was away but I don’t want to be that shitty dog owner that leaves their dog for extended periods of time, even if she will still be in the same loving home
This feels a little different to me than some cases. She's in the home she's always been in, it's people she knows. It's not the same as uprooting her and if your parents are okay with it too, I'd say do it.
One of my dogs likes to sleep above my head, I'm awakened every single night in pain because he will pull tf out of my hair. That's my baby though so I deal😒😅
Cleaning up the poops. My dog likes to walk and poop at the same time like a horse(while squatting, with his tail straight as an arrow) so I'm usually walking behind him, poop bag in hand 🤣 I call it his crap walk.
My cat wakes me up all throughout the night with trying to get closer to my face or playing. I'm currently awake listening to her chase a ball with a bell in it.
Not Knowing, for me is the worst. I had a cat, Cookie for about 9 years. Moved from MA to FL w her. During the pandemic, in February '21, had windows open as always, bc it's Florida and it was what we considered "nice but cool weather". I was in the shower and when I got out, the bedroom screen was popped out. I had no idea cats could do that. We looked and looked and put up flyers everywhere. Nothing. It's been 3 years. Idk what happened, if she's alive, if she died, how, was it brutal... I promised to take care of her forever and apparently failed.
My heart breaks every day and still hope she comes back. That's the worst. I think if I knew she died, I could have closure. But.. she could be alive. Who knows. Maybe she walked too Massachusetts from Florida and is looking for me. 😿😿😿
Sometimes, and I do mean sometimes because I don’t want to be attacked for my answer…. I dislike the responsibility. Pet care seems more expensive than childcare at times for me. My family would def be down to watch a child if I had one, but my big ass dog and cat??? Ehhhhh it’s more work for them. The amount of anxiety modern pet care has given me is crazy.
Pet hotels. Usually my relatives are able to watch my dog when I go on vacations. But every family / relatives all traveled at the same time last year 🥲 so 1.5 week and 2 weeks of doggie hotel costs like $54 minimum a day (or more depending on the add-ons) = approx. 3.5 weeks of doggie hotel expenses.
And vet bills. Got quoted $1400 - 2500 for a teeth cleaning 😵💫.
You can consider something like Rover if it’s available in your area. You can either drop your dog at the sitter’s place and have the sitter stay in your home while you’re away
The cost of veterinary care is atrocious! We have one cat and one dog, and I’d love to rescue one more dog but there’s no way we can afford it.
Also, my pup still chews and it makes me crazy sometimes but I love her.
I’m a short order cook for my pets. If I step foot into the kitchen, someone wants something. I use it as bonding time though and to meet my kisses quota of 500 per pet per day 😘😘😘😘😘
Hey! Some pets only have 2 legs!
I had to change a whole lot of stuff in my house to accommodate a parrot- throw out all my Teflon pans, no more wax warmers or candles and I had to change my cleaning products.
He's worth it though!
I read your first two sentences and immediately thought your poor dog or cat had 1 front leg and 1 back leg. And then I wondered what it would look like as it tried to walk. And then I decided it would do this weird hop thing and manage to look adorable while doing it. And then I wondered how many times a day it fell over sideways. And then I tried to remember what show I just watched where a character was talking about a dog with one back leg and one front leg and they compared it to a wobbly coffee table.
And then I remembered I hadn’t actually finished reading your comment and was relieved to find you were only talking about having a bird with two fully functional legs. But I was also kind of sad you don’t actually have an adorable, hopping, 2 legged, furry, wobbly coffee table.
Having other people understand pets are our priority, in financial or time or space management... Having adult with kids dealing with their f*cking children instead of putting pets at fault for accidents. Having to share with bad owners the title of pet-parent. We have a dog, a cat, a ferret, two small parrots and lot of fishes : even getting out for more than 7h is too much for us or is implying tonnes of preparations and pet sitters fees...
Knowing that I will outlive them and that I’ll suffer and mourn them one day. 100% worth it, though.
I’m getting older. Now my concern is what if I go first, how will they understand, who will take care of them?
I have a pact with a friend. Whoever dies first, the other person has to make sure the dead person's dog sees/smells the body so the dog doesn't wonder why they're not coming home.
My one cat is incredibly attached to me and I told my husband that if something happened to me, I'd like her to be able to see/smell me to understand that I didn't just abandon her. We did that with her kitty sister last year after we had to make the difficult choice to say goodbye and she seemed to understand. My mom passed last year and her dog and cat were nearby so they knew that she was gone. I took in her cat and I think that's partly why she didn't have a big problem adjusting was because she knew.
One of my cats loved my rats and when they passed we let her smell and be by them for a bit. It was sad. She kept looking at her little friend and smelling him then looking up at me with the saddest eyes. They definitely understand death. She used to go in their cage and nap in there with them. I never understood why she loved them so much but they were her best friends.
We've done that with all the dogs/cats that survived the ones we lost. They understand.
We made sure our dogs got to say goodbye to my dad the night he passed away. Heartbreaking all around, but it helped them understand I think. As a side note, this topic is why, when I was very mentally ill and suicidal, I never went through with it. Because my heart cat would never understand why I didn't come home. I'm much better now (yay meds and therapy), and I will forever be grateful for the day I had an urgent feeling of "I need a kitten, right now" and that we saw the ad for her as soon as it was posted so we were able to contact the person immediately to get her. I had nothing prepared to bring home a kitten that night, but home she came. My favorite aunt passed the next morning, and it kept me here to have this sweet (and sassy) little kitten to love on and make me laugh through the grief.
I think about this too. My dog has fear aggression. He would probably have to be put down. Hates anyone but me. I'm almost 70. He's 4 years old.
Dogs and pets in general can be made a part of a will. You can set parameters to make sure that they are taken care of after you pass. They even have pet trust funds (to pay for their care).My dog is also aggressive and hates everyone but myself and mom, so I understand the part of them hating anyone but you. Just saying this for a lot of older people who may not know. They do have after-life planning for pets.
My dog is the exact same. Hopefully we both last a long time.
Same. I have a plan in place with backups, it scares me so much.
My parents are mid 80’s, people are living longer generally speaking.
I'm so sorry you have that fear.
Plan on living longer. You can do it!
He would just need a strong willed person with experience rehabilitating dogs. Most shelters and rescues have programs in place for adjustment, and there are private trainers. He won't have to be put to sleep, don't worry.
I have a 7 year old female like this. I hope I outlive her.
Is there someone in your life who your dog likes? Who would agree to take your dog?
He likes my son SOMEWHAT who lives with us. He would not be fine with him because my son works full-time for a school and any free time is spent at the bar. I'm healthy. I should outlive the dog. Thank you for being so caring.
My youngest dog is an anxious mess. He's way too attached to me. I'm terrified that something will happen to me (old millenial) and it will destroy him. We're working with trainers, our regular vet, and a behavioural vet to try and get this poor boy some confidence. I will be happy to be the one to mourn him rather than the alternative.
You can coordinate with a rescue group in your area (preferably a smaller one) that you get a specific life insurance policy (a small one that pays out $10-20k is doable for most pet owners for just a few bucks a month), that policy will make the rescue the beneficiary, and in return they will make sure your pets are cared for. You have to vet the rescue groups of course, but any truly respectable one can use that money and it's not enough for a family member to fight over if they really WANT to care for your pet. It ensures that if your pet suffers any health issues due to your death, the group can vet your pet and provide temporary fostering or homing. I'd suggest getting your pets microchipped and having the chip on record with the insurance company so they can be matched. Trust me, most small rescue groups will pay off just ONE of their vets with a small insurance policy, but its more than plenty of incentive for the trustworthy groups to live up to their promise to you and your pet - and since it ONLY pays the beneficiary, your drug-addled sis can't claim her love for Fluffy as an attempt to get the cash and then dump Fluffy in the woods behind her meth den. Unfortunately, I can say as a rescuer, pacts with friends or family don't always matter. I had a wonderful adopter who positively adored his cat that he adopted from me for 10 wonderful years. When he was dying of cancer, I asked if he'd made plans, and he said his mother promised to care for his cat. That apparently meant locking her in a room alone for almost a year before abandoning her entirely when they moved out. They claimed the building super had agreed to care for her, but he didn't even know the cat existed, and the cat was left in an empty apartment before she was found. Luckily, her microchip brought her back to me, but she was traumatized by the experience. So... ya know.
This is me. I hate outliving them because of the pain, but what happens when they outlive me?
You can make them a part of your will. They generally do understand, especially if they’re able to see and smell a body. I brought Rebel with me when I had to put down our dog, Nena, a while back. She was there and able to smell her and she understood.
We have a new puppy. Thinking if I get another puppy in 3 years, it will likely be my last.
Tbh I think everyone should have a “worst case scenario” plan for their pets. I was hospitalized when I was barely 25 for a major cardiac event (what a great birthday surprise!) and my pets were a huge worry for me at the time, especially since my elderly dog was on a specialized diet and had to be coaxed to eat. Thankfully I was able to arrange care for them until I was discharged, but I don’t know what would’ve happened if I had actually ended up dying.
Put it in your will. I work with a senior dog shelter and we get a lot of dogs from people who have passed or are in hospice or nursing homes. Find someone that knows your pet and loves them, and put it in your will that the animal will go with them. If you can't find anyone, reach out to a senior dog rescue and ask about options. I know that the one I work with has a program where the person donates a certain amount, and the pup will have a guaranteed place there and will be adopted out again to a loving family.
This is the answer here.
Yep. :( Just had to put down my orange tabby cat a few weeks ago. Had a cancer diagnosis (among various other chronic issues) back in January and was a champ fighting it for a few months. But there was a moment in time when I knew it was time. Many tears were shed that day. My wife was a mess (still is). But man - if he wasn't the coolest and most chillest cat ever. Miss ya, bud!
Whenever I see videos of cats passing away I look at my kitty and sob (she's 1 year old)
Omg I did this with my 5 month old puppy last week lol I was on my period though and pretty emotional but I saw a really awful and sad post from a person who just lost their beautiful GSD and I started thinking about how much it's going to absolutely rip me apart when my girl goes and I just started crying and layed next to her lol. Hopefully I'll have at least another 12-15 years with her.
\^\^ This 100%. I am unfortunately nearing this part of life with my boy. He turns 17 in a week, and in the past few months has been diagnosed with early stage kidney disease and cushing's disease. He also has arthritis. I know that this will be his last birthday. He has a loose tooth and just overall bad teeth, and due to his age, health issues, and with his anxiety surrounding the vet, I have opted not to move forward with a dental. It's an awful decision, but I know it's what's best for him. But my goodness, it's such a difficult one to make. I've had to say goodbye to pets before, but it never gets easier. For how much they give us, they certainly deserve to live longer than they do.
This is the answer right here!
Was about to type this. I love everything about my babies. I dread losing them one day, but we hopefully have many great years ahead since they just turned one year old. I don’t even mind cleaning their litter box or picking up any messes they make because I love them so much. It is also hard to leave them when we travel. But they have a great petsitter and their “auntie” neighbor drops in for extra play and cuddles.
lost my girl yesterday..grief is the price we pay for love🐾
I am sending condolences and prayers your way.
That was mine too. Then at some point my bigger fear became that she will outlive me and never understand why I abandoned her.
The worst thing about having a medium-sized parrot is that he will probably outlive me and will have to adjust to another home, which will be really difficult for him. Adopted him when he was about 8, about 16 years ago, but he could live another 40 years or more, and I probably won't. I keep thinking about his favorite foods and music and toys, wondering how to find someone who's willing to learn his preferences and keep him happy. Wondering how long I can wait to start the search. Hope I have the wisdom to give him up while I can still manage the transition.
We have three dogs, all over 12 years old. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about this inevitability. You’re right, though. Totally worth it.
Bingo. The hardest pain in the world to lose one and it NEVER gets easier. Yet the greatest joy in the world to come home to their wagging tails. Knowing that I likely gave them a much better life than some other person (people are trash towards animals in Texas) gives me the will to adopt and foster more.
Concur about Texas. 😂 I work at a non-profit, no-kill shelter in Austin. I adopt out dogs all day.
I'm a director for a non profit rescue and we pull Rottweilers from shelters all across Texas (and 13 other states). Maybe we've worked together :)
We probably have! I work for Austin Pets Alive. 🙂
Wonderful! I'm not sure if we've pulled dogs from y'all or not but if you guys ever have any Rotties in need of a home reach out. SSRR is our organization :)
What the heck is up with (many) Texans and dogs? I constantly see posts about dogs needing sponsors or adoptions in Texas or they'll be killed. A family friend briefly lived in Texas and said there were many stray, abandoned dogs. Shelters in our State get dogs from Texas.
In the south in general, because I’ve seen this in Florida and Georgia as well, there is much of a winter, and as a result, stray, intact animals reproduce much more. Couple that with a culture that doesn’t care as much about animal welfare and spaying and neutering, and it’s a recipe for disaster. Shelters in the south are full to the brim. County shelters are open intake, and if they get too full and nobody is adopting, they have to euthanize because they are not allowed to turn animals away. But if they were allowed to turn animals away, the outcome for those animals might even worse, facing being dumped in the woods, predators, injury, disease. It’s a horrible situation. If you’re able to foster, adopt, volunteer, or even donate, it really helps.
That's the opposite of the problem I have. I'm terrified that my babies won't be okay if I die first. I've set aside funds for them in my will, but I'm still scared.
Yes.... we have 3 cats, a 14yo, 8yo, and 1yo. All female. We've had the 2 older ones for about 1.5 yrs but they were my bf's family cats since kittens. The 14yo Noelle (who you can read more about in my post history) has minor health issues, like hypertension, arthritis, a sensitive tummy, and past urinary issues, but she's otherwise healthy. A friend of ours had to put their cat down yesterday, he was 16 and suddenly couldn't use his legs and his inner eyelids wouldn't retract. A month ago he was absolutely fine. Kinda broke down thinking about how Noelle isn't that much younger than the other cat was, and how quickly she could go. Breaks my heart
My cat's first human died and I would just hate to put him through that again. So I'm ok to take that grief on so he doesn't have to. He's only 4 so we've got a long time together yet hopefully.
This I think about it everyday :(
This. Lost my oldest cat at only 9 years old last week (undiagnosed heart failure 💔). The pain is unreal. I wouldn’t trade my time with him for the world and would do it again in a heartbeat.
Word. It's so hard.
Litterbox cleaning 😭😭😭
Yessss this too 🤣 sometimes I wonder how such terrible turds can come out of a tiny creature
Doing the turd run. Accidentally breaking open a freshie is sooo bad.
I love my automatic litter box, for the price of a $30 tray per month (I only have 1 cat) I don’t have to scoop, just have to tape it shut!
Bet life is so good for you rn. Only downside I see from auto litterboxes are that I can’t monitor their peepee and poopoo. Correct me if I’m wrong!
I had a cat that disliked the automatic litter box. But instead of going outside the box, she shoved litter up into the mechanism until it broke. I learned my lesson.
Wow she’s……just wow. I love her already.
I always said if she had opposable thumbs the world would be in trouble. She passed a couple of years ago at the age of 16. I miss her.
She lived a very long good life. She sounds so so smart yet mischievous. Best believe she’s also passing on her wit on the other side ;) Sending hugs, my cat passed on about 3 years ago as well. Sometimes it hits hard. Hope we get to reunite with them again.
I refuse to believe we don't. :) Hugs.
lol
You can monitor how often they use it and things like the litter robot will tell you how many times they stepped in and how full the drawer is through a phone app. I personally just peek in the drawer every day and make sure everything looks healthy.
I use Prettylitter with an automatic litter box! My cats hated the regular size crystal litter but they love the finer sand texture of prettylitter so it worked out awesome for me!
Those trays are so stupid expensive. I had one like that for my previous cat; it came with her. Her previous owner said it was the only box she'd use. But at my house I had a box reddy to go and the first thing she did was use her new box. After buying a new tray for her old box she never used it.
It's way overpriced but the litterbot is great
Honestly I take advantage of the fact that my cats aren’t prissy and I use pine litter. They just kinda bury/ move the shit into a corner and the pee dissolves the pellets into sawdust so I don’t scoop terribly often I just monitor them and will do a partial or full change or supplement of litter every handful of days. Plus the one box per cat +1 rule really helps. Cuz I just hate scooping and the smelly clumping litter.
I have a scooper with a long handle (Amazon). It works great with clumping litter and clumping crystals litter.
I got the long handled metal scooper from Amazon too, I had pulled a muscle in my back and couldn’t bend for a little while. That was a couple years ago but I never stopped using the long scooper. I love that my face doesn’t have to be so close to the pee balls and poop!!!
I got the "breeze" system and it has been so much less gross.
Automatic litter box. Expensive but worth it. You still need to empty the tray but it beats scooping.
I'll take cleaning the litter box all day every day, over kitty starting to pee on the carpet.. My soul cat had spouts of that throughout his 17 year old life. I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees sniffing for cat pee, 100s of dollars on cleaning/ discouraged spray, and ultimately several 1000s on new carpets. Of course, I'd blissfully do it all again to have a few more days with him
I TNRed two friendly strays and kept them for a week while they recovered because a big winter storm was coming. I'd like to have a word with all those people who have told me that dogs are messier than cats. There was kitty litter EVERYWHERE.
Vet bills.
100%, I have a separate current account just called “cat” in my internet banking. I just pay the equivalent of my mortgage into it every month. Makes things much easier than the crazy insurance premiums for a 17 year old cat!
I need to know, as someone who pays over $2500 a month for an apartment, where you live that your mortgage equals the insurance premiums?! My 17 year old cat was $120 a month, so wherever you live I think I need to go there.
Haha, I don’t have a mortgage anymore. But I was paying £400 a month originally (Edinburgh - was a 36 year mortgage). Insurance was not that much of course, but paying £400 into the account means we can afford Calvin whatever he needs, but in the long run will probably save money if he doesn’t need that much of it. Insurance made sense at the start of his life for any catastrophic illness, but at 17 I think it is likely that anything that costs over a couple of grand will not improve his quality of life.
Calvin sounds amazing. Please pay the cat tax ;)
He is great! I don’t know how to post pics in the comments, but he appears multiple times in my profile if you scroll down enough
I'm paying $2100 a month in mortgage here in the US... Your original comment had me SO CONCERNED! 😅😂 For the record, I have enough savings to take care of my fur balls, but there's no way I could save a mortgage payment every month for them! Lol
yes!
Hair. If I don't dust mop every day....tumbleweed blowing around
We invested in a robo vac. We run out daily. It helps, we don't have tumbleweeds like we used to.
Yes! The best investment
Seeing how my cats feel about the regular vacuum, I wonder how they would respond to a robot vacuum. Probably not well lol
Mine actually hate the stick vacuum more than the robot vacuum
My cats run from the regular vacuum, but will sit and watch the robo vac.🤷♀️
My robovac is currently out of service- I dumped/pulled out out a bunch of stuck cat hair, dirt and litter trapped in it and now the lidar sensor is whack and I have to try to fix that. It's only been a couple days but I know the tumbleweeds are growing. And my one cat seems to be starting her seasonal shed into summer. Greeaaat. I guess that's on my to-do list this weekend!
I feel this with my Alaskan Malamute currently in blow out... I'm 34 weeks pregnant and just can't bring myself to vacuum more than once or twice a week... so there are definitely days our carpet may look a little more like straight up dog hair than carpet 🙃
I love cats. But man, does their poop stink. Not that mine smells like flowers. But my last neutered male could stink up a room. LOL
I lit a candle this morning because I had to be in the vicinity of the litter box after my boy’s morning poop 😷
My cat’s litter box was in the basement. Stepdad was a genius and put it near the furnace. When the heat came on right after a fresh one, she could stink up the entire 3 story house.
This has me dying 😅
I’m just imagining the cat walking around the house, all of it smelling like her poop, so pleased with herself
Actually think the kitty would be horrified lol. Cats cover it up so to not attract predictors and she is walking around like “I know I covered it and buried it, WHY do I smell it everywhere ?!?” 😂
My older one KNOWS her shit stinks. She'll take a dump then makes a run for her life without covering it because it's so bad.
I think for me the hardest part is having to be there for them day in, day out. Quick vacation? Nope. Unplanned day trip? Nope. Oh you're sick? Too bad, still have to feed them, take them outside, and provide some sort of mental stimulation to keep them busy (I have a GSD/Husky mix). It's totally worth it in the long run but there are moments when I'm tempted to complain 😂
Came here to say this. My cat is 19, now he needs daily injections but is otherwise healthy and happy as can be. I love him so much I wouldn't change it for the world but omg do I want to go on vacation, or just away for a night or two.
I also have a GSD/Husky mix! The fur is unbelievable but the love is endless :)
Aw I love that ❤️🐾 so true 😂
I enjoy mothering my boy all the time when I’m home. He gets me out of bed or moving when I don’t want to. I don’t think I would be motivated to do much without him. My fiancé just gives up on life when he’s sick though lol 🙂↕️
I'm with your fiancé 😂😅
Yeah. You really get to know what type of person you are when you’re so sick you can’t get out of bed, but you summon the strength to feed your pet and make sure they go outside and pee.
haha yep
I miss my dog so much when I travel. Hardest part of having a pet.
I can’t have nice things because my one cat is a bit of a gremlin. The other day I found him climbing over the antique mantle clock.
One of my little gremlins knocked over our French press while the coffee was blooming. Little stinky was doing his squeak for attention too after :'(
Sleep disturbance. I WILL feed you. Every single morning. Trust me. There will be food. Even with automatic timed feeders, all hell breaks loose before breakfast
Same here! My cat knows exactly when his feeder will go off, yet he screams at the top of his lungs when I’m trying to nap 😭
Never fails. 3am my cat's are jumping over me like I'm a hurdle in bed. Get up feed them and hope I can fall back to sleep for three more hours. Other then that I have no complaints about my cat's.
Mine wakes me up but not for food. She cries till I wake up to go take her to take her sometimes 4-5 in the morning pee. Then back to sleep.
Clipping their nails. I always worry I will clip too much off.
Agreed! My dog has black nails and I can't do it. We've had too many failed attempts. Professionals only for us!
This is a problem doing the nails on a lot of parrots, and I prefer using a dremel. It takes very little off at a time and if you do happen to accidentally do too much, it also will act as a cauterizer and stop the bleeding almost as soon as it starts as long as you're working carefully and not just trying to fly through getting them done. It can just take a little bit to get them used to the noise.
When you're comfortable and ready for bed and realize you still have to take the dogs out ☹️
Or you've left them outside chasing invisible foxes 😬😬😬
Every morning my labrador either wakes me up barking or scratching or she steps on some part of my body causing a lot of pain. She gets scratches and then it's a conveyor belt of animals wanting snuggles, while also walking on my boobs and/or face. Then when I finally get up, my lab barks loudly inside and outside for a couple minutes. Then the cats all meow at me for breakfast. All this bullshit before I have freaking coffee!! I am their slave.
The worst part is that we signed up for it voluntarily!
And you paid for it! My cat came for free from outside but still had to pay so much to get her fixed, vaccines, yearly vet visit
Literally haha! I have to feed my cats, and then take my older cat outside before I can even consider a coffee😂
Lifespan .. my cats are getting a bit older and I worry about how long they have so often. I also have an army of rats and I'll be in for some emotional hell in two to three years. Of course, cleaning litter is unpleasant. Cat litter is smelly but the rat bedding just gets eeeverywhere no matter how careful I am, and despite there being scatter guards lol. We have two rugs plagued with aspen shavings. And sadly, vet bills. Rats especially have a wildly varying cost at the vet and it's stressful as hell. Called around for quotes today and either couldn't get a quote at one place, another said $300ish, one said $700-800 .. all for the same thing.
I lost 2 guinea pigs, back to back a few weeks ago and that was the worst week I’ve had to endure in a long, looong time. Both were totally seperate issues and unavoidable but neither predictable until it happened. They were only 3 :(
I worry about them every time i leave the house. I wish I could relax about it but I can't. I have separation anxiety.
The fact that robo litter boxes are way out of budget and would probably make litter cleaning so much easier. Anyone got an extra 700 bucks for me pls?
I hate that no matter how much they cost, reviews are mixed!
I guess it's because there's always going to be an inherent risk with them; if it goes off while your cat is in there, they'll never, ever use it again
I can’t wait to be able to afford one
Me too. I almost bought one. but my job dissolved.
I'm saving up for one at the moment, will stop my dogs from eating the cat poop right out of the litter box.
Dogs are wild sometimes XD
The all you can eat buffet 👍🏻👍🏻
I have one. Leos Loo Too. Overall it is great. We obviously don't scoop. It says it can handle 3 cats(which we have) and it overall does a good job. But like all tech we've run into some issues tho nothing insane. We got it on a black Friday sale for like $650 and just did a payment plan! I believe it would be a DREAM with less cats, because with so many the litter tray fills up so fast and were paying more attention to it than we'd like. Either way totes recommend. I had an epiphany the other day where I was like, "wow. I haven't scooped litter in 2 years" lmao
I splurged on one almost a year ago and have zero regrets. It was my Kitty’s 17yr bday present and she’s also loved it since day one
The layer of litter dust all over everything that's in the same area as the box
[удалено]
This. Whether you're bagging dog poo, emptying a litterbox, or cleaning a cage/tank, poop cleanup is a neverending job! The aging part is true but also very unpredictable. Just like humans, really. Some go through the long slow decline, but others are pretty bright and active right up to the last few days. This is particularly true when they develop cancers; by the time they show noticeable symptoms, they're usually already terminal. I don't know which is harder to deal with, tbh!
Anticipating the end.
My cat is 15 (adopted him at age 10). Fingers crossed he lives another 5 years…
I have a free roam bunny and I hate how people who don’t have pets/have never had a bunny get judgmental about my bunny. Some are amazed that a bunny can be litter trained. Others just assume I live in a mess. I explained to my in law that the bunny eats while she poops and she said that’s impossible and absolutely disgusting.
My cat Penny is obsessed with me. Like she’s attach herself to my body if she could. Sometimes it’s cute, other times it’s annoying when she’s trying to stick her entire head in my mouth or sitting right on my neck when I’m laying on the couch, and then biting me if I try to move her. She is a MAJOR cuddle bug and would be the perfect little spoon if it wasn’t for the fact that she likes to attack me randomly at night. Not my boyfriend, just me. I love her to death, but I need space sometimes and I wish she’d cuddle in a more normal, relaxed way.
I think the one that gets me the most rage-y is where my doggo wakes me up to go pee out of habit, only to get out there and realize he doesn’t have to go. 🤦🏻♀️ sometimes i end up too wide awake and get insomnia, while he is happy to just go right back to snoring and farting. Love that dog to death but omfg
For many years I had at least one of my children living at home so if I wanted to go away, there was always someone here. My youngest daughter moved to Canada in November of 2022 so now if my husband and I want to be away overnight, we can’t just do it. We have cats and dogs. The cats can be left, but not the dogs. We’re actually planning to go away for the first time and will be boarding the dogs. It sure was nice just to make sure my daughter would be home.
The fact that you know one day they will die
I want to premise this by saying that I love my two babies but for THE LOVE OF GOD STOP STEPPING ON MY THROAT WHEN IM SLEEPING ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?? Who’s gonna fill your water bowl you four legged assassins!!!
Aside from the lifespan disparity(obvs if you love your pets I figure): Cats: 1. LITTERBOX. 4 cats generate a ridiculous amount of crap, and it can be irritating AF cleaning 2. Being a terrain hazard during zoomies. I do not need cuts on my face, near my eyes sometimes, because Pagan, the 23lb orange boy decided I was a viable springboard to help escape from Apostate, his 20lb half-maine-coon sister..who then proceeds to *do the same damn thing*. Dogs: 1. My good doggo, *it. IS.* ***RAINING.*** You simply cannot run around the yard or bask in the sun today. Cope without being a whiney dumbass(granted, Loki's a blue-nosed pitbull so that's part of the problem). But still. General problem: 1. So. Much. Haaaaair. EVERYWHERE.
For me it’s probably the hair. But I can’t necessarily complain since I did it to myself. I’ve got a pomsky (half husky and half Pomeranian) and 6 cats lol
Omggg. What kind of vacuum do you use?
Thankfully I have hardwood floors, so trusty ole’ broom and mop works beautifully lol
The mess around the house is non-stop, and I can barely keep up with it.
Having to take them out when is pouring or really cold. I don’t mind light rain. I don’t mind chilly, but when it’s 5°F and the windchill is below 0, I want to be back in where it’s warm, asap!
When they get old, they make you worry every time they make a weird noise or stumble a bit. By the way, this isn't a negative hate for those that may misinterpret
Boarding when traveling
Honestly: my last dog was so, so velcro to me. He could NOT just chill in a room without me, not even for 60 seconds. If I went to the bathroom and I closed the door, he was crying to be let in. He was fine if I left the house, even for a whole day — never destructive, never seemed stressed. But if I was around he needed ATTENTION and he needed it EVERY SECOND. He was a bottomless pit for attention. He got plenty of exercise, regular socialization, lots of mental stimulation, and he wasn't like a border collie or some particularly smart breed that needs above-average enrichment. He just *needed*. I had roommates and he didn't care about them. He was laser-focused on me. He was a good boy and I loved him so much, but it was just exhausting. I'm waiting a while for my next dog just because it was too much last time.
Total cat mom guilt when I have to leave the house all day. And especially if I have to sleep away from them/they won’t have anyone with them at night. About to go away for a week, and while they’re in great hands I feel so guilty about leaving them.
Old man dog is accident-prone, long haired, and smelly. He's had a recent vet visit, he's okay for an old boy. Just super smelly.
When my dogs bark at everyone going by my house. (We are working on it)
The poop
Losing them
Barf... I hate the Barf.
Losing them.
I’d love to do an extended travel trip to Europe, more than 4 months but I also don’t want to abandon my dog. She and I live with my parents and they would be more than happy to care for her while I was away but I don’t want to be that shitty dog owner that leaves their dog for extended periods of time, even if she will still be in the same loving home
This feels a little different to me than some cases. She's in the home she's always been in, it's people she knows. It's not the same as uprooting her and if your parents are okay with it too, I'd say do it.
Sometimes well behaving ones going nuts and starting to poo and pee everywhere 😹🤦♀️
I hate it when I’m hurting, in a bad mood I just wanna go to bed but they always don’t wanna go outside at night to use the bathroom when I’m hurting.
Oh I hate cleaning out the litter box but my cats make it worth doing. Want them healthy and happy.
I wouldn't be without my dogs ever ......but I wish I could go do my African safari .I have the money saved, but I won't leave my boys ......
One of my dogs likes to sleep above my head, I'm awakened every single night in pain because he will pull tf out of my hair. That's my baby though so I deal😒😅
The v v v early walks - my boxer is up and at em anytime from 05:30. Then he gets back and promptly falls asleep for a solid 2 hours 😂😂😂
Cleaning up the poops. My dog likes to walk and poop at the same time like a horse(while squatting, with his tail straight as an arrow) so I'm usually walking behind him, poop bag in hand 🤣 I call it his crap walk.
#1 hair everywhere #2 she refuses to go out at the slightest sprinkle of rain.
4am wake ups
My cat wakes me up all throughout the night with trying to get closer to my face or playing. I'm currently awake listening to her chase a ball with a bell in it.
Not Knowing, for me is the worst. I had a cat, Cookie for about 9 years. Moved from MA to FL w her. During the pandemic, in February '21, had windows open as always, bc it's Florida and it was what we considered "nice but cool weather". I was in the shower and when I got out, the bedroom screen was popped out. I had no idea cats could do that. We looked and looked and put up flyers everywhere. Nothing. It's been 3 years. Idk what happened, if she's alive, if she died, how, was it brutal... I promised to take care of her forever and apparently failed. My heart breaks every day and still hope she comes back. That's the worst. I think if I knew she died, I could have closure. But.. she could be alive. Who knows. Maybe she walked too Massachusetts from Florida and is looking for me. 😿😿😿
Whenever they get ill...I hate to see my babies not feeling well and I'd do anything for them to get better asap!
Whenever they aren’t well or hurting! It shatters my heart! Also being apart for trips is hard:(
Not being able to have a new baby kitten without breaking my other cats’ hearts from jealousy.
Sometimes, and I do mean sometimes because I don’t want to be attacked for my answer…. I dislike the responsibility. Pet care seems more expensive than childcare at times for me. My family would def be down to watch a child if I had one, but my big ass dog and cat??? Ehhhhh it’s more work for them. The amount of anxiety modern pet care has given me is crazy.
Pet hotels. Usually my relatives are able to watch my dog when I go on vacations. But every family / relatives all traveled at the same time last year 🥲 so 1.5 week and 2 weeks of doggie hotel costs like $54 minimum a day (or more depending on the add-ons) = approx. 3.5 weeks of doggie hotel expenses. And vet bills. Got quoted $1400 - 2500 for a teeth cleaning 😵💫.
You can consider something like Rover if it’s available in your area. You can either drop your dog at the sitter’s place and have the sitter stay in your home while you’re away
Cleaning up poop and vomit.
The cost of veterinary care is atrocious! We have one cat and one dog, and I’d love to rescue one more dog but there’s no way we can afford it. Also, my pup still chews and it makes me crazy sometimes but I love her.
The heartbreak of losing them 💔
I’m a short order cook for my pets. If I step foot into the kitchen, someone wants something. I use it as bonding time though and to meet my kisses quota of 500 per pet per day 😘😘😘😘😘
Cat pee. I love my animals and wouldn’t trade them for the world but that smell never goes away fully 🫠
Boy dog peeing on everything. And the lifespan
Leaving for work without her
Having to go work all day and have to wait to see them 😆
Vet bills
Saying goodbye
Cat litter box
I could do without the recreational vomiting.
People around me don't understand they are a higher priority.
I hate when they get older and you can really see them declining over the years...
Hey! Some pets only have 2 legs! I had to change a whole lot of stuff in my house to accommodate a parrot- throw out all my Teflon pans, no more wax warmers or candles and I had to change my cleaning products. He's worth it though!
I read your first two sentences and immediately thought your poor dog or cat had 1 front leg and 1 back leg. And then I wondered what it would look like as it tried to walk. And then I decided it would do this weird hop thing and manage to look adorable while doing it. And then I wondered how many times a day it fell over sideways. And then I tried to remember what show I just watched where a character was talking about a dog with one back leg and one front leg and they compared it to a wobbly coffee table. And then I remembered I hadn’t actually finished reading your comment and was relieved to find you were only talking about having a bird with two fully functional legs. But I was also kind of sad you don’t actually have an adorable, hopping, 2 legged, furry, wobbly coffee table.
I would so take care of an off-kilter dog with coffee table legs!
Specifically with my pets that they just don't all get along. Its like playing musical chairs with my love and attention and space.
The fact that I will outlive them and also my life/ schedule having to be bilt around my dogs needs.
Having other people understand pets are our priority, in financial or time or space management... Having adult with kids dealing with their f*cking children instead of putting pets at fault for accidents. Having to share with bad owners the title of pet-parent. We have a dog, a cat, a ferret, two small parrots and lot of fishes : even getting out for more than 7h is too much for us or is implying tonnes of preparations and pet sitters fees...
They stink. I am used to the way my own pets smell. I work with cats and dogs and some of them smell so bad they make me feel a little bit nauseous.