Pet talk

A lot of friends know i love cats...well, i love all furry, warm blooded animals (mostly) but given the time and space constraint, cats would have to do, for now.

When friends are thinking of getting one, they'd ask me...whether i have any to give away or know of where to get one. Thing is, most people only want handsome pan asian looking ones, usually all scrubbed up and nice smelling ready to be taken home.

A few weeks ago, this person asked me if i have any to spare...a friend of a friend is looking for a couple. I said, why don't you tell your friend of a friend to go to the market? There are cats young and old waiting for their forever homes. They don't ask for much...only 2 square meals per day, and a safe place to sleep...no little children to poke at them while they take a nap or adults that kick them out of the way...or do stray cats ever take 40 winks? They need to be constantly looking for scraps to fill their tummies. 

Many years ago, someone i knew wanted to get a cat. And by god's grace, one orphan came to her house. She was scrawny of course, like many other orphan kittens. Well...if it was me...i would have taken the kittie straight to the vet - for a checkup..deworming, deflea etc. The most...RM40. One week, two weeks...well, i didn't ask how she got on with the kitten. Then, one fine day while i was at the office, she rang. Panic in her voice, telling me that she found the kitten listless in her cage. I asked whether she'd been seen by the vet...not yet, the lady said. She hadn't taken her since day 1 because she has blown her budget for that month. So she was waiting for one of her children to drive her to the govt vet (which of course would be cheaper) about 10 kms from her home (private vet was only 5 mins away). Thing is, the govt vet is closed on saturdays and none of her kids could take time off work.

Was there any point in telling me then? Was i ever a vet in a previous life? My answer to that kind of situation would always be GO TO THE VET!

It was really frustrating for me...because i was at work...yes..like most people, we all have to work. And her house was like 40kms away from my office. It was not as if i could be there and back in 1 hour.

I gave her a piece of my mind. The fact that when we decide to take on the responsibility of looking after a pet/s, it's a life long commitment. You do not take them on only for the good times...and believe me, there will be plenty. And when they are old, sick or injured, you look after them...provide the best medical care you can afford and be with them until the end. You do not wait for someone else to turn it around for you when their lives are at stake because, you gave them hope at the beginning that you are their 'human' and they trust you.

Does a good mum ever turn away from her sick child? Is there a mum out there that would delegate 'looking after a sick child' job to another person or pretend there is not a problem just because it upsets her and she's not ready to deal with it?

My cats are my children. There's no two way about it. Through sickness and in health. Call me OTT, call me crazy but i'm sure a lot of cat mums out there would agree with me. If any of you decide to take on a pet, think hard...there's going to be a change in your life style, a dent in your pocket, feelings of happiness as well as sadness...and above all, it's about them, not you anymore.

They would influence your decisions in where you'd live, what type of house you'd buy, whom to look after them if you decide to go on a vacation and even what kind of job you should be in. If you are not ready to compromise any of those mentioned above, then you are not ready for one...or ready to provide one with the kind of live it deserves. 

So, all the time i was 'having a go' at that lady, she was also getting ready to at last take the kitten to a vet near home. I wished her luck and hung up. 5 minutes later she rang to inform me that the kitten had died. 

Believe me, she's not the only one that had called me up or smsed me to inform me of their cats' condition. From a male cat that went A.W.O.L and came back with his tail partially detached because he was involved in a fight. Why? All because the friend's husband had refused to consent to have it neutered - taat pada suami sangatlah kan?! And i had one who rang me to ask why her kitties' eyeball seemed near to popping out...all because they waited for so many days to take her to the vet for flu treatment.

So, when these people told me, what is it that they wanted? Did they want me to pat on their back and tell them that they have done their best? And yes, let's not be judgmental, katanya (btw, what's the difference between this with having an opinion?)

Don't tell me then. I would rather not know because it upsets me. Why? Because i'm not their 'human' therefore i'm powerless to make it better for them.

Sent from Samsung Mobile