Animals we share our lives with

[cj]

Here are my two torties. Both are rescues. They are NOT sisters, but they are inseparable!

 

[Accidental Retiree]

Here are my two torties. Both are rescues. They are NOT sisters, but they are inseparable!

They are beauties.

 

[Gumby]

Our old girls could only lay head to head like that for a short time. Then, a licking battle would ensue, where they fought over who got to lick the other one's head. I never did figure out why it was preferred to be the licker and not the lickee.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

Our old girls could only lay head to head like that for a short time. Then, a licking battle would ensue, where they fought over who got to lick the other one's head. I never did figure out why it was preferred to be the licker and not the lickee.

That's cos neither one could hold her licker!

 

[simple girl]

That's cos neither one could hold her licker!

Ba-dump-bump!

 

[cj]

That's cos neither one could hold her licker!

Baaaaaaad.

The torties do that sometimes. "I'm giving the bath". "No, I 'm giving the bath". Occasionally, it erupts into a bite-fest, and one of them leaves. But mostly, they love each other.

 

[Bestwifeever]

That's cos neither one could hold her licker!

And then they both lost their licker licenses.

 

[mountaintosea]

cj,
I have only two cats only because after 2 years they still don't get along. So they stop me from getting any more animals. I still use baby gates to keep them separate!

 

[Texas Proud]

cj,
I have only two cats only because after 2 years they still don't get along. So they stop me from getting any more animals. I still use baby gates to keep them separate!

Wow... sorry to hear that.... we had an older cat and when we got a younger one the older did not like the younger (well, to be honest she did not like any)... after a few months they were OK together... she still did not like the young one, but put up with her...

I would have to see about getting rid of one if they actually fought all the time.... whoever came in last would go back to the shelter...

 

[mountaintosea]

I won't do that. Actually it's the female who is probably the main problem. I got her first from the local humane society. My male I got from a shelter. It's just me so I don't mind using the gates. She is better but not quite there yet. She is what they called a "princess". She doesn't like dogs, people, or other cats. But she is better!

 

[Major Tom]

Is there anyone else who can't control the impulse to rescue yet another pet?? We have one old cat ( 15+) and two younger ones (2 years old). Our long term plan is to have only two cats as we get older - for financial reasons and to make it easier to travel, among other things. My " problem" is that I volunteer with a cat rescue, and right now, there is the sweetest, cutest kitty who needs a home... WILL SOMEONE PLEASE STOP ME??

I'm positive that in time, hopefully sooner rather than later, someone will take her and then I can get over it. Until the next one.

I find it difficult too. The main thing that is stopping me is that I am a renter who lives in a small (280 sq ft) studio apartment with 2 cats. Taking on a 3rd one would make it much harder to find another apartment if I ever have to move.

One person can't heal all the kitty suffering in the world, but I like to remind myself of the saying that while saving one kitty won't change the world, for that one kitty, you have completely changed it's world for the better

 

[Texas Proud]

I won't do that. Actually it's the female who is probably the main problem. I got her first from the local humane society. My male I got from a shelter. It's just me so I don't mind using the gates. She is better but not quite there yet. She is what they called a "princess". She doesn't like dogs, people, or other cats. But she is better!

How long has it been? It took many months for ours to settle on who was #1 cat... the young one just did not understand... but learned over time...

Keeping them apart is counterproductive IMO unless they are really fighting... not the hissing etc. that they do, but actually fighting...

One of my sisters bred cats for awhile... and she said that every time a new cat came, the whole process started again... for ALL cats... after awhile they learn and settle into a routine... one might be very bossy... but it is the way of the world...

 

[cj]

One person can't heal all the kitty suffering in the world, but I like to remind myself of the saying that while saving one kitty won't change the world, for that one kitty, you have completely changed it's world for the better

For the cats we have rescued over the years, it doesn't get any better than our house! When we brought the two torties into the mix two years ago, we had a 14 & 16 year old. We lost the older one last November. We brought the one kitten home to the two old ones, and they did fine together, but the old ones just didn't want any parts of her antics, so after 5 weeks, we got the second tortie (kitten) as a playmate for the first We have had amazing harmony with this bunch. It seems that bringing young ones into the mix is easier than introducing adults. I do worry about upsetting the balance we have, but all of our cats have always lived in harmony with 2-3 assorted others, so hopefully it would work out.

Bad news, we have already named the kitty that we can't decide on.

 

[mountaintosea]

It's been two years. Keeping them separate might be counter-productive. But yeah I've had battles. They were both 4 years old when I got them. I prefer older cats because most people want the kittens. In fact I'm 60 now and as I get older, the older my pets will be in the future that I adopt. I see too many people either dying or going into assisted living and leaving their pets behind. Some cats can live until 20. The oldest one I had was 16. Cj sounds like you want that cat. So give in!

 

[Nemo2]

Our old girls could only lay head to head like that for a short time. Then, a licking battle would ensue, where they fought over who got to lick the other one's head. I never did figure out why it was preferred to be the licker and not the lickee.

The dominant one gets to lick........it's the same as your boss can pat you on the back, but don't you try and pat him.

 

[Walt34]

We went out to dinner last night with DW's brother and she showed him a photo book she had made. In the book was a photo I had taken last year of Gracie, a collie, that he went gaga over. So I made a few prints in different sizes to give to him.

 

[cantlogin]

Her name is Notch.

 

[TOOLMAN]

Here is one of mine, with a new toy on Christmas day.

 

[cj]

Not mine, but it could be.

 

[jollystomper]

Is there an existing thread that discusses the costs (both financial and time) associated with pets in retirement? I haven't had a dog since I got married. Now that FIRE and an empty nest is on the horizon, DW and I have been discussing it, but we haven't done any planing budgeting for one. I know one cannot put a price on companionship - I'm just trying to look at the practical side of things.

 

[Sarah in SC]

jolly, it has been talked about in a few threads along the way, and I think that it is one of those things that is highly individual. Because there is such a huge range of treatment options for illness in pets, I think the best thing is to determine what typical costs are for a healthy animal in your community (routine maintenance, as it were) and what kind of pet food you want to feed (huge differences in prices for various options), and then give yourself a ballpark for what treatments you might consider essential in cases of things like cancer or kidney disease.

I fall on the side of mostly palliative care, but that's because I have 6 cats and 4 dogs at the moment--it is hard to justify enormous expenses (with sometimes dubious results) but that's my personal choice.

 

[Tyro]

Is there an existing thread that discusses the costs (both financial and time) associated with pets in retirement?

I don't see why being retired would make any difference, except in a few minor cases of senior discounts. Size, OTOH, can make a difference. Otherwise, there are lots of sites that provide information on the cost of pet ownership:
cost of owning dog - Google Search

Tyro

 

[Sarah in SC]

Well a couple of things that are different for retired folks might be things like pet care when traveling, and downsizing to a smaller house or condo where pet size is more of a consideration.
We use a housesitter when we go places now, but when we are retired, I'm hoping to have built a small guest house on our property and have someone stay there who can take care of the place and the pets as their "rent".

 

[Dreamer]

We have 5 cats and DD moved back home with 1 cat and an Old English Sheepdog, so we are definitely at our limit. We just had one of our cats who is 11 yrs to the vet on Thursday, because she was sneezing quite a bit and sounding wheezy. Turns out she had bronchitis. Cost was $342.00. DH and I have discussed not spending thousands of dollars if something goes seriously wrong. I am so glad that she only had bronchitis. He also said she could be a little asthmatic also.

 

[kcowan]

Another issue in retirement is having to find places like La Quinta Inns that allow pets. It definitely restricts your choices such as renting condos on VRBO.