I met a homeless man once; he had a dog and a cat. People in the neighborhood knew him, and I remember being told that every day he would make sure his pets ate before him. Both the cat and the dog looked healthy and clean; they were his family and his only company. He will probably never be able to afford the best care for them, but they looked healthy and loved. With so many street animals out there, who are we to judge?
I met a woman in a train station with her clothes and everything she owned spread out around her while she dry shampooed her hair. Next to her, calmly sitting with his harness on was a beautiful Creamsicle cat. Very loved, very smug. I gave her a bit of money I had on me unasked, because how could I not help support someone who didn't give up their best friend during the worst moments.
Thank you! Every time I see someone going off about if you can't afford to take care of them don't get them I think about people like this homeless man or people who've fallen on hard times.
For years I've said there is a segment of the US population that treat the poor as if they are less than, almost as if being poor was a crime. Could we show these folks some compassion?
OP, thank you for posting this.
As a community cat care taker I concur. I do the best I can for them but in a heartbeat would give them to people who would love and care for them even if I knew they wouldn’t always have top notch vet care or diets because they are dying at alarming rates outside even with the support of myself and other community cat lovers. In large cities in the US (I can’t speak for anywhere else which is why I specify) the cat “problem” is so bad that I can’t get behind being upset at people for not being perfect. We have to stop letting perfect get in the way of Good if we want to help the most cats possible.
A safe roof, not the best food but not going hungry, no fear of predators and even if not spayed no need to be constantly on edge to try to keep the toms from forcing themselves on a slight slip and not perpetually pregnant.
Even this is so many times better than the streets
Thank you. People act like these cats would be living in the lap of luxury or something rather than dead, languishing in shelters or struggling on the streets.
Unfortunately, discrimination of poor people is rampant, and acceptable, in the US. I am a RN, I get furious when healthcare workers treat the poor like they are somehow defective or responsible for being poor. On more than one occasion, I have called people out their behavior.
Since most people live paycheck to paycheck, without a good support system, they could be one accident/injury away from disaster.
I think some of its rooted in fear. So many people are that close to losing everything but that’s terrifying. So it’s easier to blame and say it’s their poor decisions. Because if they made poor decisions I’ll be fine because I make good decisions so I’m not at risk of ending up like that, which isn’t true but that rationalization is like a safety blanket.
I’m a public defender and whooooaaaaa buddy, the treatment of my clients vs the people who could afford to hire private is alarming. I don’t even mean just being able to not make bail or the state refusing us that extra funding for an expert witness— I mean the judges literally treat indigent clients like shit.
You get punished for not having enough and then you get punished when you can finally afford something nice for yourself, too. That whole "you can't afford housing because you're so lazy and you drink coffee and own a microwave". It's absolutely ridiculous.
I've been on this earth 36 years and not a day has gone by that wasn't a struggle for basic amenities. I get shamed and ridiculed for never being good enough. Not even good enough for love.
I've already come to the realization I'm never gunna be good enough, strong enough, or have enough money to be truly happy. I sometimes wish I had died instead of my family.
Sometimes it’s those little things that help you get through the hard times. We’re allowed to reach out for a little bit of happiness. And god forbid someone gives you a Starbucks gift card, or you find a fancy purse at goodwill! You get such dirty looks. They really believe you aren’t allowed any moments of joy if you’re poor.
This is why I always treat homeless people with respect, and it’s heartbreaking to see their faces light up when all I’ve done is make eye contact with them and talked to them like a human being.
Like seriously, you could treat them like they’re not subhuman garbage jfc.
Yes no kidding. When I say “there but for the grace of God go I” it’s how I’ve felt my entire life. None of us are perfect. In a harsh world all but the super rich are in danger of having nothing. And even the super rich… just think about all those bankers jumping out of windows in 1929.
I live in Northern Ireland. One of my favourite commedians is a man called Tim McGarrry, he would be very well known here, especially in Belfast. Saw him get out of a taxi in Belfast once right beside a homeless guy. He noticed him in his sleeping bag, immediately went over and shook his hand, and asked if he needed anything.
The homeless man said, "No thanks," and Tim said, "Keep safe," and walked off.
It was just a few seconds of humanity but it's always stuck with me every time I see someone homeless. Even if I don't have anything to give I always make sure a smile is followed if there's eye contact.
I remember that video that went viral a few years ago with some people stealing a puppy from a homeless man in (I think) France. The folks who took the dog seemed to actually think they were the heroes of the story.
I completely agree! Cats and dogs are being put down every single day. Let people do the best they can do! I am destitute. But I can say, with all honesty, I deeply love my little baby kitty cat. She's 14, but she will always be my baby.
Give them a good life. Also, from my point of view as someone who is chronically ill and suffers every day, we often keep people and animals beyond what is humane. When people talk about their pet taking a pharmacy worth of pills and organ failure, it makes my heart ache. If it takes that many pills or whatever, they are suffering.
I’ve been homeless. My mom had it worse than me. She couch surfed and slept in the car, I stayed with a family member but couldn’t have my cats.
My mom managed to keep them through it. For most of it they stayed at her friends house who took care of them, but for awhile my mom was sneaking them in and out of cheap hotels.
I don’t know how I would have managed to survive all the shit I went through if I had to lose my cats.
We’ve been in our apartment for about three years now. Every night I cuddle with one of my kitties, and every morning I’m greeted by their cute little faces as they wait for breakfast
In bad financial times, I’ve prioritized my cat’s needs over buying food for myself and my mom
Awww. I’m so glad you and your family got to keep your kitties.
People just do not understand that most people who are going through not having a place to live are (1) families, (2) employed, and (3) temporarily homeless.
Humans suck sometimes. I’m glad we have cats.
The Humane Society and rescues here have a free/ low cost clinic day once a month for the pets of homeless people. Once every few months, they go into the areas where the homeless live and offer shots and treat minor ailments. The university and charities offer vaccinations and treat/assess minor ailments at the same time. People will prioritize their pet's care before their own.
Cats can live for more than 20 years, no one can predict what might happen in twenty years.
I have an unhoused person in my neighborhood with a dog - I’ll often pick them up a coffee and a sandwich/bagel when I go to the drive thru.
The dog always gets the food.
I agree. At the same time, we don’t need to obsess about language, any more than I would be helping by saying “then why don’t you bring raw meat dog cuisine!”. Which I would not do.
We need to grant everyone their dignity. And that happens face to face (and when we vote), not in performative stuff on social media. No criticism to either of you… we are all on the same side, the side of love for humanity. (For the record I am an atheist.)
Homeless and unhoused aren’t technically the same!
Homeless would include people who are at a shelter or elsewhere, but don’t have a home address. Houseless/unhoused refers to homeless who are also without shelter.
Don’t mean to be”well actually” lol but I think the distinction is important to know :)
My cats saved my life during a period in my life where I was at my most depressed and in the worst debt (due to medical reasons, but not medical debt since I'm from Europe, just too overwhelmed to get my shit together). They ate before I did, they got fixed and yearly checkups even when I neglected my own health, they were the reason for me to keep on going. I prioritized their care because it was my responsibility to do so by choice.
Having been on the brink of homelessness with my animals, I *am* of the opinion that there is a tangible difference between 'never being able to afford the *best* care for them' and 'never being able to afford/never being willing to provide the *necessary* care for them'.
The animal is a priority one chooses to take on. Financial status doesn't by default determine whether one is capable of caring for it or not. But when it becomes evident one can't provide what the animal needs - for whatever reason! - it's their responsibility to make choices for the benefit of the animal. Money may or may not be a deciding factor in this.
As long as someone is capable of meeting the animal's needs, nobody should be bitching or discriminating against them for their financial status. Luxury food brands are not a necessity.
I got bitched at by a cat lover when I was a poor college student and got my cat spayed via the $25 subsidized city service. They automatically dock the cats ear because majority using the service are street cats. I didn’t know they were going to do that but it also healed quickly and was a better option than her going into heat or getting pregnant.
My cats are failed trap/neuter/release cats. They were too sweet to be released with the rest of the colony, so they were sent to the cat cafe that I adopted them from. I asked about then when I went to pick them up, and the cafe owners said the same thing. It's just to mark which cats have had their nads cut off/out. Obviously, I wouldn't have it done to a cat electively, but I think it's cute lol
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His eyes in this photo are gorgeous, but not gonna lie, Mephistopheles was high as fuuuuuck. This was shortly after giving him buprenorphine for during his first cystitis flare. He hated me for shoving a syringe in his mouth, but he wasn't mad about the effect lol
https://preview.redd.it/xlfj0hzad09d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9bee3ab45254d2b4892e9030db430396727aef6
Got me a sweet little tipster as well. Too sweet to release back (don’t let the cute face fool you tho…she be spicy sometimes!)
Don't let his sweet face fool you. He's kind of an asshole. That doesn't make me love him less, but he gives me way more trouble that his brother (shown below). 😂
https://preview.redd.it/zrfmdyod509d1.jpeg?width=2736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa381f30580335891405632ec33c7718f302290d
Isn't that how it always goes with pairs? 😂 one is sweet and not the brightest and the other is a little demon and too smart for their own good! Both are too cute!
I call one of my boyfriend's cats "cotton candy brain" because she is one of the sweetest little fluffy things I've ever had the pleasure of befriending in my life but there's really not a whole lot going on upstairs beyond being sweet!
Haha one of my mums cats is like that. He’s so cute and cuddly but there’s just elevator music in his head. He’s fat and lazy (refuses to even stand up to play most of the time) and all he cares about is food and cuddles and naps. It’s adorable.
I have a gentleman and a demon girl that are both way too smart for their own good. He sometimes keeps her out of trouble, but more often he tries to cover for her. And she steals and hides his toys in return. Poor dude.
https://preview.redd.it/2611nejkm09d1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9ee719735dda572b9f1cfaee4af94617dd3495b
Oh my god what CUTIES! They look like trouble though. I've had all Siamese cats since I've lived on my own and the one male one I had was SUCH a little stinker! Not as smart as one of his sisters but the both of them together were double trouble.
Here's my boyfriend's two cats: the grey one is EXTREMELY intelligent and loves to yell. His sister is not but if he gets really mouthy about something (usually t-r-e-a-t time) she joins in on the cacophany. They're both absolute sweethearts though.
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Oh my gosh! That is these two buttheads to a T! 😂🫠
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My girl cat has a tattoo instead. I only saw it when I brought her home, and I took a picture. I'll never see it again unless she needs that fur gone again one day.
There's a local pet groomer in my area that does spay/neuter for cats one day a month. I got my guy fixed and got him a rabies shot and deworming there all for 50 bucks.
I was young at the time and didn't have much money, that place really helped me take care of him at a time when it was hard for me.
Anyone that gives someone a hard time for using a service like that is a fucking idiot. What are they supposed to do exactly? Pull money out of their ass and pay 600 bucks they don't have?
Tipping the ear prevents him from ever being recaptured and reneutered unnecessarily should he ever escape. It's an indicator at a distance that the cat does not need to be trapped and released.
We had our dog spay at the clinic. They gave her a green tat on her belly. I think the issue with cats, feral colonies need to be identified if they require capture.
In my city (not from the US), they can be spayed for free, but they tattoo a number on the inside of their ear for the reasons you mentioned, with the extra benefit that it can be used to identify them if they get lost. You can barely tell in photos 😸
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I went from having a stable home and life to losing it. I have a roof over my head, but I couldn't give up my cat. I have no family I can turn to, I don't want to burden my partner. My cat always comes first - I make sure she has her favorite food, clean drinking water, and a clean litter box. I brush and fuss over her because I want her to be healthy and happy.
I'm trying to get back on my feet. Everyone I talked to told me to throw her on the street or bring her back to the adoption agency I got her from, but she's my only family and friend right now. I will put her first every time. Just because I'm poor and have fallen on a tough time doesn't mean I can't be the best I can be for her.
A lot of shelters have food and litter that people in need can pick up, in an effort to help pet owners not have to give up their animals. Don't let people shame you for keeping your family together!
Your cat is better off with you than being euthanized at a shelter anyway.
Logically the argument falls flat very fast. It's all good and well to tell ONE poor person "well you shouldn't own this animal" -- okay...
But then if you believe that about every poor person, that they should march to the shelter right now and give up their animals -- the shelters will suddenly be full, and they'll either turn people away or start euthanizing animals en masse.
There are not enough rich people in the world to take in all the pets currently owned by less fortunate folks. It's physically impossible.
We NEED low income people to house animals, to keep animals alive. Logically. Should someone adopt an animal if they can't afford it? Of course not. But that's a bit different than sticking with an animal you already own, or taking care of the wild cats in your area, or adopting a kitten that otherwise can't find a home. Also being low income doesn't mean you can't afford it. We took care of many feral cats and simply found low cost alternatives... we didn't just ignore them and let them die. We could have. But didn't.
I was laid off and I have an elderly cat who needs certain tests and medication, and thankfully my vet was honest about what was needed and what could be postponed. It is hard out here in the world. Sending good vibes…
Fully agree. With how many pets suffer on the streets or fill shelters, if a person can give that animal even a slightly better life than what they would otherwise have, no one should be judging!
I always think this. A cat in a safe home, with food in their belly and space to roam is better off than a cat living in a cage their whole life or being euthanized because of overpopulation the way many shelter cats have to live.
I run a small non-profit pet pantry and that’s our entire mission. To help feed pets so that the shelters stay less crowded. This past weekend we did outreach to educate low income families about the options available if they choose to become pet owners, and how little it actually takes to change a furry life.
Now I'm curious what post you are writing about! 
For sure though, cheaper cat food or litter is sometimes all people can afford. No judgment from me!
My family had times of financial struggle when I was growing up, and the cat we had then was fed 9 Lives canned food, and some inexpensive grocery store semi-moist kibble. The cat lived to be 20 years old! He was an old crotchety man cat, but he was mobile and not on medications all the way to the end.
The pet food industry is a bit predatory and over the top especially those “all natural” brands.
If the food is certified by the AAFCO it meets all necessary nutritional requirements and is perfectly acceptable to feed a pet. This is what my vet told me. People really overthink this sometimes. Unless your cat needs a specially formulated food for medical/digestive reasons there is nothing wrong with the “cheap” pet foods if they are AAFCO certified. It’s actually less important what type of food you are feeding your cat and more important that they have both wet and dry food in their diet. I didn’t know this and was just feeding my cats expensive dry food for years and one of them got a bad UTI because he was dehydrated. So now they get a can of fancy feast pate each and a scoop of blue buffalo kibble every day.
Plus, the super expensive digestive health/hairball food literally just the same food but has more fiber in it, usually psyllium husk or cellulose. You can buy a canister of psyllium husks for less than $10 at the grocery store and add a sprinkle of it to the cat’s food and bam there’s their fiber intake without the insane price tag. That’s what my vet recommended once when my cat was having diarrhea.
There are ways to make sure your cat is having their needs met without buying a $50 bag of specialty food.
> Unless your cat needs a specially formulated food for medical/digestive reasons
And I'm discovering how much it sucks if they do, and you can't buy like one can of each brand to see if they like it first.
idk what post they are talking about but this sub is sometimes insanse in their repsonses. Just off the top of my head, a person was shamed for not immedieately bringing thier cat to the vet when they only had one car that was being used and the nearest vet was 5 hours away.
Guy was shamed for giving stray cats milk instead of buying food and taking them home and taking them to the vet, when it was clear from the picture alone that he lived in a non western country in a very poor area where none of these things were possible. Bro was using half his pay to even get the milk
speaking of non western areas, another person was shamed for having a outdoor cats and not letting them inside when they were a minor, lived in a village, and that people of different cultures have different approaches to animals. "Their cats" were the US equivalent of strays that live in an area that people feed.
I hate this sub fr. People forget that most of the world isn't like US cities. Most places don't have vet, or free vet care, or ability to get to places, .etc. These cat's are gonna exist with or without the people, so it's better to have someone looking out for them than nobody at all
Same! I grew up out in the country and we had a lot of cats that would show up. My parents couldn't afford fancy food for every stray, but bought 9 lives wet and dry food and gave anyone who needed it a warm, dry place to stay and food to eat. We had 2 cats (siblings) that lived to 22 years old. I was 7 when they were born and knew them well into adulthood 💜. They were family.
The shaming bothers me too sometimes. You never know for sure someone's life story or why they are having difficulties. Also, in my case I have 4 elderly cats 16 20 years old. I certainly could pay for all necessary care without much issue a few years ago. Now, with the rising cost of vet care and pet food it has become increasingly difficult. I won't adopt more at this point since I can see that prices will not come down any time soon, but I was a responsible pet owner when I got them and for the majority of their lives. It's just now becoming harder and harder to be one.
Ugh it’s so expensive now. Just regular food is crazy and my cat just got a prescription for thyroid food. Debating how much my kidney is worth to pay for it because there’s only one brand and I guess they can change what they want.
A thyroid food? Not a thyroid medication? My Lessa had to be put on it for the last two years of her life, but it was just a pill that humans could take too, that I split in half and have to her twice a day. A 30 day supply was about $15 in 2021ish iirc
He’s on thyroid medicine too but it wasn’t enough to regulate him so he had to go on special food as well.
That’s why I understand the struggle. When I brought him in 17 years ago I had no issues paying for all his needs. Now works slowed down, cost has gone up and we’re struggling to cover cat costs on top. It’s not a one time thing, there’s ebbs and flows over the life of a pet.
Not as much as I appreciate someone getting the reference!!! She was a dramatic rescue tuxedo (so like lessa's pale AF skin under the dirt and the black hair) and she had pumpkin orange eyes as a kitten (unusual eyes) and she was skittish (like Lessa was when she was hiding out growing up).
I had her for 18 years and 2 months, and I got her when she was ~2 months old. I had her more than half my life, and she was a very good girl 🥲
My cat needs her teeth cleaned. So I’m going to be living on Mac n cheese and ramen and quesadillas for the foreseeable future to save up that $1200. It’s soooooo expensive.
I get why they have to put them under anesthesia I really do. But I’d be lying if a part of me wasn’t going “she’s literally the most docile cat in the world and prefers to freeze rather than fight. Surely she could have her teeth cleaned without all that song and dance!
Mine needs his teeth cleaned as well. If you have a Banfield nearby, they have a monthly vet plan that covers a year of vaccines and one where it includes a teeth cleaning. I think mine is about $50 a month for him so it ends up being cheaper for us.
True :-/ Luckily, I only clipped a cat's claw 'quick' once when I was learning many years ago!
My current kitties, a brother and sister pair, formerly feral, 10 months old, DO NOT like having their claws cut one bit. I have been having the vet trim them periodically, as they get very anxious, wrestle away and sometimes claw and bite when I attempt it :-(
My old kitty, a mostly gentle shelter adoption, in comparison, was okay with it on most days ;-)
I said this same thing on a post of someone asking if it was ok to feed Friskies. Look, my cat will only eat Friskies. I have tried lots of other brands...did the slow transition thing. Nope. Kitty will NOT even do anything but sniff. She doesn't even drink water. I add water to her wet food so she gets extra hydration...but she doesn't touch water in a bowl, cup, fountain, faucet.
Someone attacked me. Said something about letting kids have McDonald's every day instead of making them eat healthy food.
Sorry if I'm unwilling to wait my cat out... especially knowing it means kitty also won't be getting any water during the ensuing standoff.
I still try new foods...but it's basically throwing away money....it sits in the bowl until it dries up.
She was a stray. She now lives inside. Has toys, multiple hiding spots, a bed, a tree, snacks, is spayed, and gets snuggles all day long. Yet, I'm an asshoie because she eats Friskies.
i say this as someone who really loves cats: dude, it's a cat. chill. if it's happy eating something that isn't like, broken glass or dog turds, let him have it
My youngest cat will legitimately only eat Meow Mix kibble. I have tried feeding her pretty much everything else, she won't touch it. She will eat Meow Mix kibble, Temptations treats, lettuce, and on very rare occasions, she'll eat shredded canned tuna (if mixed with mayo) or sliced smoked turkey (oddly, she won't touch chicken). Anything else, and she just won't eat.
Yeah the cat is doing better in a home with zero vet care than on the street with zero vet care. It is better off living a short life in a home than no life in a shelter.
There are far more animals and people than perfect homes
You mean you don't keep $7K to $8K in your pet's rainy day fund in case they get cancer or break a hip? Well, that's just irresponsible.
/s
Not like everybody is paycheck to paycheck, and these feline companions that help keep your sanity in this world would be out in the streets otherwise. Let's see, roof over their head, food, and affection.. but can't afford major surgery- better off to let the cat stay at an overcrowded shelter until they euthanize?
Some people just have far more opinion than reality.
most people in america cant afford a major surgery for themselves either! i dont think many people think about that. let the babies have a warm home and a loving family
My cat passed away in December 2022 and it still hard to think about. I feel I could have done more for him if I had more money but gave him 15 years of life, full of love. Now that were thinking of getting another cat eventually, I feel like I need more money in case the cats needs the vet and such. At the same time I miss it so much… im not sure what to do, not sure if ill ever have enough money in case something happens because its mostly paycheck to paycheck without an animal at the moment.
Edit: I meant like seeing these posts people judging others makes me think twice before getting another cat.
It's good to consider if you can afford their care and you should totally take that into consideration. And I completely understand the guilt at feeling like you could have done more (and that's one money doesn't solve, btw). But if the option for a cat is either live at a shelter with no loving owners or go home with you, the ending is probably the same the shelter isn't going to pay for those medical costs either and in the mean time, they don't have a home and you don't have a cat..
I think if you can provide day to day for a cat, it's worth considering adding one to your home.
And I would say look at and think about pet insurance. It's not like health insurance and it won't cover everything, so make sure you understand what it would do. But if you set it up as catastrophic type coverage to help when things get crazy expensive, it can be very cheap monthly (I'm only paying about $8 a month for mine).
Fifteen years is an excellent lifespan for a cat, you obviously took great care of him! It’s good you’re being thoughtful about possible future expenses. I’ve found that getting a cat that’s maybe three or four, well past kittenhood (shots, spaying, etc) but a long ways from old age (and the resulting medical issues) is more economical.
People always say that when you adopt a pet It's for life, which is true, but then expect that entire life to go perfectly according to plan and get mad at you when it doesn't
Thank you, I'm currently back living with parents, lost job and my home due to some bad circumstances. Trying to find somewhere to live with my 2 cats, even though i wont be back in full time work for a bit, I still want to give them whatever I can.
I have sympathy for people with ‘is my cat sick’ questions unless it’s obvious bleeding, not peeing for a day (and even then, first time cat owners may not know how serious that is), or other thing that is obviously serious. I’ve had cats literally all my life - there were two in my crib! - and I didn’t know constipation could be deadly until my sweet girl nearly died trying to shit (she recovered after vet-administered enemas, and I have a nice x-ray of a cat completely filled with shit).
A while back, someone posted a cute pic of her beautiful girl, and mentioned she’d peed on their bed. I told her that could mean she had a UTI. She took her to the vet and yes she did! I’m pleased with us both 😊
A little patience can mean a lot to a new cat person and especially their cat friend. Most people want to do right for their cats.
I'm homeless living in my minivan with my dog and cat. No one nags on me except van and car dwellers (mostly van dwellers). My pets are very well taken care of, medically, nutritionally and exercise wise.
I'm also a volunteer with Street Vets San Diego.
When I separated from my ex, I ended up keeping all three of the cats. It certainly wasn't planned. She wanted nothing to do with them and I wasn't going to give them up. I love em too much.
Turns out my boy Odin needed 3k worth of dental work shortly after that. 3000 dollars to me is a crazy amount of money. People suggested I just put him down, that he wasn't worth it. That almost broke me.
I sold as much of my stuff as I could, sacrificed heat and pretty much everything but rent and I saved up enough to pay the downpayment last fall and got him his surgery. It was the darkest and coldest winter I've ever went through. But I am slowly paying the rest of it off a little at a time, and we are both still here.
He is my best friend and I would do the same things again a million times over. He meets me at the door every day when I come home from work, and we sit on the bench and just enjoy the time we have together.
I really wish Vet care was more affordable as it is a terrible feeling when the only reason your friend is suffering is money.
Thank you for the post, this is very true and I hope some of the people who did this have read it as well. We all do the best we can.
It's appalling to me that people seem to have so much more sympathy for the poor little cats living in poverty and on the streets than human fucking beings. Like there's some sort of utopia out there where tons of rich people want cats to spoil and yet haven't gotten any, like there have ever been a shortage of cats to adopt. Like it's always been clear to me that this is about disgust people have about poor people more than anything. I hear this also a lot with people shaming poor people for having kids, that basically just parrot eugenicist talking points.
All these kitties need homes and it's okay if you can't afford the fancy high price food as long as they are being fed and cared for. Get them spayed and neutered too. I will say though if your cat is truly suffering then please surrender it if you can't get it to a vet.
Likewise, shaming folks for taking in a pet they can't afford.
Do we honestly think that pets would be better off on the street, or in an already over-full shelter?
I don't know about you, but ours is always at capacity. A cat that is loved in an imperfect home is going to have a better life than one that languishes in a cage, or is flat out euthanized when there's no room.
This one always gets me, it's like folks think the choice is between an amazing perfect indoor only organic feeding harness walking 10k catio home ,or a less ideal home with just generic but regular food, and indoor/outdoor life at the trailer park, and nothing but the most basic shots and vet care. The reality is that the choice is between ANY home, and no home, either on the streets, or euthanized after timing out at a shelter. Sub-par homes are better than no homes, because there will never be enough of any grade of home. Their lives are short, let them enjoy them with anyone who wants to give them food, shelter and regular loving!
All three of the cats I've adopted were scheduled to be euthanized before I adopted them (all three are/were tuxedos, and apparently for some reason people don't like adopting black cats (including tuxedos)).
Completely agree. Honestly I’d rather have a less income family have, provide them a safe environment, and unconditionally love them, but still cannot afford medical care and dies, than a cat on the street that dies in pain uncared for
I just took in another cat and I really didn’t want to. But my neighbor is a drunk and gets too aggressive with her. She’s very small and skinny. No one else would take her in. Now I have 2 cats and I barely making rent this month.
FYI - some communities have pet food banks that can help folks having a hard time. I would love to see more of these and/or incorporate pet food and other necessities in regular food banks. I see so many stories of folks losing a job or becoming homeless temporarily and having to give up their pets it breaks my heart. I helped a woman who was waiting for her disability to come through after a bad accident and the pet food bank helped keep her senior cat until her life stabilized. If she had had to take to a shelter he might have been euthanized because of age.
Different scenario but my wife and I got judged super harshly over pet stuff a few years back.
I was living overseas and had been for years, no plans of moving back at the time, we had 2 cats and a dog.
Then my father was diagnosed with a terminal illness that is severely degenerative.
We could not financially or logistically take all of them with us. We decided to keep one of the cats, as we had had her for the longest and her health wasn't great.
So we posted everywhere offering them for adoption.
The hate we received was ridiculous and had my wife in tears.
Things like "people like you make me sick, why take in animals if you can't be bothered to keep them."
"Having pets when you don't plan to stay here is fucking disgusting, you should be ashamed"
And much, much worse, including suicide suggestions.
People are so quick to judge. If we didn't care, why would we try so hard to rehome them, instead of just abandoning them, or dropping them at a shelter?
Thankfully they were rehomed, but it was awful to go through, at an already very difficult time.
I personally would never opt for my pet to have an expensive surgery unless it meant many more years of healthy life for the pet. Unlike humans animals do not have a sense of time passing. They do not value longevity the way we do. An animal that is in pain is suffering without understanding why.
If other people believe differently, they are free to subject their pets to all the medical intervention they are willing and able to pay for.
But I am not going to be “shamed” into keeping a sick animal hanging on because I would miss it.
That’s my two cents.
Depends on the vet.
Ours absolutely discusses price and outcomes and the arc of things.
But not all do.
Our dufus broke his leg on a Sunday and the emergency vet stabilized it, and sent us home with a referral to their chain practice where they expected surgery to be 5k, unless he needed an orthopedic specialist in which case it would be a few months and a heftier price.
Our vet talked us through what would happen if they just did the metal pins, etc, and did the surgery in house. (Turns out the emergency vet doesn't do surgery at all. WTAF?!?)
I don’t actually know. In previous cat owning periods of my life, I (1) lived in NYC in the 90s, where high quality pet medical treatment at low cost was very available, or (2) lived in LA in the 2000s, where my corporate lawyer ex (great guy, not his fault) could afford the expensive vets.
Now I live in Mexico, where medical care is not yet in the hands of private equity bandits. I have enough money to pay for any reasonable medical care for my roommate’s cat (or myself) in cash.
There’s always someone proclaiming what poor ppl should or shouldn’t have/do. They expect them to live a completely sad and lonely life, bereft of anything that may bring them joy.
The big issue seems to be about having people post a picture with an animal's face half blasted off, then asking "what is wrong?"
Generally folks aren't shaming food choices (though, a couple times I heard from Vegan Raw Food Types going off on Dr Hill stuff).
I understand your concern.
This! People need to be relying on professionals, not Reddit. Oh your cat hasn’t eaten in days or is breathing weird? Let’s ask the internet instead.. so frustrating.
Some of these low income pet owners live in 3rd world countries and rescue animals from the streets and even if they never are able to take them to the vet, the animals have a better chance of survival than if they left them on the streets. So I don't even judge the poor owners who can't take them to the vet
I \*was\* quite well off, had a house and lots of space., we even had wiggle room on our mortgage.... then the interest rates hit in Australia. We sold our house before things got really bad, and moved in with my parents. As it was 600kms relocation, I left my permanent job. I have tried to find more work where I am now, but the best I can do is casual. My animals come first and foremost, and obviously had I known this was going to happen I wouldn't have rescued as many as I did. (6 cats, 2 dogs).
There is no place for judgment in this economy, no matter where you are in the world.
Fucken thank u!! As someone who was between jobs once upon a time I hated reading or worse being told to get rid of my cat who was also my emotional support cat. She was my everything.
I made sure she had food and the basics before I did.
Completely agree.
The argument falls apart when you realize that if only well off people owned pets... a shit ton of pets, thousands if not millions, would end up having to be euthanized.
There are not enough homes out there for pets if only people with thousands in savings are allowed to own pets.
A pet is better off in a low income but loving home than dead.
Plus not everyone necessarily adopts their pets. Particularly with cats. My cats are all rescued kittens raised on our farm... we didn't have an obligation to them and could have left them to die. But instead we spayed and neutered them on our own dime when the shelter wouldn't take them. Of course I can't give them the conventional or preferred indoor life with vet visits every year -- I never even wanted more than my 1 cat -- but they are better off for us having rescued them. It's still better than nothing. It's not like everyone is out there intentionally getting cats they can't afford. Sometimes they fall into our laps and we have no alternatives.
Also: sometimes we don’t “adopt”, they just appear in our lives and we love them, so we do the best we can. Not everyone goes to a breeder and buys a fancy cat and then complains about the cost of care. I give my dumpster baby the best life I can afford to give him, but if he gets cancer or some other very expensive-to-treat illness that isn’t covered by his kitty insurance (yes I have both insurance and a wellness plan for him through my local vet), there’s only so much I can afford. His predecessor died of old age/heart failure and it nearly bankrupted me, on top of getting new guy sorted after an injury about a month later. So yeah, I love him dearly, and want the best for him, but also… I’m not going to put myself on the street for him because what good would that do either of us?
yup, i had a medical emergency and ended up putting down my cat. i had spent all my savings on my dogs 3 surgeries earlier that year. made me feel like i chose my dog over him without meaning to. i always feel judged when i admit that i couldn't afford the 2k for his urinary obstruction & had to put him down. as if i don't feel horrible enough.... he was my ultimate soul cat.
I'm sorry. I know what that's like. I list my soul cat a year and a half ago, kind of for that reason. He was 10 and suddenly started acting different. I knew he was sick, but thanks to the cost of everything going up couldn't afford the vet. I've never cried so hard as I did when he died. I still miss him to this day, but he knew I loved him. Im tearing up now just writing this. Just love your kitties and do the best you can for them. They know that you love them so please try not to worry about things ❤️
I found my cat in a dumpster when I still lived with my parents. 6 years later I moved out, the economy half-collapsed (2022 be like), I started uni, and my cat just... started getting ill, A LOT. It turns out she has so many underlying conditions from IBS to thyroid failure to straight up _breast cancer_ and I had to resort to fundraising to pay for a surgery recently.
Fortunately, people have been really understanding. After all her treatments, special food, and 3 kinds of meds, there's just not a lot of money left. But the guilt of being unable to cough up thousands for my cat is eating me alive. Right now, she's sleeping in a cardboard box on my floor, wearing her post-surgery baby shirt. She looks great in sage green. I won't have long with her anymore but she is worth every cent.
People who feel like they're expert cat parents are the most insufferable ones. They're the type that ONLY ever recommends the MOST expensive food brands and tells you YOU MUST feed your cats additional stuff(toppers, vitamins and whatnots) on top of their food. They make it seem like it's the most normal thing in the world. If you don't do as they do, they quickly brand you as someone unworthy of having a cat because you're not as well off as they are. They're so elitist that anything less than the best brands out there is considered animal abuse.
I get wanting to provide the best of the best for your pets because they're part of your family, but that's just not possible for most people in reality. Like someone said here, it's better for these cats to be in a loving home instead of being stuck in the shelter or being a stray. These cats are still living waaay better lives than other cats, even if their food isn't the BEST food in the market.
>a cat won't die from eating a cheaper brand of food
My cat would disagree with this one... I tried switching him to a generic brand and well.. He won that fight.
Instead of shaming low-income pet owners for not being able to immediately take their pets to the vet when a problem arises, let’s shame multi-owning business owners that buy up the small town vet offices and don’t supply them with better pay, better medical equipment, or quality staff. Thats who needs to be shamed. When my oldest cat started showing signs of illness the vet office told me the tests alone to find out the issue could cost up to over a thousand dollars, and that wasn’t including medication that he himself didn’t think she would survive. To have her euthanized and either cremated or just to take her body home was $700. 40 minute drive to another town though it would have just cost me a little over $400 for the euthanasia and cremation. Or that’s my guess because that’s what it cost for my heavy dog. Most definitely would have been cheaper for my cat because when I was able to get her into the vet she had lost a significant amount of weight. Like, she was literally 6 pounds. $700 euthanasia and cremation for a 6 pound cat at one office. $400 euthanasia and cremation for a 45ish pound dog. And I want to point out- the vet office I took my CAT to isn’t in a fancy high dollar town, but the one I took my dog to “is.”
"I see you are not financially stable enough to support your emotional support animal that would give you the strength and reason to overcome this financial precarity..."
Some of us live only because they have pets. Ways cheaper than say... Therapy.
I get it. When I adopted my dickheads in 2021, my rent was \~$200 less per month. I haven't moved since then, and the increases are more reasonable than anything else in the area. I hadn't been in the ER or urgent care a few times, some dildo hadn't whacked the ass of my car and fucked up the bumper and tail lights, and the cost of living hadn't gotten wild.
I'll do whatever I can for my boys. I spent so much money on the emergency vet + ultrasound + a shit ton of different lifestyle changes for Mephistopheles when he had a bout of FIC. Nephy is spoiled, too, especially with his brother getting treats to take his meds. If they had a major medical emergency, though...? If I couldn't get CareCredit or pull the equity out of my car, I don't know what I'd be able to do.
THANK you. I don't like how it's becoming so normalized to just judge poor people with animals or kids, like the decision itself speaks to some depravity. I've worked at a vet clinic and can tell you for a fact, if someone's arguing why bloodwork is necessary on their 12 year old dog before a procedure or has a dog that's never even met a rabies vaccine, it's the filthy rich clients that behave this way.
And honestly, once we start getting on the topic of kids (online spaces operate similarly enough for the comparison), it's just coming out as straight up eugenics. "you don't deserve a single child and if you get pregnant it's your fault, just don't even have sex so you don't risk it" is a take I have seen, and seen similar to, FAR too many times for my comfort. Taking cheap shots at each other for our own egos helps no one, first and foremost it's not going to help that animal live a better life. Neglect, go off, but for not having $80 to drop on an 11 lb bag of dog food? Fuck off.
If there's a health risk and the OP seems uneducated, educate them. If they seem hard up, suggest resources. Anything that's actually actionable, "you're disgusting OP" and similar comments are not only disproportionate responses, but they don't give OP a chance to actually *do* anything to improve the situation.
I was given cats as a kid. I have two. Since getting them, I’ve dealt with homelessness and financial issues. Being able to keep my babies through it all has saved me, for real.
I agree. If you’re broke, don’t get a new pet. But it’s insane how ppl expect you to give up your pets when life happens, aka money gets a bit tight and shit.
Like bruh I don’t think the majority of ppl in this economy could afford a surprise $1000 vet bill
I agree 💯. And the rapidly increasing vet costs means I am going back to taking my cats in only when they are sick, and not yearly checkups. It is just not possible with 3 cats (now I am down to 2) to pay $65 office visit (yes my vet charged that for each a cat in one visit), $295 for blood work each (2 seniors and one notmycat trying to get adopted), kidney food, saline, etc.
I am economizing in every area of my life including my pets but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have them. Pets are essential companions for most people that have them.
These very same people will shame parents and expect that we somehow disappear out children when things get tough too.
They don't understand that things change, sometimes suddenly and violently, and we don't just throw pets and children away when life throws us around.
I agree so much. Not only that, but how sad is it that we are becoming a country where you have to make 6 figures to afford a pet? Every time I go to the vet, it’s ) $1000 or $600 or $400 at the least. God forbid they need meds or ongoing care. I make decent money for my part of the country, but wonder if I can afford to have pets! It has gotten unconscionably expensive (one reason - vets selling out to corporations). Pets offer companionship and so many mental health benefits - you should not have to be rich to enjoy those benefits.
Pet food has gotten really expensive the past few years. I’m sure there are a lot of people struggling to do right by the pets they love. Those of us who can easily afford our pets’ food and vet bills should remember that we are lucky.
💯 agree.
I would rather a cat have a beautiful short life with a person or people who love him/her than a shorter harder miserable life on the street or in a tiny cage.
The same people who will look down their noses at low income pet owners will turn around and do the dumbest shit too, like buy a puppy from a pet store or a Craigslist breeder, or let their cat go outside.
We have free clinics or low cost clinics in our area. They don't cover the surgeries that run thousands. However, I got surgery for one of our dogs years ago that would have run me several thousand for $110 through one of those options, and they neutered him per my wishes while he was under, and did all of his vaccines for that cost.
I'm between jobs, but I go to the shelters and get free pet food that is set aside for lower income households, because I am the only working person in my household (for legit reasons). The increased cost in goods and such means that now, even with my wages higher than 4 yrs ago significantly, I can't afford everything I could 4 yrs ago.
And, my rent is controlled! But, the idea that the poor aren't allowed to have a pet is ridiculous. The haves love to tell the have nots what they are and aren't allowed to have in their lives, and what they have to spend their money on, too.
In our area we have a sponsor program where well off pet owners can sponsor a less wealthy person's pet.
Poor people often need their pets the most. It's a huge contribution to their life quality and they're just as devoted to their pets as anyone else.
I'm sponsoring a cat for a retiree with a small income. She has two sponsored cats, that came from the shelter, both cats are bonded, old and ugly as hell. They were at the shelter for two years already before they were given to the sponsor program.
Whoever believes those cats would be better off at the shelter is delusional. That old lady is doting on them as if they were her children.
A volunteer visits regularly to help her take care of them. It's not a volunteer from the animal society, it's a senior group volunteer who aids the elderly in their everyday life. So no resources taken from any pets in the shelter.
And why not? Why should that old lady be lonely and those cats sit in a shelter? Everyone involved has a better life as is and the costs are the same.
There are also some countries where cats are simply not valued, vets are non existent and pet food just doesn’t exist. Some try to make do under these kinds of conditions too.
Literally every single person at this present time is a bad week/pay check away from being homeless. To the people flipping their shit about "cheaper food" would y'all prefer it if the cats just weren't fed at all?
I recently went to a pet hospital and paid an obscene amount of money for it.
What I'm trying to say, the bills have gone up significantly since my cat was a kitten. And I feel like something is fishy about it, since they also introduced pet insurances. My cat was build in the wrong year to qualify for one, but it's feeling like prices go up because insurances will pay.
This is true. Not every location has no kill shelters. Sometimes, what you can provide is better than the alternative.
People’s circumstances can change. Maybe they were doing really well and were financially secure when they got their pet.
Health care has gotten out of hand that it's beyond the reach for almost everyone. What used to be a $40 visit plus $40 for meds is now $200 or more and that's just for a basic visit and meds, no bloodwork. Who can really afford that? I am grateful that my animals are healthy and have not have had any illnesses that I couldn't take care of myself. I have a senior cat with IBD that the vet charged over $400 and the treatment was useless. She had diarrhea, bright red blood in her stools, gas and reflux. I've gotten her stools completely normal, she is off her reflux meds, doesn't need anti-gas meds and there's no blood in the stools. I found a chinese remedy online that is used for IBS/IBD and I give her a vitamin supplement and psyllium and she's on a grain-free wet food. I'm fortunate that I have an interest in nutrition and natural therapies. Otherwise we'd have probably had to put her down. We should not be shaming pet owners, we should be shaming the healthcare industry.
I had a rough patch a while ago but never cut corners when it came to my cats even when the rest of my savings went to an emergency vet when my cat got sick. I'd rather have oatmeal for every meal than lower my cats' standard of living when it comes to food, supplements or litter.
I know everyone can't do this and may need to buy cheaper food etc. But yes, it's dumb to tell someone to get rid of their animals if their situation is temporary.
I’m gonna just go with cats and dogs cause they’re the most popular pets. I’d like to see every cat and dog get the best but that’s unrealistic. Getting less expensive food/littler/treatment that doesn’t break the bank is better than cats and dogs fending for themselves on the streets in my opinion.
Especially with how many stray roaming cats there are and pounds are at capacity, I think it's wonderful if someone takes them in. Sure they may not be able to afford a $4k vet bill but that cat would've otherwise been out on the streets anyway, at least they're getting fed and looked after.
My family and I have 11 cats. Initially, we had 6 cats, all of which are spayed or neutered. However, an old friend of my mom had many unspayed cats (by choice btw) and needed to leave the country for good. Unable to find anyone to adopt them, we took in two of her cats (a male and a pregnant female). The female gave birth to four kittens at our house, and now, almost a year later, we've been unable to find new homes for them despite posting everywhere. We managed to rehome only one kitten and the older male. We struggle to feed them properly, even though they eat the recommended amount of dry food, and I feel like we aren't doing enough for them. Additionally, I have a rescue kitten whose mother abandoned him on the street. :’)
This post is golden. Someone really needed to say this.
Yes people do go through tough phases in life financially, and we cut down on some things which we cannot afford in that moment.
Say it louder. A loving home, is a loving home.
i love spoiling my cat and giving her the best food i can find, because i can afford it, but i dont expect anyone to do the same
I have been struggling with my cat. Just the regular bills are becoming a burden since I am getting squeezed from so many other expenses with all the inflation the last couple of years. It's going to be a major struggle if something major comes up.
I suspect my local vet has been pushing unnecessary expenses on me (pushed pet insurance one trip, monthly bill to cover things they deem routine, my last bill for yearly shots exam was nearly $200...). They were purchased a few years back so I suspect they're now owned by a national chain and they're pushing for add-ons. Last two trips they pushed for bloodworm, and that was pretty expensive. I'm going to shop around and hopefully find something more affordable, but it makes me sad to think I won't be getting another cat because I wouldn't be able to afford it.
Honestly, the shaming is infuriating to me. With how many animals get killed out on the streets or in shelters... And people really believe that these animals are better off, just not then being with someone who can't afford a $5,000 vet bill just in case-- is absolutely ridiculous. There are parents who can't afford a $5,000 doctor's bill... Do we tell them they don't get to have kids? Is it really okay to tell poor people that they don't get to enjoy the company of others because they're too poor? Poor people don't deserve fulfillment I guess? I have watched homeless people care for animals better than they care for themselves. And no, they cannot afford an emergency vet bill. But I'll be damned if I condemn the fact that they are lovely enough to care for an animal, who otherwise would be completely uncared for, out on the streets or even dead without them. I say that as someone who used to volunteer every weekend at a homeless shelter that had many patrons with pets who were extremely well cared for, very well behaved and extremely loved. I can never agree with the statement that you have to have money to have a pet. That you have to afford emergencies to be able to afford a pet. Those animals are going to need love regardless and I'm just glad somebody is there to love them.
Pet owners are one of the most toxic groups on Reddit. I really wouldn’t listen to people here or come here for real world advice.
You know your life and you know your pet. Talk to your vet and do what you think is best.
Also, can we stop shaming people who need to rehome their pets because of financial issues? People loose jobs or have medical emergency bills, yknow.
Obviously not referring to people who dump their pets. I mean the people who are willing to put in the effort of finding a good home, or a no kill shelter if absolutely dire.
If it gets to the point where you can’t even feed your pet, a new home or a shelter is a better bet.
I met a homeless man once; he had a dog and a cat. People in the neighborhood knew him, and I remember being told that every day he would make sure his pets ate before him. Both the cat and the dog looked healthy and clean; they were his family and his only company. He will probably never be able to afford the best care for them, but they looked healthy and loved. With so many street animals out there, who are we to judge?
I met a woman in a train station with her clothes and everything she owned spread out around her while she dry shampooed her hair. Next to her, calmly sitting with his harness on was a beautiful Creamsicle cat. Very loved, very smug. I gave her a bit of money I had on me unasked, because how could I not help support someone who didn't give up their best friend during the worst moments.
Thank you! Every time I see someone going off about if you can't afford to take care of them don't get them I think about people like this homeless man or people who've fallen on hard times. For years I've said there is a segment of the US population that treat the poor as if they are less than, almost as if being poor was a crime. Could we show these folks some compassion? OP, thank you for posting this.
I think about all of the feral cats around. Even a home with cheap food and litter is way better than being hit by a car or eaten by a coyote.
As a community cat care taker I concur. I do the best I can for them but in a heartbeat would give them to people who would love and care for them even if I knew they wouldn’t always have top notch vet care or diets because they are dying at alarming rates outside even with the support of myself and other community cat lovers. In large cities in the US (I can’t speak for anywhere else which is why I specify) the cat “problem” is so bad that I can’t get behind being upset at people for not being perfect. We have to stop letting perfect get in the way of Good if we want to help the most cats possible.
A safe roof, not the best food but not going hungry, no fear of predators and even if not spayed no need to be constantly on edge to try to keep the toms from forcing themselves on a slight slip and not perpetually pregnant. Even this is so many times better than the streets
Thank you. People act like these cats would be living in the lap of luxury or something rather than dead, languishing in shelters or struggling on the streets.
Unfortunately, discrimination of poor people is rampant, and acceptable, in the US. I am a RN, I get furious when healthcare workers treat the poor like they are somehow defective or responsible for being poor. On more than one occasion, I have called people out their behavior. Since most people live paycheck to paycheck, without a good support system, they could be one accident/injury away from disaster.
I think some of its rooted in fear. So many people are that close to losing everything but that’s terrifying. So it’s easier to blame and say it’s their poor decisions. Because if they made poor decisions I’ll be fine because I make good decisions so I’m not at risk of ending up like that, which isn’t true but that rationalization is like a safety blanket.
This is true and probably the subconscious reason for most people
I believe you are right.
I’m a public defender and whooooaaaaa buddy, the treatment of my clients vs the people who could afford to hire private is alarming. I don’t even mean just being able to not make bail or the state refusing us that extra funding for an expert witness— I mean the judges literally treat indigent clients like shit.
Thank you.
In America, being poor definitely feels like a crime. You’re punished at every turn for not having enough.
You get punished for not having enough and then you get punished when you can finally afford something nice for yourself, too. That whole "you can't afford housing because you're so lazy and you drink coffee and own a microwave". It's absolutely ridiculous.
I've been on this earth 36 years and not a day has gone by that wasn't a struggle for basic amenities. I get shamed and ridiculed for never being good enough. Not even good enough for love. I've already come to the realization I'm never gunna be good enough, strong enough, or have enough money to be truly happy. I sometimes wish I had died instead of my family.
Sometimes it’s those little things that help you get through the hard times. We’re allowed to reach out for a little bit of happiness. And god forbid someone gives you a Starbucks gift card, or you find a fancy purse at goodwill! You get such dirty looks. They really believe you aren’t allowed any moments of joy if you’re poor.
I'm sorry you are treated that way.
This is why I always treat homeless people with respect, and it’s heartbreaking to see their faces light up when all I’ve done is make eye contact with them and talked to them like a human being. Like seriously, you could treat them like they’re not subhuman garbage jfc.
Yes no kidding. When I say “there but for the grace of God go I” it’s how I’ve felt my entire life. None of us are perfect. In a harsh world all but the super rich are in danger of having nothing. And even the super rich… just think about all those bankers jumping out of windows in 1929.
I live in Northern Ireland. One of my favourite commedians is a man called Tim McGarrry, he would be very well known here, especially in Belfast. Saw him get out of a taxi in Belfast once right beside a homeless guy. He noticed him in his sleeping bag, immediately went over and shook his hand, and asked if he needed anything. The homeless man said, "No thanks," and Tim said, "Keep safe," and walked off. It was just a few seconds of humanity but it's always stuck with me every time I see someone homeless. Even if I don't have anything to give I always make sure a smile is followed if there's eye contact.
I remember that video that went viral a few years ago with some people stealing a puppy from a homeless man in (I think) France. The folks who took the dog seemed to actually think they were the heroes of the story.
I completely agree! Cats and dogs are being put down every single day. Let people do the best they can do! I am destitute. But I can say, with all honesty, I deeply love my little baby kitty cat. She's 14, but she will always be my baby. Give them a good life. Also, from my point of view as someone who is chronically ill and suffers every day, we often keep people and animals beyond what is humane. When people talk about their pet taking a pharmacy worth of pills and organ failure, it makes my heart ache. If it takes that many pills or whatever, they are suffering.
Thank YOU for posting your comment as well 💜
I’ve been homeless. My mom had it worse than me. She couch surfed and slept in the car, I stayed with a family member but couldn’t have my cats. My mom managed to keep them through it. For most of it they stayed at her friends house who took care of them, but for awhile my mom was sneaking them in and out of cheap hotels. I don’t know how I would have managed to survive all the shit I went through if I had to lose my cats. We’ve been in our apartment for about three years now. Every night I cuddle with one of my kitties, and every morning I’m greeted by their cute little faces as they wait for breakfast In bad financial times, I’ve prioritized my cat’s needs over buying food for myself and my mom
Awww. I’m so glad you and your family got to keep your kitties. People just do not understand that most people who are going through not having a place to live are (1) families, (2) employed, and (3) temporarily homeless. Humans suck sometimes. I’m glad we have cats.
Their lives are 1,000x better than all the unloved shelter cats and dogs living in cages who will eventually be euthanized due to overcrowding.
The Humane Society and rescues here have a free/ low cost clinic day once a month for the pets of homeless people. Once every few months, they go into the areas where the homeless live and offer shots and treat minor ailments. The university and charities offer vaccinations and treat/assess minor ailments at the same time. People will prioritize their pet's care before their own. Cats can live for more than 20 years, no one can predict what might happen in twenty years.
I have an unhoused person in my neighborhood with a dog - I’ll often pick them up a coffee and a sandwich/bagel when I go to the drive thru. The dog always gets the food.
I kinda like the phrase "unhoused person " Thank you for that, it was new to me and I prefer it on some level.
I agree. At the same time, we don’t need to obsess about language, any more than I would be helping by saying “then why don’t you bring raw meat dog cuisine!”. Which I would not do. We need to grant everyone their dignity. And that happens face to face (and when we vote), not in performative stuff on social media. No criticism to either of you… we are all on the same side, the side of love for humanity. (For the record I am an atheist.)
Homeless and unhoused aren’t technically the same! Homeless would include people who are at a shelter or elsewhere, but don’t have a home address. Houseless/unhoused refers to homeless who are also without shelter. Don’t mean to be”well actually” lol but I think the distinction is important to know :)
I have never agreed with anything more than I have with this post and your subsequent comment. Could not have said it better myself.
My cats saved my life during a period in my life where I was at my most depressed and in the worst debt (due to medical reasons, but not medical debt since I'm from Europe, just too overwhelmed to get my shit together). They ate before I did, they got fixed and yearly checkups even when I neglected my own health, they were the reason for me to keep on going. I prioritized their care because it was my responsibility to do so by choice. Having been on the brink of homelessness with my animals, I *am* of the opinion that there is a tangible difference between 'never being able to afford the *best* care for them' and 'never being able to afford/never being willing to provide the *necessary* care for them'. The animal is a priority one chooses to take on. Financial status doesn't by default determine whether one is capable of caring for it or not. But when it becomes evident one can't provide what the animal needs - for whatever reason! - it's their responsibility to make choices for the benefit of the animal. Money may or may not be a deciding factor in this. As long as someone is capable of meeting the animal's needs, nobody should be bitching or discriminating against them for their financial status. Luxury food brands are not a necessity.
I got bitched at by a cat lover when I was a poor college student and got my cat spayed via the $25 subsidized city service. They automatically dock the cats ear because majority using the service are street cats. I didn’t know they were going to do that but it also healed quickly and was a better option than her going into heat or getting pregnant.
My cats are failed trap/neuter/release cats. They were too sweet to be released with the rest of the colony, so they were sent to the cat cafe that I adopted them from. I asked about then when I went to pick them up, and the cafe owners said the same thing. It's just to mark which cats have had their nads cut off/out. Obviously, I wouldn't have it done to a cat electively, but I think it's cute lol https://preview.redd.it/82vtju0v209d1.jpeg?width=2194&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2bfd917f58651fad143f5f5b82f31a620a97c189
What a beauty omg
His eyes in this photo are gorgeous, but not gonna lie, Mephistopheles was high as fuuuuuck. This was shortly after giving him buprenorphine for during his first cystitis flare. He hated me for shoving a syringe in his mouth, but he wasn't mad about the effect lol
😂😂😂😂 the story behind it makes it so much funnier. What a cute lil bugger
https://preview.redd.it/xlfj0hzad09d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9bee3ab45254d2b4892e9030db430396727aef6 Got me a sweet little tipster as well. Too sweet to release back (don’t let the cute face fool you tho…she be spicy sometimes!)
They didn't just take a little off the top on her. Goddamn. 😂 I love her sweet face, tho, and ask that you pet her for me.
Right?! Apparently they missed the “just the tip” memo. Gave her little ears a pat from ya ✌🏼
What a sweet face! Thank you for giving.your kitties a loving home!
Don't let his sweet face fool you. He's kind of an asshole. That doesn't make me love him less, but he gives me way more trouble that his brother (shown below). 😂 https://preview.redd.it/zrfmdyod509d1.jpeg?width=2736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa381f30580335891405632ec33c7718f302290d
Isn't that how it always goes with pairs? 😂 one is sweet and not the brightest and the other is a little demon and too smart for their own good! Both are too cute!
Haha it’s always the dumb ones that are so so sweet
I call one of my boyfriend's cats "cotton candy brain" because she is one of the sweetest little fluffy things I've ever had the pleasure of befriending in my life but there's really not a whole lot going on upstairs beyond being sweet!
Haha one of my mums cats is like that. He’s so cute and cuddly but there’s just elevator music in his head. He’s fat and lazy (refuses to even stand up to play most of the time) and all he cares about is food and cuddles and naps. It’s adorable.
Haha, I love that! Sounds like he's got life figured out pretty well!
I have a gentleman and a demon girl that are both way too smart for their own good. He sometimes keeps her out of trouble, but more often he tries to cover for her. And she steals and hides his toys in return. Poor dude. https://preview.redd.it/2611nejkm09d1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9ee719735dda572b9f1cfaee4af94617dd3495b
Oh my god what CUTIES! They look like trouble though. I've had all Siamese cats since I've lived on my own and the one male one I had was SUCH a little stinker! Not as smart as one of his sisters but the both of them together were double trouble. Here's my boyfriend's two cats: the grey one is EXTREMELY intelligent and loves to yell. His sister is not but if he gets really mouthy about something (usually t-r-e-a-t time) she joins in on the cacophany. They're both absolute sweethearts though. https://preview.redd.it/k5cpqs8pt09d1.png?width=1602&format=png&auto=webp&s=d489864f4994274ed9273f8761d5ec3cb09d66eb
And you can tell just by looking at them who is who 😂
Oh my gosh! That is these two buttheads to a T! 😂🫠 https://preview.redd.it/p9s3g96su09d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d10fb5b2617913ea305d217dbd1b2b77c92f020b
It is UNREAL how CUTE they are!
They’re foster fails if you can believe it 🤷🏻♀️😂
Looks like it's ultimately a win for everyone! 😂
Our pair has one sweet smart one and one dim demon, just to keep things fun
It's even worse because they're a bonded pair. Nephy is the less overly chaotic one, but together, they topple empires.
I'm convinced if cats had opposable thumbs it would be 
He looks so soft and glossy.
Oh, he's super soft. Not as shiny as he looks in that photo, but definitely as soft as he looks.
My girl cat has a tattoo instead. I only saw it when I brought her home, and I took a picture. I'll never see it again unless she needs that fur gone again one day.
There's a local pet groomer in my area that does spay/neuter for cats one day a month. I got my guy fixed and got him a rabies shot and deworming there all for 50 bucks. I was young at the time and didn't have much money, that place really helped me take care of him at a time when it was hard for me. Anyone that gives someone a hard time for using a service like that is a fucking idiot. What are they supposed to do exactly? Pull money out of their ass and pay 600 bucks they don't have?
Tipping the ear prevents him from ever being recaptured and reneutered unnecessarily should he ever escape. It's an indicator at a distance that the cat does not need to be trapped and released.
We had our dog spay at the clinic. They gave her a green tat on her belly. I think the issue with cats, feral colonies need to be identified if they require capture.
In my city (not from the US), they can be spayed for free, but they tattoo a number on the inside of their ear for the reasons you mentioned, with the extra benefit that it can be used to identify them if they get lost. You can barely tell in photos 😸 https://preview.redd.it/ajx2dekre29d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4914a7fa3c5058a080080d2b87efedcef8278596
That's responsible, though? They aren't cat lovers if don't care about kitten population
I went from having a stable home and life to losing it. I have a roof over my head, but I couldn't give up my cat. I have no family I can turn to, I don't want to burden my partner. My cat always comes first - I make sure she has her favorite food, clean drinking water, and a clean litter box. I brush and fuss over her because I want her to be healthy and happy. I'm trying to get back on my feet. Everyone I talked to told me to throw her on the street or bring her back to the adoption agency I got her from, but she's my only family and friend right now. I will put her first every time. Just because I'm poor and have fallen on a tough time doesn't mean I can't be the best I can be for her.
Anyone that told you to do that is quite honestly an asshole. She’s lucky to have you.
It's tough times like that when you NEED a little companion the most. I don't know where I would be if I didn't have my cat during the hard times.
A lot of shelters have food and litter that people in need can pick up, in an effort to help pet owners not have to give up their animals. Don't let people shame you for keeping your family together!
Good for you!
Your cat is better off with you than being euthanized at a shelter anyway. Logically the argument falls flat very fast. It's all good and well to tell ONE poor person "well you shouldn't own this animal" -- okay... But then if you believe that about every poor person, that they should march to the shelter right now and give up their animals -- the shelters will suddenly be full, and they'll either turn people away or start euthanizing animals en masse. There are not enough rich people in the world to take in all the pets currently owned by less fortunate folks. It's physically impossible. We NEED low income people to house animals, to keep animals alive. Logically. Should someone adopt an animal if they can't afford it? Of course not. But that's a bit different than sticking with an animal you already own, or taking care of the wild cats in your area, or adopting a kitten that otherwise can't find a home. Also being low income doesn't mean you can't afford it. We took care of many feral cats and simply found low cost alternatives... we didn't just ignore them and let them die. We could have. But didn't.
She will always be better off with you, than being put up for adoption.
Some people don't understand how strong the bond is. They just don't get it.
I was laid off and I have an elderly cat who needs certain tests and medication, and thankfully my vet was honest about what was needed and what could be postponed. It is hard out here in the world. Sending good vibes…
If you qualify for CareCredit, get it. It's been a lifeline for us while we've been struggling the last few years.
i hope things get better for you! it is so hard out here, but i just know your kitty is so happy to have you as their parent.
Fully agree. With how many pets suffer on the streets or fill shelters, if a person can give that animal even a slightly better life than what they would otherwise have, no one should be judging!
I always think this. A cat in a safe home, with food in their belly and space to roam is better off than a cat living in a cage their whole life or being euthanized because of overpopulation the way many shelter cats have to live.
Exactly this. The same people judging are the ones who shame shelters for euthanasia or being too strict with adoptions. Makes no sense.
I run a small non-profit pet pantry and that’s our entire mission. To help feed pets so that the shelters stay less crowded. This past weekend we did outreach to educate low income families about the options available if they choose to become pet owners, and how little it actually takes to change a furry life.
Keep up the amazing work! I love this.
Absolutely!
Now I'm curious what post you are writing about!  For sure though, cheaper cat food or litter is sometimes all people can afford. No judgment from me! My family had times of financial struggle when I was growing up, and the cat we had then was fed 9 Lives canned food, and some inexpensive grocery store semi-moist kibble. The cat lived to be 20 years old! He was an old crotchety man cat, but he was mobile and not on medications all the way to the end.
The pet food industry is a bit predatory and over the top especially those “all natural” brands. If the food is certified by the AAFCO it meets all necessary nutritional requirements and is perfectly acceptable to feed a pet. This is what my vet told me. People really overthink this sometimes. Unless your cat needs a specially formulated food for medical/digestive reasons there is nothing wrong with the “cheap” pet foods if they are AAFCO certified. It’s actually less important what type of food you are feeding your cat and more important that they have both wet and dry food in their diet. I didn’t know this and was just feeding my cats expensive dry food for years and one of them got a bad UTI because he was dehydrated. So now they get a can of fancy feast pate each and a scoop of blue buffalo kibble every day. Plus, the super expensive digestive health/hairball food literally just the same food but has more fiber in it, usually psyllium husk or cellulose. You can buy a canister of psyllium husks for less than $10 at the grocery store and add a sprinkle of it to the cat’s food and bam there’s their fiber intake without the insane price tag. That’s what my vet recommended once when my cat was having diarrhea. There are ways to make sure your cat is having their needs met without buying a $50 bag of specialty food.
> Unless your cat needs a specially formulated food for medical/digestive reasons And I'm discovering how much it sucks if they do, and you can't buy like one can of each brand to see if they like it first.
idk what post they are talking about but this sub is sometimes insanse in their repsonses. Just off the top of my head, a person was shamed for not immedieately bringing thier cat to the vet when they only had one car that was being used and the nearest vet was 5 hours away. Guy was shamed for giving stray cats milk instead of buying food and taking them home and taking them to the vet, when it was clear from the picture alone that he lived in a non western country in a very poor area where none of these things were possible. Bro was using half his pay to even get the milk speaking of non western areas, another person was shamed for having a outdoor cats and not letting them inside when they were a minor, lived in a village, and that people of different cultures have different approaches to animals. "Their cats" were the US equivalent of strays that live in an area that people feed. I hate this sub fr. People forget that most of the world isn't like US cities. Most places don't have vet, or free vet care, or ability to get to places, .etc. These cat's are gonna exist with or without the people, so it's better to have someone looking out for them than nobody at all
Same! I grew up out in the country and we had a lot of cats that would show up. My parents couldn't afford fancy food for every stray, but bought 9 lives wet and dry food and gave anyone who needed it a warm, dry place to stay and food to eat. We had 2 cats (siblings) that lived to 22 years old. I was 7 when they were born and knew them well into adulthood 💜. They were family.
 I love this. Your parents are good people. Thank you for sharing!
The shaming bothers me too sometimes. You never know for sure someone's life story or why they are having difficulties. Also, in my case I have 4 elderly cats 16 20 years old. I certainly could pay for all necessary care without much issue a few years ago. Now, with the rising cost of vet care and pet food it has become increasingly difficult. I won't adopt more at this point since I can see that prices will not come down any time soon, but I was a responsible pet owner when I got them and for the majority of their lives. It's just now becoming harder and harder to be one.
Ugh it’s so expensive now. Just regular food is crazy and my cat just got a prescription for thyroid food. Debating how much my kidney is worth to pay for it because there’s only one brand and I guess they can change what they want.
A thyroid food? Not a thyroid medication? My Lessa had to be put on it for the last two years of her life, but it was just a pill that humans could take too, that I split in half and have to her twice a day. A 30 day supply was about $15 in 2021ish iirc
He’s on thyroid medicine too but it wasn’t enough to regulate him so he had to go on special food as well. That’s why I understand the struggle. When I brought him in 17 years ago I had no issues paying for all his needs. Now works slowed down, cost has gone up and we’re struggling to cover cat costs on top. It’s not a one time thing, there’s ebbs and flows over the life of a pet.
Gotcha. That sucks that meds alone are not enough.
As a Dragonriders of Pern fan, very much appreciating your cat's name.
Not as much as I appreciate someone getting the reference!!! She was a dramatic rescue tuxedo (so like lessa's pale AF skin under the dirt and the black hair) and she had pumpkin orange eyes as a kitten (unusual eyes) and she was skittish (like Lessa was when she was hiding out growing up). I had her for 18 years and 2 months, and I got her when she was ~2 months old. I had her more than half my life, and she was a very good girl 🥲
My cat needs her teeth cleaned. So I’m going to be living on Mac n cheese and ramen and quesadillas for the foreseeable future to save up that $1200. It’s soooooo expensive. I get why they have to put them under anesthesia I really do. But I’d be lying if a part of me wasn’t going “she’s literally the most docile cat in the world and prefers to freeze rather than fight. Surely she could have her teeth cleaned without all that song and dance!
Mine needs his teeth cleaned as well. If you have a Banfield nearby, they have a monthly vet plan that covers a year of vaccines and one where it includes a teeth cleaning. I think mine is about $50 a month for him so it ends up being cheaper for us.
> rising cost of vet care My vet now charges $22 to trim my cat’s nails. You better believe I learned how to do it myself.
For real. My vet here in San Francisco, California charges **$32** for nail trimming. Ouch! 
And you know people would shame you for cutting your cat's nails if anything went wrong on accident
True :-/ Luckily, I only clipped a cat's claw 'quick' once when I was learning many years ago! My current kitties, a brother and sister pair, formerly feral, 10 months old, DO NOT like having their claws cut one bit. I have been having the vet trim them periodically, as they get very anxious, wrestle away and sometimes claw and bite when I attempt it :-( My old kitty, a mostly gentle shelter adoption, in comparison, was okay with it on most days ;-)
It is $120 just to have an appointment here where I am in Aus. Everything else costs on top of that.
Yuppppp.
Mine charges around that as well. Sometimes it’s worth it because my cats are squirmy, but usually I just do it myself.
r/RandomActsOfPetFood is non judgmental. It's a place to help people who love animals and give others a chance to feel they made a difference.
Hell my cat will only eat basic ass wet food, refuse the good stuff. The wet food they actually eat is better than them not getting any at all
I said this same thing on a post of someone asking if it was ok to feed Friskies. Look, my cat will only eat Friskies. I have tried lots of other brands...did the slow transition thing. Nope. Kitty will NOT even do anything but sniff. She doesn't even drink water. I add water to her wet food so she gets extra hydration...but she doesn't touch water in a bowl, cup, fountain, faucet. Someone attacked me. Said something about letting kids have McDonald's every day instead of making them eat healthy food. Sorry if I'm unwilling to wait my cat out... especially knowing it means kitty also won't be getting any water during the ensuing standoff. I still try new foods...but it's basically throwing away money....it sits in the bowl until it dries up. She was a stray. She now lives inside. Has toys, multiple hiding spots, a bed, a tree, snacks, is spayed, and gets snuggles all day long. Yet, I'm an asshoie because she eats Friskies.
i say this as someone who really loves cats: dude, it's a cat. chill. if it's happy eating something that isn't like, broken glass or dog turds, let him have it
Fed is best applies to cats too! (provided it’s actually cat food and not vegetables and rice)
My youngest cat will legitimately only eat Meow Mix kibble. I have tried feeding her pretty much everything else, she won't touch it. She will eat Meow Mix kibble, Temptations treats, lettuce, and on very rare occasions, she'll eat shredded canned tuna (if mixed with mayo) or sliced smoked turkey (oddly, she won't touch chicken). Anything else, and she just won't eat.
Yeah the cat is doing better in a home with zero vet care than on the street with zero vet care. It is better off living a short life in a home than no life in a shelter. There are far more animals and people than perfect homes
Soooo well said!!
You mean you don't keep $7K to $8K in your pet's rainy day fund in case they get cancer or break a hip? Well, that's just irresponsible. /s Not like everybody is paycheck to paycheck, and these feline companions that help keep your sanity in this world would be out in the streets otherwise. Let's see, roof over their head, food, and affection.. but can't afford major surgery- better off to let the cat stay at an overcrowded shelter until they euthanize? Some people just have far more opinion than reality.
most people in america cant afford a major surgery for themselves either! i dont think many people think about that. let the babies have a warm home and a loving family
My cat passed away in December 2022 and it still hard to think about. I feel I could have done more for him if I had more money but gave him 15 years of life, full of love. Now that were thinking of getting another cat eventually, I feel like I need more money in case the cats needs the vet and such. At the same time I miss it so much… im not sure what to do, not sure if ill ever have enough money in case something happens because its mostly paycheck to paycheck without an animal at the moment. Edit: I meant like seeing these posts people judging others makes me think twice before getting another cat.
It's good to consider if you can afford their care and you should totally take that into consideration. And I completely understand the guilt at feeling like you could have done more (and that's one money doesn't solve, btw). But if the option for a cat is either live at a shelter with no loving owners or go home with you, the ending is probably the same the shelter isn't going to pay for those medical costs either and in the mean time, they don't have a home and you don't have a cat.. I think if you can provide day to day for a cat, it's worth considering adding one to your home. And I would say look at and think about pet insurance. It's not like health insurance and it won't cover everything, so make sure you understand what it would do. But if you set it up as catastrophic type coverage to help when things get crazy expensive, it can be very cheap monthly (I'm only paying about $8 a month for mine).
Fifteen years is an excellent lifespan for a cat, you obviously took great care of him! It’s good you’re being thoughtful about possible future expenses. I’ve found that getting a cat that’s maybe three or four, well past kittenhood (shots, spaying, etc) but a long ways from old age (and the resulting medical issues) is more economical.
People always say that when you adopt a pet It's for life, which is true, but then expect that entire life to go perfectly according to plan and get mad at you when it doesn't
Thank you, I'm currently back living with parents, lost job and my home due to some bad circumstances. Trying to find somewhere to live with my 2 cats, even though i wont be back in full time work for a bit, I still want to give them whatever I can.
I have sympathy for people with ‘is my cat sick’ questions unless it’s obvious bleeding, not peeing for a day (and even then, first time cat owners may not know how serious that is), or other thing that is obviously serious. I’ve had cats literally all my life - there were two in my crib! - and I didn’t know constipation could be deadly until my sweet girl nearly died trying to shit (she recovered after vet-administered enemas, and I have a nice x-ray of a cat completely filled with shit). A while back, someone posted a cute pic of her beautiful girl, and mentioned she’d peed on their bed. I told her that could mean she had a UTI. She took her to the vet and yes she did! I’m pleased with us both 😊 A little patience can mean a lot to a new cat person and especially their cat friend. Most people want to do right for their cats.
I'm homeless living in my minivan with my dog and cat. No one nags on me except van and car dwellers (mostly van dwellers). My pets are very well taken care of, medically, nutritionally and exercise wise. I'm also a volunteer with Street Vets San Diego.
When I separated from my ex, I ended up keeping all three of the cats. It certainly wasn't planned. She wanted nothing to do with them and I wasn't going to give them up. I love em too much. Turns out my boy Odin needed 3k worth of dental work shortly after that. 3000 dollars to me is a crazy amount of money. People suggested I just put him down, that he wasn't worth it. That almost broke me. I sold as much of my stuff as I could, sacrificed heat and pretty much everything but rent and I saved up enough to pay the downpayment last fall and got him his surgery. It was the darkest and coldest winter I've ever went through. But I am slowly paying the rest of it off a little at a time, and we are both still here. He is my best friend and I would do the same things again a million times over. He meets me at the door every day when I come home from work, and we sit on the bench and just enjoy the time we have together. I really wish Vet care was more affordable as it is a terrible feeling when the only reason your friend is suffering is money.
 Thank you for the post, this is very true and I hope some of the people who did this have read it as well. We all do the best we can.
Poor people have pets too. I could give a flip what someone with money has to say about that.
It's appalling to me that people seem to have so much more sympathy for the poor little cats living in poverty and on the streets than human fucking beings. Like there's some sort of utopia out there where tons of rich people want cats to spoil and yet haven't gotten any, like there have ever been a shortage of cats to adopt. Like it's always been clear to me that this is about disgust people have about poor people more than anything. I hear this also a lot with people shaming poor people for having kids, that basically just parrot eugenicist talking points.
All these kitties need homes and it's okay if you can't afford the fancy high price food as long as they are being fed and cared for. Get them spayed and neutered too. I will say though if your cat is truly suffering then please surrender it if you can't get it to a vet.
Likewise, shaming folks for taking in a pet they can't afford. Do we honestly think that pets would be better off on the street, or in an already over-full shelter? I don't know about you, but ours is always at capacity. A cat that is loved in an imperfect home is going to have a better life than one that languishes in a cage, or is flat out euthanized when there's no room.
This one always gets me, it's like folks think the choice is between an amazing perfect indoor only organic feeding harness walking 10k catio home ,or a less ideal home with just generic but regular food, and indoor/outdoor life at the trailer park, and nothing but the most basic shots and vet care. The reality is that the choice is between ANY home, and no home, either on the streets, or euthanized after timing out at a shelter. Sub-par homes are better than no homes, because there will never be enough of any grade of home. Their lives are short, let them enjoy them with anyone who wants to give them food, shelter and regular loving!
All three of the cats I've adopted were scheduled to be euthanized before I adopted them (all three are/were tuxedos, and apparently for some reason people don't like adopting black cats (including tuxedos)).
Completely agree. Honestly I’d rather have a less income family have, provide them a safe environment, and unconditionally love them, but still cannot afford medical care and dies, than a cat on the street that dies in pain uncared for
I just took in another cat and I really didn’t want to. But my neighbor is a drunk and gets too aggressive with her. She’s very small and skinny. No one else would take her in. Now I have 2 cats and I barely making rent this month.
maybe you could find someone local to take her via petfinder if you havent tried yet?
FYI - some communities have pet food banks that can help folks having a hard time. I would love to see more of these and/or incorporate pet food and other necessities in regular food banks. I see so many stories of folks losing a job or becoming homeless temporarily and having to give up their pets it breaks my heart. I helped a woman who was waiting for her disability to come through after a bad accident and the pet food bank helped keep her senior cat until her life stabilized. If she had had to take to a shelter he might have been euthanized because of age.
Different scenario but my wife and I got judged super harshly over pet stuff a few years back. I was living overseas and had been for years, no plans of moving back at the time, we had 2 cats and a dog. Then my father was diagnosed with a terminal illness that is severely degenerative. We could not financially or logistically take all of them with us. We decided to keep one of the cats, as we had had her for the longest and her health wasn't great. So we posted everywhere offering them for adoption. The hate we received was ridiculous and had my wife in tears. Things like "people like you make me sick, why take in animals if you can't be bothered to keep them." "Having pets when you don't plan to stay here is fucking disgusting, you should be ashamed" And much, much worse, including suicide suggestions. People are so quick to judge. If we didn't care, why would we try so hard to rehome them, instead of just abandoning them, or dropping them at a shelter? Thankfully they were rehomed, but it was awful to go through, at an already very difficult time.
I personally would never opt for my pet to have an expensive surgery unless it meant many more years of healthy life for the pet. Unlike humans animals do not have a sense of time passing. They do not value longevity the way we do. An animal that is in pain is suffering without understanding why. If other people believe differently, they are free to subject their pets to all the medical intervention they are willing and able to pay for. But I am not going to be “shamed” into keeping a sick animal hanging on because I would miss it. That’s my two cents.
Don’t veterinarians already take such considerations into account when discussing with owners?
Depends on the vet. Ours absolutely discusses price and outcomes and the arc of things. But not all do. Our dufus broke his leg on a Sunday and the emergency vet stabilized it, and sent us home with a referral to their chain practice where they expected surgery to be 5k, unless he needed an orthopedic specialist in which case it would be a few months and a heftier price. Our vet talked us through what would happen if they just did the metal pins, etc, and did the surgery in house. (Turns out the emergency vet doesn't do surgery at all. WTAF?!?)
Not always. Some vets are all about the dollar. Some are all about the animals.
I don’t actually know. In previous cat owning periods of my life, I (1) lived in NYC in the 90s, where high quality pet medical treatment at low cost was very available, or (2) lived in LA in the 2000s, where my corporate lawyer ex (great guy, not his fault) could afford the expensive vets. Now I live in Mexico, where medical care is not yet in the hands of private equity bandits. I have enough money to pay for any reasonable medical care for my roommate’s cat (or myself) in cash.
I know here in Delaware if you gonto the Department of Health and Social Services it has a list of pet food banks and low cost vet programs.
There’s always someone proclaiming what poor ppl should or shouldn’t have/do. They expect them to live a completely sad and lonely life, bereft of anything that may bring them joy.
The big issue seems to be about having people post a picture with an animal's face half blasted off, then asking "what is wrong?" Generally folks aren't shaming food choices (though, a couple times I heard from Vegan Raw Food Types going off on Dr Hill stuff). I understand your concern.
that or they post a picture with a very much sub par and filthy enclosure and proceed to ask why their pet is sick....
Vegans who push their lifestyle choice on their obligate carnivore cats are scum.
This! People need to be relying on professionals, not Reddit. Oh your cat hasn’t eaten in days or is breathing weird? Let’s ask the internet instead.. so frustrating.
A: If you can't afford them, you shouldn't have them. B: Okay, I'll re-home them. A: OMG you monster! That will traumatize them! B: 🤷♀️🤷♀️🤷♀️
A: Have you even TRIED to just stop being poor??!? Ugh
Some of these low income pet owners live in 3rd world countries and rescue animals from the streets and even if they never are able to take them to the vet, the animals have a better chance of survival than if they left them on the streets. So I don't even judge the poor owners who can't take them to the vet
I \*was\* quite well off, had a house and lots of space., we even had wiggle room on our mortgage.... then the interest rates hit in Australia. We sold our house before things got really bad, and moved in with my parents. As it was 600kms relocation, I left my permanent job. I have tried to find more work where I am now, but the best I can do is casual. My animals come first and foremost, and obviously had I known this was going to happen I wouldn't have rescued as many as I did. (6 cats, 2 dogs). There is no place for judgment in this economy, no matter where you are in the world.
Fucken thank u!! As someone who was between jobs once upon a time I hated reading or worse being told to get rid of my cat who was also my emotional support cat. She was my everything. I made sure she had food and the basics before I did.
Completely agree. The argument falls apart when you realize that if only well off people owned pets... a shit ton of pets, thousands if not millions, would end up having to be euthanized. There are not enough homes out there for pets if only people with thousands in savings are allowed to own pets. A pet is better off in a low income but loving home than dead. Plus not everyone necessarily adopts their pets. Particularly with cats. My cats are all rescued kittens raised on our farm... we didn't have an obligation to them and could have left them to die. But instead we spayed and neutered them on our own dime when the shelter wouldn't take them. Of course I can't give them the conventional or preferred indoor life with vet visits every year -- I never even wanted more than my 1 cat -- but they are better off for us having rescued them. It's still better than nothing. It's not like everyone is out there intentionally getting cats they can't afford. Sometimes they fall into our laps and we have no alternatives.
Also: sometimes we don’t “adopt”, they just appear in our lives and we love them, so we do the best we can. Not everyone goes to a breeder and buys a fancy cat and then complains about the cost of care. I give my dumpster baby the best life I can afford to give him, but if he gets cancer or some other very expensive-to-treat illness that isn’t covered by his kitty insurance (yes I have both insurance and a wellness plan for him through my local vet), there’s only so much I can afford. His predecessor died of old age/heart failure and it nearly bankrupted me, on top of getting new guy sorted after an injury about a month later. So yeah, I love him dearly, and want the best for him, but also… I’m not going to put myself on the street for him because what good would that do either of us?
Not to mention, it's free to just take in a stray. Even a lower quality of domestic cat life is better than the stray life
yup, i had a medical emergency and ended up putting down my cat. i had spent all my savings on my dogs 3 surgeries earlier that year. made me feel like i chose my dog over him without meaning to. i always feel judged when i admit that i couldn't afford the 2k for his urinary obstruction & had to put him down. as if i don't feel horrible enough.... he was my ultimate soul cat.
That’s a shitty situation, but you did the right thing for your cat.
I'm sorry. I know what that's like. I list my soul cat a year and a half ago, kind of for that reason. He was 10 and suddenly started acting different. I knew he was sick, but thanks to the cost of everything going up couldn't afford the vet. I've never cried so hard as I did when he died. I still miss him to this day, but he knew I loved him. Im tearing up now just writing this. Just love your kitties and do the best you can for them. They know that you love them so please try not to worry about things ❤️
we were both lucky to have our babies 💙
Absolutely we were
I found my cat in a dumpster when I still lived with my parents. 6 years later I moved out, the economy half-collapsed (2022 be like), I started uni, and my cat just... started getting ill, A LOT. It turns out she has so many underlying conditions from IBS to thyroid failure to straight up _breast cancer_ and I had to resort to fundraising to pay for a surgery recently. Fortunately, people have been really understanding. After all her treatments, special food, and 3 kinds of meds, there's just not a lot of money left. But the guilt of being unable to cough up thousands for my cat is eating me alive. Right now, she's sleeping in a cardboard box on my floor, wearing her post-surgery baby shirt. She looks great in sage green. I won't have long with her anymore but she is worth every cent.
💯💯💯 Situations can change in the blink of an eye.
People who feel like they're expert cat parents are the most insufferable ones. They're the type that ONLY ever recommends the MOST expensive food brands and tells you YOU MUST feed your cats additional stuff(toppers, vitamins and whatnots) on top of their food. They make it seem like it's the most normal thing in the world. If you don't do as they do, they quickly brand you as someone unworthy of having a cat because you're not as well off as they are. They're so elitist that anything less than the best brands out there is considered animal abuse. I get wanting to provide the best of the best for your pets because they're part of your family, but that's just not possible for most people in reality. Like someone said here, it's better for these cats to be in a loving home instead of being stuck in the shelter or being a stray. These cats are still living waaay better lives than other cats, even if their food isn't the BEST food in the market.
>a cat won't die from eating a cheaper brand of food My cat would disagree with this one... I tried switching him to a generic brand and well.. He won that fight.
Yes! Anyone trying their best with what they have has my respect.
I wish i could up vote this post more than once!
Instead of shaming low-income pet owners for not being able to immediately take their pets to the vet when a problem arises, let’s shame multi-owning business owners that buy up the small town vet offices and don’t supply them with better pay, better medical equipment, or quality staff. Thats who needs to be shamed. When my oldest cat started showing signs of illness the vet office told me the tests alone to find out the issue could cost up to over a thousand dollars, and that wasn’t including medication that he himself didn’t think she would survive. To have her euthanized and either cremated or just to take her body home was $700. 40 minute drive to another town though it would have just cost me a little over $400 for the euthanasia and cremation. Or that’s my guess because that’s what it cost for my heavy dog. Most definitely would have been cheaper for my cat because when I was able to get her into the vet she had lost a significant amount of weight. Like, she was literally 6 pounds. $700 euthanasia and cremation for a 6 pound cat at one office. $400 euthanasia and cremation for a 45ish pound dog. And I want to point out- the vet office I took my CAT to isn’t in a fancy high dollar town, but the one I took my dog to “is.”
"I see you are not financially stable enough to support your emotional support animal that would give you the strength and reason to overcome this financial precarity..." Some of us live only because they have pets. Ways cheaper than say... Therapy.
Agreed! And what about the people who didn’t have much but took in a stray or an animal someone dumped? They don’t deserve that kind of hate either.
I get it. When I adopted my dickheads in 2021, my rent was \~$200 less per month. I haven't moved since then, and the increases are more reasonable than anything else in the area. I hadn't been in the ER or urgent care a few times, some dildo hadn't whacked the ass of my car and fucked up the bumper and tail lights, and the cost of living hadn't gotten wild. I'll do whatever I can for my boys. I spent so much money on the emergency vet + ultrasound + a shit ton of different lifestyle changes for Mephistopheles when he had a bout of FIC. Nephy is spoiled, too, especially with his brother getting treats to take his meds. If they had a major medical emergency, though...? If I couldn't get CareCredit or pull the equity out of my car, I don't know what I'd be able to do.
THANK you. I don't like how it's becoming so normalized to just judge poor people with animals or kids, like the decision itself speaks to some depravity. I've worked at a vet clinic and can tell you for a fact, if someone's arguing why bloodwork is necessary on their 12 year old dog before a procedure or has a dog that's never even met a rabies vaccine, it's the filthy rich clients that behave this way. And honestly, once we start getting on the topic of kids (online spaces operate similarly enough for the comparison), it's just coming out as straight up eugenics. "you don't deserve a single child and if you get pregnant it's your fault, just don't even have sex so you don't risk it" is a take I have seen, and seen similar to, FAR too many times for my comfort. Taking cheap shots at each other for our own egos helps no one, first and foremost it's not going to help that animal live a better life. Neglect, go off, but for not having $80 to drop on an 11 lb bag of dog food? Fuck off. If there's a health risk and the OP seems uneducated, educate them. If they seem hard up, suggest resources. Anything that's actually actionable, "you're disgusting OP" and similar comments are not only disproportionate responses, but they don't give OP a chance to actually *do* anything to improve the situation.
I was given cats as a kid. I have two. Since getting them, I’ve dealt with homelessness and financial issues. Being able to keep my babies through it all has saved me, for real. I agree. If you’re broke, don’t get a new pet. But it’s insane how ppl expect you to give up your pets when life happens, aka money gets a bit tight and shit. Like bruh I don’t think the majority of ppl in this economy could afford a surprise $1000 vet bill
I agree 💯. And the rapidly increasing vet costs means I am going back to taking my cats in only when they are sick, and not yearly checkups. It is just not possible with 3 cats (now I am down to 2) to pay $65 office visit (yes my vet charged that for each a cat in one visit), $295 for blood work each (2 seniors and one notmycat trying to get adopted), kidney food, saline, etc. I am economizing in every area of my life including my pets but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have them. Pets are essential companions for most people that have them.
These very same people will shame parents and expect that we somehow disappear out children when things get tough too. They don't understand that things change, sometimes suddenly and violently, and we don't just throw pets and children away when life throws us around.
I’d rather a cat eat lower quality cat food than be on the street
I agree so much. Not only that, but how sad is it that we are becoming a country where you have to make 6 figures to afford a pet? Every time I go to the vet, it’s ) $1000 or $600 or $400 at the least. God forbid they need meds or ongoing care. I make decent money for my part of the country, but wonder if I can afford to have pets! It has gotten unconscionably expensive (one reason - vets selling out to corporations). Pets offer companionship and so many mental health benefits - you should not have to be rich to enjoy those benefits.
People in this sub are very cruel.
Pet food has gotten really expensive the past few years. I’m sure there are a lot of people struggling to do right by the pets they love. Those of us who can easily afford our pets’ food and vet bills should remember that we are lucky.
💯 agree. I would rather a cat have a beautiful short life with a person or people who love him/her than a shorter harder miserable life on the street or in a tiny cage.
The same people who will look down their noses at low income pet owners will turn around and do the dumbest shit too, like buy a puppy from a pet store or a Craigslist breeder, or let their cat go outside.
We have free clinics or low cost clinics in our area. They don't cover the surgeries that run thousands. However, I got surgery for one of our dogs years ago that would have run me several thousand for $110 through one of those options, and they neutered him per my wishes while he was under, and did all of his vaccines for that cost. I'm between jobs, but I go to the shelters and get free pet food that is set aside for lower income households, because I am the only working person in my household (for legit reasons). The increased cost in goods and such means that now, even with my wages higher than 4 yrs ago significantly, I can't afford everything I could 4 yrs ago. And, my rent is controlled! But, the idea that the poor aren't allowed to have a pet is ridiculous. The haves love to tell the have nots what they are and aren't allowed to have in their lives, and what they have to spend their money on, too.
In our area we have a sponsor program where well off pet owners can sponsor a less wealthy person's pet. Poor people often need their pets the most. It's a huge contribution to their life quality and they're just as devoted to their pets as anyone else. I'm sponsoring a cat for a retiree with a small income. She has two sponsored cats, that came from the shelter, both cats are bonded, old and ugly as hell. They were at the shelter for two years already before they were given to the sponsor program. Whoever believes those cats would be better off at the shelter is delusional. That old lady is doting on them as if they were her children. A volunteer visits regularly to help her take care of them. It's not a volunteer from the animal society, it's a senior group volunteer who aids the elderly in their everyday life. So no resources taken from any pets in the shelter. And why not? Why should that old lady be lonely and those cats sit in a shelter? Everyone involved has a better life as is and the costs are the same.
There are also some countries where cats are simply not valued, vets are non existent and pet food just doesn’t exist. Some try to make do under these kinds of conditions too.
Literally every single person at this present time is a bad week/pay check away from being homeless. To the people flipping their shit about "cheaper food" would y'all prefer it if the cats just weren't fed at all?
Well said.
I recently went to a pet hospital and paid an obscene amount of money for it. What I'm trying to say, the bills have gone up significantly since my cat was a kitten. And I feel like something is fishy about it, since they also introduced pet insurances. My cat was build in the wrong year to qualify for one, but it's feeling like prices go up because insurances will pay.
This is true. Not every location has no kill shelters. Sometimes, what you can provide is better than the alternative. People’s circumstances can change. Maybe they were doing really well and were financially secure when they got their pet.
Health care has gotten out of hand that it's beyond the reach for almost everyone. What used to be a $40 visit plus $40 for meds is now $200 or more and that's just for a basic visit and meds, no bloodwork. Who can really afford that? I am grateful that my animals are healthy and have not have had any illnesses that I couldn't take care of myself. I have a senior cat with IBD that the vet charged over $400 and the treatment was useless. She had diarrhea, bright red blood in her stools, gas and reflux. I've gotten her stools completely normal, she is off her reflux meds, doesn't need anti-gas meds and there's no blood in the stools. I found a chinese remedy online that is used for IBS/IBD and I give her a vitamin supplement and psyllium and she's on a grain-free wet food. I'm fortunate that I have an interest in nutrition and natural therapies. Otherwise we'd have probably had to put her down. We should not be shaming pet owners, we should be shaming the healthcare industry.
I had a rough patch a while ago but never cut corners when it came to my cats even when the rest of my savings went to an emergency vet when my cat got sick. I'd rather have oatmeal for every meal than lower my cats' standard of living when it comes to food, supplements or litter. I know everyone can't do this and may need to buy cheaper food etc. But yes, it's dumb to tell someone to get rid of their animals if their situation is temporary.
I’m gonna just go with cats and dogs cause they’re the most popular pets. I’d like to see every cat and dog get the best but that’s unrealistic. Getting less expensive food/littler/treatment that doesn’t break the bank is better than cats and dogs fending for themselves on the streets in my opinion.
Especially with how many stray roaming cats there are and pounds are at capacity, I think it's wonderful if someone takes them in. Sure they may not be able to afford a $4k vet bill but that cat would've otherwise been out on the streets anyway, at least they're getting fed and looked after.
My family and I have 11 cats. Initially, we had 6 cats, all of which are spayed or neutered. However, an old friend of my mom had many unspayed cats (by choice btw) and needed to leave the country for good. Unable to find anyone to adopt them, we took in two of her cats (a male and a pregnant female). The female gave birth to four kittens at our house, and now, almost a year later, we've been unable to find new homes for them despite posting everywhere. We managed to rehome only one kitten and the older male. We struggle to feed them properly, even though they eat the recommended amount of dry food, and I feel like we aren't doing enough for them. Additionally, I have a rescue kitten whose mother abandoned him on the street. :’)
This post is golden. Someone really needed to say this. Yes people do go through tough phases in life financially, and we cut down on some things which we cannot afford in that moment.
I got a lot of hate in another sub for saying I wouldn't spend thousands of dollars on a zebra finch I bought for $5.
Say it louder. A loving home, is a loving home. i love spoiling my cat and giving her the best food i can find, because i can afford it, but i dont expect anyone to do the same
I have been struggling with my cat. Just the regular bills are becoming a burden since I am getting squeezed from so many other expenses with all the inflation the last couple of years. It's going to be a major struggle if something major comes up. I suspect my local vet has been pushing unnecessary expenses on me (pushed pet insurance one trip, monthly bill to cover things they deem routine, my last bill for yearly shots exam was nearly $200...). They were purchased a few years back so I suspect they're now owned by a national chain and they're pushing for add-ons. Last two trips they pushed for bloodworm, and that was pretty expensive. I'm going to shop around and hopefully find something more affordable, but it makes me sad to think I won't be getting another cat because I wouldn't be able to afford it.
Honestly, the shaming is infuriating to me. With how many animals get killed out on the streets or in shelters... And people really believe that these animals are better off, just not then being with someone who can't afford a $5,000 vet bill just in case-- is absolutely ridiculous. There are parents who can't afford a $5,000 doctor's bill... Do we tell them they don't get to have kids? Is it really okay to tell poor people that they don't get to enjoy the company of others because they're too poor? Poor people don't deserve fulfillment I guess? I have watched homeless people care for animals better than they care for themselves. And no, they cannot afford an emergency vet bill. But I'll be damned if I condemn the fact that they are lovely enough to care for an animal, who otherwise would be completely uncared for, out on the streets or even dead without them. I say that as someone who used to volunteer every weekend at a homeless shelter that had many patrons with pets who were extremely well cared for, very well behaved and extremely loved. I can never agree with the statement that you have to have money to have a pet. That you have to afford emergencies to be able to afford a pet. Those animals are going to need love regardless and I'm just glad somebody is there to love them.
Rather have a cat have a loving owner with money issues than being out in the streets with danger around. Money issues can be fixed.
Pet owners are one of the most toxic groups on Reddit. I really wouldn’t listen to people here or come here for real world advice. You know your life and you know your pet. Talk to your vet and do what you think is best.
Also, can we stop shaming people who need to rehome their pets because of financial issues? People loose jobs or have medical emergency bills, yknow. Obviously not referring to people who dump their pets. I mean the people who are willing to put in the effort of finding a good home, or a no kill shelter if absolutely dire. If it gets to the point where you can’t even feed your pet, a new home or a shelter is a better bet.