For cruelty to gramps and cat, I sentence you to hell!

The BBQ Pit
1

I volunteer at the SPCA, and today I heard a story that just made me so angry, I had to Pit someone.

Last week a 17 year old cat was brought to the shelter. An elderly man had this cat since he was a kitten, but recently the old man had a stroke. His children came up from whatever recess of Hades they call home to see to his stuff in preparation for putting him in a nursing home. At this time, they decided to bring Moses, his 17 year old cat, to the SPCA.

WITHOUT TELLING HIM.

This old man came home from the hospital to find that his cat was given away. They did not let him say goodbye, they just got rid of the cat. As if having a stroke and being put in a home isn’t bad enough, they took away his companion of 17 years behind his back, so he comes back to a home he soon has to depart forever to find his friend gone.

The gentleman had his nurse/caregiver person bring him to the shelter to see Moses one last time. He was in a wheelchair (I was not there when this happened). While he was there, he paid Moses’ adoption fees so that he could be free to a good home, which greatly increases his chances of being adopted.

I felt so bad for the man and for the cat, who is a big, fat gray and white boy with a sweet, shy disposition. I would post his picture but it’s not on the web yet. The kitty is taking it OK… he is in a room with 3 other big, older girls and they get along. But the whole thing is so fucking sad. How insensitive are this man’s kids? How could they do that to him and his cat? I can understand if they couldn’t take this kitty in, but at least try to find a home for him… at LEAST let your dad say goodbye!

Sometimes people just fucking suck. I hope Moses goes home with someone nice soon, because at 17, who knows how long he has left? I would take him but I just brought home my 5th, so I’m full up, and Moses is so adorable and nice (and FREE) that I’m sure he will go home with someone imminently.

But… just… :mad: :mad: :mad: :frowning:

2

Bastards. :frowning:

3

Damn, that’s so wrong. Poor old man.

As if it doesn’t suck going to a nursing home, they take away what was probably his best friend without letting him say goodbye.

I hope he secretly has a hoard of cash stashed somewhere and doesn’t leave them a dime.

4

WHERE is “South of Heaven”??
Cause, y’know, it makes a difference if it’s near me somewhere. In SoCal…

5

If I had any relative who pulled that kind of shit on me, I’d be rewriting my will. They’d each get $1, with the balance (that didn’t go to other relatives who didn’t participate in or approve of what they did) going to the SPCA.

Fuck people who think pets are disposable! :mad: :frowning:

6

I see my future in this post.

No laughs.

7

This is why some animals eat their young.

I’m beginning to think more of the practice.

8

If I were this old man, I’d leave whatever money I had to the SPCA and shaft those horrible children. I need to write a will and figure out what to do with my dog and 5 cats. I honestly have no idea. I don’t have any kids, and my brother, father, and friends all have pets already… and I would never want my cats to wind up in a shelter. The thought of that makes me feel panic about my death that I don’t even feel about dying itself.

Depressing.

9

Central NY. I wish I could drive Moses out there to you!

10

I don’t feel that we truly have enough information to judge whether or not the kids were assholes for bringing the cat to the SPCA. Do you know for sure they had a way to do something else? I am not one that usually plays devil’s advocate, but come on. If my dad had a stroke, the last thing I’d be worried about would be his cat, pet for 17 or 70 years. The kids live out of town, what if they couldn’t stay at his house and make sure the cat was fed until he got out? Would the headline ff this Pit thread then read “Asshole kids let cat starve while father recovers from stroke in the hospital”? If they aren’t from the area, how are they supposed to “try to find a home for him”?

Unless there is some really significant piece of information I’m missing, I have to say this is a pretty lame reason to “sentence” someone “to hell”.

11

Don’t you think they should have at least TOLD their father about it, and let him say goodbye?

It’s not just dumping an animal at a shelter-it’s the fact that it was their father’s beloved pet and they didn’t let him know.

12

I dunno, how about wait for him to get home to say good bye, at the very very least?

Hire a pet sitter for dad’s piece of mind? Put a FREE ad in the local paper (yes, the free pet ads are gratis in the local paper). Anything would be better than what they did.

Yeah, because starving the cat was the ONLY other option. Give me a break.

Ever heard of hyperbole? If not, look into it. You might enjoy it.

13

Not legal advice, but some states permit pet trusts. You can’t leave your money to your pets, but you can find a willing friend or relative to act as the trustee of the trust, with the understanding that the money is to go to take care of your pets. It’s a gentlemen’s agreement, rather than a binding legal arrangement, usually. But it’s better than the alternative, and I think that if people knew that they had the money to take care of your animals you might find more people willing to take them on.

As to the poor old cat – I hope someone falls for him soon and takes him home. Any kind of change is so hard on an older animal.

14

Indeed, that was a hateful thing to do to the old fellow and his kitty. Aren’t there homes where elders can keep their beloved critters? Having Moses with him could very well help his recovery.

15

Okay, what should happen is the cat gets adopted out. The person adopting him knows the story, and takes the cat every Sunday to the nursing home to visit Grandpa. Grandpa and the cat-adoptee bond nicely during these visits. Grandpa leaves the cat adoptee a truckload of money. The cat dines from sterling bowls.

16

Damn. Me too. :frowning:

17

An aunt of mine was in a nursing home that had several cats. I don’t think they really belonged to anyone, but they were free to roam the place. This same home allowed pet visitation.

And damn, those kids suck.

18

Surely we could create some sort of Doper Underground Railroad to get Moses out to the promised land?

19

When I go in Friday, I’m going to see if it would be at all possible for me to take Moses to visit the old man if he’s in a local nursing home. Might be that the SPCA folks don’t even know where his is or how to contact him, though. Will report back on this for thos who are interested.

Fortunately, the SPCA were I volunteer is a no-kill shelter, so there is no risk of Moses being put to sleep or anything. At least he’s in a warm, safe place with lots of food, people who think he’s cute, and three other kitties he likes. I believe he will get a good home.

20

I knew I shouldn’t have read this thread. Now I get to start my day off by crying. :frowning:

I’m going to use some words I don’t think I’ve ever used on this board. Fucking assholes!! :mad: :mad:

Rubystreak, please, please let us know if you’re able to bring the cat for a visit. If you do something that nice, good things will come to you.