# I'm probably going to kill my cat next week. What should I tell my 3 yo granddaughter? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 3, 2013, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493 "2013-07-03T00:03:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/41 "2013-07-04T10:16:43Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > I just checked with the rescue organization we got him from. They said they would take him back, but would probably end up euthanizing him anyway. > > Great advice on what to tell my granddaughter. Just his time, doctor couldn’t help him be well, etc. is better than the “went to a farm” story. Thanks. It was a good idea, and worth a try to call them. I don’t think kitty’s age has been mentioned, but especially if he’s over 10, his chances of re-adoption are slim. Unless the organization has a brick-and-mortar location where he could live the rest of his days comfortably and pee all over to his heart’s content, they may have to depend on foster homes that likely wouldn’t want to try to take care of him for long-term. The rescue I work for has a permanent location where cats can live out their lives if need be, but that’s not preferred by any means. My house cats came from there, and, honestly, only one of them do I consider returnable and as having a good chance of re-adoption. The others, I would euthanize before returning to the shelter and I had no other resort. They’ve been house cats for too long, and house cats do not to well in even the best and nicest shelter circumstance. It’s just not a home, and they know it. I’m sorry your family has to go through this, and I agree the advice you’ve gotten in regards to your granddaughter is some good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Heidi\_coghlan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/9dc877/32.png) [@Heidi\_coghlan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heidi_coghlan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/42 "2017-10-06T23:08:05Z")
Feed him outside let him live comfortably outside in a heated area or lots of rugs towels etc. I don’t expect he will pee on that. Have you tried a cat pherenome the type which replicates a mothers smell this is known to calm cats. I think he has become over anxious too, there is another spray which is used to,prevent scratching in the uk called feliway I expect you have something similar. Don’t put him to sleep especially since tge vet says he is healthy and no kidney disease to treat, worse case scenario let him live out of the home and come in for a cuddle. ---
**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/43 "2017-10-06T23:23:42Z")
Think the cat died long ago. I would have made him an outdoor kitty. Sure, he _might_ get sick or run over or get diseases, or he might be perfectly healthy like my indoor/outdoor kitty that spends about 30% of his time outside. This one also has a peeing problem - I eventually got him to limit his extra peeing to a towel in the bathroom and his box. But I’ve been letting him out about 30% of the time for about 2 years now. Maybe someday something will happen to him, but this is far less bad that killing him on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/44 "2017-10-06T23:24:50Z")
> [@Heidi\_coghlan](#): > > Feed him outside let him live comfortably outside in a heated area or lots of rugs towels etc. I don’t expect he will pee on that. Have you tried a cat pherenome the type which replicates a mothers smell this is known to calm cats. I think he has become over anxious too, there is another spray which is used to,prevent scratching in the uk called feliway I expect you have something similar. > Don’t put him to sleep especially since tge vet says he is healthy and no kidney disease to treat, worse case scenario let him live out of the home and come in for a cuddle. It’s been 4 years. I’m sure whatever problems have worked themselves out by now. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/45 "2017-10-06T23:26:03Z")
The thread is 4 years old but I guess updates might be useful to people googling the problem. I might have suggested punishing the cat with a water pistol or putting some scent cats dislike all over the place. Also, perhaps the cat was marking territory which could suggest anxiety. ---
**Author:** ![analogqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@analogqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/analogqueen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2017, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/46 "2017-10-07T07:07:12Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Is the litter box covered? Uncover it. If he’s going past it and finding elevated areas to go, it sounds to me like he thinks the litter box is unsafe. Cats need to feel like the place where they’re eliminating is escapable if a predator (i.e. another cat, dog, scary human, toddler) were to approach while they’re squatting. Ideal locations for litter boxes are not always the same to a cat as they are to the person placing the box. > > The general rule for litter boxes is one per cat plus one. For cats with issues, it could be more. If one box has too much going on around it (like it’s in a heavily-trafficked area and there are too many people in the room or walking past) then another box in a different room may be a preferred choice at that time. If there’s no second choice, then the cat will find a spot of his own. > > I got nothing for the toddler. Haven’t dealt with them enough to know. Isn’t three a little young for understanding death, especially under this kind of circumstance? YES!! Our neutered male refused to go in the covered cat box. Fact is, he could not fit in there completely AND turn around. AND NUMBER TWO- caps intentional, to force people to SEE IT! just kidding no really- change to litter to one of those natural deals, I like OKO Cat, it’s shredded paper /wood product, smells wonderful and does better at absorbency/odor control than the best clumping litter. Once I changed to the natural wood stuff, I had no more potties outside the box. I’d turn my cat into an outdoor only (& I never let my cats roam outdoors, ever) before I “kill” it/ sorry saying you’re going to “kill this cat” makes it sound as if you are actually going to murder it with your own hands. I hope you mean put it to sleep at a vets. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/47 "2017-10-07T13:28:39Z")
Maybe you’ve taken the cat to the vet, or maybe you don’t want to spend the money? Your thread title (“kill my cat”??) put me off so much, I couldn’t bear to read anything else you had to say. But I have a lot of experience in this department. Sorry. If this has been covered, I apologize, and just ignore me. It’s not normal for a cat to pee outside the litter box. Often it’s a sign of urinary crystals, which make it painful to pee. The cat associates peeing with pain and therefore associates the litter box with pain. Kind of like you being burned on a hot stove, so you’re reluctant to touch the stove for any reason because it might be painful. Urinary crystals can be treated with a very cheap supplement (non-prescription) called Methionine (this goes for urinary crystals in dogs, too). Go to amazon and read the reader reviews. Suggest when this cat goes for whatever reason, you don’t get any more. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/48 "2017-10-07T14:33:09Z")
Outside cats are really hard on local bird and wildlife populations. I don’t know that it’s as simple as “make the cat an outside cat–who cares if his life is shorter?”. It’s not just his life. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2017, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/49 "2017-10-07T16:09:51Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Suggest when this cat goes for whatever reason, you don’t get any more. ☹ This thread is over four years old. The cat is likely gone by now. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/50 "2017-10-08T04:40:00Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > This thread is over four years old. The cat is likely gone by now. _“But the cat came back…”_ ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493/51 "2017-10-08T16:55:47Z")
As has been noted, this thread is quite old, and the OP is likely no longer seeking help for this specific issue. If the OP wishes to provide an update, please PM me, but in the meanwhile, I’m going to close this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-probably-going-to-kill-my-cat-next-week-what-should-i-tell-my-3-yo-granddaughter/662493.md?page=2)