fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #3463 ]

⌈ Secret Post #3463 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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[Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera]

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[Megazone23pt2's Bodysuit 23]

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[Steve Shives]

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[Awful Hospital]

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[Rick & Michonne/Richonne | The Walking Dead]

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[The West Wing, The Newsroom]

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[Zootopia]

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[Archie Comics]

Notes:

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I want a cat or a couple of kittens. I live with my mom--I'm one of the "mom's drinking herself to death" anons. I have a half dozen chickens, but just buried another chicken and my mother's dog a bit over a month ago, and chickens aren't very cuddly.

Taking care of mom leaves me worn out emotionally, and I'd like something to hug that doesn't scream at me, lie, or reek of booze, that I can care for without feeling like it's wasted, unwanted effort. I'm basically running the household at this point, but the house is still in mom's name, and she says "no new pets," unless she's maudlin-drunk in which case she whines about wanting a dog. She couldn't take care of her last dog; I fed her, walked her, paid her vet bills, and played with her.

I doubt my mom would even realize if I got a cat, but if I adopt, the adoption agency will call her to check if it's okay since she still owns the house. Should I check craigslist ads and forgo the animal shelter, or wait for mom to kick the bucket, by which time I may be an emotional husk? Also I start school again in the fall, and I'd like to bond with any new pets before I have no free time.

You say you're starting school and will have no free time soon - will you have free time to take care of kittens? Kittens are way high maintenance, so personally I would consider going with an adult or maybe even an older cat, if you can.

Also to consider, if you get a cat and she does notice eventually, how will she react? Will she complain but ultimately accept it since its already there, or will she make you get rid of the cat? It would suck to get a cat just to be forced to give it up.

And idk about shelters, but friends of mine have had good experiences with Craigslist before.

Craigslist is not a great idea, really. You run the risk of getting a sick/uncared for animal, which can result in vet bills or potential early death of your pet.

Is your mom stable enough to leave alone for any length of time? You could try volunteering at a shelter for a few hours at a time and get your kitty cuddling fix in while having some peaceful time away from home (which could also help your emotional health)

I have adopted animals from craigslist with quite a bit of success, you just need to take precautions. Ask to see evidence of a vet checkup and shots - if the ad says they've had them - before you buy.

Also make sure that you see the animals up and moving around so you can assess their surface level health yourself. Don't adopt an animal without taking the time to get to know it a little; if the seller won't allow it, don't buy from them.

Could you just volunteer at a local shelter and put off getting any additional animals for now? I know you need a positive presence, but you don't want to get busy and have the house smelling like cat piss because your mom is too busy drinking to change the litterbox.

I'm not sure how old you are, but would you be able to look into substance abuse services for your mom? (Not trying to be grim, but there's no telling when your mother will actually "kick the bucket.") Do you go to Al-Anon or anything like that? It sounds like you do need some serious support, but another animal might not be the answer right now.

Piping in to say volunteering or even doing pet-sitting/walking for someone might be the better solution. Shelter animals would LOVE for you to come in and play with them, and watching someone else's pet while they're away can help them feel more at ease while their owner is gone. They get attention and play time, while you get a chance to de-stress by being around animals.

I'm in the same position as you (want a higher-maintenance pet, can't get it because of family) and I know that while the pet will help, it will also create problems. There's also the fact animals (especially cats) can sense when there's a hostile environment, and it makes them more uneasy and temperamental. If the cat/s know your mom doesn't want them there, they're not going to feel welcome, and as a result, might not be up for much interaction. Every animal is different, though, but I just think it might be better to find a different solution.

yes, with your mother being such a wild card and not wanting pets I'm a bit worried that the cat could develop problematic behaviors that cause additional friction etc.

if things went well with the dog then it might not be an issue, but please try your best to ensure you won't have to get rid of it again after a month

Must it be a cat? I ask because cats live quite long, and if ou start school - could you still take care of it? What bout after school, cats live for like 15 years?

Something like a guinea pig (still cuddly) is lower maintenance and does not live quite as long. Also, no problems with shelters doing check-ups.

Have you thought about maybe temporarily fostering a cat? This way you can see if that might work on a short term basis.

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