When Do You Pull the Trigger on a Pet?

[Jstpssng]

But as for care, I doubt few animals and pets are as well cared for as they are here. We spoil our pets.

That's the way that it should be. I hunt, fish, and trap; yet I strive to do each in the most humane way possible. I know people who look down on me, yet aren't above live trapping a squirrel or even a mous in the middle of winter and dropping it off 10 miles down the road... to die a harsher death there. Any animal I have gets the best life I can give right until the point where it's gone... and I have no use for a mean animal. (That's my role. )

Years ago on my way to a friend's house, I took a shortcut up a seldom used road on a cold night in January and came across a little kitten sitting in the middle of the road... I don't think that it had moved since somebody opened their door and dropped it there. I took it to a nearby farm, explained what had happened and they were good enough to take it in.

I wish the person who did that could have been dropped off on the end of some road in the middle of winter in their shirt sleeves, and told to tough it out.

 

[Oaktree]

Trouble with pet ownership is often sadly "When To Pull The Plug?"

Animals ofen cause humans to lose ability to use common sense..

And vets are as much to blame as anyone, often laying on the guilt trip when the end is near, making you feel like a neglectful owner if you don't do something to give it a couple more months of life.
Now maybe they see a lot of people who can't let go and assume everyone's that way, but to me it's sleazy.

Had a cat (it was probably 18 at the time) beginning to experience kidney failure, I got the 3rd degree from the vet when I wanted it put down. No excuse for that IMHO.

 

[MossRoad]

Red tailed hawks compared to bald eagles?

Not even close.

Red tailed hawk males are about 1.5-2.9 pounds. Females are about 1.7-3.7 pounds.

Now compare that to bald eagles.

Baled eagle males are about 6.6-13.9 pounds! Female bald eagles average 25% larger than males.

 

[SmallTimin]

Sounds like outside cat material to me. We had one in the house a few years ago. First time ever in my life. (Now we have two inside, one expensive one and one we rescued from a greedy uncaring breeder). Anyways, the first one was fine except she would poop on the floor. Right outside the litter boxes. After a couple months she went outside. She is an amazing outside cat. Still lovable, but will kill anything that痴 smaller than her (except her kittens). Only problem is she stays pregnant and the local spay and neuter clinic will not fix them if they are nursing or pregnant. Between bought cats and her kittens from multiple litters, we have 16 cats. 2 inside 14 outside. Frogs, mice, mole rats, birds, or any other insect they can catch is dead. Killed several baby snakes over the last several years as well. They get a heat lamp or two when it is cold out, away from vehicles. We probably put out 30 pounds of cat food a month and they still kill anything that moves. Our inside dog loves em all. I used to hate cats, now I think it is quite the opposite.

 

[Gem99ultra]

We (spouse) picked up a kitten at Cooper's Feed Store a few years ago. Cutest little thing, and so fragile, but nobody wanted it. The feed store was unfortunately its last stop. We brought it home, named her Cooper, and nurtured her until she became healthy again, and spayed. She turned out to be a Maine Coon breed weighing 22 pounds! She was an inside/outside cat.

During the day she would roam the woods, catching ground squirrels, chipmunks, mice, bugs, and birds for food. She was one bad gal for sure. She liked to show off showing us how high up a tree she could jump. And she was definitely a fighter. No roaming dogs or whatever could whip that cat. But when it started getting dark, she'd come in through the 'cat door' for the night.

Sadly, at age 5, while showing off her jumping and climbing skills, she out of a 30' tree and broke her back. Very sad situation, but we had to let the Vet put her down. 'Coop' was the first cat I'd ever owned, and she was a wonderful cat at that. We were totally devastated to loose her.

 

[Hay Dude]

Red tailed hawks compared to bald eagles?

Not even close.

Red tailed hawk males are about 1.5-2.9 pounds. Females are about 1.7-3.7 pounds.

Now compare that to bald eagles.

Baled eagle males are about 6.6-13.9 pounds! Female bald eagles average 25% larger than males.

That’s what I was thinking.
And furthermore, how is a 3 pound lb hawk swooping down and taking a 15lb cat :confused2:

 

[newbury]

We got a cat from Hades.<snip>But when is enough, enough?

Enough is enough when other options don't work.
Has the cat been spayed?
A close relative lived at our house for a couple of years. She had a little snappy dog that was a PIA. Besides nipping people he was an escape artist. He'd slip out the door, go running like heck and require up to an hour chase all while the relative was moaning about her poor puppy. After about 3 or 4 years she had the dog neutered.
Complete change of character. Became a loving calm dog that didn't run away.

 

[riptides]

Enough is enough when other options don't work.
Has the cat been spayed?
A close relative lived at our house for a couple of years. She had a little snappy dog that was a PIA. Besides nipping people he was an escape artist. He'd slip out the door, go running like heck and require up to an hour chase all while the relative was moaning about her poor puppy. After about 3 or 4 years she had the dog neutered.
Complete change of character. Became a loving calm dog that didn't run away.

Agree on temperament and attitude changes for cats. Spay and neuter works here at our farm. All our cats are "adopted" and fixed. Any other cat showing up and disturbing their world is welcome to stay as long as it gets shots and fixed. Over the years about three have undergone the trapping, procedures and then let loose on the barn to never returned. Working on feral cats ain't easy. "Ours" seem content.