Have you ever given up a pet?

[Jenarry]

I have been a pet lover all my life and have always been very attached to my pets but I'm considering giving my current pet cat away but I'm not sure if I will actually be able to do it as it's so against my nature.
Am I being too soft ? I can think of a few people I've known who would take on pets and give them up after a time for whatever reason and not seem to bat an eyelid.
I got my my cat a bit too quickly after losing my much loved beautiful persian cat to old age after having her for 12 years.
And I can't say I've taken to her very well,mainly because she's naughty and whereas my previous cats would soon learn not to do something I didn't like she just persists. and also because she has a bad habit of waking us up in the night for a fuss which along with my young son waking us at other times of the night is just too much to take. I've been putting her out for the night during the summer months but i know i won't be able to keep this up now the colder wetter weather is coming.
I would feel happier to give her away to someone who may enjoy her more but i'm finding it hard to actually make this decision. any words of advice anyone?...

[Jenarry]

ps I've had pusscat for 18 months now so I feel I've given it a good go with the little poppet.

[albaqwerty]

Persistance, persistance, persistance.

How old is your new furry friend?

We had to give up our 2 moggies whilst we were 'homeless', it broke our hearts.

[welshlibranr]

maybe try shutting her in the kitchen during the night, then she can't wake anyone!......she needs to know that she is not in charge!........she should be fine then.....a bit of tough love is needed here!.........don't be so soft on her!............

[albaqwerty]

sorry, that wasn't there when I replied:)

I'm sure she isn't naughty. just a different character.

We'll take her (honestly, we would) The dog's nose would be out of joint but she'd come round/

[Jenarry]

She is a rescue cat so I'm not definite about her age.around 3 -4 yrs old i think.
At the time I was toying with the idea of having a kitten but I thought there would be less naughtiness and destruction from an adult cat. i was mistaken. she is far and away the naughtiest(but also friendliest) cat i've ever had and showing no signs of changing her ways!!!

[honky-tonk]

Have you tried putting the cat in another room with the door closed of a night time. I do this with one of my cats as he used to wake me up in the night demanding attention. He is now content in the kitchen and when i come down of a morning he just lies there and gives me the impression that i have disturbed him from his sleep. When you say she is naughty what other things does she do ?

[Jenarry]

I've tried shutting her in the kitchen at night-time with all she needs, food ,water etc but she scratches and scratches and scratches at the door and meows for hours. :O( I maybe need to keep it up for a few nights to see if she settles into it.

[albaqwerty]

One of my cats was a rescue cat. Thoroughly anti-social, not for sitting on the lap to get petted, but was very friendlywith my ailing cat and the other one.

I guess she was just a cat-person (I know it's weird) and not into humans.

[Jenarry]

she is a terrible around food. she has food and water down all the time but her favourite hobby is getting up on the kitchen worktops the second my back is turned and nosing at what food is around..ie straight after i've cooked and there's leftovers on the cooker. i know some people don't mind this but I can't stand my cats being on the worktops and my previous cats have soon got the message about this but not this liitle poppet! you also wouldn't dare leave your plate unattended when she is around because she would be having a taster of at that too before you have sometimes which is always lovely! lol

[honky-tonk]

http://www.infobarrel...at_from_Waking_You_Up

[welshlibranr]

jenerry, as far as cats helping themselves when hour plate is unattended, then, sorry, but most cats would do the same!...........

[albaqwerty]

lol love that honky-tonk. I use that one on my now dog. Well,it looks like a dog, butdoesn;t do much other dog things:)

She hates the hoover with a passion.

[honky-tonk]

i have a cat like that he is a bugger for jumping on the kitchen work tops and stealing food. I think the reason why he does it as he is always hungry and prefers human food to cat food, just licks the jelly off the cat food and doesnt really like dried food, i fill him up on chicken and leave dried food for him whenever he wants it. You could try squirting the cat with water whenever she jumps on the kitchen tops, i havnt done it as my cat even though 2 years old is very tiny and is the baby out of the two cats i have, so is a bit spoilt lol

[albaqwerty]

scoop poody up and deposit on floor with a firm 'NO' after1000 attempts you know you;ll have lost. Sorry, but pooody-cats are the boss.

[NOX]

I think the problem is not that your current cat is naughty but that you got used to an unusually good one with your previous cat and that she set the 'bench mark' for what you expect your other cats to be like. I think your previous cat was unusually well behaved, but then she was a Persian and we had Persians who werelikewise quiet, well bahved and generally great tempered things. My mogs now on the other hand are right bundles of monstrous fluff who keep me well and truly in my place to some great extent and any one of em would swipe your dinner when not looking, so I think it's fairly normal cat behaviour you are describing and not a particularly naughty cat. I wouldn't personally give up an animal but if you really can't bond with her then it might be worth asking around people you know who might really like her in fairness to you both, or persevere, cats are clever and trainable but still very much their own person.

[Jenarry]

I've had moggies and another persian as well nox and was quickly able to get all of them out of any bad habits like these but not Amber.
She is really not getting the message! :O( it's very frustrating as I can't live with it(cats on worktops is a big no no for me) and if only she could stop I think we would get on better. If i ask around for a new home do you think i should give them a run down of her naughty habits as well as her good points?...

[Dee Sa]

if you get rid of this cat are you thinking of getting another one ?
have you phoned the shelter that you got her from for their advice ?we had a rescue cat that used to come and nip your nose about 5am, after a week of this I took her downstairs, gave he a little bit of her pouch[ in case she was hungry] and locked the door until we got up, after about a week it stopped.
I hope you keep her anyway.

[maggiebee]

Rescue cats often need lots of patience as they may have moved from pillar to post most of their lives. Do you have a cat flap so she can get out during the night? My moggie always slept beside me but used to disappear off out during the night - always there in the morning though. Wouldn't give up on her.

[missprim]

I gave up my cat and kitten about 30years ago and I still regret having done it.There has been much advice for you here Jenarry but at the ned of the day the decision is up to you. The reasons I gave up my cat were few really and at the time I was ok with it but before long i was really regretting it but I couldn't get them back as they had gone to a good home and the new owners wouldn't give them up.
All cats are different and they do actually change as they get older.
Unless you really hate the cat, then please persevere with her. The fact that you don't put her out at night in the winter shows you must care for her.