what happens if something happens to you?
what happens if something happens to you?
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A fond associate and friend of mine, Dr. Lorie Huston, died suddenly and unexpectedly last week, leaving behind 6 cats, some of them shy or special needs. Because she was not old – at 54, she had a busy career as a veterinarian and a growing list of accomplishments – she didn't think about making arrangements for her cats, who were now in need of new homes. Fortunately for Lorie, as president of the Cat Writers Association and a well-known blogger and award-winning businesswoman, she had a broad network of friends across the United States that stepped up to help rehome her cats. So far three are adopted, and three (including a tripod cat) still need homes. With the efforts going into this project, there's no doubt Lorie's cats will all be safe.
Most cat companions, however, don't have Lorie's big group of social-networking-savvy friends. If you died tomorrow, what would happen to your cats?
Although I'm as guilty as the next person in that I haven't made arrangements for my crew, this is something I think about a lot. I know that Binga would most likely be OK – she's mine jointly with my fiancĂ©, who loves her as much as I do. There is no doubt she would have a home with him … that is, unless we died together on a trip. Summer? I would hope that Summer would go back to her breeder, who still dearly loves her. (I would have wished the same thing for Sparkle, who had the same breeder as Summer.) But I haven't done anything to specify that. Boodie? She has always sort of been the "extra cat," the one we wound up with because she was kind of dumped on us. She's shy. She's not special-needs, but she does need some extra love and understanding. Brian would probably keep her ... but what if he couldn't?
Then there's my dad's cat, Smokey. My dad is 95 and not well, and Smokey will outlive him. He has already told me that he would like her rehomed – but not with me and Brian. It has nothing to do with our ability as caretakers. It's just that Smokey really needs her own person and she doesn't really like other cats. And she wouldn't have that here. I agree, Smokey does deserve better than what we can give her here. We would probably have to isolate her from the rest of the cats, and the attention she would get would be loving, but not the full-time companionship she gets from my dad. And that one-on-one attention is what she really needs. Will I be able to find that for her? I hope so, but who knows?
So no matter how old you are, or whatever your financial situation is, you need to make arrangements for your cats, just in case. Some sanctuaries, like The Cat House on the Kings, will accept your cat, but they charge several thousand dollars, with the assumption that the cat won't be adopted and they will have to provide lifetime food and medical care. And even if you can afford that – who will deliver your kitty to them? Even if you already have someone who has said they will take your cats, it's best to make arrangements in writing. The ASPCA has a Pet Trust Primer, and it is a good idea to look it over and figure out what you need to do.
I hope you outlive your cats. But we are not immortal and things happen. Don't risk leaving your cats alone with no plan in place.
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