Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Would anybody like to borrow some cats?

I still haven't figured out where to store them. Most places that hold cats for you end up costing as much as rent, so I'm not sure that moving in with family is actually the big cost-saving plan they thought it would be. Most places want about 20 per cat per night, which I have always been complaining about whenever I try to visit family for 3 weeks or a month. "You're leaving so soon?" "Maaaa, I've already spent 500 on cat boarding! I need to get back!" My teeny emergency savings pile won't last very long if I shell out 1200 a month for the cats --- again, I could probably be living in a studio somewhere with them for that kind of money! (And if that's the right plan, then why did I bust my hump to haul crap over to the storage unit all week?)

I know what you're going to say --- why not just get rid of them permanently? That's not an acceptable outcome. I know my family is going to start pushing hard for that plan soon but my cats have been there for me and helpful in ways that my family has always let me down, so I'm not about to put them over the cats as a priority. Instead I have been researching chicken runs and catios and their construction costs in the hopes that I can just have them squat in my brother's backyard without being eaten by coyotes. I mean, he never goes outside anyway so why would it bother him to have some cats out back with the other allergens? Although I haven't figured out a way to broach it with them and the timeline is running short. Maybe I could just not tell him? It's not like he ever looks out the back window anyway. He probably wouldn't even notice...right?

5 comments:

What Now? said...

My cats were the best possible companions and supports when I was going through job market hell. You definitely need your cats!

Contingent Cassandra said...

I wish you were closer, since in fact I *could* take them for a while. But the cost of shipping them here and back would be as much as boarding, so that's a no-go.

For whatever it's worth, I've found that a large dog crate of the foldable heavy wire sort makes an acceptable short-term cat cage (I needed a hospital cage, but it might serve your purposes, too).

The only other thing I can think of is to contact rescue organizations in the area to which you're moving, and see if they can provide short-term help, perhaps in exchange for your returning the favor once you're settled.

It sounds like there are multiple arguments for finding your own place, or even a cat-friendly rooming situation, as soon as possible -- but that's easier said than done, I realize.

Fie upon this quiet life! said...

Two males, right? Fixed? I'll put a call on my FB page to see if any of my BA friends can help.

Fie upon this quiet life! said...

Do they have claws?

Belle said...

Anyone who urges you to part with your fur-kids would likely be horrified by advice to just get rid of the kids. And you certainly don't need to live with those types! Good luck!