Thursday, September 1, 2011

Pets do Not Wander Off to Die

Recently I had somebody tell me a story of their cat. They said their cat was sick and old, and one day it just wandered off to die. What? This person genuinely believed that their sick and old cat wandered off to spare them from having to see it suffer any more.

Sick, old, or suffering, pets might wander off and die... but pets do not wander of to die.
Pets do not give a shit if you feel good about watching them die or not. A pet that is sick and suffering simply wants go feel better, it hides because it wants to feel safe, not because it cares about your feelings. It knows it is weak and vulnerable. The pet is hiding so other animals don't beat the living daylights out of it as some animals are prone to do, including feral animals as well as wild ones such as foxes, coyotes, and raccoons.

If your cat is sick and old what the heck are you even doing letting the poor thing out of your house? Take it to a veterinarian for proper treatment, or euthanasia even. Keep it indoors so it is comfy and can recover and be safe. Would you kick out your dear old ailing grandmother and let her wander off to die?

Maybe some people are just too stupid to realize that sick, old, or dying pets, can be cared for, and should not be left to suffer alone.

Most pets who “wander off to die” hide and die of dehydration or starvation, having become too weak to leave their sheltered spot to find food or water. They may lie there for days before the end finally comes. In some cases these animals would have had a chance at life if only their owner got help for them.

I recall one half dead cat that my sister and I found, she was so thin that when we took her to the SPCA they immediately directed us to take her to the veterinarian. The poor cat had a bone stuck in her throat, the owner just assumed the cat dropped weight due to age and had wandered off to die. In truth the cat was dying because the owner neglected it.

If your pet is old it is up to you to make its final days more comfortable, letting it wander the streets aimlessly (many senior pets suffer from dementia) just shows a lack of compassion, and I would question how much such a person really “loves their pet”.

If you own a pet that is sick or old, turning your back on it to let it suffer and die is neglect. People who do such are pathetic and if they call themselves a pet lover after committing such a crime they should be ashamed of themselves. If your pet is old and dying you need to care for it and keep it in your home even if this means you have to watch it die, and may have to deal with the body. This is the part of pet ownership that sucks for all of use but to escape your responsibility by ignoring the plight of your pet is cruel.

If your old pet is missing, get out there and look for it!

Pets do not wander off to die, they do not run away from home to spare your feelings, they do not wander off to save you a few dollars at the veterinarian. They wander off because you didn't care enough to keep them in your home. If your pet is dying well... do something.. and well... deal with it.

24 comments:

  1. I honestly think you're a moron for posting this. Some pets find their way outside and then they wander away to die. I adopted a really old siamese cat because his owner passed away. He kept getting outside and I would always find him until one day I just couldn't find him. I know he wandered away to die. Thats what animals do. They find a quiet peaceful place. Its got nothing to do with people neglecting their pets.
    My indoor cat recently hid in a cupboard and I couldn't find her for days. I searched everywhere, including the cupboard. But she must have been tucked away when my husband and I looked because neither one of us found her anywhere. Then I randomly went into the cupboard one night and there she was.
    I take care of my cat. I feed her, give her fresh water, change her litter box regularly, and take care of her. She has a good home. So why did she hide in the cupboard? Because she's an old girl and its just her time. When I found her, I immediately gave her food and water. She ate and drank a little snd she used the litterbox, but then she hid behind the washer which she's NEVER DONE BEFORE. So now I'm sure she's just waiting to go.
    Dont sit up there on your high horse thinking everyone is abusing and/or neglecting their animals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never said it was abuse, or neglect.

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    2. You certainly did, I really didn't need to read your posting as this point. My 16 yr old cat has been missing for 3 days. She is an outside cat. She cries to get out when I feel she should be in. I believe she has gone to pass. I have looked for her

      Delete
  2. I just wajted to say something about your "ailing grandmother" comment. First of all, most people stick their grandmother in a nursing home where they're abused, neglected, and have their stuff stolen. So how is that any different? 2nd, I know that most elderly people who know its their time would like to wander away and find a nice peaceful place to go. I know my grandmother would.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Mandy.

    Not everyone puts their grandparents in an abusive home, and certainly if they did it does not make pet neglect okay!

    I am not thinking everyone is abusing or neglecting their animals, this article is clearly a rant against those who do - as some do - if it does not apply to you, then do not worry about it.

    Animals do look for shelter when they are in pain or dying but it is not because they are trying to spare the owner any grief is what I was getting at.

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  4. Just goes to show how anyone, including idiots like yourself, can post anything they want on the net. If you were truly trying to help anyone, you'd get the facts and stop blaming pet owners. Get some useful information on here or shut it down.

    ReplyDelete
  5. to Cntrylady. Yes people can post anything, even rude name-calling insults.
    It does not change the fact that while some pets do run off AND die, none think to themselves "Oh, I should run away to die and save my owner the expense of a vet bill!" Pets do not run away TO die.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bitch your post is filled with insults and rude, callous remarks, and idgaf if this is 2 years late -_-

      Delete
  6. You are terribly insensitive! Do you think all adoptive parents don't care? We care hence we let them have their choice, if they want to wander off, despite all our efforts and the treatment and despite our hearts shattering into pieces, despite months and years of anguish and pain, we let them choose their way. That is love! These days anybody can post anything no matter how rude, and you too can. But your'e either shallow or sadistic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you read it again you will see I said they will wander off and die but they do not wander of "to" die. Big difference. They wander off to hide because they do not want to be vulnerable. I did not say people do not care.

      Delete
  7. This is mean spirited to post something so asinine and ignorant so that people who just had an ill cat go missing, can search around in a panic.

    I knew my cat was dying. for about a month as he grew more frail, he was content to be in our large backyard. The day he went missing, he begged to go into the front yard -- something he hadn't done in months. I let him out but watched his as he tried to get out of the unsecured yard.

    Later that day while I was at work. my husband let him out. I got home an hour later. He was not in the backyard in any of his hiding spots or otherwise. I called and he didn't come. He always came.

    So, for those of you hurt by this tool's words, I am telling you that he is full of crap. They disappear when they are very, very close to death. DO NOT torture yourself over it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. As for the first person that made a comment about the animal for one thing you have no right to judge anybody cuz you do not know how we took care of our pets so you don't know if they went away to die because they didn't want to put us to that burden you have no clue of what we did to our pets are how we took care of them so your comment you can shove it maybe you are the one that don't take care of your pets that's why you're blaming others for how they're taking care of theirs so opinions like you gave keep them to yourself

    ReplyDelete
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