When Pets Make Life Hard

I have to tell you up front that my wife and I are pet people. We really are. We like having pets in the house and with the kids, as part of our family. At the height of our pet ownership (addiction some would say) we had two dogs, a cat, and three fish. Although we really enjoy having pet, it isn’t always easy to deal with them, especially with our frantic schedule and the fact that our house is on the market.

Over the past 18 months or so, we have had to curtail our pet ownership (not necessarily by choice though). First one fish and then another and a third stopped swimming, my wife and I decided that we just didn’t have the time to take care of them properly. Although we have promised to replace each of the three fishes in time, we have delayed this due to time constraints. Then one of our dogs had to move away to a farm (this isn’t code by the way, she actually went to a farm). Although the boys wanted a new dog, we managed to convince them that one dog was enough. That logic worked until our oldest dog came down with cancer and had to be put to sleep. Needless to say, having to take the boys to the vet to say goodbye to their dog Max was one of the harder things I have done in my life. Eventually, the boys got over their loss (although they still talk about Max and Mimi from time to time) and want to get a new dog. Again, my wife and I have promised them a new one in time, like after we sell the house.

This brings us to the cat, which is my latest dilemma. The cat is 18 years old and, simply put, he isn’t doing well. For the past couple of weeks, he has clearly been losing weight and fur, stopped using the litter box, and barely moves around. My wife and I recognize that the cat is probably down to the ninth of his lives and probably won’t be with us much longer. Although he hasn’t always been the best pet in the world (he is kind of anti-social and doesn’t really care for the kids all that much), he has been with us for a long, long time, which makes explaining the fact that he will probably pass away soon that much more difficult, especially because he is our last pet.

My wife tried to break the news gently one morning this past week and encouraged the kids to spend some time with cat before we take him in to see the vet. This caused a lot of tears, a lot of questions, and even some anger. The kids just don’t understand why all their pets have to die and why they can’t get new ones. I understand their anger, frustration, and sadness. I also understand that these things happen. Pets die and this makes life hard. Although I explained that the cat is old and that he is sick and that he has had a long, healthy life, it doesn’t lessen the kids’ sadness and just puts a damper on Mother’s Day weekend.

Although my wife and I are pet people, we suspect that we will be petless by the end of this weekend. I am sorry to see them go, but I feel sorrier for the pain and sorrow this loss will cause my children. They are the ones who have to suffer.