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I recently received a call from a friend of a friend about a cat.
This person asked me to rescue her cat. That part was okay.
The challenging part was when she shared that she would “send the cat to Heaven” if she was unable to rehome it by an upcoming date, when she will be away for 4 months.
Even if this was not the caller’s intention, it still feels like emotional blackmail. It’s like saying, “Take my cat or it’s going to die.”
No one wants to get random calls like this.
It takes guts to make a call like this, so I give her credit for calling a stranger and asking for help with her cat and admitting her plan.
Handling the Call
If you ever get a call like this, try to remain calm and focus on ideas for helping the cat. If you can take in the cat, that’s great, but it’s okay to set boundaries.
Giving grace and compassion can feel difficult when the immediate reaction may be anger towards the person.
A healthy cat should not have to die because the owner no longer wants it. Help them find other solutions.
I think most people who give up cats will want to find a way that doesn’t involve asking a vet to “put it down.” And some vets may not agree to this request.
It takes a lot of courage to ask a vet to kill a healthy animal.
In some cases, the owner should be shamed!
But there are many other reasons someone might need to give up a cat, and they should not be shamed, as discussed in the video below. Life doesn’t always go as planned.
Ways to Help an Unwanted Cat That’s Running Out of Time
I’ve talked about ways to rehome a cat before.
The lady who called me was already doing some of these things.
- Ask all of your friends, family, and coworkers if they will take in your cat. Ask them to ask around on your behalf. Depending on the reason for giving up the cat, you may lose friends.
- Post in local Facebook groups or on Nextdoor. Depending on the reason for giving up the cat, you may receive considerable backlash in comments. However, you may find someone who will take in your cat. Also, sometimes I’ve seen people who foster cats agree to take in a cat even though their rescue is technically full.
- Get your cat on every waitlist at every shelter in your area. Call some that are further away as well.
- I was able to give the person who called me a list of additional shelters to contact, thanks to a friend who already had a list that I was able to pass along.
- Find someone who can take the cat temporarily until space opens up at an animal shelter.
Cat Rescues and Shelters
Most cat shelters are going to be full and usually can’t help immediately.
Some rescues will not have a wait list. I don’t know how they determine the order in which they take in unwanted cats. My local shelter doesn’t have an official waitlist. However, persistence seems to help. Keep calling and emailing, but be respectful of whatever rules they have in place for surrendering a cat.
In some cases, a rescue may take in a cat even when they don’t have space, even if you show up without an appointment. This is not a great option, as it’s very stressful and unfair to cat rescues (or to those already following the rules on their waitlist). But it could save the cat’s life.
Also, it’s illegal where I live, and probably in other places as well, to abandon cats at the door or parking lot of an animal rescue.
Temporary Situations
I don’t know the whole situation of the person who called me, other than she was going away for 4 months and staying somewhere that wasn’t pet-friendly.
If she really wanted the cat when she returned, I gave her some ideas to think about.
- Find someone who will foster the cat short-term.
- Use a pet sitting service to check on the cat. So much alone time is probably not great for the cat’s mental health.
- Find a house sitter who is willing to watch your cat and your house.
- I was a house/cat sitter for 1 month while in college, so younger adults currently living with their parents might be a good way to find someone.
- Trusted House Sitters could also be an option, if you’re planning ahead far enough. I have not used this service.
- Be careful, though, as you do not want to end up with a squatter that refuses to leave upon your return.
Should the Cat Be Abandoned Outside?
Abandoning an indoor cat that’s been living outdoors in the winter feels like animal cruelty.
Most indoor cats do not have the skills to live outside. Also, when I am writing, winter is nearly here. The cat will not have developed a heavier coat (more fur).
The cat will likely freeze to death or starve to death, unless it’s lucky and finds its way to a rescuer.
We had a cat show up in our yard once that clearly would not have made it through the winter. I don’t know if it was lost or abandoned. Eventually, the local Humane Society took in the cat.
If you have other ideas, please share them in a comment. Please focus only on ideas that will help the cat get rehomed.
Read Next: Why I Have No Plans to Start a Cat Rescue
Heidi Bender is the writer and founder of the Joy of Cats. She enjoys sharing cat information and providing helpful cat tips. She considers herself a cat lady and currently cares for seven cats.
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