I must keep my cats at all costs

[Drazzil]

My cats feel like my only remaining friends or family.
With my mom effectively ignoring me for years and finally going to hospice. For years my cats were my only friends or family... my sole real solace or source of companionship.

I see the way people treat cats,talk about abusing them. My next door neighbors just killed their kitten. They stomped it till its guts came out of its rectum. My asshole coworker years ago talked about loving his cats till he took all five of,them to the pound cause he. "got new furniture" I found the disembodied leg of a neighborhood cats no one gave a fuck about next to the hamburger pile that was its body, just today. I knew that cat. Someones adorable kitten a year ago.

Im supposed to give my family to this place? I need them. I *must* find a way to move with the cats and soon.

[em2nought]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdaSKngA5tU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBoGKgtRq7I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XVcJg9Loq0

[Moliere]

[pr0ner]

This forum is going to turn into Drazzil's Livejournal pretty soon.

[MonkeyFinger]

Not if Daehawk can help it!

[Holman]

Drazzil, is it possible that your new life could include volunteering or even working for pay on behalf of animals?

Maybe you should look into opportunities with the Humane Society.

[killbot737]

That might not be a bad idea. I expect most shelters are looking for volunteers all the time, but the lack of a paycheck is obviously an insurmountable issue.

Do I remember correctly that you volunteered for AmeriCorps? If so, what did you train for/in? If I were you I'd follow that path, as best as you can.

As a middle-aged dude with a house and lots of resources, I have to say 5 cats is a lot. Both in effort and cost. I had 3 for a long time. I was often tempted to adopt another but I knew that 3 was almost too many for me. If I were you, when you find a new place tell them you own one cat, and sneak the rest in. If anyone asks say they are friendly strays that won't leave. That sounds like what you have going on now anyway, so it isn't exactly a lie...

[Pyperkub]

Drazzil - I agree.

We have 2 cats, brother and sister from the same litter, and the brother has been having some health issues. The Vet (after almost 4k in tests), wanted to do another 3.5k test on his lungs which they said could kill him.

We said no way, and took him home. He's still not doing great and he's lost a lot of weight, but he's so much happier not going back and forth, and the 3.5k test probably wouldn't have told us anything useful (they see patterns in his lungs, which could be cancerous, but may not be), so we're just treating him with meds that would help if he didn't have cancer, as we're not doing any significant cancer therapies for him - we didn't have pet insurance to start, and so none of this is/would be covered. He still has issues breathing, and with rapid heartbeats, and is definitely stressed every once in awhile -but he calms down so much better when we're there to help, and he's so happy to be with us (still runs to the door when I get home from work most nights, and is pretty much purring as soon as we touch him, if not sooner. Getting him to take the meds and eat is difficult, but we just love him (and his sister) so much.

We did have to cancel a trip to France this summer for one of my best friend's wedding (and I was in the wedding), but we just couldn't leave him. Whether we could get a house/cat sitter or take him to the Vet to house him, we just couldn't bear it if anything happened and we weren't there to help him by being there, and definitely couldn't put the risk on a friend to stay/keep an eye on them for a couple of weeks if anything happened, so we cancelled the trip. My friend is ok with it, and frankly, if we were the types to leave a dying pet at home to go to Europe, we probably wouldn't be the types of people invited to be in the wedding, if you get my drift.

Anyways, it ain't easy, and is heart breaking (when we called to renew his meds last week, the front desk person at the vet said she was glad to hear he was still alive - which really rocked me), but it's worth it, as he's family, and has been with us for almost 11 years now and is part of the family.

[dbt1949]

Buy you some land and put a single wide trailer on it. With land ownership a lot of places don't require a down payment for trailers. They'll use you land.
I mention this because it's going to be hard to find and apartment that will take all your cats. Being a home owner is your best bet.

[Kraken]

When I moved out of my parents' house me and my cat lived in a tent in a KOA campground for a week while I looked for a job and housing. I do not recommend this. You would need a very large tent.

[Unagi]

This forum is going to turn into Drazzil's Livejournal pretty soon.

Drazzil, could you make One post, like a "Drazzil's Plight" thread, instead of making new threads each time you come back to the forum. You don't need to, this is just my suggestion, but I think it would help us all focus our help.

Cause, it's all related, etc. No reason to split it across dozens of threads.



Regarding your cats. In full frontal honesty: You aren't one of those people who thinks they should love and take in a lot of pets (cats), but really can't give them the home they need either... Cause I knew a lady who did this to really horrible results... What you describe in your neighborhood is, of course, criminal - and horrible, so I can see how you are even more compelled.

Your heart is very clearly in the right place, and for me, that's a big deal... but I just have to vocalize my concern for these 5 cats myself, and if you are truly the best caretaker. (Clearly better than anything you see in your neighborhood, I guess...)


Maybe you could call a rescue center in another state? Serious.

[Drazzil]

This forum is going to turn into Drazzil's Livejournal pretty soon.

Drazzil, could you make One post, like a "Drazzil's Plight" thread, instead of making new threads each time you come back to the forum. You don't need to, this is just my suggestion, but I think it would help us all focus our help.

Cause, it's all related, etc. No reason to split it across dozens of threads.



Regarding your cats. In full frontal honesty: You aren't one of those people who thinks they should love and take in a lot of pets (cats), but really can't give them the home they need either... Cause I knew a lady who did this to really horrible results... What you describe in your neighborhood is, of course, criminal - and horrible, so I can see how you are even more compelled.

Your heart is very clearly in the right place, and for me, that's a big deal... but I just have to vocalize my concern for these 5 cats myself, and if you are truly the best caretaker. (Clearly better than anything you see in your neighborhood, I guess...)


Maybe you could call a rescue center in another state? Serious.

Good idea!

[Drazzil]

Hey. Quick cross index folks. What cities/ US destinations would I be able to own a prefab or even a whole house for ~25k out the door?

Good job market a plus.

[dbt1949]

Don't forget the cost of the land if you're going prefab.

[Jeff V]

Hey. Quick cross index folks. What cities/ US destinations would I be able to own a prefab or even a whole house for ~25k out the door?

Good job market a plus.

There are some shanty towns in the deep South and along the Mexican border. As far as good jobs...did your time at Walgreens give you any special drug running talents?

[Daehawk]

Resources for finding pet friendly apartments and such in Oregon. Good luck Drazz.

https://www.oregonhumane.org/pet-friend ... resources/

https://petfriendlypdx.com/rentals/

https://www.abodo.com/pet-friendly

[LawBeefaroni]

Hey. Quick cross index folks. What cities/ US destinations would I be able to own a prefab or even a whole house for ~25k out the door?

Good job market a plus.

There are a lot of houses out there for $25K or less. Most likely they require a lot of work and aren't near a good job market. Or they have a huge back tax bill. Kind of why they're going for $25K or less.

[Daehawk]

Or very terrible and unsafe neighborhoods.

[Xmann]

I know plenty in Florida but I'd never recommend them.

Sent from my Galaxy S9 using Tapatalk

[Drazzil]

So if I want to keep my cats I'm fucked. Good fuckin times.

[gbasden]

So if I want to keep my cats I'm fucked. Good fuckin times.

It's definitely going to make it more difficult. Most landlords are going to look at the potential damage 5 cats could do and just turn you down. The problem with buying a house is supply and demand - if there are jobs nearby, the demand is going to drive the cost of the available housing supply up. I'd love to find a house for 25k that was convenient for work, but there would be a thousand people ahead of me in line at that price.

[MonkeyFinger]

What about some "wheel estate" like a tiny house?

[Kraken]

Here's a local fixer-upper.

Spoiler:

Just $650,000. This is what a hot housing market looks like.

But seriously, in addition to what gsbaden said, desirability is another big factor. The lowest-cost housing is always where nobody wants to live. The area is physically unappealing, or dangerous, or far from transportation and services, or all of the above.

I think a tiny house or single-wide trailer is going to be your only option. I can't imagine confining five cats in 1,000 sq ft or less, but maybe you're already used to that.

[Drazzil]

Yep. House on wheels it is. I never really *wanted* five cats but after Sheeba died when I was on vacation [of a broken heart] the whole house went unto mourning. After mom left I could feel the sadness and emptiness in the house.

My second oldest lost weight, stopped bathing and hid in the closet all day. At night he would carry objects in his mouth and make kitten sounds.

About this time an alley cat had kittens by my house and immediately I had to start disposing of dead kittens. The last two I took in, I got tired of burying dead kittens.

Now the house is full of life again. Ace is a doting *dad* to BOTH kittens. He is running rings around both of the now juvenile cats and tires them out every day. I love it. I am * so* happy and in love with my cat family.

[Punisher]

I see the way people treat cats,talk about abusing them. My next door neighbors just killed their kitten. They stomped it till its guts came out of its rectum.

Have you reported this? Either to the police or whoever handles Animal Cruelty in your area? In some cases this is an arrest-able offense with real jail time.

[Drazzil]

I see the way people treat cats,talk about abusing them. My next door neighbors just killed their kitten. They stomped it till its guts came out of its rectum.

Have you reported this? Either to the police or whoever handles Animal Cruelty in your area? In some cases this is an arrest-able offense with real jail time.

report my next door neighbors for killing a cat?

Are you *trying* to get me killed?

[Punisher]

I see the way people treat cats,talk about abusing them. My next door neighbors just killed their kitten. They stomped it till its guts came out of its rectum.

Have you reported this? Either to the police or whoever handles Animal Cruelty in your area? In some cases this is an arrest-able offense with real jail time.

report my next door neighbors for killing a cat?

Are you *trying* to get me killed?

Are your neighbors that bad?

[em2nought]

Are your neighbors that bad?

You never know.

Highlands County Deputy Killed While Responding To Dispute About Cat

http://wlrn.org/post/florida-deputy-sho ... -about-cat

[Scraper]

I think you could do what you want in a midwest state, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan would be good examples. The problem is getting there and setting things up. I would suggest finding a local kennel that takes cats, putting them there for a couple of days while you fly out to your town of choice and find some digs. You could easily buy some land and a new singlewide for 25K in places like Ohio and Michigan. Also the job market there is decent, good enough that you should be able to find something. Then once you have it set up fly back home get packed up and just make the drive. Sure the cats will be stressed during the drive but it's doable.

Before you do this I would research the area and make sure there is land available and decent jobs. A trailer park is always an option and rent for the lot is usually cheap.

[Jeff V]

I think you could do what you want in a midwest state, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan would be good examples. The problem is getting there and setting things up. I would suggest finding a local kennel that takes cats, putting them there for a couple of days while you fly out to your town of choice and find some digs. You could easily buy some land and a new singlewide for 25K in places like Ohio and Michigan. Also the job market there is decent, good enough that you should be able to find something. Then once you have it set up fly back home get packed up and just make the drive. Sure the cats will be stressed during the drive but it's doable.

Before you do this I would research the area and make sure there is land available and decent jobs. A trailer park is always an option and rent for the lot is usually cheap.

You funny! $25K wouldn't cover the taxes in Illinois. Maybe he can rent a 1 bedroom apartment (no pets) for a year.

[Kraken]

There are towns in MI where you can get into a trailer park for that kind of money, and the economy is strong enough that persistence can turn up some kind of job almost anywhere you care to look. There are such places on the fringes of GR, for instance. One could eke out a bare living, at least until the next time the economy crashes. I have one friend who's barely lived on the grid his entire adult life, and he was doing fine the last I heard.

I think such places still exist in the south, too. I don't think you'll find anything like that in the more successful parts of the northeast or midwest. IDK anything about anything west of the Mississippi (except what I learned in Fallout).

[Cylus Maxii]

I think that its not realistic to get a lot and single-wide for 25k. There are places you can get land cheap, but it won't have electricity, water or sewer or the pad for the trailer. I think the improvements that would allow you to have the single-wide would also jack the lot price up.

[Isgrimnur]

Depends on where. This one is in my neck of the woods.

Site #5

3 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
1,368 Square Feet
Buy for $22,000

Cozy & Warm 3 bedroom 2 bath home in a GREAT community. Spacious bedrooms and restrooms. Master bath is complete with a soaking tub, to ease the pain of the day. Creek side has homes for lease as well as purchase. Creek side is a family oriented community with convenient amenities such as * 2 Car driveways * Curbside trash pick up * Playground/Swimming pool/After school program * Planned resident activities * On-site 24 hour Maintenance

[Kraken]

I just checked the mobile home park where my parents lived...it's a nice place way out on the fringes of GR, and you would definitely need a car (as is true in most of MI). They list 31 homes for sale ranging from $15,995 up to $29,995. I think the average age there is around 60 and they have lots of HOA rules, so maybe not the right place for Draz. But options are certainly out there.

[coopasonic]

Depends on where. This one is in my neck of the woods.

Site #5

3 Bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
1,368 Square Feet
Buy for $22,000

Cozy & Warm 3 bedroom 2 bath home in a GREAT community. Spacious bedrooms and restrooms. Master bath is complete with a soaking tub, to ease the pain of the day. Creek side has homes for lease as well as purchase. Creek side is a family oriented community with convenient amenities such as * 2 Car driveways * Curbside trash pick up * Playground/Swimming pool/After school program * Planned resident activities * On-site 24 hour Maintenance

Sweet, my property tax bill is going down!

[Isgrimnur]

You could buy one for each member of the family and still come out ahead.

[Drazzil]

I was wikipedia'ing the area and that looks like a place a guy could live Isg. DFW sounds like a rockin town.

[Isgrimnur]

You got Big D, Cowtown, and the college town of Denton. If you can take the heat, it’s not bad. Plenty of opportunities.

[RuperT]

Dumping your savings into a used trailer in a trailer park in an unknown town sounds like a Bad Idea to me. You should be able to find a cheap rental for a year or less that will take “a couple” of cats in the outer suburbs of any decent American town, AFAIK. Is your car reliable? If you still want to buy after that year, you will be able to find a more decent spot (most trailer parks are not generally safe for cats), and probably a better used single wide for less than 15k, if that still appeals.
Good luck, blank slates are terrifying.

[Grifman]

I would not buy anything until you feel established. If things don't pan out, your not stuck with something you can't use or can't afford. Rent until you get established, then you can think about buying if possible.