Re: In response to Sky's remark about getting rid of my cat.

[Guest guest]

I rock the world regularly Sky. I also LOVE animals and am very happy that you had the opportunity to visit Africa. I would LOVE to hear about your experience. I do feel sorry for you though, because I don't think you've known the unconditional love of a cat or dog. It is extraordinary. Could you watch a kitten or a puppy stand outside your home and beg for help because someone threw it away? Someone brought me a kitten in 2005, a black kitten about 5 weeks old, which had been thrown from a moving car into the woods. I took him to work with me and tied him to my chest with a scarf, much in the way mothers do with their babies in other countries. He survived and is one of the most special cats I've had the privilege to know. When I moved into my house there were kittens running all over the neighborhood. I captured, spay or neutered, and released all I could. I do not breed cats and do not think that breeding animals is a good idea since there are thousands of animals in 'kill' shelters looking for a decent home. I have hundreds of friends, some have 'pets' and some don't. Half of them have farm animals.I agree with barking dogs. Sometimes it goes on all night and day long. I get so frustrated that many times I just cry. It seems that many people get dogs for protection and leave then chained or fenced without any outlet for exercise or companionship. The dogs get lonely, or cold, or wet and they bark and whine. I feel for them and am not frustrated at them, but instead at their owners.I can say this about 'pets' - they saved my life many times. As I have said, I've been clinically depressed (without much relief from meds) and suicidal. Having my cats to love me unconditionally, to comfort me, and to depend on me has kept me alive in a way that no human can. I have not been privileged to have children of my own. I do have a super husband, my cats, my family, and all my wonderful friends. I am very sorry that you have such loud dogs in your neighborhood. It does take the joy out of gardening for me also. I have found no solution to this problem except to put on a headset while outside. It also drowns out my neighbor who plays loud music and gets 'high' on his back porch. LOL. It would be nice if all dog owners would train and play with their dogs so that they only bark when there is danger, but that will never happen. I'm sure that no one in this group has a dog that is unruly. That's why I have cats. Basically they are very quiet and yes the litter box is a pain, but so is changing a baby's diaper. What if all the nurses in the maternity ward went on strike and said no I will not change another dirty diaper? You get my drift. It's all part of life and what we cannot change we must accept.Again, I would love to hear about your experience in Africa. I've wanted to go since I was 10, when I saw Born Free. Many of my friends have gone and some of my friends are from there. I never tire of hearing stories of Africa, so please dish.> > > >> > > > I'm sure others are wondering why I would keep a cat that causes me> > such pain. Here's the answer:> > > >> > > > 1. She has a sister. How can I separate them?> > > > 2. She cries because she wants outside. She was an outdoor cat at one> > time. It's nature calling out to her. Not her fault.> > > > 3. They have been with us since 2004. It's only in the last few years> > that I became super-sensitive to her voice.> > > > 4. Her sister is my husbands favorite cat.> > > >> > > > I do take her outside on a harness and 25 foot leash and sit with her> > in the backyard every chance I get. I cannot let her stay out by herself.> > There are large dogs in my neighborhood. One night they tore a cat to pieces> > next door.> > > >> > > > In the last week I have been using a spray bottle with water to> > discourage her cries. I hate to do it. It seems to be working and she still> > loves me.> > > >> > > > I would appreciate not being criticized for my life decisions. I will> > return the courtesy.> > > >> > >> >> > > >>

[Guest guest]

Darlene, thank you so much for the Cognitive Distortions website. I am a Borderline Personality and fight against the tendencies described on that website everyday. I hate being mean to others. I just hate it and I would rather die than continue to be mean. I work very hard every day to change. I fail miserably sometimes. I try to remember this quote: Because

a fellow has failed once or twice or a dozen times, you don't want to set him down as a failure till he's dead or loses his courage. ~ Horace LorimerI'm not dead and I haven't lost my courage.> >> > I LOVE animals---which is why going on African Safari is something> that I> > will treasure for the rest of my life. But, to be in nature, in wild> > animals' own turf, is so much different that "baby-sitting" a pet for> the> > rest of your life, taking care of their excrement, having to leave> your> > friends alone because you have to get back to your pet before they> make a> > mess on your floor, etc.> > Luckily, it is only the few folks on the planet who have a lot of> disposable> > income and who have a misguided notion of where to put their love and> > attention that take care of these proliferating animals. The rest of> us> > want to make sure there a less babies out there found in garbage bags> in the> > dumpster and that our friends are not suffering from lack of> attention.> > Loving wild animals and loving animals that are bred to reproduce and> be> > sold "for someone to have something to do and something to love" is in> my> > opinion very sick indeed. And, since my worst trigger is dogs barking> (and> > I do hear many all around me almost all the time that I sit in my> closed> > house or work in my yard), you can perhaps understand why it does not> make> > sense to me to have people take in "pets" that bother their own> species:> > ie. other humans like myself and the next neighbor. So many people> out> > there hate hearing what I am forced to hear but are not outspoken> about it,> > choosing to hide their discomfort for the sake of "not rocking the> boat".> >>

[Guest guest]

Shirl, why does he cough? Does he smoke or is it sinus problems?

> > > > >

> > > > > I'm sure others are wondering why I would keep a cat that causes

> me

> > > such pain. Here's the answer:

> > > > >

> > > > > 1. She has a sister. How can I separate them?

> > > > > 2. She cries because she wants outside. She was an outdoor cat

> at one

> > > time. It's nature calling out to her. Not her fault.

> > > > > 3. They have been with us since 2004. It's only in the last few

> years

> > > that I became super-sensitive to her voice.

> > > > > 4. Her sister is my husbands favorite cat.

> > > > >

> > > > > I do take her outside on a harness and 25 foot leash and sit

> with her

> > > in the backyard every chance I get. I cannot let her stay out by

> herself.

> > > There are large dogs in my neighborhood. One night they tore a cat

> to pieces

> > > next door.

> > > > >

> > > > > In the last week I have been using a spray bottle with water to

> > > discourage her cries. I hate to do it. It seems to be working and

> she still

> > > loves me.

> > > > >

> > > > > I would appreciate not being criticized for my life decisions. I

> will

> > > return the courtesy.

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >>

[Guest guest]

Shirl, why does he cough? Does he smoke or is it sinus problems?

> > > > >

> > > > > I'm sure others are wondering why I would keep a cat that causes

> me

> > > such pain. Here's the answer:

> > > > >

> > > > > 1. She has a sister. How can I separate them?

> > > > > 2. She cries because she wants outside. She was an outdoor cat

> at one

> > > time. It's nature calling out to her. Not her fault.

> > > > > 3. They have been with us since 2004. It's only in the last few

> years

> > > that I became super-sensitive to her voice.

> > > > > 4. Her sister is my husbands favorite cat.

> > > > >

> > > > > I do take her outside on a harness and 25 foot leash and sit

> with her

> > > in the backyard every chance I get. I cannot let her stay out by

> herself.

> > > There are large dogs in my neighborhood. One night they tore a cat

> to pieces

> > > next door.

> > > > >

> > > > > In the last week I have been using a spray bottle with water to

> > > discourage her cries. I hate to do it. It seems to be working and

> she still

> > > loves me.

> > > > >

> > > > > I would appreciate not being criticized for my life decisions. I

> will

> > > return the courtesy.

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >>

[Guest guest]

You are welcome. I learned a lot about myself and how I think when I read about the cognitive distortions. This is a better site that offers tips on how to change that way of thinking... Cognitive Distortions > > >> > > I LOVE animals---which is why going on African Safari is something> > that I> > > will treasure for the rest of my life. But, to be in nature, in> wild> > > animals' own turf, is so much different that "baby-sitting" a pet> for> > the> > > rest of your life, taking care of their excrement, having to leave> > your> > > friends alone because you have to get back to your pet before they> > make a> > > mess on your floor, etc.> > > Luckily, it is only the few folks on the planet who have a lot of> > disposable> > > income and who have a misguided notion of where to put their love> and> > > attention that take care of these proliferating animals. The rest> of> > us> > > want to make sure there a less babies out there found in garbage> bags> > in the> > > dumpster and that our friends are not suffering from lack of> > attention.> > > Loving wild animals and loving animals that are bred to reproduce> and> > be> > > sold "for someone to have something to do and something to love" is> in> > my> > > opinion very sick indeed. And, since my worst trigger is dogs> barking> > (and> > > I do hear many all around me almost all the time that I sit in my> > closed> > > house or work in my yard), you can perhaps understand why it does> not> > make> > > sense to me to have people take in "pets" that bother their own> > species:> > > ie. other humans like myself and the next neighbor. So many people> > out> > > there hate hearing what I am forced to hear but are not outspoken> > about it,> > > choosing to hide their discomfort for the sake of "not rocking the> > boat".> > >> >>

[Guest guest]

Thank you!> > > >> > > > I LOVE animals---which is why going on African Safari is something> > > that I> > > > will treasure for the rest of my life. But, to be in nature, in> > wild> > > > animals' own turf, is so much different that "baby-sitting" a pet> > for> > > the> > > > rest of your life, taking care of their excrement, having to leave> > > your> > > > friends alone because you have to get back to your pet before they> > > make a> > > > mess on your floor, etc.> > > > Luckily, it is only the few folks on the planet who have a lot of> > > disposable> > > > income and who have a misguided notion of where to put their love> > and> > > > attention that take care of these proliferating animals. The rest> > of> > > us> > > > want to make sure there a less babies out there found in garbage> > bags> > > in the> > > > dumpster and that our friends are not suffering from lack of> > > attention.> > > > Loving wild animals and loving animals that are bred to reproduce> > and> > > be> > > > sold "for someone to have something to do and something to love"> is> > in> > > my> > > > opinion very sick indeed. And, since my worst trigger is dogs> > barking> > > (and> > > > I do hear many all around me almost all the time that I sit in my> > > closed> > > > house or work in my yard), you can perhaps understand why it does> > not> > > make> > > > sense to me to have people take in "pets" that bother their own> > > species:> > > > ie. other humans like myself and the next neighbor. So many> people> > > out> > > > there hate hearing what I am forced to hear but are not outspoken> > > about it,> > > > choosing to hide their discomfort for the sake of "not rocking the> > > boat".> > > >> > >> >>