My mom recently passed and now my 78 year-old stepdad has to vacate the house in Kingwood they've been renting. He can't afford the rent and a friend will take him in etc etc. (Our own house is two stories and he can't constantly climb and descend stairs. But that leads to the point....) The point is, there are around 10 cats running around that house. It's a hoarder's dream and my nightmare. Sanford and Son wouldn't look at it twice. You walk in and you know from the smell that the cats have their run of the place. Those cats need to be taken into a shelter or be re-homed. I've called 3-1-1 and rounding up the cats and getting them to the Houston shelter or whatever it is, which is only open from 12 noon - 2 pm on Sunday (obviously a deliberate way of keeping down the numbers) is....well, I don't have the wherewithal. Anyone dealt with this? Is there some group that might go out there, herd cats, get them to a shelter? Something?
Sorry for your loss. Wouldn't that be a hoarder's dream? It's your nightmare. I don't envy you- be careful, that could be a breeding ground for toxoplasmosis gondii
Just Google no-klill shelters. Let them know the situation and that your stepdad is in bad shape financially. If they're full, ask them what to do. Good luck. And sorry for your loss, and having to deal with this.
Sorry for your loss, and all of the residual circumstances you have to deal with and sort out. Until you go through it, people have no idea just how wide and deep the aftermath of losing a family member goes. As far as the cats, is 3-1-1 different than the Houston SPCA? Maybe they can come round them up?
I appreciate'cha. It was sudden: diagnosis, 16 days, gone. Now I have a semi-catatonic stepfather and the rented house they filled with junk and cat piss.
Many thanks, and, as Yoda would say, "Making calls I am." I have a cousin who might step in a little, but we shall see.
My dad never drank. Ever. Never saw him take a sip. He was diagnosed with non-alcoholic cirrhosis on July 31 and died on August 28. I get it. I’m so sorry.
If I weren't a cat lover (see the picture of Morticia my cat on the username), this would be a good idea. I think my 2nd cousin is headed over to the house to herd the cats and get them out of there. I warned her to take a hazmat suit lest she reek of cat piss for a week.
Sorry about your dad. Yeah, diagnosis, then gone. I just lived through that. My dad passed 5 years ago in May. My mom just now. Neither reached 80. Bad heart for him (they could never figure out what caused his heart to be so wonky). Metastasized pancreatic cancer for Mom (liver, gall bladder). Mom's problems were largely self-inflicted, though. The extent of her illness wasn't known until she suddenly couldn't stand up properly. Symptoms like neuropathy, COPD, you name it, but she was diabetic and learned way too late to quit f***ing smoking. She had a tendency to abuse her insulin: "Oh, key lime pie? More insulin time." Now I'm like, "You know, maybe I don't need those Ritz peanut butter crackers after all."
