Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

edit title: Can SECONDARY SCHOOL students be good owners?

I'm currently trying to find owners for my 3 kittens I rescued (check my pet profile)

This morning a secondary student (upper level) contacted me asking for all 3, saying he/she can take care of them, including neutering them.

I'm a college student with a sizeable allowance (though it's running LOW right now) and I have problems keeping up with the kittens {sick}Their food, litter sand, milk, meds cost a lot. I have classes from morning up to 3 pm in the evening. I have to leave 2 of the bigger ones home and take the littlest kitten to class because she can't eat on her own. And that's just SOME of the problems I'm facing.

So here I am wondering if I should give the kittens to a student. The SPCA has called and are willing to take all kittens in by next week.
I'm torn. I want to find good homes for the kittens but the owners must be able to provide for them.

Should I give the kittens to the student, or wait for the SPCA to take them in, or find better possible owners in the time being?

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

For me, a secondary students will be a no no as the decision making is not in their hands. That includes the uneasy feeling thinking of the cat will be dump again, if the parents find it messy or suddenly, the parents change their minds. Usually, those cats wondering around without food is mostly of those who take care of their cats 'part-timely; as in this case..let the cats roam the backyard/neighbourhood, feed them only when they are available and will just forget about them if they go for holidays. I doubt that those parents will think of boarding or someone to take care of these kitties while they are away as they are not the one 'taken the oath / pledge' to take care of the kitties.

Moreover,money matters.. Students will be 100% depending on their parents. It is them who say yes or no as they are of the decision-maker and the earner.

If there's 100% parents support, then everything up there won't be valid. But it is hard to find parents that is 100% supportive unless they are the one adopting for their children.

and SPCA.. is not a second-best option anyway. it's more to me like first or second worst decision one could do.

It's up to you to think of the best option as you are the only one who is well-aware of your situation. THanks

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

No thank YOU :) For replying to my posts and giving valuable advice.

That's what I thought about the student too. So I guess I'll have to gently say no to her him/her. I'm not risking the kittens being dumped again.

Talking about dumping kittens, someone did just that at my building (again!!!!) {angry} yesterday. Four poor sickly kittens. I can't take them in as the housemates are uncomfortable of the cat & cat food smell. They don't have to say it for me to know it. I have them to consider.

Back to the post, why is SPCA such a bad choice? The vice president was so nice to call me and offered to come and get the kittens herself as I don't have my own transportation. She said they are overwhelmed but willing to take the 3 in. I figured it would be the best if I can't find any owners for them by next week. They don't put down unwanted animals, do they? Like what I've heard. That can't be true {cry}

I just thought it would mean food & shelter for the kittens. I'm going back home for Raya by MAS early September and taking the kittens with me would mean complicated documentations and whatnots.

So why is SPCA a bad choice?

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

Well said Kasih..

I boleh bagi pendapat dari perspektif a secondary school student..
Dulu i nak sangat bela kucing masa umur 17 tahun.. tengah tunggu result SPM without any income..

Tapi my parent allowed me to keep a cat sebab diorang sanggup tanggung semua perbelanjaan.. My dad love cat sooo much.. My mum pulak kesian dengan stray cat.. tapi janji my parent, they only provide money..kitorang adik beradik yg akan bertanggungjawab ke atas kucing tu..

Apa yang boleh i cakap kt sini, seorang secondary school student tak mampu bela kucing without a support from their parent financially.

Kasih dah elaborate pasal duit.. i nak sentuh pasal tanggungjawab..

Once we decide to have cat as a pet, its a life time responsibility.
boleh ke secondary school student bagi commitment ?

after 2 years, maybe he/she will enter university.. who will take care of the cat?? most of the hostel dont allow student to keep pet..

lepas habis belajar, mungkin menyewa sementara mencari kerja..
at this moment, it not easy to find a room/housemate that allow u to keep a cat..
Kat sini kita dah boleh nampak yang susah seorang pelajar untuk beri komitmen untuk bela kucing..

continue about my story, masa i sambung belajar my parent take care of all my cat.. Alhamdullilah sebab i ada parent dan adik beradik yg juga sayangkan kucing..

so shima, if u want to allow he/she to adopt your cat, please talk to his/her parent..

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

If you think they'll be good with SPCA then it is up to you. As for me, I have no idea about what kind of policy they have there..yet I think I do understand now on the putting to sleep ( yes do they do have the policy as they are running out of space )and all.. but then, it's under serious circumstances with best judgements I assume. So, what's best, try to relocate as hard as you can..if no, then both the student and SPCA will be equal choice, not one is best or worst. Just that, we can pray that they will end up good..{wink}

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

as per me, i tak pernah ada kucing waktu study. Even nak keep up with my own expenses pun sakit jugak... Then, I started bela bila I dah kerja temporary yang the best part was they gave me RM1800.. and during the gap before I dapat gaji tu memang struggle... nasib baik pada masa tue i ada sekor ja kucing. masa tue berdikit-dikit, beli loose pack RC ja..{grin} tu pun tebal muka pinjam duit bf{ohmygod}. Good experience tho{shy}

Now with 4 cats + 6 kitties.. I am in short of time , bukan in short of $$..( alhamdullilah so far masih lagi dapat balik apa yang diberi pada kucing)

apa-apapun, if there's a will, there's always a way.{victory}

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

Hm tadi v.president SPCA Melaka datang ambil 4 ekor anak kucing yang saya jumpa kt flat ni. Sangat sickly, sedih sangat tengok. Memang kena duduk dengan ibu dia lagi, sebab still kecil. Saya bagi makan wet food semalam, tapi tak boleh bawak balik sebab takut housemates tak suka. Tengahari tadi V.P (Angeline) call and cakap dia boleh datang pick up.
I was sooo relieved and grateful.

About the other 3 waiting for adoption (Becky, Putih, Odie), I'm handing them over to SPCA too. I told Angeline about the student's intention to adopt and she cautioned me. Reasons sama mcm Kak Kasih & Nur Illiyana dah highlightkan. Angeline nampak macam betul2 caring and bersungguh nak ambil Becky, Putih and Odie.

I think that's the best choice to go with, sebab saya tak boleh cari other owners. Ada orang yang interested kat website ni tapi bila saya kontek senyap je. Kalau ada transport sendiri saya memang akan drive around pegi good neighbourhood areas and tanya if anyone nak adopt.

I'm sure SPCA will take good care of them and good owners will come along soon enough. Maybe lepas raya saya akan visit SPCA shelter and tengok keadaan mereka.

Sedih pula bila fikir nak berpisah dengan Odie, Becky and Putih. Especially Odie {cry}{cry}{cry} He was the first to come to me, and sangat manja dengan saya. Saya nak bawak balik rumah tapi kat rumah pun dah bnyk kucing, so I know it won't be the best home for him. Kat Kelantan tu nak cari vet and pet store pun sangat susah {angry} People sangat2 ignorant.

Anyway, thanks yer Kak Kasih & Nur Illiyana. I think handing them over to the SPCA seems like the better of the 2 choices that I have now. It might not be the best but at least the kittens will have shelter and food, and I'm sure they will not be neglected.

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

I'm having second thoughts about giving the kittens over to SPCA. They already have 130 cats there, the person told me.
What chance will my kittens have of getting adopted with that many cats around?

I'm contacting the student again. He/She said the family loves cats and she/he has 5 years of experience with cats. Those are good signs, aren't they?

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

Saya nak kongsi pengalaman pasal experience di SPCA Melaka.

Memang tak dinafikan condition di situ amat sedih, tempat tinggal mereka memang nampak daif dan sangat2 basic aje. takde pun toys ke apa ke. litter tray pun berisi pasir biasa je. tp begitu banyak kucing di situ yang sangat2 manja dan bila kita datang ada yang sampai melompat/panjat badan kita semata2 inginkan belaian dan nak sangat2 kita dukung mereka. (mungkin merayu utk kita bawa pulang huhu) {cry}

Tp overall condition mereka di situ saya tgk agak bgus juga, memandangkan majoriti mereka semuanya gebu2! {good} ada lah sekor dua yang nmpak kurus sikit tp kebanyakannya memang gebu dan nampak sihat (yang tahap mcm dah obese pun ada tau!). {shy} Cuma yang kasihannya nampak tempat tu memang agak daif dan agak kotor juga sebab ada kucing yang tak mahu guna litter tray.

Dan kalau untuk anak kucing jangan bimbang kerana mereka ada ibu2 kucing yang mereka letak khas dalam sangkar (tak bercampur dengan kucing2 lain yg lepas bebas dlm kandang besar tu) khas untuk menyusukan kucing2 kecil.{good}

Kalau adult cat, mmg i'm a little bit worried of the chance for it to get adopted tp kalau kitten, InsyaAllah ada peluang untuk di adopt since kebanyakan org yg dtg situ nak adopt kitten, jarang org nak adopt adult cat.

Kebajikan mereka pun rasanya akan dijaga dengan baik kerana saya percaya staf2 di situ dah cuba buat yang terbaik semampu diorg..

Lagipun saya adopt kitten saya yang dalam avatar saya tu dari SPCA Melaka laa... {grin} jadi peluang itu ada InsyaAllah...

Tapi saya setuju juga dengan pendapat iliyana tu, maybe it is better if you could talk to the parents.

But what i want to say here is, SPCA Melaka is not a bad choice either.{wink}

P/S: Kalau nak pergi visit sana siap2 laa bawak tisu. saya sampai nangis sedih tgk kucing2 tu semua. rasa macam nak aje adopt semua bawak balik especially three legged cats. ada banyak kat sana. kesian sangat. kenapalah saya ni tak kaya macam Datuk Siti...{sweat}

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

Shima,
maybe u need to talk to the student's parent and family..
try to visit their house first.. for me its better to find homes for them rather than send to SPCA..

i pernah jadi volunteer for Petfinder adoption drive, masa 1st day ada 3 ekor kitten yg sangat comel dan cute tapi sayangnya they a bit comot sebab tak dibersihkan sebelum dibawa for adoption.. nobody want them..
second day lucky a women from Save A Stray gave them a bath..bila nampak comel baru berebut-rebut orang nak..

macam tu jugak dekat SPCA.. they are to many..

p\s Becky is sooooo cute..{high}{high}
Kalau la i ada rumah besar, i dah ambil Becky, Odie dan Putih {cry}

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

Macam mana saya nak visit rumah student tu, saya tak ada transport sendiri {cry} Naik taxi/public transport sangat mahal :( Money is a really BIG issue right now, saya dah overspend on my kittens {cry}{cry}{cry}

Student tu macam dah taknak, maybe dia nak adopt dari SPCA terus sebab dia contact SPCA *SIGH*

Macam mana ni, Khamis depan saya dah nak balik. Angeline nak datang ambil kittens tu Khamis. Kalau saya tak dapat cari adopter before Thursday kittens tu kena pg SPCA. Entah bila baru ada orang adopt.
{cry}{cry}{cry}{cry}{cry}{cry}

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

It seems to me like the student does not have clear intention..kejap contact SPCA..kejap janji ngan you.. entahlah.. kalau orang macam ni.. I pun tak bagi..

You dah letak pic kittens tue kat pf? I tak pernah nampak pun kitten tue ( atau I yang ketinggalan zaman )..

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

There is another post by shima138 with similar content: http://forums.petfinder.my/showthread.php?t=4789

Many well-intentioned people have had the same hopes/dreams for the cats/kittens they handed to SPCA. For those very few who had bothered to check back on their handovers several days later, they have discovered a shocking and painful truth. But for those that never checked on their cats/kittens, they will never know the horror of what they have done: handing cats/kittens to a kill-shelter that lives on public donations.

Only hand cats/kittens to a kill-shelter if you WANT them to die.

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

@nurkasih: sis, sha pun tak perasan the cats dah ade dalam listing, i guess these are the cats under shima's care:

http://www.petfinder.my/pets/14094/
http://www.petfinder.my/pets/13527/
http://www.petfinder.my/pets/13972/
http://www.petfinder.my/pets/13971/
4 blackies, odie, becky & putih.

@shima: *pats2* i feel for you, since I am a temporary fosterer for Orange, the injured cat who came to my house on the night before Ramadhan. As a student, I dont have much money, and Orange pulak kena major surgery. God knows how many fights I've had with mom sebab tu. Sabar ya, lets pray you can find an adopter. Tak ade any kawan cat lovers? Shima study dekat mane? Maybe you can ask around, lecturers ke, siapa2 mane tahu ade cat lovers sorang due? {sick}

huhu yes what furkids cakap tu betul. I've been told that SPCA is not a no-kill shelter, tapi lepas baca dekat one thread dalam forum ni by sis Felix The Cat, http://forums.petfinder.my/showthread.php?t=3678 terus rasa macam whatever it is I will never ever send any cats be it a stray or not to SPCA. {cry}

The F4 student tu dah tak nak ye? Tapi bagi dekat random people pun boleh jadi bahaya. Eventhough die cakap family die pet lovers tapi certain people can't stand kittens because they are sensitive and certain need extra care, lagi-lagi if yang diarrhea ke ape. If the student tibe-tibe tak dapat restu from parents untuk jaga, no money source then.... dah jadi masalah lagi.

I'll pray ade adopter(s) ASAP untuk si comel2 ya {cry}

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

I never knew about what's happening in shelters. {cry}{cry}{cry}{cry}

God to think I almost handed Odie Becky and Putih over to the SPCA rep the other day when she came to get the 4 little kittens I just found.

If they know what they're doing there then why take in more kittens? I honestly thought the 4 kittens would be in better hands; get treated, fed and given a shelter {cry}{cry}{cry}

*hugs Odie Becky and Putih tightly* {cry}{cry}{cry}

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

I also didn't know...{cry}{cry}{cry}

Thank God i manage to adopt my Momok before that thing ever happen to him...

Oh so sad. *Hug Odie Becky Putih too*{cry}{cry}{cry}{cry}

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

So that the public and organisations will continue to donate to SPCA as a kind place to put animals with no where to go, to take care of them and prevent cruelty. Kalau terbongkar cerita sebenar, sapa nak donate kan? Dan kalau tak bunuh, mereka kata mana cukup space dan duit utk menjaga banyak-banyak?

Many people do not know the stark truth and they complain that they are really not informed about the actual situation semasa mereka membuat penyerahan. Instead, often times they are actually given assuring words that things will be fine and go away thinking that the animal has high hopes of being adopted and that they have done a good thing surrendering the animal to SPCA. Sungguh ramai yg tak tahu langsung. Dan apabila mereka find out, mereka menangis terlolong-lolong for the poor animal. So sad.

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

Thanks sha. Kenapala tak terfikir nak include links to my pet profiles kat thread {sweat} Semua orang pun confuse {ohmygod} *smacks self*

Sorry ya, silap saya. Tapi um yang 4 kittens tu saya dah hand over to SPCA. {cry}

Anyway, saya dah nekad tak nak hantar pergi SPCA. Walaupun V.P SPCA tu nampak baik and betul-betul nak ambik kittens saya, but I'm not going to risk it. The kittens are not going anywhere, unless someone adopts them before Thursday.

Update on the student: Dia cakap nak ambil Becky sahaja {angry} But Becky is the smallest and yang paling banyak kerenah. Saya tak nak nanti bila dah tak comel dia kena buang. Or even worse, tak larat nak jaga lepas dua tiga hari, terus buang or hantar SPCA.

So tadi saya call MAS Airlines. It's good news! {happy} Saya boleh bawa kittens skali on board, just kena hand over time check-in sahaja. And nak kena ada surat vet (ni susah sikit). And then kena bayar RM 10 per kilo. Saya ingatkan beratus-ratus :P

Tapi still mahal sebab saya student. Sekarang ni pun dah overboard sebab tanggung kucing2 ni, balik nanti mesti mak marah {cry}.

My only (?) concern is bila dah sampai rumah. Saya takut kittens ni tak sempat sesuaikan diri. Saya balik September 3rd...On September 6th saya pergi Perth, so Odie, Becky and Putih ada 3 hari je nak get familiar with the house and my family.
Saya takut bila saya tak ada diorang 'freak-out'!. Nanti lari ke, gaduh dengan kucing2 yang lain ke {cry}

Hopefully things will turn out for the best.

Thank you for replying to my posts *BIG HUG* {doglove}

I will give updates on this and let you know what happen.

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

Momok is very lucky :) If I had lots of money I would have bought some place and letak semua strays kat situ, dream ala2 Sha punya :)

It does make you feel helpless when you know the reality and yet there isn't much that you can do about it. {arrogant}

When I'm finally out teaching I'll be sure to teach my pupils to respect and care for the animals {victory}

Re: Can secondary students be good pet owners?
 

Teaching?? Ohhh bakal cikgu rupanya? from where? UiTM? Maktab?

I'm also teaching at one of the colleges here in Kuantan and here at the hostels many students feed the stray cats and i encourage them to. Selalu ingatkan mereka supaya sayangkan kucing2 ni, dan dalam facebook siap syida dah marah ada budak2 yang kompelen tak suka roommate bg makan kucing sebab busuk laa, kotor la. Syida jawab "Cats are not dirty, humans are". Terdiam semua hehehe. Cumanya sedih bila time cuti sem, haruslah semua kelaparan (semua org dah balik bercuti termasuklah lecturer2 sekali) and bila bukak semester baru, semuanya kurus2 aje...{cry}

Cuma masih tak berkemampuan mahu tangkap mereka n neuter diorg. nantilah bila ekonomi dah mengizinkan sikit, akan ku buat sekor2. hehe.{grin}

*sori lari tajuk sikit!*