Responsibility

Okay it has been quite a while since I had a good rant. I think we can all agree it is not healthy to keep things in and it is past time that I railed against some sort of injustice or absurdity. Today I am railing against pet owners who become parents and feel that they can no longer handle the animal in their life. Now I have some sympathy here. I realize the joys of parenting may indeed be overwhelming. I am not going to deny that. I know that some dogs have personalities that might not be right for a house with an infant or a toddler. Got it.
But why in the name of all that is right with the world would you need to get rid of a single cat???? Especially one that you describe as "laid back, sleeps a lot and good with kids." I realize the litter box presents a challenge to pregnant women, but you made it through nine months successfully. Cats are generally not much work. You put out food, fresh water, and clean litter. That is it. From time to time the creature will pop over to see you and request a petting. Mostly they want to sleep and be left alone.
I am speaking of course about the current Facebook plea for an 11 year old seal point Himalayan named Newt. Newt's owner purchased this purebred creature as a kitten and promptly declawed him to save her furniture (strike one there in my mind - though I do think that declawing is preferable to termination of life - you know when your furniture is THAT important.) Newt's owner had decided in her last weeks of pregnancy that Newt was too much work. Did I mention that Newt gets shaved quarterly so the owner does not have to worry about grooming? Yeah. She was going to drop off poor Newt at the pound. Owner surrenders do not pass "go" and head straight for the death chamber. She was willing to put down her 11 yr old cat because it would be too much work what with the baby and all.
Friends on Facebook immediately stepped in and have made the plea for adopting this senior cat. Being the sucker that I am, I volunteer to take him only to be told that the owner has changed her mind (for now). I am glad that she had a change of heart, but am concerned that it will not last and poor Newt will get a death sentence because he is such a burden on this poor new family.
Pet owners, we live in a age where family additions may be planned well in advance. Decisions to have a baby should be well thought out and how your animal will fit into this new family should be a factor from the start. Sure surprises happen, but for God's sake, you then have a minimum of 7 months to (if you must) find an alternate home for your beloved pet.
But guess what? Pets and people (even baby people) can coexist perfectly well together. It is this whole thing called domestication. There are books, pamphlets and websites devoted to informing you (should you need advice) of the ways in which you can get your house baby ready and prepare your pet for the new addition. Most of these things you should already be doing as a responsible pet owner. Your dog should not be your boss and should respond to a few basic commands. Perhaps an investment in a pinch collar and a few obedience classes would be a wise choice before your child arrives in the world (or you get pregnant - you don't want your 80 pound lab jumping on your baby bump.)
For a cat, there is even less to worry about. Your house will soon smell of vomit and dirty diapers which will mask the litter box completely. Your cat is not going to smother your baby or steal its soul while it sleeps. If you are concerned about this, there is a clever invention called the closed door. Cats in general cannot master the door knob. Keep the kitty out of the nursery. Worried that you won't have time to buy cat food or fresh litter? That same store where you buy diapers on a regular basis sells cat supplies.
Bottom line.... you are still going to find the time to wash your hair and shower. You can take two minutes to make sure your cat has food and water and another two minutes to scoop some litter. Responsible parenting begins with responsible pet ownership.