by pitbullmamaliz » February 24th, 2011, 8:00 pm
What Would Pit Bull Talk Do? I need help and advice.
I have had my cat, Niobe, AKA The Piss, since she was just a wee babe. She's about 6 1/2 years old now. She's always been very skittish - she bolts if I move too quickly, or take a deep breath, or look at her wrong, or...you get the picture. When I moved into this house, I didn't see her for about 10 days. She was eating and using her catbox, so I knew she was alive, but I certainly didn't see her. She hides if company comes over, even people she's known since she was a kitten. She hates Inara - hissing, growling and swatting if she comes remotely close, even though Inara ignores her for the most part. She is occasionally cuddly, usually a few minutes each day she'll be really lovey - jumping onto my lap and purring like crazy. Until I sniff or sneeze or blink too loudly, and then she's gone. Often she will randomly pee on my belongings, which is really awesome (no infection, she's been checked).
She's always been anxious and miserable, but a couple months ago she started licking her back. I thought it was just dry skin due to the cold, dry air. However, I came home last Friday and she had licked a bald stripe along her back and it was red and irritated. So I took her to the vet on Saturday morning and she had licked herself into a skin infection. The vet gave her a shot that had a long-lasting antibiotic and a skin soother. Because her licking was anxiety-based, she also gave me a hormone balancer to help her for a month.
Here's where I need help and advice. I don't know what to do. The Piss is very obviously miserable and anxious. Always has been - nothing has changed. But now she's causing herself physical harm due to the stress. Here are the options, as I see them:
1. Keep her but find an anti-depressant or something that she can take for the rest of her life. Downside? I've gotta be honest that the thought of trying to give her a pill every day for the rest of her life makes me want to break out in hives.
2. Rehome her. It would take the perfect home: single, preferably elderly (they move slowly), no visitors, no other animals, immaculately clean (she pees on cloth/fabric items that are on the floor). I wouldn't charge a rehoming fee and I would make the person swear on their life to give her back to me if they EVER changed their mind. Downside? I'll always worry that the person will decide to get rid of her and take her to the pound, where she'll be terrified before being euthed.
3. Euthanize her. If it's going to be done, I want to be there taking responsibility. Downside? Pretty obvious.
I'm really torn. I'm not the kind of person to "get rid of" animals when they don't fit my lifestyle. But when she's miserable enough to cause herself harm something has to be done. I'd love any feedback or suggestions.