How can I convince a friend to take her cat to the vet?

Question

my friend has a 1 1/2 year old female (UNspayed). she's had her since she was 6 wks. old. this poor thing has NEVER received one shot in her life. she needs EVERY vaccine available. she needs her shots and desperatly needs to be spayed (she's in heat at the moment). everytime I come back home from my friends house I always have to wash my hands thoroughly just to make sure that I don't have anything from her cat on my hands that is contagious to my 2 cats (I have a male/female who are BOTH spayed/neutered and BOTH updated on their shots). everytime I try to talk her into taking Sugar to the vet to have her spayed and get her shots she always tells me that she'll get around to it eventually. yeah right! my friend also has a 10 year old female pomeranian named Popy who obviously has never been spayed. I'm not sure about her shots though. it's probably the same though. I know that my friend is very irresponsible and needs to step up to her responsibilities to being a pet owner.

I know very well that Poppy and Sugar need to go to the vet but I don't have the heart to tell my friend how responsible and neglectful she's being. she KNOWS what't right though. plenty of people out there are more than willing to take care of her animals for her if she doesn't, but again, I can't tell her that. I don't have the heart. Please Help! any suggestions will be greatly apreciated. oh, and both her dog and cat are kept inside, but that doesn't matter. my cats are too. what can I tell her? she needs to step up to her responsibilities. I worry about her pets. they're soo prone to diseases right now. I just have to say something. do you just think that it's none of my business. I take care of my pets, she needs to take care of hers for a change.

No, she CAN afford it, trust me!

Answer 1

Hi Lily...sometimes it's difficult to encourage our friends what we know is in the best interest for their furbaby family members. Your intentions are well-meaning, but it's important to remember people will only consider action if they are educated/informed without pressure. Perhaps it would help to offer some printed reference material by an accrediated veterinary practice. Here's some links by Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine for feline care that you could consider printing out and leaving for your friend to read at her leisure. Present it to her in a way that you care so much about her so she never has to ever bear the thought of losing her babies sooner than necessary and to consider reading the helpful brochures which will explain why.

Feline Vaccines: Benefits and Risks: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/vaccbr.html

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fiv.html

Feline Leukemia Virus: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/felv.html

Benefits of spaying and neutering: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/why_you_should_spay_or_neuter_your_pet.html

Answer 2

Tell her that its illegal to not have your cat vaccinated. Has the cat ever been outside? If it has, you can tell her that her cat might also have Feline AIDS as well, if she's come into contact with an outside cat that has it.

Unspayed female cats tend to get really aggressive, you should let your friend know her cat will calm down ALOT if she just gets her spayed. If money is in issue, all she needs to do is call a few vets and ask about clinics. Many vets have month long clinics where they package vaccinations AND spaying/neutering in one for a reduced price. For instance, usually its about $115 just for spaying, but my vet has a clinic every january where he will spay/neuter, give rabies and distemper shots all for $89. It's a one time deal that she will only need to do once.

As for her pomeranian - unspayed dogs have periods. If your friend really doesn't mind her dog's blood, than that is her problem. Also, spayed animals tend to be healthier and live longer.

If your friend still doesn't do something, maybe you can. If it means that much, maybe you can take them yourself. These animals seem like they're not taken care of. Threaten her with calling the ASPCA or even your local animal control to complain. If she loves her pets, she should be willing to do whatever she can to helpt hem.

Answer 3

First of all let me say if you dont have the heart to tell your friend than you truthfully dont care. Second of all just because you dont get your animals taken care of like that {spayed or nuetured} it doesnt mean that you dont care for them let me say i have 7 animals out of 7 animals 2 of them have there shots and 3 of them are fixed does that make me a bad owner cause i havent got the other 2 to the vet at all ? Umm no different people go different ways about taking care of there animal most people dont believe in getting an animal fixed i dont that just takes pride away from the animal and as far as shots go in my opinion unless the animal has a disease it shouldnt really need a shot and you can tell when your animal has a disease or not so if i were you i would just give your friend space on that one and instead of saying that your friend is very irresponsible of not taking care of his pets you should think of how much of an irresponsible person you are for not telling your friend since your so worried

Answer 4

I had the same problem with my friend, it was like talking to a wall, until her cat got pregnant, and passed all the diseases onto the kittens. After the kittens were born, she stopped giving them milk at 1 week old. My friend didn't even bother to get her fixed or get shots, and she moved and left the cat behind, only taking one of the kitten with her, I have one. She is my top priority, since I got her when she was 5 weeks old (came fully equipped with fleas), she was in heat 1-1/2 days at 8 months (made an appt with the Vet the next day, following week on Mon she had her 1st set of shots, Tues she was spayed, and Thurs. I brought her home). At 11 months, she had tapeworms that were dormant in her (passed from her mother) took care of that too.
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Under the guidelines, dogs and cats should receive core shots for rabies and distemper beginning at 12 weeks, a booster at one year, then boosters no more ...
(from this website)

Answer 5

Your friend may not be able to afford the vet bills. We have a local animal charity that helps people spay/neuter their pets and get their shots. Check to see if your local animal shelter has such a program or if they know of one. Some people don't realize that owning pets has serious responsibilities and costs and then there are those that do but keep pets anyway.

Answer 6

Call the ASPCA, it's illegal not to have your pet vaccinated. I am just appauled at your friends behavior, she shouldn't have ever gotten a pet if she was unable to care for it. I have a friend also who never takes his cats to the vet and it just drives me insane. Tell her you will no longer visit because you are afraid you may spread something to your healthy cats. Ask her is she would be sad if her little kitty died and if the cat did - it would probably be her fault. Instead of sitting around her house hanging out - go to the vet with her and the vet can explain the importance of having her cat vaccinated and taking care of it properly. Good luck.

Answer 7

If it's not too out of your way - maybe you could try making an appointment with a local vet and be sure they send your friend an appointment card. You could go about this in a way that she won't know you did it, it'll be one of those "how strange" things that happen all the time.
Perhaps you could explain part of the situation to the vet, so you can be sure he'll send an appt card. Or you could make appts over the phone as if you were her - make them about month off and ask the vet to send "you" a reminder. Good luck

Answer 8

What do you care if she does not chip her pets? you do not even like her! All you probably did became into rant on her and her residing house projects. And as large as chipping animals sounds, it is merely the thank you to make the sheeple extra gentle whilst the government says it's time to chip human beings 'for his or her very own sturdy'. start up with the animals, and then the human beings will persist with. Edit: GPS stands for worldwide Positioning Sensor. that's a satellite tv for pc monitoring gadget it is used to locate place on the globe. The microchip could want for use to song human beings if it have been inserted in them (with merely a pair of differences). the belief is to get human beings used to having their animals chipped, under the basis that it will help in looking a lost puppy. that concept makes it extra straightforward for human beings to permit their babies to be chipped additionally, lower back to help detect a lost newborn. The insidious section is that, as quickly as the government mandates chipping, we've merely lost our humanity and suitable to determination and alter into gadgets actual tracked. huge Brother could desire to locate us everywhere. think of of all the futuristic video clips you have ever seen and books you have ever examine. in case you think of that could desire to on no account ensue - think of lower back.

Answer 9

Go over, put her animals in kennels, and put them in your car. Tell your friend "Let's go. Now.". (Preferably, set up the appointment ahead of time. Shots first, then come back for the spay **not sure if they can get spayed the same day they get shots** )

Answer 10

sadly her pets are suffering becuase of her ignorance or laziness.. or both.. you needto find out WHY she hasnt done it?? is she aware of the health risks unspayed females are prone to (cancer as well as pregnancy)?
I suggest you say to her... "lets make an appointment for them and I will go with you when its time to take them" be her friend.. help her -
some people are procrastinators and unless somebody MAKES them do stuff or HELPS them do stuff.. they simply wont do it