Big Paw Designs

---

Ensuring Your Cat’s Future if You Become Ill Posted: 07 Jun 2010 11:13 AM PDT We all love our cats and worry about what will become of them if we are no longer able to care for them. They are members of our family and we want them to be well taken care of even if we are incapacitated, ill or if death claims us prematurely. Therefore, it is imperative that you prepare for your cat’s future now. You will need to make wise choices before appointing a person to act as your cat’s guardian. They not only need to have a love of cats, but need to have the resources to care properly for your pet. If you have more than one cat, you will need to decide if you’d like the same person to take them all, or if they should go to different people. Then, talk to those you wish to adopt your cats and determine if they are willing to do so. If so, discuss exercise routines, play times and daily routines. Explain the environment you wish your cat to live in and the type of care it requires. You may find out that once you’ve outlined all of the requirements that the care providers you’ve chosen are either more or less willing to adopt your cat. If they decline, you will need to make another decision. If they accept, you will need to prepare them for the day when your cat will be in their care. Besides choosing the perfect person to adopt your cat if you can no longer provide for him, you will need to choose an emergency care provider. This will assure that your cat will have proper care in the case where a long term care provider is unable to take him immediately. The person who is going to provide emergency care should live reasonably close to you. Neighbors or close friends are perfect examples. They can either take the cat to their home, or care for it in yours until the long term care provider can pick it up. Long term care providers need to have adequate space for your cat and be willing to make decisions about its care. Both the emergency and long term care provider will need keys to your home and be aware of feeding schedules, health problems, special diets and medications. They should know the name and phone number of your veterinarian and those of all other care providers. Once you have chosen both emergency and long term care providers and they have agreed to care for your cat, be certain that contact information is available to those close to you. Your cat needs daily care and it is imperative he not be left to fend for himself for any extended period of time. Carry an emergency card that gives information on care providers and how they can be contacted. Affix signs to all the doors of your home to inform paramedics, fire fighters and all other emergency personnel that there is a cat in your home. Then, make a list of all relative information on your cat’s care and place it where it can be seen immediately by anyone entering your home. It is important that in the case of an emergency, emergency personnel know how many cats you have and how to contact both emergency and long term care givers. Your Cat and Your Will Include instructions for your cat’s care in your Will. This is one way of being assured that he will be cared for in the event that you die. Specify who is to adopt your cat and leave a portion of your estate to go toward the cat’s care. Provide the executor of your Will with specific instructions on what to do in the event that circumstances change. Also provide instructions on how monies are to be spent and the daily care and routine that your cat will require. You might also want to advise your executor of your wishes in the event that your cat becomes extremely ill and there is no possible chance for his recovery. If he is in excruciating pain, do you want him to be freed from the pain by the method of euthanasia? Do you wish the executor or the long term care provider to make that decision? Is the executor to continue to check on your cat after he is adopted? Who should care for your cat if the long term care provider is ill or can no longer take care of your pet? Whatever your wishes, be certain that your executor is aware of them. Be sure he is someone that you can trust to carry out the decisions that you have made. This will ascertain that your cat will always be indirectly under your care, even in the event of your death -  a very comforting thought.

You are subscribed to email updates from Big Paw Blog To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610