Neighbor left his feline family member behind when he moved, next-door couple decides their own moving plans just got a lot more crowded: 'Now I just have to drive her across half the country to our new home.'

Adopting a cat means you have full responsibility for them for the rest of their nine lives, with no opportunities to opt out on demand. It's sad to us that some people don't seem to understand that.

It's true that there are some reasons in this world for cat pawrents to give up, with all the sadness of the situation, and search for their cat a different home than theirs. These decisions are never made lightly, they involve a heart heavy like a ton of bricks, and probably a lot of tears, fears, but most of all - thoughts about the cat's well-being. Not a single person who needs to rehome a cat for a justified reason, like being evicted and not having a home for your cat, does this for their own benefit. Never ever.

Moving away is never a good reason to rehome your cat. If you have the time, money, and energy to move your entire life away in a truck, you don't get to simply go "but without my cat" in the situation. Moving away without your cat is vile. Period. Is it complicated to do so? Sure. But would you do this to a child? Absolutely not. So why is a cat any exception? We have a friend who moved countries, literally to another continent, and he made sure his wife and he are taking all four of their feline family members with them. Because that's what they are - family members.

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This is why we'll never understand people like this neighbor, who simply left their cat behind. A person who does this, without making sure that their cat is going to a loving home, is a person who really shows they don't care about the cat. At least not as a cat pawrent should care. If you adopt a cat into your life, into your home, you're a parent, essentially. You don't just get to decide “I don't want to do this anymore”. This is not a valid decision over a living, breathing, feeling creature, who's your responsibility. You just don't get to have that option.
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With all that being said, the bottom line is that we're so glad the cat found her forever home - despite the rocky beginning, despite the abandonment, despite the long journey ahead. What matters is that she's got her happy ending, in a home, with people who love her.
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