Argh...frustration

[maherwoman]

Hey guys...

I'm rethinking being a cat expert on allexperts.com. I've been one there for a while now, and am now getting frustrated. I give people advice, and if it's not the answer they want, they rate me low. For instance, someone yesterday asked about their cat suddenly getting agressive and peeing all over the house (even right in front of them), and I let them know that the two things combined signaled to me that they need to take him in for a check-up because there's most likely a health issue going on with his bladder. (Change of personality and inappropriate peeing combined are sure signals.) This person, since I didn't give them advice on how to STOP his peeing directly (seems they don't want to take him to the vet and HELP him...argh), rated me 7 out of 10 in knowledge on cat training and behaviour. This isn't the first time someone's rated me low due to not getting the answer they wanted, and it starts me wondering if I'm helping people in this or not.

*sigh* Am I being rediculous for feeling like that? I literally answer about 40 questions a month (sometimes as much as 50), so it's not a whole lot of them that go that direction, but there are just sometimes that it's so frustrating. I know that person, since she didn't leave any comments next to her rating, isn't going to take her poor kitty in...and it makes me mad. Why did she ask??

Argh...

 

[Spring]

I know how you feel. I guess all you can do is give advice, and whether they take it or not is their issue! I guess those kind of people just want the easy escape to their problem. They don't want to 'waste their valuable time' in fixing a problem, they want the quick easy fix.

:hug2I guess all you can do is offer what you know, and it's up to them to follow through! With how many people you help, you do make a difference, just the few ignorant people in the bunch just don't undestand!

 

[Jess_sully]

I can understand how you're feeling. My mom is a vet, and one of our personal pet peeves is when people (especially parents of a "child's pet") don't want to take the time to care for their pets properly or bring them to the vet when they're sick, injured, or even just plain acting funny... usually that's a sign of something larger. My mom even works with people who don't have a lot of money by using pay plans and giving them discounts... and yet lots of people "don't want to waste the money". Grrr.

Sometimes, people just aren't going to listen to what they don't want to hear, you know?

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

aww man, that stinks. but i'd stick with it. i mean, its not your fault these people dont want to properly care for their animals and take them to the vet. is there anywa that you can rephrase stuff like giving them possibilies they can try if they can't take them to the vet? maybe that could help.

 

[naturestee]

Tego, that's the problem. If a neutered cat pees outside it's litterbox and there haven't been any major life changes, it's almost always a urinary infection or another health problem that makes peeing difficult or painful. And major personality changes are often caused by illness or pain. A vet trip should be first on the to-do list. The only other thing she can suggest is an appropriate cleaner.

Rosie, I completely understand. I think you should stick with it though. Don't let a few bad apples make you think that the whole bushel is bad.

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

hmm, i see. well shoot. i dont know. don't blame yourself though cuz if you quit they will only be asking another cat expert who will tell them the same thing. you're doing great. don't let lazy ppl who dont want to take their animals to the vet get you down. they're the bad guys! :?

 

[maherwoman]

Thanks so much for the encouragement guys!!

I worry about her kitty because she never responded to my last note asking for her to answer the questions I'd sent her to see what was going on. I hope she just takes her baby in so she doesn't have to continue suffering. Since she'd undergone such a huge personality change, and is now peeing outside her box and actually on people and in front of her human, it's quite obvious that she's going through a health problem.

Good vibes go out to her little kitty...in hopes that her human takes care of her the right way and gets her checked out!

Either way, I will forge on in my responsibility in sharing the amount of knowledge I have with kitty behaviour, and will continue helping everyone that comes along and asks. It's the best contribution I can give (aside from obviously taking care of my own furbabies) to the animal world, and I take it very seriously.

Thanks again guys...you're so wonderful!!