The Vixen Advisor

Liz Delisi

Each month the Vixen will personally answer one of the sizzling questions sent in by SUITE subscribers concerning life, love, sex, relationships, and having fun. To see what all the talk is about subscribe and find out for yourself.

The question of the month:

Q. My daughter is 8 and brought home an adorable kitten (guess it's about 10 weeks old) that she says followed her home. Although I think it's cute, I don't want to keep it (I'm at work a lot and travel also). I told her we could take it to the humane society and she broke out in tears. She told me Santa Claus made sure it followed her home coz that's what she asked Santa for for Christmas....what should I do?
~~Jenny, Florence, KY

Vixen's Answer

A: Having a pet can be a great experience for a child. Not only does the child receive unconditional love and acceptance from the pet–not even the most perfect parent can promise that–also, a pet helps a child learn about responsibility for others, and caring for the feelings of others. But I understand your reluctance to take on a responsibility you know will be mostly yours. You say you travel a lot. Where does your daughter go when you travel? Is it possible she could take the kitten to Grandma's house with her? Are there other family members who can help out with the kitten's care while you're out of town?

Cats are pretty self-reliant, and can be left alone for as long as a weekend if you leave a clean litter box, and plenty of water and dry food for them. Unlike a dog, they don't need to be walked several times a day, don't need constant attention, and won't eat all the food you put down for them in the first hour. So a cat might be the perfect pet for your situation, with long hours of work and frequent travel.

The Humane Society is certainly a place you can take an unwanted animal, and it's better than simply dumping the animal in a distant neighborhood. But did you know, according to the Humane Society of the United States, 6-8 million cats and dogs enter shelters each year, and of those, 3-4 million are euthanized? So when you drop an animal off at the Humane Society, you're giving it a fifty percent chance of being put to sleep. Your daughter's tears are well founded.

The Vixen urges you to take this adorable kitten into your home and heart, if you can. You won't be sorry. If you absolutely cannot manage it, please do all you can to find a suitable, loving home for it yourself. Merry Christmas!

~The Vixen