DEAR ABBY: My mother-in-law, “Irma,” is a peach — she’s the sweetest person on this planet. She will do something for anybody to lend a serving to hand. Two weeks in the past, she fell and broke her femur, which resulted in a major hospital keep and wanted rehabilitation. My spouse and I’ve been caring for her home and managing all her different day by day duties whereas she recovers, however one among these has grow to be a difficulty.
Irma has an old, needy, unfriendly cat (“Mehitabelle”) we have now taken into our home throughout all of this. She hisses and growls at me consistently and will not permit me to offer her treatment, which is required twice day by day. Irma loves her kitty and asks about her typically.
We have two cats of our personal, so we created a home for Mehitabelle in an upstairs bed room in an effort to maintain all of the cats in the home amicable. (She would not get together with one among ours.) My spouse and I’ve managed this thus far, however issues have grown dramatically worse.
In addition to her poor habits, Mehitabelle refuses to make use of her litter field. We have set pads across the litter field and all through the room, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a horrible mess to scrub up each day and takes greater than an hour. That cat has single-handedly ruined this part of our home by urinating everywhere in the flooring and furnishings.
We have a fantastic home we have labored onerous on, and it actually hurts to see the animal break issues. She has to go, as I see it, however Mom loves her cat. What can we do? — “FELINE” BAD IN MISSOURI
DEAR “FELINE” BAD: Mehitabelle would not seem to love dwelling with you any greater than you want having her as a houseguest. If your mother-in-law’s home is shut sufficient to yours that you might go there as soon as a day, you may all be happier if the kitty was returned to her personal territory somewhat than staying at your place. If you or your spouse might organize to offer Mehitabelle her meds as soon as a day and discover another person prepared to see that she will get her second dose, the state of affairs is likely to be workable till your mother-in-law is launched. Please take into account it. It might save your sanity.
DEAR ABBY: I dwell with my finest buddy and his younger son. We get alongside properly, however my buddy’s older son is a meth and heroin addict. He has stolen from all of us, however his father refuses to ban him from the home, saying he refuses to surrender on his boy. This is tearing their household aside, and I’m at my wits’ finish emotionally. Please advise. — LOSING MY MIND IN OHIO
DEAR LOSING: I’m sorry, however for those who worth the possessions you could have labored onerous to accumulate, you’ll have to transfer out with a purpose to shield them. Tell your buddy you do not anticipate him to decide on you over his drug-addicted son. Make clear that he and his younger son are welcome to go to you anytime, however you can not ignore that his older boy is so caught up in his dependancy that he cannot be trusted. Then observe by.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, often known as Jeanne Phillips, and was based by her mom, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
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