DEAR ABBY: My mother-in-law, “Irma,” is a peach — she’s the sweetest person on the earth. 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 taking good care of her home and managing all her different each day duties whereas she recovers, however one in every of these has grow to be a difficulty.
Irma has an old, needy, unfriendly cat (“Mehitabelle”) we now have taken into our home throughout all of this. She hisses and growls at me always and received’t permit me to present her treatment, which is required twice each day. Irma loves her kitty and asks about her usually.
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 doesn’t get together with one in every of ours.) My spouse and I’ve managed this up to now, 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 wash up every single 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 gorgeous home we’ve labored exhausting on, and it actually hurts to see the animal smash issues. She has to go, as I see it, however Mom loves her cat. What will we do? — “FELINE” BAD IN MISSOURI
DEAR “FELINE” BAD: Mehitabelle doesn’t 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 could possibly go there as soon as a day, you would possibly all be happier if the kitty was returned to her personal territory relatively than staying at your place. If you or your spouse might organize to present 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 may be workable till your mother-in-law is launched. Please contemplate it. It might save your sanity.
DEAR ABBY: I stay with my finest buddy and his younger son. We get alongside effectively, 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 if you happen to worth the possessions you’ve got labored exhausting to amass, you’ll have to transfer out to be able to defend them. Tell your buddy you don’t 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 habit that he can’t 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.
What teenagers must learn about intercourse, medication, AIDS and getting together with friends and fogeys is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your title and mailing handle, plus verify or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and dealing with are included within the worth.)
