Cat astrophe

I have been called many things in my life: liar, witch, bitch, whore, (just to name a few) but it is the latest label that I am having the most trouble letting go of.  According to someone close to me, I am a selfish and neglectful pet owner.  I have been struggling with this thought for the last few weeks because nothing could be further from the truth.

I am, and always will be, a very vocal animal rights activist; I am a volunteer kitten feeder at the Toronto Humane Society, I am also a supporter of the Shac 7, and have lobbied for Kensington's Law here in the city, which will see animal abusers receiver stiffer sentences when charged. I have been around animals all my life, and I have a deep love for the feline species.  My cats are so much more than pets, they are my family, and that is why this comment has affected me so much.  Ruthie B and Limey have been with me for almost fourteen years and during that time I have never abused or neglected them in any way.  Their birthdays and Christmas are celebrated with toys and treats, they get regular check ups, they are well looked after when I'm away, and kisses and love are always given freely.  I am the opposite of neglectful, but apparently because I have chosen to move to an island thousands of miles away and am leaving them behind for their own safety and well being, I am a horrible, selfish person.

This decision is not something I'm taking lightly; it is the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and it saddens me that people think me so shallow that I would abandon two beings who have given me unconditional love, just because moving them would cost me money.  My reasons for leaving my cats are many: they are long haired and would suffer in the heat and humidity, I would have to drug them to get them on the airplane, and they're older cats who have never flown before, do I risk one or both of them having a heart attack?  And what about quarantine?   How much fun will it be for them to be stuck in cages until the government thinks they're safe?  All of these thoughts have been running through my head, but none are more important than the last one: can I really leave two of the most wonderful beings I've ever known to be cared for by someone else?  No one will ever love them more than me.  I know in my heart that I am a loving and responsible pet friend, so why have I let this comment take up so much room in my mind?

Perhaps it's because it came from a person who is very close to me, and whose opinion I have always respected.  I just don't understand how I could possibly be viewed this way.  There have been times when I was so broke that I couldn't keep my head above water, but they never went without, and I believe that by leaving them here I am still putting them first.  I will not just give them to anyone-there will be a strict screening process so that I know they're going to live with the comforts they've become accustomed to, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that they feel no ill effects from me not being there.

Now here is the hardest part: my heart will break when the time comes for me to leave them, but I know that I am doing the right thing regardless of what others might think.  I am neither selfish nor neglectful, and I will not have anyone judge me because I'm not doing what they think is right; in the end they'll see that I am doing the right thing, and the right thing is seldom easy.