DEAR ABBY: I never thought I would be a cat-hater. My 70-year-old parents are very active, but ever since they brought home two cats, they are no longer willing to travel out of town. That means they are now missing many family events -- Thanksgiving, graduations, funerals, etc. Christmas and Easter are spared because we all travel to see them on those occasions.
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I am becoming resentful that their cats are more important to them than spending time with their siblings, children or grandchildren. And, no -- they will not put them in a cat hotel or have someone come into their home to watch them. Suggestions? -- RESENTFUL IN SANTA BARBARA, CALIF.
DEAR RESENTFUL: The problem with resentment is that it can fester to the point that it destroys relationships. Has it occurred to you that there may be other reasons your parents no longer want to make these trips? The stress and expense, for instance? Or concern about spending a lot of time driving on freeways? It's also possible that two family visits a year are all they can handle.
One way to lessen your frustration would be to resolve to accept your parents just the way they are -- and also accept that it's unlikely they are going to change.