Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 9:12:32 GMT -5
So, last night I went out to do chores and the chickens were totally losing it. I mean I had to do a head count because I was sure something got in there and killed one they were freaking out so bad. No missing chickens, but discovered a stray cat in their stall. I don't know why they were that bent out of shape over a cat since I have several out there, but whatever...they're chickens.
Anyhow, this stray is obviously hurt. The last time I dealt with an injured cat we found outside it cost me over $2000 and that was 15 years ago. I really, really can't be tossing that kind of money at a stray cat right now. There was really nothing I could do on Christmas night, so I decided if he was still here this morning (and I could catch him), I'd do something, so I gave him some food and kind of hoped he'd move on, but nope. Still there this morning sleeping on some old insulation under the picnic table I put the food on. I can't miss work and can't be late for work or I'll lose my holiday pay for Wednesday and Thursday so I packed him up in a cat carrier and gave him to my Mom along with younger son who she was going to watch for me today.
Well, I wouldn't want to be a hurt stray cat! Nobody will help. She's been to two shelters, and one vet so far. The vet WOULD have taken him if he was from within the city, but we're about 8 miles outside city limits (had she known she would have lied). Basically, everyone is saying your cat, your problem. I said I'd pay to have him euthanized, but it may just be his foot is messed up. I hate to put him down if he could recover on his own.
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TheHaitian
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Post by TheHaitian on Dec 26, 2014 9:50:11 GMT -5
Do you know any cat lovers that may take him in?
Maybe a post on Craigslist for your area may help...
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daisy
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Post by daisy on Dec 26, 2014 10:12:18 GMT -5
I understand your dilemma. We've had injured strays as well as the usuals show up for breakfast. DH would debate catching them and taking them to the vet, but catching is the operative word. It's never happened yet. They either heal up on their own or disappear.
We did take one of the usuals to the emergency vet one night after we came home and it was obvious she'd been hit by a car. She died on the way but we absolutely figured that if she was as injured as we suspected she was that we'd have her put down. No extra $$$ here either.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 10:13:13 GMT -5
I don't think I could get someone to take a healthy cat. The humane society and farms are overflowing with them.
Sign on one closed shelter said to call the police station during off hours. Apparently the polixe are more worried about dogs. They said to just find someone to shoot it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 10:16:05 GMT -5
I understand your dilemma. We've had injured strays as well as the usuals show up for breakfast. DH would debate catching them and taking them to the vet, but catching is the operative word. It's never happened yet. They either heal up on their own or disappear. We did take one of the usuals to the emergency vet one night after we came home and it was obvious she'd been hit by a car. She died on the way but we absolutely figured that if she was as injured as we suspected she was that we'd have her put down. No extra $$$ here either. This one has shown up in the past a few times and was too wild to ever get near, but he let me pet him when he was laying there this morning and was purring...so I was able to get him in the carrier easy enough. Of course then he was really pissed off. If we do bring him home I'm guessing he'll take off now after being lugged around in a car all morning.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 26, 2014 10:25:46 GMT -5
He will or won't heal on his own. I'm a cat/animal lover and would do anything to help one in distress. But you are in a different situation. He let you help him because he was hurt. Feed him and shelter him is the right thing to do.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 10:26:01 GMT -5
Mom took him to another vet and they looked him over and said he looks pretty sickly besides his messed up foot (eyes are all icky and he's real skinny). They don't think he'd be ok even if they fixed his foot, so they're putting him to sleep. I have to pick him up after work to save the $200 cremation cost. I feel pretty crappy now but these are the same vets that refuse to put my Mom's 16 year old lab down with all kinds of issues, so they're not ones that jump to euthanizing.
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tloonya
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Post by tloonya on Dec 26, 2014 10:38:00 GMT -5
He will or won't heal on his own. I'm a cat/animal lover and would do anything to help one in distress. But you are in a different situation. He let you help him because he was hurt. Feed him and shelter him is the right thing to do. I didn't think you would give a shit!
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tloonya
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Post by tloonya on Dec 26, 2014 10:40:05 GMT -5
Mom took him to another vet and they looked him over and said he looks pretty sickly besides his messed up foot (eyes are all icky and he's real skinny). They don't think he'd be ok even if they fixed his foot, so they're putting him to sleep. I have to pick him up after work to save the $200 cremation cost. I feel pretty crappy now but these are the same vets that refuse to put my Mom's 16 year old lab down with all kinds of issues, so they're not ones that jump to euthanizing. What if you grabbed a cat and brought it to the vet and left it there. Make it their choice. It is not your cat! (I am sound like a bitch but I am seriously not when it comes to animals. I just hate those vets with no hearts.)
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sesfw
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Post by sesfw on Dec 26, 2014 10:40:07 GMT -5
MPL you are a kind lady ......... this kitty will wait at the rainbow bridge for you and thank you for his care.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 26, 2014 10:42:04 GMT -5
I think that's jumping the gun a bit to put him down but I'm not there so I don't know. Id find another vet for that dog. Better for him to go peacefully than to end up fox food.
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daisy
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Post by daisy on Dec 26, 2014 10:47:40 GMT -5
Mom took him to another vet and they looked him over and said he looks pretty sickly besides his messed up foot (eyes are all icky and he's real skinny). They don't think he'd be ok even if they fixed his foot, so they're putting him to sleep. I have to pick him up after work to save the $200 cremation cost. I feel pretty crappy now but these are the same vets that refuse to put my Mom's 16 year old lab down with all kinds of issues, so they're not ones that jump to euthanizing. So sad even when it's a stray. But he's better off being taken care of than wandering around in pain and eventually with a bad infection. When the usuals disappear I always wonder how they are. I'd rather some generous person like you took care of them than left them to die alone and in pain.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 10:50:25 GMT -5
I'm glad most people took vacation today and the place is empty. I'm sitting here crying at my desk over a stray I've known one day.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 10:52:48 GMT -5
I think that's jumping the gun a bit to put him down but I'm not there so I don't know. Id find another vet for that dog. Better for him to go peacefully than to end up fox food. Oh, Mom's dog won't end up fox food. She's in the house 95% of the time and only escorted outside. She's just a ton of work now. She can't see very well or hear at all and she has no control of her bladder. My Mom has to wash her bedding sometimes 4X a day because she soaks it. None of the dog boarding places will take her anymore so being able to go on trips is really hard for them as they have to get someone to care for the dog. But the vets say she's happy and not suffering. I think if Mom insisted they'd do it, but she's afraid to. I think I would have rather given the cat a chance, but I'm guessing he would have just wandered off and died somewhere or the coyotes got him. He does look pretty bad. My Aunt happened to call my Mom this morning and my Mom told her about what she was doing and my Aunt said he'd been around their place for about a week before (she lives a half mile down the road from me) and they figured he wasn't going to make it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 10:56:46 GMT -5
Mom took him to another vet and they looked him over and said he looks pretty sickly besides his messed up foot (eyes are all icky and he's real skinny). They don't think he'd be ok even if they fixed his foot, so they're putting him to sleep. I have to pick him up after work to save the $200 cremation cost. I feel pretty crappy now but these are the same vets that refuse to put my Mom's 16 year old lab down with all kinds of issues, so they're not ones that jump to euthanizing. What if you grabbed a cat and brought it to the vet and left it there. Make it their choice. It is not your cat! (I am sound like a bitch but I am seriously not when it comes to animals. I just hate those vets with no hearts.) My Mom asked that. She also said she was just going to let him loose in town so he would be an "in-city" stray that the first vet said they accepted. But, apparently you get charged for animal abandonment and cruelty if you do that.
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milee
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Post by milee on Dec 26, 2014 11:19:08 GMT -5
I'm glad most people took vacation today and the place is empty. I'm sitting here crying at my desk over a stray I've known one day. I'm sorry. It's hard to be tender hearted. Stray cats are especially tough. You're doing the right thing, though. Don't be hard on yourself.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 11:37:48 GMT -5
Older son is super sensitive and is not going to be happy when we go pick up a dead cat. It was partly because of him insisting we help him that I didn't just take the "feed him and see" approach. Hopefully, he'll understand that this was helping.
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