Nice couple I met in the vets today (sad story)

[dabs]

It is a sad fact of life that we who work in rescue see more and more of cats that have either been dumped when old or ill or left to get to such poor condition. I have in the last 12 months lost 3 cats who needed to be PTS due to various diseases, I am sure that most of you remember Nicky and Perdy the two oldies left for days in a single cat carrier hidden behind the vets. I ahve howver save one life of a little lad that was left to stray and we only had the call as the chap did not want the cat dying in his garden, not the fact that the cat was so week he could not stand or was so hungry he was scavenging bread from the bird table. I spent New Years day 2009 with this mite wrapped in a towel syringe feeding him and crying over him as I honestly thought he would die on me. He pulled thru and has been rehomed with a lovely couple.

It is however nice to know that there are individuals out there who do care and will take in these little ones at what ever cost to themselves. I still say that before people have a cat they should spend time with a rescue charity of some sort and have a good idea of what it is like on the sharp end and the consequences of not getting neutering done or vet care when needed. 

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

How sad that the vet was so anti FIV 

I don't think the vet was anti FIV. I had promised to have the cat as my own could he be made well and would happily have covered any additional vet fees had this been possible.  I had never seen such an ill looking cat in my life as this one. I said as such to the vet and he replied 'sadly I have'.

Again it's what angered me most about the whole situation. Had someone intervened sooner albeit the owner or another member of the public upon seeing him, then perhaps some quality of life could have been salvaged for the poor animal 

whoops i miss read that then....
i read it as the vet was going to see what he could do but because he had come back FIV he had pts anyway

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Nice way to start the day 

Im glad some people have compassion, god knows what would of happened to this poor kitty other wise 

RIP Little one xx

[Baby British]

 

How sad that the vet was so anti FIV 

I don't think the vet was anti FIV. I had promised to have the cat as my own could he be made well and would happily have covered any additional vet fees had this been possible.  I had never seen such an ill looking cat in my life as this one. I said as such to the vet and he replied 'sadly I have'.

Again it's what angered me most about the whole situation. Had someone intervened sooner albeit the owner or another member of the public upon seeing him, then perhaps some quality of life could have been salvaged for the poor animal 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Michelle, I doubt it was that the vet was anti-FIV, it sounds more likely that it was so advanced that it was the kindest thing to do.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

The vet agreed to carry out further tests and I left the poor fella at the surgery as I didn't want to get too attached if things weren't looking good. The vet promised to call the next day with the tests results. Unfortunately I didn't have to wait that long as the vet rang the very same night to say that the cat had tested positive for feline aids and had been PTS as there was nothing further that could be done and the poor mite had suffered enough.

How sad that the vet was so anti FIV 

Well done to you though 

[Christine (Blip)]

I have a particular contempt for those who [...] dump them somewhere where someone who does belong to the human race finds it impossible to turn their back on an animal in need

And so do I.  I am firmly convinced - with the benefit of hindsight - that TabbyFur was dumped after her heart condition was diagnosed.

[Kay and Penny]

a few years ago I was temporarily catless as I had just lost my beloved Siamese and was waiting for a Russian Blue kitten to be old enough to come to me

so when I heard a strange yowling sound coming from a neighbouring field, and tracked it down to a very thin old ginger cat, who had obviously been dumped there - he was much too arthritic to have got there himself - I was able to bring him in and nurse him back to some sort of health

after 3 weeks he went to live with my elderly mum, and they enjoyed each others' company for two years, till he had to be pts with a stomach tumour

I have a particular contempt for those who are too cowardly to witness their own pet's deterioration, and too mean to do anything about it, so dump them somewhere where someone who does belong to the human race finds it impossible to turn their back on an animal in need

[Baby British]

Earlier this year I found a stray out in our street in a terrible state. He was so thin that his stomach virtually met either side of his spine, he had a terrible eye infection so as the eye was completely closed and he smelt dreadful. His fur was so matted and dirty that it was virtually impossible impossible to tell what colour he was. I bought the cat inside and shut him in our down stairs loo with a bowl of water. I only had Marley at this point but obviously didn't want the 2 to come into contact as this stray was obviously very ill with something. The sad thing was that this cat had evidently belonged to someone as he didn't object to being picked up or fussed despite blatantly being so ill and probably in pain. Chances are I suppose that the owners had turfed him out having realised that all was not well with him.
 I contacted the RSPCA and they authorised a payment for the local vet so as I could take him in to be checked out. The vet was very good and said to bring the cat in straight away. As soon as the vet saw him he said that things didn't look good. He examined the poor mite and said that he thought he had renal failure as his kidneys were very small although more tests were needed to confirm this. The vet said it was probably best to put the cat to sleep as even if he could be patched up, as on older cat, he would be difficult to rehome. It had already been decided that either me or my mum would give him a home could he be made well so I asked the vet to do all he could. The vet agreed to carry out further tests and I left the poor fella at the surgery as I didn't want to get too attached if things weren't looking good. The vet promised to call the next day with the tests results. Unfortunately I didn't have to wait that long as the vet rang the very same night to say that the cat had tested positive for feline aids and had been PTS as there was nothing further that could be done and the poor mite had suffered enough. It was very sad but I was more angry at the people who had allowed the cat to get into such a state. He had obviously been deteriorating over some period of time. You would have thought even another stranger would have picked him up earlier he looked that bad.

Thankfully my 2 cats are fully vaccinated and aren't allowed out doors but that poor stray really brought it home that so many cats out there aren't so lucky 

[Janeyk]

They sound very kind people, thankfully some people do care deeply about stray cats and care for them 

[Wibblechick]

 

That really is sad

Thank goodness those kind people helped the cat when he needed them.

 There are so many  :censored:s in this World, its good to read of kind people, even if its is such a sad tale.

Im glad the vet didnt charge - it goes some small way to restoring my faith in human nature 

[Mark]

When I was a the vet with Willow today, There was a couple in their 60's with a cat carrier. They were the only other people with a cat so we started comparing notes. They had driven over from Deal (about 20 miles away) as a stray they had been feeding had taken a turn for the worse  - they said they had made an appointment for Tuesday but the cat hadn't eaten a thing for 2 days and when they got up this mornig, his back legs had gone so they decided they couldn't let him suffer. The man said he would pay the £50 as it was the least he could do for an animal to relieve suffering. He was convinced the cat had been thrown out due to health issues and because it was old. I said if anything could be done, I would speak to our welfare about getting the cat in. The man assured me the cat was dying and on a one-way trip. I stroked the cat but there was no response at all 

His wife said their last 3 cats came through neighbours moving away and leaving them behind in the garden  - He said he phoned the RSPCA but they said if they took the cats, they would PTS so the best thing would be to leave them alone as "cats can fend for themselves" 
she said they decided to take the cats on themselves.

Anyway, they went in before me - 10 minutes later, the man came out alone and squeezed my shoulder on his way out  - I can only assume his wife went the back way as she was crying - I think the man came the front way just to say goodbye to me. He didn't stop at the reception so I assume the vet didn't charge them.