So many dumped cats

[Bryony84]

I really can't see how anyone can dump a cat or kitten, but it does seem to be happening more and more.

A friend of mine told me about her best friend who lost her cat a month or so ago from old age, she went out to her bin shed a couple of weeks later and heard meowing, found a little black kitten about 6 weeks old. Suspiciously a house a few doors down was selling kittens so she went round there and asked if they had sold a black one. They said they had but couldn't produce any information about the people that bought the kitten, not even an address or phone number. So she said she would take the kitten (as they clearly didn't want it back). She figured that the people who bought the kitten did it on a whim and once they had got it in the car, decided it was a bad idea and put it in the bin shed. Totally heartless and the poor little kitten was very lucky that it was found by someone who cared. I hate to think what will happen to the rest of the litter though.

[bonnielass]

i took in 2 oldies, Smudge lived next door at my old house, the people who owned her had 2 irish wolf hounds who used to terrorise her so she was always outside, one winter she actually had icicles on her coat so i brought her in (much to OH displeasure ) she spent 3 days laid against a red hot radiator,its a wonder she didnt burn, she was 16 when i took her in and died at 21.Tigger was 10 but i lost him at 15 (cancer) then there was Bonnie she was about 10 when i got her ,took me 2 yrs to get her to let me touch her, i lost her last year she was 18.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Bless them!! I only adopt oldies, only got the one at the moment, although I pay for most of the long term fosters stuff - might agree to adopt her one of htese days, she has been here since last OCtober. We have an odd relationship though, she is fine wiht me in bed, but runs away if I am walking. i try to stick to 2 of my own, partly cos I always end up with at least one that costs a lot (the one I have just lost cost over £200 in her last two weeks), and partly cos it means I have more space and time for fosters, and I end up with most of the oldies that come into the rescue - I try to leave kittens for other people!! I have just had to turn another person away though, that is one a day since Sat, and one middle of last week (while i was debating whether to take him in though, another rescue stepped in).

[bonnielass]

i know what you mean, Snuggs came to me aged about 6mnth and 3 weeks later gave me 6 kittens, i kept 2 Wizzy, altho i wasnt keeping him until he caught cat flu at the vets when he was 7 weeks old, that resulted in him having asthma so i kept him,his sister Scamps is afraid of her own shadow , so she stayed, barney Rubble is black with fangs that hang over his botton lip, no-one wanted him,Henry had a coat that was absolutely matted even tho he is short haired, took me weeks to cut it out, cheeky lived down the road  but was abused by their kids,they used to tie her to the gate or swing her round so i took her, Snuggs bless her has poylips in her ears, so she is here for life,little cally my oriental was given to me by some-one who couldnt cope with another cat,and then there was Ninja,he had an attitude problem hence his name,, apart from Cally there isnt one of mine that is in perfect health,but i still take them in,its no wonder i work 60/70hrs a week

[Desley (booktigger)]

Unusually, that is something I am OK with - only adopted 2 of them, with 3 so far who have had to live their life out here due to age/illness. I work with people who can't understand why I dont want to be in the pub every weekend but they dont realise what makes me happy in life.

[bonnielass]

True i never thought of it that way :doh:trouble is im not very good at letting them go, i tend to get attached,suppose that comes of having no family or as the lads at work say its a  life i lead) ,what they dont realise is that i would far rather spend time with my animals then with them

[Desley (booktigger)]

That part of fostering doesn't bother me, at least they are safe and warm with a chance of a good home, and it is better than being in a pen, at least they have a nice big room, plus it means more cats can be helped - I have had 61 fosters in 4 years, so a lot of cats that would have had an uncertain future otherwise. 

[bonnielass]

I cant fault you on that, i occasionally foster but its difficult as my lot have access to the outside all day and its not fair to confine one in the bedroom while the others run about outside

[Desley (booktigger)]

:-) - I know the feeling, I lost two oldies in 6 weeks, and as much as people keep telling me to take some time for me and get over it, if an oldie needed a home it would have one!! Sticking with a foster for the time being though.

[bonnielass]

its a shame im so far away from you,otherwise i might have been able to help out as long as they were okay with other cats and a dog,after loosing Wizzy and then Ninja last week i said no more but i know i wont be able to resist any strays that come my way, for coming back to me ref the dogs.                                                                                                                                                                           sandra

[Dawn F]

I imagine as peoples finances get worse the animals will be the first thing to suffer

[Desley (booktigger)]

Bonnielass, they were a German Shepherd and a Rottweiler, the dog warden took them, I dont know what will happen. They are Manchester area. The little 6mo girl is coming to me on Wed, my friend is still trying to catch mum, girl is already booked in to be neutered. When the rescue Mabel came from rang, they had had a call about some cats who's owner had flitted too, so it is happening more and more. I Can't believe some of the gorgeous, friendly strays I have had in either.

[dabs]

And it is getting worse.  

I think we are all in the same position. Took in a liitle girl that followed one of mine home last week, do not think she was even 6 weeks old. She is so playful and a real curtain climber, because we are rural, I think she was a dump job.

Just took a call from a woman who found a cat in a spinney at a forestry centre not far from me. She left him for 48 hours, put he stayed put so she had to take him in. Two cats of her own and going on holiday next week. Thin and flea ridden. She called me as she though it was my ASBO as I have not got round to updating all the lost and found sites yet. Bless her she has tried all the rescues and it is the usual no room at the inn. She is taking him to be scanned at the vets tomorrow. Had to ask the charity if he can come in, I do not blame them if they are not chuffed, two dumped cats to come in out of their area in two weeks.

Keep this up, don't think I will live to see next weekend!

[bonnielass]

Do you know what kind of dogs they are and what is going to happen to them? also whereabouts are you?

[Desley (booktigger)]

Got a call on Wed night about an unneutered stray, I gave her some advice, and when I rang back on Thurs, the RSPCA had agreed to take him in. Fri I got an e-mail off a friend who's neighbours had flitted overnight leaving 3 unneutered cats and 2 dogs on the streets, she is in the process of catching them, and I am taking them in on Wed, not sure how many yet as I dont think she has caught them all. Last night I got a phone call at 10pm (can't believe people think it is OK to ring rescues at that kind of time and want help!!), fortunately he is a neutered stray, so not quite as important as the 2 unneutered females, told them to ring back in about a week, as Kelly should be back then. This morning was a call from someone who's grandma died, she has taken the cat in, but her dogs are chasing it, so she is keeping her in the bathroom - I had to give her some other numbers cos of agreeing to take these females in, but if she had come here, she would have been in the bathroom!! The week started so much better than last week though.