Cat shot with air gun in Herne Bay

[Bryony84]

Looking at what beanie has said, there seem to be plenty of problems here that are nothing to do with the fate of her poor puss cat that was shot. I would say that for the moment, ignore that part and concentrate on viewing her as you would any other potential fosterer, on her ability to care for another cat etc.

[Beanie]

Hi Sharon,

I can see your dilemna. On the one hand you want to think well of someone and happily re-home a cat; on the other hand, what is there to stop it happening again and will you be creating suffering for the cat?

One consideration is to ask this lady a lot of pertinent questions, preferrably face to face in her home, which would test her sense of cat care and responsibility and give you an idea of lifestyle, etc. taht the cat would have to endure. I would say that you were assessing the type of cat which might suit her and her family lifestyle. I would add that you would need to see if you had such a cat.

I would trust your gut feeling which I think comes over as extreme caution. You say that this was an 18 month old unspayed cat with no insurance. She works full time - lno different from most people- but couldn't take time out to take the cat to the vet on a regular basis, if necessary. It poses the question of 'can't' or 'won't'.  Are the hours of the veterinary surgery so limited to make it impossible for full time workers to get to? Either way a cat is unlikely to have proper care for problems; I wouldn't be surprised if the cat had no vaccinations, chip or ID as well. I think the answer lies in those facts.

My own feeling is like Mark and not to re-home  a cat to her. It seems her cat is way down the list of importance in her lifestyle and wouldn't get much attention - be it health wise or probably attention wise. Her loss is sadly regretted and, it would seem, outside her control but I wouldn't trust her to look after another cat any better.

I know that you will be the first to agree, a cat's welfare comes first before all other considerations.

[Mark]

I sthere nothing that can be done for her existing cat? - I would be inclined to say no to another cat.

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

Yes i did get abit jumpty with the unspayed bit as it may of saved her wondering.. But hey!! She could of lied to me again and said she was due to be done... ! Personally the opinion of the other members of the branch is to give it a go but she may never ring me back again so.

[Millys Mum]

Whats your gut instinct saying? Having talked with her it will give you the best feeling.
Personally if someone has a cat for 18 months (regardless of trigger happy neighbours) and never gets around to actually neutering it i would want to feel that they are someone who is 'educationable' and not just giving the right answers.

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

I agree with both comments and one minute see it one way and then other... The street has not been known to be "bad" and the vets put her onto us.. Her other cat is an outside puss and she refused to make him stay inside.. This new puss was a kitten when she took her on, but not a rescue...she doesnt live in a busy area of the town.. and i suppose if she had not told me about this, then i would of been no wiser would i?  The chances of the culprit being found is slim..

One of my own cats (Casper a blue point siamese) was shot by an airgun pellet it hit his flank but no harm done and the bullet was removed.. and it healed well.. But being rural i suppose its something we expect not in a town!

I really didnt want to question her to much on her cat as it seemed wrong, but she has given her cat a chance.. abit with a slim chance of recovery...the disability bit didnt worry her as she works with disabled people, it was more the loo problems and the continual infections associated with this... I would not be sure what i would of done in her shoes.. Would anyone>?

[Bryony84]

I can see why no would probably be the immediate thought, but this lady has had to suffer with her cat being injured through no fault of her own. If it was something due to a lifestyle choice, like living by a busy main road or having a dog with a history of attacking cats or something that is her own choice then it would definitely be no. But any cat who is homed somewhere where they can go out is at risk to a certain extent in the same way that any human being is. A cat could be attacked by a variety of animals, run over even on a quiet bit of road, poisoned by   in a number of ways etc.

Chances are if she gets a no from one place, the next place she tries, she won't tell them or she'll just go to a BSB.

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

Sadly the Police or the RSPCA didnt really want to know... and very unlikely to find the culprit either...I really dont know what to say.. I didnt provmise anything but suggested she ring back and we discuss further... She didnt have to tell me about all this i suppose...I am abit in two minds...she was going to ring the RSPCA as well... I was thinking maybe an older cat less likely to do the rounds, but i am in abit of a dilemna of what to say to her!

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

I have to say not a difficult choice for me. Unless the  who did this has been caught and dealt with, it means this lady still has a neighbour prepared to shoot cats. So my answer would be no, sorry. Not unless she takes an indoor only cat and promises not to let it out... which she probably will let it out because the other one still goes out. 

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

CAN A MOD  pls change the title in this as i will be very interested in what people say and they may not realise what the thread is now rabbling on about!

I have just had this lady who owns the cat on the phone...her cat which is only 18 months old is totally paralased and can no longer go the loo on her own.. They used AH vets who wanted to see if in a month there was improvement but they has not been and she rang to say that she has decided to have the cat PTS on Thurs as she isnt getting any better and the as she works full time the bladder problem means she is always likely to get infections..

I really dont know what to say to this lady.. But she asked if we would be prepared to rehome a cat to her.. ? Well, what  a difficult decisions to make.. With luck the person that did this did see this in the papers and has gone into hiding, but is that  a reason not to rehome to this lady?

She has a 10yr old daughter and another cat that is used to going outside and is still an outdoor cat.. she lives in not a bad area of HB. and the cat was found just a few doors away under a bush.. The vets decided to give her a chance as the bullett was in her spine..The cat wasnt insured and was due to be spayed (I did give a small hint that unspayed females do roam and do produce kittens!)

I am not sure if she will get back to me.. But what do people think?

BTW this was in the papers over Christmas

[Beanie]

It is society just accepting these sort of things that leads to more serious assault. It is the most cowardly act which teaches wayward children, youths or adults that they can get away with it. The thrill of causing pain and suffering moves up a stage.

I don't hold much with a lot of American studies but the one which not surprise most animal lovers is that a detailed study of imprisoned serial killers showed that 95% of them had started by killing or mutilating animals. It either wenr un-noticed or thought unimportant by family and friends.

I simply do not understand the need for air guns or air rifles in this day and age. I have heard some reasons but they simply do not stand up. They are geared for youngsters who want to appear 'hard'. Their sale caters for the worst instincts in people which can lead to more serious crime involving weapons. Their use can only cause pain, grief and suffering of animals and their owners

I was deliberately attacked by a guy with an air rifle near my home, as was my friend when we were young. The assailant was firing from his second floor window whilst laughing. Luckily neither of us were badly injured However, when the rifle firer was spotted in the street at a later date without his 'Hard man' weapon, he could not run faster than me and received, shall we say, a 'severe slap' and future health warning. This is the only language these people understand.

When you see what the Royal family do to the animal kingdom, their example stinks as well. Who would like a few private words in a locked room with Prince Edward after the dog beating captured on camera over the weekend?

I hope that this little cat makes it. Please keep us psoted Mark.

[Debsymiller (Rufus' mum)]

That's just awful. 

I am lucky and live in a very quiet area where almost everyone has cats that all live happily together but if and when we decide to move in a few years, if there area's not the same then I will definately be cat proofing!

[Gwen]

Our very first cat Modlen died like this,we knew who it was too,it was our next door neighbour at the time,he shot her as she was walking through our yard

[bonnielass]

 :censored:What cowards they are, to shoot a defencless animal and then leave it to die is beyound comprehension, i would love to get my hands on the people responsable and it wouldnt be very pleasant for them believe me

[Mark]

 

I googled my vet to pay an outstanding bill and this came up. I only saw it after I spoke to them so don't know what the outcome was 
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/Thugs-shoot-Herne-Bay-cat-spinearticle-556433-details/article.html

James is a good vet and treated Alice's cancer - hopefully he managed to save this little one.