Picked up two new cats today

[GaryBV]

We became aware that someone we knew had two cats they were keeping outside because the mother would not allow them inside the house. This is a young married couple, residing at her mother's house. Temperatures have been falling quite low lately - it was 12F this morning, and although we have been putting pressure on the mother to allow them in, it wasn't happening, and the young husband was determined not to be rid of his cats, even though they are less than 1 year old (brother & sister), the female may be pregnant (they'd NEVER been to a vet) so no shots, no spay and no neuther, and the water they have put out for the cats keeps freezing even though it's inside their 'hut'. This kind of things makes me so angry I can hardly speak. So we've picked them up, and brought them to our house, and they shall stay here until spring when they want them back and will be looking for their own place. I can't allow the cats out of a 'cat room' because our resident cat HATES other cats, and these ones have never been to a vet or had shots, and we can't risk that, not to mention we can't let them near the birds, and did I mention we have 5 dogs???? On the plus side they'll be going to the vet soon for checkups, shots, and a possible abortion (if pregnant it would be by her full brother), and a spay and neuter. I could just choke those people. I am kinda just venting here. The cats are actually beautiful - the female is tiny, very short haired and sweet, the male is larger, very fluffy, and striking markings. Both are very timid and fearful, but I can work with that. Another case where we got someone else's problem but rather that than the cats freeze to death outside.:20:

 

[Kalidasa]

Thank goodness you're getting them both fixed. What on earth possesses people to behave so stupidly is beyond me. I hope they don't get them back! If they abandoned them to the winter outside IMO they've lost any ownership rights, especially since you are paying for their medical needs, and giving them an actual home for crissakes!

 

[MarciaLove]

Oh i hate how people can be like that thank goodness your getting them fixed and healthy sounds like its gonna be a big job with all your animals!! Hope shes not preggo poor babies and her if she is

 

[GaryBV]

Thank you Kali and Marcia - I actually do have an 'evil' plan in the works. I really don't want to give them back and someone has shown some interest in them already but it's a tricky situation with ownership. What I'll try to do is convince the young husband that what's best for the cats (he found them as very young feral kitten) is to place them in a good loving home (it would be) and when he and his wife are ready, they can then choose whatever breed of cat they'd like when they are able to house it in their own place, etc. He has said he loves them, but I was rather cruel and said 'how can you love them if you're willing to let them freeze to death?' Well, at any rate I have a couple months to work on this. Although it's not an optimal situation for us to keep them (the choices were in the barn (no - it's too cold), in the basement (I don't like that idea at all - it's an old unfinished basement- cool and damp) or in a spare bedroom - so that's where they are for the time being. Thanks for listening.

 

[Kalidasa]

Just keep records of every dime you spend on them in a file. That's your proof of ownership. Good luck with them. That they (that young stupid couple) are young and living with their mother (good lord) is not an excuse for them. They stood by and allowed it to happen instead of finding them the proper home. Animals can't wait for their crappy owners to get their lives together "sometime in the future" when they have basic immediate needs..food, SHELTER, medical care etc. at least you have them now, there are 2 less animals that will freeze to death this winter. Thank you

 

[GaryBV]

Well Kalidasa, once I became aware of the problem it really was just a matter of time until I could get them - it got to the point that I was worrying about them (although I had never seen them) enough that it was affecting my sleep.

 

[GaryBV]

Well it's been a rather difficult week with these 2 cats - they are distinctly untrusting, and I've spent quite a bit of time just sitting in the room with them, baby talking, singing softy, trying to coax them to play with toys and teasiers (not tazers lol) with no success. In fact the male tagged me pretty good yestereday, my hand will take a couple days to heal. On the plus size they are eating well. They are looking pretty scraggily so I bought some Iams kitten food for them to boost their vitamin levels and fat content. The male is constantly growlling at me and hissing, but today was the first day he didn't do either of those things, but I coudn't get him out of the crate either. The female has been coming out, and she's a tiny thing, sooo cute. One thing I can say for sure they are eating like pigs and filling their litter box with surprisingly large and malordorous 'presents.' lol Vet trip soon, and as soon as I am able to coax the male out of the crate while I'm in the room with him I'll try to get some photos.

 

[MikeyTN]

Good luck working with them!!! I was tagged good by a kitten at petsmart one day, she got me good where I was dripping with blood down my arms. I can calm them down, cats seems to like me, if I were just sit in any place with cats, they will usually come to me. Be to friend's house and they said that their cats don't like strangers or anyone period. Moments later here comes their cat rubbing up on me and they would go OMG. To prevent myself from being clawed to death by my cats I trim their nails. It would probably be easier for you to work with one on one with each individual cat alone. It very much bothers me how people just toss their kitties outside like my poor little Jaxon that we took in back in September, he's still a kitten yet and it's been freezing nights here and I don't think he would of made it cause he was freaking out being outside and almost got ran over countless times cause he doesn't know any better. Thank you for saving those kitties!!!!

 

[Terry57]

i think it's wonderful that you took those kitties in and it sounds like you are making some progress with them. People who leave their animals outside in freezing weather infuriate me.I hope the couple forgets all about them. The woman's mother is no better, I could never allow an animal to be kept outside of my home, no matter what.
Best of luck to you

 

[crimson]

awww, your such a sweetheart, with a heart of gold!
they certainly don't sound like they love the cats, that's pretty obvious.

now they have a warm bed, food in their tummies, and medical attention.
it takes a certain type of person to do what you are doing, that is awesome!!

 

[BeachFind]

Kudos to you!! I hope that finding them a better home works out, those people don't deserve to be pet parents...Definitely bribe the kitties with food! We feed our cat into the wild wet and dry food. We got him as a very young kitten from the shelter. He was shy at first and once we got him on that diet the rest was history. Pretty sure he was feral as there were no surrender records and he can still be a scratcher and a biter, but mostly playfully now. Food was the key to his heart! Fingers crossed and prayers for everyone involved.

 

[GaryBV]

I'm a little embarrassed at all the glowing priase I'm getting over these cats :22: but the truth is just knowing they were outside in near single digit temperatures was keeping me awake at night - I'd even wake up and it would be them on my mind. I do have to keep them away from my birds, as well as my cat who was found feral as a tiny baby I had to bottle feed, named Bes. He'll be 10 in the spring, but I have no idea what these 2 cats have been exposed too so I can't take any chances, I've seen too many times people bringing into their homes cats that then infect the cat or cats they already had with Feline AIDS or Leukemia. Heartbreaking. And a warning to follow quarantine procedures with our feathered friends as well, so better safe than sorry. I can see it's going to go be a slow process already with these two, but I know they are safe, and I know they are getting good nutrition and attention, even if that attention is unwanted at the moment lol. I've done this with many dogs before, but besides my Bes, I've never had cats before. I'm just going to focus on these two, get them in tip-top condition, and then see what can be done long-term. Thank you all.

 

[MikeyTN]

When I first rescue Fiyero I had him tested for Feline Leukemia and he did fine so when we rescued Pearl, she was kept separately cause she had tons of parasites so we had her tested too and it was good. But kept separately until we rid her parasites. Then little Jaxon came in September, we had him tested too and it was negative, so after his shots, neuter and stuff, he can now play with the other cats. All my cats have Feline Leukemia shots but I still don't take chances. I feel bad cause my neighbor rescued one that tested positive and they keep him separate away from the other cats. When they showed him to me I kept my distance and wouldn't pet him or anything, wouldn't even let him rub on me. I just don't want my babies to get sick even though they had their booster shots. I don't know what they think of that when I stood back when the kitty try to say hi to me.....I can be standoffish when it comes to the health of my babies.

 

[GaryBV]

I can completely understand Mikey - you probably feel the same as me that my first responsibility is to my existing pets. I'm not afraid to pet cats that have aids or leukemia, I've been around quite a few, but I am rather OCD when it comes to washing my hands in the best of times, so I certainly clean them well after being around any other animals. Our cat and dogs are certainly up to date on their shots, but like you, I don't believe in putting it to the test. I never let my animals roam about in a vets office, nor I do ever take my animals into pet stores that allow you to take your dogs in, I just prefer to limit any possible infectuous vector I can.