Throwaway kitties

[pjthompson]

So, we feed stray kitties. Or rather, beggar kitties. We're sure some of them have homes, but some may not, and one definitely doesn't. We had been feeding five on a regular basis. Whitecat (the name on his tag) definitely has a home; the twin orange cats may or may not have homes (they were ragged when we started feeding, now they're not); and Blue, the Russian blue, definitely doesn't have a home.

He had one, but he clashed with their kids and took off, and now he's got a snug kitty thing going in our garage. We have a small, kitty-sized hole cut in the side door and he can come and go as the weather gets cold or inclement, we've fixed him a secure and warm bed, cat box, and water. When he's hungry, he knocks on the front door or the kitchen door for food. I think the roommate feeds him about five times a day, but that's another issue. We'd love to adopt him and bring him inside because he's a sweet old guy (he's 11), but he's also a proven bird killer, and that wouldn't work out so good with Baby the Starling.



The reason we know Blue's age and some of the facts of his previous life is because his former owner was walking with her kids by the yard one day and told the roommate, "Oh, that used to be my cat. He's 11, but when we had kids, he didn't like them dressing him up, so he left home. I'm glad he found another home." "He doesn't truly live here," the roommate explained. "He has to sleep in the garage because we can't bring him in the house." "Well, I'm glad he found some place," she said and hurried down the street to get away. It's a good thing I wasn't home because I would have probably chased her down the street and smashed her head into the sidewalk.

There was one other kitty: a pretty little calico long hair girl. She clearly had no place to go. She slept under the neighbor's bush in the front yard, day or night, rain or shine. Blue chased her out of his garage kingdom when she tried to go in there. We were extremely worried about her because she couldn't keep staying out in the weather. We tried to find her a home, but no one was taking in strays. In desperation, the roommate went to the local Petco last week because they run adoption days there every week. The lady who ran the adoption agency heard the story and told the roommate that if we could get her into a pet carrier to bring her in and she'd find a home. The little kitty was tame and sweet, so it wasn't a problem getting her. She was so grateful to be picked up, loved, and put in a warm, dry place (even if it was a cat carrier) that she purred the whole way. The lady said she'd clean her up, deflea her, run tests to see if she had any diseases, deworm her, but as pretty and sweet as she was, she didn't think there would be a problem finding a home for her.

The roommate went back this weekend to get an update on the kitty and take some money as a donation. The adoption lady said that she'd decided to adopt the kitty (who she named Mickey) herself. You see, the news from the vet wasn't so good. They think she may have cancer. The lady speculated that once someone found out she was sick, they dumped her—but we can't really know that, except that the lady sees similar scenarios all too frequently. The good news in this sad scenario is that that lady has fallen completely in love with Mickey and is going to do everything she can for her. And Petco is going to be paying all the vet bills. So, maybe her life will be shortened, or maybe they can save her, but at least the rest of her life will be in a warm, dry, and loving home.

Sometimes the best you can do isn't good enough...but it is the best you can do. At least we saved Mincat.

Comments

[cathemery.livejournal.com]

You darlings.

::hug::

[pjthompson]

Thank you. How can a person turn their back when they're cold and hungry?

[wldhrsjen3.livejournal.com]

Awww. Bless you! I have a thing for cats - almost as bad as my thing for horses. We take in strays, too - it breaks my heart that so many people think they can toss out a living animal. Sometimes they live, sometimes all I can do is love them and make their passing as comfortable as possible.

Thank goodness Thunder the Wonder Dane likes cats too. In fact, he'll even come and get me when he finds a lost kitty. :/

[pjthompson]

People have this stupid idea that domestic cats (and dogs, one supposes) have a natural ability to hunt, so they dump them in the wild thinking they'll be okay. They have instincts, but hunting in cats is largely a behavior they learn from their mother cat. If they never get that training, most of them will starve. Not to mention the diseases. We have a lot of open land about five blocks north of here. A lot of little animals get dumped.

[purdypiedad.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad there are people like you in this world. Both of my kitties were strays who found me. Cyclops (named so for obvious reasons) never would have been given a chance with his one eye, emaciation, and FIV status. But, he's the best kitty ever! Currently, I have 5 animals. Every single one was a rescue. And I turn others away right and left because I can't afford more. Three shouldn't be so many animals needing to be rescued! Some people really suck.

[pjthompson]

In all the years I've had cats (over many years), only one of them was a cat I'd actually gotten from a good home. All the rest were rescues. It breaks my heart that there are so many irresponsible people in the world. Some people really do suck.

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

I don't understand people who can throw away pets like that.

::HUGS::

You and your roommates are wonderful to take care of them.

[pjthompson]

I don't understand them, either. And, you know, it's actually kind of impossible not to do something. It never feels like enough, and I know I couldn't work for one of those adoption agencies. My heart would be constantly breaking.

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean.

All three of my cats are rescues. One, I picked up when he was hit by an SUV, he lost a leg, and cost a LOT of money, but there was no way on Earth I could leave him there like that.

I see so many animals running loose around here. I've stopped for animals that have been hit by cars more than once.

It breaks my heart and angers me so much to think that people could treat our four-legged friends like that.

[pjthompson]

I think a piece of their souls must be missing.

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

I think you're right.

[raecarson.livejournal.com]

Thanks for taking care of all those kitties. :-) And I do love to hear happy ending stories.

[pjthompson]

Like I've said, we can't *not* do it.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

Wow, how fabulous of Petco! Next time I have a pet, they're getting my business. :)

[pjthompson]

I know! They really do good work with this sponsorship of adoption agencies.

[inkbabies.livejournal.com]

::loves you for saving the kitties::

[pjthompson]

We feed them. The adoption lady is hero of this story to me.

[inkbabies.livejournal.com]

both of you are

[pjthompson]

thanks

[frigg.livejournal.com]

ermmmm...I wonder if it would have been such an effort for the woman to teach her children to leave the old cat alone - or at least give him somewhere where he could have his peace.

The Petco lady sounds like an angel. :)

[(Anonymous)]

I agree on both counts. I don't think children should be allowed to mistreat animals because "it's cute." They need to be taught to respect them. And the adoption lady is a total hero.

[pjthompson]

Erm...me.

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

I can't say it enough -- the cats that wander past your place could not be any luckier if they tried.

I'm right with you on Blue's situation, though -- hopefully some day giant cats will come to her house and start dressing her children up in very stupid outfits, and they can see how much they like it.

I still can't understand, and never will, how people let cats go outside. Nothing good could possibly come from that.

[pjthompson]

I still can't understand, and never will, how people let cats go outside. Nothing good could possibly come from that.

No, and that's the thing about Bluie's situation that bothers us a lot. There's so many diseases and cars and dogs that can go wrong, plus when cats do get sick they just go off and hide so sometimes you never see them again. But given that he's a proven bird killer (he's left several gifts for us on the front porch--maybe he thinks that's paying for the room and board) we can't really have him inside. Like I said, it bothers us a great deal. We feel like we're failing him. But we do the best we can.

[pjthompson]

hopefully some day giant cats will come to her house and start dressing her children up in very stupid outfits, and they can see how much they like it.

lol--and p.s.--worse than trying to put him in doll's clothes, they named him Cowboy. If you knew what a dignified old fellow he is, you'd see what an outrage that was.

[vayenne.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad there are people like you to look after the darlings others leave behind. <3 I know the feeling. When we got our kitten, I had to fight the urge to save all four of his sisters, too. I hope they found homes and are loved as much as he is.

Thanks for being awesome.

~Vay

[pjthompson]

Thank you, but to me it seems the hero of this story is the adoption lady.