Strange Cat Introduction

Alldara

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Ugh thank my lucky stars for all you guys, because I think being able to talk to you guys is the only reason I haven't gone nuclear. I put my Karen bangs on and wrote some pretty strongly worded emails to the medical team. They're literally telling me it's my own fault for trying to introduce cats before they had been fixed, and I was like, THE PROBLEM IS THAT I WAS TOLD THEY WERE. They also said they had no idea Rigatoni was going to be adopted so they didn't think he was a priority on surgery day. I'm pretty sure Jenkins is fixed if a lift of the tail is any indication. Rigatoni could poke an eye out with the size of his boys back there, but nothing like that on Jenkins. The Cat Lead told me they would try to get Rigatoni scheduled for neutering ASAP, while the medical team is also telling me at the same time that they can't promise when he'll get in. In any case, we're bringing him to our vet this weekend so they can look at the paw that got injured in the cat fight that wouldn't have happened if they'd just told me the facts about both cats. They're also trying to tell me that I probably signed some sort of waiver agreeing to take Rigatoni unaltered, but the only thing I could find in either cat's file was a duplicate, unsigned form for Jenkins's procedure.

What a sh*t show.

............though on a whole other topic, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. All of this happened on the tail end of me trying to adopt a dog and then giving up after they adopted me a pup with prey drive that went after one of my cats. Add that to some of the other crazy dog returns as of late, which include an actually dead cat, dog fights and a dog that was promised as sweet but had a bite record. The rose colored glasses are GONE. If I didn't need the paycheck, I'd rage quit right now.

That is just awful. I've heard of some places hiding medical issues etc. It's very unfortunate because many times just people would just need some direction regarding care.

We got Cal with unsigned papers too....but both neuter and spay were checked off for him??? They also didn't get his booster in time so we had to restart those. Luckily our vet confirmed that he was fixed. Magnus came with a heart murmur that had been missed from their vet. We wouldn't have adopted again from there but the fosters are so great. When we got Magnus, their vet would transfer medical records and less a year later they would not do that for Calcifer. Definitely don't trust the rescues vet clinic any more unfortunately.

If there's a spay/neuter coming up in your area can he get in on that?
 
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linkworshiper

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Today, I made a stink to the Assistant Director of the shelter about the whole thing. Explained the situation, told him about the messy handoff, messy paperwork, poor communication, the fact that Rigatoni might have been injured during the fight that happened because of their carelessness. Magically, Rigatoni is set to be neutered next Wednesday, even though the medical team was all, 'Can't promise when it will be, sorry, sucks to suck.' I told him that if I wasn't an employee, there would be a pretty unfavorable review floating around the internet right now. My absolute favorite thing is that the Cat Lead has replied all to my initial email, saying she physically looked at both cats and thought they were good to go. GIRL. Rigatoni's balls could take an eye out. Planets orbit those things. There is NO mistaking them if you're looking. She also blamed me for not checking in with the medical team before leaving... except I did one day later, and they told me neither cat was on any medication. If I am at fault for anything, it's not doing an eye check myself before allowing Rigatoni and Jenkins near each other.

Honestly, though they're a no kill shelter, I do worry about the whole process. When I was looking for a dog, they kept pushing dogs that wouldn't work in my household, including a nearly blind dog who resource guards. Right, explain to me how that'll work out with cats. I adopted these new cats after deciding that a dog was not in the cards for the time being. I don't know why I expected it to go any more smoothly than the dog situation. But that's a whole other story. What's worse is that I work there. Imagine what some random person coming in would say about all this? Suffice to say I am desperately looking for another job. I think I've reached my limit with them.

I keep telling my partner that we seriously rescued these cats by getting them away from the shelter. Both are older so who knows how long they'd have been there.
 

Kflowers

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I imagine that some random person, particularly a first time adopter, would take the pet the shelter suggested. when chaos and disaster and possibly major injury and death resulted they would return what was left of the pet and never adopt again.

Or furious over the death of their original pet the new adopted pet would be taken to a kill shelter which would be told he was aggressive and dangerous and be put down. Your shelter is not a no kill shelter, it's a pass the blame to another. But if you know your actions will probably result in the death of a being, you are the one guilty of that death. (I am NOT speaking of you, but of the owners of the 'no kill shelter" who are lying to their clients and staff.
 
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linkworshiper

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That happened with one of the dogs recently. It was returned after killing the family cat, but it's back on the website as a great family dog. The dog I tried to adopt recently was given to me with the understanding that it lived with a cat and had experience meeting kittens. Not so: the dog had prey drive and looked at our cats the way he looked at squirrels and bunnies. It broke my heart to return him, but I suddenly had a different perspective on people who adopt and then bring the animal back. Dogs in particular. In the past two months, we've put down two dogs for various medical issues, but truthfully, both were unadoptable for behavioral reasons. One of those dogs even bit me while I was walking her. I think the only reason I've been taking animals from this shelter is because I work there and I have a lot of time to get to know animals, cats in particular. (I only rarely take care of the dogs.) But I hear what you're saying because despite all that, I've got a very icky feeling with the way they've been treating me. Heck, sometimes I wonder if it's almost WORSE because they know me.
 

Alldara

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That happened with one of the dogs recently. It was returned after killing the family cat, but it's back on the website as a great family dog. The dog I tried to adopt recently was given to me with the understanding that it lived with a cat and had experience meeting kittens. Not so: the dog had prey drive and looked at our cats the way he looked at squirrels and bunnies. It broke my heart to return him, but I suddenly had a different perspective on people who adopt and then bring the animal back. Dogs in particular. In the past two months, we've put down two dogs for various medical issues, but truthfully, both were unadoptable for behavioral reasons. One of those dogs even bit me while I was walking her. I think the only reason I've been taking animals from this shelter is because I work there and I have a lot of time to get to know animals, cats in particular. (I only rarely take care of the dogs.) But I hear what you're saying because despite all that, I've got a very icky feeling with the way they've been treating me. Heck, sometimes I wonder if it's almost WORSE because they know me.
I would seriously consider leaving that review anyways either after you leave or from an account with not your name. It's not doing the animals any good if they are lying like that. Returns cause trauma to the animal too. (And family involved but they obviously don't care about that)
The rescue I got mine from has a rushed vet, which causes its own issues but much more fixable than what you're talking about, obviously.
 

Kflowers

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The shelter and the dog were lucky the family didn't just put him down. Most people who had been told the dog was fine with cats, then the dog killed their cat would assume the dog had gone insane and the kindest thing to do would be to pts for the dog if not for another cat. Others would have returned the dog and never adopted another animal EVER. My guess is the people who returned the dog and told the shelter what happened expected the shelter to say 'no cats or small pets with this one."

I really think you should look for another job before this particular shelter gets sued and you're drawn into what will be an unbelievable mess and have a negative affect on your getting future jobs.
 

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That happened with one of the dogs recently. It was returned after killing the family cat, but it's back on the website as a great family dog. The dog I tried to adopt recently was given to me with the understanding that it lived with a cat and had experience meeting kittens. Not so: the dog had prey drive and looked at our cats the way he looked at squirrels and bunnies. It broke my heart to return him, but I suddenly had a different perspective on people who adopt and then bring the animal back. Dogs in particular. In the past two months, we've put down two dogs for various medical issues, but truthfully, both were unadoptable for behavioral reasons. One of those dogs even bit me while I was walking her. I think the only reason I've been taking animals from this shelter is because I work there and I have a lot of time to get to know animals, cats in particular. (I only rarely take care of the dogs.) But I hear what you're saying because despite all that, I've got a very icky feeling with the way they've been treating me. Heck, sometimes I wonder if it's almost WORSE because they know me.
Wow. If I knew all of this I would be reporting it to animal control or somewhere that they are adopting out a dangerous dog that killed someone’s cat and lying about it. That goes beyond the line of what should be legally allowed in my opinion. You are scaring me now because I have been thinking in the future to get a dog, I am still not sure, and now I realize I could not trust any of these places if they say OK with cats. Of course I would only get a small dog which is very unlikely to do that. I would never want to endanger my cats. And a dog that has killed a cat, the next step could be a toddler / person for all we know.
 
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linkworshiper

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I'll be honest with you, after this whole scenario, my partner and I have more or less decided that if we do get a dog, we'll go to a breeder. It sucks because you really want to feel good about 'adopt don't shop', but I've heard from other people that lots of shelters are sketchy about this kind of stuff. The dog we had briefly was a very good boy, but because the shelter wasn't totally upfront about his needs/issues, we brought him home thinking we were going to be a better fit for him than it turned out. Which honestly just made it more traumatic, bringing him back. I was in tears. But when "my" dog got put on the website/Facebook again, it was the same post they'd had from months earlier. I left a comment that was like NO CATS. Only then did they change the entry.

Having said that, I've adopted a few animals from this place, even before I worked there. The first cat I got required a pretty thorough background check and a check with my landlord that I could have a cat. Every other cat I've gotten, they've practically just boxed up and let me walk out with same day. There's been a lot of change in staffing in even the last six months, but you're definitely right that the shelter is super lucky that nothing more extreme happened with the dog that killed the cat. I did just check the site and it seems like the dog is gone, but I have no idea if that means she was adopted or what.

TLDR: Definitely looking for another job. I have something in the works, but if it doesn't work out, I am definitely going to find a different job to supplement my teacher's paycheck. I'm so frustrated about this whole situation. As it is, the poor second cat I just adopted has to stay isolated twice as long as the other because of the neutering fiasco.
 

Alldara

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Meowmee Meowmee When you go to get a dog, ask the rescue if they do a trial visit. This is where the dog comes to your home with the current foster. Some do this mandatory and some have this as an option. When we fostered a dog, the forever family was allowed to come and take the dog out for a few hours as well (though this was some time ago and before dogs were being dognapped in the city. Likely cannot do this anymore).
 

Meowmee

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Meowmee Meowmee When you go to get a dog, ask the rescue if they do a trial visit. This is where the dog comes to your home with the current foster. Some do this mandatory and some have this as an option. When we fostered a dog, the forever family was allowed to come and take the dog out for a few hours as well (though this was some time ago and before dogs were being dognapped in the city. Likely cannot do this anymore).
Thanks, I had thought of fostering first to see if it is right for all of us. I don’t think this is the right time though because we have had a lot of upheaval and I just took in two of my outdoor cats since December and have one more to go. We have not had a dog for years, since I was a teenager and it might be too much currently. I was thinking of an older dog who was trained and peaceful maybe. But there is too much going on now prolly.
 

Alldara

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Thanks, I had thought of fostering first to see if it is right for all of us. I don’t think this is the right time though because we have had a lot of upheaval and I just took in two of my outdoor cats since December and have one more to go. We have not had a dog for years, since I was a teenager and it might be too much currently. I was thinking of an older dog who was trained and peaceful maybe. But there is too much going on now prolly.
We understand completely. We were offered a free dog but had to say no for similar reasons :)
 
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