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- #481
Thank you both! We are almost there, all we need now is at least one or two vets willing to work with us. That shouldn't be a problem because Sophie has great relationships with the vets, she was one of the board members of the previous organization for the last four years, and a volunteer since 2010. She TNR'd a lot of cats over the years.
Anyway, back to the cats' story!
I got a call last Sept. about two cats, apparently lost, trying to get inside multiple apartments. That street is one of the busiest, right in the center of town. The woman that called tried to find the owners, talking to her neighbors, but no one knew anything. I told her to try and coaxed the cats in her apartment, but she didn't know how to do it. She was very kind but really needed help, so I went to talk to her.
We agreed that since she was seeing the cats early in the morning (between 5 and 7 am), she should call me next time she saw them, and I would come and see if I could do something.
Well, she called me at 3 am... There was only one cat, so there I go, on foot, with my cat carrier (I don't have a trap), 3 in the morning. Later, everyone told me I was crazy. I would do it again, I don't care! What else was I supposed to do?
So, I get there, and this cat is scared, but mainly, he is hungry. I think it took something like 10 minutes, and he was eating dry food in my hand. I put food on the pavement, and just took him by the scruff and put him in the carrier. He didn't fight, but meowed a lot! And then I thought "OK, now what?". The woman didn't want to take him in, and I couldn't go back to my place because it was too far on foot with the cat. But the rescue's office was two streets over, so I went there.
I made some coffee, put a litter box and food for the cat, and just spend the night there. I waited until 8 am and then called one of the rescue people to explain.
I named the cat Willis, here he is :
One of the most loving cats I have ever met! He stayed in the office for a week because we didn't have any foster home for him. We searched for his people but didn't find them, and the cat he was seen with stopped coming.
Willis was estimated to be 2 years old, was neutered and identified, and went to his foster family after a week in the office.
But one week after he arrived at his foster, he stopped eating and became very lethargic and dehydrated.
He was hospitalized for three days, and tested positive for FIV, had ulcers on his tongue and palate, and a parasitic infection.
I talked to the vet and discussed with him treatment options. The problem was money of course. Finding adopters for a FIV cat is difficult (people don't understand that these cats can live a great life) and the cost of his treatments would have been too much for the rescue.
Decision was made to euthanize him, and I went to the vet that morning to be with him when he passed. I didn't want him to be alone. I cried a lot, and I still do sometimes when I think about him.
He was my first rescue, and it hurts more than I want to admit. That's probably why I waited so long to write his story here. He was a really cool cat.
I still have one or two sad stories, but also lots of happy ones, which I will gladly share with you!
Anyway, back to the cats' story!
I got a call last Sept. about two cats, apparently lost, trying to get inside multiple apartments. That street is one of the busiest, right in the center of town. The woman that called tried to find the owners, talking to her neighbors, but no one knew anything. I told her to try and coaxed the cats in her apartment, but she didn't know how to do it. She was very kind but really needed help, so I went to talk to her.
We agreed that since she was seeing the cats early in the morning (between 5 and 7 am), she should call me next time she saw them, and I would come and see if I could do something.
Well, she called me at 3 am... There was only one cat, so there I go, on foot, with my cat carrier (I don't have a trap), 3 in the morning. Later, everyone told me I was crazy. I would do it again, I don't care! What else was I supposed to do?
So, I get there, and this cat is scared, but mainly, he is hungry. I think it took something like 10 minutes, and he was eating dry food in my hand. I put food on the pavement, and just took him by the scruff and put him in the carrier. He didn't fight, but meowed a lot! And then I thought "OK, now what?". The woman didn't want to take him in, and I couldn't go back to my place because it was too far on foot with the cat. But the rescue's office was two streets over, so I went there.
I made some coffee, put a litter box and food for the cat, and just spend the night there. I waited until 8 am and then called one of the rescue people to explain.
I named the cat Willis, here he is :
One of the most loving cats I have ever met! He stayed in the office for a week because we didn't have any foster home for him. We searched for his people but didn't find them, and the cat he was seen with stopped coming.
Willis was estimated to be 2 years old, was neutered and identified, and went to his foster family after a week in the office.
But one week after he arrived at his foster, he stopped eating and became very lethargic and dehydrated.
He was hospitalized for three days, and tested positive for FIV, had ulcers on his tongue and palate, and a parasitic infection.
I talked to the vet and discussed with him treatment options. The problem was money of course. Finding adopters for a FIV cat is difficult (people don't understand that these cats can live a great life) and the cost of his treatments would have been too much for the rescue.
Decision was made to euthanize him, and I went to the vet that morning to be with him when he passed. I didn't want him to be alone. I cried a lot, and I still do sometimes when I think about him.
He was my first rescue, and it hurts more than I want to admit. That's probably why I waited so long to write his story here. He was a really cool cat.
I still have one or two sad stories, but also lots of happy ones, which I will gladly share with you!