When feral cats get put down...

[zazi]

Well this is the 2nd time a cat the i have trapped and taken to the vet has been put down. It's a very very strange feeling.

The 1st cat tested + for FIV. Luckily it did not pass on to the queen he was with or to the kittens...

The 2nd cat... was just a few days ago. I spotted a male at the feeding station and my husband pointed out that he looked terrible. I had not my glasses on and from a distance he looked fine. However on closer inspection the cat was bloody on one side of his face and the bottom of his jaw looked like it had been cut very badly. Anyway, i managed to trap him the next night... and get him to the vet the next day. The vet called the day after that and told me that it would take 8 individual operations to fix him up... and that... there was a bone infection on the jaw and that if he was someones cat... and tame he would have tried but... since he was no ones cat and not tame... after care would be impossible...

I am still very conflicted about the whole thing. On the one hand i feel a sense of relief that since the situation was so dire... i don't have to deal with it anymore. But on the other hand i feel terrible that i wasn't able to do more. And whats worse is that he spent his last few hours in a cage... scared and alone. Things like this really make you ask some big questions... about fate, destiny, meaning.... life... death....

I'm not looking for sympathy or a pat on the back or anything ... i guess what i'd really like is to just be able to get some closure but... that's not possible now and maybe this post is about as close as i will get to having some sort of mental closure.... It's a tough situation when you are the one who sent the cat off to meet his maker... i can't begin to imagine how lousy vets must feel when they have to make the ultimate decision. Maybe they are the real heroes in situations like this... or maybe there are no heroes... Who knows...


Anyway, at least his journey is over.

 

[tnr1]

zazi....ask any feral caretaker/trapper and they will talk about the great sadness of having to put a feral cat to sleep. But you are doing wonderful things by helping these cats who otherwise would be left to fend for themselves.

Katie

 

[eatrawfish]

I know you aren't looking for sympathy or a pat on the back, but I am sorry to hear you had to do that.

I think spending his last few hours scared and in a cage is sad, but if you hadn't caught it he might have spent quite a while confused, in pain, and slowly dieing. Both options are unpleasent, but yours was the lesser evil.

The problem is of course, that you didn't want death for him at all. But sometimes it is unavoidable.

I'm sorry.

 

[leesali]

Things like this really make you ask some big questions... about fate, destiny, meaning.... life... death....

Boy, do I know exactly how you feel!! I volunteer at my local Humane Society and in addition, care for a feral colony of 6.

The rescues that test positive for FeLV...mostly kittens are put down simply because most people will not adopt a kitten/cat that is positive. Occassionally, we get a handful of people that are still willing to adopt a positive kitten but certainly enough to make me smile. I always feel guilty about these "rescues".

Fate, destiny...always cross my mind and play heavy on my heart. My last rescue was of 6 kittens born to a feral colony. I kept 2 kittens, 2 kittens went to adoption/Humane Society and 2 I simply could not catch & still remain outside with the colony.

One of the 2 kittens at the Humane Society was adopted out but one still remains in a cage waiting for a home. I try to spend a bit more time with her than the other kittens...she was my rescue & I feel responsible for her fate.

I have the opportunity to watch the 2 kittens that are outside with the feral colony. Although, their futures are uncertain and it is getting cold out there...they are FREE!! They have been learning to climb trees, they practice hunting (cute), sleep in the sun with the blood-line adults and quite simply are just being kittens in a free enviornment.

I hold little "Missy" who is in a cage waiting for adoption and wonder why I was able to catch her and not her 2 siblings that are still outside. That "fate" thing again plays heavy in my mind. Yes...she is warm, safe, has food/water & is certainly in a good enviornment for now...but I really don't know her final home.

You are not alone in your thoughts of who "controls" the journey of these feline friends of ours. I have gotten to the point where I just ask the "Powers That Be" for proper guidance & to do the right thing by them without selfish reason. That's all we can do.

 

[beckiboo]

And part of the problem is that we are still in the early stages of TNR. Hopefully, eventually, most of the kitties will have had their vaccinations, at least once, and their will be less disease in the colonies. And when all are neutered, there will be less fighting, less injuries to become severe infections.

How heartbreaking to look out at a wild cat, and try to help, expecting that he will come home 24 hours later to a happier life. Only to be told his life has ended. Or Leesali, for poor Missy, still sitting in a cage. How difficult to keep trapping and saving, knowing it is for the best but that sometimes it hurts so bad.

Rest in peace, Zazi's boys. You are truly free now!

 

[zazi]

Aw thanks guys....

What amazes me is that he found me.... Ok so i have food outside but i've never seen him here before and then he showed up 2 nights in a row.... On the 2nd night i trapped him.

I was going to post about it on the night itself but i didn't as it just seemed that there was nothing i could do for him but wait till morning to take him to the vet.

I even had a name for him as i was so sure that he'd be ok....

Maybe that was the hard part... I've never seen such a funny looking cat before... he looked just like a gremlin.... (before midnight)

 

[chichismom]

Bravo to you! You did the right thing. I know you have an awful feeling now with putting the cats down and all, but what if you didnt? Many many more feral could have caught the fiv or got into a fight with the badly injured one and gotten a bad infection. You did the best thing saving them from pain and misery.Again bravo.

 

[nan]

Zazi,
I know you said you are not looking for sympathy or a pat on the back but i think you deserve one and you need one. What you do for the cats is a wonderful thing. And believe me you are a HERO in my eyes.

Thank you and God Bless you.