Seeking Reassurance and Support

I don't know if this is the right place to put this post. I am helping another TCS member, Menou Lover (Mary), with a very sad situation. Her mother is quite ill and Mary was trying desparately to find a home for two of her mom's cats - a couple of Manx brothers.

OK - it looks like my rescue is going to help, but we have no foster homes at the moment and are desperately looking. To get these boys out of a bad situation, I am going to take them and I am putting them in my empty condo, got a room all set up for them.

My concerns are this: I have never done this before, I guess I am stepping it up a notch. So I am very nervous. We have to quarantine the cats for 14 days b/c they have been outside and have never been protected from cat diseases. Then test, vacc. and neuter them.

What's the best way to handle this? I don't know what they are eating right now, tho; Mary is going to bring some of the "crap" her mom was feeding them. (her word not mine).

So I also need advice on dry food. I do know to transition them. They are 18 mos old.

Also I am taking them right to the vet - for flea treatment and dewormer and a general check up. How long before that worming med kicks in? It gives them the squirts, right?

Gaw! I hope they don't have any ring worm!!! I contracted it once... long time ago - took weeks to go away!!!

Sigh.... I hope I am not biting off more than I can chew. I am having surgery in a month!!!

Any advice, reassurance, support would be greatly appreciated!

I would keep them on the food they are used to eating for awhile. That is a lot of stress they are going to go through. I think deworming meds kick it within the first day or so. When I dewormed a kitten I found this year it did not get the squirts.

Thanks, Kitytize.

I spoke with Mary this morning. She won't be relinquishing the cats. We talked it over and we both agreed the stress on them would be terrible - yanked from the only home they have ever known and put in my condo where I would check on them a couple times a day. They are also more outdoor than indoor cats. I think 14 days of quarantine in one of the bedrooms would be horrible for them.

Her brother has PROMISED to look after the cats, and get them some vet care and neutering. I told her they need to make this a contractual arrangement - write out something and sign it. He said he would work to find the boys a new home.

I hope things all work out for the best.

AB