I know this cat needs a Vet, but how do I get his owner to take him?

graciecat

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I wasn't really sure this belonged here, but it IS a health issue so I guess it does.

We have a branch of a University were I live.
In May when classes were over and everyone went home for the summer one of these so called "future leaders" of our Country decided to just toss out the cat that they'd had in their apartment all school year.

He's a beautiful longhaired black neutered boy.
He looked to be around a year or so old, something seemed to be wrong with his back left leg...sometimes he'd walk on it and sometimes he'd limp.

I talked to my Husband and even though I really didn't want another male cat, we decided to snatch up this boy take him to the Vet and make him part of the family.
Before I could do it, the Lady across the street took him in.
She already has two of the smallest little gray female cats I've ever seen.

Shortly after she took him...I'm talking a matter of minutes, because I was outside when I saw her pick him up and take him in.... I told her that she should take him to the Vet and have him tested and find out what the deal is with his leg.
Plus I told her that she really should keep him away from her girls until he got the all clear.
Also told her that she should probably take the introductions slow...the girls are adorable but they both have a nasty streak.

She assured me that he would be going to the Vet.
I came to find out about a month later that she'd never taken him and had just let him and the girls interact from the second she took him in.

Here's the kicker, about half and hour ago she came over to my house and told me that Midnight had started to pee outside the box...not all the time, just if he was sleeping..she said it seems like he either doesn't wake up in time to make it to the box or doesn't realize and is peeing in his sleep.
She also told me that he vomited a very small blood clot and some blood then she tells me there was a lump in his stomach and now the lump is gone.
I went over to her house, I saw Midnight a week ago yesterday and he looked fine... when I saw him today I'm telling you I swear he's lost half his body weight in that short time.

When she was telling me all of this I stopped her and said "Go get him, we're going to the Vet now."
She asked me to come over and look at him and when I saw how thin he was I again told her to put him in the carrier and I'd drive her to the Vet (She doesn't have a car)

She told me she doesn't get paid until a week from Friday, I told her I didn't care...that we'd go to my Vet and he'd work out a payment plan for her or I'd pay him and she could pay me back....I might or might not get all the money but at this point I really don't care...IMO that cat needs to see a Vet and he needs to see a Vet YESTERDAY!

She keeps saying, "Oh, maybe he has worms and that's why the blood or maybe he cut his gum and that's why the blood and maybe he's peeing out of the box because he has a UTI"

As far as I'm concerned she can "Maybe" all she wants, but he needs a Vet and I can't get that through her head.
I really think she's ashamed that she doesn't have the money to take him right now and when I told her I'd pay or the Vet could work something out that I made her feel bad.

I told her, that yes, maybe the blood was from a cut gum or something minor but it just as easily could be something life threatening...especially since there was a lump and now there isn't.
I told her if he does have a UTI that she just can't let it go and "Hope" he gets better and what if that's not it at all?
I'm thinking it could even be a nerve problem in his leg that's causing him not to be able to make it to the box.

I'm sorry, I'm really rambling on now but can any of you think of something else I could do that would make her understand that he can't wait to see a Vet that he has to see one NOW?
 

optionken

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Losing body weight with the peeing makes me think diabetes is possible. Can you find out if the peeing is excessive and also if he is drinking alot?. If so, please contact me or have her contact me. I deal with diabetics from around the world and not all vets are up to date with proper treatment
As far as your question goes, I don't know what you can do with a person like this
I hope you can take this cat for yourself and he will be ok
Best of luck
 

cocoalily

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If you could take him (whether for a foster or for a permanant cat), would you? If you would, I owuld suggest buying him from her. It sounds like she's a bit low on money and doesn't truly care about him, so you probably could. Then he could go to the vet.

Poor thing...I'm sending loads of prayers and vibes for both him and you that this situation works out in a good way!!
 
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graciecat

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Originally Posted by optionken

Losing body weight with the peeing makes me think diabetes is possible. Can you find out if the peeing is excessive and also if he is drinking alot?. If so, please contact me or have her contact me. I deal with diabetics from around the world and not all vets are up to date with proper treatment
As far as your question goes, I don't know what you can do with a person like this
I hope you can take this cat for yourself and he will be ok
Best of luck
Diabetes is one of the things I thought of also.
I asked her if he was peeing a lot and she said no, but she did tell me that he drinks more water than the girls drink, but that he wasn't at the water bowl all the time.
When she said he drinks more than the girls that didn't really tell me a whole lot, my Elliott drinks more water than our girls do..but then again Elliott isn't in the situation that poor Midnight is.

Originally Posted by mews2much

If he has a Uti he can block up and die.
Tell her that.
He could have something even worse.
I did tell her that a UTI could become very serious very quickly and that it could mean his life, she just looked at me


I just looked out the window and her lights are off, so I tried to call and there's no answer...I'm hoping she called one of kids to take her and Midnight to the Vet and that she's not just ignoring me.
 
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graciecat

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Originally Posted by Cocoalily

If you could take him (whether for a foster or for a permanant cat), would you? If you would, I owuld suggest buying him from her. It sounds like she's a bit low on money and doesn't truly care about him, so you probably could. Then he could go to the vet.

Poor thing...I'm sending loads of prayers and vibes for both him and you that this situation works out in a good way!!
Yes, I would take him in a minute...he's such a sweet boy.

She is low on money...she has all kinds of health problems herself.
She works partime in a little Mom and Pop type store and I'm sure she gets paid next to nothing.
Her kids do help her out a lot.
To be very honest I really believe that she does care about him, I think the problem is that she's letting her pride get in the way of getting him the help that he needs.
Hopefully she called one of her kids to take him to the Vet.
I'm hoping and Praying that she could swallow her pride and ask one of them for money to take him to the Vet.
 
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graciecat

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Just wanted to update about Midnight.

She did indeed call her Daughter to take her and Midnight to the Vet last night.
The Vet she took him to wouldn't have been my first choice, but at least he was seen by someone.
This Vet lives a few door down from her Daughter and that's where her Daughter takes her dog so that's why they went there.

She said the Vet told her that one of Midnight's back teeth was abcessed and that's probably what caused the blood in the vomit...he told her the blood was from the tooth and he probably vomited because the infection in the tooth was making him sick to his stomach.

He also told her that he had a UTI and that's why he was peeing outside the box now and then.
He told her that he was dropping weight because chances are he's not eating because of the tooth....she has one big bowl for all three cats to eat out of so unless she sees him eating, she'd have no idea which cats were eating and which weren't.
As far as the lump she told me she saw, the Vet couldn't find anything.
She said he felt Midnight's side and stomach and took an x-ray and could see nothing.
He told her he thought she was feeling the lump on his hip...that's the reason he limps...the Vet told her that it looked as if his hip had been broken at one point but has healed.
He told her that he thinks Midnight was either kicked very hard or that he was hit by a car at some point...and we were right, the Vet thinks he's about a year or 2 old.
I asked her what they were going to do about the hip and she said the Vet told her that he was just going to let it go since he can walk and it's already healed...that kind of bothers me I would think that even though he can walk the poor little guy limps around on that leg and I'd think it might cause problems for him when he's older...something like arthritis would set in there I would think...but I'm not a Vet so who knows.

He had to stay at the Vet's last night, but he's home now and on medication.
The Vet said he'd remove the tooth after he's done with the antibiotic.

I took her over some of my canned food so he'd have something soft to eat and a couple of extra food bowls that I had bought for my furkids and never used...that way she'll be able to tell if he's eating.
She was feeding them "Dads" dry food...I know they sell it in every grocercy store around here, but I think it's just an East Coast thing...maybe only Pennsylvania...it's made here in PA.
So I had to call an order myself some more Eagle Pack this afternoon and I just ordered her some too.

I think maybe I'm pushing it to much with ordering her different food, but it's better food and it'll help her cats and that's all I really care about...I do tend to get a little pushy when it comes to cats and how they're taken care of.

But I know she loves her cats and I know she doesn't have a lot of money and ordering an extra bag of food everytime I get it isn't going to break us so that's the least I can do for her and her babies...bless their little hearts they're all so adorable.
 

juliejerks

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You're an amazing person for helping this woman and her cats so much.
 
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graciecat

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Originally Posted by JulieJerks

You're an amazing person for helping this woman and her cats so much.
Aww, bless your heart.
I just couldn't live with myself if I'm sitting right across the street and I know I can do something to help her.

Originally Posted by mews2much

I am glad she went to the vet.
I am glad you pushed her to go and hope he gets better fast.
I'm glad she went too.
Last night I felt like I was being a pain in the butt, but I'm glad I was and that there was nothing wrong with him that couldn't be treated...it could have been so much worse...Thank God it wasn't.
 

maxcat08

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Caring people like you are going to go to that special place in Heaven reserved for the compassionate ones who go out of their way to help others. I'm so glad that there are people like you in this world. I know that there are a great more out there...it's nice to 'see' one once in a while.

I sure hope that little kitty is feeling better soon. I'm glad your neighbour doesn't take offence to your trying to help out....she is trying to do her best...and now her best just got a little better.

Hugs to you...
 
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graciecat

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Aww, that's so nice of you to say that.

I've come to realize that this site is filled with caring and compassionate people who go above and beyond for cats that would have no chance if it weren't for them.

I can't name them all, but I think about Bea who would have been put to sleep if it weren't for Nat's big heart and the help of some other members here.

I think about the positive babies that Katie takes care of, even though she knows she's going to lose them much to soon, it doesn't stop her from loving and caring for them.

I think about Jimmy who lives with Jenn, if it weren't for Eileen and Jenn God only knows where Jimmy would be now.

I think about John and the love he and his Wife have for their big, beautiful cats and how hard they fight to make sure they keep the right to have those babies.

There are so many more of you that take care of feral colonies and work in shelters and foster and take in strays...just because I didn't name you doesn't mean I've forgotten about the wonderful things you do.

Now back on topic...I went over to visit Midnight today.
He came running to the door to greet me...as did his Sisters.
I know it might just be wishful thinking on my part, but I think he looks better already.
He sat on his Mommy's lap for a while and then decided to sun himself on the windowsill.
He's such a beautiful boy
 
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graciecat

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I am too.
I just looked out the window and he's lounging on the screened in porch...just like a little King
 

libby74

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I just found this thread and wanted to throw my 2 cents worth in.
I asked her what they were going to do about the hip and she said the Vet told her that he was just going to let it go since he can walk and it's already healed...that kind of bothers me I would think that even though he can walk the poor little guy limps around on that leg and I'd think it might cause problems for him when he's older...something like arthritis would set in there I would think...but I'm not a Vet so who knows.
There really isn't much the vet can do at this point. Midnight will definitely have arthritis in that hip when he's an old kitty. Unfortunately, about the only thing the vet could do would be to re-break the hip and set it properly. Even if the bone had been set at the time of the initial break, odds are good that Midnight would still have problems as he ages.
As it is, it sounds as if your neighbor really wants to do what's right for her cats. I'm glad you gave her the nudge she needed to get her boy treated.
It's good that you're able to take to her the way you have; some people wouldn't have listened at all, and told you to mind your own business to boot!
I hope Midnight, and his new sisters, continue to improve.
 
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