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I saved a cat's life today...

post #1 of 18
5/22/09 at 5:07pm
Thread Starter 
I know I have posted about a county shelter with bad policies on here somewhere a time or two. We have some room for cats in our rescue at the moment so I went out to this shelter to assess them. One cat's time was UP today so her case was the most urgent. Her name is Fisher- grey and white, about 1 year to 18 months. Had been a barn cat. She is ok with other cats and was using her litter tray - two concerns with a strictly outside cat.

This is Fisher - she is assertively and overzealously affectionate to say the least! I have the scratch marks to prove it! She rubbed, purred, head-butted, slobbered and climbed all over me. Oh yes. and delivered intense love bites! Youch!!!!

So we had to "adopt" her to save her life.

Here is the really really sad part. She is pregnant and the shelter won't let us take her that way.

Either euthanasia or a spay/abortion. I mean, I am no expert and I could tell she had babies growing in there.

I think we are going to able to take a couple more of these cats. I will know more this weekend.

Now that I have met them, I cannot let them die.
LL
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post #2 of 18
5/22/09 at 6:02pm
She is so pretty your awesome for saving them!!
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post #3 of 18
5/22/09 at 6:08pm
Fisher is a beauty And you are a TCS hero The spay/abortion is tough, I know, but my vet says that with the anesthesia, the babies don't suffer and they will cross over RB without having to deal with a sad life first; I have had to do it - it is tough, but if it saves the mom's life.....
Sending calming vibes out to Fisher - after she's no longer preggers, she may be less intense in her affections
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post #4 of 18
5/22/09 at 6:45pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by catsknowme View Post
Fisher is a beauty And you are a TCS hero The spay/abortion is tough, I know, but my vet says that with the anesthesia, the babies don't suffer and they will cross over RB without having to deal with a sad life first; I have had to do it - it is tough, but if it saves the mom's life.....
Sending calming vibes out to Fisher - after she's no longer preggers, she may be less intense in her affections
Well, I hope she is still a sweet girl! We shall see -- once the hormones settle down if she is more barn cat than house cat, I do have a place for her.

ETA: I have never done this before - gone to a shelter to assess an animal for adoption possibility. I have never wanted to b/c I want to take ALL of them home. And that is exactly how I feel.

But I had a feeling this little girl was going to die if I didn't get out there.
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post #5 of 18
5/22/09 at 7:25pm
The spay/abortion would be my option. Maybe because I've had to do it before and I've grown to see the situations where it is required.


If I'm understanding correctly you have to either take her post spay/abortion or they'll just put her down today anyway?
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post #6 of 18
5/22/09 at 7:38pm
I've done spay/aborts before. Yes, you are killing the kittens....but in her case what is the alternative?
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post #7 of 18
5/22/09 at 7:56pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Breellablue View Post
The spay/abortion would be my option. Maybe because I've had to do it before and I've grown to see the situations where it is required.


If I'm understanding correctly you have to either take her post spay/abortion or they'll just put her down today anyway?
Yes, that is the deal. That is the shelter's policy. Either adopt with spay/abort or if no one took her today, fini! She gets a lethal injection.

The cat's life is not in danger from the pregnancy, but from shelter policy.

One of the rescuers I have connected with out there is an attorney and she says under Michigan law, the shelter can adopt with a spay/neuter contract. I know lots of rescues and shelters do that. But I think it will be too late for Fisher's babies. The shelter is closed on Monday and she will be spayed on Tuesday. The shelter director is a real pip, talks out of both sides of her mouth. I can't imagine an 11th hour appeal first thing Tuesday am would do any good, but this attorney said she would try.
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post #8 of 18
5/22/09 at 9:08pm
Yeah, but her chances of getting adopted are increased a lot without the kittens. It's a tough decision I know... but looking back I wish that I had opted for this for some of my fosters. Also on average it's 4 less cats to find homes for.
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post #9 of 18
5/22/09 at 9:42pm
you are a wonderful person for doing that, thank you!
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post #10 of 18
5/24/09 at 5:17am
Thread Starter 
Our rescue can take 6 more of the kitties whose euth dates are this Wednesday. I am coordinating with a couple of other rescues who have been working out of this so-called shelter for a while now ... we are going to try to save the remaining 4.

We have two storefront adoption centers (PetSmart and Petco) to keep filled with cats... so this is a good thing all the way around. So that makes seven cats for us so far... and our director is interested in some more. There is an orange boy there still on the "stray" list who is a TOTAL lover!

Heck - I will take a couple of them and stash them in my unoccupied condo if I have to ...
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post #11 of 18
5/24/09 at 5:55am
Awww you really are an angel. I can see your love for the shelter cats through all your posts. She is beautiful too.
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post #12 of 18
5/24/09 at 6:08am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by WellingtonCats View Post
Awww you really are an angel. I can see your love for the shelter cats through all your posts. She is beautiful too.
Thanks, Sam. It is a heartbreaking thing. So many kitties, so few places/homes. And the economy here is really taking a toll. I have never wanted to be the one to go into a kill shelter and make "decisions." Too emotional. Big softie.

I did see that Persian I mentioned in another thread. She is gorgeous!
She is shaved down - lion cut.. .and her undercoat is a warm white... her fur is silver tipped.. and she does have a little beige on her face. Green eyes - just like in the pic. Very sweet... I hope her owners come get her, geez! I have to think that somebody was on vacation and whoever was looking after her ... she got out. Heck, the first place I would look is animal control. People!

And while I was there last Friday, a woman came in with a stray in a box. Turned out to be a chocolate point Siamese mix. If he is not claimed, then maybe one of the local Meezer rescues can fit him in someplace. He's beautiful.
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post #13 of 18
5/24/09 at 6:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AddieBee View Post
Thanks, Sam. It is a heartbreaking thing. So many kitties, so few places/homes. And the economy here is really taking a toll. I have never wanted to be the one to go into a kill shelter and make "decisions." Too emotional. Big softie.

I did see that Persian I mentioned in another thread. She is gorgeous!
She is shaved down - lion cut.. .and her undercoat is a warm white... her fur is silver tipped.. and she does have a little beige on her face. Green eyes - just like in the pic. Very sweet... I hope her owners come get her, geez! I have to think that somebody was on vacation and whoever was looking after her ... she got out. Heck, the first place I would look is animal control. People!

And while I was there last Friday, a woman came in with a stray in a box. Turned out to be a chocolate point Siamese mix. If he is not claimed, then maybe one of the local Meezer rescues can fit him in someplace. He's beautiful.
That would be so hard going to in and choosing who to save. I have to admit I've only ever been into a cat shelter once and looked at the cats and that was because my Nana's seal point Siamese neuter was handed into them. He was handed in as a chocolate point spay.

I can image she was beautiful - I loved her. I'd love one her colour but 5 is enough for me. I don't know what comes over people sometimes
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post #14 of 18
5/25/09 at 6:22am
Its great that you managed to save Fisher in the nick of time, she's a beautiful cat! So sorry about the babies though. I know I'd wanna take her the way she is, keep her kids and spay her afterwards. Its just hard knowing there are little lives in her belly waiting to come out into the world and strut their stuff
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post #15 of 18
5/26/09 at 2:02am
I think it is so sad that the baby kitties hafta be killed, I just don't believe in abortion. Period. I am definatly pro life. I wish I hadn't read this thread now.
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post #16 of 18
5/26/09 at 12:50pm
I feel the same way and it makes me mad.
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post #17 of 18
6/4/09 at 11:08pm
God bless you! We need more loving and concerned people like you in the world! Recently I adopted a stray alley kitten and really do think there is some special and magical bond when you resuce an animal from either certain death or a horrible exsistence.Maybe this is corny but I honestly think on some level the animal senses you have helped them and that way down deep inside it causes a bond to be forged.Non-pet lovers scoff and roll their eyes("anthropomorhpasizing" they say).I believe we humans and our pets are bonded by thousands of years of history/pre-history and that this has subtley "attuned" both man and beast to one another.There is more to our furry friends than we are privy to know.Anyways,it is something to contemplate.

Once again I think you are AWESOME!
HosMan
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post #18 of 18
6/5/09 at 5:46am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HosMan View Post
God bless you! We need more loving and concerned people like you in the world! Recently I adopted a stray alley kitten and really do think there is some special and magical bond when you resuce an animal from either certain death or a horrible exsistence.Maybe this is corny but I honestly think on some level the animal senses you have helped them and that way down deep inside it causes a bond to be forged.Non-pet lovers scoff and roll their eyes("anthropomorhpasizing" they say).I believe we humans and our pets are bonded by thousands of years of history/pre-history and that this has subtley "attuned" both man and beast to one another.There is more to our furry friends than we are privy to know.Anyways,it is something to contemplate.

Once again I think you are AWESOME!
HosMan

Wow - I am blushing here

This cat's saga is far from over... there is another thread where I said she gave birth to two kittens and was whisked away to the local Humane Society where they were totally unhelpful! So it is my task to track this little cat and her babies and if we have room when she comes available in 8 weeks or so... we will have to "adopt" her.
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