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My heart is breaking.....

post #1 of 14
5/20/10 at 7:58am
Thread Starter 
As kitten season starts to swing (we have 3 litters & 2 more on the way), I am contacted daily by people looking for new homes for their cats. We are FULL (probably beyond capacity) adoptions are slow & every time I have to say no it breaks my heart. I just want to cry every time I have to turn away a cat that is outside, or shy as I know if they end up at the Humane Society their chances are not good. I just wish there was more that I could do. Space is limited, money is limited, and goodness knows loving homes are limited. Thank you all for listening, I just need to say to other people how heart breaking it is that so many are in need of help and space is so litte.
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post #2 of 14
5/20/10 at 10:45am
I can feel your pain-I have 24 cats and even with this many I have had to say no alot. I just turned away a litter of 3 5ish week olds as I have a rescue about to deliver. Only thing that helps me is to try to help ppl find low cost clinics if they are willing to do mom and maybe a kitten they will keep. One lady kepts the mom and 2 babys after I showed her a place that would do all 3 for what she was quoted for one!!! Its like the starfish story-it matters to the ones in your hands...I hate to admit it but I know I cant help them all but the guys in my house are some HAPPY cats(my neighbor couple loves coming over as they miss their cats but they refuse to get anymore
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post #3 of 14
5/20/10 at 11:01am
I am so sorry! I know a couple of shelters and rescue set up kitten cams and broadcast on Ustream and that seems to help with their adoption rates. Not sure if you're set up to do that, but it might help.
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post #4 of 14
5/20/10 at 11:50am
All you can do is the best you can - you are only one person within one group - you simply cannot save them all, no matter how your heart breaks. Trust me, being the one in the kill humane society/impound facility - my heart breaks come mid-summer when we start to get way too full. We do everything we can to avoid it, and make a difference in the lives that we can save.
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post #5 of 14
5/22/10 at 5:29am
I can't agree more with Natalie, you really have to try not to let it get to you personally - you are not the one who put the animals out so they ended up at the shelter/rescue. There is so much burnout in shelter staff/volunteers, especially in summer when they need all the help they can get
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post #6 of 14
5/22/10 at 5:37am
Kitten season is the most heart rending time for those of you who work in rescue. If only, IF ONLY, people would be responsible and spay and neuter.

...If only.....

Thank you for the work you do. Thank God for you and people like you. I would never be able to do it, you are a real true Hero.
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post #7 of 14
5/24/10 at 1:05pm
Thread Starter 
We had a great day of adoptions on Thursday, a total of 7 cats & kittens were signed up for. That is a great week & means open space for more little ones. Then Saturday, I came in to find that a very sick little kitten had his eyes matted shut AGAIN. I spent at least an hour working on him. He does still have his eyes, but he may still lose one or both if he doesn't start getting better soon. Then I got a call from the daughter of a previous adopter. It appears that the cat that was adopted was diagnosed with diabetes about a year after he was adopted. He has been on a pill to keep his blood sugar in check. The pill is no longer working & he now need insulin. The problem is the adopters physical limitations prevent him from giving the cat a shot. We are a small group run by volunteers only, there is no way we can care properly for a diabetic cat. The owners daughter is understanding, but said if we can not care for him properly they will make the difficult decision to put him down. I have a couple calls to make, but I suspect this 8 year old guy is going to be going over the bridge by the end of the week. I have mixed feelings because while it makes me sad that he is going to leave this world, I would rather have him be with his loving family than with people he doesn't know.
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post #8 of 14
5/24/10 at 7:50pm
Vent away. Yknow, I learned something new from your post- that shy cats get ignored. I never knew that bec I've never volunteered in a shelter. ....it helps expalin why Daisy was given to me. She was 1 of 2 tabby kittens in a large litter of mostly girls. I was told she was the "shyest" of them all. I guess the rescuer was very experienced.
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post #9 of 14
5/24/10 at 8:36pm
Most people are not physically or emotionally able to handle a very special needs cat. One of my family members breaks down in tears & has to leave the room if Lola has a seizure - she just can't watch it. The average owner won't take on a cat as special needs as "my" Lola, or one like the diabetic kitty you mentioned. It sucks.
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post #10 of 14
5/28/10 at 11:08am
Thread Starter 
In this case the gentleman is disabled, and can not use both of his hands. This makes giving the insulin nearly imposible. A bit of good news is that we were able to find a vet clinic willing for foster the diabetic cat for us. So tomorrow he was supposed to be put down, but instead he will be surrendered back to the shelter and I will take him over to his new placement. He will be a clinic kitty, with the hope of finding a forever home. There aren't words for the relief I feel knowing this kitty will be well cared for.
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post #11 of 14
5/28/10 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rang_27 View Post
In this case the gentleman is disabled, and can not use both of his hands. This makes giving the insulin nearly imposible. A bit of good news is that we were able to find a vet clinic willing for foster the diabetic cat for us. So tomorrow he was supposed to be put down, but instead he will be surrendered back to the shelter and I will take him over to his new placement. He will be a clinic kitty, with the hope of finding a forever home. There aren't words for the relief I feel knowing this kitty will be well cared for.
It never fails to make my heart swell to hear how many people there are in this world willing to go the extra mile to help and save a cat in need. It makes up, just a little bit, for all the horror that goes on.
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post #12 of 14
5/29/10 at 11:18am
Thread Starter 
This morning went well. Benny is at the vets office & they feel he is still in good shape for a diabetic cat. They believe they can get blood sugar undercontrol, and are hopefull that they may be able to continue to regulate him with the pills instead of the insulin. He is such a sweet cat, I am sure they will love having him around.
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post #13 of 14
5/30/10 at 8:15am
That is great news, and who better than a clinic to find a good home for him where they know the person can cope with medicating
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post #14 of 14
6/4/10 at 11:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by c1atsite View Post
Yknow, I learned something new from your post- that shy cats get ignored.
I can attest to this for sure, as Holland was 5 months old when I adopted her and had already been at the shelter for 2 months!! I was told by my adoption counselor that people who come in for kittens go for the playful ones, and Holland was overlooked time after time after time. She is so shy I didn't even get to TOUCH her until I brought her home.

There were many times in our first few days where I broke down in tears, wondering what I'd gotten myself into with this cat, but with time and patience, she blossomed in a major way. She is the love of my life, and while she is still afraid of just about everything under the sun, she is not afraid of me. She comes to me when I call her, and even at the times when I startle her I can say "It's just me" and she will calm down in a second. It's a major ego trip, but I'm kind of proud that I am the one person she trusts in the world. I can't even put into words how much I love my little girl...

Bless all of you who work in shelters and foster. I couldn't do it.
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