rant about abandoned/ neglected cats

roguethecat

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aaargh, just ranting here...
 I know it's all my fault for being unable to not feed a hungry cat staring at me from outside.


So my neighbors consider themselves the ultimate cat rescuers, getting kittens out of shelters where they would be killed otherwise (or so they say. For what I've seen, kittens get adopted pretty fast and there's no need to euthanize any
). Anyway, good for them... only for some reason no one seems to care for the "old" cats they already have. As I put food out for the two ferals living on my porch, of course every hungry critter comes along and joins the frenzy. I don't mind feeding the ferals they have in their yard that come to me and providing shelters for them (they don't provide any, saying the ferals like to live rough), but at first disliked feeding my neighbor's "old" pets, too. Now I consider them abandoned pets and just feed them.

Problem is that I  can't afford medical care for someone else's pets. My neighbors, when approached about one of their cats that is obviously sick, explain that it is old (in their opinion everyone above 10 years is old),  which indicates that the cat is dying soon anyway. Then they complain to others that I'm harassing them about their cats...
 Once my sister visited and we snatched a sick one and, with the neighbor's permission, took it to the vet and paid for treatment. We were surprised to be accused of catnapping afterwards but certainly won't do it again.

I'ts just beyond me how anyone can abandon a pet they have been living with (I have been raised with the notion that pets are someone you are responsible for and care for to the best of your ability and not something you throw out when a new toy comes along. Will probably have to blame my parents for sheltered upbringing causing huge upset by other people who were raised differently...  by all means, we all have a right to be different, but please don't let any pets suffer for it)

 

di and bob

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I totally agree with you, right now I am feeding my neighbors two cats who have 3 babies each. I know they aren't my cats but when the skinny things come, what do you do? I'm already feeding 3 other dumped cats. He says he feeds them but boy are they thin. I'm sure they like the food better over here, but am just sick they have to cross our busy road to get here. Thank goodness the traffic is not terrible at 6 in the morning. I don't know if your neighbors (or mine) are really doing these cats any favors, they are truly 'existing' and not being cared for and loved. Some people just have a strange attitude towards animals, like they are expendable and can be replaced easily, To me, everyone is a precious soul that deserves to be loved and cherished.  Thank God I have a husband who loves cats too, he complains a lot, but I still buy a lot of food! Bless you for caring for these poor little lost ones, I wanted you to know I know how you feel!
 

chromium blues

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Many years ago, a friend was looking out her back window and spotted a bedraggled grey cat in her yard. It took her a few days to catch him, but when she did, she found that some sadist had thoroughly declawed him. She put posters up everywhere, called animal control, everything she could do, but no one claimed him, and its pretty likely the poor guy was just dumped. Fortunately for Eight Ball, he found the right house and lived to a ripe old age. He's just one of many she's rescued over the years. If someone on disability, trying to look after a geriatric and ailing mother, a dying friend, and her own animals, can take in and take such good care of these guys, why can't their owners take responsibility? Frustrating!!!!
 

csts

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I'ts just beyond me how anyone can abandon a pet they have been living with (I have been raised with the notion that pets are someone you are responsible for and care for to the best of your ability and not something you throw out when a new toy comes along. Will probably have to blame my parents for sheltered upbringing causing huge upset by other people who were raised differently...  by all means, we all have a right to be different, but please don't let any pets suffer for it)

TRUTH.

People who de-claw their pets and then abandon them are the absolute worst! Words cannot describe my rage. 
It's especially cruel in Southern California where there are coyotes who brazenly roam the neighborhoods at certain hours. My parents live in San Diego and they took in a large declawed male white and orange spotted cat once. He was very friendly and very thin for his size when they first saw him. My sister named him Buster and when my parents could not find an owner, he became a permanent member of the household until lymphoma took him. I still place the blame squarely on the cruel, neglectful previous owners for letting the tumor grow and get out of hand.
 

segelkatt

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TRUTH.

People who de-claw their pets and then abandon them are the absolute worst! Words cannot describe my rage. 
It's especially cruel in Southern California where there are coyotes who brazenly roam the neighborhoods at certain hours. My parents live in San Diego and they took in a large declawed male white and orange spotted cat once. He was very friendly and very thin for his size when they first saw him. My sister named him Buster and when my parents could not find an owner, he became a permanent member of the household until lymphoma took him. I still place the blame squarely on the cruel, neglectful previous owners for letting the tumor grow and get out of hand.
I live in SoCal also and I got a cat whose story started out real bad but then got better. Picture a tiny silver Persian kitten, the new "parents" had the front claws removed. After a year they decided to return to Japan, put the cat outside, locked up the house or sold it, whatever. This in the upscale community of Irvine. They could have taken it to the city shelter which is a no-kill shelter.

Kitty was beggging for food so all the neighbors fed it until one of them could catch it and kept it. For ten long years kitty was loved by the old lady and her son who took care of her and kitty in her last year before she died. Son was selling house, could not take kitty with him, did not know shelter was no-kill but saw an ad about cat club was having boutique. Decided to donate some stuff to boutique and inquired  about someone taking kitty.

Enter: ME!

I have now had her for 3 years, she is so beautiful, loving and cuddly (and a lot of work with all that hair).

Can you imagine a Persian cat with no claws abandoned in SoCal?

And yes, coyotes roam the streets of Irvine too. In the neighboring city of Laguna Woods a coyote in broad daylight crashed through the closed screen door of an enclosed patio and snatched a large sleeping cat. The picture in the paper of the screen door was unbelievable: half of the screen at the bottom and one side was ripped out of the vinyl frame! The elderly cat parents were devastated, they had had that cat for a long time and never thought a coyote would come crashing into their home.
 

csts

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TRUTH.

People who de-claw their pets and then abandon them are the absolute worst! Words cannot describe my rage. 
It's especially cruel in Southern California where there are coyotes who brazenly roam the neighborhoods at certain hours. My parents live in San Diego and they took in a large declawed male white and orange spotted cat once. He was very friendly and very thin for his size when they first saw him. My sister named him Buster and when my parents could not find an owner, he became a permanent member of the household until lymphoma took him. I still place the blame squarely on the cruel, neglectful previous owners for letting the tumor grow and get out of hand.
I live in SoCal also and I got a cat whose story started out real bad but then got better. Picture a tiny silver Persian kitten, the new "parents" had the front claws removed. After a year they decided to return to Japan, put the cat outside, locked up the house or sold it, whatever. This in the upscale community of Irvine. They could have taken it to the city shelter which is a no-kill shelter.

Kitty was beggging for food so all the neighbors fed it until one of them could catch it and kept it. For ten long years kitty was loved by the old lady and her son who took care of her and kitty in her last year before she died. Son was selling house, could not take kitty with him, did not know shelter was no-kill but saw an ad about cat club was having boutique. Decided to donate some stuff to boutique and inquired  about someone taking kitty.

Enter: ME!

I have now had her for 3 years, she is so beautiful, loving and cuddly (and a lot of work with all that hair).

Can you imagine a Persian cat with no claws abandoned in SoCal?

And yes, coyotes roam the streets of Irvine too. In the neighboring city of Laguna Woods a coyote in broad daylight crashed through the closed screen door of an enclosed patio and snatched a large sleeping cat. The picture in the paper of the screen door was unbelievable: half of the screen at the bottom and one side was ripped out of the vinyl frame! The elderly cat parents were devastated, they had had that cat for a long time and never thought a coyote would come crashing into their home.
I honestly don't understand how people could just abandon their pets like that on the drop of a hat, and moreso if they removed the pet's defense mechanisms. I think we can all agree here that our cats are our beloved family members that deserve so much better. It's kind of morbid, but I and my husband made an agreement with our families for them to take our kitties if something were to happen where we both died (they come with us wherever we move and we refuse to give our money to animal-hating landlords on principle).

Poor Persian kitty! It must have been so hot, depending on what time of year it was. My heart is warmed at the happy ending to the story that culminated in her coming to you, though.
Oh, and I definitely believe that there are coyotes out and about in Irvine! They are just everywhere in SoCal. That is very scary that the coyote just busted into that house, and very sad. It's very shocking to know that the cat was not even safe inside the house. I live in the middle of the desert in the Morongo Valley, about 2 hours east of Irvine. I really hope that coyotes and all the other scary desert creatures here can't break through a metal screen door, solid walls, or windows.
 
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roguethecat

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don't you want to just wring some people's necks... there are coyotes out here as well, thankfully not near my yard (or I'd be feeding them, too - any fellow coyote lovers among us cat lovers?)
 

segelkatt

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I'm sure there are people among cat lovers who love all animals including coyotes . But that does not mean they should feed coyotes. They are wild animals who, just like bears,  should not be fed. They have enough to eat as is (in my community that means bunnies whose population varies with the weather and how many coyotes are out there invading our community) . No wild animal during usual times should be fed with possibly the exception of birds. Even those usually can fend for themselves unless we have taken away their way to forage for whatever they eat. I put out a water dish for the birds in my community garden plot but no food. I also discourage bunnies, crows, skunks, raccoons or whatever by covering up seedlings and larger crops with netting. I even cover up my grapes with netting to keep any animal from eating those.

Don't think there are no coyotes near your yard just because you don't see them. Coyotes have been spotted on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles during night time hours and that is a large thoroughfare during the day. But unlike New York City after midnight Los Angeles pretty much shuts down and many  streets have no traffic and definitely no pedestrian traffic after that time, a great time for coyotes.

Cats and other small (and not so small) domesticated animals need to be kept inside out of harm's way. Abandoning a cat makes it coyote lunch.  
 

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[we have coyotes for sure,we invaded space so at dusk our neighborhood brings in pets. Now our neighbor had their little dog on porch with them a coyote came up stairs snatched the little guy and ran off there was nothing anyone could do but try to comfort owners. Coyotes here in the valley of Los Angeles are not as shy any more in fact bold as hell even by themselves. Take extra caution at dusk hours. Our neighbors have a new little friend now and extra care and electric fence installed. B]
 

ttaylor649

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My mother took care if 29 cats abandoned and found the huge ysrd with colony. It just became too expensive and my mother was evicted animal control came and not one of the cats was in sight as if they knew. I had one kitten in house asleep on a chair the animal control person snatched it up and sighted my mom to have the 2 cats fixed which was done she had to go to court lusted as a criminal wow! we found homes for all but 5 of the cats we are trying to find hones for 3 mom was not allowed pets at new home but we worked out to keep 2. Any help in finding Homes for a 6 month and 2 1 year live them but mom needs to not be evicted again. Msg me here thanks
 

GoldyCat

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My mother took care if 29 cats abandoned and found the huge ysrd with colony. It just became too expensive and my mother was evicted animal control came and not one of the cats was in sight as if they knew. I had one kitten in house asleep on a chair the animal control person snatched it up and sighted my mom to have the 2 cats fixed which was done she had to go to court lusted as a criminal wow! we found homes for all but 5 of the cats we are trying to find hones for 3 mom was not allowed pets at new home but we worked out to keep 2. Any help in finding Homes for a 6 month and 2 1 year live them but mom needs to not be evicted again. Msg me here thanks
Sorry you're having problems rehoming the kitties. It would be best if you start a new thread with your request. It's not likely very many people will see it here unless they've been following this thread. It would also help if you tell us where you're located since this is an international site.
 

catsneedloveink

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This thread makes me so angry! I just don't understand how people can just dump an animal that they don't want to take care of anymore. I have a stray claiming my lap right now that I rescued last week. Because he was dumped, he now needs laser surgery to remove his necrotic ear tips. If I could find the person that dumped him, I wouldn't mind removing a few of their body parts but I wouldn't be as kind as the vet would be because I wouldn't use any meds, before or after!

On the other hand, some areas make it more difficult to surrender your cats to county-run shelters. Where I live, there are several shelters that don't even take cats, period! There are also some shelters that only take healthy, adoptable cats, the rest are immediately put down. I just don't understand how/why those shelters that are run off tax dollars can decide that cats are not worthy. Even the animal control officers in these county's are only allowed to respond to dog calls. Injured cats are left to suffer! I found this out about a month ago when I came across a cat that was hit by a car and left for dead. The "Dog Warden" as they are called, said she didn't care what the county said...if an animal needed help, she was going to respond rather it was a dog, cat, wildlife or even a farm animal. Her and I both agree that an animal in need is just that...an animal in need. And, it's up to us to help them.

Sorry for the rant but after trying to get this poor guy in my lap some help to no avail, it felt good to let it out.
 

csts

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Oh, how I'd like to punish those who abandon their declawed kitties in dangerous areas by removing all of their fingers off and drop them in the middle of the Mojave Desert without any supplies and see how they like being treated the way they treated their pets... I bet if those cold-hearted humans were given the same treatment they gave to their former pets, this stuff would not happen very often.

Coyotes are cute, but I'll keep my distance. They do not need encouragement to come into the human settlements. I do not see them on my daily walks around the neighborhood, but my husband sees a lot of them when he is out in the field for training.
*phew* It's getting cold here now, so now I keep the front door closed, but I feel safer knowing that there are no instances where a coyote went through a metal screen door. I don't open the rest of the windows because when it gets windy here, we have sand storms and somehow a lot of fine sand gets in, even when the whole house is closed up. The only critters my kitties catch are crickets, moths, or flies that came in. Luckily, they usually eat their catches.

What a beautiful coat your Persian has! I can tell he or she is very happy, despite having the "grumpy" face that the Persians are well known for.
 
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segelkatt

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I had adopted this lovely 2 year old Maine Coon mix from our cat club, he had been found with no ID. I named him Kattopu. Within  a few weeks I knew that he was not a good match with my much more mature cats (ages 15, 8 and 15). Did I just dump him? Of course not. I put him back up for adoption. He was with me for 4 1/2 months before we (the cat club and I)  could find him a new mom.

Now he lives in San  Diego, 100 miles away, and I actually miss the little whirlwind but I also know this was the best I could do for him.
This is what he looked like when I got him, thin, practically no ruff, a tail that was a disgrace, and biting and scratching, I have the scars to show.Eventually he became a nice cat with supersoft fur and good manners BUT a horror to the other cats, so he had to go.


This is how he got to look: big ruff and a tail to match, full of personality. Now he has a new mom, we checked her out thoroughly to make sure she would be a good mom and had a safe place for him as he is an escape artist, always trying to get out the door henever you open it. 

.
This is his new mom the day she picked him up, he  took to her right away and did not make a peep during the whole 1 1/2 hour car trip and slept at the foot of her bed the first night. So it's a good match but I still feel sad that he is not here anymore although I knew he could not stay. He looks like a fat cat on the picture but he really isn't, he weighs just 11 lbs which isn't big for a Maine Coon, mix or otherwise. (the date on the pic is wrong, I can't figure out how to change it, this was taken on 112614)

There is always someone who will adopt a cat, sometimes it takes a little longer to find the right match.


 She really looks happy to have him.
 
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