Fostering ponderings

crazy4strays · Dec 2, 2015

I just talked to my foster coordinator. She has another kitty all vetted and ready for me to pick up. She said that she just appreciates having anybody to foster cats, because there are so few cat fosters. Oftentimes, they just have to turn away cats, because they can't help them.

The cat that they took in, that I will be fostering was already spayed. She wasn't microchipped, and so of course, it's next to impossible to find the owner. *sighs*

I asked her about possibly adding microchipping to the cat adoption package and she said that they lose so much money on each cat that they help, that they can't possibly do any more vetting. I've seen dog's adoption fees listed at $200-250. Cats adopt out for a measly $25.

Sometimes trying to fight the neglect and overpopulation problem feels like trying to put out a house fire with a single glass of water. But even if I can't save the majority of the cats, I know that I'm at least making a difference for the few that I can foster.

One step at a time. It's just frustrating to see the magnitude of the problem.

donutte · Dec 2, 2015

WOW, I'm surprised they are able to do anything other than a basic wellness check if they are adopting for $25 for cats. The lowest I've seen is $85, but have seen up to $200 for kittens. I adopted a 3-year-old yesterday and it was $100. Wait, I take the $85 back. This same place will adopt out senior cats (10 years and older) for $75.

These prices cover neuter/spay, vaccinations, testing for illnesses, and a microchip. They even have a free wellness visit at the vet next door to them within two weeks of adoption.

crazy4strays · Dec 2, 2015

Yeah I think that they could raise the prices some!

Having personally vetted a stray (who was already neutered), I know that adopting from a rescue is way cheaper than vetting a stray, even an already neutered stray!

donutte · Dec 2, 2015

Oh, most definitely. A lot of the shelters list out what the price of everything included would be if someone were to get a "free" pet. Apparently, a lot of folks wonder why they have to pay when they could easily get a "free" one from friends with kittens.

I adopted two kittens like that in July, although they were actually rescues found at the Botanic Garden in the mulch. I was smitten with them when I saw their picture. And omg, how much I put into their vet bills just for checkups, vaccinations, neutering, etc etc. I was able to get the neutering, rabies shot and 2nd distemper for $95 each at a spay/neuter clinic that mainly does TNRs, but also works with pets. But their first distemper, all the tests, deworming, etc... I'm fairly certain I spent well over $300 on each. Maybe even over $400 each.

paiger8 · Dec 2, 2015

That's just crazy to me. $25 is too low to cover all the vet work that needs to be done.

My last two were "bonded" so they adopted them out for $125. But my rescue usually charges $75 per adult cat, $100 for a kitten, or $50 for a senior. The more expensive price for a kitten is because kittens always get adopted, so they encourage people to adopt adult cats. They come fully vetted with all vaccines (except for rabies) and microchipped.

crazy4strays · Dec 2, 2015

*face palm*

When I picked my foster cat up from the veterinary hospital, I asked them if they routinely scanned stray cats for microchips. They said that sometimes they scan the cats and sometimes they don't bother, because "microchipping cats is not common."

I went to the trouble and expense of chipping my cats and most people probably won't bother to scan for the chip.

Stuff like this is why I keep collars on my cats all the time. Makes me want to tattoo them as well, give them a bulletproof vest, and a concealed carry permit. LOL!

Our culture's "cats as less valuable animals" viewpoint is very sad and disturbing to me.

kittycort · Dec 2, 2015

Our local humane society adopts out cats for as low as a quarter. Thats right-25 cents. With such low fees and with peoole posting "free kitten" ads, this means a lot of those cats end up in temporary homes due to impulsive adoptions and many others end up as bait, tortured in research labs, or, a few years ago...a man picked up several and skinned them all alive.

kittycort · Dec 2, 2015

Crazy4Strays said:
*face palm*

When I picked my foster cat up from the veterinary hospital, I asked them if they routinely scanned stray cats for microchips. They said that sometimes they scan the cats and sometimes they don't bother, because "microchipping cats is not common."

I went to the trouble and expense of chipping my cats and most people probably won't bother to scan for the chip.

Stuff like this is why I keep collars on my cats all the time. Makes me want to tattoo them as well, give them a bulletproof vest, and a concealed carry permit. LOL!

Our culture's "cats as less valuable animals" viewpoint is very sad and disturbing to me.

Some dont even bother to have the scanner to check for a chip-vets included. Also, I cannot tell you how many chippes cats and dogs Ive found and scanned...but the owner didnt bother to register the chip. So frustrating.

paiger8 · Dec 3, 2015

Crazy4Strays said:
Stuff like this is why I keep collars on my cats all the time. Makes me want to tattoo them as well, give them a bulletproof vest, and a concealed carry permit. LOL!

YESSSSS! I'm picturing the Rocket Raccoon outfit from Guardians of the Galaxy... on a cat.

crazy4strays · Dec 3, 2015

LOL!!!

lonelocust · Dec 4, 2015

Most shelters I've seen include spay/neuter, deworming, and vaccinations. Some but not all include chipping. I heard someone say on a local forum that it was illegal to transfer a cat without it being chipped, but I looked it up and can find no such law, only that you cannot bring a cat in or out of the country without a chip.

$25 is very low for a shelter adoption price. I usually see €75-150. Sometimes I wonder about the utility of charging more, though. If many cats are cared for but never adopted at all, then the amount that is recovered to take care of more is always $0. I understand people want to prevent hoarding situations and casual adoption that would lead to neglect, but it does seem to me that many people can afford $20/month for catfood but not necessarily $150 right now to adopt. And if cats that would have been adopted stay in the shelter for much longer than they would have being adopted at $25, is it really a savings? I wonder if a real analysis of this issue is available anywhere.

kittens mom · Dec 4, 2015

Crazy4Strays said:
I just talked to my foster coordinator. She has another kitty all vetted and ready for me to pick up. She said that she just appreciates having anybody to foster cats, because there are so few cat fosters. Oftentimes, they just have to turn away cats, because they can't help them.

The cat that they took in, that I will be fostering was already spayed. She wasn't microchipped, and so of course, it's next to impossible to find the owner. *sighs*

I asked her about possibly adding microchipping to the cat adoption package and she said that they lose so much money on each cat that they help, that they can't possibly do any more vetting. I've seen dog's adoption fees listed at $200-250. Cats adopt out for a measly $25.

Sometimes trying to fight the neglect and overpopulation problem feels like trying to put out a house fire with a single glass of water. But even if I can't save the majority of the cats, I know that I'm at least making a difference for the few that I can foster.

One step at a time. It's just frustrating to see the magnitude of the problem.

Without fail this spring and summer and well into winter my neighbor will be like a little mustached dictator running her own personal kitten breeding death camp. It doesn't escape notice if you report someone for starving puppies the world turns on it's side and 100 people are on a waiting list for each puppy. Call in cats breeding and running loose and they set traps. The way money is distributed is biased and unbalanced. If they can afford to chip dogs they can afford to chip cats.

crazy4strays · Dec 4, 2015

What they don't seem to understand, is that over time, chipping will reduce their workload. One of my huge motivators for chipping my cats was realizing how overworked and overcrowded the shelter was. They have enough work to do taking care of truly abused, neglected, and abandoned animals--they don't need to be handling lost pets for any longer than it takes to scan them and send them home. Imagine how much less work shelters would have to do if even 25% of the stray cats that they took in were microchipped.

The veterinary hospital that vets the foster animals disclosed that they ONLY microchip animals under anesthesia. I find that unusual, given that AVMA states that anesthesia is unnecessary and that the procedure is no more painful than a vaccination and can be done during a routine office visit. I microchipped my cats for $15 each at a low cost vet clinic and all went well.

The net effect of that policy of course, is that few people will bother to chip their animals if they have to pay for anesthesia and the rescue won't bother to microchip the cats, because it's too expensive. It will put it out of reach of lower income people altogether.

kittens mom · Dec 4, 2015

Crazy4Strays said:
What they don't seem to understand, is that over time, chipping will reduce their workload. One of my huge motivators for chipping my cats was realizing how overworked and overcrowded the shelter was. They have enough work to do taking care of truly abused, neglected, and abandoned animals--they don't need to be handling lost pets for any longer than it takes to scan them and send them home. Imagine how much less work shelters would have to do if even 25% of the stray cats that they took in were microchipped.

The veterinary hospital that vets the foster animals disclosed that they ONLY microchip animals under anesthesia. I find that unusual, given that AVMA states that anesthesia is unnecessary and that the procedure is no more painful than a vaccination and can be done during a routine office visit. I microchipped my cats for $15 each at a low cost vet clinic and all went well.

The net effect of that policy of course, is that few people will bother to chip their animals if they have to pay for anesthesia and the rescue won't bother to microchip the cats, because it's too expensive. It will put it out of reach of lower income people altogether.

pure nonsense. Although Mook was chipped while being spayed Kitten was done sitting on the exam table in front of me. No animal should leave the shelter or rescue without a chip. You are correct. it's self defeating

crazy4strays · Dec 4, 2015

I definitely don't vet my personal vets at that vet. If I went there, I could never afford to take my cats to the vet at all!

kittens mom · Dec 4, 2015

Crazy4Strays said:
I definitely don't vet my personal vets at that vet. If I went there, I could never afford to take my cats to the vet at all!

Eh? I'm blonde but even I can't quite muddle through that.

crazy4strays · Dec 4, 2015

In other words, they are extremely expensive.

Their dental cleaning costs 2x as much as my vet, for example.

crazy4strays · Dec 4, 2015

Sorry, I meant that don't vet my personal cats at that vet. Lol, I see why my statement made no sense because of the typo.

kittens mom · Dec 4, 2015

Crazy4Strays said:
Sorry, I meant that don't vet my personal cats at that vet. Lol, I see why my statement made no sense because of the typo.

My neighbor bragged how she managed to find the chip and dig it out of the dog she adopted. ( so much for screening applicants) Pet owners who let their pets run loose don't want them chipped. It ties the animal and any damage or injury the pet may suffer to them.

crazy4strays · Dec 4, 2015

What???!!!

I've felt my cat's chip before while petting him so I know that it's possible to feel it.

But I can't even imagine what type of home removal could possibly get it out without fatally injuring the animal or causing the animal to attack the owner.

Did her dog survive the removal?

That's logical that people who are not planning on being responsible owners don't want a chip. After all, they probably don't care if the animal runs away or gets hurt.

In their eyes, it's just an animal and they can get another one. Plus, microchipping is pretty much an iron clad commitment that you won't abandon your animal.

I mean, who dumps microchipped cats off on one of their neighbor's doorstep? LOL!

Fostering ponderings

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Professional cat sitter extraordinaire!

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Kittens life was lost to a negligent veterinarian.

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Kittens life was lost to a negligent veterinarian.

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Kittens life was lost to a negligent veterinarian.

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Kittens life was lost to a negligent veterinarian.

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