Please move this if it is better suited elsewhere. I'd rather not put it in Crossing the Bridge, but anywhere else is fine
Warning, this is not a happy story and it does not have a happy ending. It is also rather long. I really appreciate any comments that anyone might have.
There was a grey, one-eyed cat that had been hanging around my apartment complex for as long as I have been there (since April). A few months ago, I began feeding it. A week or so ago, I found out others nearby were feeding it too. I talked to the property manager, who lives on site, and she said that cat had been hanging around for at least year, that he came and went, and that they called him the "beater" cat because he was so bedraggled looking. She also told me that someone had thought about adopting him, but when they moved, they couldn't find him. He turned up later near my end of the apartment complex.
Two days ago, I put up a sign trying to let residents know that I was planning to take the cat to the vet and look for a real home for it. I put the sign on the mailbox. When I go home that night, the sign (and the magnet I put it up with) were gone.
This morning, I took the cat to the vet. In addition to his bad eye, he had a bad tooth and was on the skinny side. He probably had hyperthyroidism. The vet also ran disease tests and found he was positive for FIV. Since he was not a young cat and had multiple issues, the vet and I agreed that he should be put to sleep. I stayed with him until he was gone.
When I got home, I told the landlord what I had done. She said it was for the best. I also gave her some advice on FIV and asked if I could post notices on everyone's door at my end of the complex. I did that this evening around 7pm.
At 9pm, I got a knock on the door. The woman told me I had put her cat to sleep. She was obviously angry and said the cat had thyroid cancer but wasn't bothering anyone. She said she had raised him from the time he was born. She told me he did not have FIV (she said he had been tested a few months ago). She also said she had just moved here from Washington. When I mentioned that the cat had been around for about a year, she said she had moved here a year ago. She told me I did not do enough to find out if had an owner and that I had no right to put her cat to sleep. She also said she wants his body back.
I opted for general cremation on the form. It was long past closing time when she called, so I don't know if the cat had already been taken from the vet's office. Did I not do enough to find out if the cat had an owner? After she left, I called the landlord. The landlord said the cat had been around "forever" and doesn't believe that it belonged to her. I don't know if the woman listed the cat on her lease, since that would mean extra charges. The cat never showed signs of having a collar (she said he always lost them). He always seemed to be near my apartment. The woman lives in a completely different area of the complex. She said she has a cat door and he came and went as he pleased.
I don't know what to think at this point. Did I really put down someone's pet? Did I do enough to find out if the cat had an owner? I had talked to other people who were feeding the cat as well as one of my neighbors, but no one thought he had an owner. If he hadn't had FIV, I wouldn't have put him down to begin with. I already had someone interested in taking him in so he wouldn't have to be out all winter. If he hadn't had FIV, I would have put up my sign one more time (it asked if anyone wanted to claim him before I found him a home). I wish I hadn't included my name and apartment number on the info sheets I handed out. What should I do now?
Warning, this is not a happy story and it does not have a happy ending. It is also rather long. I really appreciate any comments that anyone might have.
There was a grey, one-eyed cat that had been hanging around my apartment complex for as long as I have been there (since April). A few months ago, I began feeding it. A week or so ago, I found out others nearby were feeding it too. I talked to the property manager, who lives on site, and she said that cat had been hanging around for at least year, that he came and went, and that they called him the "beater" cat because he was so bedraggled looking. She also told me that someone had thought about adopting him, but when they moved, they couldn't find him. He turned up later near my end of the apartment complex.
Two days ago, I put up a sign trying to let residents know that I was planning to take the cat to the vet and look for a real home for it. I put the sign on the mailbox. When I go home that night, the sign (and the magnet I put it up with) were gone.
This morning, I took the cat to the vet. In addition to his bad eye, he had a bad tooth and was on the skinny side. He probably had hyperthyroidism. The vet also ran disease tests and found he was positive for FIV. Since he was not a young cat and had multiple issues, the vet and I agreed that he should be put to sleep. I stayed with him until he was gone.
When I got home, I told the landlord what I had done. She said it was for the best. I also gave her some advice on FIV and asked if I could post notices on everyone's door at my end of the complex. I did that this evening around 7pm.
At 9pm, I got a knock on the door. The woman told me I had put her cat to sleep. She was obviously angry and said the cat had thyroid cancer but wasn't bothering anyone. She said she had raised him from the time he was born. She told me he did not have FIV (she said he had been tested a few months ago). She also said she had just moved here from Washington. When I mentioned that the cat had been around for about a year, she said she had moved here a year ago. She told me I did not do enough to find out if had an owner and that I had no right to put her cat to sleep. She also said she wants his body back.
I opted for general cremation on the form. It was long past closing time when she called, so I don't know if the cat had already been taken from the vet's office. Did I not do enough to find out if the cat had an owner? After she left, I called the landlord. The landlord said the cat had been around "forever" and doesn't believe that it belonged to her. I don't know if the woman listed the cat on her lease, since that would mean extra charges. The cat never showed signs of having a collar (she said he always lost them). He always seemed to be near my apartment. The woman lives in a completely different area of the complex. She said she has a cat door and he came and went as he pleased.
I don't know what to think at this point. Did I really put down someone's pet? Did I do enough to find out if the cat had an owner? I had talked to other people who were feeding the cat as well as one of my neighbors, but no one thought he had an owner. If he hadn't had FIV, I wouldn't have put him down to begin with. I already had someone interested in taking him in so he wouldn't have to be out all winter. If he hadn't had FIV, I would have put up my sign one more time (it asked if anyone wanted to claim him before I found him a home). I wish I hadn't included my name and apartment number on the info sheets I handed out. What should I do now?
