Euthanizing because of overpopulation...

...for the first time after 4 wonderful years!

Mods, feel free to move this to S.O.S. if it is more appropriate there.

I really just want to pay tribe to the poor souls that died this morning. The best part about it? I got asked who to euthanize....these were all my choices. I have never had to do something so hard in my life.

Cooper was a big, fat, old guy. He was neutered & front declawed, but he wasn't pretty. He didn't eat enough food & had lost 2 lbs in the month he had been at the shelter. He refused to come out of his cage. He was the first one I chose because he was miserable. No one wanted him. We even looked for a barn where he could be closed in & live out the rest of his life. He was only 8 years old. Cooper had been there for at least a month.

Sophie was a young mamma cat. She came in with 4 kittens. She was put on anti depressants because she was ripping out her fur. Through it all, her personality shined through. After weeks on the meds, she was no better, she didn't eat much, she was so skinny every rib could be seen, she had loose bloody stolls(stoll samples were - for anything). The stress was just getting to her. She was a gorgeous torbie...the vet guessed at about 10 months old. Sophie "made the cut" originally, she was safe. Then when I went to clean her cage she had a panic attack & scratched the daylights out of me. Sophie had only been there 3 weeks.

Tasha was a stray picked up the a cop. She was black with the cutest white spot on her chest. She came in with her eyes ripped up, mostly just around here eyes, but her eyeballs were scratched a little. After being treated for that, she developed a URI. She was having such a hard time battling it. She was on her second course of anti-biotics, & she just wasn't getting better like she should have. I think, with time, she could have healed, but I chose her. She didn't eat much, was visibly skinny, her cot was dull, & she didn't even respond to attention. Tasha was probably a young adult.

Chloe was one of our longest residents. She was spayed & declawed. She sprayed. Not UTI, just had issues. She was on our list of cats to euthanize already because of the spraying, but we agreed to give her until the end of the month to get adopted, we just couldn't wait. Chloe was very vocal, loved tummy rubs, & was so sweet. She has gotten progressively more aggressive as time went on at the shelter. She got to the point where she would attack other cats in their cages. She had a home, & we held her for 2 weeks for them, but they never showed for her. Chloe was only 3 years old(today was her birthday).

I feel like I had to put down four of my own cats. I become so attached to these guys. I cried myself to sleep last night. If no one gets adopted or we don't find farm homes for some cats, next week I will have to do the same!

I am terribly sorry. What a touching way to pay tribute to these cats. What about posting this as an article for your local paper. It may move some people to consider adopting. Gosh I wish we didn't have an overpopulation.

Katie

How terribly difficult for you. I am so sorry for you and for these poor kitties. It is so kind of you to memorialize them here and remind everyone that even the ones with difficulties are living, lovable little beings. R.I.P. angels. Over the Bridge you will all be whole and happy.

I'm so sorry. That must have been so terribly difficult. I hope you find some comfort in knowing that they are no longer in pain.

That's awful Natalie, I'm so sorry you had to make these decisions and I'm sorry for these poor babies It sounds like they all are in a happier place now. I know you made what time they had left the best you could

Originally Posted by white cat lover

Mods, feel free to move this to S.O.S. if it is more appropriate there.

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These poor babies can stay right here

What a horrible, horrible day you've had Play happily over at the bridge you little sweeties and know that you were loved here on earth

I'm so sorry that you had to endure these sad and painful losses.

Rest in peace, sweet angels - at the bridge no-one is caged or unwanted.

Natalie

I'm so sorry to hear about your horrible day, I can only imagine the pain your going through.

Lets hope more of these cats get adopted so you won't have to do this again.

Thank you for honoring these cats by posting here. I know it must have been so difficult to type the words - what great strength you have. I am glad to read the names & hear the sad stories because I say a prayer for each cat as I read about them. I am glad that you shared your compassion & care with them during their incarceration; you were able to make the right decision for each one, IMO. I send {{{prayers and vibes}}} for continued courage to do your valiant work and I am praying for some happier results with the poor cats still in the shelter. not having ever worked in a shelter, I didn't fully realize how stressful it can be for the kitties

Originally Posted by TNR1

What a touching way to pay tribute to these cats. What about posting this as an article for your local paper. It may move some people to consider adopting.

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I think this is a wonderful idea.

Thankyou for honouring these precious babies. I have wept with you as I have read this... play happily sweet darlings




RIP Cooper, Sophie, Tasha & Chloe - you were too good for this world

What a sad post, and what an awful decision for you to have to make. RIP little ones, and fingers crossed you dont have to do the same next week.

Oh Natalie....I am sobbing reading your post. How lovely of you to post a wonderful tribute to those poor babies you "rescued" for the rough lives they were living. You and those babies are in my prayers

Originally Posted by white cat lover

Sophie was a young mamma cat. She came in with 4 kittens. She was put on anti depressants because she was ripping out her fur. Through it all, her personality shined through. After weeks on the meds, she was no better, she didn't eat much, she was so skinny every rib could be seen, she had loose bloody stolls(stoll samples were - for anything). The stress was just getting to her. She was a gorgeous torbie...the vet guessed at about 10 months old. Sophie "made the cut" originally, she was safe. Then when I went to clean her cage she had a panic attack & scratched the daylights out of me. Sophie had only been there 3 weeks.

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Sophie's story especially touched my heart. She sounds very similar to my foster Sarabi. Sarabi is about 2 years old, and was a very friendly street cat. She had a difficult transition to living inside, but was so devoted to her kittens. When they were shifted to a new foster home, Sarabi licked herself almost bald from the stress. But she is now adjusting well to life in a new, cat-free foster home. I'm sorry your Sophie wasn't able to make the difficult transition.

Cages are so hard for kitties! And I know your shelter has foster homes, because you have fostered so many. May God send some needy people your way to adopt some kitties, and foster some others.

Bless you for doing the hard work. Fostering litters of kittens is so easy compared to what you are doing! Stay strong, and know that you are helping and changing countless lives!

I want to write an article for the paper...maybe one of the "letter to the editors". I'll have to check with the shelter, but I'm pretty sure they'll let me. I know the president wanted to write a letter, but nobody would read it she was afraid. I'm sure everyone in my town & all the farmers would read it if I wrote it. I am most definately including the names of the cats euthanized if the shelter will let me. Everyone should know that these cats were loved & wonderful creatures, but they were too busy/good/didn't want to/or whatever reason to come adopt them.

I feel so guilty because I steered away from one cat I really love, but who isn't doing well at the shelter. He will be next....

I cannot have imagined what you must have gone through....

I am so sorry.....

Originally Posted by white cat lover

I feel so guilty because I steered away from one cat I really love, but who isn't doing well at the shelter. He will be next....

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The guilt is not yours. There are careless owners who dump kitties, rather than rehoming them. People who must have just one litter, or who forget to speuter. Those who's cat becomes an inconvenience, so they dump them. There is plenty of blame to be shared, but not one speck of it goes to the loving person who cares for these babies.

Because you are so close to them, you are a good choice to make the awful decisions.

Could the shelter do a kitten sale? Or offer cats over 6 y/o free to people over 60? (That is what my agency does!) Call your local rescues and see if they would take some kitties at no charge. (The rescues near me regularly pull kittens from the shelters.) A newspaper article is a great idea. Do your letter to the editor, then call to see if they will send someone out to cover the problems the shelter is facing.

I hope you can adopt out some kitties so you don't have to euthanize!

i am soo sorry that ust be soo hard. I think I would cry about every day if I were you. I love animals but I don't know if I could work in a shelter ever because of everything that you see.

Natalie, I'm so sorry you had so make such difficult, heartwrenching decisions. It takes a person of true courage and compassion to do what you're doing and I have so much respect for you. It's not enough to be sad and depressed about the numbers of animals being euthanized. That's not helping them. It's people like you who are taking action, fostering, volunteering in a shelter, adopting and getting their pets fixed, etc... that are truly making a difference and offering the animals love and hope. Stay strong and keep doing what you're doing.

Oh no! That would of been so horrible!! I dont think theres any way I could do that. You have alot of courage and strength.....

May those sweet babies RIP..and play happily at the bridge.

I believe that you deserve a "tribute" for the rewarding yet extremely difficult work that you do. You provide care, affection, and compassion to those in your charge. The four tributes were very moving. I hope that you will consider some of the suggestions in prior posts to try and get the word out through your local media to try and get some of these poor animals placed in good homes prior to euthanizing them. People do read local news and about issues that arise in their own backyards. Keep the faith and may you continue to have strength to do the extraordinary work that you do. RIP Cooper, Sophie, Tasha. and Chloe - you are in a far better place, be happy and free.