Shadow and Streak: Brief but Beautiful

I'm a wreck and I hate myself tonight. After weeks working with these two feral kittens (and they really were feral in every sense, even though they were young when captured) they finally got to the point where they were adoptable.

Amazingly brave though frightened, loving though abused, they learned to play like other kittens. They approached me when I came into their room and ate from my lap. I miss them and I feel so badly that I couldn't save them.

And all because of a lack of a little money. I am quitting working for the program for which I was fostering kittens. The woman who runs it is a multi millionaire but wouldn't spend a little money for their treatment. I, on a fixed income, had already gotten them treated for a bacterial infection and they recovered in record time. Finally feeling better, they were more playful and engaged than ever. Then I noticed Shadow (the black one) had what looked like ringworm.

It's a long story, but I couldn't even get the program's vet to stick him under the lamp to maybe give me a definitive diagnosis. He may not even have had ringworm, I don't know. But I had to get them out of my house and get started on cleaning it so I don't get an outbreak with all the other cats of my own.

I brought them to animal control. The way it works is you bring them to animal control then you call a no kill rescue shelter to go over and pick them up.

But they put them both to sleep immediately. I went back today to retrieve them myself. The rescue was filled completely due to the time of year and flooding we've had. They didn't even hold them for 72 hours. I've been trying to reach someone there to find out why!!! Did they have cancer or some horrible disease I didn't know about?

After all they went through, they became happy, hopeful kittens, now they are just gone.

I'm done with fostering for the program I was working for as a volunteer. I am requesting reimbursement for my expenses even. I figure if the program couldn't have shelled out a few bucks to save the lives of two beautiful cats I cared about, then I want it to pay me for the food and litter I was promised when I started doing this work, but never received. Because I have another cat who is sick, vaccinations, etc., I am beyond broke this month or I would've paid for treatment myself.

I'm beyond inconsolable. What a disaster. These were two adorable feral kittens. I miss them so much.

This is dreadful. I'm so sorry you lost these little ones, this must be so terrible for you. Please don't blame yourself, you did all you knew to do. It sounds as if they've fallen victim to incompetence in the system of protecting cats in need in your area. Isn't it the Vet's responsibility to examine and treat kitties in your program, and if it's policy for your animal control to hold a cat for 72 hours prior to pts, do they have a documented reason why this law was ignored? I wonder if you may want to call attention to this situation to a higher up official. We want to do what we can in these precious babies' honor to ensure this isn't repeated.

Again, I'm so sorry you lost these kittens you had come to love. You gave beautiful Shadow and Streak love they wouldn't have known if not for you, and now they play joyfully over the Bridge looking forward to the day you're reunited

Oh my goodness this is so sad I can only imagine how you must be feeling right now.

I'm with Stephanie on speaking to someone higher to get answers because i would be knocking doors out of windows with anger at them

Play happily together over the bridge you sweet angels and know that you were loved here on earth for the short time you were here

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I am so sorry. I can't begin to imagine how you feel, this is truly just awful. I hope you do find out what happened so that it helps with understanding and anything similar in the future.

Rest in peace and play, Shadow and Streak. At the Bridge we are all healthy and loved. Remeber to look down on those who loved you in life, for they are missing you deeply now.

This is a complete disaster, I know. The paper they gave me says they will be held three days unless the aninal is seriously injured/diseased or nursing age.

I keep calling, nobody answers--typical for this town. When I did get someone on the phone he transfered me, made a few beeps on the phone then there was dead air for twenty minutes before I hung up. I hate this town so much right now.

Yesterday I met with a woman who runs one of two shelters for cats here and I learned a few things from her. It's got it's dirty little secrets as far as animals go, but I could literally feel this since I moved here two years ago.

Satai, this is all my fault, and general ignorance. I should've called animal resuce first! to make SURE they could take them.

Look at them. They were wild and terrified when I got them. This never should have happened, not to these two.......gotta go.

Originally Posted by dawnofsierra

Isn't it the Vet's responsibility to examine and treat kitties in your program,

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You'd think. But this program doesn't pay for vet care, just spay/neuter. I worked it out with another clinic that will take ten kittens a month and spay/neuter them for us for the same price plus give them a little vet care and she didn't want to use them.

When this is all done I am going to start my own program but I need to obtain funding first. Hugs.

Originally Posted by Vik61

This is a complete disaster, I know. The paper they gave me says they will be held three days unless the aninal is seriously injured/diseased or nursing age.

I keep calling, nobody answers--typical for this town. When I did get someone on the phone he transfered me, made a few beeps on the phone then there was dead air for twenty minutes before I hung up. I hate this town so much right now.

Yesterday I met with a woman who runs one of two shelters for cats here and I learned a few things from her. It's got it's dirty little secrets as far as animals go, but I could literally feel this since I moved here two years ago.

Satai, this is all my fault, and general ignorance. I should've called animal resuce first! to make SURE they could take them.

Look at them. They were wild and terrified when I got them. This never should have happened, not to these two.......gotta go.

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This IS NOT your fault. You were told three days, and they were PTS before that. You cannot possibly be held accountable for that.

If there wasn't something very, verywrong with these babies, however, the people who took them are accountable and should be held to be accountable.

What beautiful babies - what a sad, sad loss of two precious lives Maybe you could call your state veterinary board and/or ask the advice of the Animal Defense League about suing the betrayers in small claims court. I am sure that since all the shelters are overflowing with perfectly adoptable cats and kittens, they are much more likely to triage freely; however, you were told 72 hours hold, bottom line. You have a lot of time and effort invested in those cats and deserve recompense - it's a long shot, but I think that this is more about making the vet & shelter think twice before hastily PTS any more kitties. You and Shadow & Streak were done GREAT, GREAT WRONG
I know this is a small comfort, but I am glad that they left this world knowing what it is like to have a name, love and affection, and the joy and comfort of living in a real home - the most precious gifts of all. I also mourn for the people who would have been blessed by owning them - I can so easily imagine the joy of sinking tired fingers into Streak's gorgeous fur, or watching Shadow stalk and pounce a feather teaser; they have been robbed as well, of these wonderful kittens that would have brought so much joy.
Now, Streak and Shadow are over RB, safe, loved and truly home at last, forever....Enjoy Heaven, saintly little cat spirits.

That is just horrible! I am so so sorry...your heart must be breaking! I know how close you get to little fosters, especially when they come to you feral and you tame them. I am still missing Dylan, Eugene, and Wit, but at least I know they have new homes!

Could you try writing an article for the local paper, so others will learn about this awful system?!?

I'm glad you have quit with that agency. I wish you could find a better one. I'm glad you are going to try starting your own agency.

Rest in peace, dear Shadow and Streak. Your time was cut short, but you were truly loved. You are happy together now, but your meowmie will always miss you.

The paperwork I was given says

HOlding periods are as follows unless the animal is seriously injured/diseased or nursing age.

Today they destroyed a mother and her nursing kittens because they had watery eyes!!!!!!!!!

The woman who has a shelter and whose name was on to be called before euthanasia was not called. She told me it could've been the kittens had milk in their eyes and the mother just hadn't cleaned their eyes after feeding them.

I think I will contact that vet board as someone suggested; this is sounding really creepy and sad for perfectly healthy animals, even ones who have shelters waiting for to claim them. And apparently the humane society isn't a whole heckuva lot better in this town.

Thank you for the supportive words over my grief for Shadow and Streak. It helps a little because I really do hate myself right now. Hugs all, Vik

Please dont hate yourself, you did what you thought was the right thing for these kittens at the time, and you couldn't have known how sad the outcome was going to be. I Can understand you being angry with the program you were working for though, as just paying for s/n isn't enough, they have to be willing to pay for vet care too. I do hope that you can get funding to set up your own, big hugs to you.

thank you booktigger; those kittens taught me something....i just didn't realize it until now.

i am so sorry i brought them to that shelter. i can't stop crying. this is coming at a time when I am also grieving over two other things--well, I couldn't grieve until now and now all three things are hitting me at once.

but the kittens were the most helpless.

http://360.yahoo.com/my_profile.html
their tribute is on the right, click on "view photos."