Homeless cat- Pierrefonds area

[MoodIndigo1]

My son and his wife live in Pierrefonds, between Sources and St John. For the past week or so, a young black cat, collarless, very thin, has been hanging outside their apartment, on their patio. They put out a water bowl, and have started feeding it, but they already have 4 cats, and they absolutely cannot take another cat in. Their landlord is already not too happy about the ones they have-- even though my son made sure to include the cats on the lease.

I would love to have another cat, but one of my two cats is semi-feral. She's an indoors cat only, but she won't let anyone pick her up, and she is completely traumatized by any change in our lives. She has even been known to attack our older cat (whom she seems to love, usually), when her routine is disturbed. I'm afraid of what bringing a new cat into the house would do. Even keeping the cat in a separate room all the time is not an option. When my son and his wife spent a couple of months at my house with 2 of their cats, keeping their cats in the guest bedroom,my little AG never calmed down. Any attempts at introducing them to each other failed dismally. Their cats didn't seem to mind much, but she went ballistic.

So, we are all wondering what to do about this little black stray. We could probably trap her with food and get her fixed, but where would she stay during her recovery. My son thinks it's a female.

I'm in a bit of a quandary here. Any advice would be appreciated.

[badger]

If it's a female, she's likely already pregnant. The kindest thing would be to get her spayed right now, even if they can't keep her. But I hope they are able to find a home, even if it's temporary - a friend? another relative? - because it's brutal out there. After that, there are various options for getting her adopted permanently. An adoption fee would cover the cost of vaccinations and spay. There are people on this board who can help with that as well.

The Bond Foundation subsidizes the neutering and spaying of strays.

http://www.bondspayneuter.com/spaycanada.html

[amber416]

Hmm....Maybe you could have her boarded at your vet while she recovers? I think it's great that someone is going to get her spayed, at least, even if you guys absolutely cannot keep her (are you sure no one could take her... ) I'm only kidding, i understand your position, i have a semi-feral living with me, so i know what you mean about her routine. Thankfully mine adores other cats, it's people she's not so sure about. What about local rescues? I volunteer with a rescue that is focused on feral cats, anything like that anywhere near you or your son? Regardless of what you end up doing, please try and trap her and get her spayed right away, before she gets pregnant and your son and his wife have kittens to worry about, as well. Thank you for trying to help her!

[MoodIndigo1]

Thanks for your help. I'm going to call my vet and get an appointment for her operation, and I'm going to try, against my better sense no doubt, to keep the little cat here. My son says that if I see her, I won't be able to let her go. I'm afraid that he's already attached to the little critter, and the thought of letting her get fixed and go on living outdoors is just unbearable.

She is not at all wild, according to him, she just loves to be petted, and rubs against his legs (just hoping she's not pregnant, or that she's really a "he" ).

You've been so kind, I'll keep you informed of what happens.

[Lucky Rescue]

If someone will take her in and get her spayed, we will sure help you get her a home.

I have 3 feral and ex-feral cats, and also foster a lot of cats too. My cats just have to learn to live with the fosters, which I keep in a separate room. Your cat will get over it.

[MoodIndigo1]

My vet has agreed to examine her whenever we can bring her in. She'll give her shots then, and if all is well, the cat will still have to wait 10 days before getting her operation. Is this standard procedure, does anyone know?

Thanks, LuckyRescue.

About my semi-feral, she was rescued during the ice storm of January 1998, and she was getting used to us, when we started having some trouble with our roof and other damage from the storm. We had workers inside tearing down walls, and workers tearing off the roof including part of its structure--- major work-- and something must have happened to terrify her in that period, because after that, none of us were able to touch her for the longest time. We took in 2 ferals who were rescued at the time, but the other one, her brother, became fully domesticated, a perfect adorable love bug. Unfortunately, he got cancer last year and had to be euthanized.

We love her dearly, and she loves us, in her own way. I can tell that she's as happy as she's ever been, at the moment, and I'm afraid to change that.
As I wrote in a previous post, I've already made my mind up to take the little black stray in anyway. No cat deserves to have to live outside like that, and it's even sadder somehow when the cat seems to love people and be used to them. My son thinks the cat has been around, off and on at first, now all the time, since Moving Day-- that infamous July 1st tradition in these parts.

[SOS MIOW]

I wish I had seen your post earlier. We could arrange for a low-cost sterilization through one of our vets, that is ... if your vet is charging you full price.

We also have a 'courtesy' listing on our website that posts pictures of cats in the care of people not associated with SOS MIOW. We would be pleased to post a picture with description. We also have an adoption application form that we would ask you to use in order to screen potential adoptors (never give a cat for free as it could end up in a laboratory).

If I can help in any way, please contact me.

[badger]

Thank you, Mood Indigo, for giving this baby another shot at a good life. I'm sure everything will work out. If not, we're here to catch you (I mean the cat ).

The ten-day waiting period is standard practice. I managed to get a couple of days shaved off for a stray I'm having neutered next week, but they will keep him in isolation in case he has something transmissible.

[MoodIndigo1]

I brought the cat in to get him (it's a HE) examined, and get his shots. We found out he's not been fixed, and is a little over a year old. He's had a stool test, a blood test for FIV and leukemia (we'll know the results later today), he's been vaccinated. He's had a Revolution treatment for his ear mites. He doesn't seem to have fleas, but the mites are bad.

Our vet gave us a special price, but all of this to date cost 129.20. She said she would give us a special rate on the operation to fix him, but it's still going to cost another 106.59, as this includes a pre-op blood test.

Does your SOS Meow vet offer a better deal than that?

Thanks a lot for your help.

M

BTW, he's in my spare bedroom now, and used the litterbox, so he's obviously used to living in a house. He is very gentle and affectionate, as well as very handsome.

[Lucky Rescue]

106.00$ for a neuter??

Is that the clinic on Pierrefonds BLVD?

I strongly advise you to call our vet in Dorion. I"m sure you would do much better there!

Call (450) 424-6469 204 Ave St-Charles in Vieux Dorion.

Personally, for a young cat who tests free of FIV and FELV, I wouldn't do pre-op blood tests, but that's just me.

[MoodIndigo1]

That's not the clinic on Pierrefonds Blvd. I'll abstain from writing what I think of them. It's the one on Sources, they're very good and caring, but a bit expensive.

Thanks for the Dorion number, Lucky. My son and his wife adopted 2 lovely cats through SOS Miow last year, and they were both spayed/neutered there. Since I gave them a lift, I know exactly where it is. I'll give them a call tomorrow.

We got the blood test results tonight, he did test negative for FIV and FELV, so I'll your advice into consideration.

P.S. SOS Miow, do you remember Tresor and Cloud?

[SOS MIOW]

Yes, I remember these two sweeties. I am enclosing a picture of your son with the two when he adopted from us. The vet in Dorval is an excellent vet and his rates are a lot more reasonable than what you have been quoted.

Personally, unless the cat had obvious signs of having been bitten or engaged in agressive fighting, I wouldn't have bothered with the FIV test. It has been known to show false positives and sentenced many a kitty to be either put down or sent to the FIV room at the ARN.

I have read a lot on FIV and our Dorval vet has told me that in normal cat-to-cat contact with domestic cats, unless they are particularly agressive with each other (i.e., biting and drawing blood), there is very little chance of contageon. I have also been told that if a young cat (born to an FIV+ mother in the wild) tests positive for FIV, he may only be a carrier and never develop full-blown feline aids.

That is only my humble opinion and I'm sure many on this forum will disagree.

[Lucky Rescue]

but it's still going to cost another 106.59, as this includes a pre-op blood test.

Oh sorry! I missed the part about the blood test being included in this price! IN that case, the price sounds reasonable!

[MoodIndigo1]

Thanks for that pic!! You should see those cats now! Nabu (Cloud) is a magnificent extremely bright cat, Nike (Tresor) is just that: my son says she's the most loving cat he's ever known.

As to the little stray cat, I mentioned in an earlier post that the tests have been done and came back negative, so that's it, I guess.

I interrupted my writing this post at this point, because a neighbour came to the door with her two little daughters. Their cat has just been found dead, lying between both our houses. They are devastated. They are also concerned that he may have been poisoned. Does anyone have any advice as to what they can do? My husband says to forget it, that the cat is dead anyhow. I'm somewhat concerned that there are other outdoor cats living on this street (in houses, with people, but they do go in and out, especially in the warmer seasons).

If someone wanted to inquire about such a thing, how would they go about it? I told my neighbour that I'd ask all you wise people that question. Any help will be appreciated.

[MoodIndigo1]

Oh, sorry!!

As you see, I didn't read your last post because of my neighbour's cat. We were all outdoors with Tigger, and I only finished my post without refreshing anything.

[badger]

Actually, it's pretty good. At the clinic where I take my cats, it's about 100$ for a fairly cursory examination, basic vaccinations and neutering, and that's with the Bond Foundation subsidy (I think it's 10%). I'm not sure why the vet would want to draw blood again.

[MoodIndigo1]

That's Nabu (Cloud) with Patch.

[MoodIndigo1]

The vet says it's just to check that all is well-- liver function, kidneys and such.

[SOS MIOW]

Originally Posted by MoodIndigo1

I interrupted my writing this post at this point, because a neighbour came to the door with her two little daughters. Their cat has just been found dead, lying between both our houses. They are devastated. They are also concerned that he may have been poisoned. Does anyone have any advice as to what they can do? My husband says to forget it, that the cat is dead anyhow. I'm somewhat concerned that there are other outdoor cats living on this street (in houses, with people, but they do go in and out, especially in the warmer seasons).

If someone wanted to inquire about such a thing, how would they go about it? I told my neighbour that I'd ask all you wise people that question. Any help will be appreciated.

The most common and readily available type of poison is regular car antifreeze (Prestone). Unfortunately the newspapers and media have mentioned this and I think people are picking up on it as a quick way to end the problem of strays (it was harder when they had to buy rat poison). A dish of antifreeze mixed with tuna will attract a stray very easily who will injest enough antifreeze to get very very very sick and suffer horribly before dying. The only way to tell what killed your neighbor's cat is an autopsy which can be arranged through your vet. If the results come back that the cat was poisoned, you can contact the SPCA and report it. Otherwise, the safest thing to do is keep your cats indoors.

[MoodIndigo1]

Thanks. I'll let my neighbours know that info, and I'll inform the others on the street who let their cats out.

My husband asked me if I would give Shaka (he now has a name) to the neighbours. I replied that it was too early to think about that, but now that you mentioned about the poison, they would have to assure me that they'd keep him inside! Oddly enough, I felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of Shaka going away, and I hardly know him. I guess that's what people who foster pets regularly must feel. It is very generous, altruistic, of them to do so.

[SOS MIOW]

Originally Posted by MoodIndigo1

Thanks. I'll let my neighbours know that info, and I'll inform the others on the street who let their cats out.

Don't start a panic in the neighborhood; but yes, you should inform other cat owners that there is real danger in letting cats roam freely. I have a couple of indoor-outdoor cats, but they never leave the yard and are never out overnight.

[chico2]

MoodIndigo1,I read all the posts and I just wanted to say thank's for taking Shaka in and caring for him,he was one lucky kitty to end up on your sons door-step

[MoodIndigo1]

Thanks, everyone, for all of your input and kind words.

Yesterday, I spoke to my neighbour, and she said that they would wait a while, but in a few months they would go with the girls and get a kitten at a pet shop.
I told her what I know about puppy mills and kitten mills, and she was appalled.

She was glad to hear about SOS Miow and Petfinder, and she agreed that they would do an adoption that way. I know that SOS Miow has regular adoption clinics, so the girls could go with their parents to pick a cat or kitten.

[badger]

Thanks for getting out there and educating people, Indigo! (I think you might have the rescue gene and advise you to seek therapy before it consumes all your free time)

[Lucky Rescue]

We're having an adoption event this coming Saturday at the IGA in Hudson.

We have 3 12-week old love sponge boys looking for homes!!

[SOS MIOW]

Originally Posted by MoodIndigo1

She was glad to hear about SOS Miow and Petfinder, and she agreed that they would do an adoption that way. I know that SOS Miow has regular adoption clinics, so the girls could go with their parents to pick a cat or kitten.

Our next clinic is August 6th in Beaconsfield. Here are two lovely young fellow that will be neutered and ready for adoption (Names are Kit & Kabou).

[MoodIndigo1]

Lucky Rescue,

This week-end is too early for them. Their two young daughters are still working through their grief, and this is not a manner of speaking, they really are. They planted a rosebush in remembrance of him, had a ceremony, made some drawings of their best memories of him. They dropped off a card today to thank us for our support after Tigger's death.

I've dropped a note to their Mom about SOS Miow's adoption clinic in Beaconsfield on August 8. I am now making copies of the thread you posted about the two homeless kittens.

Thank you all for your help.

P.S. I am getting my digital camera back from my son this week-end, and I'll post some pics of my little rescued cat. He's a sweetie. His name has evolved from Shaka to Shaku, which sounds softer, as he's a very gentle little lovebug.

[SOS MIOW]

Our adoption clinic is on August 6th (not 8th) at the Beaconsfield Shopping Centre, 50 boul. St-Charles (just south of Highway 20) from noon to 3:00 pm. We have 4 new little darlings that will also be available for adoption. Hope to see you there.

[MoodIndigo1]

Thanks for the correction.

BTW, what happened to that lovely calico who was at the top of your pet list at the SOS Miow site? Was she adopted? I hope so.

[SOS MIOW]

Calla was finally adopted by a wonderful family in Westmount. She had been with us since February and for the first few months she looked terrible, having lost a lot of her fur to a serious flea infestation. She also has a very saggy belly due to numerous pregnancies. The lady who adopted her thought she was the most beautiful cat in the world! A little piece of my heart went with Calla, as she was very dear to me.