Would you consider yourself in the business of cat rescue? Do you get cats deposited in the night on your doorstep or in your mailbox?

I live in Stafford County Virginia and in November I was put in the last-minute position of trying to find a home for my 16-year-old neighbor friend's male cat, named Mickey. About the first of November he stopped using the Litter Maid litter box downstairs in the child's home and found a new spot on the outside, screened-in porch carpeting. The child's guardian had already had to spend $260 several months earlier for the cat when he started having blood in his stools and was not too pleased with the expense of this cat. So when he started eliminating in the wrong places, his days in the house were numbered, which is why the 16-year-old called me to find Mickey a new home.

While he did get a reprieve of about 2 and half weeks, I had no luck finding a new home with the local SPCA and they couldn't recommend any other facility or rescue that could help me. They told me to look in the back section of Around the Area, a weekly insert in the newspaper. What I was not expecting was that the guardian was going to do next. The weekend before Thanksgiving, she got pissed off at the cat for eliminating outside the litter box one more time and throwing up a hairball. She took the cat to the county pound and that day he was executed. The child is still mourning.

I learned that when a cat is owner-surrendered to a county pound it can be euthanized immediately. The animal can be euthanized especially if there is any hint of illness. Unfortunately for Mickey, he was riddled with flea bites and around his neck he lots of bumps from the bites which, according to the pound, was their rationale for killing him the day he was brought in by the owner-guardian. I also learned that there is no such thing as a 7-10-day grace period for animals brought to a pound except for animals that are lost. Again, those that are owner-surrendered are kept at the discretion of the pound. Not knowing there wasn't a grace period, I did get the Around the Area section and did find 2 cat rescue people who were willing to take Mickey and find him a home. In spite of the soiling outside of the litter box. I felt strongly that he was miserable from the flea bites and he need some serious grooming as he was long-haired cat, and he had definitely sent messages before that he did not like the automatic Litter Maid and preferred the old-fashioned litter boxes.

Both of the cat rescue women are so dedicated to their mission to save lives of animals that have no voice. They might be considered nuts, too, but they both gave me the time of day and talked to me about saving Mickey--the SPCA kind of let me down. I know it's a tough place to be in, but both the rescue ladies felt strongly that there was no good reason for not taking in a cat. The one lady is very involved in TNR and has a non-profit status and the other lady is awaiting her non-profit status for her cat rescue.

I'm personally still reeling from this experience with Mickey. I can tell you the 16-year-old is still crying and feels like she's to blame. She's especially sensitive now because I have had a sick cat with feline lower urinary tract disease and in 6 months, my boy has had to be catheteraized 7 times for blockages. This month, he finally got relief, though. My husband and I took him to Blacksburg to the Virginia-Maryland Veterinary Referral Hospital and he had surgery to reroute his defective urethra to a new exit. I know, some would think my husband I were nuts, but the expense of the blockages were more excessive the corrective surgery. But we don't have kids, and I believe when I take a cat into my home, they stay for life. I have my little kitty medical savings account so Bob and Sassie have the right health care. My friend has been involved with Bob's illness and amazed that her cat with a bad case of fleas could be killed and the cat next door could be saved to the tune of "lots of money." We've had long discussions about choices that people make and why and how they can make them. At this stage of her ordeal with her cat's death and my cat's extended life (and he's back to his usual kitty self, by the way). she thinks she wants to make a contribution to animals by becoming a veterinary assistant. We'll see. She's interested right now in trying her hand at volunteering at the SPCA. Even though I'm kind of mad at them. they do what they can with what they've got to work with. Maybe they can give direction to this potential animal welfare activist.

Did anyone get to the end of this story? I'm testing out drafts because I'm interested in writing a story about Bob's surgery to submit to the local paper. TTYL, Pat Brown

----- Original Message -----

From: J. & S. Hardin

Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 12:06 AM

Subject: Re: Pets, Anyone?

Jan, I really understand about keeping the cats inside. When we lived in a trailer park, I kept most of my cats inside, and the rest stayed in a pen outside. However, when we moved, I had a baby. So I put all the cats outside. This has been very hard for me. However, I have two big buildings set up outside with a deck the back of my house. I now have 31 cats. I just can't keep them all inside. I have everyone of them named, and people think I am weird when they hear how many I have. I just can't take them to the pound. I love them all. some of them I have even bottle fed when they were kittens. My oldest is Mickey, who actually adopted me and my husband. She is so sweet. We have some really nice woods now where the cats can "relax and max"! My vet is a wonderful lady who works with me and my high volume of pets! She is a blessing.

I have really enjoyed reading about all of the love all of you have for animals. It does a soul good to know that "Hey! I am not the only one who cares!"

-----Original Message-----
From: Jan [mailto:janeecat1944@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 7:34 PM
To: candichat@dolls.de
Subject: Re: Pets, Anyone?

Sherrie - I'm more of a cat lover myself. However, Sheba adopted us 3 years ago. Never thought I would have such a large dog. We had a poodle at one point, but she passed away about 5 years ago. Boy I miss her. I never let my cats outside. I want them inside where I can keep them safe. Now we have adopted a female dog who is in heat. Boy what a mess!! She started peeing in the house yesterday. The vet said that is because she is in heat. Hope it ends soon as they can't spay her until the beginning of Feb. Now we are trying to find a home for her sweet little boyfriend.

Now, about dolls. LOL!! I just received my Flame Rogue from Rudi today. Did anybody else get her? Oh my!! She is amazing!

**********************

"J. & S. Hardin" <jimgalaxy@netzero.net> wrote:

Wow, I thought I was the only person with tons of cats. I used to live in an area where every week, there was a cat dropped off. Now we live in an area where we are out in the country so that we are not adopting any regularly. I just love my cats. However, since my son was born, I don't have near the time I used to have to spend with them. They don't live in the house. I used to have several in doors, but once we moved to our 4 acres, I let them have the run of the yard:)

They seem much happier here.I have a big soft spot for animals.