Conference rdgeng::reading

    Any recent recommendations for Catteries in the Reading area?
    
    mikef

    That reminds me. Would any decent cattery accept cats who weren't up to
    date with their vaccinations? I doubt it.
    
    Goldy.

Nope, they shouldn't. 

We found one out Hook way that did and I pity any kitty 
who stays there, we rang and tested out whether or not they'd put up 
a non-vaccinated couple of month old kitty without papers and they would,
the kitty in question I was asking about is definately a cat flu carrier 
and my guys still needed treatment after having come into contact with 
her when she was stressed out (which being put in a cattery does to most 
cats)  even though they had their jabs.   Cat flu innoculation only 
reduces the chances of a cat dying from it, it doesn't stop them getting 
ulcers all over their mouth and throat and nose and being unable to eat 
and getting dehydrated etc etc and basically going through a lot of pain 
and suffering unecessarily. 

    ...and we shouldn't forget the poor vet who would not be able to afford
    his/her new Discovery and winter holidays if he/she  was deprived
    of the �60+ fee for vaccinating your moggie.
    

    Crumbs, is it that much. That would cost best part of �240 to vaccinate
    my four moggies then.
    
    Goldy.

 >Title:  Please don't be so selfish!
 
Selfish!

For commenting that cats suffer when they're ill and 
that vaccination against the basic most infectious 
diseases is a basic of responsible ownership!

>>f the �60+ fee for vaccinating your moggie.
> That would cost best part of �240 to vaccinate
>    my four moggies then.

No it isn't that expensive. 

I justs had Belles annual booster done, including the 
feline leukemia shot which isn't an essential for 
cattery stays it cost 20 quid. 

You are either being ripped of by your vets or you are 
doing feline welfare a serious misservice by misleading 
people as to the costs of respnsible pet ownership. 

Basic innoculations fit for a cattery should be about 
10-15 quid per cat max not 60 as you ridiculously suggest!

    Kernel::coffeyj
    I think you misunderstood my reply (.8). I was not suggesting that cats
    should not be vaccinated but rather that vets fees are over the top. 
    We bought a 10 month old cat from the RSPCA for �35 pounds which
    included micro-chipping, "temporary" vaccination and hystorectomy. We
    were urged to get it properly vaccinated before letting her outside.
    The vet did this in two goes and charged �70.
    
    Rich. 

>  The vet did this in two goes and charged �70!

You've chosen a pricey vets then!

>   We bought a 10 month old cat from the RSPCA for �35 pounds which
>    included micro-chipping, "temporary" vaccination and hystorectomy.

That was a token donation of �35.  It seldom covers a fraction of the 
actual costs for an individual cat.  The spaying alone will have cost about 
that amount, however the RSPCA raises money other ways and tries to encourage
responsible pet ownership. 

The vet has to do it in two goes, the first innoculation isn't reliably 
effective unless you have the second booster a month later, then each year 
there-after.     Just make sure you don't miss any of the annual boosters, 
they do lapse very soon after the year is up and it'll take the double 
dose again in order to get it back up effectively. 

Sounds like your vet is a bit more  expensive than most, though to be honest
having sat in the overnight holding area of our vets whilst they were cancelling 
their Friday night plans, at 8pm because of an RTA cat I don't think they're over
paid, but then I also looked into trying to qualify as a vet myself.  If I could 
afford the loans it'd take to go through the 7 years training with work to do that 
doesn't leave you free for a part time job to support yourself either, then I'd
probably be charging �80 for vaccinations to pay off the loan :-) 

Still just think of it compared to paying to talk to one of us here at the CSC on 
the phone - if you haven't got a contract then it starts at a minimum charge of 
�200 :-) and you don't even get the drugs when you talk to us :-) 

I found a dog that had been hit by a car leaving it with a
nasty gash on its hind leg visabily down to the bone, about
6 or so inches long.

A lady who came by recomended her vet, we took it to him. 
Although he did give it some anti-biotics without charge
he would do any more because "who is going to pay for it".
I then phone my vet who was on call and he agreed to see
the dog. When we arrived my vet I said that the dog wasn't
mine and asked who would pay for it. The vet told me that
the RSPCA would pay towards the bill and they would foot the 
rest if the owner couldn't be found. Th evet thought that
the dog would loose its leg, but luckily that wasn't required
and is fully recovered now.

By chance I was walking past a house later that day and found
the person who was looking after the dog. It bolted when he 
earlier opened the door.

Give the poor dog its dues, only once did it bark when being
lifted to or from the car, mostly just quietly wimpered, but
didn't really appear to be in shock.

The moral of this story;

The more expensive vets can aford to take in cases where cost
is not going to be completely met and owners can't be found.

Simon

>The moral of this story;

>The more expensive vets can aford to take in cases where cost
>is not going to be completely met and owners can't be found.


Hmm, not necessarily, if you noticed I was saying my vets are very 
reasonably priced, just clearly staffed by people who are in it for
the animals too not just the money.  They actually turned me down when 
I said I'd cover the bills for the cat who was brought in if the owners 
couldn't be reached and they needed cover for surgery, they said it was ok, 
said they or the RSPCA would cover it anyway.