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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

4148.0. "Help with Stray" by CHIPS::URBAN () Wed Nov 07 1990 10:42

    I was wondering if anyone might be able to help...  There are a lot of
    stray cats that live around my apartment building, but there's one in
    particular that comes every day.  A lot of people in my building know her
    and have fed her, but she now gets mainly fed by me because I live on
    the first floor and she sits outside my door.  Anyway, my landlord
    doesn't like the cats, and he blocked up the hole under the step that
    this little kitty used to hide in.  Now, when it's cold, she just sits
    outside the hole and cries...it's breaking my heart.  I'd unblock the
    hole, but my landlord lives right nearby and he'd just block it up
    again.  As a matter of fact, he blocked it up when she was in there,
    and I finally realized it 2 weeks later and let her out.  I'd let her
    in my apartment, but I have a cat.  I wish there was a "cat home" I
    could bring her to, or someone out there who had a barn that she could
    live in...she's really an outdoor animal, she's very timid and won't
    even let me pet her.  She's so small and fragile, I don't see how she's
    going to live the winter outside--though, she is a couple of years old
    now I guess, but I think she lived under those steps.  I called Buddy
    Dog, but they won't take her because she's not adoptable...  What can I
    do? or Can anyone help?
    
    Thanx, Diana & Linus
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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4148.1StrayCHIPS::URBANWed Nov 07 1990 10:537
    Oh yeah, I should have said that I would love to let this kitty in my house,
    but Linus would have no part of it.  He's 5 and has been an indoor cat
    all his kitty life.  I tried to bring a cat in before, and he totally
    freaked out about it the whole time...I finally had to find the other
    cat another home.
    
    Just so you understand, Diana & Linus  
4148.2Kitty Angels?TJT01::ARMITAGEWed Nov 07 1990 12:157
    Diana,
    I'm not sure where you are but there is a "home" in tyngsboro mass
    called Kitty Angel and they are I believe a no kill shelter.  If anyone
    out there can help me out I'd appreciate it since I'm not all that
    familiar with the facility but have heard many good things about it.
    Lisa
    8)
4148.3TOPDOC::PHILBROOKCustomer Publications ConsultingWed Nov 07 1990 12:336
    Kitty Angels is no-kill, however, they are currently full and not
    accepting any cats. Call your local Humane Society -- while they won't
    be able to guarantee no-kill, they will be able to take the cats in out
    of the cold and feed them.
    
    Mike
4148.4Where is she/you located?...BOOVX1::MANDILEWed Nov 07 1990 12:376
    Where is the cat located? (town/state)  Do you know if she
    has been spayed, by any chance?   
    
    Unfortunately, most shelters are full.  It was a "banner"
    year for kittens....
    
4148.5Kitty AngelsAKOV13::FALLONIsn't that a Mooncat?Wed Nov 07 1990 12:5214
    This is directly from their business card:
    
    "looking for Heavanly Homes"
    A non-profit rescue placement organization for needy and homeless cats
    
    Joan Abbot
    508-649-4681
    P.O. Box 638
    Tyngsboro, MA 01879
    
    Sandi Larson
    203-875-2830
    P.O. Box 476
    Tolland, CT 06084
4148.6StrayCHIPS::URBANWed Nov 07 1990 13:246
    Hi again,
    
    Thanx for the advice so far...I live in Hudson MA...and I don't believe
    the cat has ever been to a vet...  I was thinking of taking her to be
    spayed in the Spring because I guess she has a litter every year.  Last
    year a woman in my building took the kittens to be adopted somewhere...
4148.7Vet visit for tests/spaying might be a good idea...BOOVX1::MANDILEWed Nov 07 1990 13:329
    It would be easier to find her a home if she is spayed
    and healthy.  She would need vaccinations and a FELv test,
    too.  FELv, is Feline Leukemia, a contagious (to other cats)
    virus that leads to death in cats.
    I would be glad to donate $$ towards getting her on the road
    to a good home. 
                                 
    L-
    
4148.8Me, tooNUTMEG::LANDRYWed Nov 07 1990 15:365
    I would also be glad to pitch in $.  Let me know.
    
    Anna Landry
    264-5517
    
4148.9WJOUSM::GASKELLWed Nov 07 1990 16:066
    Me too--help with $ that is.  My family have said that if I have one
    more cat it's me that will be looking for a home, but I would be happy
    to help with health care -- my node is WJOUSM::GASKELL just send me a
    message.
    
    
4148.10CRUISE::NDCPutiput Scottish Folds DTN:297-2313Thu Nov 08 1990 08:2121
    It is very important that you keep this cat isolated from your own
    and wash your hands thoroughly after touching her.  As others have
    said there are many diseases and parasites that could be tranmitted
    to your own cat.  
    
    I've rescued strays in the past and this is how we did it.  We set up
    an isolation room, sometimes with a cage, and when I was ready to 
    treat the cat I'd bring him/her into the isolation room  Give them
    plenty of food and water and a box and arrange to take them to the
    vet.  At the vets they'd have a checkup, shots, usually a neuter and
    a feline leukemia test.  They would most likely also be treated for
    worms, fleas and earmites.  The FLV tests have always come back
    negative so we just kept the kitties and worked on socializing them
    and bringing them back to health.  When they were well enough we would
    find good homes for them - usually thanks to this file.  
    
    If you need help, advice, food, supplies, let me know.  I might even have
    a cage I can loan you.
      Nancy DC
    
    
4148.11And 5 cats......JAWS::MCDONOUGHThu Nov 08 1990 09:1812
      You may want to contact "Adopt-a-Cat" in Concord as well. Flo Morway
    runs this shelter, and usually has about 60-100 cats that she and
    others have rescued and are trying to find homes for. She actually goes
    out and traps Feral cats and tames them and places them...
    
      Her number is 508-369-9467..
    
      (My "Cookie" is one of her rescues..and she's also responsible for
    calling me about the latest dog that I took in...(#11))
    
    John Mc
           
4148.12Thanx....CHIPS::URBANThu Nov 08 1990 10:348
    Thanks everyone for all your responses...I think I'll call
    "Adopt-a-Cat" first and see how that goes.  I guess I have some calling
    around to do before I finally decide what to do, but at least I have
    some leads now.  If I decide to take her to a vet myself, I probably
    will need $ help, but I'll let you know...
    
    Thanx again, Di and Li
    
4148.13If you are willing to try again, this might helpEISREP::SKALTSISDebThu Nov 08 1990 20:5023
    >all his kitty life.  I tried to bring a cat in before, and he totally
    >freaked out about it the whole time...I finally had to find the other
    >cat another home.
    
    You didn't say how long you tried with the other cat, but
    having taken in and adopted a lot of ferals, I can tell you that it
    usually takes a couple of weeks until the fur stops flying, but I'll
    share with you what I did with Haralambos (#9) that made things go real
    easy. I grabbed him and immediatly brought him to the vet for fixing,
    bathing, shots, etc. Before I picked him up, I combed the other 8 with
    a comb sprayed with grooming spray (which smells like lanolin). Before
    I left the vet with Harry, I did the same with him (actually, I sprayed
    him with grooming spray). I brought him into an upstars bedroom and
    when he decided to come out (in his own good time), the others pretty
    much ignored him because their own sence of smell was totally thrown
    off. Because they ignored him, Harry didn't really have any hissing
    fits, either. And by the time the lanolin wore off, they were all used
    to each other. 
    
    It is really cold these past few nights, so I'd like to urge you to try
    again. Who knows, Linus and the new one might even become good friends.
    
    Deb
4148.14Good ideaCHIPS::URBANFri Nov 09 1990 09:0412
    Sounds like a good idea to spray the cats....but 1. I did try for a
    couple of weeks with Linus and that poor Persian, but he really had her
    frightened to death...  2.  My landlord says "I can have Linus and only
    Linus until his demise"--it's written in my rental agreement...nice,
    huh.  Anyway, I'm going to try to catch her this week...  My vet will
    check her and keep her overnight until I get back her blood test, and
    then she goes to Adopt-A-Cat for a spaying and shots.  It's possible
    that I may have someone to take her from there...  It will cost me
    $30-50 at the vets and also $ for the spaying.  I may get back to those
    who offered to help...  
    
    Di & Li