Sucker -spelled s-i-d-e-s-h-o-w

[side_show]

Since the "science & nature" topic includes "small mammels"  I'll post this here.

So I drive into work today, and lo and behold there is a kitten darting in and out of traffic, looking terrified.  

Now with an avatar like mine, and the generally large amount of cat gushing I've done on the board, the rest really writes itself for most of you, I'm sure, but here we go:

So I go over to the little guy, who's eyes are all bugging out in terror, and he practically leaps into my arms.  I go into the office, the receptionist asks why I brought my cat to work, I explain the situation, and a co-worker comes over and says that he had seen the cat earlier today darting in and out of rush hour trafic also (but hadn't bothered to do anything).  The little guy has no tag or tattoo.  So up to my office I go, carrying the now purring cat.  I put him down, he checks out the office, and curls up to sleep on a spare chair.  I call every no-kill animal shelter in town, and none are accepting cats due to the massive influx they get every summer of kittens.  So I get to work on what I get paid to do, then at lunch I call the humane society, and while the phone is ringing, the little guy, as if on instinct wakes up and climbs into my lap, all cuddley and purring - all "please don't send me to my death, I'm cute you know!"

I'm told that due to the massive influx of cats and kittens that the little guy would likely be euthanized in a manner of days if I were to bring him in, so couldn't I keep him or find him a home? I am a sucker.  I hang up.

So aparently I have an office cat, which would be fine if I weren't moving out of my office in a week.  But really, I can't keep him - we have the legally allowed amount of cats already in our home (3), and really that's already too many.  Also this kitten has massive paws, and really long limbs, which tells me he's going to grow to be pretty big.  Never mind that he's been roaming the street, and could pass a disease on to my cats.

My mother suggests that I just bring him, in a box, to any of the overcrowded no kill shelters that had just told me over the phone that they will not take him, plunk him on the counter, and walk out.  Her logic sounds reasonable "They won't get rid of him once he's there."  But won't any shelter that is not accepting cats then just send him to the Humane Society anyway?  I mean, there's disease testing and food and litter required, nevermind vaccinations and getting his nuts chopped off.  When a shelter says no to a cat, it's not just a question of space.

I'm filled with guilt and I don't know what to do.  I've called all my cat-less friends and they all have good reasons not to keep a cat, such as constantly travelling, severe allergies, etc.  Help!

[TALKYdude]

Try offering a no-kill place some money?
And does your town have a craigslist? Copy your post and paste it there. Someone will adopt the pussy, or else tell you where to take it.

[andalucia]

Ouch.
I feel as though I should respond to this thread, but I don't have any kind of constructive answer.  There's no way that you could at least leave food out for the cat but have it not live with you?  I know that's still enough of a committment from you, but it's the nearest thing to a happy medium that I can think of.

[side_show]

Ouch.
I feel as though I should respond to this thread, but I don't have any kind of constructive answer.  There's no way that you could at least leave food out for the cat but have it not live with you?  I know that's still enough of a committment from you, but it's the nearest thing to a happy medium that I can think of.

Certainly he would enjoy a life of running around impregnating the many female cats in our neighbourhood, but that would be more irresponsible than having him euthanised.  He's totally looking at me while I type this - do you think he know's what I'm talking about?  

TALKYdude, Winnipeg does not have a craigslist, althought I checked it out, and it's a cool site.  We do have some rather crappy on-line classifieds with fairly low traffic, but if I did this or took out a "free to a good home" ad in the paper, what would I do with him while I wait?  And why would anyone want a cat from a total stranger, when you can go to the humane society and get one that certified healthy and fixed for so cheap?"

It's an hour before the end of my work day, and I just dread taking the little guy home and trapping him in the only room possible - the bathroom.  I can't let him mingle with my cats - go forbid he has Feline AIDS (FHIV).  My SO and I are one pay check away from financial doom, so getting all our cats sick isn't an option.  I know my SO will want to take the kitty out to the country and abandon him down some farm road.  I wonder if a city cat would have enough instinct to survive in the country, epecially one dumb enough to weave in and out of traffic.  Nevermind the encrouching Manitoba Winter.  

Why did I do this?  Why didn't I just look the other way and go on with my day.  Maybe I should just dump him in a near-by neighbourhood and let nature run it's course.  Why, why must I love all things snuggley?!

[V-Adore]

Is there any sort of community message center or some such you could contact? A mailing list, an LJ community, anything of the sort? It seems like the best idea.

As for just feeding him and letting him roam -- you're right that it's not the best solution, even if you got him neutered. We have a working relationship like that with one of our local strays, but he's an adult cat who sort of came with the house and has no desire to be domesticated anyway.

Good luck. What a poor, sweet kitten.

[Va]

One of my old roomates was able to get rid of some kitties we could not keep by taking them in a box and standing outside Wal Mart bugging people until she found someone willing to take them.  It took about 3 hours.  I know that sounds pretty crappy, but it sounds like you're running out of options.

[CortJstr]

Why, why must I love all things snuggley?!

There's no answer to this question.

[TALKYdude]

Oh, you're in the 'Peg. Wow. Yeah, no CL there. You should get kittycat some kind of setup she can live in outside and be warm so she doesn't mix with your cats, while you figure out a permanent home for her. I'm doing some research and hope to have more practical suggestions shortly. [obviously I am suggesting a long string and a collar, constraining her freedom of movement to your yard with the shelter that you construct for her. If it's not fenced and a dog or other predator might get to her this is a terrible idea]. Do you even have your own yard or are you in an apartment?

[side_show]

It'll be an interesting weekend.

[TALKYdude]

OK, I did a search in yahoo! groups for Winnipeg. there are some 400+ yahoo! groups related to Winnipeg. I picked out the most likely candidates for you to join and post your plea on. I'm sure that someone on one of these lists will take pity on a helpless kitty. You might want to consider making the investment of taking kitty to the vet to improve her adoption chances, get her shots and neutered/spayed. I know you say money is tight so maybe that's not such a viable idea; I and I'm sure others on this board am willing to contribute some of my own meager funds to your paypal to help with the vet expense. here are the yahoo! groups with large or medium memberships that are likely candidates:
Winnipeg Freecycle (people put animals on freecycle all the time so it's not a stretch).
Wanted In Winnipeg "If you are in need or want something, post it here, and hopefully others who have what you need/want can find you! Conversely, if you have things you do not need, check here to see if you can help"
Gay in Winnipeg. Yes, I'm stereotyping, but I think of 213 gays and lesbians someone might be interested in rescuing a cat.
Winnipeg Vegetarian Association: vegetarians are usually animal lovers and complete suckers for this kind of thing.
Winnipeg Activist Discussion: I think we all know "activists"=people on the leftern side of the political scale=often animal lovers.
I hope this is helpful.

[TALKYdude]

I assume you've been in touch with both of these:

Quagga Stray Cat Rescue
690 Elizabeth Road, Winnipeg, MB
(204) 237-1958   Email: t.lawton@shaw.ca

edited to delete the Siamese cats one since they only want Siamese cats.

[Asherdan]

Good luck with the kitty Smells.

OT: I had a niggling thought when I was reading through all of this: what would Ray's advice be?

[TALKYdude]

If you take the cat to the humane society for spaying/neutering, they have a sliding scale that they charge based on your income. So that's worth exploring.

[Va]

side_show, I have to know,  your avatar, was that a cute picture you found somewhere or did you dress up/photoshop one of your own kitties?

[jough]

I suppose a brick, a pillow case, and a river would be out of the question?