The OFFICIAL Unofficial Achewood Message Board
Trivial Pursuits => Science & Nature => Topic started by: side_show on August 27, 2004, 07:43:59 pm
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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?!
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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.
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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.
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Why, why must I love all things snuggley?!
There's no answer to this question.
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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?
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It'll be an interesting weekend.
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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 (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WpgFreecycle/) (people put animals on freecycle all the time so it's not a stretch).
Wanted In Winnipeg (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/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 (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gaywinnipeg/). Yes, I'm stereotyping, but I think of 213 gays and lesbians someone might be interested in rescuing a cat.
Winnipeg Vegetarian Association (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WpgVegAssoc/): vegetarians are usually animal lovers and complete suckers for this kind of thing.
Winnipeg Activist Discussion (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/winnipeg_activist-d/): I think we all know "activists"=people on the leftern side of the political scale=often animal lovers.
I hope this is helpful.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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I suppose a brick, a pillow case, and a river would be out of the question?
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jough, you're a card.
side_show, I have a friend in winnipeg, and she's calling someone else she knows who might be willing to take the cat in as she already has a "menagerie" (according to her) of animals...will let you know what comes up.
edit: she's not answering her home phone, but has been left a message.
edit: still haven't heard a word about this.
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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?
http://www.petoffice.co.jp/catprin/english/
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we have the legally allowed amount of cats already in our home (3)
*blink*
i'm sorry, is that your way of saying you already have too many cats, or do you live in hell?
I suppose a brick, a pillow case, and a river would be out of the question?
well, it would solve _one_ problem, but side_show would still have to find a good home for the cute little kitten after you drowned.
side_show- i agree with whoever said "goto walmart and stand out side saying "LOOK! CUTE KITTY! FREE!!".
most likely you will make some child very happy, and earn the eternal enmity of some parents.
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The big chain stores sometimes let you bring in animals for adoption - we adopted out one of our extra cats (we had 5 before moving to HI) at PetSmart.
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OK, I did a search in yahoo! groups for Winnipeg...
Yes, I'm stereotyping, but I think of 213 gays and lesbians someone might be interested in rescuing a cat...
TALKY, you rawk - that's right, with a 'w'! Thanks you so much for all your work and advice, and thanks to all! It is indeed not stereotyping to say that gay people love kittens, because, really, there are so few people who don't like kittens. And just because someone doesn't like pussy, doesn't mean...nevermind.
I brought the kitten over to my bestfriend's place on Saturday because I felt bad that the kitten had been locked in a tiny room all day and needed to stretch his kitten legs. He said "you can bring him over, but I'm not keeping him." And I said "Oh, I know, you'd be the worst pet owner, ever!" (which is not true as he is a sort of neat-freakish person who previously took more or less soul responsibility for caring for his [also gay] twin brother's two cats when they were roommates.) My bestfriend is in fact dating an editor for the local Queer News paper, and will be breaking up with him very soon, and will therefore be lonely. So I bring over the kitten, the kitten is generally very kitten like, plays with my friend, and then immediatly falls into the sort of deep sleep that only tired kittens can. My friend gazes at the kitten, who is happily in dreamland and looking generally adorable, then turns to me and says "oh my god, I'm keeping him aren't I?" I shrug, as I do not want to force him into anything. We watch Dirty Dancing. He quotes directy from the movie "Nobody puts baby in the corner!" His soon to by ex-boyfriend shows up and does all of my friends' laundry for him. The fact that I know he will soon be breaking up with his boyfriend, but is still letting him do all his laundry makes me a little angry, but I keep my mouth shut knowing I might have found a home for the kitten. My friend tells me "I think I'll call him Mr. Smithers." A long pause. Me "Does that mean you're keeping him? 'Cause if you're keeping him I need to take you to Wal-Mart to buy you all the litter and food you need."
And my problems are solved.
Also, TALKY, I did call Quagga, the Siamese Rescue Shelter is where I got one of my cats, and indeed the bargan-basement cat neutering from the humane society is the reason why I no longer have two insane, evil, in heat 24/7 females anymore, and my friend plans to get the kitten neutered when he's old enough too.
*blink*
i'm sorry, is that your way of saying you already have too many cats, or do you live in hell?
I remember the days when I used to look at people with cat fur on their clothes and think, "oh, how tacky to be covered in fur like that, I sure am glad I'll never be covered in fur like that!" Ah, hubris! Sometimes I turn to my SO and say "oh, no! We have three cats!" because, well, we have three cats, and that's just scary. Mostly though, it's rare to have all three in a room at the same time, so it's liveable.
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Aw, that's great news! I'm glad Mr. Smithers found a home. (I am a little disturbed by the whole "soon-to-be ex washing all of his clothes" situation -- is the soon-to-be ex at all aware that he's about to be an ex? -- but am aware that this is only a sidenote on a better story.)
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Well, that's a relief, side_show. I was so worried Mr Smithers might end up on the street again.
The name is really cracking me up.
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Aw, that's great news! I'm glad Mr. Smithers found a home. (I am a little disturbed by the whole "soon-to-be ex washing all of his clothes" situation -- is the soon-to-be ex at all aware that he's about to be an ex? -- but am aware that this is only a sidenote on a better story.)
No, the soon-to-be ex-boyfriend has no idea about the forth-coming break-up. It's kind of a Roast Beef & Molly-like crux. My bestfriend just came back from a work-related trip that took him out of the country for several months, and during this trip his boyfriend just kind of moved into the apartment without asking if it was okay. So everything is awkward, and my friend is very non-confrontational, but also not wanting the current situation to stand. He laughingly told me that he thinks of taking this cat in as the gay version of a couple having a baby to save the relationship.