Posted on 07/30/2004 9:20:26 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows
Some of you know the story of Zia, my new kitten. Well, Wednesday night I found myself in custody of another kitten - poor thing just strolled up to me in my carport, mewing piteously. I took it to the vet, and it turns out the poor critter has good reason to mew - it has feline leukemia and a nasty upper respiratory infection.
This kitty is in trouble - I can't take her becase Zia would be in danger of infection, and no normal shelter would take her for the same reason. I have a call in to Waccamaw Animal Rescue Mission (the local no-kill animal shelter), but haven't heard from them so far. I'm currently boarding her at the vet. If I can't find a home for her by Monday, she'll be euthanized.
The respiratory infection is curable, and she could potentially live a long life. The problem is that she could not be in a house with other cats because of the feline leukemia, and in about seven years she'll probably start to develop other health problems. (So says the vet, I'm no expert.) I also expect she'd have to be an indoor cat because of the leukemia.
The kitten is female, about 6-8 weeks old (possibly a littermate of Zia's), brindled tan coat, and has no fear of dogs. I'll happily drive her to anywhere within a few hours of the Myrtle Beach area, but I doubt an air cargo company would take her without a clean bill of health (and she does have fleas). Sorry, no pics - maybe later.
I know this is a long shot. If anyone is interested in taking her, please post or freepmail.
Unbeknownst to them, he had feline leukemia which he got from his mother.
All his litter mates died within a week but strider live for a year; so little Aimee might be around for a good long while.
She is the world's biggest snugglebunny. I'm very glad she's in a good home.
So glad you've gotten a happy ending to your story. I'm an animal lover too - actually I feel a tremendous amount for anyone/thing that is defenseless.
Now - I'm about to come clean. After I type this I'm going to grab my bunny slippers and crawl under my desk until all the sarcastic remarks and jokes are over.
Okay - my kids got a free hamster from a friend. The hamster chewed through it's cage, got out, somehow got downstairs, went behind the washer/dryer and ate mouse poison. I took this hamster to a vet emergency clinic. The vet wanted to charge a huge amount of money for me to bring the hamster in every day for (I don't remember how many) weeks. Told him no way - what else could we do? The vet was great and for about $20 I bought syringes and vitamin E(?) from him. He taught me how to inject the hamster and I gave this hamster shots every day for several weeks. I saved Trixie the hamster's life (take THAT sKerry) and she lived a long, happy life. And it made my kids happy too.
Now, for anyone interested, go ahead and let me have it for spending about $35 on a free hamster! Maybe the other animal lovers out there won't judge me.
See post #203, y'all!
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Kitty Ping List alert!
[Freepmail me to get on or off the Kitty Ping List.]
What took you so long? LOL
You are much more qualified by now to give a hamster CPR than John Kerry.
Great story! I also scrolled back up, and noticed new photos of Penny I hadn't seen. She looks like she's grown considerably, and is so bright-eyed!
Poor little kitty. I'll pray for you. Is this a cat ping list? If so, please add me cuz I love cats! We have two (Bones and Osama) who stay inside.
Recently a male big mean rough tough cat adopted us and he wants to come inside but we can't let him in cuz he'd rip Bones to shreds. So the new cat - we named him Rock - we told him his job is to patrol the whole yard. We put a blanket under the house so he can sleep there and we keep his food bowl full.
Only problem is that if Bones ever accidentally got out, Rock would kill him because Bones thinks he's tough but he's not - no worldly sense. Bones and Rock hate each other out of jealousy, I guess. So Bones and Rock look at each other through the glass and do their screaming and threatening. It's kind of hilarious but we have to be really careful those two never have real access to each other.
Again, best wishes for the little kitten. He/she has a really hard way to go. Maybe the best thing would be to have it put to sleep.
P.S. Can you guess how Osama, our girl cat, came by her name?
She has, and she is. Does my heart good.
I caught a mouse in my apartment and gave it to neighbor-friend who wanted a little pet. After about a year it developed a horrible skin problem. She took it to NYC's Animal Medical Center (major veterinary teaching and research hospital that has basically all the equipment and specialists that a human hospital has). I don't know how much she spent on it, but she took it there at least 3 times, and you don't get out of there for less $100 per visit at an absolute minimum (that's when they just look at the critter -- any treatment or medication is more). Mousie's condition was terminal, but with nightly baths in special medication, followed by some medication lotion, and some medicine added to its water, she kept it comfortable for several months.
Thank you; yes; you're added; me too.
---Saga of Bones and Rock snipped---
Again, best wishes for the little kitten. He/she has a really hard way to go. Maybe the best thing would be to have it put to sleep.
It's no longer my decision to make, but even if it was, I wouldn't. Penny is happy and healthy for today, and tomorrow will have to be dealt with when it arrives. She's getting what everyone gets - a lifetime.*
[Paraphrased quote stolen from Neil Gaiman.]
See my post #211 -- LibSnubber is nowhere near the record for paying medical bills for a free rodent.
I don't feel vulnerable. Someone else's kids aren't my problem. Having kids you cannot afford and then expecting peolple to want to help you is not responsible.
I saw. Whoooooooweeee!
You're really serious? I couldn't do that and it's not because of the money. It's the tail, too creepy. My outside cat will catch mice (we live with pastures & fields all around us) and I'll get the mouse from her and put it in a bucket. Then I wait for my husband to come home. It's up to him whether he kills it or lets it go - depends on how injured it is. But a mouse for a pet - like I said, couldn't do it.
Thanks for sharing - I feel better now that the heat's off of me.
What is the big Kerry/hamster joke? I haven't been able to find any reference to it anywhere else. :-)
Hahah. Thanks!
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