Have I been too judgemental?

[Jemini]

I just had a woman phone the helpline because a cat she's been looking after for a friend has gone missing. He's a year old and not neutered. She's obviously in a total state because she's lost her friend's cat and apparently they've only recently got back in touch with each other again. Next it transpires that there's also a female cat in the household that hasn't been speyed. So I give this poor woman a lecture about the amount of unwanted kittens and cats there are at the moment ..... along with advice for trying to get this cat back of course. I also said I hoped the 2 cats weren't related if they are going to mate as that could be a bit disasterous. Poor woman didn't know and said she would pass the information on to her friends ... and then she said she wanted to send a donation which was nice but have I just totally destroyed her friendship?

First she gets back with this friend, loses their cat and then plans to give them a telling off for not having them snipped. I know it's not her fault and I probably got on my high horse about it but I get so annoyed with people that are so irresponsible. I know they may have possible owners for any kittens but they're not going to know how many are produced and who gets lumbered with the fall out when they can't find homes for them? ......





Rant over 

[gemc1981]

I think it might be easier for people to be less cynical who havent seen over and over again the problems that can occur.  I am very similar to you as I used to be a vet nurse I HATE seeing un neutered animals.  It strikes me as odd that they have not been in touch for ages then she gives her her cat to look after - I would never entrust my animals to someone I didnt know/hadnt been in touch with for ages.

It really bugs me that people dont neuter their animals then expect charities to home the unwanted kittens. 

[womblecat1]

I have said it before and I will no doubt say it again but I dont know how you manage to do your job without either committing mass murder or banging your head off the wall, you must be so patient.  I am not surprised you said something, its so irresponsible. 

[Jemini]

And the next one .....

A lovely man phoned, clearly very distressed. He'd found a dead cat behind his shed. His own cats were sniffing around down there so he went to investigate. He said the cat seemed to be jammed between his ladder and the shed. His daughter had seen the same cat earlier in the morning so it must have been a recent accident. I asked if he could knock on some doors to find a possible owner which he said he would do and then I suggested phoning his local vet and take the body there and I'd get the info up on the website. At least then the owner would know what had happened.

He's just phoned back after seeing his neighbours and they have said that the cat belonged to someone down the road who had moved and just left the cat   He'd also phoned the council who said they would come and pick the cat up.

I could tell the man was really upset and also very angry. How can people just leave an animal behind like that?

And what a nice guy to have thought there might be an owner out there wondering what had happened to their pet - if only!!

[Tallulah]

It's up to her how she passes on your advice about neutering and the risks of inbreeding. He's probably busy looking for lady cats. I hope he finds his way home so this poor lady doesn't have to tell her friend she's lost the cat!

Very sad to hear about the cat who has died after its owners left. I can't understand why people do this. Can't people at least abandon them somewhere like the CPL or a vets? I know you're not really supposed to do it that way, but it's got to be better than moving away and leaving it to die.

[Edgewood]

I am with Tina on this I don't think I could keep my temper. Yes I deal with idiot humans who produce children where their are still a child themselves, but animals reply on us for their love care and attention. I suppose when some humans give barely a thought to there own reproduction, what diseases they could catch and the sad outcomes then why would the even consider having animal neutered.

How lovely of the man to go to so much trouble to find the cats owner and phone you back.

In 2006 the same week Alfie, Smudge and Maggie died, I had a phone call on my mobile from a girl 16 yrs and a Mum on benefits. I had worked with for 3 years even giving her and the boy friend free condoms. Once I had got over who had given you my mobile number (Office manager) while I was off sick with stress, she asked me if I would like to have some kittens. I struggled to control my temper as a year before I had taken her female cat to a local charity to be done. I found out she had got two more kittens a male and female. She was surprised they had produced kittens when still kittens themselves. I gave her the number of the charity and washed my hands of the whole matter. I looked back and think maybe if I was in a better place emotionally I could have been more help. It just annoyed me so much that I had lost three animals I cared deeply for and here was this girl with who didn't give a dam. 

[AnnaT]

I also don't know how you keep your temper. At least there are people like you to try and make things better and educate people and you know you can have a good rant on here anytime. We all understand 

[Jemini]

I had a lovely lady on the phone for my last call. She's been feeding this feral cat for ages, she thinks he's about 18, but he's got a hole in his cheek which she thinks is an abscess. It sounded horrible. I authorised a vet visit for her but told her that she may have to be prepared to have the cat PTS as the nurse thought it was highly likely that he was FiV and had been fighting.

Some people are so lovely and others are just scum .. there doesn't seem to be any in between