Help! I need to save a cat

We have a cat at the shelter, a 1-2 year old calico named Blossom, who was
adopted a few months ago and returned for not being very friendly. I met
her before and she just has that "calico" personality. She's not wild about
other cats, does things on her own terms. The people that adopted her also
had her declawed (assholes!).
The cats has been back with us for 3 days, and has bitten two volunteers in
this time. She is really not happy about being in the shelter and does not
like having the other cats around. I don't know the exact circumstances of
what the volunteers were doing when they got bit, but they are both pretty
cat savvy, I don't think they were doing anything stupid. One volunteer is
in the hospital from the bite. All this does not bode well for Blossom. We
have to keep her for the next 10 days for a bite hold. She is out in the
animal control kennel for now. Right now, it is looking like she will be
put down at the end of the 10 days. Our shelter is not no-kill, but we do
everything to avoid it. The person in charge of the cat program does not
euthanize lightly, but is getting pressure to not have ill-tempered cats in
the system (they are dangerous to the volunteers, etc).
I have 10 days to save Blossom. I really don't know what to do. Because
she is declawed, she cannot go to a barn placement. Our last bitey cat was
almost put down, but a mouser position opened up for him and he was spared.
I am supposed to be keeping my stess level at a minimum. If my blood
pressure goes up, I could wind up in the hospital. I really don't want to
deal with this, but I feel like it's my duty to do something. OTOH, I am
getting really burned out by sheltering and am almost ready to be one of
those people who just donates money and doesn't deal with it on a day-to-day
basis.
I really can't take Blossom into my house for a long period of time. I have
way too much going on right now and 7 cats of my own. I know someone's going
to scream at me to get the cat out and keep her. I have no where to put her
except the bathroom.
Any ideas? Anyone at a no-kill shelter with a possible opening? Anyone
looking for a calico with an attitude?

--
-Kelly

On Tue, 17 May 2005 15:55:53 -0400, "KellyH"
wrote:

Anyone
looking for a calico with an attitude?

An attitude is one thing, biting seriously enough to hospitalize is
quite another. Sometimes, there is only one choice.

Millions of animals have no homes. Resources are limited everywhere
and are best used to try to find homes for the ones who DON'T bite
people. If an individual has a way to save an animal, that's great,
but there just aren't enough homes for biting, peeing, etc cats or
dogs. Breaks my heart ever day, but the safety of people is always a
concern as well.

--
Janet B
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bestfr...bedience/album

In article ,
enlightened us with...
The cats has been back with us for 3 days, and has bitten two volunteers in
this time. She is really not happy about being in the shelter and does not
like having the other cats around. I don't know the exact circumstances of
what the volunteers were doing when they got bit, but they are both pretty
cat savvy, I don't think they were doing anything stupid. One volunteer is
in the hospital from the bite. All this does not bode well for Blossom.

It doesn't bode well for anyone who might adopt her, either.
And since you know she bites, it opens up the shelter to a lawsuit.
How would you feel if she was adopted out to someone and ended up biting a
child in the face? Since she bit cat-saavy people, how might the ordinary
person get on with her?

I'm afraid there's a reason why most shelters (even "no-kill") euthanize a
cat that bites anyone under any circumstances.
It is irresponsible to rehome her to any average person or family. She's
unpredictable and could be a tragedy waiting to happen. Which leaves only the
truly experienced people, who are often already overloaded with rescues.
I wish you the best of luck with Blossom, but try to not blame yourself or
feel guilty if she ends up PTS. It's always sad, especially for those of us
who love cats, even if they do bite (I have a little torbie b!tch, myself).
But sometimes it's for the best.

--
--
~kaeli~
Cthulhu saves our souls and redeems them for valuable
coupons later.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

On Tue, 17 May 2005 15:55:53 -0400, "KellyH"
wrote:


I have 10 days to save Blossom. I really don't know what to do. Because
she is declawed, she cannot go to a barn placement. Our last bitey cat was
almost put down, but a mouser position opened up for him and he was spared.
I am supposed to be keeping my stess level at a minimum. If my blood
pressure goes up, I could wind up in the hospital.

Good Lord. It's not your responsibility to save a vicious animal no
one wants.

What part of the country are you in?

Charlie

"kaeli" wrote
It doesn't bode well for anyone who might adopt her, either.
And since you know she bites, it opens up the shelter to a lawsuit.
How would you feel if she was adopted out to someone and ended up biting a
child in the face? Since she bit cat-saavy people, how might the ordinary
person get on with her?


I would not adopt her to a family with small kids. I believe she bit
because she was under stress. She had been hissing and growling when she
sees other cats. I'm trying to find out exactly what happened when the
volunteers were bit.

I'm afraid there's a reason why most shelters (even "no-kill") euthanize a
cat that bites anyone under any circumstances.
It is irresponsible to rehome her to any average person or family. She's
unpredictable and could be a tragedy waiting to happen. Which leaves only
the
truly experienced people, who are often already overloaded with rescues.
I wish you the best of luck with Blossom, but try to not blame yourself or
feel guilty if she ends up PTS. It's always sad, especially for those of
us
who love cats, even if they do bite (I have a little torbie b!tch,
myself).
But sometimes it's for the best.


I just don't feel the behavior over the past couple days is truly Blossom's
personality. She was not like this when she was at the shelter before the
adoption. I would like to see how she does in a home situation before
making a final judgment on her behavior.

--
-Kelly

I can think of many reasons why the kitty would have bitten someone -- being
scared or overstimulated from the shelter being one; stress from having been
recently declawed being another possibility. I've volunteered at the local
humane society shelter and it is very, very stressful for some of the
animals, especially if a lot of people come through looking at them. We've
had shelter workers who also got bit by an animal that got overstimmed.
Also, cat bites are known for being easily infected because of the type of
bacteria in their mouths and the type of wound their bites produce, i.e.,
deep punctures, so I'm not surprised that the person may in the hospital. I
know this because I worked with (and successfully rehabilitated) a feral who
was scared, bit me and I got an infection that needed strong meds and
several urgent care visits, too. But I luckily received help from someone
experienced in socializing ferals; learned how to work with him, and he's
now a sweet housecat.

Kelly, have you talked to any other rescue groups yet? Maybe you could see
if someone would be willing to foster her if you could help (if this is at
all possible) pay for her to stay with them for awhile. Or see if a vet
would be willing to let you board her at a reduced rate while you try to
work out some solution; that at least could buy you some time.
I think the key here would be to find someone who is willing to temporarily
foster her so that Blossom can get socialized so then she could be placed in
a better situation.

Maybe others can help out with more ideas.
Purrs from us for your kind and caring heart.
Christine and Omar, Oreo, Midnight, Robin & Tucker


"KellyH" wrote in message
...
We have a cat at the shelter, a 1-2 year old calico named Blossom, who was
adopted a few months ago and returned for not being very friendly. I met
her before and she just has that "calico" personality. She's not wild
about
other cats, does things on her own terms. The people that adopted her
also
had her declawed (assholes!).
The cats has been back with us for 3 days, and has bitten two volunteers
in
this time. She is really not happy about being in the shelter and does
not
like having the other cats around. I don't know the exact circumstances
of
what the volunteers were doing when they got bit, but they are both pretty
cat savvy, I don't think they were doing anything stupid. One volunteer
is
in the hospital from the bite. All this does not bode well for Blossom.
We
have to keep her for the next 10 days for a bite hold. She is out in the
animal control kennel for now. Right now, it is looking like she will be
put down at the end of the 10 days. Our shelter is not no-kill, but we do
everything to avoid it. The person in charge of the cat program does not
euthanize lightly, but is getting pressure to not have ill-tempered cats
in
the system (they are dangerous to the volunteers, etc).
I have 10 days to save Blossom. I really don't know what to do. Because
she is declawed, she cannot go to a barn placement. Our last bitey cat
was
almost put down, but a mouser position opened up for him and he was
spared.
I am supposed to be keeping my stess level at a minimum. If my blood
pressure goes up, I could wind up in the hospital. I really don't want to
deal with this, but I feel like it's my duty to do something. OTOH, I am
getting really burned out by sheltering and am almost ready to be one of
those people who just donates money and doesn't deal with it on a
day-to-day
basis.
I really can't take Blossom into my house for a long period of time. I
have
way too much going on right now and 7 cats of my own. I know someone's
going
to scream at me to get the cat out and keep her. I have no where to put
her
except the bathroom.
Any ideas? Anyone at a no-kill shelter with a possible opening? Anyone
looking for a calico with an attitude?

--
-Kelly

"Charlie Wilkes" wrote
Good Lord. It's not your responsibility to save a vicious animal no
one wants.


I really don't think she's vicious. She was not like this before.

What part of the country are you in?

New England, MA/NH border.

--
-Kelly

kaeli wrote:
In article ,

enlightened us with...
The cats has been back with us for 3 days, and has bitten two
volunteers in
this time. She is really not happy about being in the shelter and
does not
--
~kaeli~


I wish I could take her, once established, cats like her make good
pets.

You never know, maybe someone will step in, I hope so.

"Christine Burel" wrote in message
...
I can think of many reasons why the kitty would have bitten someone --
being
scared or overstimulated from the shelter being one; stress from having
been
recently declawed being another possibility. I've volunteered at the
local
humane society shelter and it is very, very stressful for some of the
animals, especially if a lot of people come through looking at them. We've
had shelter workers who also got bit by an animal that got overstimmed.
Also, cat bites are known for being easily infected because of the type of
bacteria in their mouths and the type of wound their bites produce, i.e.,
deep punctures, so I'm not surprised that the person may in the hospital.
I
know this because I worked with (and successfully rehabilitated) a feral
who
was scared, bit me and I got an infection that needed strong meds and
several urgent care visits, too. But I luckily received help from someone
experienced in socializing ferals; learned how to work with him, and he's
now a sweet housecat.


Thank you, I'm glad you understand. A cat bite doesn't necessarily have to
be vicious in order for someone to end up in the hospital. Could be that
she didn't get it washed out right away, where the bite wound happened, etc.
I really think Blossom bit because she was stressed and possibly redirected
agression due to the other cats.

Kelly, have you talked to any other rescue groups yet? Maybe you could
see
if someone would be willing to foster her if you could help (if this is at
all possible) pay for her to stay with them for awhile. Or see if a vet
would be willing to let you board her at a reduced rate while you try to
work out some solution; that at least could buy you some time.
I think the key here would be to find someone who is willing to
temporarily
foster her so that Blossom can get socialized so then she could be placed
in
a better situation.


I'm talking to a couple other volunteers right now to see what we can do, if
anyone can foster her. I do think a foster home would be the best scenario.

--
-Kelly

I found out that Blossom did bite in the home, twice, post-declaw. One was
without warning on the leg.
As for the bites in the shelter, one occurred when other cats were in the
room and a loud noise startled her. The other happened when she was rubbing
up against the cage, looking for attention, and the volunteer pet her. No
other cats around and no warning. That instance is not good for her future.

--
-Kelly