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Supreme Being
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| I've got an intact male stray cat who is haunting the neighborhood, I give him what care I can, but still being unemployed, and have four cats of my own I'm stretched very thin. This guy is syrupy sweet, and desperately want to live with me, but I cannot take on another cat. Vali is just starting to come around to the idea that humans aren't all bad. But I've not had the money to get him fixed eithere yet. Well the stray is covered in wounds from fighting and probably crawling with fleas. He currently has a large chunk missing from his cheek that is beyond my ability to treat. I'm coming around to the decision that I've got to load him up into a carrier and take him to the animal shelter it's for his own good. But I feel really lousy about this. He has a flea collar on, but no I.D. and he's skinny really really skinny even though he goes through 2, 5 ounce cans of cat food from me. I am fairly certain that other neighbors are feeding him. He's wearing the same kind of flea collar that Gabe had on when he was brought to my door. So I am fairly certain he has a family somewhere, but they're obviously not taking care of him. Am I right to take him to the shelter? He is such a sweet guy (Like my Gabe whereever these cats are coming from they must get a lot of love as kittens), but I'd hate for him to not get adopted. But the thought of him getting more beaten up or that injury getting infected or worse (maggots! Gross!) upsets me even more. What should I do?
My cats own my house they just permit me to live there. Only cat lovers know the luxury of fur-coated, musical hot water bottles that never go cold."
- Susanne Millen 
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Supreme Being
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| Knowing you, I'm sure you've tried to determine if this little fellow does have a home. It would appear that if he does, his home isn't a loving, caring one to allow him to get in that condition. You have your hands full. Four cats and no job is a lot to deal with - here it's three cats, two adults, no job for either, and I'm online this time of night because sleep has become something I kinda vaguely remember. So I understand that you yourself can't do anything for this kitty. Seems much kinder to me to take him to a shelter where he may be cared for and adopted. Even if they cannot rehome him, it just seems cruel to know that he's out there needing food & medical care and not getting it. And if there are any whole females out there, he's adding more cats to the equation. Where are the homes for them?
Cats_Dolls  
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Supreme Being
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| And he's already sired a litter of four adorable little poof balls with my feral queen (I have GOT to get her on the list for the Feral Cat Management Program) And looking at them I can fairly safely assume that he's also the sire of my Vali kitty. I digress. I just feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place here, taking him to the animal shelter is possible death, but judging from the number of wounds on this guy leaving him on the street is certain death. And he is just the sweetest guy, I wish I had the means to take him in or I would snap him up in a New York Minute. This is the sweeet homeless guy I've dubbed Sylvester 
My cats own my house they just permit me to live there. Only cat lovers know the luxury of fur-coated, musical hot water bottles that never go cold."
- Susanne Millen
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Senior Member
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He's adorable! I guess there aren't any no-kill shelters in your area? Do you know anyone who would be willing to take him on? (a foster family even?). Maybe he's just wandered way too far from home, perhaps you can try putting up Lost Cat ads in the neighbourhood and online? Those just seem like the more hopeful options for him if you are unable to care for him yourself.
tommygirl
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Supreme Being
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If the shelter is a no-kill shelter, you can call ahead first to make sure they have vacancy. Often shelters will put animals (especially cats) to sleep if they have no room for them.
If they have no room, you can ask to be put on a waiting list. They will call when they have room. They usually give you one day (24 hours) to catch the cat and get him over there.
I think you are doing the right thing, though. Please don't beat yourself up. You can't save them all! That was a hard fact I faced long ago, and I'm sure one you've battled before and will battle again! You just do what you can for the ones that are sent to you to care for and thank God that it was you who was chosen to be the helper.
Please keep us posted. Does this kitty have a name?
Got Facebook? Join my group, FeLV Advocate, and support pro-life beliefs for feline leukemia cats!
[url=http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=116465280021&ref=ts][/url]
<a href="http://dragcave.net/view/aVYT"><img src="http://dragcave.net/image/aVYT.gif" style="border-width: 0" alt="Adopt one today!"/></a>
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Supreme Being
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| The logical thinking part of my brain knows that I can't save them all, and the emotional part of my brain says " well why not?!" So the logical part says " you're treading water right now as is, and if you tried to save them all you'd only succeed in being a hoarder/collector." Last I had heard ( and this was a few months ago, so things may have changed by now) all the no-kills here were at capacity and were wait listing any new cats. The worst part is that I'm leaving tomorrow to housesit/dog sit and won't be back until the 11th. so I'm kind of stuck there anyway.
My cats own my house they just permit me to live there. Only cat lovers know the luxury of fur-coated, musical hot water bottles that never go cold."
- Susanne Millen
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Senior Member
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Please don't take him to a shelter! At least with you, he's got people who love him and feed him, and plenty of space to stretch his legs. It seems so unfair that he should become 'one in a number' of perfectly goodcats that are euthanized simply for lack of space. I always feed any ferals that come around our place, and they seem happy to just have a full belly. I would either continue to feed him as you have, or just stop feeding him altogether if you can't afford to. At least you know other people will. At least he'll be alive.
Live, and let live. "true profit is measured by quality of life." "We have cats to enhance our lives, we owe it to them to allow them to enjoy theirs."
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Supreme Being
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| This little guy has endless numbers of wounds in various stages of healing and currently missing a part of his left cheek because of a fight he was in. He needs medical attention that I cannot afford to provide, he possibly needs stitches certainly needs someone to disinfect and keep that wound clean and healing. Probably needs to have his shots, flea treament, and probably de-wormed so he can gain some weight. I cannot afford 90% of those things. I have some de-wormer left from when I got Gabe, but it's fairly pointless to de-worm a cat that's just going to go and get reinfested. At an animal shelter he will get all of those things and possibly a home that deserves him. BUt I'm having doubts now that he is a stray afterall. I looked at his cheek wound today and looks like the area around it has been shaved. It also appears that someone tried grooming him. So I don't know what to think! I'm half tempted to put a note on his collar to the effects of " WHo am I? where do I live? Please get me a name tag so I'm not arrested for being stray!" I don't know what to do!
My cats own my house they just permit me to live there. Only cat lovers know the luxury of fur-coated, musical hot water bottles that never go cold."
- Susanne Millen
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Supreme Being
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I think the note is a terrific idea! You could add your phone#, just saying you see him a lot and wonder where he lives. Could be someone just like you has also befriended him and if you got together "pooled your resources" so to speak, you could get him all fixed up!! Maybe he has a family that just needs help knowing how to care for him.
CricketYou don't have to be crazy to be my friend, but it helps!!! 
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 11/3/2009 11:34:12 AM
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| I really do think he has other people caring for him as well. The note is an awesome idea! You should put your phone # on it, and see how many call! lol He's one of those 'legendary tramp' types that has several homes. Also, I'm pretty sure those wounds are not as bad as they may look. Ferals are tough as nails. We had a feral named Guy that had huge gashes all over him and ticks the size of marbles. He never seemed bothered, and slowly healed over time. If he's tame enough, you should at least get his wounds cleaned and disinfected. Bless the little guy's heart!
Live, and let live. "true profit is measured by quality of life." "We have cats to enhance our lives, we owe it to them to allow them to enjoy theirs."
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