# My saga continues... (and I need a foster home)



## Erin

If everyone has been following my story, you know I have three feral kitties who've been spayed/neutered/tested/vaxed, and put outside. 

So tonight I went out to check on them and saw a strange cat that I had never seen before. I made a little kissy noise, and holey cow, she came RUNNING up to me. I reached out to pet her, and she butted her head on my hand, then turned around and stuck her butt in my face, and meowed, meowed, meowed!! I suspect she's in heat. The interesting thing, is that she has the same colour pattern as the kittens - that weird torby thing. Not a tabby, not a tortoiseshell. She looks very Main ****-ish. She has a HUGE head, those pointy tipped ears, and that jowl hair that sticks out on their cheeks. She's a very pretty cat, and very handle-able. She must be someone's cat, or was someone's cat. She's kind of skinny, though not as bad as the kittens were. 

Anyway, she's in my laundry room in a crate for tonight. I gave her a fungal/antiseptic spray as well. When I caught her the two girls went CRAZY. They woke my neighbor they were meowing so loud, and now they're hovering outside the laundry room door. Me thinks I caught mama cat tonight. 

My problem is this - we are leaving Christmas day for 2 weeks. I have my animals taken care of, and I have someone putting food out for the kitties, but NO ONE is willing to feed/clean up after the feral kitties, especially with ringworm. I have no idea what to do with this cat. I have tomorrow to figure out where to take her, and the problem I had with the little ones is that no one has room. All the no-kill shelters are full. The only place that has room is Animal Control, and animal control is not a no-kill shelter. My only option at this point is to drop her off there, and see if I can re-adopt her when I get back. By then she will be available. 

I'm going to email some of the rescue groups and see if I can get a foster home for her, otherwise I'm screwed.  If someone will take her for the two weeks, I'll get her spayed and put her back out when I get home (on the 8th of Jan!), but she cannot stay here. 

On one hand I want to take her door-to-door tomorrow and see if she belongs to someone local, but A) I know I will go ape on who ever is letting their out cat out while in heat to breed and have kittens, and B) I don't think who ever owns this cats deserves to have her back, and if they do, I'd rather just get her spayed and let her show back up at home. BUT.. I don't have the time to get her spayed. ARG. I am stressing out right now. I thought I had all my ducks in a row with getting the other spayed/neutered and put back outside. They're close, they're eating, it's all good. Now there's another one? Who the **** is doing this? Who is letting their cats outside??????

I am so mad and stressed right now. 

And tomorrow is CHRISTMAS EVE. I leave at 6am on CHRISTMAS DAY. Everything will be closed. I will have to leave her at the over night drop box.  I'm starting to cry just typing this. I have to take her away from her babies, and drop her off at a kill shelter? 

Please, if anyone is in Florida (Palm Beach County specifically), who can take this cat for 2 weeks, please, please, PLEASE PM me.


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## Heidi n Q

I wish I lived closer, I really do.
Is someone coming to your home to care for your own animals or are you animals being boarded out for those two weeks? If someone is coming, can you put food outside for her (like you're doing with the released kitties?) and just hope she'll be there when you get back? Even if she does catch pregnant while you are away, she can still be spayed if it is early. If you are adverse to doing that, you could let her kitten and spay her afterwards.
I wish I had a solution for you.


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## Erin

I went door to door this morning looking for the owners, and two people said they've seen the cat in the neighborhood for years, one was quite surprised I was able to catch her. She's in heat, so she's ALL OVER me. 

Another house I went to, the one I went to in the beginning and the lady shut the door in my face and told me to go away... has 7 cats, and said this one is not hers. I then asked if she had any un-neutered males, and she and her daughter said "no, no, no... all our cats are fixed". Then out walks a HUGE tom, complete with gnads. :roll: I pointed to him and said "that's a tom, and he has testicles!". They insisted that he belongs to the neighbors. I told them, in no uncertain terms, that ANY cat that comes onto my property that is not fixed WILL get fixed, and WILL get their ear notched. That caught their attention, and I explained it's to help identify altered animals so they don't get re-trapped, etc. Then the daughter pipes up and tells me she was thinking of "adopting him" and taking him home, since the neighbors who he supposedly belongs too wouldn't care if he went missing since he spends all his time at their place. I told her of the places I've been taking the cats so she can get him neutered, and even told her when I get back I'll take him when take mama cat (now that I found a local place who does it for 15 bucks). She said she will take him to her vet, so we'll see when I get back. They swore he was the only one who wasn't neutered/fixed. I don't believe them. But I think I freaked them out with the ear notching thing. "They do what?.. CUT their ear off? That's terrible!" Blah blah blah.. :roll: 

Hey, if telling them I'll get all their ears cut off will get them spayed/neutered, then I'm all for it. 

So, so, so, so, so mad. :twisted: I told hubby I want my own cat trap for Christmas so I don't have to keep borrowing one. He's in denial. He thinks if I borrow it, I won't "officially" end up as that crazy neighbor cat lady. LOL. How little does he know...


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## Jeanie

I hope you can find foster care for her, Erin, so that she doesn't get pregnant! I wish I could offer better advice. Have a safe trip.


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## Mitts & Tess

Erin any news?


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## Erin

I was JUST coming to post any update!!  

As you all knew from my last post, I was away for Christmas. I just got back yesterday. My husband was in charge of the kitties while I was gone, and he did very well. I found the shelter moved, and according to him it was to keep them dry as the entrance hole was in the rain. :lol: (I love that man!). 

Anyway, I haven't seen Clyde or Windy.. not surprising, Windy has her nose so far up Clyde's butt it's not funny, and Clyde is a no-man's cat. :roll: But 'Lil Girl' (as we've been calling her) has turned into quite the little love bug! Just tonight I was outside with her, and she came right up to me and rubbed her head on my hand. I was able to grab her scruff enough to check her tummy - all healed! She looks good. She was the one who had the sneezes and sniffles, and she's all good now. Even after I let her go she came right back for more pats. And boy of boy, she is LOUD. The minute we walk outside she MEOWS. My neighbors routinely come outside to make sure everything is Ok. LOL 

And that dang possum is back. I'm going to try to remember to feed them at dusk and pick the food up before bed and get them onto a day time feeding schedule. Lil Girl hangs out on the porch all day, but I haven't seen the others during the day. 

As for mama cat, I let her go before I left. I'm going to put some food out tomorrow night and get her used to being fed out by the bushes and see if I can re-trap her. Surely she's pregnant by now. :evil: My neighbor was walking by today and offered to give me money to help with all the expenses. He's a nice man, and equated all my efforts to being good for the whole neighborhood, and he's right. We only have about 20 houses in this development, and one cat left to breed twice a year will produce quite the population of feral cats. We do NOT need that! So she's gunna get caught. Right now my daughter is sick and we're both jet lagged (over night flight... it was HORRIBLE, so we're trying to get back on our feet), but I swear, she'll be mine sometime this week. LOL

Most of all, I'm so proud of Lil Girl for coming up and saying hi. As I type I can hear her meowing. Maybe I'll try to get a video of her, ya'll will laugh at how loud she is. She puts my Siameses to shame, and that's saying something!


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## Jeanie

Thanks for the update, Erin. I'm so glad you husband took good care of the cats while you were gone! I appreciate your dedication.

Good luck!


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## Erin

I took a video! As soon as I find the cord for my camera I'll get it online. She is SUCH a sweety!


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## Claiken

aer you thinking of bringing them in the house? i hate to think of all the potential dangers outside...


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## Erin

I would love to, but I have 3 dogs, an indoor cat, and a toddler already (two of which dogs are jack rusells, and are wary of the outside cats). Ultimately, it is a goal of mine, but if I'm able to keep them safe outside, I will be happy with that. It's better then what they had before they showed up. And I still have ads placed trying to find them permanent indoors homes familiar with feral cats. For now, they're stuck outside. At least they're spayed and neutered!


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## Erin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB-WHcPV_6Y

It's kind of dark, but the best part is hearing her talk.


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## Mitts & Tess

Wow, she is a talker isnt she. Those loud purrs too. It would be so nice for her to find a home. She is ready for someone to love her. Its so great what your doing. Shes a tuxy? 

Just had a thought. Is there a rescue group that would put her up on Petfinders for you? Or put flyers around at vet offices or where ever about her for adoption?

My foster kitty ran up to the computer while it was playing trying to find that loud purring kitty! Thanks for the update.


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## Jeanie

I loved the purr! Blueberry is still confused. He's on top of the computer where he was checking out the speakers and the entire area around them.  I think she might have had a home before, since she enjoys your attention. I hope she gets a good indoor home, but thank you for caring for her!


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## Erin

Mitts & Tess said:


> Just had a thought. Is there a rescue group that would put her up on Petfinders for you? Or put flyers around at vet offices or where ever about her for adoption?


The local rescue group who lent me the trap will allow me to bring her down to the local pet store and put her in one of their cages for the day (they do adoptions there on the weekends), but I have to stay there. The problem I have is finding child care for the whole day. I never thought of petfinder, though. Maybe I'll email her and ask. 

I also have flyer's up at all the pet/feed stores, and at my vets office. No bites though. I've gotten some responses on craigslist, but when people find out about them being stray/feral, they're no longer interested. It's so frustrating.


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## Mitts & Tess

Were just gona believe there is someone out there for her! Sounds like youre covering the bases looking for a loving home!


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## Jeanie

Perhaps you could say she is lost and can't find her family. "Will you be her family?" Somehow that sounds better. I know it's just a euphemism, but sometimes words can be powerful.


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## Erin

Jeanie said:


> Perhaps you could say she is lost and can't find her family. "Will you be her family?" Somehow that sounds better. I know it's just a euphemism, but sometimes words can be powerful.


That's what I say, and then when they ask more about her her "history" comes out. I can't in good conscience send this cat into a home without telling them her story. You know?


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## Jeanie

Isn't that strange? People will adopt a cat that has no home because it was turned in to a shelter. but not one who got lost.


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## Erin

And when they find out they're tabbies, they're also no longer interested. But in all my years doing foster/rescue work, tabbies were the hardest to place. Too boring I guess.  

Anyhow, tonight she followed me in the laundry room. She climbed into my lap, and was JUMPING up to butt her head on my hand (I wasn't bending over quick enough..LOL). But I know as soon as she caught site of the dogs she'd take off, so I placed a bunch more adds on craigslist, a few local forums, and I'll update the flyers I have. She NEEDS a home. She is just too sweet to stay outside. 

And in other not-so fabulous news.. my cat, Zuki, has ringworm, and so does one of my dogs. One dog had it before I left, and when I treated her with an antifungal shampoo and spray it cleaned up, but when I got back I noticed that the other two had it. Probably because I wasn't here to keep treating everyone. I'm going to give it a go with the fungal shampoo/spray again, and if that doesn't work, I guess I'll have to involve the vet. That bugs me because I could do the dip at home, so instead I have to pay offive visits for 4 animals to have it done there. I've been sourcing the net for ways to purchase it online, and so far no luck (at least nothing that looks trustworthy).


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## Mitts & Tess

Oh man ring worn is a pain in the ***. I was talking tonight about ring worm with the head of my rescue TNR director We wash _everything _and when the kittens are done with ring worm we throw away all carpeted scratching posts and carpet round enclosures. Its so easy to spread. Even with your shoes! I walk straight to the washing maching and undress in front of it and then walk straight to the shower. Im so sorry your having to deal with that.


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## Erin

Yeah, there aren't enough 4 letter swear words for what I have to say about ringworm. All the dog's beds are gone (I needed new one's anyway, so it was a blessing in disguise), they sleep on bleachable towels for now. All the door mats are bleached, washed, and wrapped in plastic bags for now. Curtains are down. Bath mats are stored (Zuki loves a good damp bath mat.. weirdo :roll: ). Every day is vacuum, then disassemble the vacuum and soak in a 1:10 bleach solution, then mop the floors, then spray all carpets with fungal spray. 

Tomorrow is bath day, and I think I may have found a recipe for a lime sulfur bath, which I'm going to try. 

I *LOATH* ringworm.


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## Jeanie

I can see why!!


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## Erin

I saw Clyde tonight!! He looks good. He's HUGE. He no longer has that kitten look, he's a big boy now. I couldn't see Windy, but I'm sure that if Clyde was there, she was not too far behind.


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## Jeanie

I'm so glad Clyde is all right! I hope you see Windy soon!


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## Claiken

tabbys are so not boring! I have one and he is just soooo funny!


but ive also heard that orange cats have more personality than other colors...


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## Heidi n Q

Orange cats also get freckles. :wink:


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## Erin

Someone is coming to meet Lil Girl tonight, so everyone keep their fingers crossed that she gets to go HOME!


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## Jeanie

I'm hoping! Lil' Girl should get a home of her own!


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## Heidi n Q

Did she get a new home? *hopes!*


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## Erin

She's coming on Saturday morning instead, sorry guys.  I spoke to her on the phone tonight and she seems really eager to meet her, so keep your fingers crossed.


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## Heidi n Q

Will do!


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## Mitts & Tess

Just jumped on the computer to check your progress Erin with lil Girl. (im working alot) I have my fingers crossed for this weekend. I hope these people fall in love with her.


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## Erin

They're not coming. I think they're worried about the ringworm, and I don't blame them. The vet is coming out Monday to do cultures, so we'll see after that. We are keeping in touch.


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## Heidi n Q

Ooooooooh! Darnit.


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## Erin

She was acting REALLY wild tonight (not wild as in feral, wild as in neat). I was sitting on the stairs and she was getting so anxious to be pet, that she started licking my fingers, then the licking turned into biting. When she started biting (not hard, my siamese gives harder love bits) I stopped touching her and looked away. Then she bit my KNEE. So I moved over a little and ignored her some more, and then she JUMPED ON MY BACK!!! 

The whole time she was purring really loudly and rubbing all over me, meowing and meowing and kneading the ground with her paws.


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## Jeanie

That's sweet, Erin!


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## Mitts & Tess

Oh the sweet girl is making fast progress. I hope things turn out well when the vet comes to culture for ring worm. 

Thinking of you with fingers crossed for lil girl!


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## Erin

After all that, that vet doesn't come this far north. :roll: And she didn't figure it out until she tried to look up my address, talk about a waste of time, going back and forth for 4 days talking about prices and where to purchase things, etc etc. OMG. 

Anyway, she gave me the number of a vet who she *thinks* comes this far north, so I'm going to give him a call today. 

Why can't anything go as planned... *sigh*


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## Erin

Erin said:


> Then out walks a HUGE tom, complete with gnads. :roll: I pointed to him and said "that's a tom, and he has testicles!". They insisted that he belongs to the neighbors.


Shamelessly quoting myself here... but guessed who showed up on my porch tonight? :roll: 

Yep, the big gray tabby with gnads!! He's quite friendly, he rolled over onto his back at my feet, so he's definitely not feral. 

I fed him tonight, and I'll feed him regularly so I can get him in to get neutered (Tues-Thurs). 

And Lil Girl is inside now. All the animals inside are being treated topically for the ringworm (though only 2 have lesions, we're doing preventative treatment with the others). I was originally going to put her on oral meds outside since bathing would be difficult with her, but the vet brought up an interesting point - how do we manage the dosage for the cats if we don't know who is eating what and when. We could safely dose it for one cat, but if another steals her food then it won't do any good and is basically a waste of money, and it's not safe for the local wild life either, since the raccoons still try to steal food. So, we decided to bring her in, and with a dose of ace before hand I'm able to bath her. 

So everyone is getting 2% miconozole baths every 3 days, for a total of 4 baths, with topical miconozole spray in between.


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## Jeanie

You're making great progress! I'm glad Mr. Tomcat has shown up!


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## Mitts & Tess

What alot of work your doing. Hopefully this is the end of the ringworm saga for you! Im so sorry this happened to you.

Ill tell you, the universe is sending all the ferals your way to TNR. :? 

I went to a large TNR meeting today. It was discussed neutering/spaying cats who are neighbors cats. The consensus was if they are coming in your yard they will be Neutered/spayed with shots and just not tip the ear. 

It was interesting to hear they let feral males and females go the next day after surgery. I was holding females for a couple days to help them recover. But the seasoned TNR people felt true ferals are so stressed being cages that letting them go to hide and recover is much better. 

Erin you probably mentioned and I dont remember but is any organization helping you with the expenses for TNR? Or are you finding good prices to have it done?


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## Erin

Nope, I'm on my own. NO ONE would help financially, and believe me, I tried. 

I'm having the big tom's ear tipped. Why? Because I am using him to set a precedence. I am flippin MAD that I have spayed/neutered 4 cats (hopefully 6 if I can catch the other 2) that don't belong to me, out of pocket, with NO support from the members of this neighborhood. If the local organizations don't have the time/funding to help me, fine, but the members of the this community owe it to themselves and to their OWN pets to get these cats under control. All it takes is one ringworm infected cat to roll around in someone's garden, and then their cat goes out and walks through it, and voilà, Fluffy has ringworm! 

Not to mention these cats going through the trash, crapping in in people's flower beds, and tormenting the local dogs by walking by the fences. I love cats, but feral cats are a pain in the ass. Period. Plus, I don't like the idea of them getting hit by cars or attacked by dogs. My reasons for doing these cats has as much to do with my not wanting wild cats hanging around as much as my dislike for an innocent animal getting hurt, and I'll be darned if someone ignorant piece of work is going to let their uneutered cat wander the neighborhood. If people want to let their PETS behave like wild animals, then I will treat it like a wild animal, and that includes getting him neutered and notched. 

(Sorry, hot topic. Thanx for the vent.  )


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## Jeanie

Erin, have you checked this link?

http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html


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## Erin

Yep, but I've got a pretty low cost solution now - $20 bucks per cat, includes spaying/neutering, rabies and distemper vax, and ear notching. 

Just a side note, Lil Girl (who we think we're going to officially call 'Saki') is sitting on the bed beside me kneading my leg and purring like a mad cat. You'd think she's been inside all her life. All three dogs are also in the room, and earlier my daughter was jumping on the bed, and she just sat there and watched her. I cannot believe how good she is inside!! She is totally happy to be in here, and I'm glad we brought her in. 

Zuki, on the other hand, is not happy. She keeps ambushing her and swatting her. When Saki/Lil Girl got on the bed Zuki was beside herself. She was determined to get this strange cat off her "HER" bed. :roll: Saki, on the other hand, rolls over onto her back and kneads the air. 

In case anyone is wondering about the similarity in names, Saki is short for Kawasaki, and Zuki is short of Suzuki. When we brought Zuki home she purred so loud she sounded like (she now grabbing my hand as I type... she is so cute!!) 2 stroke motor, and Lil Girl/Saki is also VERY loud, so she's getting another 2 stroke name.


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## Mitts & Tess

Do you have a neighborhood association? Sometimes they will alot money for the effort. Im so sorry the groups didnt help you. That is rotten! $20 is the fabulous price. I havent found it cheaper than that here!

We have Spay and Neuter Solutions and ABC which do low cost steralizations. They even run specials. Some of the vets here will give us discounts. Not alot but everything helps when your on a shoe string budget. Its costing us to spay and shots and notch almost $100 a cat.

Are there any TNR groups in your area! Even if you didnt work with them I know everyone who TNRs shares info on wheres the best deal, who will help, whats worked, what hasnt. 

Im feeling very fortunate after reading how your doing this all on your own and figuring the whole thing out by yourself. Keep posting. Were behind you even though we cant were not there. Wish you lived closer! There are so many fabulous people Im meeting in my area.

Side bar - I found out our Spay and Neuter Solutions do any Pitbull for free! They are a big problem here. The mexican population has the male attitude towards leaving the family jewels in tact. But wont think twice when dumping the animal to run the town unwanted. fathering unwanted litters and starving.

The Humane Society of Arizona did a free spay/neuter for Pits plus pay you $10. They ran out of the grant money in the first of the year it was so poplular! Sad comment on pit owners.

I found out every Humane Society is independent. But ours is a wealth of info and now does shots and S/N 6 days a week! Wish I knew people in your area to pull strings and help.


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## Erin

Mitts & Tess said:


> Do you have a neighborhood association? Sometimes they will alot money for the effort.


I found two local organizations who receive grants, and they were tapped. They lent me traps, and referred me to their low cost vet (though not as low as the one I found), but they were ultimately unable to give me money or help pay for anything. 



> We have Spay and Neuter Solutions and ABC which do low cost sterilizations.


I found an ABC vet that did 20 dollar sterilizations, but it was on a voucher program, and it was all snail mail (mail a check to ABC, then they mail the voucher), and I just couldn't wait. 



> Its costing us to spay and shots and notch almost $100 a cat.


The ONLY place I found that will FIV/FLV test feral cats had a good program - it was 75 bucks, and it was full vaccinations, altering, FIV/FLV testing, and notching (if you want it). I had one of the cats done there, she was the one in the beginning who I wasn't sure was pregnant or had worms or what, so I wanted to get her tested.


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## Mitts & Tess

Erin said:


> Its costing us to spay and shots and notch almost $100 a cat.
> 
> 
> 
> The ONLY place I found that will FIV/FLV test feral cats had a good program - it was 75 bucks, and it was full vaccinations, altering, FIV/FLV testing, and notching (if you want it). I had one of the cats done there, she was the one in the beginning who I wasn't sure was pregnant or had worms or what, so I wanted to get her tested.
Click to expand...

Ive read that alot of group arent testing for FIV/FLV since only 3% of outdoor cat actually have it. so if you test every cat and it comes back negative you lost that money which could of been budgeted for more S/N. We only test if we are adopting out the cat *or* the feral will be returned but we are adopting out the kittens and need to know they do not have it. We do worm for good measure in our adoptables.

Our challenge has been for URI which spreads to all the other cats they come in contact with in foster. Or diareha. It gets expensive treating these illnesses.  

Our cats and kittens go out from adoptions healthy. Where as alot of other rescue the big complaint Ive heard from adopter from them is their cats come down with URI. Then the new families have had to rack up vet bills to treat it. Our group will even pay for vet visits if a cat comes down with something right after the adoption. Were always operating on the edge because of this.

We feed really good food for the most cases in our fosters. It depends on the foster family. I think good food makes the difference in their recovery and health.


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## Erin

Mitts & Tess said:


> Erin said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its costing us to spay and shots and notch almost $100 a cat.
> 
> 
> 
> The ONLY place I found that will FIV/FLV test feral cats had a good program - it was 75 bucks, and it was full vaccinations, altering, FIV/FLV testing, and notching (if you want it). I had one of the cats done there, she was the one in the beginning who I wasn't sure was pregnant or had worms or what, so I wanted to get her tested.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Ive read that alot of group arent testing for FIV/FLV since only 3% of outdoor cat actually have it. so if you test every cat and it comes back negative you lost that money which could of been budgeted for more S/N. We only test if we are adopting out the cat *or* the feral will be returned but we are adopting out the kittens and need to know they do not have it. We do worm for good measure in our adoptables.
> 
> Our challenge has been for URI which spreads to all the other cats they come in contact with in foster. Or diareha. It gets expensive treating these illnesses.
> 
> Our cats and kittens go out from adoptions healthy. Where as alot of other rescue the big complaint Ive heard from adopter from them is their cats come down with URI. Then the new families have had to rack up vet bills to treat it. Our group will even pay for vet visits if a cat comes down with something right after the adoption. Were always operating on the edge because of this.
> 
> We feed really good food for the most cases in our fosters. It depends on the foster family. I think good food makes the difference in their recovery and health.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I got the trasncript from a city meeting about feral cats (unfortanately I missed the email about it otherwise I would have gone) and they had a vet speaker talking about communicable diseases, and the same thing was said - spend money sterilizing, not testing and vaccinating (other then rabies). 

Originally, I assumed she was going to be the one who was going to do the best inside, and had anticipated finding a home for her, so that's why I got her tested. Having the FIV/FLV negative makes people feel better about adopting cats that were once stray. Plus, at the time, it was the cheapest place I found that did strays/ferals, so they were really my only choice, but I've later found out that that is where all the local rescues take strays that will be going for adoption, and through their organizations the discount is only 5 dollars. Not much for me, but when you're doing a bunch of cats every month I guess it all adds up.


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