# Erin's Missing Thread



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Erin's thread is a victim of the forum's breakdown the other night. I was removing a double post, and the whole thread disappeared. I was able to back up a bit, and save the first page, which I am posting. Unfortunately, I could not even access the rest of the thread. I'm so sorry this happened. I informed Erin yesterday, but I know some of you who were following that thread were wondering what happened. 

Here is what I was able to save:
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Author Message 
Erin 
Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:38 am 
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I'm in palm beach county, but that's where I took Scar Face, and it was a PIA! I spent 3 hours driving, had to spend the day down there because there was no way I was going down and coming home, then driving down to pick him up again. It cost me almost 70 bucks for the whole day (gas, lunch, entertaining my daughter at the science museum, etc). She puked in the car three times, he sprayed, we all stunk to high heaven. It was awful! I ended up taking the others to the Palm Beach Animal Control Spay Mobile, which I was in told in the very beginning did not do ferals. Well, I got desperate and started calling around, spoke to another 4 people, and FINALLY found out that I can indeed bring the ferals in, but that they just had no appointments left, so I had to take my chances standing in line, and if an appointment didn't show up, then they would take me. I did that last Tuesday, and they got in. 
But in other news... I put them all outside the other day. I hadn't seen them in two nights, and then tonight my dogs went crazy at the front door. Sure enough, it was Little Girl, the torby, trying to get into the trash can (I hadn't put food out yet). 
I went out with the food, and she came right up and ate in front of me. She appears to have an upper respiratory infection - snotty nose, and a bit of a hack. That makes me worried, because I leave on Tuesday for two weeks, and if she needs to be re-trapped and taken to the vet I won't be here to do it, and with the holidays I doubt I could get someone to do it now. I emailed the head of the TNR rescue I worked with to see if she'll keep an eye on them. 
I also the male, Clyde. He appeared fine, no snotty nose. I haven't seen Windy, the tortoiseshell. That worries me, but she usually follows Clyde, and and Clyde wasn't in a hurry to show himself, so she was probably just hanging back. 
AND THEN... and I was sitting here counting the reflective eye balls in the bushes, I saw something a bit odd. A POSSUM, but the weird thing was the possum and the cats were hanging together. The possum must have come with in inches of Little Girl, and she didn't budge! So I moved the house, the food, an their water back near the garage where I originally spotted Little Girl to begin with (near the trash cans). I put the food on top of the house, then set up the camera again. I just saw her get into the house, drink some water, but she hasn't figured that the food is on TOP of the house. I put a few pieces on the ground, she ate those, sniffed up in the air where the food was, and walked away. 
I didn't want to leave the food out near the bushes because I don't want to feed the possum, and I don't want the cats to get into a scuffle with the possum, but I'm worried that the other two won't be brave enough to come up to the garage to eat. I don't want them to move on looking for easier food, I want them to stay here, but I think they're too scared to come up to the house to eat. 
Now that I know they're here, should I feed them out at the bushes so they know there is food here, at least for a few days, and then move the food? Even if I feed the possum for a few days? Or just leave it where it is now (at the garage) and hope that since one is coming up (Little Girl) that the other two will as well? 
I'm going to be up all night watching the camera to make sure they all ate. I have such a busy day tomorrow and should be in bed, but I'm SOOO relieved to see them! I think I'll go put some food out at the bushes for them, just for tonight. I haven't seen them in a few days, so who knows if they ate. 


Mitts & Tess 
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:57 pm 
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Erin arent you in Broward County. I just came across a website that does mobile spay nueters. Here is the web address 
http://animalrightsflorida.org/Clinic.html 


md1848 
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:19 pm 
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Bless you, Erin, for all you've done. 
Best wishes for you and your family and the cats you've cared for in the New Year! 


Erin 
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:44 pm 
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Thanks. It's nice to come here and have people understand and validate what I'm doing. No one can understand why I trapped them in the first place, never mind homing them in my bathroom. Just about everyone has said I just let them go, or even drive them somewhere and dump them. Um, hello, that's how they probably got HERE in the first place. 


Mitts & Tess 
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:14 pm 
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Erin you have done a FABULOUS job helping these kitties. Have a wonderful holiday. 



Jeanie 
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:07 pm 
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I'm hoping all will go well. You have really had quite a problem, Erin, and you're worked hard and well to get it under control. 
Have a wonderful trip and a great Christmas! 


Erin 
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:46 pm 
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Thanx for everyone's input. Yes, the kitties have been treated for ringworm. I called around to see about a lyme/sulfur dip, and no one would do them since they're pretty unpredictable, but I got a topical spray. I'm able to put a leather glove on and hold them by the scruff and spray them down. I've been doing that a couple times a day for several weeks. The male has small patch of hair missing on the bridge of this nose, and I'm not sure whether that's from ringworm or from a bite (he did have an old bite would on his head, so...) but I've been putting a topical salve on it to treat fungal infections. I got a spot on each of my hands, so it was obvious to me it was from handling the kitties. I mixed an equine fungal shampoo into a microbial hand wash, and have been using that as my "after kitty bath". I have also designated a house robe for kitty duty, and wash it in hot water and bleach when I wash their blankets (every couple of days, or so). I've also been a vacuuming fiend, and have shaved my long haired dog, and bath regularly with the anti-fungal shampoo. I think one of my dogs has a ringworm spot on her leg, so she has been banished to the hardwood floors until it clears up - NO carpets or beds for her. So yeah, total pain in the butt. 
Yesterday I made a house for them. I used an old rubber maid container with a removable lid and cut a small hole in it, and filled the bottom with hay. I have a carpet remnant I'm going to put on the top and bungee it down, which will shield any rain off the top and keep it from dripping in through the lid, and give them a place to sit if they want. But it's going to go under the overhang for the garage, so hopefully it shouldn't get too wet. And luckily it's not very cold here in the winter, so just the hay should keep them warm. I put their new house in the bathroom so they could get used to it, so they'd be familiar with it and the smell when I put it outside, and I noticed they come out and lay on the tile, all stretched out on their sides, so it must be nice and toasty in there. 
Two of the three are micro chipped, and I'm going to try to get the third done before I leave, so if they happen to take off I may have a chance at getting them back if they get re-captured somewhere. At least that way they will ALWAYS have a place to come back to instead of being surrendered to animal control. 
I leave on Friday so I'm stressing out a bit. If I can find someone to watch them in the house while I'm gone I'll try to keep them in until I get back, so keep your fingers crossed! 


Mitts & Tess 
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:14 am 
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Is your animal sitter going to feed the feral outside for you while you are gone? The heated house for them out side would be a good option. 
if they have ring worm have you been treating them? if so be sure and shed the clothes you wear around them and wash hands cuz it can be transmitted by clothes, shoes & skin. 
Some kittens born to feral mom have high instincts for being in the wild. And some are more easily tamed. 4 month is our cut off point for bringing a kitten inside to try to foster and tame. Its alot of work to gain their confidence. Esp in an active household. 


Heidi n Q 
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:21 am 
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Wow. Sounds like being turned back outside would be best for them and your family. Maybe you could give them a heated kennel to sleep in on a porch, near where you feed them. I'm sure they would keep coming back...and if not, at least they're spayed and neutered. Without having those instinctual urges and hormones when the girl kitties come into season, they have a better chance at survival; the male by not roaming and fighting for females and the females from not having to raise litter after demanding litter. 
You've done good. Wish you lived close, I'd come and care for your brood while you were away. 
h 


Erin 
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:35 pm 
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I think I've decided to put them outside until we move, and here's why. There's two females and one male. One female is really out going, and is the one I thought would be really good as an indoor cat. The male is NOT liking being inside. At all. He climbs my blinds, climbs the walls, and when he gets particularly skittish (like when I'm feeding and the other two already claimed dibs on the kennels to hide in) he jumps INTO the mirror, probably thinking it's a window. He's miserable. 
The other female, the smallest and skinniest of the three, is also skittish, but not as bad as the male, and I think if the two girls were left inside without the male, that they'd be really good. They're happy to lay around, and won't dive for a place to hide when I walk in the room. 
Problem is, is that I have 3 dogs, an indoor house kitty, and a toddler. It's been really difficult to keep after everyone to keep the doors and gates closed to make sure my daughter doesn't go looking for the kitties, which she does regularly, and is she is quite good at opening doors. To set my house up so that it would be reliably safe would incur more expense, that I can't spare at the moment. 
And, I'm leaving for a few weeks for the holidays, and have NO ONE willing to come INTO the house to care for the feral kitties (clean kennels, litter boxes, food dishes, and mop the floors) in addition to caring for my own cat. Plus, we have been dealing with ringworm, which is making everyone hesitant to help me out. Spending an extra few hundred dollars to board them or have someone come into my house is not an option (financially). Though the person looking after my cat is willing to put food out for them, and check on them, IF they're outside. 
And, they're TERRIFIED of the dogs. We have an open house, so it's hard to keep them separated from the dogs, and what we're doing now is not a long term solution. 


Heidi n Q 
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 1:21 pm 
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Me? I'd keep them all together inside...if I didn't already have a housefull. 
You may be pleasantly surprised at how friendly they will all become after spaying, when they see that you are the bringer-of-good-things and maybe have another cat (who likes to be handled) to follow along and observe you interact with. 
Refresh me, what are the behavior/personalities of all three? (boys?, girls?) 


Erin 
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:48 am 
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The last remaining two are at the vet as we speak! *sigh of relief* 
I think I've decided to put them all back outside. I really want to keep the one little female, but seeing how she's doing in the bathroom alone while the other two aren't here is making me want to keep them all together, which would mean putting them all out. 
I'm so undecided. I don't know what to do. I have a few days until they're well enough to go out, so I guess I'll mull it over. 
Thoughts? 


Erin 
Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:17 pm 
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I can understand some vets not being in a position, financially, to offer discounted services. Really. But to charge 300 dollars for a spaying/neutering, is just ridiculous. 
My vet, bless him, is a wonderful guy, but he doesn't offer discount services. He can't. He does charitable work for large exotic rescue (mostly large cats - lions, tigers, etc) and his full price services cover his ability to offer those services for free. That's part of the reason I use him, is because the profit he makes goes toward helping other animals, even if he charges more then the humane society for things like vaccinations, etc. 
But when I told him about the 300 dollars, he laughed. He told me it doesn't *cost* much then 50-75 bucks to spay a cat, depending on how quick the vet it is, and how they do their purchasing (smaller practices don't purchase meds and equipment in large quantities to save money) and that includes medical waste disposal, meds, and the tech assistant. That's a what, 500% mark up? If a vet has to mark up his services by 500% and claim it's to defray costs, I expect him to go out of business. Soon. 


Heidi n Q 
Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:44 am 
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Charging $300 for a spay does appear to be gouging...but I cannot castigate vets FOR charging. 
They have school loans to repay and operating costs which include staff, supplies and their skill/knowledge. It is a business and they need to cover all of those costs AND make enough money to support themselves/family. I would like to see them be able to live well. Veterinary medicine is very hard schooling and they don't get the opportunity to see their patients as often as doctors whose patients have medical insurance. ...or get to bill that medical insurance the way human doctors do. 
I would like to see them offer s/n at an affordable price and make money on VOLUME, not individual cost per s/n at jacked up prices. 
I think it could easily be done if a practice has more than one doctor on staff. Devote one week out of every month as discount s/n week and one doctor sees patients by appointment while the other doctor does assembly-line s/n every morning of that week. I'm sure they could get a good volume if the price was attractive. 


Mitts & Tess 
Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:23 am 
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That is just plain greed to charge $300. They are not part of the solution they are now part of the problem. Hard to beleive they want to be vets and have no possitive affect to the community. If anyone should understand the gravity of the homeless problem and could make a difference its vets. No wonder 6 million pets are put down each year. 
In Tucson ABC birth control runs $10 specials for spay/nueter when they get grants. Humane Society here has pit bull spay/nueter events where they pay you $10 if you bring your unaltered dog. Its been a huge sucess. Its run off of grants also. 
I keep saying we need to make it a law if you have a pet you have to have it s/n otherwise we will never get a handle on this problem. 



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## Erin (Nov 17, 2007)

That's Ok, these things happen. I'm just relieved to know I wasn't going crazy. I kept re-reading this page thinking it had to be there somewhere, till I got the idea to, um, ask someone about. :lol:


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I couldn't PM you when the forum was down, Erin, but I notified you via a PM as soon as I could. So sorry the rest was lost.


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## Erin (Nov 17, 2007)

It's all good. No worries. 

Well, mama cat is back outside. Hopefully I'll be able to re-catch her (or trap her if she's not in heat and no longer friendly) before she has kittens. 

I'll still fuming mad at the people down the street. They have absolutely no clue. I explained the whole "2 cats can spawn hundreds of thousands of babies in a matter of years" and I think it went straight over their heads.


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## Ronnie (Dec 18, 2007)

Some people don't get it, and some people just don't care. You keep on doing what you do.


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