# Super Sweet Cat Needs Home Fast (Georgia area)



## RainingCats (Nov 19, 2009)

Hi all. 

I have a super sweet cat that really needs a home fast. He's a six year old DSH, black and white tuxedo-like pattern. He's the most affectionate cat ever (really, almost to a hindering point; I cannot go anywhere without him getting under my feet) and seems to get along fine with dogs. I don't know about other cats. His name is Skunk, but I imagine someone could give him a better name. He has very soft fur, a tendency to be loud about what he thinks, and comes with all of his supplies if desired. I really need to find him a place by Saturday.

To give you some background on his story, about a month ago, my neighbor knocked on my door holding this cat. He and his girlfriend were splitting up and moving back to their parents' houses, and neither of them could take the cat. Although I initially declined (having a large dog myself and not in the position to take on any more animals, much as I love them), he told me that they were moving the very next day, and this cat was exceptionally hard to place, because he had a contagious disease that would shorten his lifespan. Either I took him, or he would have to stay alone in the apartment upstairs, where there was no one there to feed him or check his water bowls or give him attention. How could I say no? So I took him in with the understanding that I would find him a home. 

In retrospect, I was just the easy mark of some lazy owners. They had been planning to move for a month, yet never looked for a home until that day; they didn't check with the shelters, they didn't place ads, they didn't talk to their friends, they didn't do anything. And it was well known that I fed the feral cats outside and had moved from a home with a lot of animals, so they just went straight to me after figuring out their parents wouldn't take him. They also waited until the last night possible so that there was really no choice, at least not a decent one. I just didn't know it at the time. 

I called every no kill shelter in the county, and a few outside. None of them had any room available. I talked with everyone I know (no one is interested). I went to the vets and found one potential home, but she had adopted a kitten the week before and was no longer looking. I posted ads on Craigslist (one bot spam response) and PetFinder (one response from a man who refused to meet me, give me his phone number, and wanted me to ship the cat through a pet carrier service - absolutely not). 

I had them give me the name and number of the vet they had used and release the records. I spoke to her over the phone about this mystery illness - no name had ever been given, and I wanted to know what I was dealing with. She had no record of any such illness; in fact, although she had records of shots and could confirm that he was neutered, she had only seen him once when he was sneezing, and had then never made any diagnosis, because the owners told her not to (it was too expensive, apparently). I sent an email (only form of contact I have) asking about this diagnosis, because they must have gone to another vet. The reponse I got was that never mind, the girlfriend could take the cat afterall. Let her have the baby first (two days later), and the cat would be picked up within a week. A bit odd, but ok. I took down all of the ads I had placed and stopped looking, because he now had a home again. 

I did take the cat to the vet though (the same one they had used) to get him checked out and find out more about his records. I was told that he had come in very sick the one time she had seen him - sick to the point where they had obviously been neglecting his condition. There was no diagnosis because they refused to allow tests to be run. She prescribed two medications - one to clear him up, and one to fight a virus if that was what it was. A few weeks later, the girlfriend returned for more medication, but they never saw the cat again. She couldn't believe this was the same cat as the one I brought in; previously, they'd had to hold him down with towels and heavy gloves, and he was blowing mucus everywhere. This time, he actually purred when they took blood (see, you can't get much sweeter than that) and was perfectly healthy. She said it was possible he is a carrier for feline herpes, but she'd expect to see him flare up during stress (such as moving from an only animal home to a dog home with different people), and he wasn't at all. I was told the only test wasn't entirely accurate and would require him to be put under sedation, so given the fact that I was still unsure whether or not another vet was in play and finance issues (I've all ready spent $200 on him, and I really do not have the money for that test, which is pricey by itself). He tested negative for feline AIDS and lukemia, and she couldn't find anything wrong with him. 

I contacted them again about the health issue. Again, I got no response. The week pick up date came and went, but I didn't press it, because I know having a baby is stressful. This Monday, I found out that I have a lengthy business trip starting Saturday. This Tuesday, it was two weeks since the last email (that was we'll pickup after all one), so I stopped being polite and told them they needed to do it now. 

The response I got was that oh, no, they couldn't take him after all. Just put him down, it's not worth the hassle.

Needless to say, that is not happening at all. He is the most affectionate cat ever; he'd love to be a lap cat all day, every day. He's well trained (never has an accident, never scratches anything at all), accepting, and healthy. 

I eventually got him to tell me where he got the diagnosis from (after I said I'd just walk into his office smack in the middle of the work day if needed (and I would) and call him out on everything) - they made it up. You see, the cat had gotten sick a few times over the year. That was really all the explanation I got: the cat got sick, and they didn't want him to begin with. How that leaps to contagious forever and will die young is not clear to me. Incidentally, he got sick multiple times because they never followed through with his medicine; they used it until he seemed to be feeling better, then stopped, no matter how much was left. 

In other words: most useless owners ever. 

So, I wasted two weeks not looking for a home because of their lies, and now I need a home for him ASAP, because I'm leaving on Saturday and have no place for him. I've placed calls or emails at all of the no-kills again, but still no luck. Considering he was up for two weeks on both PetFinder and Craigslist and didn't get a single trustworthy response, I doubt he'd get a home from there, at least not within the week. Because he is six years old, people aren't as interested. 

He comes with his food, bowls, litter box, litter, toys, brush, his carrier, and some catnip. (Of course, if you don't want those, they don't have to be included.) I am willing to drive him anywhere in Georgia, or along the Tennessee/Kentucky/Southern to Central Ohio areas. 

This is Skunk. He's completely cute and sweet and wants someone to adopt him. 

















Thank you!


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Oh, poor precious Skunk! He reminds me of my b/w kitty, Mister. I wish I didn't have a houseful because he does sound sweet. I foster for a local cat rescue that runs the adoptions through PetsMart. Can you find someone through one of those types of organizations that could take the sweet kitty?
Wishing you the Best of Luck!
heidi =^..^=


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## RainingCats (Nov 19, 2009)

Thanks. He really is the sweetest cat I've ever met; he's the ninth cat I've had for any length of time (the other eight were for years), and he's definitely the most loving. 

I've looked into foster homes and the like, but unfortunately they all say they're full. Some have waiting lists and some don't (one actually told me that if they kept a waiting list, it'd be two years long), but none of them have space. One of the vets I went to today gave me the private numbers of a few foster homes she knows, but they haven't called back yet. I'm thinking of just getting him a adopt me bandanna and harness and walking him around in public tomorrow, because I don't know what else to do at this point.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

He's adorable! Why can't you keep him . . . . ?


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## RainingCats (Nov 19, 2009)

Yeah, he is adorable. I can't afford to keep him right now; I live paycheck to paycheck at the moment. I literally could not pay his boarding bills for the time I'm gone, and if he got sick, I might not be able to do his vet bills. He's a sweetie and I adore him, but I can't keep him. 

As it is... unless the last rescue calls with some sort of miracle in the next two hours, he has to go to the shelter tonight. I feel absolutely awful about it, but there's nothing else I can do. I've posted askings and ads everywhere I can think of, online and off, called every rescue and no-kill shelter in the area, gone to every person I know, and there's still no place that will take him, even for the length of my trip. I leave before dawn tomorrow, and I can't take him.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

You shouldn't feel bad, you've done more than most people would have done. He'll be warm and fed at the shelter. atback


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## KittyMonster (Nov 8, 2009)

Reading this story disgusted and angered me. I almost want to ask you to give me the previous owners' email so I could write them a nasty letter... Ugh. You are a very good person for caring for this cat as you have, and I'm truly sorry that someone so manipulative would take advantage of your kindness. People like that should have it marked on their permanent record that they are not allowed to own any animals! :evil: 

I know a couple people in the Georgia area through my internet travels... I'll ask around but I have no idea if they would be at all receptive or in the position to take on a pet. I'll pm you if I find anything.

Edit: .... I just realised the date on these posts.  I'm sorry I didn't read earlier but my friends didn't seem very receptive to be honest. In any case, don't feel guilty - you did the best you could, and you did right by the cat better than his owners ever did.


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## RainingCats (Nov 19, 2009)

Hi. Sorry for the late response. 

The rescue never called back. I didn't end up getting to the shelter in time (it's a three hour drive), and the vet couldn't legally take him, so I drove Skunk up to Ohio with me (10 hours of let me out! let me out!, but I've actually driven two other cats up in the past two years (five total within the last decade)) and hid him in my parents' enclosed barn. Well, my father knew from the beginning, but my mother didn't. By the time she found out, my father had all ready fallen in love with him, as had my little brother, so they're going to keep him until they can find him a good home. They've lost three cats within the past year and a half (two cancers and one blood disease), so there's a slight chance that they'll end up bringing him inside and keeping him. However, they still have three other cats (two of whom are older (18 and 17) and one who is younger (5, I think, maybe 6)) who may be less than receptive to that idea, especially since there's still a mini power struggle going on (the 18 year old is king, but the youngest wants to be). Otherwise, one of my old coworkers wants a lapcat, and if he works out with her other pets (another cat and a boxer dog), she'll probably take him. I tried with my visiting aunt (she has 19 cats, so we tried to convince her that 20 was really the way to go), but no luck there. 

As of now, he's still in the barn (which is carpeted and has heating), and he's been getting at least an hour worth of attention everyday. He'll definitely get a good home, and the neighbor is never going to have any sort of communication with anyone connected to the cat again. 

Thank you for all of the kind replies. I really appreciate it.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

What a wonderful update! It sounds like Skunk has a multitude of possibilities available to him for a new home.
Good luck to him!


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## LilRed (Jul 16, 2008)

Thank you & your family for saving Skunk! Sorry that you've had to go through all this, but be proud its obvious people realize what a loving person you are (even though some take advantage of it). Best of luck to you & Skunk!!


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