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The Beast
Beginner

FFS! I hate this. WWYD? (Long, sorry) - UPDATED

The Beast, 6 August, 2008 at 14:39 Posted on Off Topic Posts 0 8

Please help me see the light.

Background.:

We got our cat Sally from a shelter in April. She is a nice cat but hates all other cats which is a problem as we have three others (plus kittens at the moment). She attacks one of them (Gypsy) on sight and frequently chases her away for up to a week until she eventually comes back starving. We were worried one day she wouldn’t come back so started looking to re-home Sally.

For complicated reasons we can’t rehome her at the shelter we originally got her from. We have called numerous other shelters who are all full until at least the middle of September with it being kitten season. We have asked friends and family to no avail. Finally we advertised on an internet classifieds site.

We got a reply last week from a lady who wanted an indoor cat. We were going to take her there last Saturday but got a phone call from the lady on Friday night to say that her boyfriend had brought home a surprise kitten and she no longer wanted Sal.

She then contacted us on Monday to say that she had broken up with the boyfriend and he had taken the kitten with him so could she have Sal? We ummed and ahhed about it but decided that for the sake of Gypsy and our other cats (plus the fact that we’d save £80 on a cattery while we go away) we’d take her.

We took her yesterday evening and the lady seemed happy with her. In turn I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. But today she has called and said she has had an allergic reaction and can we take Sally back? Gah! Firstly I don’t know whether to believe her as she said she had had cats before, although a few years back. But whether truth or no, we are now having to decide between taking Sally back and living with the horrid situation with her terrifying our other cats, or refusing and facing the possibility that this lady might not be responsible and might just abandon Sally (although we have no reason to suspect she may be that kind of person).

I don’t know what to do and I feel like all that weight is back on my shoulders again. Technically she isn’t our responsibility and I really can’t bear the idea of her coming back and living with the stress of it all for another two months. Plus I’ve already cancelled the cattery place for when we go on hols in early September. But I also wouldn’t be able to cope with the guilt if she did just abandon (or even harm) Sally, although I accept that I would never know what happened.

WWYD?

8 replies

Latest activity by The Beast, 7 August, 2008 at 15:19
  • L
    loopyloo ·
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    Aah, i feel for you, tough call.

    Part of me says, no its her responsibility now. But then, id hate for her to abandon the cat.

    Could it maybe be that the boyf has come back and brought kitten with him and thats why she doesnt want your cat now?

    Could u take her back and advertise in local paper, supermarket notice board, local shops, etc?

    Someone in our area was offering her cats on freecycle

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  • JK
    Beginner February 2007
    JK ·
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    Did the original shelter not advise that she needed to be an only cat (or more likely, not in with other females)? I know you've said you can't, but they should probably be your first port of call.

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  • The Beast
    Beginner
    The Beast ·
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    No, the shelter told us nothing about her temperment. They also gave us a supposedly neutered female cat who now has 5 kittens. I've since found out that they operate under a pet shop licence as they can't get a shelter licence so I wouldn't trust them to re-home Sal responsibly this time either.

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  • JK
    Beginner February 2007
    JK ·
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    View quoted message

    Then I mentally absolve you of every sin ? Lying beggars.

    Hmmm. Have you tried explaining to a local shelter?

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  • B
    Beginner February 2008
    Boop ·
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    That shelter's a nightmare, however I know I'd have to take her back and try and keep her separate somehow. In the meantime, have you tried rehoming her via things like CatChat and The Refuge?

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  • K
    KJB ·
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    Where are you? I know of a rehoming centre in Bristol that are very unlikely to turn away a cat if it's in real need. It's a privately run shelter, run by a mad cat woman, and whilst I don't always agree with her principles, she has done loads to help cats and stop breeding in the area.

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  • The Beast
    Beginner
    The Beast ·
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    Miles away from Bristol unfortunately. We're in West Yorkshire.

    Not heard of CatChat and The Refuge, will have a look. We've tried to keep the cats seperate but it's difficult. We live in a two bed terrace. Ruby and her kittens are shut in the living room until we can get her (and them eventually) neutered. We have a male cat, Rufus, who won't be shut in a room. He just scratches constantly to get out. Likewise, if we shut our bedroom door he scratches constantly to be let in so we can't shut Gypsy or Sal in the bedroom with us. We have no door on the kitchen so can't shut that, and the spare bedroom is tiny and I wouldn't feel happy shutting a cat in there.

    I think I might try going to the RSPCA and explaining the situation and asking whether they can make room for her. I'll also speak to the lady tonight and ask what she will do if we don't take Sal back just to see what she says.

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  • Hello Sunshine
    Beginner
    Hello Sunshine ·
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    This is so sad, I feel so bad for you Beast as I know how torn I would feel. I'd take her from as I'm dying to have a cat again but we're stuck in rented accomodation for now til our Brum house sells ☹️

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  • The Beast
    Beginner
    The Beast ·
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    Well, I'm picking her up tonight. I would say reluctantly but I had an email at lunchtime in response to the classifieds ad from a couple who wanted her so I pick her up at 5.30 in Leeds and I'm dropping her off at 6.45 in Barnsley! Yippee! Please, please, please let it work out this time.

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