Saw an ad: Maine Coon Adult Female Cat Declawed and Spayed (Millheim) Possibly a CH??

**Anikaca77** · 09-05-2008, 09:03 AM

Here is the ad I just found this morning on craigslist:

Maine Coon Adult Female Cat Declawed and Spayed (Millheim)

Someone abandoned a beautiful Maine Coon adult cat outside our apartment in Millheim. At the time, her fur was pure black, but in the past couple months, since we got her, she has turned partially silver. We have been unsuccessful at locating the owner, and will be moving in a month, and were hoping to find her a new home before the move. She is super-sweet and loving, and would make a perfect pet for someone with children. She is very calm around children, cats, and dogs.

She is not a mouser or ratter, as she is declawed in the front, and should not be allowed to run loose. She cannot defend herself from aggressive animals or people. She walks distinctively like a drunkard, the vet says this is permanent, but doesn't interfere with her life. I am providing to the new owner:
1. a large, low-rise catbox she is accustomed to.
2. New bag of her favorite food
3. Water and food dishes (she eats slowly throughout the day and should have constant access to food and water.)

This is an e-mail I just sent to the person who is moving:

Hi,

I saw your ad on craigslist and I was wondering if the vet said that she has Cerebellar Hypoplasia which makes a cat walk funny.

I forward your post on to a pet talk website I belong to and also to a ragdoll rescue since she is probably CH figured they might be able to help.

I hope you don't mind me doing that but I'd like to see her get a home especially since her owners most likely turned her loose. Do you have her indoors right now with you?

Also, I used to rescue cats occasionally it still happens but I'm out of room right now and I use an adoption application for people who are interested in adopting cats from me just to insure that they are going to a good home.

I've heard cases before and I'm not trying to scare you but make you aware of what does happen sometimes, I've never had it happen to me yet but I'm always careful, I've read online in several newspapers that when someone offers a cat for free, there are certain people who fit the bill and they come and get the free kittens, cats, or whatever the animal is and either sell it to a lab where the cat will be stuck in a cage for the rest of it's life or they will use it as bait in a dog fight or something. I've always used this application and I usually do make the person provide me with 3 references whether it's another family member, boss, co-worker but always at least 1 vet reference so I can call to make sure their current pets are keep up to date.

There are times where I just know the person will probably be a good care taker and I just have them fill out an adoption application without a fee but I figured I'd give you this advice because I was told this advice when I tried to give away kittens not realizing what could happen to them.

If you have a picture of her I'd love to see one so that way I can post a picture up on this pet talk website I belong to. Also, did the vet say how old she might be?

Thank you,
Melissa

**smokey the elder** · 09-05-2008, 09:23 AM

What a dirtbag, abandoning a declawed cat with CH, yet!

I hope the precious baby gets a good home.

**catmandu** · 09-05-2008, 09:45 AM

I WISH I COULD TAKE THAT DEAR CAT IN

, SHE WOULD JUST FIT IN WITH THE FOUND HOTEL CATS , WHO WOULD SHOWER HER WITH LOVE AND ATTENTION, AND SHE WOULD LOVE THE ENCLOSED PORCH!!

BUT I PROMISED THE ANIMAL CONTROL THAT I WOULDNT TAKE IN ANY MORE CATS ALTHOUGH I COULD MAKE AND EXCEPTION.

**Anikaca77** · 09-05-2008, 09:51 AM

I will let everyone know this person's response when I hear back from them.

Just please forward this to everyone who might be interested. I'd love to take her but I just can't.

**critters** · 09-05-2008, 09:55 AM

Could you get in touch with them and ask them to post her on one of the rescue bbs at http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/ ? A state, or country if not US, is necessary, and a pic would help. That post can then be sent to breed rescues, disability lists, etc. Thanks!

**Anikaca77** · 09-05-2008, 03:05 PM

I just received this e-mail from her:

Thanks for the info. The vet says she has a neurological condition
that was probably caused by her being hit by a car or some other
trauma. She didn't use the scientific term for it.

Wobbles lives inside our house, she CANNOT be left outside
unsupervised (as in we could take her for walks on a leash and
harness,) but because she is declawed, and she cannot walk normally,
she would be a tasty snack for the next predator that comes along. She
had to spend some significant time in the bathroom isolated from our
cats, because they pick on her. She has no ability to defend herself.

I've gotten two people already who are interested in Wobbles, which is
a good sign for me. I really hope I can find her a home before I move.
It would be abysmal to move cross-country with her and the other three
cats in our car.

Sorry I don't have a camera or picture.

It's really scary that someone take free cats and sell them to labs.
I'm not quite sure how an application would weed those out, but
references sound like a good idea. I'm not one of those people who
think that you NEED shots, (I don't get mine) but I agree that vet
care will be essential for Wobbles.

Thanks again,
Mela

And this way my reply to her:

> Mela,
>
> Well I'm glad you have 2 people interested, what I would suggest though is
> have them come by and visit with the cat and you supervise them and you will
> know roughly if they are going to a good home or not.
>
> Thank you so much for taking her in.
>
> It sounds like she does have this CH and the person adopting her should be
> aware of her needs.
>
> Keep me posted on what happens to hear please.
>
> Thank you,
> Melissa

And Her response to that e-mail:

The vet said she might have difficulty jumping up, (true, she needs
help getting onto our bed) and that she should not be left outside,
but nothing else about her difficulties. She uses the larger,
lower-down catbox without difficulty, as long as our other terrors
don't corner her under the bed. What other problems could she have?

She was super-pitiful when we took her in, so skinny I could wrap one
hand around her middle, thumb to pinky, a flea collar wrapped around
her neck and under her armpit on one side. She couldn't walk with it
there, only shuffle slowly and look pitifully. This is why I didn't
really want to send her back to the original owner, the bastard almost
killed her already.

Mela

And my e-mail back to her again:

> Mela,
>
> I don't blame you at all for that. The poor baby. It's so sad how people
> can be so cruel to perfectly good cats. My husband and I have 8 or
> otherwise I'm sure we'd love to take her in but hopefully one of the people
> who have contacted you will be interested in adopting her and keeping her
> safe and indoors from now on.
>
> Thank you again for taking her to the vets and taking care of her.
>
> Again, please let me know what happens to her.
>
> Also, I attached an adoption application and I didn't know if this would
> come in handy or not.
>
> Thanks,
> Melissa

**Anikaca77** · 09-05-2008, 03:07 PM

And Her response to me again:

Melissa:

Is there any way you could copy and paste the adoption certificate in
an email? I can't read pdfs on my computer at all, (Adobe doesn't
work)

Paws paid part of the vet visit for her, if you know anyone who might
benefit from that, they will pay $50 of the first vet visit for a
rescued cat that needs immediate medical attention.

I hate how some people treat their pets, like they just don't matter
at all or are nuisances. When I got my pets I realized it was a
lifelong commitment, for the life of the animal. For rats, that's a
short period, but for cats, that's a couple of decades of
companionship and responsibility.

Mela

And my response back:

Mela,

I just sent you the application, I'm not sure if it will come out correctly
or not but hopefully it will.

I'm glad Paws paid part of the visit, I've used their services before when I
used to rescue cats off the streets and most times they need medical
attention right away.

I'm just so glad you were able to get her in and food in her belly.

I completely agree with your statement here: "I hate how some people treat
their pets, like they just don't matter at all or are nuisances. When I got
my pets I realized it was a lifelong commitment, for the life of the animal.
For rats, that's a short period, but for cats, that's a couple of decades of
companionship and responsibility."

You are right on the money and it's just so sad that people can just dump
their cats and not think twice about them. Everytime I hear a sad story
about a cat it breaks my heart but then there are a few luckily ones that
get to come along and find their ways into my home. Right now though with 8
is too many but we make sure that they are all taken care of and they are
spoiled way too much but hey it's the only life they are going to have.

Melissa

And the last response so far:

Melissa:

Yeah, With Wobbles, we have six cats in our two bedroom apartment! I
had a lot more when I owned a giant house in Bellefonte (as many as
26!) Wobbles was never intended to be a permanent part of our family,
but I'm still gonna be sad seeing her go. She LOVES sleeping on our
bed, and is such a sweetie. It was so cute to see her in the bathroom
trying very, very hard to get up to lap level so you can reach her.
Apparently she also caused difficulty for men trying to pee by
distracting them and bumping into their legs. lol.

The application came out well, I think I'm gonna print a copy at the
library today.

You can never spoil cats too much, as long as you aren't making them
into angry, bitchy cats. Plenty of loves is good for them!

Mela