Huge outside cat problem, needing assistance! Any advice,solutions?

[kt_luvs_kitties]

Ok this is going to be one LONG babbling post. I am sorry if I make no sense. But I need any help, advice, suggestions on this one.

As some may remember, There is a drug addict woman in my neighborhood. She has many cats, probably around 20-30. Well not anymore. I just found out yesterday that someone(s) is shooting them. With a rifle and a pellet gun. Also with poison that they are putting out. Many have already been found dead, or went missing.

I do understand that neighbors are sick and tired of her neglect. I do. But killing them/harming them is not the answer.

Her son came to my house yesterday, wanting to know if I had seen his cat. I would have said no, but them Amos, one of a few cats I have been letting inside my house at night (for safety) came running up. He wanted his cat, But I noticed his leg was swollen and had a small hole in in. I grabbed him up, and noticed that it was a pellet shot in the back left foot. I asked the boy if he knew what had happened. His response " Yes a few neighbors have been killing our cats, and our dog" I said "How do you know" He said " They killed our dog with a shotgun, and told me to keep them off of his property". I was stunned. I told him to tell him mother to call me IMMEDIATELY.

Since the mother is a suspected drug addict, I knew this probably was NOT the best idea. Ten minutes later a knock on the door...

I was irate. Boiling mad. Answered the door, walked outside. I started off by saying If she knew her cats were getting shot, why would she put them back outside to get hurt? Her response, they pee on her clothes. Get them fixed and they wont do it anymore was my comeback. Also about fixing them,with the cat overpopulation. Again as she said before, I only have one female cat, and she is the only one having kittens.

I asked her where were all the cats that had been coming to my house to eat. Her response... They were either shot or poisoned. Orange one? dead. Grey one? dead. Babies that I heard about(5)? dead. calico? dead. Tortie? dead.
All but 6 are dead or missing. And she STILL lets them outside.

Now the other day, the brown tabby came to my house hungry, and I took him inside. He also had a hole in his leg, which I THOUGHT was a bite from a cat fight, now I realize it was a pellet gun. I usually bring in 2-3 cats. Andy, Amos, and the tabby.

I then said some not so nice things to her. Asked what she was going to do with Amos, the white and black cat that was shot in the foot. She said her mother was coming over to get him and take him to the vet( which she didnt) so he is now in my spare bedroom with Tabby boy.
I told her point blank, that Andy, was staying with me. He stays at my house 99% of the time. He is happy here. I wont allow her to neglect and abuse him anymore.

She does not even feed these cats. Her exact words to me were "They dont get cat food. I have them to catch mice"

I also asked her why she would let a pregnant cat outside in the first place.. She said because she kept tearing into her loaf of bread. NO S***!!! She was probably starving, and when put outside got into the poison because she has nothing else to eat.

POINT OF THIS THREAD....
The end of our conversation was as nasty as the beginning. She said she was moving out on the 6th of this month. That rats and mice were eating through her clothes. *shows that the cats didnt eat much, huh* She was taking the 2 cats with her, and the other 4 with her mother. They will remain outside cats if they dont get killed first.

I immediately called Melissa(doolittleky). She said that maybe she could help. I also called Lynda (Lizzie) to see if she knew of any shelters willing to help these cats. I am willing to take in atleast 4 of these cats if I can work out a transport or find willing fosters. Lynda immediately said that she would foster them and find them homes.

PROBLEM> Cost of each cat to get shipped there is ALOT. Transport through airline 80.00 per cat. atleast 30.00 per health certificate. 10-15 for rabies. I dont know how much for the carriers to use on the airline. And I called a vet today, that said they must have a distemper shot as well. That is 15.00 per cat for distemper. I could pay for the rabies, and one of the health certificates(maybe more if I can).

Me and Melissa are meeting within the next 2 weeks, and If ANYONE knows of anyone whom lives between North Carolina and Kentucky.. Or Is willing to drive to Kentucky or within 2 hours of Kentucky.. We can help drive there. All surrounding areas would be within reason. And then we would not need money donated to fly them. We would just need someone willing to take a cat.
I can not in good conscience let these cats back outside to die. I have 2 in my spare room right now. I know I can atleast get the third cat. BUT I can not keep them longer than a few weeks, as I already have 9 and with Saki coming to me..10. It is just too many for my small place. Plus my husband is letting me keep them inside. He is not happy at all.

Please any advice, suggestions, anyone willing to help one of these cats. I would be forever grateful. If all else fails, we could start a fund to try to get the money for them to go to Lynda. I am just at a loss.

I will post pictures of them from a few days ago.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

They are all very cat friendly and very people friendly as well. Real loving cats, that need real loving owners.

Here is Andy:



Here is Amos: Still working on finding them.


Here is the Male Tabby:





His foot:

[Catty1]

OK, I know you know you are rambling....

First, do YOU need the money, or does Lynda?

Is Doolittlekitty far from you?

Sorry, just trying to get the logisitics here.

Do you have a PayPal account?

Is Tracey (Reachoutrescue) near you, she has one?

OR - if one of the rescues helping you has a PayPal account, will they take money to help with med expenses too?

I hope two weeks is not too late...although you will have the fourth one then. That leaves 2?

That poor kid...I hope the Child Services knows about his mom!

Anyway....who needs what and when?

HUGS!

[columbine]

That sounds like an ASPCA problem to me. (910) 860-1177

[Catty1]

How about calling the SPCA, and saying you do have some fosters. Report this abuse. And give Family Services a call...

this mother is pathetic, and needs MAJOR help...

At least the SPCA can give you some guidance and ideas, maybe some direction.

If they know you are taking some kitties and other people the others, then they may not take them to the shelter.

I love that tabby's face! Is he yawning or talking?

[kt_luvs_kitties]

Ok Sorry about the ramble.

Animal control can do nothing. Even though she does not feed them, I have been feeding them, so they are of good weight.

Child services will get a call. I am sure it wont be the first.

About the money. What I am hoping is that people will offer to foster them or adopt them on my trip to meed Melissa in Kentucky. If not, Melissa is willing to drive an hour or two, if someone would meet her to adopt them. We will not need money for that.
BUT- if I can find noone willing to help, then my other option is to send them to Lynda(lizzie) and she will foster them. Problem is, we are very far away and they would have to fly to her. The money would then need to be raised for this. I hope this makes sense?

The resuces in my area are high kill. Only one no kill, and they are not taking any more animals as this time. Go figure.

4 total cats in need of a home.
I have 2 in my room. I know I can get the other 2. There is one semi feral that comes by, and lets me pat his head. I can use a humane trap to get him. Then there is Andy.
If I could possibly find 2 people to offer to adopt/foster them, then Lizzie would only have to take 2. Then the funds could be far less.

Is this better? If I need to clarify anything, please just ask. My brain is just in overload right now. I am terribly upset,confused and worried.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

And Catty, he is yawning. He is really a sweet boy. Someone would have a good cat with him. He wants nothing but to chirp to you, and love on you. They all are so very adoptable.

[Freedom]

Has anyone notified the police? I don't know what area you are in, but it is possible that firing a pellet gun is against local ordinances. We had such a case here in my city this past summer. I think the police need to know as well as the animal rescue groups. Oh, and I am wondering if the vet has to report it when you take the cat in for his foot. Ya know, like they have to report dog bites in some areas.

I vote that you get in any and all cats that you can ASAP. It may take a week or 2 or 3, but PT will come through and help you, I don't doubt that!!!! Count me in for help as soon as you get things established. I'll be watching this thread.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

The only thing with that, is that she is moving. I dont know where, or anything. I do not even know her name. She is moving on the 6th, 3 more days. Evenif I notified them , they would not be able to do anything, she would be gone by time they came.

And I have called animal control on her, as well as 2 of my next door neighbors. They never even came out to look.

[Catty1]

Reachoutrescue is in Illinois, which is a fair way from you...but she might know of someone to take them or help. PM her

Also - who was that trucking couple that has a semi full of cats and helps with transport?

If that mom is renting, call Child Welfare anyway. They'll find her!

dear me - I wish somebody closer to you could help.

Also post in Cat Rescue!

[Lizzie]

I've read so many posts recently on the criticalpetsrescue about ways people are allowed to "get rid of" pets legally in different states that I don't think Katie's complaints to SPCA or the police would go anywhere at all. Shooting cats and dogs is extremely common in rural areas and in many places simply accepted. That shocked me, but it seems to be true. One rescue in WA called it "shoot, shovel, and shut up".

The main problem here is that Katie doesn't live really close to anyone who can take in these cats to foster. They are going to have to travel. Getting them to people on the east coast is going to be far easier than getting them to the PNW (to me), and that's an unfortunate fact. Asking for the kind of donation from people on PT to ship the cats freight to me just doesn't seem right, though I'm glad that Katie is asking for donations directly to her vet to help the injured cats. I know she's already put a lot of her own money into helping them and is ready to do a lot more.

I made a big mistake last night by telling Katie that it would cost $80 per cat to ship to me. That's the cost when a cat flies in the cabin with you. It definitely costs more when they travel in freight, though I can't remember what it is. I'll check into it.

I have the room to take all the cats. They would have a nice bedroom to themselves which looks onto a wildlife friendly back garden. I can afford to feed them well. I can find them homes. But, logistically, my home might be too far.

Katie needs lots of support from us whatever is decided. I wouldn't want to be in her shoes, living so close to someone who is an appallingly bad owner (and she is an owner, not a guardian) of pets and being a huge pet lover myself.

[CultureJunky]

If there is a fund set up in a paypal account I could contribute $20.00, it's not much but if say nearly everybody on here did that or less we could probably raise enough money for food for them and care until they can be rehomed- The tabby one obviouslly needs to have his foot taken care of.

[Catty1]

Lizzie - looking forward to the revised freight charges...it would be a short flight, right?

This seems like the best solution...and there were vet costs, too?

Maybe when a 'grand total' gets put together, we can start the chip-in.

I have a PayPal account, in Cdn funds - but they would be converted back, right?

Anyway, keeping an eye on this thread.

Katie - not that you don't have enough to think about - but I bet Children's Services would be very interested to know that this woman is moving! They'd move pretty fast, I think...

[Freedom]

When Sugar flew from Columbus, Ohio to Providence, Rhode Island (via Chicago! ) the cost was $175 for Priority Parcel. In December 2006.

Flying from Katie in NC to Lizzie in Washington State is cross country. Literally from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast.

[Catty1]

Okay - I am going to check with a non-PT friend of mine near Boston. She has two furbabies, and might be able to help!