My first night of Volunteering...

[catcrazylady]

Well yesterday at work people were asking me if I was excited about going to the shelter. My answer was no I'm not looking forward to 150 caged cats! Some I knew would be sick and in need of help. I was really dreading it and had hopes that I would be happily surprised. I wasn't It was even worse than anything I could have dreamed up.
I live in a small rural community and obviously they get little support. The shelter is in a small 3 bedroom old house. One room is an office, one room is the operating room, and that leaves two small rooms and a kitchen that are wall to wall cats. One room is full of slightly ill cats who are recouping from ring worm and URI's. You can barely turn around in this room because there are so many cages. Each cage has a minimum of two to three cats in it. In the other room they have the sickest cats. Severe URI's, horrible diarrhea, you name it! It to is wall to wall with cages out in the middle of the floor so you can barely move in there. I was told that whenever I had any spare time to wipe the green snot off of the walls!! The kitchen area has cages crammed into every knook and cranny. The narrow hallway was lined wall to wall with more cages full of cats. The only place I didn't see an animal was in the bathroom!!
They used to have open rooms but because it was spreading illness they had to stop that. These cats never get out of the cages other than whatever time you can hold them or when they are being medicated. Some of these were energetic and wanted to play but there is no room. A small cage with two cats, litter box, and food and water bowls does not leave any room for anything!!
Every room I walked into I was grabbed by my hair, shirt sleeves, pant legs, sometimes from both sides at once, by begging crying kitties who wanted my attention. I wanted to throw my hands up and cry!!
It was horrible beyond belief. It's not that the people are bad and they are doing the best they can with what they have, and they had over 800 adoptions last year. It's the situation, the space, the sickness, and the overwhleming need for love that broke my heart.
I have never been in the caged animal part of a shelter before. Is all this normal??

[Tonya]

Wow. I don't know if it's normal or not, but it breaks my heart just reading it. I couldn't imagine experiencing it like you are. I commend you for volunteering. Those cats need you for sure.

[Killearn Kitties]

I'm sorry I can't tell you how normal it is, I really don't have any experience of that. I just wanted to lend my support. The whole experience sounds absolutely harrowing.

It's great that they re-homed 800 cats last year though, and you could do such good work for those kitties if you were able to stick it out.

[K & L]

Oh how sad! Just remember you're giving those cats love they'd never have otherwise! Try and hang in there, you help them probably more than you even realize.

[sqwelch]

Your experience sounds dreadful (I'm not getting at the place as they are obviously doing their best) but all those kitties wanting a cuddle, how sad !!! Poor babies, i always said (and people think I'm mad) but if I ever win the lotto I'm going to start an animal sanctuary !! (as I said I'm considered mad by my friends as they would shop, holiday and more shopping !!) It breaks my heart to think of all those animals who are either mis-treated or simply homeless !! Well done for volunteering !!!

[catcrazylady]

Thanks guys. I told you I would be whining!
There is this one little kitten, maybe 12 to 14 weeks old, that is really sick. He started with URI and now has pnuemonia (sp). He is orange and white, skinny, and has poo all over his back end and tail from diarrhea. He wheezes when he breathes and his nose just constantly runs. He tries to be a typical kitten and find something to do in his cage. He would grab me everytime I went by. He touched my heart deeply. I wonder if he will make it.
There was this beautiful long haired white cat that had been dumped there. He is very old and sick. He won't eat and he really doesn't care what you do to him. They said they would probably have to put him down. For the first time in my life I asked them what they were waiting for! I looked at his old, tired, sick face in that cage surrounded by so much illness and thought that I would not want to live like that either. He has no will to go on.
Then there was a whole wall lined with Siamese cats. They had belonged to a hoarder/breeder. There had been lots of inbreeding and apparently they had been kept in a bad environment. They were not so nice kitties! It was eary to walk down the hall with all those slanted bright blue eyes staring at you.
I feel like I have been in a bad bad dream. I'm sorry to pour all of this out, but I know how well you all will understand.

[kimlovescats]

Oh dear God, Lisa.... I am in tears reading this.
I am even at a loss of words at the moment. The biggest problem your shelter obviously has is lack of space, and overcrowded conditions. If some of these kitties could be placed in foster homes, it would be a HUGE improvement. Would the shelter agree to this? The poor sick kitties hardly stand a chance being so cooped up! My heart absolutely breaks for them, Lisa ... and for YOU for having to witness what I can barely stand to hear about!

Anytime you need to vent, please post here and e-mail if you'd like at [email protected] .

Please try to stick with it for as long as you can .... these kitties need your warmth, love, and smiling face and eyes!

[catnapper]

{{{{HUGS}}}}} to you and those poor kitties! I am so sorry that the conditions were worse than you feared. Could you perhaps put together a fund raiser that could help the shelter? Wouln't it be great to help them get enough money to build an annex to the main building to put a good majority of the cats there?

I know I'm dreaming, but if you can get an architect to donate their time, and a lumber yard, etc to donate materials, and volunteeers actually performing the construction, all they'd need is enough proceeds coming in to pay for utilities to the new building. OK, I know I live with my head in the clouds, but I am also a firm believer in anything is possible!

Keep up good thoughts that they did give homes to 800 kitties last year.

[catcrazylady]

I'm going back tonight. It's spay/nueter clinic night. After this I have agreed to volunteer Monday and Thursday nights and to help out on Saturdays when needed.
I agree Kim that it is overcrowding and yes they do foster but there aren't enough foster homes. They have repeatedly asked me if I would be interested in doing it and the answer is NO! I really do not have a place to put them and after what I saw I know that I would be bringing no telling what disease or illness home to my cats. I have to keep them top priority.
They do have a home that takes all their FIV kitties and fosters them. They have a very large home with something like 2500sq feet in an upstairs room. They currently have about 100 FIV positive cats that they care for. So at least they have a home. Those must be some wonderful people!
There was a bright spot!! While I was making some call for the shelter I felt someone come up behind me and plop a cat in my lap. His name was James and he was a beautiful buff kitty wearing a bright red collar. I was on the phone reminding someone about their spay appointment and James rolled over in my lap, belly up, and purred to the high heavens!!! He rolled and loved me until he was twisted in the phone cord and I was giggling and trying to talk on the phone! He reached up and wrapped his paws around my neck and gave me a kitty hug like I have never had before!! I helped get him wormed and flea treated because he was heading to the petsmart to be adopted out! Someone will be very lucky with that wonderful boy! He is why I'm going back!!! If I can help the others get to that point then I will be doing what I need to do. I may have a nervous breakdown before then but I'm going to try.
You all are going to have to help me through this first part. They promised me that over time you toughen up but I don't want to. I want to stay touched by these kitties.
Thanks again to all and a special thanks Kim for offering an ear. I just wish I knew how to make it better for them all.

[CatDad]

I have never been in the back of a shelter either, but it sounds really bad. I do realize that the shelter is just doing the best it can with what it's got.

I have no great advice to give, I am still trying to take in and process what you wrote. However, if writing helps please write away and I will read and offer support.

I really just wanted to send a few {{HUGS}} your way and say bless you for doing what you can to help.

[Randi]

It breaks my heart to read about these horrible conditions for these kitties. It must be SO tough to witness, but you being there with them is such a big help.

I'm thinking along the lines with Catnapper, that sounds like a good idea. Also, is there a chance they could build a huge outdoor cage, so at least some of the kitties can get some fresh air and exersice when the weather allows. That would probably be cheaper to do.

I wish you, the kitties and shelter all the best - wish I could be there to help out.

[NoahsMommy]

Your first few posts broke my heart, but after reading about James, I'm sitting here in tears.

He sounds like an amazing boy and he'll find a wonderful home for sure.

Keep telling yourself that without your help, these kitties wouldn't have a few bright, shining moments in their days. You are very important to them.

I'll be praying for you and all those at the shelter. You're doing a WONDERFUL thing, however hard it may be.

[jazzcat]

This just breaks my heart!!! I'm holding back the tears. I don't know how you got through it, I don't think I could have.

It sounds like this place needs some serious PR to get donations and public awareness up. Here are a few suggestions that might help if the shelter isn't already doing this. Get the local paper involved. Call them and tell them you want to get the community aware and involved in the shelter. Ask if the would be interested in running some PSAs (Public Service Announcements - always free) about the shelter and the dozens of adoptable pets. The adoption day's a PetsMart could come under this or the Community Calendar section. Ask if they would be willing to run an "Adopt-A-Pet" segment each week featuring a couple of adoptable animals at the shelter. If this segment needs to be sponsored by an advertiser then the next step would be to find one like a local pet store, groomer or really any local business. If your shelter is a non-profit organization they could give the advertising sponsor a tax donation write off probably. It's worth a shot. Also include local radio stations. They will probably announce the adoption days on air at no cost as their community calendar or events type things. You might be able to even get a radio station to be a sponsor, do promos and include the shelter on their website if they have one.

Anyway, I could probably come up with more ideas if you think it would help.

Bless you for doing this!

[dukedogsmom]

Doesn't sound normal to me at all! Borders to me around cruelty. The SPCA here still does put down animals But if they didn't, I'm sure it would be like that here, too. Each cat gets their own cage and it's a pretty good size. The situation you describe is sad. If they can't do it properly, shouldn't be doing it at all. Maybe you can let the powers that be know how bad it is and maybe that awareness will provide funding?

[sirrahbed]

Oh my Oh my, I read and started to post this morning - here I am back again and still have no words. The picture you painted has been with me all day. I have not been in all that many shelters but several and nothing has been remotely like what you describe. There was even one I considered pretty aweful and came home to cry and shower but still not like what you describe - and I went all through it - even the basement where the sickest kitties were and even they were one to a cage. There were about 300 cats in this building but it also had many rooms where the cats roamed freely though separated by rooms. It sounds like they have taken on more than they can handle and hopefully it is just an overwhelming time of year and will get better. This is the time for illnesses and unwanted kittens that did not make it in the "cute" phase that just passed. So things HAVE to get better come spring. Keep posting - please - and tell us how your days are going. Anything you have to offer there will NOT go to waste and there will always be some bright moments that would not happen if you were not there. And there will be more "James" moments to cheer you on as well. Blessings to you! I could not do it but I am very proud of YOU.