Medical help for cat in Baltimore, MD

[Logan]

One of the members of the Siamese Cat board, who lives in Baltimore, MD, posted a long story yesterday about an elderly woman who has been coming into her office on daily basis. Turns out that yesterday, the woman said that she had been evicted from her apartment, and she needed to get her cat. So this lady, Xena, drove the woman to her apartment and outside the door, she found a couple of boxes stuffed with personal belongings, and on top was Toby, the lady's cat. Xena says that Toby has a crusty nose, and needs some medical attention. She has found temporary shelter for the lady, and is getting her the medical attention that she needs with the help of the Salvation Army. What she needs now is some help for the cat. She wants to be able to have him treated and probably boarded until she can get this lady, Pam, settled in a new apartment. She said Pam is very attached to Toby and would like to reunite them as soon as possible. Her problem is money. Does anyone know of any low cost vet care in that area? Or do you have suggestions as to what she can do?

Answer me here, if you don't mind. I didn't post the link of the topic because last time I did, Karen said it was too long, and I don't know how to shorten it. The community can be found here: http://communities.msn.com/SiameseCatsandtheirpeople/

Then go to "Messages" and you can read it under the topic "Homeless Woman and her cat in my office".

Thanks for any help you can offer up.
Logan

Phred sez: Gosh, Logan ~ it's not like the Head Bunnie *yelled* at ya!
Here's the direct link to the MSN BBS topic that Miz Logan described above:

Tail of Toby & His Mom...

[ December 11, 2001: Message edited by: Phred ]

[cr7clark]

Baltimore is a spread-out city...do you have an address or phone # for the lady in question? I live reasonably close, perhaps I can get in touch with her and find some help. My vet is quite reasonable in costs and perhaps I can find a temporary home for Toby so she won't have to pay a boarding bill. Please let me know if anyone else has offered to help as well.
Bless you for your caring thoughts!

[cr7clark]

Baltimore is a spread-out city...do you have an address or phone # for the lady in question? I live reasonably close, perhaps I can get in touch with her and find some help. My vet is quite reasonable in costs and perhaps I can find a temporary home for Toby so she won't have to pay a boarding bill. Please let me know if anyone else has offered to help as well.
Bless you for your caring thoughts!

[Logan]

BosMom,
I just emailed you with the phone number for the lady who is trying to help out. I hope you have some good suggestions for her. I also enlisted the help of another lady, who is a pet lover, who lives in the area, so you will see two addresses on the email, plus I copied Xena, so you could have her email address too.
This is such a sad story. But thank you for even trying to help out.
Logan

[zippy-kat]

If you guys can't work something out, I have an aunt that lives in TawnyTown, MD. I have NO IDEA how close that is to Baltimore but I think it's fairly close. While she probably wouldn't be able to help out with the vet bills, she is an avid animal lover and I'm sure would provide a more than warm and loving home for the cat until he can be reunited with his owner.

[Logan]

Oh, Tonya, I just know that pet love runs rampantly through your family!!! Thank you and we will certainly let you know if we need the assistance. Between BosMom and my friend, Missy, plus some good leads through www.muttcats.com I am so hopeful that Toby will be taken care of and reunited with his Pam very soon!

[Phred]

If you missed it above; here's the direct link to the MSN BBS Topic about Toby and his Mom:

Tail of Toby & His Mom...

It will be a wonderful Holiday Tail if Mom and Toby can find a good Home for the Holidays. Let's all cross some Fingers and Paws and Pray that it happens .

[Logan]

Thanks, Phred, for the speedy link!! We're certainly doing everything possible to help them! These situations make those of us who are so far away feel very helpless, don't they??? I appreciate the interest that you guys have shown and I'll for sure keep you up to date on all I learn.

Thanks again!!

[cr7clark]

Zippy-Kat, Taneytown is a bit farther away from Baltimore than I am, but it's nice to know that Toby has a place to go if needed. My husband is originally from New Mexico, and I've visited Las Cruces one time and thought it was the loveliest place I'd seen in some time (remember, this was my first visit to high desert country!). Especially the sunsets!!! The entire mountain range looked violet-hued while the lights of Las Cruces twinkled in the valley....I can still see the sight in my mind's eye. Does your aunt have E-mail? I think it would be nice to develop a network of pet lovers and Pet Talkers here in Maryland. I think lbaker lives in Kensington, which isn't far from Washington DC and Silver Spring MD.

[zippy-kat]

Our sunsets are hard to beat! I took this picture from my bedroom window. If I could have the desert weather & sunsets but the trees and mountains from back east (I'm orginally from WV), I'd be a happy camper!

My aunt doesn't have email. I wish she did. She is an AMAZING lady! She has 16 cats (that was the last count) but feeds about 30. She has three with FIV that she keeps in her basement (not the drab place you might expect--it's quite warm and cozy from what I've heard) of the other 13, there are 2-3 house cats and the rest live in a 'cat house' right behind her house. (It's a building with enclosed yard). She also has 2 dogs that she rescued. Plus there's the duck that really belongs to the neighbors up the road, but has taken up residence at Aunt Nancy's house. There's Boo-Boo the mouse that she rescued from the woodshed and Tweety the cockatiel she rescued from who knows where! lol Oh and a 3 legged turtle! All of her animals are well taken care of.

Aunt Nancy is recovering from breast cancer. The doctors believe they got it all but she recently found a rash in that area. We are hoping & praying that it is nothing more than a simple rash. Likewise, her husband had(!) a mysterious illness. The doctors at JohnHopkins had no idea what was wrong with him. I tell you, this lady has INCREDIBLE faith...she knew it was going to be ok from day one. She said things would get worse before they got better but they would get better--and they did! Her husband is now back at work and on light duty--a few months ago the doctors thought he was on his deathbed.

Aunt Nancy has a HUGE heart and can't turn down an animal. She would really, really enjoy this board if she had a computer and I-net.

[ December 12, 2001: Message edited by: zippy-kat ]

[cr7clark]

Wow! Aunt Nancy is truly amazing, with a heart the size of the Grand Canyon! Thanks for sharing with us about her love and faith and generosity. Hearing such stories renews ones' faith in people in general.
I'm sorry your aunt doesn't have E-mail....when you talk to her again please tell her that many folks on Pet Talk think she's a super person.
As for Toby.....Xena and I are working on a possible solution to Toby's future, so keep him and us in your prayers. Xena is taking Toby to the vet today or tomorrow, so I should be hearing back from her about Toby's health. She said that he is becoming more affectionate, is grooming himself and is starting to look more like a sweet housecat than a shriveled stray. Toby's owner Pam is another issue....she has multiple health problems and goes from one homeless shelter to another, so it doesn't look as if Pam can keep Toby unless her mental state improves miraculously. We'll have to see, but even when Pam had an apartment she didn't take the best care of Toby. Xena and I think this situation is due to Pam's illness and not any uncaring attitude on her part.
Until Toby finds a permamnent home, Xena is keeping him in a back room at her place of work. I think it would be a nice thing if those of us here at Pet Talk could send her a thank you message or E-card to let her know how much we appreciate her efforts. Logan, you need to get pats on the back as well for bringing this all to our attention, and Zippy-Kat as well.
Xena's E-mail is:
[email protected]
I've encouraged her to become a Pet Talker, she said she'd check into it. Xena has two dogs (rescued as strays) two cats (also rescued as strays) a bird and a hamster, I think so she'd be perfect for Pet Talk!

[Logan]

BosMom, you have gone above and beyond for Toby and Xena. I would give you the biggest hug if I were close enough to do it. Thank you, thank you for jumping in there to help this boy out. I think you and Xena are two of God's angels, giving this boy a chance at a good, comfortable and healthy life. I will continue to say a prayer for sweet Toby. And wouldn't it be wonderful if we could see a picture of him before he gets placed?

And thanks for inviting Xena to Pet Talk. I hope she will join us, and I'll certainly encourage her to do that. I talk about you guys all the time over at the Siamese Cat Lovers Community, and they absolutely adored the post about "Only a Cat" when I shared the link.

I will also pray for Pam, as it sounds as if her life is not a good one, but she certainly has people who are trying to help her.

Zippy Kat, your Aunt Nancy sounds like an angel too!! I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy, just realizing again, how many wonderful people there are in this world.

Big Kudos for all of you. I was just the messenger.

Logan

[Cynthia]

BosMom, thank you thank you thank you. Stories like Pam's and Toby's just break my heart, and it is so gratifying to learn of someone who will take the time to help those (both human and feline) who need it. Many thanks from me, Stump, and Emmett
Cindy

[zippy-kat]

I just called Nancy. She is unable to take Toby but she is putting the word out and promised to get in contact with me if she finds anything.

On the other hand, her neighbor just moved and left his/her cats
Guess where all 6 or so are at? Yup, next door at her house! She is trying to find them homes as well.

[ December 12, 2001: Message edited by: zippy-kat ]

[sammi]

Its really so great how much you guys care for someone you don't even know. I am sure that this lady Pam must feel some relief to know that someone is willing to help her. I can't imagine being in that desperate of a situation and having a mental impairment that makes it hard for her to deal with all this. I will say a prayer for her and Toby.