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  • Needing some pet help, PLEASE!

    I ran this by Rapscallion to make sure it was ok to post this, but xx_wolfie_xx and I are kind of in a bind and looking for some help.

    So, I adopted a stray kitten about 5 months ago - or she adopted me - and we've got her socialized and everything, but she still misses the outdoors. On March 14th, there were some stupid roofers here, and they were let into the apartment (without giving us clear notice so we could keep our pets locked up properly, mind you...). The doors were left open and my cat got out. We found her and got her back, but in recent weeks we've discovered an issue.

    See, we're reasonably certain (within 90-100% certain) My cat got pregnant. Since the 14th was the ONLY time she'd been out and roaming. She's gotten lose once or twice since, but we had her back in the house within 2 minutes, so she never was really out of sight. Again we're not 100% sure she's pregnant, and we can't afford a vet visit to clarify, since even the city "discounted" pricing is out of our range. As it is, we quarantined her for a while, to make sure she wasn't carrying anything, doused her, etc before granting her free rein in the house. We've been saving up to take her to get her shots and get her fixed, but we wanted to wait until after her first heat. She's pretty young, only just under a year, I think, so imagine my surprise when she'd been showing NO signs of heat and well...now this!

    Anyways, the long and short of it is, in just about a month, we're probably going to be looking at a litter of kittens and we cannot afford to raise or keep them. It will be Pumpkin's first litter, so i'm already concerned she won't know what to do, and either she or the kittens will end up hurt or dead. Also, we're worried she's going to have them in some weird place we can't get to, the other cat (Stormy) will throw a fit and start swatting random cats all around the apartment and yea, not a good prospect. Further, a few weeks after she's due to give birth, we're going on a long weekend trip about 800-900 miles away. Which means we're probably going to have to drag the kittens and mama with us on 12 hour car rides each way, because we don't have a reliable sitter. Usually, we leave the cats with a gravity feeder full of food and water, and they're set. not so much with newborns.

    My questions and pleadings for help are thus: Is there ANYONE in the San Antonio area who might be able to catsit/help with new kittens once weaned? And anyone who'd be willing to adopt a kitten or knows people who are looking? We won't be able to afford to get them their shots, sadly, and we're looking to adopt them out as soon as they're weaned and ready, (probably between 4-6 weeks, I think). We just don't have the time or capability to do it. We both work all day, and two cats we do have stretch the limits as it is.

    So, that said, I also am rather pissed. We did right. We kept her as strictly inside. The roofing company told us they'd be here two days before they actually showed up. We locked her up, and they never showed. They said they'd be there the day after, we locked her up. They never showed. NO word on the 14th, and we let her be. Then they show up. I'm so MAD. And worried. And clueless.

    HELP!!

  • #2
    What I would do is call local humane societies, cat breeders and cat rescues. I'm NOT saying get rid of her, what I'm suggesting is use their resources, because it's possible that they will know of someone who would foster her during the time she is going to have them and wean them, then place them for you. I had a friend who was a breeder who did that for a local shelter. They can also talk to you about how to care for her and if necessary how to handle the birth, or be willing to be on hand for the birth and other suggestions. I would also let them know that you'd work in exchange for a check up if you can, it might not be possible but always worth a shot. Start making calls ASAP.
    Last edited by Squeaksmyalias; 04-11-2012, 08:25 PM.
    I'm the 5th horsemen of the apocalypse. Bringer of giggly bouncy doom, they don't talk about me much.

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    • #3
      Damn, I wish I was close by...I've hand-raised dozens of kittens and I'd love to help, but I'm more to the northeast section of Texas.

      That said, second Squeak. Your area shelters will have better ideas on places/things you can use or apply for that could help out, or hook you up with people who can, or something like that. Short of that, there's always Craigslist as a last resort...I've met a couple of good pet-sitters through there.
      "Maybe the problem just went away...maybe it was the magical sniper fairy that comes and gives silenced hollow point rounds to people who don't eat their vegetables."

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      • #4
        I second the recommendation of checking your local humane society. I know that ours has a discounted service for shots and spay/neuter services to help avoid problems like yours. And by discounted, I mean about 1/4 of the price of any of the local vets.

        ^-.-^
        Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

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        • #5
          ~grumble, razzafrazza, grr yargity blargle!~

          I would take a kitten off your hands if I could, but my complex is strictly NO AMINALS (not even fish)

          *sigh, pout, sigh*
          I am well versed in the "gentle" art of verbal self-defense

          Once is an accident; Twice is coincidence; Thrice is a pattern.

          http://www.gofundme.com/treasurenathanwedding

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          • #6
            Quoth lupo pazzesco View Post
            We've been saving up to take her to get her shots and get her fixed, but we wanted to wait until after her first heat. She's pretty young, only just under a year, I think, so imagine my surprise when she'd been showing NO signs of heat and well...now this! <snip>. It will be Pumpkin's first litter, so i'm already concerned she won't know what to do, and either she or the kittens will end up hurt or dead.
            two words:
            Emergency spay.

            vets can and will do it especially with a very young cat who may likely die during delivery, It may seem cruel, however if pumpkin dies, so do the kittens, and if you can't find homes and take them to the shelter, they die, or other cats that would've been adopted die to make room for them. It's not pretty, but for the health of pumpkin it should be considered.

            Were it my cat, I would do the emergency spay without a second thought, the health of the cat already here is my first priority.
            Honestly.... the image of that in my head made me go "AWESOME!"..... and then I remembered I am terribly strange.-Red dazes

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            • #7
              I would strongly recommend taking Pumpkin to the vet. Then you can make an educated decision on what to do about the pregnancy.

              Some other things that I would suggest you do.
              Place a sign on your door warning of the cats and their potential to escape.
              Do some reading here and here. You might try your google-fu on "renter's rights texas".
              After doing some reading, consider sending a letter to the apartment management and the roofing company inquiring about how they reimburse you for the "damage to personal property" that they caused.
              Life is too short to not eat popcorn.
              Save the Ales!
              Toys for Tots at Rooster's Cafe

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              • #8
                Additionally, I've heard that spaying *before* first heat is actually easier and potentially cheaper than during or after it. Presumably there's an optimum age that a good vet would tell you about for free.

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                • #9
                  I remembered my sister getting help to spay some strays she adopted when she could not afford it. I found this link:
                  http://www.animaldefenseleague.org/
                  They are in your area as far as I can tell and do spay and neuter services as well as shots for very reasonable prices and they have no kill shelters (the kittens) as well as fostering. Now I do not know if they will pet sit through the fostering program but it is worth inquiring. I hope this helps.

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                  • #10
                    First of all, what makes you suspect her being pregnant?

                    Second...Let's say she is, and since you are currently planning to go out of town during which time she might deliver... can you separate the two cats with their own litter boxes and gravity feeders, adding a birthing box (simple cardboard box with a towel) during that time?

                    If she goes into labor while you are gone, she will have all she needs to care for them. Provided she didn't have any complications.

                    If you were not going out of town, and she had complications while in labor, if you can't afford a clinic vet visit now, it isn't likely you could afford an emergency vet visit with potential c-section surgery. However many e-vets do try to help you out with allowing payments, etc.

                    Maybe just carry on with life and let nature take its' course, whether or not you're there?

                    My female Siamese just had her first litter 5 weeks ago. While my husband was home at the time, we are usually gone 12-18 hours a day. She could have gone into labor while we were not home and there would have been nothing we could do if she did have issues then.

                    Just know this: It is not likely she will have complications as most deliveries are uneventful. Really the only thing you need to worry about is her knowing what to do to care for them herself.
                    "We go through our careers and things happen to us. Those experiences made me what I am."-Thomas Keller

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                    • #11
                      Here's a list of low cost spay/neuter clinics in your area. Most clinics like this also have wellness clinics that will give shots. You'd have to contact them to see if they'd do an emergency spay. They may also be able to give you prenatal and birthing advice and/or care.

                      There was a clinic like this near me in Indianapolis. One of my cats was spayed there (teen pregnancy like yours) and I had shots and microchipping done there.

                      Good luck!

                      http://www.cap4pets.org/pet-care/pet...st-spay-neuter
                      "If you pray very hard, you can become a cat person." -Angela, "The Office"

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                      • #12
                        I wish I could help, Lupo. All I can do is wish you and Pumpkin luck.

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                        • #13
                          According to the link below, the San Antonio Humane Society is a no-kill shelter.

                          http://www.sahumane.org/index.php?op...101&Itemid=123

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                          • #14
                            Quoth dendawg View Post
                            According to the link below, the San Antonio Humane Society is a no-kill shelter.

                            http://www.sahumane.org/index.php?op...101&Itemid=123
                            and their spaying is $40.
                            Honestly.... the image of that in my head made me go "AWESOME!"..... and then I remembered I am terribly strange.-Red dazes

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                            • #15
                              Thanks everyone for the help. I've been doing some legwork and making a lot of calls, since starting this thread, and talking it out with xx_wolfie_xx.

                              First of all, we found a low cost vet clinic that's literally a 5 min drive away, and called for an appointment . I'm taking Pumpkin in on Monday for a basic physical exam, which costs $36. We can swing that right now. The vet will be able to tell me if she's able to carry the kittens without problems. That's part 1.

                              Then I contacted the Animal Defense League, as suggested. I spoke with the woman in charge of the fostering program at length. When I told her that I didn't want to terminate unless absolutely necessary, she agreed and we discussed options. We're considering two main options right now.

                              1. Surrender the kittens once they're born, then turn around and foster them. This way, they "belong" to the ADL. All expenses are their responsibility. Then, once they're of adoptable age, the ADL takes them back and everyone is safe an happy. Except I'm still on the hook for getting Pumpkin her shots and getting spayed. The original vet I called, spaying costs over $100, and if needed, the emergency spay was several hundred. Eep. (If an emergency spay is needed, the ADL will do it for $40). Well, enter option 2.

                              2. Surrender Pumpkin with the kittens. Once they're weaned, take her back, where they will make her "adoptable". She'll be spayed, shots will be administered and updated, etc, and then I can adopt her again for a $40 fee. Essentially, a few weeks before I "return" Pumpkin, I let the Foster rep know I want to adopt her, go in, sign the papers, pay the $40, and they do the surgery, shots, etc.

                              We're still discussing what to do and I welcome opinions. We've got a few weeks to come to a final decision, and let the ADL rep know, so she can have all the paperwork ready. Thoughts?

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