Idiot Bleeding Hearts

[Andara Bledin]

Not sure if this really belongs here, but I'm

The people who run the company next to ours are animal lovers. Not the kind that actually take any effort to take care of animals, however. No, they're the kind that will put out food for the local feral population and then pat themselves on the backs for being so kind to the strays. >_<

So, the one feral female that we didn't manage to capture and get fixed (we ran a trap/neuter/release on our locals and got most of them) had a litter about 6 weeks ago. The kittens are in good health and getting into trouble.

We have a warehouse crammed with stuff. Mostly electronic components. Old components. That means we have a lot of odd packing material, wires, cables, and bits and pieces all over.

So, today the boyfriend brings in the one kitten we've been able to catch. Because the poor thing has a bunch of cable insulation tangled around one hind leg. From what I can tell of her (we think it's a her) behavior, she can't feel that foot at all. Which is probably for the better, as it looks pretty chewed up. I'll be surprised if the vet doesn't take it off.

Other than that, she's in good condition. Not dehydrated or malnourished. Her coat is in good shape. She doesn't smell like it's gone gangrenous. Yet. But it's really only a matter of time. There's too much crap wound around her hind leg from just above the knee down for her to do anything like keep it clean.

This isn't the first time our company has had issues with other neighboring companies who can't manage to maintain a healthy relationship with the local feral population. The last time was a company a couple of streets over from whom we rented space. They fed the ferals inside their own building. I think they actually paid for some of the product that the cats ended up destroying. But not all of it. >_<

I've taken a couple of pics with my cell phone. I'm hoping to take those and the eventual vet bill and show them why their feeding of the ferals (right up against the fence that separates our properties, too) is a problem.

^-.-^

[Seshat]

They'll probably just tell you to lock your warehouse up more tightly.

[bhskittykatt]

Ugh. What crappy neighbors! Kudos to you guys for catching and neutering the ones you can, as well as taking injured kitty to the vet. That's taking care of the animals. Those vet bills can't be cheap. But at least you're being part of the solution, rather than what your neighbors are doing. Poor kitty.

Even if you lock up your warehouse more tightly...they're cats. They will find a way...

[Andara Bledin]

Ok. So, I'm less pissed (but still pretty pissed) and Bosslady had a chat with them.

They have been trying to TNR there, so they're not just feeding them.

I'm going to suggest that they move their feeding station to the other side of their property, which abuts the local drainage wash and not another company. That should help a little bit.

Unfortunately, it's too late to save this little kitten's leg.

Nekojin (the boyfriend) hauled her on down to our local vet. We couldn't go to the clinic because they don't handle medical issues. The vet checked her out and let him know that the leg is broken and she's pretty traumatized. They need to amputate; it's not savable. I didn't realize it was broken, too, but I could tell just from looking that she was going to have to lose at least part of it.

The bill for that would run about $3500.00.

Needless to say, we don't have it. Neither does the company (we're likely going to lose a few more people in the very near future due to lack of sales) or our neighbors (the costs of a bag of cat food a week are actually a notable expense for them).

The vet (VCA of Lakewood, who relocated to Cerritos - amazing people from the few times I've had to visit) is looking into finding someone who is willing to take responsibility and ownership of the poor thing. I plan to post to Facebook later tonight to see if I can get some donations for her care.

I'll keep you guys updated on how she's doing.

^-.-^

[Andara Bledin]

Yet another update.

So, one of the vet nurses is taking responsibility for the kitten. So, she'll get the care she needs, and a loving home once she's ready to be released.

The nurse agreed to give Nekojin updates on her status.

Our cost is coming to just over $50 for the consultation. Not sure if Bosslady will cover that or split the costs, or what.

I'm going to be discussing some things with the neighbors as one of the "resident cat experts." I'm going to suggest she stop feeding the cats (with the wash right there, there is no lack of food for them), and instead suggest that they put up a shelter over in that corner... that way, the cats will still show up on their property (they want them for the rodent control, which isn't a terrible idea) but will stick to that side of the building; this will still give opportunities for TNR on them. I'm also going to suggest that they do an assessment and close up any openings they have outside. That will go far further to keeping the rodents out than having ferals around.

^-.-^

[TheTigress]

I'm glad this story had a happy ending for the little kitten, and it sounds like the people next door are open to your new suggestions on dealing with the stray cats. Making a little shelter for them instead of feeding them is a pretty good idea.

[Andara Bledin]

Yeah. I hate not being able to take care of her, myself, but it's just not possible.

And Bosslady is reimbursing us on the vet visit. So, we're not out any money except for the gas and time from Nekojin taking her in.

We also picked up a couple more traps from the local Humane Society office who has a TNR program where they will take up to 2 ferals per day and do the full spay/neuter, vaccinate, & de-parasite treatment on for a pittance. It's the same pittance for owned cats, too, and they seem to be really good with animals.

They're also always incredibly crowded. If you have a feral, you need to arrive at least half an hour before they open to stand a good chance of getting in. Which is nice to see that so many people in the area are actually getting their local strays TNR'd.

Link to Pictures. They don't really show that much, and I didn't take any until I'd cut a bunch of the crap off of her leg, so you can't really see how nasty the entanglement really was, but you can see what it did to her. One pic (#3) is not for the squeamish.

^-.-^

[XCashier]

The people who run the company next to ours are animal lovers. Not the kind that actually take any effort to take care of animals, however. No, they're the kind that will put out food for the local feral population and then pat themselves on the backs for being so kind to the strays. >_<

I had to double-check your location to make sure you weren't neighbors of my previous job!

I'm glad the kitten will be getting the help it needs. That poor thing, must've been terrified and in horrible pain. Thank you for taking care of it.

[Seshat]

Oh god, poor kitty. You can see how much pain he's in.

I'm glad you took him to the vet. Even the worst case -- euthanasia -- is better than slow death by gangrene.

[Lachrymose]

Awww...poor kit.

And Tripod

[Flying Grype]

For what it's worth, feeding feral colonies does not make the problem worse. If TNR is being done, the population growth will be slowed or stopped. Then you have the choice of either feeding them and making sure they're healthy in that regard, or letting them scrounge for their food by hunting and raiding garbage cans. The former is more reliable; the latter is variable and if they rely on that they may starve.

Feeding them at a regular time and place also makes it easier to trap them when they need to be spayed/neutered, vetted, or homed.

It's not a 'bleeding heart' thing. Not only is it compassionate and better for the cats, it's practical and makes it easier to control the population.

http://www.feraltoronto.com/en/faqs/...arentpeoplewho
http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/HOW_...RAL_CAT_COLONY
http://www.indyferal.org/index.php?page=shelters

[Andara Bledin]

It's not that they were feeding them so much as that their feeding station for the ferals was right up against the fence to our building. The fence on the opposite side of their property from ours leads to the local wash, which would be a better place for both the feeding station and the shelter they have up.

They don't actually have "feeding times." They just leave food out all the time. I expect that as much gets eaten by mice, opossums and the random skunk as by the local cat colony. And their placement is posing a danger to the animals they're trying to help.

^-.-^

[Flying Grype]

I get it. Yeah, sucky. All they need is for someone to prod them in the right direction, maybe.

[Andara Bledin]

Yeah.

I spoke to the lady that runs the place and gave her some better information than she had. She's going to be working on adjusting how she's working with the local ferals.

Her heart's in the right place, she just doesn't have enough information to do it the right way. Hopefully I can help fix that.

^-.-^

[ShootMePlease]

Andara, you and your BF are wonderful people for helping that poor kitten, and I'm glad to hear he will be ok.

It saddens me when people try to do the right thing but are not properly educated and end up making a situation worse. I genuinely believe animal hoarders think they're helping the animals, when all they are really doing is creating a horrific problem.