#1 reason kitties should NEVER be outdoors

[zoom-zoom]

I've had a truly horrible day. Anyone following me on FB already knows the deal, but for those who have missed the saga it goes something like this:

Around noon we started hearing meowing. At first I figured that Dane had locked a cat in his room. Checked his room, no cats. All 4 cats were accounted for, but we were still hearing meows. I looked out the windows, but saw no cats outdoors. So I put on shoes and checked the basement. We have an old house with a few additions and a crawl space that has only been blocked to the outdoors by a piece of OSB, which has pretty much disintegrated. From the crawl space a small animal could get into our basement (which is accessed by a door outside--house is nearly 100).

I went into the basement and called "kitty" and looked around, but saw no cat until I looked near the base of our old pressure tank for our well. I had to turn the light on to really get a good look. Somehow a sweet little kitty (one of the recognizable neighborhood strays/outdoor cats) had gotten her head wedged under one of the pipes.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/p480x480/428122_3318017273566_1362296891_3315051_1388035318_n.jpg

I tried to lift the pipe with my left hand and push her head back out with my right, but I couldn't get the pipe up enough. I ended up calling DH at work (30 minutes away) to come help. He got home and was able to pull up HARD on the pipe while I pushed her head. As soon as she was free she bolted around the basement, but then quickly calmed-down and let us near her (the basement door to outside was wide open to the outdoors, but she didn't try to escape). She was shaking and terrified, but let us hold her (we had on gloves). We decided instantly that we would not just let her back out, but would get her into a carrier and bring her to the nearest shelter with space (we would have taken her in to be our kitty, but we already have 4 cats and our city limit is 4).

One of my close friends works at the county shelter and said they could take her, so DS and I brought her in. While we were there she had a seizure. My friend brought her to the vet they use and it was decided to put her down. Because of her symptoms they are testing her brain for rabies. Though I was wearing gloves she bit me and drew blood. Her teeth didn't puncture my glove, but she bit hard (the blood drawn on my knuckle is not a puncture, but more of an abrasion) and because of the risk that saliva could still have infected me I will have to undergo rabies treatments if she tests positive.

We're pretty heartbroken. Today DS learned how animals are tested for rabies (it requires decapitation). If she's not rabid, then the likely cause of her seizures was poisoning (either directly or indirectly from eating a poisoned rodent) or maybe I hurt her when pushing back on her skull to get her out from under the pipe. All of those possibilities suck. People who let their cats roam outdoors suck (there is never a good reason for a pet cat to be outdoors. IMO euthanasia would be so much more humane than allowing an animal to meet the sort of fate that so many outdoor cats meet). I have now had a childhood cat lose a leg to a dog outdoors and today had to play a role in the demise of another sweet creature.

Humans suck.

[SadieKate]

Totally with you on pets allowed to roam at will outdoors. I just don't get investing all that emotion without providing some fairly basic protection.

[maillotpois]

Oh what a terrible story. You really did do what you could.

[Owlie]

Oh no. Poor kitty. And poor you. I wish people didn't let their pets wander. :(

[malkin]

zoom, you did the right thing; sorry it was so awful.

[zoom-zoom]

Thanks, ladies...it's been a tearful day. I still keep crying. I wonder if her people will be sad when she doesn't return home. I wonder if they've even noticed her missing.

[indysteel]

I'm so sorry, Zoom. Poor kitty. As others have said, you did all that you could and a lot more than others might have done.

[Blueberry]

I'm so sorry, Zoom. Take comfort in the fact that you found her (as opposed to her starving to death or worse in that position), with you DH were able to free her, and that they were able to put her down humanely. You did all you could. And yes, some humans suck. Have you thought about putting up posters so her owners (if she had any) might know?

(mom to 3 rescue kitties who she is completely neurotic about keeping in the house)

[OakLeaf]

Oh, poor kitty. Thank you for doing what you could.

[zoom-zoom]

Have you thought about putting up posters so her owners (if she had any) might know?

I'm actually planning to do exactly that with the help of my son, once we know the results of the rabies test. I'm not going to put any contact info., just the photo and the backstory. Hopefully her people will see it and feel like a-holes (though probably not) and maybe it will serve as education for others.

[tulip]

You did a good thing. She could easily have had a stroke or seizure from the pressure on her neck in that position. I agree with Blueberry, you are great for freeing her from that position instead of her starving there.

(however, I do not agree with your people who let cats outside suck comment; nuff said)

[pumpkinpony]

wow that would be stressful. I'm glad you took the time to track down her cries for help, and take her in not just let her run off again.

[Koronin]

Poor kitty. You did what you could for her. I do believe she knew you were trying to help her.

[Chicken Little]

Ugh. I doubt the seizures were rabies induced. Her situation and hx would point to about a million other reasons.

What is it with people and letting their cats roam? I don't get it. Somebody enlighten me. My dogs are in the backyard or on a leash. Somebody 'splain this mindset to me...

:confused:

[zoom-zoom]

Ugh. I doubt the seizures were rabies induced. Her situation and hx would point to about a million other reasons.

What is it with people and letting their cats roam? I don't get it. Somebody enlighten me. My dogs are in the backyard or on a leash. Somebody 'splain this mindset to me...

:confused:

I'm not thinking rabies, either. I hate thinking that maybe I hurt her, though. I think I'd feel better if she were rabid. :(

Yeah, roaming cats irritate the h*ll outta me and have for a very long time. It's not safe for the animal and they become a nuisance...very inconsiderate and un-neighborly thing to let any pet roam free. This very kitty has stressed our cats out for a while. She's at least one of several cats that has pee'd around the perimeter of our house, then our cats feel the need to mark inside our house, which IS their territory. Even neutered cats will spray when they feel their turf is threatened. Loose cats have a history of defecating in people's gardens and little kids' sandboxes, too.

[7rider]

Loose cats have a history of defecating in people's gardens and little kids' sandboxes, too.

...and stalking neighbor's bird feeders and getting hit by cars to die on the side of the road and attached by fox/coyotes/loose dogs.

[malkin]

I don't think you hurt her.
You helped her.

[Irulan]

What is it with people?

I've heard such things as
"it's in their nature to roam and hunt"

(and stalk my birds, crap in my yard, etc)

The stats on song bird loss due to domestic cat hunting are significant.

[zoom-zoom]

The stats on song bird loss due to domestic cat hunting are significant.

Isn't it Aus or NZ where it's illegal to allow pet cats outdoors, because of out-of-control breeding and decimation of endangered bird population...?

[missjean]

Poor little thing! I wonder how she first got herself stuck.
You did the very best you could, so don't feel bad.

I use to have lots of birds in my back yard, but last year 2 cats started showing up and now the birds stay away.

[GLC1968]

I'm sorry you had to go through that...poor kitty.

I will say that there are very good reasons that people let cats outdoors in rural areas including the expectation that they will chase the birds from eating the seeds we've planted and the berries and grapes that we grow. Without cats, we'd have a huge rodent problem in and around our property, our out-buildings (where we store feed) and our home. Our cat has a job to do and locking him in our house would not allow him to do it. That said, certain precautions should be taken with outdoor cats and not doing so is very irresponsible. Even though farm cats spend most, if not all, of their time outside, they should still be cared for like the family members that they are and I know a lot of rural residents don't bother. THAT annoys me.

I can't speak for urban or suburban areas.

[zoom-zoom]

Yeah, I think the farm setting is the exception to the rule. But the vast majority of cat owners don't live on farms and they are the ones responsible for the overpopulation.

[GLC1968]

Anyone who lets an un-fixed cat roam freely is totally irresponsible whether they live on a farm or not. There is absolutely no excuse for that at all.

Cats that get eaten by coyotes is a fact of life out here. Cats that reproduce willy-nilly should NOT be. ;)

[zoom-zoom]

Anyone who lets an un-fixed cat roam freely is totally irresponsible whether they live on a farm or not. There is absolutely no excuse for that at all.

Cats that get eaten by coyotes is a fact of life out here. Cats that reproduce willy-nilly should NOT be. ;)

+1 meeeeellion!

[Koronin]

I also agree that typically a cat should be inside, but there are situations such as a working farm that there are going to be outside cats. To me as long as they are being properly cared for although ideal it is an ok situation. Another one is the feral cats, esp a colony with a caretaker who is feeding them and getting them fixed and getting them to the vet in case of medical issues.

[Miranda]

I am so sorry that happened to you. And to the kitty. I hope your tests turn out ok. It just brought tears to my eyes.

Yes, I don't know wth is wrong with people either. I think life is always funny when it's happening to 'someone else'. Makes me so mad.

With the permanent damage I suffered from my bike-loose-dog-crash all the a** guy could say say was, "uh well, I live out here in the country, why would I need to keep my dog tied up?". Besides all the permanent damage I know now I have I wanted to say, "ya, take a look at my FACE for starters, you f*** head (as half my face was ripped off bleeding talking to him)". Wish there was "an eye for eye" instantly in the world sometimes.

We had a stray I saved from straving to death that someone threw out that I loved. I fed her and nursed her back to health. DH is allergic to cats so we couldn't officially keep her. We had concluded we would try to keep her in the garage somehow. But then she got pregnant (which I didn't realize at the time), and birthed her 1st baby breach. I was hystrerical crying as she was dieing, panting in distress, when I randomly found her at the porch to eat, with the dead kitten half out of her. I called the vet/shelter for help. But in the end they put her down when they came out. I should have probably taken her before to the shelter. But I knew they would kill her within a few days, being an adult cat. I would have never thought her fate would end like that either.

I wonder if the people who throw these animals out have any type of conscious? I would love to have more pets. But the one dog I own is all I can afford to take care of properly. The vet has to eat also I understand. But their services are not cheap!

I think you did the best you could for her.

[zoom-zoom]

But the one dog I own is all I can afford to take care of properly. The vet has to eat also I understand. But their services are not cheap!

You hit the nail on the head. People take in more animals than then can afford...they don't have them fixed, then they let them outside and they breed indiscriminately. And people like you and me end up doing the right thing and doing their dirty work. And the animals are the ones to suffer. It makes me livid. And when these people lose a pet (because you or I take the pet in or take it to the shelter) they just go out and get another pet and start the cycle over. They sleep at night and we got to bed crying and mourning for animals that we never got to properly love, but still had to say goodbye to. It sucks and it's really not fair.

[Biciclista]

zoom-zoom, while your story is horrible, the #1 reason for cats to not be outside is CARS.

I am so sorry you have to go through this. I didn't realize that still, today the way they test for rabies is death... ugh..

[beccaB]

In some places cats outside their home or yard area can be considered "at large" and in this community there is a misdemeanor charge for that and a $500 fine!

[zoom-zoom]

In some places cats outside their home or yard area can be considered "at large" and in this community there is a misdemeanor charge for that and a $500 fine!

I really wish that were an across the board fine. Since so many care more about their money than their cats they might keep them safely indoors to avoid a hit to their wallet.

[beccaB]

I'm not crazy about our animal control people for reasons I won't go into here, but it's hardly enforced unless someone of stature makes a complaint.

[zoom-zoom]

I'm not crazy about our animal control people for reasons I won't go into here, but it's hardly enforced unless someone of stature makes a complaint.

Yeah, I think that happens here with our dog leash law. I see dogs running loose ALL the time, so I doubt the law is being enforced much, if at all.

[Miranda]

You hit the nail on the head. People take in more animals than then can afford...they don't have them fixed, then they let them outside and they breed indiscriminately. And people like you and me end up doing the right thing and doing their dirty work. And the animals are the ones to suffer. It makes me livid. And when these people lose a pet (because you or I take the pet in or take it to the shelter) they just go out and get another pet and start the cycle over. They sleep at night and we got to bed crying and mourning for animals that we never got to properly love, but still had to say goodbye to. It sucks and it's really not fair.

Agree!

[zoom-zoom]

Got the results back from the rabies test: sweet kitty was negative. The vet who examined her believed that she was suffering from something else neurological...perhaps FIV, FeLV, or toxoplasmosis...all things that a properly vaccinated, indoor cat is essentially immune from. Toxoplasmosis is a parasite and can prove dangerous to humans, too (particularly in-utero, but also to full-fleged Humans). No vaccine for that, but indoor cats aren't really at risk for carrying the parasite or transmitting it.

While I am relieved to not have to deal with the series of shots, I am still very sad that an innocent animal had to endure such a horrible last day of life. And our cash-strapped humane society has to foot an irresponsible person's vet bill.