Overwhelmed..left my cat at Animal Hospital door..

[Nikkiwho]

I have a cat that is about 8 years old..she has gained quiet a bit of weight over the past 2-3 years. I took her in to be groomed a couple of months ago and they mentioned that she may have a thyroid problem as she is also shedding Alot. Over the last month she has also started going outside of the litter box..she goes pee in the box then jumps out and does the rest. At first it was beside it..then she started going in the hallway..and last nite she went in my husband's office. It seems like she wasn't going pee as often either..i know something more is going on. She sleeps about 20 hrs a day. Anyway, i feel like she was in pain. We just went thru a bankruptcy and have struggled financially..my husband said he wasn't really into taking her to the vet so i put her in her cat carrier along with her food and took her to an animal hospital in the early morning hours on Friday..they opened at 7am. I just felt overwhelmed with everything. I wrote a note and attached it to her carrier..i left her there and had to get  back home in time for him to go to work and the kids to go to school. i know it seems like a terrible thing to do but i plan to contact them on Monday. I'm just wondering what they will do..she's been an indoor cat only. I couldn't watch her suffering anymore..What happens in these situations..will they try to help her? What will happen when i contact them as they have had her over the weekend because they were closed. I just want her to be okay and wished i hadn't had to resort to this. My family is upset about it and giving me a hard time. Sorry for going on but this has been really difficult. I appreciate any advice you can offer.

[opus88]

good for you Nikki, loved the photos....she is one big and beautiful kitty!!...
Hon we all go thru some very rough times and yes we do need to learn from one another how to cope and over come these times...............
I thank you so much for being so frank and also for keeping up posted on kitties health. You are doing your best hon and thats all any of us can do...with ourselves, our family and our critters.....
Awww hamster tv...sounds interesting!
Hope to read about you both, and so glad she got that clean bill of health. with the diet change and less stress I'm hoping the litter box issues will also end.
I can give you some ideas about homeopathic remedies for reducing stress if you like, I am also giving this a try in my home.....((hugs))♥

[Nikkiwho]

Well, if anything, i hope something good comes from this in regards to anyone that finds themselves in a similar situation. I know there are places that will help.

I mentioned in my last post that i would give an update after her Vet appt. on November 26th. My husband and i took her in for a check-up to determine what was going on with her. The Vet was a bit amazed by her size as she does weigh about 25lbs. However, he checked her out physically and said he saw no evidence of a uti..he said that she looked really good overall and that her coat looked great too. As far as a possible thyroid problem goes, he says he didn't suspect that this was a problem but we will be doing the bloodwork soon to outrule any of the suspected issues. So far she seems to be fine. As far as going outside the litterbox..he said that he suspected it was a behavioral issue and that she was expressing some.frustration about something.

I know that over the past 3-4 years things have changed as they do..for one my kids are getting older. My daughter is working and in her first year of college, as she's taking her prerequisites at a local college here and planning on attending University next year. My son is in his Senior year of high school and has his variious friends and activities, i have a son that's 24 and he moved out when he was 21, he moved several hours away but he visits often. What i'm trying to say is, i know she misses them as they are growing up and moving on with their lives. They do spend time with her when they're here but maybe it's not as much as she'd like. She spends most of her time with me and my husband, or sleeping. I'm trying to think of alternative things for her to do so she's not bored.

The kids had a miniature hamster about 3-4 years ago and we had her for about 3 years. My cat got more enjoyment out of watching "Hamster TV"..i'm thinkin' about gettin' her another one..LoL.

I know that i've been going thru some changes as well, although i try not to let it affect those around me, somehow it does. I'm workin' it out one day at a time.

[AnnieBrooke]

Just so people reading this thread in the future know, in some geographical locations, the animal shelter will not take cats.  We live in a pretty big metro area, and the public shelter in our county won't.  Here, the only option is the Humane Society, which is often so heavily loaded with animals that if you bring in an animal that is sick, they just euthanize.  So if someone is in the spot that Nikki was and finds this thread, the best advice is to call places first.   The person might be better off holding on to the cat and trying to find some nonprofit that helps with emergency funding of vet care.

[nancyjac]

The shelter I work at (as do most shelters) do everything we can to get animals back to their owners or adopted out to a new one....that is what shelters are there for.  

[Nikkiwho]

I've learned something in all of this..it won't happen again. I didn't realize the severity of the situation at the time..i was just overwhelmed and wanted help and treatment for her. I didn't know that i had other options. In the end i'm glad it worked out the way it did cause i really didn't want to give her up..if i had taken her in and surrendered her to a shelter i don't know that i could've gotten her back..they almost didn't give her to me this time. Like i said in my other post..their officer totally let me have it and said she could and should press charges. I didn't know what to expect when i walked in there but i was hoping they'd give her back. I assured them it wouldn't happen again and it won't. She gave me her card and said i could call if i ever needed to. I really appreciated their compassion for the situation. I told her i would keep her updated on her progress and i will. She has an appt. with the Vet this Friday. I'm glad this worked out as well..she is loved and i'll do what i can to make it up to her!

[nancyjac]

I wish I had seen this post earlier.  I work at a large regional animal shelter and we encounter this kind of situation frequently.  Most of this information is moot by now, but I will pass it along anyway just for info and future reference.

First of all, in most jurisdictions it is illegal to abandon a domestic animal.  Leaving it on the doorstep of a vet, clinic, shelter or anywhere else can result in a criminal arrest and fine.  The legal course of action is to contact the animal control office that serves your jurisdiction or to take the animal to the public (i.e. tax funded) open intake shelter that serves your jurisdiction. Most likely there will be an owner surrender fee, but they are typically minimal and far less than the fine for abandonment.  Private rescue groups can refuse to take an animal, but a public open intake shelter must take any animal brought to them within their jurisdiction.  The is why private groups can be "no kill" but public shelters cannot.  When an animal is abandoned outside of a vets office or clinic, they call animal control to take the animal to the shelter. In most jurisdictions, they are required to do this by law.  

I'm glad that in this particular case, it ended well for both you and the cat.  

[Nikkiwho]

I appreciate all your comments and i can take constructive criticism..what i did was react during an overwhelming moment and felt desperate to get help after hours. I've had her for 8 years and have taken care of her all these years..i didn't want to see her in pain but i'm sure the way i dealt with it was distressing in other ways. Believe me it's been a rough 4 days..they were closed over the weekend.

I got the nerve up to call Monday cause i wanted to know if she was getting help..that's when they told me that Haven Humane (our local shelter) had picked her up. I immediately got on the phone to them and they told me they had her at their clinic..i told them i was on my way to get her..it was 4:35 by then and i knew it was gonna be close..we got there at 5:05 and they were closed.

I went as soon as they opened this morning and went straight to the clinic..they said they didn't have her..i went to the adoption side..they said they didn't have her either. Anyway, to make a long story longer..their law enforcement person came out and asked me what happened and why should they give her back to me..i got thoroughly chewed out and deservingly so! I told them that my intention was not to abandon her but to try and get her some help.

I got a bit emotional while trying to explain why i did it (no excuse i know) and why it wouldn't happen again. She ended out giving me a hug and her card and said if ever i ran into problems in the future to give her a call. I also agreed to give her updates on her progress. The fact that i had an appt. with the vet on Monday and she missed it cause she was there helped a bit. They did update her shots while she was there and i will call the other place to find out what they did for her..i know they are one of the best.

I took her straight to her groomer after picking her up and we changed her food as recommended to help bring her weight down. I will say that she was relieved and happy to be home. She is resting comfortably in her favorite spot. I'm thankful that she's ok..and by the way, my husband is on board for vet visits (especially after this ordeal)and we'll get her in sometime next week. So far she seems to be much better. Thanks again for your honesty and i do appreciate it. =o)

[AnnieBrooke]

zodiac, I took her remark about her husband not being into taking the cat to the vet as being that he didn't want to be the one to put the cat in the carrier, drive it to the vet, stay through the exam, and all of that.  I didn't take it to mean he had a philosophical issue with a cat getting medical care, just that he didn't want to be the one to deal with it.

[zodiacqueen]

Nikki, let's be honest here.  Now, that you're getting your cat back, ask yourself if your husband will all of a sudden be "into taking your cat to the vet".  I'm having a hard time believing that he will.  The kindest thing you can do for your cat is to find a no kill animal shelter that will take your cat in.  Your cat deserves new owners that will be into taking your cat to the vet for necessary veterinary care.

Sorry if this seems harsh, but this is the God's honest truth here.

[opus88]

honey, I am glad you have your kitty back!
HOWEVER I just can't believe they kept a kitty for 4 days that obviously has a health problem and didn't do any tests.
the first post you talked about how she seemed in pain, and was going 'outside the litter box'..there has been many posts about very similar issues and is a classic sign of a urinary tract problem....
Kitty could have a UTI or FLUTD with or without crystals in the bladder.
You know how painful a urinary tract infection is for us, is for kitty too.. and its also very fatal if kitty has crystals and one of these could plug off the urethra.

Its not very expensive and please insist the Vet clinic do a u/a of kitties urine.

[AppleBr]

Glad to heard the story is going to a happy end... I do hope so.
Good luck to you and your furry baby,wishing her all the best...
Keep us informed about, we are all praying for her.

[AppleBr]

Glad to heard the story is going to a happy end... I do hope so.
Good luck to you and your furry baby,wishing her all the best...
Keep us informed about, we are all praying for her.

[Nikkiwho]

Thanks for your support..the animal hospital did keep her for 4 days. I'm going to pick her up this morning..thru all of this, i saw some options on here that might help financially. So first i'm gonna take her to the groomers after i pick her up, and give her a day to rest before i take her in for her bloodwork etc.nextweek. I just want her to be okay and not suffering in silence, cause she can't tell me what's goin' on. Thanks again for your understanding and compassion.

[AnnieBrooke]

Good luck today.  I hope the cat's problem is something simple rather than something really tough to deal with.

[Nikkiwho]

Thanks for all your input so far. We live in a small city and there are several really good vets in my area. I chose the best animal hospital and boarding facility. We do have an animal shelter here but they are not taking any cats..i called on Saturday to see if they had gotten any turned in and they told me they're not accepting any at this time..i was so relieved! The nite that i took her i was just so overwhelmed with everything and i know she's sick and i couldn't watch her suffering and crying out for help in her own way and not do something. I had made an appt. for her to be seen on Monday but guess it couldn't wait.

I do plan to contact them on Monday and face the consequences..my hope is that they helped her and would give a couple days for the owner to come forward. I'm also looking at some programs that offer payment options..i found it on here. I'll know on Monday and we'll see where it goes from there. Thanks for your thoughts and compassion.

[AnnieBrooke]

My vet does occasionally have an animal abandoned in this way.  They are humane people and try to do the best for the animal, but there are definitely limits to what can be done on their dime for a cat with health issues.  If someone in the clinic got interested in the cat and wanted to take her on, they might have tried to do something about the thyroid issues.

I am not saying what you did is right (for one thing, it is probably illegal) but at least you did not just drive the cat to some neighborhood or out into the woods and abandon her, which happens, unfortunately.  You gave the cat a chance that is a little less slim than pure abandonment.  Probably the result will be either that the cat will end up at a humane organization or someone there took an interest or it might ultimately be put to sleep.  If you call on Monday, be prepared to face a bill if they ran any tests or did any treatment and you want to pick her back up.

I think in your shoes, I would try to go back and get the cat, but not if it makes me feel totally desperate.  If she is chronically sick and your are struggling financially, I would discuss possible euthanasia with the vet.  I know it would not solve your feelings of desperation or guilt, but if the cat is driving you to the extreme you already went to (abandoning her at the vet) you also have to look at your own ability to cope with everything.

[opus88]

Oh Honey, I am so sorry for all you and your family are going thru. I cannot imagine the stress it puts you under. I cannot condone what you did, however in other ways I understand you were trying as best you could given the situation to find help for your kitty.
I honestly don't know what the clinic may have done, I suspect they would have put your kitty down??? I maybe wrong and I hope so. Perhaps they surrendered her to a human society......but without medical care this wouldn't in my opinion be an option.....she did/does need medical care. I would suspect from your description IMO that she is possibly suffering from CRF.
I am praying that she did receive some comfort......let us know what you find out please...♥