another black cat

[newtohosta-no more]

A couple days ago another black cat showed up at our place. I have this awful feeling that someone dumped it out here and hoped it would survive on it's own. The sad thing is......it has obviously been a house cat. It appears to be a male who has been fixed AND it's front paws have been declawed! How could someone do that? It breaks my heart. People seem to think that all cats are hunters and will fend for themselves, but that is sooooo untrue. This poor fella is nothing but skin and bones. It's obvious he hasn't eaten in many days. I've already removed two ticks off him and I've put some Advantage flea meds on him. He doesn't seem to care for dry cat food that much, but really goes after the canned stuff. The sound of the can being opened gets him all excited, so that is another sign to me that he is used to being indoors. He's not an old cat, but he's no kitten either. He's very long and will be quite handsome once he's fattened up. I put an ad about him on Craig's list and checked the local papers for Lost ads. I did call one person , but their cat hadn't been declawed. DH thinks that a home will be found for him. He's yet to realize that this cat is probably here to stay. This cat already has won the hearts of myself and my DD. He's extremely lovable and even though he purrs, you can't hear him. You can only feel it. He meows VERY loudly though. I'll have to do some before and after pics of him and post on here. He's a sad sight right now. A trip to the Vet will be in order in a few weeks. I already have two appts. set up for other cats this week and next, so sometime after that I will take this one in to have him checked out. DD and I were watching an episode the other day of the old British show "All Creatures Great and Small" about the Vet, James Herriot. This particular episode involved a cat that had been found and injured and they were going to put it down, but (being the soft hearted souls they are) decided to operate and ended up saving it. They named him Oscar, so that is what I am calling this fella. It seems to fit.

[Spider]

I'd postpone the housecat's vet visit and get this one dewormed, FeLeuk tested and scanned for a microchip. Congrats on the new kitty. They always know the best house to land at. My father said no to the first cat we got (black female garbage can cat), now they have 5 cats and are showing them!

[pauhaus]

Awww Joan, good for you. What a great story. As Spider said, " they always know the best house to land at." Sounds like he did. Good luck an post photos when you can.

[govgirl75]

You have a good heart and he is a lucky kitty to have found you.
Our property adjoins a public park and over the last 30 years we have been adopted by five dumped cats. We also placed two others that adopted us at a time where we could not keep them. It is heartbreaking because each of them was obviously a family pet. We have also placed 2 dogs and a domestic rabbit who made their way to our yard after being abandoned. And 2 of the cats were black. One went to my mom and the other to our next door neighbor, who, though extremely allergic to cats, took her in.
Good luck with the new baby.

[lazygardner]

Thank you Joan for your rescue! I'm betting you will get a fair trade: love for food and tick removal! (I'm also looking forward to pictures.)

[newtohosta-no more]

Bless his heart! He is such a sweet and loving cat. He loves to lay in your lap and get petted. It's just heartbreaking, though, to feel nothing but ribs and backbone when you run your hand down him. And he allows me to handle him anyway I want. You can touch his paws, his belly.....anywhere! He's eating like a horse, so in a few weeks he should have some weight back on him and look healthier. The days have been nice here of late, so I let him out during the day, but he sticks VERY close to the house. I always leave the garage door open a bit so he can go back inside if it rains or gets chilly outside. He's sleeping in the garage at night and seems to be quite content with a box with a soft cushion to lay on.
Thanks for your words of kindness. If DH lets me keep him, I will. I have a horrible time giving up animals that I care for. Like I said....I'm just too soft hearted and get sooooo attached.

[lazygardner]

He definitely sounds like a keeper. I know I wouldn't be able to let him go...
... so keep him away from me!!! I have tooooooo many already!

[LucyGoose]

Awwwwww......just came in here and glad I did....

Maybe he is just really a long way from home, and not a dump off. If he had all that done to him and he seems to be a good boy, just maybe he has never been outside and he really is lost. Did you call all vets in like a big circle of you? I always worry that a kid is missing a pet when there are lost ones found...

Thanks for taking him in.....better you than me......I myself would be calling the shelter here. It is a no kill......but of course I would be hot on finding a owner.....I just can not do another cat.....Bless you if you keep him and no owner pops up....

Give him a pat for me.....Whatcha calling him?

[newtohosta-no more]

My DD and I named him Oscar. After eating well for several days now his skin and fur are looking much much better! His skin was so dry and flaky with dander, probably due to the malnutrition, but now that's almost cleared up and his fur has some luster back to it. He eats like a pig....literally! He gets it all over his face.
I did get one call and one email inquiring about him ,but it doesn't seem like it's their cat. Oscar is all black and one of the missing ones that someone called about was looking for a black and white cat that was lost in our area.
I still think he was dumped out here. With so many home foreclosures I think people are having to move to apartments where pets aren't allowed. They can't find homes for their pets and the no-kill shelters are full, so they abandon them. I feel for their predicament, but it's still a cruel thing to do ,imo.

[Chris_W]

Hi Joan,

Sounds almost exactly like our current black kitty. She was fixed, declawed in the front, completely emaciated, she had lost most of her fur from her front legs back, and was full of fleas and worms She just showed up one day at our neighbor's and he tried to feed her and take care of her, but he was very old and passed away not long after so she made her way here. But they thought she was dumped too, and the same thing was mentioned - possible victim of foreclosure.

Hope you get to keep him, he really sounds like a sweetheart

[newtohosta-no more]

Thanks, Chris. I hope we'll get DH to see the light. He says we don't need another cat, which is true, but it would be hard for us to give this sweetheart up. I suppose I could, though, if I knew he was going to a good home.

[govgirl75]

You are lucky it is just a cat. I have a friend who has a horse and loves horses. She belongs to some equine organization and its' latest communication included an article about horses just being turned loose on open range. The owners cant afford to care for them, so they abandon them. Of course, they have no way to fend for themselves or care for their feet or even find food and water. Apparently it is becoming a problem out west. I could not imagine having a horse walk up to my house. I can do cats, dogs and rabbits, but I would be stumped with a horse.

[newtohosta-no more]

You and me both, Glo!! I've never owned a horse before, but DH had them as a youngster. At least he'd have some idea on how to care for them.

[Tundra_Queen]

Joan, you are so sweet to take in Oscar. I hope u can keep him and he becomes an indoor cat. It's much safer for cats to stay indoors and they live longer too. He will be forever grateful to you for saving him and taking care of him. *HUGS*
Debbie

[JaneG]

Something about those black cats . . . I've had my Butch for 10 years now, but he started out as a stray who showed up declawed and was obviously used to being indoors and loved people. He's the funniest, friendliest cat I've ever known. Can't figure out why anyone would have dumped him. I contacted everyone in the area and no one knew where he came from. I hope you find someone to take him in.

[newtohosta-no more]

No luck with finding Oscar's owner and now we have another stray hanging around! This one is much younger. A kitten really. Probably no more than 4 months old. Gosh she's cute! She's very skittish, but I have managed to pick her up and pet her. I was hoping she'd go away and back to wherever she came from, but after she had been here for two days, I went ahead and fed her. I've posted both cats on Craigslist in our area and I'm still hoping to find their owners...or at least a good home for them. If not....well...I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. In the meantime we're calling the kitten "Peanut". Seems to suit her.

[lazygardner]

Pictures, pretty please?

[doublemom2]

As a crazy cat owner myself... thanks for taking in these two! It's so hard to understand how people would be desperate enough to turn their pets loose like that, but I guess I can't begin to know what it's like if I've never been in their shoes.

My sister (who is horribly, horribly allergic to cats) lives on 60 acres in the woods, and she had a gorgeous kitten show up that looks like a snowshoe. She said the same thing... he was terrified of being outside and just wanted canned food and to be held and petted. She put him in the laundry room for several days and fed him, took him to the vet where he was pronounced healthy, and brought him back home. Within a week she called to tell me that she just couldn't give him up and she was in love. He's now a happy, gorgeous indoor/outdoor cat with my one sister who I never in a million years would imagine being a cat owner. They're sure he was dumped out in the woods, he was most definitely a housecat before.

It's the same here... people are dumping animals all over the place and all the shelters are full. Makes me sick... I wish I could take them all in myself!!!

Andi

[lazygardner]

My rescue group just took in a mother kitty with four kittens. A young man driving along the hwy saw another van stop and a male driver made his young son take the mother and kittens and leave them in the ditch. The poor child was crying his eyes out and the first driver couldn't believe what he was seeing. After the van left he scooped up the family and took them home to his mother who kept the fifth kitten and turned the rest of the lot over to our group. Hopefully the whole group will get fixed today.