A Moral Cat Question

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'd ignore it.

But then again, I'm not nice.

[Nessa 23]

What if 100 more little kittens show up at your door step over the next 6 months? It's Superman's dilemna...knowing/accepting that he can't save everyone.

Oh, it's something that has gone through my mind many times. Will I be able to stop? Will I be able to live with myself if one day I can't take in anymore?

I think you have an addiction. You should see a therapist and start attending Icantstopbringingcatsin Anonymous mettings immediately.

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Bring it in, feed it, treat it (de-flea etc), get kitty veterinary treatment and keep it.

I certainly couldn't put a little kitten back out to be abused, i love cats!

Edited October 16, 2007 by Maria~n~Dane

[SonoranSongbird 3]

I voted for feed and treat the kitty and keep him. If I were in a position to adopt a kitty, that's what I would do, too. But because I am not (my dog is not good with other animals and we are both allergic to kitties), I would look for another home or bring him to a no kill shelter.

It is possible the kitty got lost and he really has a family somewhere who took good care of him but he's just been lost a long time, but that does not seem terribly likely.

I also wouldn't worry too much about what if you find too many kitties to take in. If you reach the point where you have as many cats as you can take care of, then you'll have to find any other cats a home. Until then, why worry about something that may or may not happen?

When my mom's friend died unexpectedly, her boyfriend and son had to count the cats to find out how many she had taken in. Before that, no one even knew. Turned out she had 20. As well as the 5 dogs!

[Mags 112]

What if 100 more little kittens show up at your door step over the next 6 months? It's Superman's dilemna...knowing/accepting that he can't save everyone.

Oh, it's something that has gone through my mind many times. Will I be able to stop? Will I be able to live with myself if one day I can't take in anymore?

I think you have an addiction. You should see a therapist and start attending Icantstopbringingcatsin Anonymous mettings immediately.

My husband agrees with you.

[Lou Lou 1]

I'd take it in and take it to a vet. Then I'd probably keep it. But, in a position I am in now where I can't keep it, I would make an effort to find it a proper home rather than taking it to the humane society. I used to do this a lot in the UK. The RSPCA would always just tell me to ignore it and someone else will feed it. I couldn't live with myself by ignoring it. Even a lil kittie deserves a good life.

[NavarreMan 10]

A 5/6 month old kitten turns up on your doorstep in an appalling condition. Covered in fleas, half bald from a flea allergy, it has ear mites and is severely malnourished. You have a good idea where it lives (in appalling conditions) although this is not concrete. What would you do? Please pick from the above.

B)

My vet bill and statement from the vet of neglect trumps bad owners claim to kitty. No question!

[doodlebug 3]

I wouldn't bring it in the house. Dealt with fleas before and I sooo never wanna deal with them again, which is why my cat is an indoor cat.

I would however feed it and bring it to the nearby shelter where I know they don't destroy pets.

[NavarreMan 10]

mags,

why even ask? you know you're gonna take it in & add 1 to the family. you're not gonna let the kitten suffer or go back to that other house to suffer an even worse fate.

You know me so well. I took little Billy (for that is his name) to the vets today to get him FiV/FLV tested (all clear luckily) and get his worms, ear mites and fleas sorted out. He is half the body weight he should be for a cat his age aswell. They also gave him his first shots.

It's hubby however that says he has seen this kitten on the porch of a house near us. I'm aware that this cat probably has an owner. But what sort of an owner is it that lets a cat get to this point of neglect? In my eyes people who treat animals like this don't deserve to own them in the first place. The house that hubby saw the cat outside is falling down and is owned by a violent drunk who shoots things in his back yard.

My main reason for posting this is not for everyone to say "oh you did the right thing! Take him in!" but rather to gauge different points of view regarding it.

Jenn ~ We are in a position to take the cat in and I fear that if the ASPCA were called and took them away to be re-homed that they might end up being destroyed instead. There are millions of cats waiting to be re-homed, hence why I just took this little fella in.

I am going to make an assumption here that the neighbors have more than the one cat. People who treat cats or other animals like this give little thought to their breeding habits. A good home and medical care with a shot record will go a long way in any court. Take photos of before and after just in case. Good luck Billy!

[Queen Jenn 0]

It's hubby however that says he has seen this kitten on the porch of a house near us. I'm aware that this cat probably has an owner. But what sort of an owner is it that lets a cat get to this point of neglect? In my eyes people who treat animals like this don't deserve to own them in the first place. The house that hubby saw the cat outside is falling down and is owned by a violent drunk who shoots things in his back yard.

Darn Straight!!!!!!! Rescue the poor little thing. People who mistreat animals like that don't deserve to have them. And the poor kitten!!! What's he supposed to do about it? He can't do anything. He's depending on his "owner" to take care of him, which obviously isn't happening. I'd definitely rescue the poor thing and if I couldn't keep it, I'd find it a good home.

[PaulineA 1]

I wouldn't do any of the options. I would take it to an animal shelter if it was that bad condition wise. I couldn't keep it, my 3 dog's wouldn't like that, lol. I do love kittens though.

Edited October 17, 2007 by PaulineA

[sara535 15]

I'd keep it. no question about it.

lucky Billy!

post up a pic

[Toshtishtash 1]

Awwww, poor thing

I would take it to the vets and then keep it. If I knew who the kitten belonged to, I would report them to the RSPCA (I'm not sure what the US version is...) and get them done for cruelty. They could have more animals inside like that

[Sister Fracas 5]

My choice isn't up there... I'd give it some food and water, and since we are in no position to have another furry friend, I'd take it to a cageless, no-kill shelter not far from my house.

[Mags 112]

My choice isn't up there... I'd give it some food and water, and since we are in no position to have another furry friend, I'd take it to a cageless, no-kill shelter not far from my house.

Yup I forgot to add a shelter option. My bad!

Anyhoo, just taken a few pics. He looks way better in the pics than he does in real life. Most of the baldness is on the underside of his tail, bottom and belly. He is now flea free and the improvement in his coat was almost instantaneous. He's gone all fluffy again which is great. Still need to build up his weight though, at 3lbs he is half the body weight that a cat of his age should be. His "hip" bones jut out really painfully.