Need advice on stray cat.

Lostdogsinthegarden

So this stray cat that I've been feeding for a few months came to my apartment last night with a big limp. That's when I decided to take it in. I took it to the vet today and sure enough the leg is broken. The leg can only be repaired through surgery, and that's gonna cost between 1-1500 buckaroos.

So I'm kind of pissed off about that. I spent 280 for the appointment today, and now I gotta shell out a SHIT-load more. Should I keep the cat or give it away. I'm living in a single apartment right now, and I'm at med school all the time so I wouldn't be around to nurse the cat too closely after the surgery.

The other option I have is to let the leg heal on its own, but then the leg will be messed up and the cat will always have a limp. It sucks to start a relationship with an animal under these circumstances... and that's just a lot of money to throw down at the very beginning of one. I would really appreciate some input on this, thanks a lot.

Jeanie

It's good you're being realistic.

If you can't afford to care for the animal, either with money or attention, then the vet surely should be able to refer you to a shelter?

catefrances

your first mistake was feeding a stray cat.

angryyoungman

Lostdogsinthegarden wrote:

So this stray cat that I've been feeding for a few months came to my apartment last night with a big limp. That's when I decided to take it in. I took it to the vet today and sure enough the leg is broken. The leg can only be repaired through surgery, and that's gonna cost between 1-1500 buckaroos.

So I'm kind of pissed off about that. I spent 280 for the appointment today, and now I gotta shell out a SHIT-load more. Should I keep the cat or give it away. I'm living in a single apartment right now, and I'm at med school all the time so I wouldn't be around to nurse the cat too closely after the surgery.

The other option I have is to let the leg heal on its own, but then the leg will be messed up and the cat will always have a limp. It sucks to start a relationship with an animal under these circumstances... and that's just a lot of money to throw down at the very beginning of one. I would really appreciate some input on this, thanks a lot.

if your gonna invest that much money in it you might as well keep it as a pet

GraySaturday

first off...


You are so sweet to bring it to a vet. A lot of people wouldn't bother with a stray!

If you cannot afford the surgery there are some clinics that have reduces rates for surgeries if you bring in a stray. You might be able to call your local shelters and ask them for some advice on the situation. I would be careful leaving it to heal on its own. It could heal completely wrong and the cat could have problems for the rest of its life. If you do leave it to heal on its own, I do recommend taking the cat in and keeping it as an indoor kitty. If he/she is hurt badly, it might have a hard time catching food for itself, if need be (like you aren't feeding it anymore for some reason). Other animals can sense a hurt/weak animal. I suggest calling your local shelter first, or maybe a petsmart/petco for recommendations on discount vets. If you live near a city, there are TONs of cheaper clinics.

Feel free to PM me if you have more questions, or need help. I am very passionate about cats, as I have 4! I will try to help you the best I can

Good luck!

Riverrunner

It is very good of you to want to help this stray cat. There are so many irresponsible people out there who abandon their cats, let them breed and have kittens time after time when they know they won't or can't take care of all of the kittens. And you.... being a responsible caring person decided to help. Of course one thing leads to another and before you know it you feel responsible for the animal. My husband and I have spent so much money on stray animals. We have taken in 7 stray cats and we care for 4 others at a "feral cat" colony a few blocks away. The problem is: do you let them die and go uncared for - or spend money and time that you really don't have to spend? We have sacrificed a lot to do that and it is a good feeling to know that you are making a difference to these animals. It is not even a drop in the bucket as to the overall problem, but I know that these animals would be dead without us. So.... my advice: if you can afford it get him/her fixed up (including spayed/neutered), adopt him/her into your household, and you will have a friend for life. If you can't afford to please take him to a shelter. Although it is difficult, sometimes euthanasia is the lesser of two evils. And more than likely he will be euthanized unless you can find a no-kill shelter to take him. Around her the no-kills are over full and won't take any more. The other shelters have so many cats that only a small percentage get adopted.

If you are in a metropolitan area you might find some financial help from a local humane society, animal welfare group, etc. Call some of them and ask.

redrock

Good on you not to just abandon this injured cat. Here in the UK we have the RSPCA - they will take care of any injured/sick stray you bring in for free. If you want to keep it, they will also make sure it is neutered/spayed. They do not destroy any animal. If you don't want to keep it, they will rehome it. Would you not have something similar where you live?

Poncier

You should contact Brain Setzer and ask for the money for the surgery. Its the least he could do for a former bandmate.

Linda

Poncier wrote:

You should contact Brain Setzer and ask for the money for the surgery. Its the least he could do for a former bandmate.

Hahahahahaha, so funny!!

NY PJ1

a deuce deuce will handle it

SPEEDY MCCREADY

Lostdogsinthegarden wrote:

So this stray cat that I've been feeding for a few months came to my apartment last night with a big limp. That's when I decided to take it in. I took it to the vet today and sure enough the leg is broken. The leg can only be repaired through surgery, and that's gonna cost between 1-1500 buckaroos.

So I'm kind of pissed off about that. I spent 280 for the appointment today, and now I gotta shell out a SHIT-load more. Should I keep the cat or give it away. I'm living in a single apartment right now, and I'm at med school all the time so I wouldn't be around to nurse the cat too closely after the surgery.

The other option I have is to let the leg heal on its own, but then the leg will be messed up and the cat will always have a limp. It sucks to start a relationship with an animal under these circumstances... and that's just a lot of money to throw down at the very beginning of one. I would really appreciate some input on this, thanks a lot.

keep the cat....love the cat....

and you will have a friend for life.......

so yes if you can.....pay for the surgery.....

Linda

I did keep a stray, found her, took her to the vet, allmost all the bones in her body were broken, so he did what he could for her, and so i ended up with a very expensive straycat....:D

GreenTeaDisease

this reminds me of when george costanza hit the squirrel.

Poncier

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

this reminds me of when george costanza hit the squirrel.

Maybe the stray cat will perform on the Mike Douglas show.

_Crazy_Mary_

Let her heal on her own. The limp may go away in time. $1500 is ridiculous to spend on an animal.

JaneNY

_Crazy_Mary_ wrote:

Let her heal on her own. The limp may go away in time. $1500 is ridiculous to spend on an animal.

That's kind of what I'm thinking. If you're willing to keep it as a pet forever, and feed it, a little bit of a limp from a badly healed break isn't the end off the world, as long as he/she is not in pain. That being said I think that price is very expensive. We found one of our ferals that we fed, in great pain with a broken leg, took it to the vet on the weekend and he charged us about $120 or so, including anesthesia to set it. 3 Weeks later the cat took off its own cast (ie. pulled its leg out). There's not much nursing to do - they still take care of themselves in the litter box, and get to the food (if they can get around on 3 legs like ours could). Maybe you should talk to a second vet?

eyedclaar

_Crazy_Mary_ wrote:

Let her heal on her own. The limp may go away in time. $1500 is ridiculous to spend on an animal.

I agree. All you have to do is put the bones of a cat in a room and they will find a way to mend themselves. I had a flame-point Siamese (baddest-ass mofo ever) who was crushed by a car, at least 10 major fractures, and we just let him heal naturally (I couldn't afford all the surgery). It was a tough call and at first I though I made the wrong decision, but within 6 months he was totally up and about and still full of spunk. He never healed completely, but he easily got by...

Poncier

eyedclaar wrote:

All you have to do is put the bones of a cat in a room and they will find a way to mend themselves. ...

Sounds like a voodoo ceremony.

Lostdogsinthegarden

I've been trying to get some referrals to lower priced surgeries, but that's still pending. Apparently this isn't the kind of break that a cast will fix, so the vet needs to put some pins in it or something. I am tempted to let the leg heal on its own as well, but we'll see if I can find a lower cost surgery first. Thanks.

_

It's so nice of you to take care of a stray cat. Please don't have it euthanized. :( If it's the money that's the issues (I assume it is), maybe you could get some help. As others have already said, maybe there are cheaper vets or animal rights organizations that will help. If not, maybe you can make it into a community effort and have the local news or radio stations raise money for the surgery. Or maybe all the cat-lovers on this board can send you $10.

Sprunkn7

_Crazy_Mary_ wrote:

Let her heal on her own. The limp may go away in time. $1500 is ridiculous to spend on an animal.

If you can't afford it, try a clinic. If that fails, keep the cat inside and let it heal on it's own. They are amazing creatures and if it ends up with a limp thats better than being put to sleep yeah?
My neighbors had a cat that got hit by a car and his paw was like raw meat. They didn't bring it to a vet (I was not happy about that as they could afford it)
and I watched the cat as it healed. It would take off the dead skin and fur so far down you could see the bone and tendons but it healed pretty well. His foot is like a club and the leg doesn't bend right, but the cat seems happy enough. Strays are pretty resilient..have faith in the cat and listen to your heart and your head. If you know you did everything you could you'll be at peace.

btw I have a stray that I feed so I know how you feel. He comes inside in bad weather and during the cold nights...I call him the cat that's not my cat, and I am the owner who's not his owner.

gobrowns19

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

this reminds me of when george costanza hit the squirrel.

But we have a deal with the birds!

Lostdogsinthegarden

This is all good advice guys, thanks. I think I'm going to go ahead with the surgery, for a couple of reasons. One, I think I would just regret seeing the cat limping badly for the rest of its life, knowing that I could have done something. Two, I'm already going to be about 200K in debt once I'm done with med school, so what's another 1500 right? It's an interesting way to look at it, but it kind of makes sense.

So I'm going to try and pencil in the appointment tomorrow... boy will I love the bill considering that I have to add neutering to the cost as well. Good times for sure! Hopefully, since I'm keeping this guy as an indoor cat, this will be the last major problem I'll have to deal with. Indeed.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

Lostdogsinthegarden wrote:

This is all good advice guys, thanks. I think I'm going to go ahead with the surgery, for a couple of reasons. One, I think I would just regret seeing the cat limping badly for the rest of its life, knowing that I could have done something. Two, I'm already going to be about 200K in debt once I'm done with med school, so what's another 1500 right? It's an interesting way to look at it, but it kind of makes sense.

So I'm going to try and pencil in the appointment tomorrow... boy will I love the bill considering that I have to add neutering to the cost as well. Good times for sure! Hopefully, since I'm keeping this guy as an indoor cat, this will be the last major problem I'll have to deal with. Indeed.

i like you!!!!!

i like you alot!!!!!!!!

wolfbear

Wow, good for you. I've always had cats and strays have been the most amazing pets. You will truly have a friend for life.

RolandTD20Kdrummer

Isn't the cat in a lot of pain?

how long has it been?

Lostdogsinthegarden

RolandTD20Kdrummer wrote:

Isn't the cat in a lot of pain?

how long has it been?

He showed up at my house about 3 days ago with the broken leg. The vet game him a pain injection that lasted for 24 hours, but after that the vet said I shouldn't give him any more medicine.

bedface cooper.

Lostdogsinthegarden wrote:

This is all good advice guys, thanks. I think I'm going to go ahead with the surgery, for a couple of reasons. One, I think I would just regret seeing the cat limping badly for the rest of its life, knowing that I could have done something. Two, I'm already going to be about 200K in debt once I'm done with med school, so what's another 1500 right? It's an interesting way to look at it, but it kind of makes sense.

So I'm going to try and pencil in the appointment tomorrow... boy will I love the bill considering that I have to add neutering to the cost as well. Good times for sure! Hopefully, since I'm keeping this guy as an indoor cat, this will be the last major problem I'll have to deal with. Indeed.

That's an awesome thing to do!!

We have 'that' cat too. She comes every now and then. My grandma used to feed her before she died, and now it's us who are feeding her. She's a cute little thing, but I dunno if my family would be up for paying that much 'just for some cat'. Kudos to you!!

Smartypants

Lostdogsinthegarden wrote:

This is all good advice guys, thanks. I think I'm going to go ahead with the surgery, for a couple of reasons. One, I think I would just regret seeing the cat limping badly for the rest of its life, knowing that I could have done something. Two, I'm already going to be about 200K in debt once I'm done with med school, so what's another 1500 right? It's an interesting way to look at it, but it kind of makes sense.

You are awesome

I spent almost $2500 on my cat a few years ago when she was sick. It was over the course of 1-2 months and I didn't add it all up until it was over. Every night she lays down next to me on my pillow and I know I made the right choice. I don't think you ever regret doing it.

Riverrunner

Lostdogsinthegarden wrote:

This is all good advice guys, thanks. I think I'm going to go ahead with the surgery, for a couple of reasons. One, I think I would just regret seeing the cat limping badly for the rest of its life, knowing that I could have done something. Two, I'm already going to be about 200K in debt once I'm done with med school, so what's another 1500 right? It's an interesting way to look at it, but it kind of makes sense.

So I'm going to try and pencil in the appointment tomorrow... boy will I love the bill considering that I have to add neutering to the cost as well. Good times for sure! Hopefully, since I'm keeping this guy as an indoor cat, this will be the last major problem I'll have to deal with. Indeed.

Lostdogsinthegarden, you are on my list. :eek:


THE GOOD LIST, that is!

Trust me. You are doing the right thing.

GraySaturday

Lostdogsinthegarden wrote:

This is all good advice guys, thanks. I think I'm going to go ahead with the surgery, for a couple of reasons. One, I think I would just regret seeing the cat limping badly for the rest of its life, knowing that I could have done something. Two, I'm already going to be about 200K in debt once I'm done with med school, so what's another 1500 right? It's an interesting way to look at it, but it kind of makes sense.

So I'm going to try and pencil in the appointment tomorrow... boy will I love the bill considering that I have to add neutering to the cost as well. Good times for sure! Hopefully, since I'm keeping this guy as an indoor cat, this will be the last major problem I'll have to deal with. Indeed.

this made my day! Lucky kitty.


And I think youre pretty awesome