Need advice on stray cat.

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?

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

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.

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

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 wrote:

this reminds me of when george costanza hit the squirrel.

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

_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 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.

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.