Owner of Outdoor Cat Neglects Care and Responsibility

Dear Marie,
Our neighbor claims to “own” a cat that wanders throughout the neighborhood and frequently spends time at our house.  As far as I can tell, the cat is never allowed into the home of the “owner” and is outside during the coldest of nights.  We have been giving it food and water for at least three years and have taken it into the vet on numerous occasions when it has been injured in cat fights.  When it is particularly cold or rainy outside, we usually let him come in our garage and keep a box filled with blankets in there for him.  One of the reasons we did this was that we were never certain that the cat even had a home.  Last month, we took him to the vet to be neutered because he had fathered dozens of kittens in our neighborhood.  (There are a lot of stray cats here.)  His owner has never taken any kind of responsibility with him.  When she found out that we had had him neutered, she was furious.  She came over and threatened to call the police.  She told us not to bring him in our house anymore or give him food.  Yet she continues to leave him outdoors and I don’t even know if she feeds him.  I have never seen a food or water dish outside for him.  The cat keeps coming over to our front door and begging for food and he is getting skinnier and skinnier.  It is breaking my heart.  What can I do?  

Marta,

Stanton

Dear Marta,

I am sad to report that many cat owners treat their pets exactly as your neighbor does hers.  In the minds of many, cats don’t need much care, and to a large extent, they are left to fend for themselves.  And yet when kind neighbors (such as yourself) attempt to provide a little love and compassion, their only reward is anger and threats on the part of the self-proclaimed cat owners.

There are a couple of things you can do in this situation.

First, you can talk to the owner and let her know that you weren’t sure if the cat indeed had a home and that is why you were providing various forms of care.  Let her know that you are very fond of the cat and would assist her in any way with care and feeding.  It may just be that she is financially unable to provide for her pet and is feeling embarrassed about the situation.  Often, embarrassment causes people to act out angrily in a situation like this.  Let her know that neighbors are supposed to help neighbors and that you’d like to wipe the slate clean and be friends.  If you are successful in this endeavor, you may be able to give her some tips on cat care and ultimately steer her down the path to becoming a responsible pet owner. 

Chances are, this won’t work.  People tend to be too proud to work things out, as unfortunate as that seems to be.  So the next option I offer to you is the law.  An Orange County Codified Ordinance very specifically states that no pet may wander onto any private property without the expressed permission of the property owner.  Your neighbor’s cat is obviously still roaming the neighborhood, which is a violation of this law.  Therefore, you may legally trap the cat and take it over to the Animal Shelter.

I am assuming that you would be willing to adopt this animal and make him your own.  If this is the case, be sure to fill out a “hold form” to let the shelter’s staff know that you intend to adopt this kitty if its owners do not come to claim him.

Since your neighbor has provided the bare minimum of care for her cat – and even that is questionable, I doubt that she will redeem him.  Once the shelter has held the cat for the legally mandated number of days, you may officially adopt him and will be his rightful owner from that day forward.

I would strongly recommend keeping him indoors for the rest of his life – not only because this is the best way to care for a cat, but it will also keep him away from his previous owners who may still think that the cat is theirs.

If you do choose to turn the cat in and then adopt it, you may end up with a nasty neighborhood dispute, complete with the police knocking at your door.  Be sure and keep all of your adoption papers from the shelter, as they will prove that you are the legal owner.  Whatever you decide, I wish you – and the cat – all the best.

Feline Leukemia

Dear Marie,
My beautiful Siamese cat of 12 years was just diagnosed with Feline Leukemia. I have to admit that this is my fault. Though Felix is generally an indoor cat, I do let him outside when he asks. He stays in our yard, or either one of my next-door neighbors who don’t mind him visiting at all, but he never travels further than that. I guess he must have been exposed to a stray cat who was infected, and now he is very sick. At first, I just thought he had a cold. He had runny eyes and a runny nose. But our vet did some blood tests and told me it was much worse. He explained to me how we can treat Felix for symptoms, but there is no cure. Initial treatment is going to cost over $1,000 of which I've already paid more than $600 this past week on tests and drugs, etc. I need to make a decision on whether or not I should proceed, or if things are hopeless, to have Felix euthanized. I don’t think I can afford the ongoing costs of care, but if Felix still has a few
good years left, I hate to take those away. You've always given good advice and I am hoping
you can help me here.
Thanks.
Georgia,

Dear Georgia,
When to have a beloved pet euthanized is always a very complicated decision. Without knowing the extent of Felix’s symptoms or the type of treatment he will be getting, it is hard for me to judge the quality of life he may have in the coming months or years; and therefore that is something you should discuss in depth with your veterinarian.

Unfortunately, Felix probably did contract the virus while he was outdoors. Feline Leukemia is frequently transmitted via bites from other cats. What's more, if food dishes are left outside and infected neighborhood cats take advantage of the free meals, the virus can be passed along this way as well. If cats are allowed outside, they should be vaccinated against Feline Leukemia. But the vaccine is not 100 percent effective so the best protection against this terrible virus is to keep cats inside always. Perhaps your sad story will encourage other cat owners to keep their pets indoors.

Your cat is capable of spreading the disease further and now more than ever, it is vitally important to keep him inside. This will also protect your cat from being exposed to other germs that may make him ill. Now that he is infected with feline leukemia, his immune system is weakened and no longer able to function properly. That is most likely why he is at the present suffering from a secondary infection.

If your cat is currently in fairly good shape other than the noticeable symptoms of his upper respiratory infection, he may have several quality years left. Since your veterinarian believes that he can provide a successful treatment regimen for the secondary infection and the cost is your major hurdle, I would strongly recommend contacting one of the many organizations that offers financial assistance for veterinary care to pet owners such as yourself. Here in Orange County, The Pet Fund has a web page with many links that may be of assistance. You can view this page at: http://www.thepetfund.com/links.htm.

If your veterinarian’s hospital belongs to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) you can ask him to submit a request for financial assistance through the “Helping Pets Fund.” He may also be willing to work with you on creating a manageable payment plan for treatment, or may even give you a reduced price if he knows you need help. It never hurts to ask.

I should advise you that the majority of cats infected with Feline Leukemia do indeed succumb to the disease, or complications from other infections within 2-3 years. There will be a point in the future where Felix will lose all quality of life and further treatment will do nothing but extend his suffering. Sometimes pet owners cling to hope rather than letting their pets go. Again, this is the hardest decision any pet owner faces, but you should understand that when this time comes, your decision to euthanize will be made with as much love as your previous decisions to treat his illness.

You have time to look into financial assistance. Don’t let the cost of treatment be the determining factor in how to proceed. Talk frankly with your vet. Get solid answers regarding Felix’s life expectancy and quality of life. Then decide which path to take. Every pet owner finds himself in this same situation eventually and it is never easy. I wish you and Felix well in this very difficult time.