I just want to vent (cat rescue related)

[thecatneuterer]

I can't sleep. I'm actually shaking with anger and despair. And I've just had a large glass of wine to calm my nerves (and I don't drink). I'm so fed up and rather drunk. It's actually a rare cat rescue job that isn't buggered up by horrible, horrible people.

So this particular one that's causing this upset. Last Summer I had a call from someone who had seen posters I had put up asking for info on another cat colony. They said they knew people who were feeding a colony in their garden and could I help. So I put a note through their door, and heard nothing, for two months.

Then I got a call from them to say that they had my note and that they had 10 kittens that had been born to two mothers in a kennel in their garden and could I take them away. So I took the kittens and trapped the two mothers plus one extra pregnant female. But there was a large colony (probably around 15 cats) so I said I would need to come back to trap and neuter the rest. I kept trying to arrange it and they kept saying they were busy. So eventually I gave up, but it gave me sleepless nights wondering what had happened to all those cats.

Then yesterday they called out of the blue to say that one of the cats was injured and could I come to get it. When I got there I saw there was a heavily pregnant cat, plus quite a lot more unneutered females. They agreed I could come back that evening to try to get the pregnant one. Which I did but she didn't go in the trap. I talked about making a plan to get all of the cats once I had her, and they agreed.

I went again tonight. Again I didn't quite manage to get her (all the others had gone in the trap but I had to get her first so as not to scare her). And then they said that I couldn't come back as now they would be 'too busy' until August. All they have to do is to open their front door and let me sit in their conservatory. That's it. But that's too much trouble and now there will be approximately another 20 kittens born in a few months time, and probably another 40 by August.

They feed the cats. They care enough to do that, but they don't care enough to open the front door for me occasionally. Fuck me I hate people. This sort of shit happens all the time.

Only a few months ago I was 'kidnapped' by a maniac who didn't believe in neutering but had wanted me to trap the (feral) cats in his garden to give to his friends and refused to let me leave with the cats (Police were called and everything). I won that one by shinning over a very high fence with a trap full of cats. To this day I don't know how I did it.

Another job recently. We put leaflets through letterboxes asking if anyone was feeding a cat colony as we wanted to neuter to 'stop numbers of cat multiplying out of control'. We got an answer that a man was feeding but was 'happy for them to breed for now'. Then what? When there are 50 cats then he wants us to come to neuter them? So we have to spend the time catching 50 cats rather than 20? So we have to pay for 50 rather than 20 to be neutered?

I fucking hate people.

Another recent one - again feeding a colony. But they believe that all the females should have at least one litter. So they refused to let me take the young females. I pointed out that most of the litters born in those gardens were eaten by foxes, but they wouldn't believe me.

I fucking hate people.

I love the trapping jobs that are in public places, were people can't obstruct. But most are in back gardens. Those terraces that are all one big lump of back gardens with no access but through houses. Then you have to rely on people's goodwill. And people are selfish, stupid, thoughtless fuckers. Well the ones I seem to meet are anyway.

I fucking hate people.

thecatneuterer, you do an amazing job and I wish I had your compassion, energy and drive. Does it help you to know that so many of us in the litter tray have rescued cats, neutered and given them loving homes over many years.

The woman who owns our village shop neuters every stray cat that turns up at her door. She offers them a home, but the ones who don't want that are fed and kept an eye on by her.

You let off steam any time you need to. I'm not surprised you're pissed off with the lot of them. People can be a right pain in the arse and there's no understanding them.

TCN you do a wonderful job and I admire you for it very much.

TCN hope the alternative plan works.
Issey that sounds horrendous. I have read about cases of people cat hoarding/animal hoarding which must be shocking living conditions for the animals and humans. I think in a lot of these cases the people do have mental health issues so both they and the animals are being failed somewhere along the lines.
The ignorance of the general public fails me. I sometimes see entire toms strutting around the streets and they clearly have homes. Do these owners just assume unwanted kittens aren't their problem as their cat won't give birth? No idea about FIV? Do they think they will emasculate their cat?

I suspect it's the last reason - in many cases.

Sadly I know somebody who has several cats and believes in letting the females have at least one litter. The toms are left entire until at least 2. It's very frustrating. They also don't believe in vaccinating. And they feed them fucking Go-Cat. I'm beginning to feel like you did last night TCN.

Not being goady but what's the matter with Go-cat? It's the only dry food Paddycat will eat.

Fwiw I am a firm believer in neutering and vaccinations. I think it should be a legal obligation to neuter your pet (assuming it's feasible) and if you want to breed you should be licensed and regulated.

It's got ingredients banned in the USA for being known carcinogens.

When I was a child a vet told my mum they referred to Gocat as Gonecat. For very sad reasons.

Oh no! I will see if I can tempt her with another dry food then. Any recommendations?

TCN rant away and keep up the good work.my boys were rescues.we just lost one,and has left a big hole in our lives.we had brothers with back history of dumped pregnant female.rejected kits before fully weaned.they were shy little things when came to us,but utterly blossomed.I'd take a rescue anyday over a kitten from someone just try make fast buck.
I didn't realise gocat was a bad thing.scout cat needs a new kibble.any suggestions?

TCN you rock. That's it basically!

Applaws and Orijen are both good dry foods. High percentage of meat, and no grains.

I didn't even know Go-Cat contained carcinogens, Fluffy. All I knew was it blocked their pee-pipes by causing crystals. How is this crap still being sold?

You're right TCN. I wrote stuff to explain why but you know that.

And rant away, TCN. When he was a child, my father actually used to drown kittens, for a bit of extra pocket money. Christ, he used to clip the lead on our little Jack Russell's collar and whip him, until he howled. Truly disgusting. It made me incredibly nervous, as an 8 yr. old, so what was it like for that poor little dog?

When my father came to stay with me some years ago, he ran down the stairs terrified, because my cat was making yowly noises and "lashing out" at him. Twat father was shitting himself.

I believe people should have an expensive licence to be allowed to keep any animal.

Sorry, that was my rant!

Rubbish when my mum was young she lived in a house near a field and at the bottom of the field was a beck. Sadly, it was quite common for people to drown unwanted kittens and puppies in the beck.

However, one person was obviously a bit kinder and released the kitten. It promptly made it's way to my mum's room and curled up on my auntie's pillow. My grandma discovered him and made the mistake of calling my mum and auntie. Of course they insisted on keeping him and he lived a long and happy life.

Hello, I first became a mad cat lady when I had to call Celia Hammond because I found a stray who had kittens in a thorn bush outside our block of flats in Greenwich. We spent hours tempting them out and I ran up and down 4 flights of stairs making coffees for the volunteers (who were luffly). Ten years later I still remember our chats, so when we can finally afford a house with a garden we will be getting a rescue (or two).

Doing what you do must be so hard, please take courage and know that the good you do might not always be obvious or immediate either. Xxx

As others say TCN rant away whenever you need to!

You're doing an incredible job and I'm so happy there are people like you in the world who care for animals. Keep up the good work.

PS I hate people too (not all people obviously) at times

I don't suppose anyone remembers this thread from March but I have an update.

I finally finished the job! Shortly after this rant I talked some neighbours into letting me into their garden and I managed to get a few more that way - but they were only willing to let me in twice - and then they were always 'unavailable' when I tried to return the neutered (and feral) cats. So Celia herself tried to knock on the door of the original people and they told her to 'fuck off'. We eventually found someone much further down the street who would let us release them there. It wouldn't have been difficult for them to find their way back. But there were still a lot more to get. I managed to talk to the daughter of the original house who I succeeded in getting on board, and she facilitated a few more visits and I got another 8 or so cats then. But there was one pregnant one that I never managed to catch and I know she gave birth at least twice.

Anyway the neighbours tipped me off a few weeks ago that they had seen kittens in another garden and I managed to persuade those people to let me in to their garden and over two days I trapped both the kittens and that mother cat. Her earlier litter had obviously not made it. So that was the last cat in that colony!! And those kittens have been tamed and have just gone to a wonderful home.

Sorry this is long and rambling. Anyway I feel ridiculously relieved about this. There are still hundreds of jobs that I haven't yet finished or even started, but for some reason this particular one really got to me.

And in a way it was a good thing that they proved so difficult because I ended up leafleting the whole block of gardens to see how far the cats ventured down thinking I may be able to trap further down, and because of that I found another colony of 35 cats. I trapped them all and nearly every female had been pregnant.

Oh, and at the moment I'm doing a huge job where a very unpleasant man has threatened to kill all the cats. So I still hate people

Wowsers! I do remember this thread. I'm so pleased you manage to neuter all those cats.
As for people threatening to kill cats I see why you hate people. I don't think a lot of people realise most problems are caused by humans. We need to trap, neuter and imprison people like that.
It is fab work you do helping those cats.

I remember! Well done OP

That's brilliant TCN, well done.

at Rubbish's cat getting revenge on her father for previous animal cruelty

Oh Catneuterer that would drive me insane too. How do you manage not to tell at them? Here is another 'This is what you don't post. My puss was taken to a rescue along with two others because she was seriously unwell and planned to take her own life. It is a desperately sad story, but at least she knew she could take her cats to a safe place, which would find them good homes. Rescues are amazing. Here is how happy my puss is now - begging to have a tummy tickle!

"What you do* rather!

A fantastic ending tcn I just wanted to say that I think you do amazing work, and I am full of admiration for your sheer determination to keep going.

I remember this thread, so pleased you managed to get the whole colony done. Keep us updated on the latest one please - I can't get my head round people who want to kill animals just for existing, or possibly being a bit in the way.