I'm looking for anything I can do here.
We have a kitten, 9 months old. Live on a new build estate, away from main roads, backing onto other gardens. Should have been safe. Didn't let her outside anyway until a couple of weeks ago. But, she soon found she could climb fences, & would go into neighbouring gardens. Not far, because when we called or shook food bag she would quickly jump back over.
I was working from home day before last. Kitten went out at around 2pm, I had the patio doors open as it was so hot. Suddenly she came in and started throwing up everywhere. But... as that isn't entirely unusual for cats I just thought, eurgh, cleared it all up and put her back outside.
However. It then went downhill rapidly. Within an hour she was bleeding from her rear end, and within hours that was getting worse - pools of blood, haemorraghing. Took her to an emergency vet. They did lots of tests which took most of the next day. Transferred to the local out of hours service where she is now. So far, they can't say for sure but can't find anything physically wrong. It sounds like there are 3 rough possibilities - 1) she ingested a plant she shouldn't have 2) she ate a poison that was put down for another reason 3) she ate a poison that was put down deliberately. They seem to be learning towards a poison rather than just a plant, because of the speed and severity of her symptoms. It looks like she likely has kidney damage, and so far not certain she will live.
Needless to say I'm now really mad at myself for letting her out. I don't like to see animals cooped up but, never wanted this to happen. The kitten is my daughter's really and all she ever wanted, and will be very upset if kitten doesn't make it.
But... if there is a possibility it is a poison I want to know. For myself, especially if there is a possibility it is deliberate. And, I'm not the only cat owner nearby.
I looked online and could see there are at least 2 pieces of legislation that 'should' help. Poisoning an animal would be illegal, in theory prosecuted.
I contacted the local police using their online form - they sent me a message very quickly, saying it wouldn't be something they would get involved with at all and to contact the RSPCA.
I called the RSPCA, which was a frustrating experience from start to finish. They concluded by saying that unless I basically have concrete evidence she has been poisoned, they won't even begin to look at this. I pointed out (repeatedly) that I can't just go into neighbours' gardens to 'look for proof', and the vet can't currently say whether she has definitely been poisoned and may never be able to, they are just leaning in that direction. So I'm not going to be able to get any. Probably noone is going to tell me if they did something. My experience on this call was very akin to the 'computer says no' person on Little Britain... they seemed more determined to find ways not to help me. I had told them what the Police had said, but they just said I would need to get in touch with them - is was a kafka-esque level call in so many ways.
What these two organisations are basically saying, between them, is if she has been poisoned, there is zero they will even try to do to investigate. Which means if (I recognise it is an if) someone has done this deliberately, they will completely get away with it. And easily could do the same to other animals in the area.
I don't know what else I can do, and just posting here in case anyone has any experience of similar.