I always try to return complaint calls as quickly as I return the adoption calls. It isn't easy. People forget that I'm unpaid and am often returning calls at 9 am with my first cup of coffee in my robe. If I could guess, I'd say 99% of the rescue's few complaint calls are over post-adoption diarrhea.
God, I'm sick of hearing about diarrhea. Cats get diarrhea. We get diarrhea. I don't know why - food? stress? parasites? Regardless, it makes adopters go crazy. The problem is, a cat could have ZERO tummy problems before adoption, but I have no clue what they're feeding the cat once they leave our care. They might have gotten into the garbage, or failed to kitten-proof the house. Cats can be like raccoons and they'll eat stuff they shouldn't.
This morning, a woman had adopted two kittens from us. Apparently, they were "shitting all over the house". (Her words - NOT mine!) The visual of "shitting all over the house" was alarming, so I called immediately only to find that she wants us to pay a $500.00+ vet bill for....D-I-A-R-R-H-E-A. No, I'm not paying $500.00 for kittens with the squirts. Take care of your own cats.
It has suddenly occurred to me that I haven't posted since last week Wednesday and I'm talking about poop. But I *do* have some really terrific news:
Clinton, the "too affectionate" cat that we rescued last week was adopted today!!!! A lovely lady read about his ridiculous abandonment and gave him an A+++ home. How's THAT for a fast adoption!?
8 comments:
Hurray for Clinton..he's a wonderful boy ! I'm so glad !
Don't know if this is what YOU do Beth, But when I have a kitty ..or doggie with Diarrhea I give then slippery elm in with their dinner bowls..Apparently it isn't bad tasting, lol, I haven't tasted it yet, lol, but none of my animals have objected and it solves the problem 98% of the time.Saves me a lot of $$$ on vet bills. Kittens will ALWAYS get Diarrhea when their food is changed..they have very delicate tummies..CATS will too. A food change needs to be gradual ..I thought EVERYONE knew that..Silly me !
Looking forward to another rescue day..I LOVE rescue days ! Love Gail
Yay for Clinton!
Boo for poop trouble. Perhaps we should come up with a "what if my new kitty gets tummy trouble?" document to go along with the adoption forms?
I always send my kittens off with a week's worth of the food I've got them eating, and some pre- and probiotics, in hopes of staving off Icky Kitty Syndrome. Doesn't *always* work, but it can't hurt...
Oh, and hurray for another rescue day!!
I agree with Renee, I always send my foster charges home with wet and dry food and stress to the adoptive parents that they should keep the kittens on this for 2 weeks before they make a gradual food change otherwise they will end up with kitties with 'tummy troubles'. Looking forward to the new rescues.
Got to say, that has been one of the fastest adoptions in a long time!!Kinda funny, because when you dropped him off you said he make be with us a while....see, you never know!!!
Have a great life Clinton! I know you will !!!!
Speaking as someone who's kitten waited a month to start
crapping all over the house, perhaps it would be helpful to write the name of the kibble down.
I was given a sample of kibble but not the name.
I have had cats for 50 years and I have never before had one stop using the litter box.
You might also want to give instructions to the new adopter to only feed this food for at least one full bag following adoption.
That way it will be clear they got a healthy kitten.
Also suggest confining the kittens in one room with the box until the poops stop.
What is obvious to you may not be to the next person.
Congrats on finding a new home for Clinton.
Hurray for Clinton!!
i can't agree more about the comments about the lady and the diarrhea. I also can't believe for a second that any vet anywhere charges $500 to 'fix' diarrhea in kittens. What the... I mean come on.
The shelter I foster for has paperwork that people have to sign that says that cats can get sick once they go into their home and that is the responsibility of the new owner. Address it before they adopt and hopefully you can head some of this off.
Connie my adoption agreement from Forever Home says just that.
With the exception of spay surgery, I am on my own for all vet bills going foreword.
This includes the several hundred dollars it cost for IV fluids and meds to treat my other cat when he got the shelter virus from the kitten.
No ones fault, the kitten was healthy except for a sneeze, and had been in quarantine for several weeks in the foster home.
The adoption agreement also recommends we take advantage of the 6 free weeks of pet insurance offered to cats adopted thru a shelter.
I did, and decided to continue for at least 6 months. Cause ya know shit happens and it is better to be penny wise than pound foolish!
Hope you reminded her Beth that she could get some relief from vet bills with the free insurance. LOL
Harpurr loves Lily, they curl up together in the heated cat bed and take turns grooming each other.
Harpurr and Lily's Mom
OMG he's so gorgeous. Clinton!!??? Please name a cat Monica!!! Come OONNN!!!
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