Living with an abused and abandoned cat

Hello all, I am looking for some input on what the proper actions would be for the pet situation at my house. I live in a home with housemates and a previous tenant had a cat that he rarely took care of. He quickly moved out into a house that didn't accept cats and asked another housemate to take care of the cat. So, the cat, Bubble, stays with us.

 

At this point, I have lived with Bubble for a year and a half and have learned more about his backstory. Still, I wouldn't have agreed to taking care of a cat that wasn't mine under the assumption that at some point down the line his owner would take him back (no confirmed time). This is not the first time his owner has abandoned him with somebody else.

 

This is where I explain why I call Bubble an abused cat:

 

Bubble is covered in scabs all over his whole body. I believe this could be because of allergies and his owner never got him veterinary care. He never fed the cat while living here and I often found Bubble without food. Eventually I started to feed Bubble. At one point, Bubble's arm swelled up twice the size and he couldn't walk. We contacted his owner who was 30 minutes away that Bubble needed to go to the vet. His owner put his phone on airplane mode (intentionally and told us he was) for three days. I took Bubble to a friend who has moved away but was a horse vet. I am a grad student and so don't make a ton of money.

 

After his owner moved out, Bubbles condition due to his scabs became very bad. He would barely walk and wasn't using the bathroom. I contacted his owner multiple times and finally got a response. He got him medication at the vet but that only lasted two weeks. Since then, the scabs have all come back and his owner has stopped responding.

 

The ridiculous part of this situation is that Bubble's owner lives 5 minutes away. He has come see his cat once in a half year. With his lack of response and failure to get Bubble medical care, I now consider Bubble an abandoned cat. But realistically, I know his owner will come to claim him and act as though he cares for and is attached to this pet.

 

I am looking to move out of here and would like to resolve the issue before leaving. The housemate who agreed to take care of Bubble has said she would just put him down. His owner is not a very sane individual and I really don't want to put my safety at risk by making him angry because he won't be getting "his" cat back.

 

So I see my options as the following:

 

-allow Bubble to go back to an abusive owner

-leave and never know if Bubble is in a humane situation or put down

-call animal protection services at the risk that Bubble will be put down

-temporarily rehouse Bubble and not tell my housemates, after moving take Bubble even though I don't really want a long term commitment to a cat but would definitely consider this option

-rehouse Bubble without telling my housemates

-let his owner find out through myself or housemate that I have rehoused him or called animal control and risk having the wrath of an unstable person

 

I never would have asked to be in this situation and am at a bit of a loss for what I should do.

Right now you are letting that animal suffer because you're worried about his owner. Get the cat help however it needs to be done. Tell the owner Bubbles has died if you need to.

First of all, rename that cat. As if the cat's treatment weren't hard enough to bear, being reminded its name is "Bubble" was excruciating!

 

Has a vet ever given a recommendation based on the cat's quality of life? You'd have to find someone with a veeeeery big heart to take on the expense of a sick cat that requires a special diet and constant medical treatment, and I'd guess that even if you were to take the cat to a no-kill, they'd end up euthanizing it for illness.

 

Do you have any idea if the cat is registered to the owner? If not, the sky's the limit. Bubble could "run away" to a crazy cat lady who wants a new poor soul to take on as a project. You could just shrug your shoulders and say, "What could I do? Bubble's a spry one."

Right now you are letting that animal suffer because you're worried about his owner. Get the cat help however it needs to be done. Tell the owner Bubbles has died if you need to.

 

This is the potential conclusion I came to yesterday. Part of the struggle is that as a grad student affording vet care might be a challenge for me. But, I could swing taking him back as a short term solution and then figure out if I can afford his medical care.

 

First of all, rename that cat. As if the cat's treatment weren't hard enough to bear, being reminded its name is "Bubble" was excruciating!

 

Has a vet ever given a recommendation based on the cat's quality of life? You'd have to find someone with a veeeeery big heart to take on the expense of a sick cat that requires a special diet and constant medical treatment, and I'd guess that even if you were to take the cat to a no-kill, they'd end up euthanizing it for illness.

 

Do you have any idea if the cat is registered to the owner? If not, the sky's the limit. Bubble could "run away" to a crazy cat lady who wants a new poor soul to take on as a project. You could just shrug your shoulders and say, "What could I do? Bubble's a spry one."

 

Bubble has only been to a vet once as far as I know. I am thinking though I will probably take Bubble to the vet myself and have an honest discussion about long term prospects. I have enough savings to foot the medical bill at least once. Also, I don't know if Bubble is registered but I somehow doubt it. His owner doesn't even know how old he is. I think the ideal solution would be finding a good home for Bubble and I sent out photos yesterday but I am not sure where to start. As you said, not many people are going to want to take on a sick cat.

 

Taking name suggestions

If you can't afford it, I would take him to a no-kill shelter and tell them the name of the medication he's had before. They can get him free medical care/meds and then try to re-home him. If the vet feels he needs to be put down due to medical necessity/pain, then that's a choice that they will make.

 

I would tell the owner that Bubble died unexpectedly and that you took the body to a vet to dispose of him and that you're really sorry.

 

The owner clearly doesn't give a crap about the cat. You're doing the kind thing here, by lying and getting him to a better place.

Well, here's the deal. Cats get out of the house all the time, right? Doors get left open, they just "disappear" and really who's to know if Bubbles should happen to find himself disappeared to a no-kill shelter or a good home.

 

Not that I'm telling you to steal a cat, but in this case we can pretty much assume Bubbles is ownerless and is suffering so horribly, that really he'll end up getting put down if someone doesn't do something anyways. And fast.

 

His scabs may be as simple as one allergy shot away--my mom's cat is like that--or maybe it's something else, but you do know Bubbles can't fix that on his own. And dying with a skin condition that eats away at one, is definitely up there on my list of ways no animal or human should die.

 

Do the right thing here. You will not regret it if you are smart about it. And that's all I'm going to say about it.

Bubble has only been to a vet once as far as I know. I am thinking though I will probably take Bubble to the vet myself and have an honest discussion about long term prospects. I have enough savings to foot the medical bill at least once.

Well allow me to add you to the "veeeeery big heart" list. I know it's a financial hit for you, but if the cat's terminal in any way, or is subject to lifelong suffering at this point, there's no way I'd put it through the process of intake at a shelter and having to adjust to a life of being confined and having dozens of new people and animals around it. I'm glad you're having her looked at for a no-BS vet assessment.

 

If it turns out it is something easily medicated and takes a minimal toll on the cat, by all means drop it off at a no-kill. They'll clean Bubbles up and take care of him and I'm sure another bleeding heart will fall in love with him.

I know you didn't ask to be put in this situation but I hope you'll be the one to step up and care for and love Bubble.

 

Most of my pets came to me because of unfortunate circumstances and I wasn't planning on having another furball but.. Animal love pays back tenfold .

Are you UK ? If so please please call cats protection or RSPCA or join the facebook page and message them and take it from there .

 

Please help this baby ..I am in pieces here , just don't leave him or let the owner near him .

Are you UK ? If so please please call cats protection or RSPCA or join the facebook page and message them and take it from there .

 

Please help this baby ..I am in pieces here , just don't leave him or let the owner near him .

 

 

I was just reading this, you cant just abandon a cat. I know around here my friend got kicked out of his house, they took his cat to the shelter and

before he could even figure out a living situation the police called and told him to get his cat or there would be a warrant out for his arrest

for abandoning a cat.

 

Also if you report this, it might make it harder for him to have a pet in the future legally also.

Ok, so a brief update and to answer questions. We are in the US. The only reason I am hesitant to call animal control is that I am pretty sure they would put him down because of his condition. Apparently the last vet visit cost $300 which I can swing if need be. His owner has agreed to take him to the vet on Monday (housemate contacted him again) but I am:

 

-not counting on that actually happening

-at this point I don't want Bubble to go back to his "owner." This is already after many extended periods of him being unresponsive. If we were not driving this issue forward, Bubble *never* would have gotten any medical care.

 

If his owner does show up and pay the bill, should that change my stance on things?

 

My current plan is to take Bubble to the vet on Monday regardless of circumstances and have a blunt conversation with the vet even if his owner is in the room: what will it reasonably cost to maintain his health so that he has a good quality of life?

 

I am still going to look into rehousing him and in any situation I think we should probably know what his medical needs would be to decide what I can do or what a future owner would need to be willing to do.

 

Question remains: if his owner shows up to pay the vet bill, should I even consider allowing this cat to go back in his care? I would really almost rather have cut out his involvement all together at this point but my housemate continued to reach out to him.

I was just reading this, you cant just abandon a cat. I know around here my friend got kicked out of his house, they took his cat to the shelter and

before he could even figure out a living situation the police called and told him to get his cat or there would be a warrant out for his arrest

for abandoning a cat.

 

Also if you report this, it might make it harder for him to have a pet in the future legally also.

 

oh wow really well it is a good thing people should realise you can't do this to animals ..with the exception of your friend , he should have been given chance to sort it before been threatened with arrest .

Question remains: if his owner shows up to pay the vet bill, should I even consider allowing this cat to go back in his care? I would really almost rather have cut out his involvement all together at this point but my housemate continued to reach out to him.

allowing to the cat to back to his care?! What care?

Because you harangued him into paying the bill? If . . . you and Bubbles get that lucky.

Document the times you've reached out and haven't gotten a response. Consider the kitty neglected and abandoned.

 

Vets are in business to make money but are compassionate too. Take the cat to the vet along with her story and see what they can do

about getting her comfortable and advise or help in finding a home. Leave that `caring' previous owner out of it.

 

By his own neglect he has proven he doesn't care.