Stupid people

reptilemama · #1 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 03:08 AM

We've got al older couple at the vet clinic I work at who are convinced they can turn a feral cat into a pet. Tey've already tried with one, and it bit the vet when they brought it in just to find out what sex it was. After the required ten day quarantine, they decided to turn it over to the county, who I'm sure immediately euthanized it. Now they've got another one, who's a *tiny* bit more calm- we managed to get a shot of anesthetic into it's back leg so we could knock it out completely and neuter and declaw it. (yes, declaw- done with laser, but even so, this poor guy can now never end up a barn cat. He'll have to either be a miserable indoor cat or be euthanized.) They also wanted him feleuk tested and vaccinated. Tested negative, which is good, but we found out it bit one of them, so we can't vaccinate him until ten days after the bite. So, we hold him al weekend, managing to give him food and water and change his litterbox without getting bit. He did get loose on me once, and ended up in radiology where he made a huge mess of things until I finally got ahold of him threw him in his carrier. So, today was the big day- time to vaccinate him and send him home. I had left his carrier in his cage, so luckily he was init and we could just shut the door and take the whole thing into an exam room, where he couldn't go too far. I put on out *thick* leather gloves, and pulled him out of the carrier. He immediately figured out how to give my gripping hand a good kick and got loose- no suprise. But the little turd bit be several times, bruising my left hand, and managed to take a chunk out of my right thumb, even through two layers of leather. I finally got him held down, (after he and I were both tired from chasing around the room!) and we vaccinated him. I feel bad for him- he was happy outside, and now he's forced to live with people, and he's just terrified. There are so many *nice* cats who need homes (including one hanging around my house), I just don't get why these people had to try to rescue this one. I thought I wouldn't have to deal with feral cats anymore after I left the shelter!

Cretia · #2 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 05:02 AM

What do you mean by "feral?" I've never heard that term before.

CC · #3 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 05:15 AM

feral-wild; not domesticated; untame

Dragon · #4 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 01:33 PM

Isn't the collection of wild animals for keeping illegal in the US?

reptilemama · #5 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 02:32 PM

Technically, a feral animal is a domestic animal that is living in the wild- i.e. stray cats, dogs, etc. Because they're not native animals, they're not considered wild animals.

CC · #6 (**permalink**) 12-21-2004, 04:17 PM

I thought it was a domesticated species (i.e. cat) but the individual is wild. Oh well

EyeOfTheStorm · #7 (**permalink**) 12-23-2004, 09:45 AM

Well, a species that is normally domesticated, i.e. a cat, but has spent so much time in the wild and away from people, it has adapted and become "wild". Example, a stray cat has kittens in the wild, and has thus never seen or been around people. The term "feral" can be applied to any animal that fits this description. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral

momakat · #8 (**permalink**) 12-29-2004, 01:19 AM

My sister-in-law used to work for her local animal control. Every so often they would humanely trap a community of feral cats (as many as possible) and 'fix' them - most would be returned to the 'community' where locals had been feeding them. But never, NEVER, would anybody be dumb enough to attempt to tame a feral cat - kitten perhaps - but NEVER an adult feral. Sheesh!

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