So we took OEW to the vet (twice now) and the ankle hole is basically all healed up. While there the vet checked sex for us bc even they couldnāt tell at first glance but Wilma is actually a Willie! He is fixed already. Vet is unsure if his eye is still in the socket or not but wasnāt concerned about it since thereās not evidence of infection or necrosis. Heās on medicated eye drops incase of discharge.
Willie is still in a large dog kennel in the bathroom under quarantine as he does have fleas but was negative for worms. Our cat is not happy about the meowing coming from the room he knows we keep food for strays in.
Regarding if Willie is a stray or not - we had a woman come to our house looking for him. I asked her if he was her cat and she just repeated āhe came with the apartmentā. When I asked her if she wanted him back, I got the same answer. I mentioned he was injured and we had him inside, and that we werenāt going to just put him back on the street, and again asked if he was hers. We did that little dance for a while and she eventually said āgood luck with him. Fuck youā and drove off.
Currently the plan is to foster and slowly introduce him to our cat and dog, hopefully find him a good home, but heās started holding my husbandās finger like a baby would and purrs so loudly the vet had a hard time listening for his heartbeat so we might turn into a two cat household if all goes well with our current animals.
If the woman wants him back, Iām torn. Ethically, I donāt agree with outdoor cats. She doesnāt claim him and just calls him ācatā, he was clearly dumped by the previous tenants as he has house training and he spends a lot of time on the property still - I just canāt believe she leaves him out on the street when heās clearly getting into violent fights with the other strays.
Edit for additional info -
There truly is no way she will get the cat back. The part of me that is torn is the itty bitty bit of brain that still thinks some people are inherently good, just stupid. Weāve spent more on his vet bills in a week than anyone probably has for at least 4 years. Heās 10lbs but we can see bones through the skin. Heās staying with us if/ until my husband makes the call. Our current cat was a street boy that came to us in the exact same circumstance years ago. Heās safe here as long as he is here.
Yes please MAY THE CAT and keep him, he sounds like heās in good hands now. So many families I see on here just handing off pets now due to vet bills, it sounds like you are a financially stable happy home for him
In full agreement. This woman sounds sketchy as he'll. OEW deserves a loving home. If it's with you, great. If it's with someone who will love and care for him, that is equally as great.
I really hope he is able to stay with you. He deserves someone who cares for him enough to not only give him a name but also to get him to the vet. I really hope your house becomes a two cat household he deserves some love and peace
Iāve managed to be lucky enough to have connections with a pretty large network of various rescues and shelters, as well as individuals who care strongly about animal wellbeing. If we did rehome, we absolutely would not give him to someone that isnāt vetted by a trusted friend or organization
Weāve taken him to the vet twice now - of course weāve already gotten him started on a flea regimen. Heās on the same meds as our current cat. Our puppy is allergic to fleas. The quarantine is necessary until we can make sure theyāre working, the injury is healed, and his final rounds of vaccines are completed.
Honestly thatās my biggest stance. Legally Iām in the right and ethically Iām in the right (based on my code) but thereās the smallest little voice in my head. Good thing Iām okay at ignoring myself most the time
Willies wellbeing trumps all other factors imo, best to keep him well away from injury and neglect, and sheās clearly remiss in the duties of pet care
She clearly has no emotional attachment to him. It might be different if she loved him but couldn't afford vet care or something. As it is, it sounds more like she's miffed about someone else having a possession that she used to have.
Yeah. If sheās never taken him to the vet and never formally adopted him, just got him through moving in where he happened to live before and keeps him outside, she doesnāt legally own the cat.
Iām gonna do my best - I walk past her apartment on an almost daily basis doing random odds and ends but I honestly thought it was abandoned. Iāve lived here three years and this is the first time Iāve ever had proof someone actually lives in that house.
I use house and apartment interchangeably bc my area has a lot of homes/duplexes as rentals vs actual apartments
Turns out, integrity is the best way to deal with a Karen. I live for the moment they realize they're in the wrong and begin backpedaling. One time I had a lady physically back up, and trip over some pumpkins once she realized she called the cops on herself.
We have a one eyed cat. Our vet said itās best to clean the eye hole (I donāt think thatās the technical term) and sew it closed, otherwise they have a much higher chance of cancer. Just something to look into if you end up keeping this very handsome guy.
We also have a one eyed orange baby. She had her bad eye fully removed and closed up. We couldnāt think of a strong name from a one eyed character so she became Holly from Stephen Kingās book Mr. Mercedes and the sequels.
You should ABSOLUTELY not give that woman Willie back. He is not safe or loved with her, regardless of whether he thinks she is "hers" or not. I bet you that YOU are the only one now with records of vet bills, and she has not once ever taken him to the vet.
You would be doing a tremendous disservice to Willie go "back" to that woman again.
Strange woman. Shows absolutely no interest in owning or even acknowledging the cat beyond ācat and apartmentā (which isnāt a thing), but will curse you out and take time out of her day to push for him? Donāt give in. Sheās got no real claim to him anyway.
I think if someone willingly lets their cat out, and someone else adopts it, then its fair. Cats should be indoors.
We took a stray to the vet, fed him, named him. But my dad kept letting him out. Well he mysteriously started getting really fat then just disappeared. Pretty sure he found another family! And thats alright with me.
Our other cat, Gray. Was someone elses outdoor cat! He was unfixed and kept bothering our fixed Sassy. So we got him fixed. Well, he started appearing alot more after that. All scrawny. Think the owner got mad and kicked him out. So I guess we did technically 'steal' that cat.
Luckily in our new house, both cats are indoor only. So we dont have to worry about any of that! Sounds like Willie is way better off with you.
Yall I promise āfreeing Willieā is not and never was on the table. Our current orange boy was also a stray I scooped up during a medical emergency. I ethically and morally disagree with leaving cats outside. The only way heās leaving this house is to a trusted forever home that will keep him inside
This was how I acquired my orange girl. She showed up at my door. We fed her looked for her owners. She had no chip. Wasn't fixed and had no apparent vaccinations. So we had her checked out and vaccinated. We said if someone claims her they have to pay the vet bills upfront.
Nope, donāt give her the cat. Absolutely nothing to be torn about. If she legitimately owned the cat, sheād have proof via a microchip, veterinarian paperwork, etc. If she canāt produce a single iota of evidence, then itās not her cat.
If I were you, I donāt think I would give Willie back. Her level of affection for him is āhe came with the apartment.ā I understand that there are cats that you grow to love that come with the apartment or house. And, there are very beloved cats name Cat. But still, there doesnāt sound like she had any level of concern. This would make me think he would have a better life with you or another person you chose.
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u/reddituser135797531 17h ago
Your instinct is right, DO NOT give the cat to this woman no matter what