Forest a 3 yr old male Norwegian Forest cat is needing a new home this week. The owners believe he has FIC (feline interstitial cystitis), which is an inflamed bladder due to stress and/or diet. I am the 2nd pet sitter they’ve had in the past 2 months. The owners were on vacation for a month and then came back and left again a week later, so they think Forest got stressed out from all the change. He started peeing outside his litter box the morning they were leaving and then continued to after I arrived. A couple days later, I discovered blood in the urine. I took him to the vet and got meds for him and he’s doing so much better; however his owners think he’s in too much pain and asked me to take him somewhere to be put down. I told them I would try and find him a new home instead and they said that would be fine.
If that’s not bad enough, there is another male cat in the house that tolerated Forest for the past 2 yrs, up until last week, and is now attacking him unprovoked. Poor thing isn’t feeling the best and then has to deal with being attacked. I have them separated in different rooms, but tried to slowly reintroduce them and the other cat is not having it! Usually he would hiss and growl at Forest before attacking, but yesterday he got out of the room and went straight for Forest and attacked him immediately.
I would love this cat to have a chance at life, since he’s still fairly young and very sweet. As I’m learning more about FIC, it’s very treatable. It basically just requires feeding the cat special food for urinary health and limiting stressful situations. I would like to see him surrendered, fostered or adopted over being put down. The owners get home later in the week and I’m worried they will end up having him put down. We are located in Toledo, OH (USA), if anyone has any resources for rehoming that they can share with me. I’m also wondering if anyone else has ever encountered this situation during a sit?
Edited to add, most shelters are full and too stressful for a cat with FIC.
Thank you for your kindness towards this sweet kitty.
A quick Google search of cat rescues in Toledo lead to Forget Me Not Cat Rescue (their contact info is online so Google search them). I would try reaching out to them and see if they can help, or point you to another good rescue that can.
Oh wow, this is awful. Poor kitty. Thank you for being so compassionate toward him. Forest must be stressed to the gills. I cannot imagine just deciding he should be put down while away, and ESPECIALLY not the gall to ask a sitter to take care of it!
My sister has a lot of connections in the cat rescue community - seeing if she knows anyone in Ohio.
ETA: Sister said to start by asking vet if they know of local people wanting cats - they often have info on that. She also said vets often allow clients to surrender pets, and will rehome rather than euthanize. Might be complicated, as you are not the owner, but perhaps if you make inquiries the owners will follow through? - Sister says if you get written confirmation from HOs it should be enough.
Are you able to keep the cats completely separate for the last days of the sit?
Oh how sad! Poor little Forest. So glad a wonderful cat sitter like you is there to the rescue of this poor kitty. I cannot believe how shallow some HO’s can be like this.
Thank you so much. I’ve been able to keep them in separate rooms and will continue to until I leave on Thursday. I’m worried the homeowners won’t be as diligent as me.
Your care and, yes, love for this sweet cat are beyond admirable.
I concur with others in that local resources (I’m not familiar with the area) are your best bet. They’re often connected and refer to another when they don’t have space, time, appropriate resources, etc.
If you’re on FB, you might also reach out to groups which focus on feline health especially FIC to guide you.
This condition is both common and treatable. And, from the sound of the owners’ response (to which I’m avoing comment) it sound like this lovely boy will be SO much better in a caring home rather than one which easily discards a sentient being when challenges appear.
Thank you SO much for caring for this cat in ways above and beyond. Blessings to you both.
Poor baby! He’s beautiful. I think it’s awful of the HOs to put you in that position, and it sounds like they just don’t want the bother/expense of treating his condition. Can’t imagine how they determined “he’s in too much pain” from wherever they are, without seeing him. SMH.
Thank you for wanting to save him! If they are that disinterested – “euthanize him, find him a home, whatever” – I would be inclined to ask if I could take him with me when I left. Dunno your situation but is that an option at all? Then you could work on finding him a home. If you have to leave him, it does sound like he might not be safe; I’d be worried too.
I wish you wisdom and guidance as you figure out what to do. Please let us know what happens.
As @ABGM mentioned , it’s clear they don’t care.
I mean if they really believed
How on earth would they accept him to be rehomed?
People like this should not be allowed to have pets. Just expressing a wish that I know can’t be fulfilled. I feel so sorry about this situation!
My family lives in Findlay OH (about 40 minutes away). Since my mom only keep “barn cats” nowadays, I don’t think that’s the best option, but if you’re not going the cat sanctuary route, I can hit her up and see if she knows anyone. Please message me and let me know if you need my help.
I described the reasons but the moderators refused to approve my post because it was not in the rules they didn’t explain why all I did was address the reasons I said that.
Sounds like you’re assuming this is when it started, but it may be a situation which has been going on for some time but was not disclosed by the HO.
How long have you been on this sit?
That’s alarmingly weird! If they genuinely believe Forest is in so much pain he should be euthanised, why on earth would they do an immediate about about-turn and allow him to be rehomed? Sounds likely they already know he has some health issues, want rid of him and don’t much care about how that comes about. Poor boy!
I can see why you feel a sense of urgency. What I can’t understand is why they don’t want to see how he is when they arrive home, especially since you’ve presumably told them he’s doing so much better.
Have you had any success in finding a solution (even if only temporary)?
I was also wondering if this has been an ongoing health issue and I asked them if they or any of the other sitters witnessed Forest doing this and she said no. So I don’t know what to think. Sunday I posted on several Facebook pet rehoming pages, but no one has shown interest in taking him. I told the owner I would keep looking for someone and she said she would too.
might this be a reaction to Shadow’s peeing outside the litter box? Perhaps the other cat feels his territory being “invaded”
Can we take the owner’s word for it? perhaps Shadow wasn’t tolerated so peacefully.
Are there any comments at all in previous reviews that could help understand this weird situation?
I really wish people would be more descriptive when writing reviews!
