Oh, for Pete's sake

Gonna get a little ranty here, I ain't gonna lie.  Skip it if you wanna.



So, we had an adoption event on Sunday, and little Olive got adopted!

Except she didn't.

See, this new group, unlike my old group, does not do same-day adoptions.  They ask potential adopters to fill out an application, and then they contact the adopter's landlord (to make sure pets are allowed where they live), veterinarian (to make sure any pets currently in the house are up-to-date on vaccinations), and one personal reference (to make sure the adopter is not an ax murderer).  They also ask for information about any pets currently in the household, to make sure the new addition would be a good fit.  (There are some cats who are afraid of large dogs, for example, and who should probably not go into a household with big dogs.)  Some people think asking that many questions is intrusive, and frankly maybe it is, but the group is just trying to make sure all of the cats are going into good, loving homes where they will be welcomed and seen by a veterinarian when needed.

So!   A man comes to the adoption event Sunday, explaining that his cat had just passed away and he was looking for a new friend.  He fell in love with Olive, and filled out an application.   When the event was over, Olive went back to her foster family, to wait for adoption day.

On Monday, the group called the veterinarian he had listed on the form.  The only time they had seen his cat was on an emergency basis to euthanize it, because she was suffering from advanced kidney disease at age 14.

The group contacted the man.  Perhaps his regular vet was closed when the cat became ill?  Maybe he had just moved from out-of-state and hadn't gotten a new vet yet?  Where were his cat's records?

There were no records.  The cat had been spayed when young, and had not seen a vet until the day she died.

People.  People.  PEOPLE.

Cats need to go to the vet.

It's not just about vaccinations, although here in New York, if you do not vaccinate against rabies you are in violation of the law.

Cats develop all kinds of problems that, while treatable, are not readily discernible, especially since it is in a cat's nature to hide its pain.  Tooth decay and heart murmurs are two things that come immediately to mind - Things that are treatable if caught early, but can cause big trouble if untreated.

And this dude had a fourteen-year-old cat who hadn't been to the vet since kittenhood.

I mean, maybe the cat was fine.  (Well, except for the KIDNEY DISEASE, that is.)  We all have a Grampa Joe who never saw a doctor between birth and the morgue.  Except I'll bet that there were a lot of times that Grampa Joe wished he had seen a doctor.

Regardless, the man was not allowed to adopt Olive.  Oh, I'm sure he'll find a cat somewhere - Maybe from the rescue where I used to volunteer, who DID do same-day adoptions without vet checks.  Except now, I'm wondering how many of the cats who got adopted out while I was there went into homes where they never got taken to the vet.  Hmmmm ...

Please.  Take your cats to the vet.  Thanks.

Sheesh.

And don't worry, Olive, we'll find you a home.  A good one.