Hi

I'm looking for some advise from some expereinced cat owners. 3am this morning while my dad was out working a night shift my dad was taking a patient into a nursing home when a very young (doens't even look old enouth to have left his mother) stray kitten climber into the back of the ambulance. The home staff informed him that the cat was a stray who had been hanging around for at least a week. One of the nurses has been feeding him and would have taken him home herself but her landlord would not allow her to keep anymore pets. The poor thing is all skin and bone and is starving and won't stop eating everything in sight (even tried to steal a custard cream lol) and appears to have fleas and possiblely worms. Being an animal lover my dad bought the kitten home leaving his contact detils at the nurseing home just encase he has a worried owner. He is currently at home playing with my very loveable Maine Coon Kitten

My query is I called the vets and explained the situation and tried to book an appointment for a health check and so they could see if the kitten has a chip. I was told that I should return the kitten to were he was found and was aqused of stealing another persons kitten. My dad wouldn't have taken him if he thought the he belonged to someone and didn't look so neglected. We are now unsure what to do I was looking for some advise as to if we should take him back?

Any advice would be greatly appreachiated
Charlotte

I would find another vet!

Well done to your dad for taking the kitten in.

That's ridiculous 'advice' from the vet or vet receptionist.

Your Dad has done the kind and responsible thing in taking home a starving and needy kitten, and trying to arrange a health check. If the kitten is chipped then the owner can be contacted. If not chipped, then the owner clearly couldn't care less, allowing their kitten to roam around in that state. Or he's just a homeless kitten!

Whoever you spoke to at the vet's is talking rubbish. Do go ahead and get the kitten seen by another vet. Let us know how you get on.

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Rescue cats for many years, currently one moggie and 3 young Maine Coons.

I wouldnt be taking him back either.If that is the first contact a client has when calling the surgery then I think it is time that they reviewed their staffs ability to speak with the public,I would find another vet.Well done to your dad for caring about this little mite.If he does have an owner it doesnt sound as though they deserve him.Good luck and please keep us updated.

Meant to add be careful about allowing this kitten to have contact with your own kitten.Until it has been checked over you cant be sure that it doesnt have any diseases that it could pass on to your kitten.

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If the kitten is looking THAT neglected then any possible owners don't deserve to have it!!!!

I would suggest that you take the little thing to the vet to be wormed, de-flead and chip-checked. Put some 'Found' posters up in the area where the kitten was and a brief description on it. DO NOT give a detailed description because you can use this to confirm that any potential callers really ARE the owners. So, for example, if the kitten has a black tipped tail, don't write that on the poster and then, if someone calls and tells you their missing kitten has a black tipped tail, you know you've got the proper owner. You could also add info to on-line lost & found pet websites. This forum has one.

Do be careful about the kitten being in the same room as your other cat because he may have diseases or nasty worms that 'could' be passed on to your MC - and you really DON'T want that to happen.

If your vet gives you any problems, just remind him that YOU are paying for THEIR services and that you will deal with the situation in the manner that you see best. Some vets really DO think they are gods!!!!!

Failing anyone coming forward to claim it, you may have just gotten yourself a new little fur-baby!!!!

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I would also echo the sentiments here. Find another vet - but also make 100% sure that the practise *owner* (not manager) knows why you are leaving.

A few years ago we found a big cat at our back door with blood on his neck. We took him to Medivet (yes, them with the bad rap) 24 hour emergency and they looked at him, found a Swiss chip in his neck and kept him in overnight. The next day we walked up and down the street for an hour knocking on doors looking for the owners only to bump into a guy who was conversely looking for his cat. His family didn't have a car so we returned to the vets and they returned the cat, looked after well, and refused all offers of payment.

It turned out that Hobbes (yes, Hobbes ) had an allergic reactiojn to a flea collar, scratched himself raw and escaped the house. The family had come from Switzerland and did not realise the tag details would not work here.

So - not all vets are the same. Find a decent one.

As for the kitten and "now" I would suggest finding help from the local CPL or RSPCA. But that's another bag of worms, to paraphrase

It's rare for me to be speechless. I've stared at this page for quite a while and wondered what to say in the face of total idiocy by a vet or one of his/her staff.

Oh, yes, to repeat what's already been said, I would find another vet, maybe one that actually cares about suffering animals.

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Proud Mummy to:

Sam (born June 1999, found August 1999)
Milly (born May 1999, adopted September 1999)
Eva (born 2010, adopted us August 2011)

Poor tiny baby

Excellent advice from all here! What a horrible vet, to say something like that They work with animals, which means one assumes they have a passion for them and would care enough to help!

Big hugs to you and your dad xxx

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Mummy to;

Sooty 9.6.1996 - 28.04.2011 Rest in peace my love!
Storm (Sueragdandy Phantom) 28.02.2010
Benji (Kassaro Benjamin Franklyn) 08.03.2011

If you're very attached to the vets maybe try another time - there's one girl on reception at weekends at mine...absolutely awful! Everyone else seems fine....

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if you are getting him checked for a chip & put posts up on lost cat sites - thats not 'stealing'


as an owner of a missing cat - i'm hoping someone takes her in & gets her scanned! would never be cross at someone for feeding a starving kitty

hope my yr old is picked up by someone nice too!