[catsmum]

I realise many members want to hang, draw and quarter the RSPCA for their apparent lack of compassion for this poor kitty but if any of you have the time have a read of this blog from my local RSPCA and see the heartache that goes on when they have to make these decisions and how hard they work to try to raise enough money to be able to help as many animals as possible on their limited funds.

not all of us are condeming the rspca in this case, and i am sure for the many who are, it is just because they dont know what the reality of the situation is on the ground. i am sure if they knew more about ringworm, how it spreads, what it costs, the manpower needed to treat it, many would think differently.

 

[Amethyst]

I realise many members want to hang, draw and quarter the RSPCA for their apparent lack of compassion for this poor kitty but if any of you have the time have a read of this blog from my local RSPCA and see the heartache that goes on when they have to make these decisions and how hard they work to try to raise enough money to be able to help as many animals as possible on their limited funds.

I make no apologies for the sadness that you will see conveyed, or try to justify, the decisions they make but have a read of entry i have linked to below and if you have time read a few of the others as well. Oh and that's my Riley you will see if you get that far in your reading

RSPCA Manchester and Salford Branch: Happy Valentine's Day

I do appreciate the difficult decisions involved in rescue, believe me, I've made some REALLY tough ones in the past ... but this poor cat ONLY has a fungal skin infection. It's treatable and in NO way life threatening.

Many cats are likely to come through their doors carrying the infection, with nobody any the wiser if they are asymptomatic

If the rescue has NO isolation pens, what on earth do they do when they get cat's in with cat flu? Simply pts?

This poor cat must be isolated at moment while they await test results? If so why not allocate that pen to this animal in need? It's a young presumably otherwise healthy, nice natured cat, not much more than a kitten herself? Why kill her? Sure she will "block" a pen for a while, but should be home-able in the foreseeable future .... Ringworm is not a life sentence, neither should it be a DEATH sentence :frown2:

Not having a personal go at you, but I am really annoyed and saddened that ANY rescue would consider and actually kill a cat with ringworm.

 

[Amethyst]

not all of us are condeming the rspca in this case, and i am sure for the many who are, it is just because they dont know what the reality of the situation is on the ground. i am sure if they knew more about ringworm, how it spreads, what it costs, the manpower needed to treat it, many would think differently.

Many rescues spend vast amounts on infectious illnesses and disease much more serious than a fungal skin infection, rather than pts animals which have every chance of going on to live happy and long lives.

They too struggle to raise funds but don't jump at the easy option

Many diseases and illnesses in animals are very contagious, but many, if not most rescues have some isolation facilities or are prepared for these situations ... If they haven't, they SHOULD have.

 

[Gem16]

I do find it hard to believe they haven't got isolation facilities, i volunteer for a rescue and we have a clinic where the cats go in seperate rooms if they have flu etc and obviously there are certain rules to avoid contamination.

 

[Amethyst]

I do find it hard to believe they haven't got isolation facilities, i volunteer for a rescue and we have a clinic where the cats go in seperate rooms if they have flu etc and obviously there are certain rules to avoid contamination.

Yes, "barrier nursing" in a cattery situation would be needed, but they MUST get cats in with cat flu, so should be familiar with this and have the knowledge to deal with it ... as I said the cat must be isolated now anyway?

 

[tagalong]

sorry but sob stories from the RSPCA just leave me feeling even sorrier for the animals ending up in their care -and yes i do know -I was a volunteer at a centre -until i saw and heard things that most people would not believe -I have experience of many rescues some good some not so great but at the end of the day all the RSPCA do is collect money from the public to store in a bank account in Switzerland and spend as they see fit -sadly not on training their staff to a level that should be attained and sadly not on the animals they were supposed to exist to help.
I know there are many branches who use the name but are not funded by them in any way -which to me is ludicrous why use their name and get no benefit at all
I have seen a guinea pig who froze to death because the heater wasn't turned on -OK a mistake but they thought it was a good laugh sat round the coffee table that morning
I have seen a mother cat separated by a division from her 2 week old kittens because they had a home for her and needed to dry her up quickly otherwise the home would not wait -which was extremely stresdsingh for kirttens and the mother plus meant they had to hand rear
I have seen a dog literally kicked back into a kennel with language not fit for any employee of any company
and could i complain -no -why ? because at the time i was invovled in fighting them over the pup i had adopteds who they decided to spay at 10 weeks old which for a Yorkie is bad news -she hasd severe urine infections and was incontinent due to her muscles not developing due to lack of hormones due to too early spey and yes I won and yes they changed their policy -mainly because their senior home checker agreed with me !!
Since then i have had numerous friends working in rescue who have all had appalling experiences with the RSPCA -they also seem to think it a good idea to pass the buck most times literally to private rescues who can barely support them selves.

 

[catsmum]

Not having a personal go at you, but I am really annoyed and saddened that ANY rescue would consider and actually kill a cat with ringworm.

I know youre not having a go and i am the wrong one to answer your questions, but you work in rescue right? i am sure if you ask the person who runs it to explain it, they will explain it better than i can, i understood it a lot better after it was fully explained to me. things like cat flu they only need barriers or walls between the cages and something as simple as a sneeze barrier is (in theory)enough to stop cat flu spreading, but seperate rooms definitely works to the spread of something like cat flu (obviously washing hands when handling them and general hygene too). a sneeze barrier is no where near enough to stop ringworm spreading, and neither are seperate rooms unless proper barrier prevention measures are taken,which i believe invloves total change of clothing, shoes and wearing hats etc. even in a home isolating one cat in a multi cat household often isnt enough, they all get it. it is a very infectious fungal disease and spreads much more easily than other viral or bacterial diseases, especially in a rescue environoment where all the cats are already stressed (and generally not in the best of health) and therefore more likely to contract it. in rescue centres cat flu "outbreaks" are often far easier contained than ringworm outbreaks despite the same preventative isolation measures being taken.

 

[catsmum]

sorry but sob stories from the RSPCA just leave me feeling even sorrier for the animals ending up in their care -and yes i do know -I was a volunteer at a centre -until i saw and heard things that most people would not believe -I have experience of many rescues some good some not so great but at the end of the day all the RSPCA do is collect money from the public to store in a bank account in Switzerland and spend as they see fit -

isnt that what all charities do? spend monies donated as they see fit?

 

[tagalong]

isnt that what all charities do? spend monies donated as they see fit?

indeed but their purposes are not the ones the public think they are donating money towards -the public want the cash to go to helping all animals in need not erecting a nice marker stone at new headquarters and then announcing there are not enough funds to build new centres

 

[Amethyst]

I know youre not having a go and i am the wrong one to answer your questions, but you work in rescue right? i am sure if you ask the person who runs it to explain it, they will explain it better than i can, i understood it a lot better after it was fully explained to me. things like cat flu they only need barriers or walls between the cages and something as simple as a sneeze barrier is (in theory)enough to stop cat flu spreading, but seperate rooms definitely works to the spread of something like cat flu (obviously washing hands when handling them and general hygene too). a sneeze barrier is no where near enough to stop ringworm spreading, and neither are seperate rooms unless proper barrier prevention measures are taken,which i believe invloves total change of clothing, shoes and wearing hats etc. even in a home isolating one cat in a multi cat household often isnt enough, they all get it. it is a very infectious fungal disease and spreads much more easily than other viral or bacterial diseases, especially in a rescue environoment where all the cats are already stressed (and generally not in the best of health) and therefore more likely to contract it. in rescue centres cat flu "outbreaks" are often far easier contained than ringworm outbreaks despite the same preventative isolation measures being taken.

Sorry but rubbish and an ex nurse I am pretty much up on many if not all aspects of barrier nursing.

I have been involved with rescue for many years, less so now and maintain killing cats with ringworm is nothing short of a DISGRACE. It is a non life threatening, generally self limiting condition which can be treated and controlled if a rescue wishes to do so.

A sneeze barrier will NOT stop cat flu spreading any more than a sneeze barrier in an office would prevent flu or colds spreading ... seriously I despair sometimes.

 

[dougal22]

sorry but sob stories from the RSPCA just leave me feeling even sorrier for the animals ending up in their care -and yes i do know -I was a volunteer at a centre -until i saw and heard things that most people would not believe -I have experience of many rescues some good some not so great but at the end of the day all the RSPCA do is collect money from the public to store in a bank account in Switzerland and spend as they see fit -sadly not on training their staff to a level that should be attained and sadly not on the animals they were supposed to exist to help.
I know there are many branches who use the name but are not funded by them in any way -which to me is ludicrous why use their name and get no benefit at all
I have seen a guinea pig who froze to death because the heater wasn't turned on -OK a mistake but they thought it was a good laugh sat round the coffee table that morning
I have seen a mother cat separated by a division from her 2 week old kittens because they had a home for her and needed to dry her up quickly otherwise the home would not wait -which was extremely stresdsingh for kirttens and the mother plus meant they had to hand rear
I have seen a dog literally kicked back into a kennel with language not fit for any employee of any company
and could i complain -no -why ? because at the time i was invovled in fighting them over the pup i had adopteds who they decided to spay at 10 weeks old which for a Yorkie is bad news -she hasd severe urine infections and was incontinent due to her muscles not developing due to lack of hormones due to too early spey and yes I won and yes they changed their policy -mainly because their senior home checker agreed with me !!
Since then i have had numerous friends working in rescue who have all had appalling experiences with the RSPCA -they also seem to think it a good idea to pass the buck most times literally to private rescues who can barely support them selves.

Completely off topic re: ringworm, but I'm absolutely horrified that *anyone* can witness the above acts and NOT report them officially. How can you live with yourself? This is abuse and by not reporting it, you are condoning it.

 

[catsmum]

Sorry but rubbish and an ex nurse I am pretty much up on many if not all aspects of barrier nursing.

I have been involved with rescue for many years, less so now and maintain killing cats with ringworm is nothing short of a DISGRACE. It is a non life threatening, generally self limiting condition which can be treated and controlled if a rescue wishes to do so.

A sneeze barrier will NOT stop cat flu spreading any more than a sneeze barrier in an office would prevent flu or colds spreading ... seriously I despair sometimes.

fine, whatever, i am not in the mood for trading insults. go work in a shelter and deal with a ringworm outbreak then get back to me on how easy it was to stop it spreading

 

[catsmum]

Completely off topic re: ringworm, but I'm absolutely horrified that *anyone* can witness the above acts and NOT report them officially. How can you live with yourself? This is abuse and by not reporting it, you are condoning it.

good point

 

[Gem16]

What's the worst that can happen when a cat has ringworm?

 

[tagalong]

and just who would i report it to ?
the manager i was voluntering for was sat at the table laughing too -the manageress of the cattery assured me she knew what she was doing -the dog was pushed into the kennel by a paid member i was a volunteer and at the time was already busy sending recorded delivery letters to head office over the case of the dog I had adopted
they were not impressed but neither was I

 

[Amethyst]

fine, whatever, i am not in the mood for trading insults. go work in a shelter and deal with a ringworm outbreak then get back to me on how easy it was to stop it spreading

It's difficult or rather HARD WORK controlling infectious conditions of any kind in any rescue, but rather more rewarding than having a blanket policy of KILLING animals that need extra care, effort and barrier nursing.

Sorry but ANY rescue that kills an animal with a treatable condition, has quite literally "lost the plot" .... in the truest sense of the word ... as far as I am concerned ... Shame on them.

 

[tagalong]

What's the worst that can happen when a cat has ringworm?

sadly some are allergic to treatment and it can prove fatal for a very few (especially Griseofulvin and it can also be linked to neurological problems although Intrafungal is supposed to be safe )

normally they will recover just fine

 

[momentofmadness]

sadly some are allergic to treatment and it can prove fatal for a very few (especially Griseofulvin and it can also be linked to neurological problems although Intrafungal is supposed to be safe )

normally they will recover just fine

But.. there are downfalls to everything.. and myself.. I would rather see an animal have a chance.. And be treated rather than condemned to death..

And as this discussion is going on.. This kitty I am hoping does not have Ringworm and Im hoping she will be with the OP very soon.

Re Tagalong.. I appreciate you were in a very difficult position and sometimes it can be very hard.. I dont think others have the right to judge as they do, not really knowing the full ins and outs.. Big hugs Tagalong.. xxx And you do great deeds for the furry and the naked community, Im sure they all really appreciate you.. xxx

 

[Amethyst]

What's the worst that can happen when a cat has ringworm?

It ends up in the wrong rescue and isn't given a chance of getting well

While not in a rescue, as I have said, my own cats were treated with cream, perhaps not how things are done now Recovered in about 3 weeks, never had it again, nor did my other animals and went on to live until they were 17 and 19 years old.

Tragic to think that some rescues might have killed them as a matter of routine

 

[tagalong]

Completely off topic re: ringworm, but I'm absolutely horrified that *anyone* can witness the above acts and NOT report them officially. How can you live with yourself? This is abuse and by not reporting it, you are condoning it.

I can live with myself quite happily thank you because due to my efforts they change the speying policy on pups -I alos managed to rehome several pedigree cats without their knowledge through breed rescues -if i9 had alienated myself then this could not have happened