Cat Crisis -- Any Advice?

My secretary is in a real pickle. Two months ago, her brother fell off of a roof during construction and he is now paralyzed from the neck down. He lives on the Big Island of Hawaii. Since the accident, he has been in ICU and how the live-in rehab facility on Oahu because the Big Island doesn't have the resources. My secretary and her brother are both single, in their 50-60's and have no other family except for another brother who refuses to help.

So she gave notice last month, is selling everything she owns, emptying her retirement and moving to Hawaii to be her brother's primary caretaker. She'll be going back and forth between the Big Island and Oahu for the foreseeable future, but will be almost exclusively on Oahu for at least the next few months.

She has 2 cats and can't take them with her because she has no way of taking care of them given her living situation for the forseeable future. She has been trying to find them a home since the accident. She has called all the local rescues and animal shelters. She has asked everyone she knows. Even the "no kill" animal shelter in my town said they are so overloaded with cats that they are keeping them only 4 days before euthanizing them. People at our office have called around and no one can find a family, rescue, or shelter (who won't kill) to take the cats.

So do any of the cat people have any suggestions?

My secretary is a total cat person and she's emotionally on the edge of losing it between the stress of her brother's paralysis and the thought of losing her cats. Here are their pictues and info about them:




Tobbie, male, 5 years old, loves to cuddle, and talks a mile a minute, very gentle cat.
Mandie, female 5 years old, she love to cuddle at night and loves to be talked to.
neither cat is aggressive, no biting or scratching. Both play like kittens.

That kills me!! I feel so bad for her. I will ask around here, but cat rescues seem to be always full, so few people adopt out. The only other thing I can think of is if she has put an ad on CL-every once in awhile you do find an awesome adopter-just have her ask for a small fee. My co worker adopted her 2 adult ones from CL.

I agree with the Craig's List approach. Shelters and rescues are full and it's kitten season.

I think she should take the cats with her and find a pet sitter. Don't cats have to be quarantined for a period of time anyways?

Not Afraid wrote:I agree with the Craig's List approach. Shelters and rescues are full and it's kitten season.

I think she should take the cats with her and find a pet sitter. Don't cats have to be quarantined for a period of time anyways?

Thanks Lisa. She's on Craig's List. I've talked to her about taking the cats. Besides her living situation, she's down to budgeting pennies for this. She's already selling everything including her car to raise funds and she thinks she can live about a year on $500 per month. They are applying for government assistance. One of the good things about being catastrophically injured in Hawaii is that the state has some of the best aid programs in the country.

Her brother was a metal artist so he had no money and won't ever be able to go back to that work. They hope that within a year, they will know more about the extent of her brother's injuries and she might be able to look for part-time work. It's a pretty bad situation overall.

I'll keep my eyes and ears open for something. I have a client that wants to adopt 2 adults cats when their dog dies, but dear old lumpy bumpy Patch just keep hanging on!

Orange boys are the BEST cats, too!

How sad, all the way around! My assistant is a huge cat person but being in MD doesn't help much. I'll mention it to her though and see if she has any ideas.

Can the Office arrange to ship the cats and offer a check for food and sand until the dust settles? The job she is undertaking is horrifying in its intensity. She is giving away her privacy and future because she loves him enough to put everything else aside. She needs to touch of her cats at night to keep her sanity. She just needs a way to get them there.

We're Here wrote:Can the Office arrange to ship the cats and offer a check for food and sand until the dust settles? The job she is undertaking is horrifying in its intensity. She is giving away her privacy and future because she loves him enough to put everything else aside. She needs to touch of her cats at night to keep her sanity. She just needs a way to get them there.

Ellen, the office already raised over $1,000 for her in donations, but she needs that money for airfare. I've been talking to her about her situation for the last two months. Given what she's facing and what the doctors and case managers have told her to expect for the next year or so, and given the fact that she can't afford to keep them up on vet care with the dire money situation, she doesn't think she can handle the stress of not being able to take care of her cats on top of everything else. Honestly, this situation makes what I went through with my mom seem like a cake walk, and at least I had my husband for support and we didn't have money issues.

Thanks for keeping an eye out, you guys. I really hate this situation. Not to mention the fact that I'm losing a great secretary.

I have retired family in your area, and will see if any of my mom's friends would be interested in adopting both cats!

TNPUGMOMOF3 wrote:I have retired family in your area, and will see if any of my mom's friends would be interested in adopting both cats!

Or even if they weren't willing to do so long-term, perhaps they could foster, if Lisa's clients are willing to take them permanently when their dog goes to the bridge.

How very sad :( I hope she is able to find a good home for them soon, they look so sweet!

TNPUGMOMOF3 wrote:I have retired family in your area, and will see if any of my mom's friends would be interested in adopting both cats!

Thanks Marci! She says they can be separated if necessary. FYI, Tobbie, the boy, is extremely sweet and should adjust well to any home. The female is not as social and she's not sure how she would do in a home with kids.

Oh no! I will also ask around here as well.

I am so sorry for your secretary and everything she and her brother are going through.

Okay, well the heat is off some. Upon further questioning of my secretary, it turns out she never called my local shelter. She actually called the central county shelter thinking it served my city and that shelter does euthanize and it's a pit and a nightmare. So now we've called the right shelter and they confirm they will take the cats and they will not euthanize unless the cats are super aggressive or sick. They say they've had some cats there a year.

While a shelter situation is not ideal, at least they won't be put down and our shelter does have a decent adoption rate. I feel so much better, especially since I've always been a fan and supporter of my shelter and was so dissapointed when I thought they were euthanizing due to overcrowding.

Just wanted to update real quick. We're still trying to find them a home, but in the worst case, they have somewhere to go.

Apparently, she was working off a list some wack nut at Petfinder gave her. My secretary is usually not this flaky and sloppy but she's been under a lot of strain lately.

I am glad for the update and that they have a backup plan! They are such cute cats and the fact that they are nice kitties too, I hope they find a home soon!

I am sure your secretary all stressed out can not even think straight. You are great for helping her and the kitties out.

Great news! Tina from PNP called in a favor and we can get them into cat rescue. I've got to do some fast bargaining with some vets tomorrow to get their shots and vet check taken care of, and my secretary is now all stressed out about what she has to do in order to get them into shape for rescue (I had to agree to a few extra conditions before the rescue would take them due to their overcrowding and lack of any money) but I'm simply going to railroad this through and get those cats to a vet and into a foster home if it's the last thing I do before Tricia leaves next week. I love my secretary but she's completely out of her mind these days so I could use your good thoughts as I try to keep her focused on getting this done. No wonder I never get anything done at work!

That's so wonderful! I'm glad it's going to work out!!

Great news, Kendie! I hope these two babies find a happy home - even temporarily.

Kendie, she's lucky to have you helping her out. This is good news!

You have the kindest of hearts. Thank you for finding the time and strength to make this happen.

I'm thinking of you Kendie and thanks for helping T get through this.

Great news! And, thank you for helping Kendie.

Mission accomplished! The cats were surrendered to a terrific cat rescue lady yesterday. She said she would try to adopt them together, she doesn't adopt to people with kids, she tries her hardest to adopt to singles or couples in their 40's - 50's, and she would email Tricia pictures of the cats. Sounds like the cats ended up in the right place and will get some real loving care. What a relief!

Kendie, you did good! Thanks for the update! That is a major relief off her mind, I am sure!

Thats excellent!! You did good Kendie!!