Hard Hard Hard

Another sad case tonight. The woman whose mom cat and kittens, along with an adult male, I took to be fixed last week (where Happy came from) called tonight. She said she'd had a stray female come into her garage, dying and severely dehydrated. She wanted to know if I had fluids, which I did. I went over. She grabbed the bag from me. She's a former vet tech she said.

She was drunk tonight and while I was there, trying to help the cat, her already drunk boyfriend rode up on a bike. She immediately went out to join him on the street. I didn't know what to do. It was a neutered brown tabby male, severely emaciated and dehydrated.

After fluids, he seemed to breath better, but he is in dire shape. You can't really say why, just looking. He could have diabetes, hyperthyroidism, FIV, Felk, kidney failure, been poisoned, you just don't know. She called the police, to ask them to take him away. I guess there's a fund through SafeHaven so injured or sick strays can be treated. But then what, you know, so most are likely euthanized. There's no shelter in this county. These poor abandoned cats have absolutely nowhere to go.

The woman wanted me or a neighbor to take him. I said I couldn't that I have too many now, including one of hers. She was angry about that then, and her boyfriend wanted him dumped out "He's just a stray cat, not our problem," he'd say.

The woman slammed her garage door closed, cat inside, drunk boyfriend inside too. I left.

I fear the boyfriend will convince a former vet tech to dump out a cat, maybe on his last legs, abandoned by others, to die on the cold concrete of this cold world.

Maybe her heart will win out.

All the hard cases are getting to me lately. Sometimes I just break down and sob lately.

So many people in this area I meet over cats are alcoholics or addicts. I wonder often if there are people who are not addicts or alcoholics around here. I don't seem to run into people without addiction issues. There must be those without them in Albany. Somewhere.

I couldn't take in that poor male kitty. But I am hoping very much that woman will help him, at least give him shelter as he dies. She cared enough to try to help him. If Drunk Boyfriend hadn't come over, I know she would have followed through. I hope she is strong enough to follow her heart, not Mr. Drunk's apathetic appeals to push him out.