Community Cat?
July 20, 2022 4:46 PM Subscribe
I just returned from dropping off this poor kitty at Austin Animal Shelter. Last week, on the phone, I was told they'd evaluate her for fostering or adoption. When I dropped her off the (somewhat rude) lady said they'd most likely return her, if they find she's "thriving as a community cat".
How likely am I to see this cat again?
Last week, this very young, VERY skinny, very friendly cat showed up in my office parking lot. We gave her food and water, but because of office dogs, we couldn't bring her inside. When I say friendly, I mean, she let me turn her upside-down in my lap and mess with her belly. No tattoo, so very likely not even spayed.
She went into a carrier easily and just chilled in the car. No microchip. Two vet techs scanned her twice, and both wished they could take in *another* pet. I'm not kidding, this cat is the most loving thing! She gets very annoyed by anyone who walks by and does NOT pet her! All of my coworkers and I, and the neighboring business have been posting to social media and trying to find this poor sweet girl a home, but nothing yet. I cannot take her for Reasons, except maybe on a temporary basis.
I called the Humane Society, APA, and somewhere (I forget) else. They ALL told me to call Austin Animal Shelter. I finally got an intake appointment for this afternoon. We've been feeding her, and her belly isn't quite so sunken. And of course WATER. If you've missed the news, it's regularly hitting 109F here. She's also discovered the storm drain, which I'm figuring is a lot cooler, being underground, so she spent most of the days there.
Aside from the heat, she's obviously NOT feral, and I am concerned about the feral colony next door noticing her and injuring/killing her. I saw no signs of current or recent pregnancy, and she was alone when she appeared.
I was told on the phone that she'd be evaluated for a foster program. The lady who took her in told me that they would decide if she was "thriving as a community cat" and if so, return her. They wouldn't really bring this cat back to our parking lot, would they? What does "thriving as a community cat" even mean? In 109F? And not as part of a feral colony? When there's an established feral colony nearby? The discrepancy between what I heard on the phone and what I heard when I dropped her off is worrying me and I'm wondering if I've done her wrong. She's a Purrrfect catidate for adoption! If they notify me that they're returning her, we will continue do everything we can to find her a forever home.
Also, if you're in/near Austin, and would like to help her, please MeMail me. I've asked the shelter to let me know if they'll be returning her, and I guess I'm apparently linked to her in their system now.
Last week, this very young, VERY skinny, very friendly cat showed up in my office parking lot. We gave her food and water, but because of office dogs, we couldn't bring her inside. When I say friendly, I mean, she let me turn her upside-down in my lap and mess with her belly. No tattoo, so very likely not even spayed.
She went into a carrier easily and just chilled in the car. No microchip. Two vet techs scanned her twice, and both wished they could take in *another* pet. I'm not kidding, this cat is the most loving thing! She gets very annoyed by anyone who walks by and does NOT pet her! All of my coworkers and I, and the neighboring business have been posting to social media and trying to find this poor sweet girl a home, but nothing yet. I cannot take her for Reasons, except maybe on a temporary basis.
I called the Humane Society, APA, and somewhere (I forget) else. They ALL told me to call Austin Animal Shelter. I finally got an intake appointment for this afternoon. We've been feeding her, and her belly isn't quite so sunken. And of course WATER. If you've missed the news, it's regularly hitting 109F here. She's also discovered the storm drain, which I'm figuring is a lot cooler, being underground, so she spent most of the days there.
Aside from the heat, she's obviously NOT feral, and I am concerned about the feral colony next door noticing her and injuring/killing her. I saw no signs of current or recent pregnancy, and she was alone when she appeared.
I was told on the phone that she'd be evaluated for a foster program. The lady who took her in told me that they would decide if she was "thriving as a community cat" and if so, return her. They wouldn't really bring this cat back to our parking lot, would they? What does "thriving as a community cat" even mean? In 109F? And not as part of a feral colony? When there's an established feral colony nearby? The discrepancy between what I heard on the phone and what I heard when I dropped her off is worrying me and I'm wondering if I've done her wrong. She's a Purrrfect catidate for adoption! If they notify me that they're returning her, we will continue do everything we can to find her a forever home.
Also, if you're in/near Austin, and would like to help her, please MeMail me. I've asked the shelter to let me know if they'll be returning her, and I guess I'm apparently linked to her in their system now.
Best answer: Aw, thanks for helping this kitty! I have never heard that terminology before - but searching found these directions from this other Austin shelter:
"If you've found a cat that appears to be healthy, leave him alone. Many community cats are being taken care of by multiple individuals. If it is a neighbor's cat, the cat will return home. Continue to watch over the cat for any signs of injury or illness."
But if this kitty is hanging out in a parking lot, desperate for food, that doesn't sound like a thriving community cat to me. Good luck!
posted by coffeecat at 5:17 PM on July 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
"If you've found a cat that appears to be healthy, leave him alone. Many community cats are being taken care of by multiple individuals. If it is a neighbor's cat, the cat will return home. Continue to watch over the cat for any signs of injury or illness."
But if this kitty is hanging out in a parking lot, desperate for food, that doesn't sound like a thriving community cat to me. Good luck!
posted by coffeecat at 5:17 PM on July 20, 2022 [3 favorites]
Based on her behavior I bet she's pregnant, unless the vet clinic ruled that out. Community cats are usually strays or semi-feral cats that don't mind being near and around people but also don't seek it out unless they want food. I have such a former community cat and he only loves you at breakfast, lunch and dinner. They usually let them out because they have neighbors or a local group that feeds them regularly. I agree that she doesn't sound well-cared for so is probably someone's unspayed female that got out while in heat (or lord forbid, LET OUT) and is now roaming the streets.
Did the vet say if it looked like she was or has been recently nursing?
posted by fiercekitten at 6:10 PM on July 20, 2022
Did the vet say if it looked like she was or has been recently nursing?
posted by fiercekitten at 6:10 PM on July 20, 2022
Reading between the lines, the shelter is saying that unless the cat is likely to be adopted, it will have a worse life in the overpopulated shelter than back outside. Therefore, for the cat's sake, it is better that it be released "as a community cat" than live at the shelter indefinitely.
posted by meowzilla at 6:53 PM on July 20, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by meowzilla at 6:53 PM on July 20, 2022 [5 favorites]
Can you get him/her spayed? I’m happy to donate toward that. That’s the biggest thing, making sure it can’t contribute to the overpopulation.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:27 PM on July 20, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:27 PM on July 20, 2022 [8 favorites]
Best answer: I volunteered at Austin Animal Center and am very familiar with this program, and unfortunately do not have good news. Unless this cat is significantly and permanently ill/injured in a way that undeniably prevents outdoor living, AAC absolutely will return her to your parking lot.
Nothing in your post about the location or this cat's disposition disqualifies her from Austin's SNR program. Releasing her back to the parking lot counts as a "live outcome" for statistical purposes. AAC has to get a 95% live outcome rate by city ordinance, and has a limited budget, and so that is how "no kill" is done here.
That said: she will get spayed and will get shots, which is good. She may also get exposure to potential adopters while she is in the shelter. Cats flagged for SNR are generally not eligible to be fostered (because SNR is quicker/cheaper), but can be adopted before their release.
Since you live near a feral colony and may be getting dumped cats: the most definite way to make a cat ineligible for the program is to claim the cat belongs to you, and owner-surrender it. Those appointments take even longer, though. AAC is the only open-intake shelter in Austin, and it is less open than before Covid. Again, sorry - I really wish I had better news for you and for this cat.
posted by mersen at 9:03 PM on July 20, 2022 [9 favorites]
Nothing in your post about the location or this cat's disposition disqualifies her from Austin's SNR program. Releasing her back to the parking lot counts as a "live outcome" for statistical purposes. AAC has to get a 95% live outcome rate by city ordinance, and has a limited budget, and so that is how "no kill" is done here.
That said: she will get spayed and will get shots, which is good. She may also get exposure to potential adopters while she is in the shelter. Cats flagged for SNR are generally not eligible to be fostered (because SNR is quicker/cheaper), but can be adopted before their release.
Since you live near a feral colony and may be getting dumped cats: the most definite way to make a cat ineligible for the program is to claim the cat belongs to you, and owner-surrender it. Those appointments take even longer, though. AAC is the only open-intake shelter in Austin, and it is less open than before Covid. Again, sorry - I really wish I had better news for you and for this cat.
posted by mersen at 9:03 PM on July 20, 2022 [9 favorites]
Community cats with SNR are not a tragedy. Once you get enough spayed regulars pushing newcomers out, the population manages ok. There are all the risks of being outside but also for cats, lots of positives. I took in a community cat recently thinking he was a lost pet because he was just so friendly. Once confirmed I gave him a choice to stay in or out and he left. He’d been literally howling at nights looking out our windows at his world outside.
My rule In a world full of stray and feral cats is to only adopt/shelter the injured and abandoned. The rest can have good quality lives as community cats.
Can your office set up a feeding station and cat shelter box nearby for her after she’s spayed?
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 5:14 AM on July 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
My rule In a world full of stray and feral cats is to only adopt/shelter the injured and abandoned. The rest can have good quality lives as community cats.
Can your office set up a feeding station and cat shelter box nearby for her after she’s spayed?
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 5:14 AM on July 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
Outside cats who act like that are not necessarily completely food motivated. We got ours from our back yard - she was tiny and exuberantly friendly and yes, food motivated, but after the usual decompression time cats have in any new situation (she hid in the basement for a few weeks) she revealed herself to be the most loving, sweet animal we've had (I think we've had her since 2011). Wait and see what the shelter tells you about her. We found our stray was not six months old, as she looked, but four years old and was already spayed and microchipped. She had been dumped.
I'm not saying take your stray in, but that it may not be irredeemable.
Cat tax. (note no teeth - had to have them all removed eventually, rescues can be expensive).
posted by Peach at 6:09 AM on July 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'm not saying take your stray in, but that it may not be irredeemable.
Cat tax. (note no teeth - had to have them all removed eventually, rescues can be expensive).
posted by Peach at 6:09 AM on July 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
I appreciate your intent, but if you are invested in this cat's general happiness and well-being, you should ask around b/c it seems possible this cat is being fed by neighbors or people working in the area. If she has a feeder, the storm drain, a regular routine, its might be working out alright for her.
And cats can be really skinny. I have a skinny one who lives the spoiled indoor cat life who gets fed with great excess and regularity. The behavior of the kitty your describe doesn't sound like a starving cat, she has too much energy and connection to be too distressed if she's rolling around with you.
Anyway, I think its nice of you to try to find a home for her and get her fixed, but it doesn't seem like certain doom for her to live in the community.
posted by RajahKing at 9:28 AM on July 21, 2022
And cats can be really skinny. I have a skinny one who lives the spoiled indoor cat life who gets fed with great excess and regularity. The behavior of the kitty your describe doesn't sound like a starving cat, she has too much energy and connection to be too distressed if she's rolling around with you.
Anyway, I think its nice of you to try to find a home for her and get her fixed, but it doesn't seem like certain doom for her to live in the community.
posted by RajahKing at 9:28 AM on July 21, 2022
Response by poster: I just heard back, and it's Good News! She is currently posted as a "found pet", getting her spay and shots, and if the owner doesn't come forward (highly unlikely at this point), she will be put up for adoption!
We saved Kitty!
Thank you everyone for your compassionate, and knowledgeable advice!
posted by MuChao at 1:49 PM on July 22, 2022 [5 favorites]
We saved Kitty!
Thank you everyone for your compassionate, and knowledgeable advice!
posted by MuChao at 1:49 PM on July 22, 2022 [5 favorites]
Response by poster: I can't believe I never paid the tax!
posted by MuChao at 2:20 PM on July 22, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by MuChao at 2:20 PM on July 22, 2022 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Shelter staff named her Saffron! She's "extra small"!
posted by MuChao at 7:32 AM on July 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by MuChao at 7:32 AM on July 24, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: As of today, she is no longer listed online for adoption. She's found her forever home!
posted by MuChao at 5:44 PM on July 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by MuChao at 5:44 PM on July 27, 2022 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by MuChao at 4:50 PM on July 20, 2022