I think A Cat Is Being Abused

spob

His backbone should feel like the knuckles on a clenched fist - if it does, he's fine weight wise. If it's more like the feeling of the fingers on a clenched fist, he's underweight.

Regarding the haircut, he could have a skin problem, mange, flea allergy etc. The owners could have had him shaved by the vet to get him sorted, his low mood could be down to him sulking about the haircut (yes cats do this) or he could be suffering with itching or soreness from his condition, so this could be the opposite of abuse.

The burn, could be something from the shave? Are you sure it's a burn? Could it be a rash?

Just saying... people are very quick to ring the rspca without thinking that perhaps there could be genuine reasons. I had a pedigree cat who wandered often, as cats do. The neighbours drove me to insanity taking him to the vets on a weekly basis just because he looked 'out of place' as far as they were concerned. Even the vet said he was a very healthy happy cat who just liked to explore and didnt want to be a house cat, couldnt care less what he looked like, he was a cat!

In the end, the final straw came when one of these neighbours rang the rspca, I wasnt having that stress in my life anymore, I had to have him rehomed to someone who lived in the country side where the neighbours were not all busy body idiots, it took over my life worrying about why he was missing for days on end (because he was at the vet being held hostage again for looking too pretty and god forbid being allowed to roam freely like he wanted to!)

This case may be entirely different - only you can decide, do you really think it's abuse? If so report it, but if you think the cat could possibly instead be having treatment for a skin condition (hence the burn like mark - mange? Flea allergy?) then think twice. It's not nice being labelled as a bad owner for trying to do the best by your pet.

spob

I agree! Drives me mad! People should get their own cat if they want to feed one, or donate food to a shelter! This is what caused my cat to wander 12 houses down the road across a road on a daily basis!

donnac2558

spob wrote: »

His backbone should feel like the knuckles on a clenched fist - if it does, he's fine weight wise. If it's more like the feeling of the fingers on a clenched fist, he's underweight.

Regarding the haircut, he could have a skin problem, mange, flea allergy etc. The owners could have had him shaved by the vet to get him sorted, his low mood could be down to him sulking about the haircut (yes cats do this) or he could be suffering with itching or soreness from his condition, so this could be the opposite of abuse.

The burn, could be something from the shave? Are you sure it's a burn? Could it be a rash?

Just saying... people are very quick to ring the rspca without thinking that perhaps there could be genuine reasons. I had a pedigree cat who wandered often, as cats do. The neighbours drove me to insanity taking him to the vets on a weekly basis just because he looked 'out of place' as far as they were concerned. Even the vet said he was a very healthy happy cat who just liked to explore and didnt want to be a house cat, couldnt care less what he looked like, he was a cat!

In the end, the final straw came when one of these neighbours rang the rspca, I wasnt having that stress in my life anymore, I had to have him rehomed to someone who lived in the country side where the neighbours were not all busy body idiots, it took over my life worrying about why he was missing for days on end (because he was at the vet being held hostage again for looking too pretty and god forbid being allowed to roam freely like he wanted to!)

This case may be entirely different - only you can decide, do you really think it's abuse? If so report it, but if you think the cat could possibly instead be having treatment for a skin condition (hence the burn like mark - mange? Flea allergy?) then think twice. It's not nice being labelled as a bad owner for trying to do the best by your pet.

They said it was to make the cat look cool:mad: So a vanity thing

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Cats can accidentally get burned by a cigarette - mine have zero spatial or hazard awareness and will just launch themselves in the general direction of where they think they want to be.

I'm always tempted by the lion cut when the pedigree Ms Fluffyknickers is flopped out on the floor with her belly in the air because she's too hot in mid March. Never got round to it, but had to give her baths/showers occasionally and she looks truly pathetic until she fluffs up again - if her floofy bits were clipped, she'd look emaciated compared to the size of her head. But she's fine.


Have to ask though, if you're in the process of divorce and the ensuing housesale, are you really in a position to take on an animal that you might not be able to take with you into alternative accommodation and you might not be able to feed or take to the vet until you get a job?

Person_one

spob wrote: »

In the end, the final straw came when one of these neighbours rang the rspca, I wasnt having that stress in my life anymore, I had to have him rehomed to someone who lived in the country side where the neighbours were not all busy body idiots, it took over my life worrying about why he was missing for days on end (because he was at the vet being held hostage again for looking too pretty and god forbid being allowed to roam freely like he wanted to!)

Why not move yourself and take the cat with you if it was that bad? Surely rehoming should only be an absolute last resort.

bluelass

Im happy to say that sooty has settled in with us and our other cat tiggy.
A check at pets at home confirmed he is healthy although he is still a little bit too thin but that will soon be sorted.

Froglet

Well done,thank you for helping this poor little neglected and abused cat.Another little life saved from suffering at the hands of cruel owners.He will be a friend for life now !

meritaten

Yawn - Bluelass has found the Pets Board - expect many, many more threads on abused animals, as she seems to have exhausted her supply of abused/abusing/stupid/cheating/unreasonable/uncontrollable or just mental relatives/friends or neighbours to post on in Marraiges, Relationships and Families.