11/16/2010

A new addition to the Patten Clan

Billy and I stopped by the Alachua County Animal Shelter last Tuesday to see what kind of dogs they had for adoption. I know Billy really wants a dog and I think it would be nice to have a running partner, so we popped in to see what they had. Almost every pooch in the place looked very menacing. There were a lot of pitbull mixes and most of the dogs were pretty big. We didn't see one that we thought would be a good match for the family and we decided to leave.

Of course, we HAD to stop in and see the kitties. There were so many! I saw a cute little black one that had a cute little diamond shape on her nose. There was a Pumpkin look-alike and a boatload of tabbies. In one cage was a chatty little girl, she was white with orange and gray tabby markings on her head and torso. This girl was so cute! We took her out of the cage and she instantly nuzzled her head in my neck. Then her motor started running! LOL, it was so loud and she was so into it that she drooled on my shirt.

She almost seemed to be holding onto you saying, "Hi there! Thanks for wanting to take me home." Well, we decided that she was going to come home with us right then. After the paperwork and payment, the staff told us that she had to stay the night, so that she could get spayed in the morning, but we could come and pick her up after 4pm the next day. I couldn't believe that we were getting another kitty! What are Chipley and Pumpkin going to think about having a new sister?

Wednesday afternoon couldn't get here soon enough and at 3:50pm I hopped in the car and headed to the shelter to pick up my little girl. When they brought her out to me, she looked so scared, but as soon as I held her she started purring like crazy. I said to her, "Hello, little girl, let's go home."

The shelter had given her the name of Hope, but it didn't really suit her. Since my other kitties have names that are very characteristic of them, I started mulling over names for her. My friend Stephanie came up with the perfect name. I described the kitty as having orange and gray tabby markings, well, the shelter had her coloring listed as white with blue cream. So, I would say that she actually has an orange and blue marking on her head, so Stephanie suggested Alberta! Perfect! Billy was less than thrilled with the name, but we call her Berta or Bertie.

Chipley and Pumpkin were less than thrilled with this new intruder. They sniffed at her and started hissing like crazy. The poor thing was so scared! She quickly found the bed and that is where she stayed all night long. And the next morning. Into the afternoon. I was at work and Billy was home, so he coaxed her out with some food and she hung out on the couch with him. This did not make Pumpkin and Chipley very happy, as that is what they enjoy doing with their daddy.

Saturday, I had the pleasure of spending the day with all the kitties and my hubby. There was a lot of hissing, but at least we got them to play together. Billy was teasing the baby with a ribbon and Chipley just had to get in on the fun.

Monday was Berta's first trip to the vet. I would have to say that this is not her favorite activity. The poor thing was violated in her butt by the tech who said they had to do a "fecal exam" EWWW! Then they drew a spot of blood for a triple test to screen for FIV, Leukemia and something else. When she came back in the room after that test, she was shaking like a leaf. I picked her up and she snuggled so close into my neck all I could do was hold her like a baby.

The doctor comes in finally and tells me that the Leukemia test was positive. She was tested at the shelter and it came back negative, but that was 3 months ago and she says that it's possible that the first test was a false negative. Then she tells me that it is highly contagious and that my other babies are at risk for getting it too. She tells me that the test is never wrong and now I need to keep all the kitties separate. Feline Leukemia is untreatable and at this point, I don't even know what to do. I can't keep the cats separated all the time, but I don't want to risk my healthy babies getting sick. I am at a total loss of what to do.

When I get home, I shut poor Alberta in the office, which is fine with her because she hides under the bed anyway and won't come out. I call Billy and tell him the sad news and we decide that we will just have to take her back to the shelter.

So, this morning I wake up and I have a message from the vet, not the same doctor that I saw yesterday, but the one who owns the practice. She says that she spoke with the shelter and they won't pay to have a different leukemia test done, but since the kitty has a medical condition, they will take her back. My heart is breaking at this point. I know that if I take her back, she probably won't be put up for adoption because of the leukemia. But, I can't risk Chipley and Pumpkin getting sick either. I beg Billy to go with me to the vet and I lose it. I start crying because I feel so guilty about taking Alberta back to the shelter.

We put her in the cat carrier and load up in the car. She starts meowing the saddest meow I have ever heard. I am begging her to stop crying and with each meow, my heart breaks more and more. We pull into the parking lot and head into the office. I tell the lady at the desk that we have to return this sweet little kitty because she is sick. I can barely get the words out. She must have thought I was a total lunatic to be bawling my eyes out over a cat. She completes the paperwork and another lady comes over to ask me if I understand that by surrendering the kitty, there is a possibility that she will be euthanized. I nod my head in understanding and the clerk tells me I can pick a new kitty or get a refund. I don't think I can emotionally handle going through all of this again, so I tell her I don't want a new kitty and she can keep the money and use it as a donation.

She calls someone from the back and I kneel down to say good-bye to the precious baby. I am sobbing when the lady from the back comes in and takes her away. I make it to the car and completely fall apart. Poor Billy doesn't even know what to say.

Once, home, I am drained. My phone rings and it is the vet, the one who left me a message that morning. She asks me what we decided about the other test and I tell her that we already took Alberta back to the shelter. I ask her about my other babies, and if I need to worry that they might have leukemia from being around Alberta. She asks if the kitties are adults. She says that adult cats are less likely to get leukemia, that it is mostly contracted by kittens. Say, what!? Then she asks if Chip and Pumpkin have been vaccinated against leukemia. Huh? There's a vaccine? Why didn't the vet yesterday tell me this? She had their files, why couldn't she check. This doc tells me that the test can sometimes be false also. What?! The vet yesterday said it was 100% accurate. At this point I am almost yelling at this poor woman, but I have just been through such emotion and she is telling me that it's not likely that Chip or Pumpkin could even be at risk!!

After I got off the phone, Billy started barraging me with questions about what she said. I tell him and we look up 'feline leukemia' on the internet. Turns out, kittens are more at risk and I also check the vet file I have on my kitties and they both have had the vaccine. Do you mean to tell me that we sent this poor kitty to her eminent death for no reason? At this point, Billy puts on his shining armor and calls the vet back. He wants to know why the vet yesterday misinformed me about everything. He leaves her a message and heads to work. I have an appointment and stop at the store afterwards. My phone rings and its Billy asking me where I am. He says that he is almost home and he has Alberta with him. He called the shelter and told them that we were given incomplete information about Alberta and her condition and we want her back!

When I get home, there she is, laying on our bed, just like she belongs. I am so happy. Chipley and she chased each other from one end of the house to the other. She just fell off the bed as I was typing this. Chip came in the bedroom and was sitting next to the bed, she was watching him and started to lean over the edge to get a better look at him and just rolled right off. :-D
I think Pumpkin is still adjusting to her, but at least they are both snuggled on the bed with their mommy.

A happy ending to an emotional day. :-)

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