(Photos 1-- Molly, a lovely, healthy and loving cat whose lack of sufficient poop became an obsession for adopter. 2-- Canada goose whose accusation of "too much poop" becomes obsession for other people.)
Those familiar with the first half of this blog realize that I was involved with cat and dog rescue and adoptions for more than 20 years.
I don't write about this anymore and for the past two years have sought to extricate myself from rescue and placement in favor of becoming more involved with nature.
But, animal rescue is like quicksand: Easy to get into and very hard to get out of.
A few months ago, I took a cat from a neighbor who was very ill and could no longer care for the kitty.
I placed the pretty and very friendly gray cat named Molly with my good friend, Elizabeth, who agreed to foster until either Cheryl recovered enough to take her kitty back or Molly could be placed into an adoptive home.
Sadly, my neighbor unexpectantly died as result of complications from chemotherapy.
As shocking as it was to learn that Cheryl had died, her cat was in good hands and doing well in Elizabeth's home.
Elizabeth already has her own beloved cat whom she adopted from me 7 years ago. And although both cats got along well, I did not necessarily assume that Elizabeth would keep Molly. Elizabeth has in fact fostered nearly 100 cats over the course of many years, all of whom were eventually placed in responsible, adoptive homes.
It was therefore encouraging to be contacted from an interested and highly qualified potential adopter for Molly three weeks ago.
"Susan" and her husband had recently lost their 14-year-old cat to breast cancer (almost always fatal in cats) despite valiant attempts to save through veterinary treatment.
I liked Susan and had a good feeling about her. She and her husband obviously loved cats, had an excellent vet reference and a lovely apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side.
Indeed, this seemed like the perfect couple and adoptive home for Molly!
And so Susan and John adopted Molly and at first everything seemed ideal.
However, my friend and foster person, Elizabeth had some reservations about the adoption.
"Susan seems like she's wound a little tight." Elizabeth warned. "We'd better hope that Molly poops soon."
Both Elizabeth and I chuckled that Susan seemed a bit fixated on cats' bathroom frequency. Apparently, the couple's previous cat had problems with constipation shortly before she died.
I didn't however think too much about this at the time of the adoption.
Molly was a perfectly healthy, spayed and loving 2-year-old cat who was medically checked out before going to Elizabeth. And Susan and John were loving "cat people."
What could possibly go wrong?
The day following the adoption, I received a somewhat frantic call from Susan.
"Molly hasn't pooped yet. There must be something wrong!"
"No, Susan." I tried to say reassuringly. "As we told you, it is perfectly normal for cats to feel inhibited when going to a new place and not use the bathroom for even a few days. The best thing for you to do is nothing. It's important for people to be relaxed so the animal can relax and feel comfortable. Not to make light of this, I usually recommend that new adopters have a glass of wine."
Though I attempted to joke, Susan wasn't laughing.
"I am very worried. I love this cat, but this just doesn't seem normal!"
"Susan, it takes at least a month for most cats and dogs to adapt to and be comfortable and secure in a new environment. Please try to be patient and relaxed."
By day two of Molly not pooping, Susan and John rushed her to their vet.
After doing an examination, Dr.Johnson could not find anything obviously wrong with Molly. He gave the couple some medication and advised them to look around the apartment in case Molly was going outside the box.
Over the next couple of weeks, I received several more alarmist calls from Susan.
"I am following Molly around with a flashlight, but cannot find anything! She has only done a couple of small poops the entire time she's been here! The toxins must be building up in her system! I love Molly and don't want to return her, but there's something horribly wrong! This is what happened to my last cat before she died!"
"Susan, have you ever heard of 'self-fulfilling prophecy?" I asked. "It's tragic about your last cat. But, Molly is a young, healthy cat! She is not dying of breast cancer. But, you need to consider that animals are very sensitive to the anxieties of their people! A cat or dog cannot relax and be comfortable if the energy around them is frenetic and anxious. Forget the flashlight and laxatives. Put on some nice music. Watch a movie. Have a martini."
"We don't drink!"
You SHOULD drink! I wanted to say, but didn't.
It seemed nothing I could say registered with Susan.
Yesterday morning, Susan called again.
"We're going to have to bring Molly back She is a very sick cat. We've taken her twice to the vet. He say's its problematic and we should return her. She's walking around with her tail down and hasn't pooped in FOUR days! I don't want her dying on us!"
"Yes, Susan, it is best that Molly be returned. I will call Elizabeth and we will make arrangements to take Molly back."
After calling Dr. Johnson, the vet, he told me he was baffled to what the problem was, but agreed that it was best that Molly go to a different environment.
I also learned from Dr. Johnson that Molly had pooped on Sunday which was only two days, but at that point it didn't matter. Nor, did the cat "walking with tail down" matter. The fact is, most healthy cats normally walk with their tails down. Cats aren't dogs.
Susan and John returned Molly to Elizabeth yesterday, convinced that the cat was on her last legs.
By this time I was also worried and self-questioning.
Was I being too lax (no pun intended) and dismissive? Making light of a serious and potentially life-threatening situation? Blaming the adopters for what was really a sick and dying animal?
I recommended to Elizabeth to monitor Molly carefully and let me know if the cat wasn't pooping.
"If she doesn't poop in a couple of days, she will have to go to Dr. G. (my vet.)
Shortly after Molly was returned, I received a call from Elizabeth.
"Guess what, Patty? Molly wasn't here even an hour when she went into the bathroom and made this HUGE poop! It was enough for a PONY!"
"Oh my God! I can't believe it! The poor kitty must have been so wound up-- just like the adopter! You really called this one, Elizabeth."
I don't know who was more "relieved" by Molly's gigantic poop -- the cat or Elizabeth and I.
"It's really pathetic to think what our lives have become when we find ourselves celebrating a cat pooping!" I laughed to Elizabeth.
"Yes, well, let's have a drink to toast this one!" Elizabeth laughed. "We can have the drink that Susan and her hubby should have had!"
And so, if some have wondered why I have tried to get out of cat and dog rescue and adoptions over the past two years this is why.
But, it has nothing to do with the animals who I really feel bad about not rescuing anymore.
It has everything to do with the people who expect adopted animals to "work" like toasters or laptops when first bringing home.
Or, maybe its simply because I want something more to "celebrate" in life than a cat (or dog) pooping.
That really is kind of pathetic when one thinks about it.
Now, back to the issues humans have with "goose poop."
Looks like I can't really escape the subject, doesn't it? -- PCA
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