Help find a cat a home?
I need to find a home ASAP for a gorgeous cat - Melbourne, Australia.
Dasher, formally known as Patch was my neighbours cat. He was their third.
Their first was PTS after they left an abscess from a cat fight go untreated until it covered most of his neck, part of his face and shoulder. They only took him to the vet after I started leaving notes with multiple numbers.
Their second was hit by a car.
Dash was bought at 6 weeks old. By 6 months he was outside all the time. I spent time with him when he was young - playing with him, giving him small cat treats, sharing old toys my cats had lost interest in. This stopped when my neighbour asked me not to, as he wouldn't eat food she put down or spend much time there.
Fast forward to NYE 2012. A few friends and I ventured outside to watch the fireworks - I didn't expect to see a white flash darting towards the road. I managed to catch him and take him to my neighbour - who refused to let him inside or in the garage because he "poops everywhere". Between that comment and how emaciated he was I decided to start feeding him.
It wasn't hard. January 1 he turned up on my doorstep meowing his head off. Pretty sure it was a "thanks for last night". Guesstimated age 1 to 2. And the beginnings of an abscess.
I didn't bother with my neighbour this time. I treated the abscess myself until I could get him in to see a vet. Good news was a course of antibiotics would solve the problem. Bad news he was extremely underweight, semi-feral and not a very well boy. We got his shots up to date, and I started feeding him four or five times a day. The antibiotics worked, he started putting on weight, and he started wanting cuddles.
I had him FIV tested - negative. But, the vet said he would need to be isolated from other cats and retested after 3 months to be absolutely sure.
Over the last few months he's been in a cat fight (claw embedded in his foot, more antibiotics and painkillers), been neutered (no cat fights since, hope that continues!), and is starting to learn how to play gently. He is very skittish around new people but once he realizes they aren't a threat he's fine.
My neighbour signed him over to me so he is currently microchipped in my name. He's down to two meals a day with unlimited kibble overnight, and is happy to spend the night in the garage - where he can't get into fights or kill local wildlife.
Why am I posting here? I'm desperate. I can't keep him. I have two cats and can't afford a third. As it is I've used up my savings caring for him thus far and am now in a very tight spot. As I'm disabled my only income is the pension and selling jewellery/crafty stuff I make. I can't afford to keep him long term - and he deserves a home of his own where he can live in luxury. As I have definitely FIV negative cats I can't let him in here either.
My neighbour has expressed interest in taking him back if I can't find him a home - given their track record with cats I will starve first. Great as a neighbour - just not able to provide adequate care. I have had a few people express interest but nothing definite has come as a result.
Given his age I am not willing to surrender him to a shelter - the kill rate here is appalling. I've also been in contact with a rescue but they're full to capacity and I don't want him in that situation either.
He is fine with dogs if they're polite (though he does get jealous and tells them to go away) but not small children. I still have scars from NYE - his attacks (both defence and play) are short bursts, and decreasing in both severity and occurrences.
Dasher, formally known as Patch was my neighbours cat. He was their third.
Their first was PTS after they left an abscess from a cat fight go untreated until it covered most of his neck, part of his face and shoulder. They only took him to the vet after I started leaving notes with multiple numbers.
Their second was hit by a car.
Dash was bought at 6 weeks old. By 6 months he was outside all the time. I spent time with him when he was young - playing with him, giving him small cat treats, sharing old toys my cats had lost interest in. This stopped when my neighbour asked me not to, as he wouldn't eat food she put down or spend much time there.
Fast forward to NYE 2012. A few friends and I ventured outside to watch the fireworks - I didn't expect to see a white flash darting towards the road. I managed to catch him and take him to my neighbour - who refused to let him inside or in the garage because he "poops everywhere". Between that comment and how emaciated he was I decided to start feeding him.
It wasn't hard. January 1 he turned up on my doorstep meowing his head off. Pretty sure it was a "thanks for last night". Guesstimated age 1 to 2. And the beginnings of an abscess.
I didn't bother with my neighbour this time. I treated the abscess myself until I could get him in to see a vet. Good news was a course of antibiotics would solve the problem. Bad news he was extremely underweight, semi-feral and not a very well boy. We got his shots up to date, and I started feeding him four or five times a day. The antibiotics worked, he started putting on weight, and he started wanting cuddles.
I had him FIV tested - negative. But, the vet said he would need to be isolated from other cats and retested after 3 months to be absolutely sure.
Over the last few months he's been in a cat fight (claw embedded in his foot, more antibiotics and painkillers), been neutered (no cat fights since, hope that continues!), and is starting to learn how to play gently. He is very skittish around new people but once he realizes they aren't a threat he's fine.
My neighbour signed him over to me so he is currently microchipped in my name. He's down to two meals a day with unlimited kibble overnight, and is happy to spend the night in the garage - where he can't get into fights or kill local wildlife.
Why am I posting here? I'm desperate. I can't keep him. I have two cats and can't afford a third. As it is I've used up my savings caring for him thus far and am now in a very tight spot. As I'm disabled my only income is the pension and selling jewellery/crafty stuff I make. I can't afford to keep him long term - and he deserves a home of his own where he can live in luxury. As I have definitely FIV negative cats I can't let him in here either.
My neighbour has expressed interest in taking him back if I can't find him a home - given their track record with cats I will starve first. Great as a neighbour - just not able to provide adequate care. I have had a few people express interest but nothing definite has come as a result.
Given his age I am not willing to surrender him to a shelter - the kill rate here is appalling. I've also been in contact with a rescue but they're full to capacity and I don't want him in that situation either.
He is fine with dogs if they're polite (though he does get jealous and tells them to go away) but not small children. I still have scars from NYE - his attacks (both defence and play) are short bursts, and decreasing in both severity and occurrences.