Beautiful tabby cat seeking loving home

Hello


I'm urgently looking for a loving home for Charlie, a beautiful male tabby cat who has been abandoned. We already have Sophie, our 8 year old female cat, who is very upset and distressed by Charlie's presence in her home.


He's about 1 year old, we think, and he's very affectionate. He would probably like some small outside area, which we don't have in our maison de ville. Our Sophie is quite happy with this, though, as we've had her from a few weeks old.


I'm desperate to find a kind owner to adopt Charlie as things are becoming very difficult here for him and Sophie. I can't bear the thought of putting him in a rescue centre.


I'm based in the 66 Pyrenees-Orientales region but would be willing to travel with Charlie to a kind new owner. Is there anyone who would like to adopt him, please? Any other suggestions of where I could go to find a home for him would also be gratefully received.


Thank you very much.


Denise

Thanks again, Lynn, and I'll be back!

Denise

Hi Melissa

Thanks very much for your message. Charlie is irresistible except to Sophie so I hope she will forgive me!I'm not very 'techie' so I'll ask my husband John to send you some photos and I'll post some here, too, if that's possible, in the next day or so.

Yes, I'm taking Charlie to our vet for the full treatment and will then continue the search for a loving home for him and as you've said, I'm sure any other animal lover would be willing to reimburse me hopefully.

I'd be interested to know more about your association and leboncoin once I've got Charlie sorted out by our vet.

Thanks again.

Denise

Keep us posted Denise, and don't forget our telephone number even if you just feel like talking things through with someone.

If, on the other hand, you decide that you fancy keeping him, we can also offer advice on how to make integration more successful - it can work, even if it take a while!

Thanks very much for your reassurance, Lynn. I'll have Charlie completely checked over by our vet before trying to find him a suitable and responsible owner. I'm so pleased to know that you manage to get so many adoptions, that's brilliant and encouraging. There are lots of cat lovers around so may be I'll be lucky for Charlie. He deserves it.

Hi Denise,

I know how stressful it can be to "upset" our cats with a visitor. I admire you for opening your heart and home to the poor lad, you did the right thing, and Sophie wil forgive you, I promise. An association I work with puts announcements up on the Boncoin and it really does work, and lots of great placements have happened like that.

I agree 200% with Lynn - giving is not good. The SPA uses a system of the adopter paying for the first two vaccinations, sterilization and micro-chip. Could you work out some such logic? Anyone who loves animals will see the sense in this. Do you have pictures of Charlie, can you make posters? Please send me a photo if you have one.

Thanks in advance,

Melissa

Melissa

Just to reassure you denise, Chats du Quercy place about 200 cats and kittens each year. We have maybe 2 or 3 that are positive FIV/FeLV, BUT it is always best to check.

Things to look for in a Rescue Centre or Refuge, are, how the cats are housed. Cats get stressed very easily when in a strange environment, which can then brings about health problems. A Rescue Centre, however good, shoulf be a last resort. So ideally, they will have an isolation unit, at least for a period while the cat adjusts. Only if the cat has a negative test result and is vaccinated, should it even be considered to mix with other cats. Before rehoming, they should be neutered, vaccinated and identified, of course, wormed and de-flead too.

Our own Rescue Centre also has an excellent vet who visits every week.

Hello Lynn

Thank you very much for your very helpful email.

I'm now rather worried in case Charlie may have one of these diseases and I will be terrified for Sophie until I get Charlie checked by a vet. However, I think he was simply put out of a car in the centre of our town by an irresponsible owner and I took him in very soon after this so with luck he will be all clear. I don't think there are many strays here any more as, so very sadly, they cannot survive the winter weather.

I've had a look at the SPA Perpignan website (which will be a last resort for Charlie and that's if they'll be willing to take him) and they are clearly a dedicated and serious operation but I will go and visit them first in any case if it does have to come to that.

I'll let you know anyway what happens with Charlie and thank you so much again. It's fantastic to know that you and your fellow volunteers are caring for strays in your area. We did have an association here, called Aidofelins (which is where we got Sophie from!)but it seems to have disappeared.

All the best

Denise

Hi Denise,

Charlie is very lucky to have foudn you!

Several things you can and should do.

Firstly, get him tested for FIV(Feline aids) and FeLV(Feline Leukemia) both of these are very contagious to other cats, so if he has been in contact with Sophie, you will need to know whether he is positive or negative.

Secondly, it is the law that cats are identified - microchip is our cat Charity preference as it is more internationally recognised.

I realise that this costs money, but it is never a good idea to 'giveaway' an anuimal. It is not an object to be given and we find that many that take on cats or other animals as 'gifts', often give no value to them, abandonning them once again when circumstances change. To this end, ask for the cost of the test and the microchip to be reimbursed by the new owner.

Of course, once microchipped, you can advertise him leagally on many websites, vet surgeries etc. Photos are a must, especially a clear, happy one!

In the event that you have to give him up, do a little research into Rescue Centre and Refuges, ask what their policies are, visit them and assess for your self how they keep and treat the animals.

Most Associations have their own websites, our own is www.chatsduquercy.com, unfortunately I think we are a bit too far away, but once you have him microchipped, do get in touch as you never know if we have a contact from your area, we'll be pleased to help out.

In any case, please feel free to contact us on 05 63 94 73 97

Best wishes

Lynn