Got this email yesterday:
Kerry Reid here, occasional Balloon Juice commentator. AsiangrrlMN suggested I contact you to see if you might have ideas for helping me place a couple of cats.
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Here’s the situation: My sister’s mother-in-law, who lives in Schaumburg (a northwest suburb of Chicago) has to go into a nursing home by March 1 because her old-age dementia prevents her from taking care of herself properly anymore. She has two cats — both female, not sure of their ages, but they are named Tiki and Smokey. Tiki is very sociable from what my sister tells me, but Smokey mostly hides (I think she was abused before Joan — the mother-in-law — took her in years ago). Not sure of their current health, but they are indoor cats, so even if they’ve not been to the vet, I don’t think there are issues with heartworm or FHIV, etc.
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My sister is allergic and has a rambunctious golden retriever. My other sister has three terriers who would view cats as prey. (And both my sisters just completed chemo for different cancers.) I have two cats, but a small one-bedroom condo, and one of my cats is also quite skittish so wouldn’t do well with new competition.
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I’ve talked to the no-kill shelter where my cats came from, but they are not taking new cats right now because they are doing renovations. My sister is contacting a couple no-kill shelters in the northwest suburbs.
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I don’t have photos of them, unfortunately, but if you have tips or ideas for other places to contact to see if we can save them from being put down, that would be great. My brother-in-law loves animals, but with a sick wife, a mother going into a nursing home, and various other issues, he’s just not able to focus on finding homes for the kitties, so I’m trying to step up and see if I can do anything.
Anybody in the area got a lead for no-kill shelters, possible foster homes, or even tips on an agency for the aging that might have experience dealing with situations like this? Leave a comment, email me at AnneLaurie at verizon.net , or click on my name near the top of the right-hand column and I’ll put you in touch with Kerry.