Leaving an infected cat in SPCA?

Question

This weekend, my husband and I went to our local SPCA. In the cat room, I noticed an obviously sick cat with thick green mucus coming from her nose. I told the kennel attendant who responded, "Oh yeah, she has an upper respiratory infection, but can't be out into quarantine for another two days."

I came to find out that the cat had already been sitting there for 5 days and must stay out in the general area for 2 more days because she was picked up as a stray and they want her to be seen if her family comes looking.

But, aren't upper respiratory infections contagious? By leaving her in the general cat population that included newborn kittens, wouldn't the SPCA be putting them at risk? Do you know of any shelters that have similar practices or any that differ? Personally, I believe there should be a better way to care for sick animals while still allowing them the chance to be found by their owners!

Answer 1

Most shelters will place a sick cat in quarantine and away from the general population, even if it is in a waiting period.

Answer 2

If I was you I would complain all the way to the top. This cat could be infecting otherwise healthy cats. Cats as a general rule become very stressed out being in these types of situations, and the stress makes them much more likely to become ill. Sounds like these employees at the SPCA are either uneducated in animal care or just don't care. If the cat's owners are looking for her they can easily be brought into a hospital ward to view the other cats being held over.

Answer 3

At the humane societies where I have volunteered an obviously infected cat would be isolated from the general population that is available for adoption.

They have records of all the cats and the sick one could be easily located if an owner came looking for it. Many times I have seen an owner taken back to the "behind the scenes" areas of the shelters to look for their missing cat.

Answer 4

I completely agree with you, but shelters are (unfortunately) not always managed by the most intelligent people.
URI's are certainly contagious. This shelter might claim not to have "room" for this poor kitty elsewhere, but at what cost? I wonder if they were even treating her for her infection?
Sadly, a local shelter in my area has been known to euthanize entire rooms full of cats because they all came down with URI's! There HAS to be a better way....:(

Answer 5

This reasons such contoversiy it relatively is unreal. I stay interior the united kingdom and that i does no longer dream of conserving my cat indoors. you reside interior the US the place many human beings are on the different area of the arguement. i can't say no remember if or no longer that's risk-free so you might enable your cat out yet i've got faith in case you could no longer provide a cat a organic existence (it relatively is outdoors!) then you definately should not be possessing one. Indoor cats then have the could I be bothered to get it neutered? Or could I declaw my cat? that are completely diverse themes and greater issues i'm against! I even have 4 women and we are residing in a quiet highway with minimum site visitors yet we are on a bus direction. My ladies stay interior the back backyard, possibly wander around the line and thats it. i think of it relies upon on the form of cat you could how far it relatively is going to wander. in case you're saying your cat would be ok on your backyard and in basic terms down the line then you definately could be large to enable your cat outdoors. Cats do undergo in innovations the place they stay, i might recommend letting it out on an afternoon while your there all day, do no longer feed him and then open the door and watch. that's a nerve-wracking time yet i can assure you out of the loads of cats I even have seen come out and in of the rescue guard I artwork at i might say approximately 2% pass lacking on there first time out. i does no longer reccommend letting your cat out at night although as there are greater risks yet he may lead a satisfied and healthful outdoors existence in any different case. human beings listed under are quoting the internet website littlebigcat which states outdoors cats purely stay some years, nicely interior the US possibly, i don't understand yet as I shop asserting my eldest is 17 and has consistently long gone outdoors...i does no longer decide for it any incorrect way.

Answer 6

When I was volunteering at my city's animal shelter, all sick animals were quarantined into a room specifically for sick animals, otherwise they would all become sick, especially with URI's.

Answer 7

they need to be quarantined from the start, it is contagious