A few days ago, I received a phone call from a lady I adopted a cat out to. Fog is a two-year old beautiful Siamese mix and this family had adopted him. The family consists of a husband and wife and an eight year old boy.
Diane said when I picked up the phone; “I have bad news for you- is this a good time to tell you?”
My heart sank but I told her to go ahead and talk to me.
She told me that Fog had recently stopped eating and his belly had gotten very swollen. He was lying around the house all day hardly moving, so they took him to the vet. The vet took one look at him and diagnosed him with FIP and to confirm this, he took a needle and aspirated some fluid from the belly, and the fluid was yellow.
Diane and her husband were told that Fog had wet FIP and only three weeks to live- max! Did I want to come over and say goodbye to him?
I told Diane that there is no definitive test for FIP- they can really only determine that after a death but that the yellow fluid was not a good sign. I asked her if Fog had any symptoms besides not eating and just lying around, and she said no. I told her I would be right over.
When Fog saw me walk into the living room, he all but leapt on my lap! He had been lying on the couch and he head bumped me and purred and curled into my lap deep. I was in tears, but I was looking for the signs; the fevers, the third eyelid coming over, the stinky butt, anything- but he looked fine except he had lost a lot of weight and his belly was swollen.
I stayed for awhile and asked her as delicately as possible if it was possible that someone had hurt Fog? Maybe the dog, maybe the son? But she said no. I told her I wasn’t a vet and I didn’t play one on the Internet, but that he didn’t have any of the symptoms of FIP. She asked me about the yellow fluid and I told her it is possible they nicked his bladder when they did the aspiration. I told her I would stay in touch.
This morning she called me and asked me to stop by. We sat on the floor and Fog came right over to me and wanted in my lap. He DID NOT look sick. He still hadn’t eaten much and she was concerned.
Again we talked for awhile and she finally told me that she had discovered her son had been hurting Fog! Apparently, he has been watching YOUTube videos of people hurting cats and kittens and doing what he sees to Fog!
I have no idea what Fog has been through, but he is HOME now and he is eating like he has a hole in his stomach! I will be taking him to the vet on either Monday or Tuesday and getting x-rays run to see what type of damage has been done to this sweet boy.
I feel so bad that I betrayed this sweet boy. I would have never put him in harm’s way. I took him out of an abusive home!
Glory is now upstairs and Fog is in our bedroom and IF he has FIP I will eat my words. I just gave him some powdered deer velvet and some arnica montana for his bruising.
We sat together quite awhile, he was snuggled deep into me and I cried and told him how sorry I am for his ordeal. I told him I will not adopt him out again and he can stay with us forever.
I don’t know how I will swing the upcoming vet visit, but I want to know how injured he is.
Such a sweet boy and now he is home-forever
This was Fog right before we adopted him out, right now, his condition rivals that of Cyclone. 🙁
Poor Fog! Happy he is back with you and that the woman was able to tell you the truth. I really hope she gets help for her son, because I fear for any animals that he encounters in the future. I can’t imagine what would drive an 8-year-old boy to try and recreate such sick treatment of animals. Do not blame yourself–that home sounded wonderful and you can only know so much. Whether Fog has FIP or not, he is safe again.
I am so sorry to hear this news.
I do not understand why an 8 year old would have unmonitored access to the internet? There are too many terrible things on the internet that could alter the mental development of a child of this age.
Glad you are home, sweet Fog. I hope you know you are now safe.
I’m so glad that she was honest with you. I’m not sure just anyone would bring this act to the light. God showed up and for that I’m grateful! I say a prayer over the young boy. I hear terrible stories that trace the beginnings to harm on cats and dogs. Thanks for being willing to explore and ask questions about Fog….amen!
OMG – that’s terrible. I’m glad Fog is safe, but I wonder how the boy will learn to treat animals properly? This is a hard one. I believe that pets are for forever. If you have a problem, you fix it. Doesn’t matter if the problem is animal or human. Maybe I’m just naive.
Yikes, I’m glad Fog is safe with you now. And I sure hope he doesn’t have FIP.
We hope that mom has beaten some sense into that boy … parents these days are so relunctant to parent their kids and make them learn and be respectful
Oh Boy, this is frightening. Not only for Fog and what he has gone through, but that an impressionable child can watch this junk, and then imitate it. There are horrible things on YouTube. What is the world coming to? I wonder if the mother was suspect of her child’s behavior and somehow “arranged” for you to get Fog back. Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy he is now out of harms way but this woman needs to get that kid into therapy or he’ll eventually be practiciing on people.
Poor Fog. Don’t blame yourself, you did not know that these parents allowed their child unfettered access to animal cruelty videos, nor had any clue what their brat was up to.
Would you be up to making a report out to the police or animal control? If children are allowed to get away with abusing animals (and this kind of abuse is the worst kind as it is premeditated) then they often grow up to be dangerous, abusive people. This child needs some serious intervention and the parents need some support in putting this child back on the right path. If this child’s behaviour isn’t stopped, other animals will suffer, including humans.
Sending Fog love and purrs, we hope his injuries are treatable and he can return to full health.
Poor Fog, we are heartsick over all he has been through but so relieved he is home with you now where he will receive the love and care he deserves.
We are hoping he will be back to his handsome self soon.
Thank Cat she called you, we are horrified by what Fog’s fate might have been had she not.
And we really hope this Mother will get her son the mental help he needs before he hurts another fur baby.
Poor Fog. We’re sending purrs and prayers to this sweet boy and we hope that he is 100% better soon. He’s lucky you were there to watch out for him.
The Florida Furkids
That’s a very sad story. I am so glad that Fog is safely home with you and I hope that he hasn’t had too much damage done to him physically or mentally.
I’m also very sad for the boy that did this to Fog and for his family. I hope the boy gets the help he needs.
How horrible! I am so glad Fog is now safe. I hope that lady takes her son to see a mental health doctor. Kids that abuse animals usually end up murderers.
I was told yesterday that the boy has severe ADHD and I have been researching it since. I am appalled and saddened to read of how many children with this disorder actually end up abusing animals and apparently aren’t even aware of doing it.
While this is a horrific situation, I hope everyone involved uses this as a wake up call. That the boy learns that what he did was bad and has consequences, that the mom learns more about her son and gets help for both him and herself to help her deal with this properly to help her son adjust to life in a non violent way.
Please do not be so hard on yourself. You could not possibly have known. By keeping doors open and communication open you saved Fog’s life twice. and hopefully you’ve saved not only Fog’s but any other future animal this family might have acquired (if they had listened to the vet that it was FIP and not called you she very well could have gotten more pets). I would like to also believe this situation will benefit the family as well.
Looking for the silver lining..
Knowing what you now know about ADHD (I did not know this either), it would be wise to question prospective cat owners about their children having ADHD before placing a cat with them.
At the same time, how could they not monitor his internet access? How could they not hear their child get up in the night? Not hear Fog, as I am sure he would protest any abuse by meowing and most likely running to get away from the boy?
I really would consider making a formal complaint. If nothing else, perhaps it would get the mother to get some professional help for her child.
Thank goodness Fog is safe now. It must have been hard for the mother to admit what she found out, so hopefully she will be able to get help for her son.
It just got stranger. The wife just called me and she wants Fog back! Said her husband and son have been crying since he has been gone. They only had him two months, they never gave me any money when they adopted him out and their son hurt him- and THEY WANT HIM BACK? I told her no, I didn’t think that was a good idea but what I wanted to say was OVER MY DEAD BODY!
Maybe that is why you need to report the incident. Most likely they will promise another kitty to the son and work out therapy that way. Or maybe convince themselves that the son will not do it again by getting another kitten. I needs to be reported in case it happens again and a pattern emerges. Just sayin’
Janice the sad fact is that cats don’t matter here not in this county. Nothing would be done I know that from past experiences. The bottom line is that Fog is safe, no one will hurt him and come Monday we will try and get to the bottom of his condition and just work on his moments of PTSD- This is not the first time I have had to take a cat back due to abuse and doubt it will be the last time. It’s just Fog is so special- he is an old soul and I thought I put him in a good, loving home.
oh god… 🙁 This makes me in tears!! What could have been done to that poor cat 🙁 Im with Janice, you NEED to report it, even if they just throw it in the thrash after it’s your duty! Do it for Fog MA!! or the next kitten the kid will abuse and eventually kill.
Well, I am with Mario. Probably this family will go out and adopt some other kitten or cat, and soon the cycle will begin again. Reporting this will be a step towards saving one more kitty cat