It pains me to write this review because I think of all of the poor cats that may be prevented from being adopted. After all, some may see this and be deterred. However, my experience has become overwhelmingly negative and I cannot believe how me and my cat were treated during the process. I worry and wonder if others have experienced this, and how the other cats are being treated in the rescue.
Firstly, before I picked up my cat I was informed he was not updated on his vaccinations (I picked up in Jan 2024, and he has not been updated since Dec 2023), no big deal, it was only a month off and he would get checked out before I took him home. I was informed that incidentally, he has Ear Mites and he was being treated quickly with topical medications at the Bridge Clinic. The lady who was in text conversations with me about coordinating his care (Sandy) had suggested at first that I take him home, administer the medicine on my own & quarantine him from my dog. I had concerns after doing my research that this wasn't going to be the best option because he would be in a completely new environment & would not be used to us. After initially brushing off my concerns, she finally suggested that the rescue would quarantine him, administer the medications for a week, and do another check-up before his pick-up date.
The day I went to pick him up he was in the same room he had been in before, not quarantined. I have seen the room before and there are no kennels or crates in the room for him to be quarantined in so I knew he was not. When I got there no one was waiting for me, I had made an appointment 2 weeks prior for his pick up. When I called the coordinator (Sandy) she did not answer. I had to go walking around the rescue to find someone to talk to. Finally, I found 2 women towards the back and they were surprised to see me, I explained what I was there for and finally, they helped me gather my cat into a carrier. These women did not seem to know that I was even coming so I do not blame them for any of the following issues. I was sent home with ONLY the cat. They had told me prior that I would be sent home with wet and dry food, yet I was sent home without anything. I texted Sandy to ask what food brand I should buy on my own, and she told me to come back in to get the food. I came back to return the carrier and get the food. Again the same two women were there, and surprised to see me again. I had to ask for the food as it seemed this was not communicated to them. Everyone is busy with daytime jobs which is understandable, and I know the rescue relies heavily on volunteers. I was going to let all of this go for the sake of the cats, and knowing that this rescue runs on volunteers dedicating their extra time for this. However, my experience is becoming increasingly tainted with constant vet visits. I feel again that it must be rectified for the sake of the other cats living at the rescue.
After a couple of days with my new cat, I noticed he was scratching his ears, shaking his head, and keeping his head tilted to the side at times, eyes were draining fluid & he kept squinting out of both of his eyes. After some closer inspection, I noticed severe black debris in his ears, to the point where discharge was leaking out. It was so extreme to the point that my only conclusion was that this poor cat was clearly medically neglected for this to have built up so much. I took him to MY Vet and they confirmed that he still had the ear mites, AND now conjunctivitis & giardia. After a $590 in vet visits, I was sent home with a slew of medication for him.
At this point, I wondered if I should have just taken him home initially, to spare him the suffering he endured and to get him the proper treatment that he so clearly needed. Sandy had texted me maybe a week or so into me having my cat. She was "checking up" and I informed her that he had a severe case of ear mites, I asked if he had even had a follow-up vet visit before I picked him up (as I had requested). All I got was "I did ask for one prior to his release. Sorry if it wasn't done." Not one person at the rescue told me about any "2 week policy" where I could bring back the cat to the Bridge Clinic to get him checked out after taking him home. Not that it would have mattered, I probably would have been brushed off again.
I will leave it at this, I was sent home with a cat who had EAR MITES, CONJUCTIVITIS IN BOTH EYES, AND GIARDIA IN HIS STOOL! I was treated so horrendously and I am so scared for the cats living in this rescue as these are all extremely communicable diseases between cats. The communication between the rescue workers is less than stellar, creating a situation where it prevents and discourages people from adoption. I will ALWAYS adopt/rescue however I definitely would have found it easier to buy a cat from a breeder, than to go through a hellish experience like this again. read more
