Cat adopter with good references robbed elderly cat of happy last days

Corleone was saved from euthanasia at NY City ACC by Magnificat Cat Rescue and Rehoming. They did all they could to make sure he went to a good home. The woman they selected had good references and her veterinarian said she was a responsible pet owner. She had a dog and Corleone liked dogs. As an adopter she seemed fine.

And for a while things were fine. He made friends with the woman’s dog. The woman provided updates when called and a picture when encouraged. Corleone seemed to be happy. Then the woman contacted the rescue with a surprising request: could they take Corleone back. The reason she said was because she was moving into an apartment (a classic reason). When the rescue asked why she was separating Corleone from his dog companion she said ‘in that flat tone’: “Oh, that dog is dead”. She had got a new puppy who was going with her to the apartment.

Corleone had been with her for two years. It transpired that he had never been taken to the vet and did not have a cat carrier. When returning Corleone, she got one of minimal size and Corleone was a large boy. When the rescue picked him up he had been squeezed into the carrier and he was a bad way. He had poor oral health, his coat was dry and had dandruff, and he was obese. These were the signs of neglect.

He also had a heart murmur which was detected at the vets. Teeth were extracted, antibiotics administered and a new foster carer found. Lourdes, did a great job in restoring him to happy health through plenty of TLC.

Seriously Ill

The rescue found a new owner but just before handover Corleone was unable to walk and had a swollen leg. Once again he was taken before a vet who knew what was wrong: his heart murmur had become full blown heart disease ‘a cardiovascular crisis’.

The decision was to euthanise. Many tears fell…

“The three of us wept over him as he was given the final shot. Wept because he was such a good cat, wept because he died without ever going to the perfect home that was waiting for him.

Goodbye, Corleone. You deserved so much better.”

He died on May 27th.

Comment: I guess references and the best checks do not always guarantee that an adopter is genuinely good and there is not much you can do about that.

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