Remember when a reader sent in several webcam shots showing a worker poking a stick into all the cat cages and “Friends” told everyone not to worry – that the stick wasn’t used to poke the cats but to close the latch on the feral cat box and the cats were so scared, they stayed in those boxes anyway? The cat in these photos doesn’t appear to be hiding in the box but rather looks decidedly pissed off that someone keeps jabbing him with a stick.
How long do you think it’s acceptable to leave a cat in a box in a cage? If they even remember that he’s there, of course…we’ve seen them leave dogs to wander, cage doors wide open with a little dog left to maybe jump from much too high to the tile floor…
Looks like the answer is “overnight” – it appears to me that the cat was put in the box, then in the cage, his papers transferred to the cage, and everyone gone home.
That’s quality care, that is. I have to assume that someone is pulling this animal and called ahead. But for some reason, instead of making a note on the paperwork, they decided to box him up and get him ready. Sixteen hours in a box with no water, no litter…yeah, that should do wonders for his stress levels.
I honestly don’t know Mikken. I have clicked on that camera at various times yesterday and today to see if the cat was ever visible out of the box and I haven’t seen him. This could mean that he simply hasn’t been visible on the webcam at the moments I’ve checked. Or it could mean that the cat was indeed locked in the box overnight. I really hope it’s the former.
You may be right. I never saw the cat either and I watched a fair amount this morning.
The papers are gone from the cage now, so either the cat has been moved or … something. Looks like the shelter is closed on Mondays, so safe to say he wasn’t adopted?
What gets me is this guy is 100 times the size of that cat and he is what – too afraid – to handle it. I have grabbed full sized ferals (and, yes have the scars to prove it) and let me tell you it isn’t that hard to do. Obviously they enjoy torturing the cats like this….
It’s the same skin-head I’ve seen abusing animals numerous times. Obviously he knows nothing about animal handling & care. There’s on place for someone like that working with or around animals. Has anyone brought to the attention of Matt Pepper the incompetance of the skin-head? Eventually Pepper will wake up & smell the crap. Or will he? I think he’s afraid of civil service workers. I know the kittys are.
That guy is committing and act of premeditated abuse. Just look at his body language on some of those photos. Damn – someone get the cat out and transport him here.
can anyone go in and adopt this cat?
That worker is wearing protective knee pads but no gloves. Welding gloves are good for handling feral cats; that’s what a lot of feral experts recommend.
Speaking from personal experience, some kitties will shred your hand and arm pretty badly (confess it was bf who got shredded after stepping in to help). Gloves are a lot more humane than stick-poking! Seems kind of odd that the workers would use knee pads but not gloves. Maybe this isn’t even the feral cat area, but any scared cat has the potential to scratch and bite. Stick poking is not helping!
Correction–looks like the guy in the last 2 photos is wearing gloves so maybe the shelter does issue them to the workers?
Looks like someone need to rescue the whole rescue center! Awful!
If a Memphis reader can rescue the cat, I’ll pay its airfare to Dallas. I am not joking.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Friends-of-Memphis-Animal-Services/73650772780
Tell them that.
Did this cat ever get rescued, we just saw the post???
Yes, indeed! She is now being fostered, courtesy of Meows & BowWows.
Ok, I don’t have a lot of experience with cats. Actually, I don’t have any experience with cats. However. If these are truly people who love animals, why can’t they just pick them up nicely, take them our of their cage, and put them in another cage? Or are cats really more difficult than I think they are?
Cats are smart and know exactly what your feelings and intentions toward them are. A few saintly kitties are sweet and friendly and trusting with everyone no matter what the circumstances, but many are truly terrified in the shelter and will use claws and teeth to defend themselves. Can you blame them?
Nope, can’t blame them at all. They know, I’m sure, what’s going on in that hell hole.
I’d like to take that stick, find everyone who has tortured and abused that poor cat, and take the stick and “poke it” right up their…….well, you get the message.
Humans can be such (censored).
I agree: SOMEONE PLEASE RESCUE THAT CAT!!!
P.S. If the Gestapo (animal control) kidnapped me off of the streets or my deadbeat owners dropped me off in a death camp, I’d be scared too…scared enough that the “fight or flight” defense reaction that exists in EVERY LIVING SOUL, would engage itself.
What do these neanderthals expect? The cat to play “Patty-cake” with them?
And the S.O.B.’s many times murder the pet if they show fear.
Can you imagine if Doctors and Dentists did that? We’d all be dead.
Of course the pets are scared…grow a friggin’ brain and take humane, creative steps, to alleviate their panic attacks, instead of using a stick like a caveman.
I dislike the human animal sometimes…..and I’m ashamed to belong to the species.
PLEASE RESCUE THAT CAT!!!
Why doesn’t HSUS who is quite active in TN step in and stop this abuse?
HSUS – do something? Lol.
They are not quite active in TN> Any time we need something we have to call the ASPCA to send in their team.
I just e-mailed a note to Mr. Pepper (and the MASBoard) to have the cat checked on ASAP. I haven’t seen him outside the box since the abuse incident which could simply mean I haven’t been watching the webcam during the time the cat’s been out but I’m worried he may have been locked in the box and left there. I also sent Mr. Pepper a link to this post so he can see the evidence of abuse himself.
Please let us know as soon as you hear from Pepper (or should I say- IF you hear from him) – I need a cage# and id# and will forward info to cat rescue group in Memphis – am sure they will rescue this poor cat…..really makes ya sick! We need EVERYONE to attend the meeting on Wednesday night!!
I received a prompt response from LaSonya Hall. It said:
“We will check. Thank you.”
LaSonya Hall- another piece of work! Wonder when was the last time she stepped foot at MAS?! UGH!
I am glad this shelter has multiple web cameras and wish all animal shelters did. Not that the cameras have done these animals much good yet. But I am still hoping. But then I am also hoping that one day humans will evolve to a point where they don’t feel the need to kill animals.
I have volunteered at a shelter in the past, but they didn’t use sticks there. They did kill all feral cats as they came in and the only cats they had up for adoption were friendly, no sticks needed.
Just wanted to clarify that I don’t know if this cat was classified as feral or not. If I had to make a guess based on the cat’s behavior in the photos, I’d guess not.
Please let me poke this guy with a stick. Maybe he is feral…
The workers in the photos just don’t care; they have obviously been doing this “job” for awhile and don’t care anymore about the animals…if they ever did…so glad the kitty is now being fostered and hopefully,will soon find a forever home!