As with most kittens, Randy was a ‘free’ kitten with a new owner. He had a good life, growing into a tom cat, never neutered, prowling the neighbourhood and defending his territory.
Unfortunately, he ran into some tough characters and came home one night with battle scars. The scratches became infected and Randy developed a huge abscess on the side of his face. Randy had not had any vet care to date and his owner could not afford care now so she surrendered Randy to the Crooked Leg Ranch. His first trip was to the vet where he was treated for the infection and neutered at the same time. Then he went back to the ranch and spent the next 2 months recuperating.
When he was ready for adoption, he was transferred to the Action for Animals in Distress Society in Burnaby and lucky for Randy, a home was quickly found.
We would like to explain that ‘free’ kittens are never free and in this case, it is cheaper to adopt a kitten from a shelter. The ‘free’ cat will need 3 sets of shots, vet checks and spaying by 6 months. These services could cost up to $300! When a cat is adopted from the Ranch, the cost is $90. That seems like a high fee however; the cat will have had all the shots, the checks and will be fixed. The Ranch has to absorb a loss with these animals but you can see that this is the better option to take if you would like to bring a new pet into your home.
A suggestion: if you do find yourself with a ‘free’ kitten or puppy: put aside $20 a month and by 6 months, you will have enough for the fix procedure. Randy could have skipped the painful abscess if he had been neutered on time.