My sister and niece brought their cat in for abdominal and pee problems, and they told me they were told that his insides were twisted and if they didn't do something immediately he could die. They were told that the procedure they recommended doing, may not even work. A staff person told her that he may need come come weekly and needed a credit card on file to proceed now and in the future. They wanted 1200 upfront. She didn't have a credit card to charge that on. She didn't want the poor kitty to die and/or suffer from surgery after surgery (my niece had lost a kitty during surgery in the past and lived that kind of horror to watch). She said she didn't want him tortured and if it's that life threatening, maybe putting him to sleep to spare him from the pain and suffering that he would endure (she did not say that lightly). This broke her heart because she loved him so much, and that is the biggest heart when you have make such a heart wrenching decision to prevent suffering. As my sister and niece were crying about what to do after this shocker news, the staff, office and vet assistant, told her he was too young to put to sleep and they would pay for the cat at their expense as long as she signed surrender papers. She told me that she felt bullied and talked down too, but wanted him to live if possible. By doing this, she gave up rights to him and she wouldn't even be given the dignity to be there if he had to be put down. Her hope was drained from her and she lost him.\r
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They sold what they could to come up with the money and borrowed from family and friends and called them back the next day to tell them she had the money and wanted the cat, and to know how he was. She was flat out told that she couldn't afford a cat with problems, and they didn't tell her how he was, nothing, and the surrender sheet was signed, that was it. My sister has continued nightmares. Their relationship with the kitty was precious and she cries wondering if he is going through grieving the loss of them too. I live out of state, so I drove up to meet the staff. I met a vet at the front counter and she found the record on him, said he was renamed and another vet took him home after being at the clinic for weeks. She told me she could call about the cat, to see if we could get him back (I was relieved to know he was alive and hoped I could get him back for my sister). As she walked in the back room, another staff member came in. She told me that his procedure was common and a simple one. Just a blockage at the urinary tract. So at this point, I tell her that that is not what my sister was told. She said casually, well I remember telling her that he may need another surgery. Two very different stories. I said my sister tried to pay for him and this was confirmed and noted in the record, but she stopped there. Then the manager showed up and said they adopted him out (that wasn't what the vet had just told me), again, two very different stories. She was instantly very rude. She tells me conflicting stories. I ask for the record and they said I would need a lawyer to have them released. I pleaded for her cat. The manager grabbed the record and went in the back room and that was the end of it. I was mortified. Something is seriously wrong here I feel. They ask for all this money right NOW (no xrays were even taken of the cat too?) and that they needed a credit card on file (which she did not have and they told her to go get one), then high pressure, ending in her having to make a decision to surrender him, and making her feel guilty, only to refuse her pleas after she came up with the money. In my opinion, I truly feel that this precious cat was used against the owner's tormented heart and their tactics backfired (after customer had no credit card). Please do your research and trust your instincts.
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