Excuse the glib title, this post is anything but funny. Here's a quick recap of the original story.
I re-homed two cats with Person B. A few weeks later, Person A, a close relative rang me to state that B was an alcoholic and the cats weren't being properly cared for. Would we take them back? Yes and we did. A couple of days later Person B rang me to state that the cats were taken without B's permission, they hadn't been neglected, and B wanted them back. I looked into it, established that the cats seemed in good condition, decided that legally they had been stolen as I'd assumed A had permission to take them and duly returned the cats to B who seemed an intelligent rational person, B's home was clean and tidy, and the cats seemed happy to be back. If she did go on the odd bender, they seemed to be managing. End of story.
Alas, no.
Early this afternoon I got a call from Dawn at Ferry Farm who'd been contacted by B's distressed mother, gave me her number and I contacted her. B's mother stated in no uncertain terms that B was a serious alcoholic who could not manage the condition. B had recently come out of hospital after a stay for alcohol related illness but had gone back on a bender and B's mother was desperate to have the cats removed. She was also genuinely distraught at what B was doing to B's self.
I put the phone down, got in the car, calling in at our charity shop to recruit Susan Hardy for assistance as she's got exceptional people skills and I thought I might need her.
B's mother was delighted when we turned up at B's house, coincidentally at the same time as a friend of B's who been calling in to look after the cats and verified everything B's mother had said. The friend went into the house with Susan and myself but there was no sign of B. It reeked of alcohol. As I deliberately hadn't brought the cat carrier in with me lest it set B off, I popped back out to get it and found they'd meanwhile got hold of the cats.
Back outside we talked for a while and then Susan with me not far away as backup went into the bedroom and found B buried under bedclothes. She told B what was happening, telling her we were taking the cats to the vets but thought that B wasn't really taking anything in and we just left her.
B's friend expressed an interest in cat cuddling so I took her through with me and the cats and gave her the chance to tell Mark and Dawn the full story which you aren't getting here as I've deliberately left out some details.
So we're back where we started and I owe an apology to Person A, though he didn't give me the full details at the time. Basically I was fooled by someone who, when sober, is very personable but alas this is not that frequent with B who, if everything I've heard today is accurate, has a life-threatening condition. As things stand I am now satisfied that B is not a suitable person to look after cats, or even B's own self.
If any local cat rescuers are concerned that B might try and get cats from them then I will, and in the strictest confidence, supply the name and address.
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