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Veterinary notes seven months into custody: "emaciated, neck ventroflexed, damp fur matted all down forelimbs and forepaws and on chin, unkempt, hunched, very weak"
- Photographs and medical content on this site may be disturbing to some viewers. -
Taffy was a gorgeous 16-year-old cream seal point with medium length hair and beautiful light blue eyes. She had known health issues that were treated successfully at home until recently when a return of pink urine and excessive amounts of pee sent us to schedule a veterinary visit. As mentioned on the main page, she has a sensitive mouth that a dental did not correct. She would drool and her chin and paws would get stained. Spots on her tail and neck sometimes got matted. I would treat her, she would feel better and clean up until the next episode. At the time the state took her, she had been starting a mild episode. She had some drool staining and a matt on her tail. She was on treatment. I'm sure you can appreciate how I felt about this situation. The state takes your animals as though they are strays they picked up off the streets. They don't care about their names, their histories, how old they are, what treatments they are getting, what health issues they have, what they are eating, nothing. X-rays were not taken, a dental was not done, her urinary tract issue was not immediately addressed, she would not have been fed appropriately, she was not allowed the comfort of the caretaker she trusted for 16 years, she was not allowed the safety of her familiar home of 16 years, she was not allowed the companionship of her cat friends. She was given Convenia multiple times despite the fact that Convenia is not to be given to cats with kidney disease and has side effects including lethargy, decreased appetite, hemolytic anemia, salivation, acute pulmonary edema and more. The state did not prolong Taffy's life and they did not improve her life. I believe they shortened her life and caused her last months to be a painful misery of terror, stress, pain and suffering. It's unconscionable state-sanctioned cruelty.
The state took shelter photos of all the cats on 1/30/20 or 2/4/20, except Taffy. There were no photos of Taffy except the ones below taken on 11/5 and 11/6. Look how absolutely miserable and depressed she looks. Like all my cats, she has never been caged except for travel. She would hate being exposed; she needs to hide.
Taffy's state capture photo 11/5/19
Taffy's state shelter photo 11/6/19
Taffy's state shelter photo 11/6/19
Taffy's state shelter photo 11/6/19
Taffy at the farm, October 2004
Taffy in our Orono house, March 2009. The three cats with her are all passed on now, one at the age of 12 from stomach cancer, one at the age of 14 from mouth cancer and one at the age of 15 from a heart issue.
Taffy in our Orono house with her buddies at treat time, March 2009
Taffy in our Orono house in one of her "hiding" places, March 2009
Taffy at the farm, July 2005
Taffy at the farm, January 2005
Taffy at the farm, January 2005
Taffy at the farm, October 2004
There are two copies of the 11/6/19 exam forms, one is incomplete and one is the original. This is the incomplete version.
This is the completed 11/6/19 exam form. Note they have her at 6-10 years old. She is 15 at this time. They did three things I would not have approved. They doused Taffy with Revolution even though the product label warns "not to use in sick, debilitated or underweight animals." They gave her a rabies vaccination which can be useless in sick or stressed animals. And they gave her Convenia, a product that not only has multiple side effects, but will stay in the body for over 65 days, so if there is a side effect, correcting it will take a long time and that would be putting a cat in Taffy's condition at high risk. Note that an x-ray was recommended for her jaw.
Taffy's first visit to Falls Road was on 11/8/19. At that time, they said she needed a dental cleaning, but that was never done. Even though she had supposedly just gotten Convenia two days before, they gave her another dose. Convenia maintains therapeutic levels for at least seven days, so now they've given her a double dose of this antibiotic. According to the European Medicines Agency, Convenia should not be used on cats with kidney disease. My primary concern at this time was a urinary tract/kidney related issue, but they never asked me about her medical issues. The state chose to be arrogant about her medical needs and in my opinion, their decisions resulted in unnatural and unnecessary suffering and an early death.
Taffy is not seen again until 14 days later on 11/22/19. Now she is dehydrated, has heart disease, kidney disease and a urinary tract infection (UTI). Over two weeks into custody and they finally notice she has a urinary issue. How is this possible? The veterinary notes "patient very quiet" and "gets exhausted very easily" and "prognosis guarded as she is old with multiple problems." They don't know anything about her. Perhaps she is suffering the side effects of Convenia. Perhaps she's just given up because she's been stolen from her home and stuck in a cage. Why do they not understand what is best for her is to be at home where she feels safe. For the next six months, she will endure this continued barrage of strange places and people and poking and prodding. She will be caged and alone. You will be as appalled as I was when you read the final medical report.
The 1/29/20 report says she has a finicky appetite because she wouldn't eat the k/d. She got fed Friskies pate twice a day at home, made into a slurry with water for her sensitive mouth, and she loves kitten chow, again with water for the tasty gravy and to soften the food, and the drainings from tuna cans. Whenever I make tuna fish I think Taffy will like this treat, and then I remember she is no longer here. I started to feed her canned food for urinary tract health and she ate that okay. Sometimes she eats the dry food that is out for the other cats. The state's caretakers don't know her. Now the veterinary says she needs dental extractions, but because of her alleged heart and kidney disease, doesn't recommend a dental unless she has difficulty eating. Note they did not do the x-ray recommended on the 11/6/19 exam. I would have okay'd the x-ray and the dental, because I know her. They do not. At this point the x-ray or the dental may have pointed to the absess that later caused her face to swell and eye to bulge out.
On 4/7/20 she is at a different veterinary office, this time in Bath Brunswick. She has clearly been moved to yet another location and caretaker. This would impose new and additional stresses. In just over a month she will be dead. They find she has no discomfort on oral exam. This veterinary discusses panels and radiographs with Fiske who declined them. Once again, I would have okay'd the radiographs. So, I get orders from the state telling me I must follow all veterinary recommendations, but the state itself can do what it pleases.
On 4/23/20 she is brought in because her eye is bulging and she's drooling a lot. At this time, she also has runny eyes and nose. Still has tear staining on front paws. Extreme fatigue continues. She is being housed in a kennel away from the other cats. They applied Revolution again. She has now been in the hands of the state for five months and this is the first mention that she pees large volumes. She is in much worse condition than when she was at home, her freedom is restricted and she is alone. This is also a cat who needs to be able to hide. I have to wonder if they've taken that away from her as well. Note also that they are referring to Taffy by some name her new caretaker is using. At this point, the state knows the names of all the cats from our first court date, so they are intentionally ignoring them. Why would they not use her name?
On 4/24/20 the caretaker says Taffy is doing well. Not sure how anyone can say that at this point. See the email I received from Fiske written on 4/24/20 at the end of this page.
Now the records get confusing with no clear dates or sequencing of events. This record states Taffy has a tooth root absess and that is causing her face to swell and left eye to bulge. This one says they have difficulty medicating Taffy, but they are able to give her pills. I can't imagine forcing her mouth open and closed to give her pills when she has mouth issues.
Now it says Taffy was eating well until several days ago. She refused KMR mixed with wet food that morning. On 4/10 she was frantically wiping at her mouth and pulling at her paws with her teeth. On 4/20 she has significant tear/food staining on face/paws/chest. On 4/22 she started drooling heavily. This is a cat who had clearly been in distress for almost two weeks, but she's not brought to the veterinary until 4/23 when her eye starts bulging. On 4/27, I received a forwarded email from Rachael Fiske regarding this issue with Taffy. A copy of that email is included after the medical records.
It's now, what, 5/7? And now Fiske is requesting they move forward with the x-rays and dental. And they schedule this for a month later on June 8. Again, the sense of urgency is remarkable. Poor Taffy is left to struggle for survival for nineteen more days. For the state to allege I was being cruel to this cat and to turn around and put her through all this just defies logic. Nobody cared about this cat except me, nobody, and it shows in how she reacted to these strangers and the decisions they made on her behalf.
Remarkably, she was given yet another Convenia injection five days previous. Unbelievable. Does anyone read the literature on these drugs?
Below is the email I received from Rachael Fiske regarding Taffy. It was written on 4/24/20. Unlike us regular folks, these people have all sorts of resources at their disposal, yet they didn't want to "...jump right into that..." The cat is dying and being made to suffer. Take note how Fiske wants me to be informed so I'm aware that Taffy's quality of life is in question at this point. I'm aware that her quality of life was in question the minute the Maine state Animal Welfare Program came through my door. Fiske wants me to authorize them to kill my cat based on their assessments and opinions when I have every reason to distrust their assessments and opinions. We can disuss allowing me to be present while they kill my cat. We can't discuss allowing me to be present while she's alive and needs me, but once there's nothing I can do, then I can see her. The state can make the decision to kill my cat anytime they want to, just like they made the decision to get into my house when they wanted to. They once again threaten me with their authority by pointing to the law that allows them to commit these acts. Notice she would like me to have some choice in the matter if reasonable, emphasizing that she is in control and I am unreasonable. What choices did she present? Did you notice any choices? Then she finishes up with her apostrophe laden close and reminder to visit her website. Now that we've gotten that unpleasant dying cat business out of the way, let me be excited to tell you what to do and where to go. How completely inappropriate. My email response is included. I never received a follow-up response. If one was sent to my lawyer, he never sent it to me which means it wasn't worth sending. I never received the autopsy. What is wrong with these people? Does anyone know?
Documentation Posted August 22, 2020 by Elmvale Farm
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