novelnext Chapter 48 Kind People
Chapter 48 Kind People
In the afternoon, Chen Rang called the Ragdoll cat's owner again.
Unfortunately, the call still didn't go through.
Chen Rang even deduced from the phone notification sound that he had been blocked by that person.
At this point, it's pretty much certain that... the cat has been completely abandoned by its owner because the medical expenses were too high.
"I'm not surprised at all, but you could at least give me some excuse to make me feel a little better!"
Chen Rang sighed.
He sent the woman a final text message, saying that if she truly didn't want the cat anymore, she should reply with a message as proof. He added that if she was simply facing an emergency or financial difficulties, they could discuss it further or explore other treatment options.
However, the text message went unanswered, receiving no response.
Chen Rang could only assume that she had tacitly agreed to abandoning the cat, and then came to the cat shelter with a helpless expression.
"Meow~"
The Ragdoll cat, which had become much more docile, meowed softly at Chen Rang with a pitiful expression.
It had realized the difference between the veterinarian in front of it and its owner, and it knew that it probably wouldn't have much of a chance to enjoy delicious food again. So, driven by hunger, it ate all the cat food in the bowl, leaving not a single grain behind.
"What do you do if your pet owner doesn't want you anymore?"
Chen Rang looked at this guy helplessly.
In the animal medical industry, almost every veterinarian will encounter this situation.
For most veterinarians, dealing with these abandoned cats and dogs is a very troublesome task.
From the perspective of their status and professional ethics, they cannot simply abandon their cats and dogs outside like ordinary people, letting them fend for themselves and avoid the hassle of seeing them.
After all, the vast majority of cats and dogs brought to veterinary clinics are sick. Abandoning them in a remote place is almost tantamount to letting nature take their lives. The chances of any of them surviving in the city with their illnesses are definitely less than one in ten.
To be honest, that's cruel.
Therefore, all Chen Rang could do was to suffer the hardship of curing the creature first, and then see if he could find someone to adopt it.
At this point, it's basically the same situation that the pet-related industry might encounter.
Some kind-hearted people rescue stray cats or small stray dogs but don't know where to take them. When they don't want to or can't keep them, they sometimes just randomly find a pet shop they know and dump them at someone's home.
These people rarely consider whether others should adopt stray cats and dogs, or whether they have the capacity to adopt so many cats and dogs, and other such troublesome issues.
What they thought about most was that the poor cats and dogs needed help.
Even worse, some people resort to moral blackmail in such situations.
Veterinarians and related practitioners, for the sake of their reputation and to show compassion, often find it difficult to refuse.
Often, all they can do is honestly adopt these animals and then post adoption information in customer groups, community groups, WeChat Moments, and other places, hoping that truly kind-hearted people will adopt them.
These kind and loving people are the main force in society who are capable and willing to adopt stray cats.
Just like Zhou Meijuan, who left this morning, she is undoubtedly someone who deserves praise. Her willingness to dedicate so much energy, money, and even endure injury for a cat she had only adopted a few months prior is truly remarkable.
It is precisely because of such caring individuals that our social atmosphere and public order and good customs give people hope and a sense of purpose.
But clearly, there aren't many people like that.
Most people who want to own a cat or dog prefer to buy or obtain a trustworthy pet from a pet store or a friend. They prefer newborn kittens and cats or dogs living in other people's homes to places like veterinary clinics.
This leads to a situation where the cats and dogs taken in by clinics become "unsellable".
As time goes by, the number of cats and dogs that eat and drink for free at the clinic will increase.
Veterinarians are not a high-paying profession, and no amount of love can compensate for the expenses. Furthermore, their work requires intense concentration, and they already care for many sick cats and dogs; where would they find the energy to spare for more troublesome animals?
Sometimes, this situation can even force some doctors to give up the profession.
"Starting today, your cat food quality will be downgraded by two levels! And you're not allowed to ask me for treats anymore, understand?"
Chen Rang glared angrily at the few little rascals who had come over.
These guys are still carefree, completely unaware of the immense pressure he faces as their pet owner.
Eight cats!
There are eight unwanted cats in the clinic right now!
They can finish a bag of cat food in just one week! If you're kind enough to give them some treats, they easily take out eight times that amount! And then there's the biggest consumable besides cat food, that thing called cat litter, which costs Chen Rang a lot of money every day.
Currently, his income and expenses are barely enough to maintain a balance.
But who wants to balance this out?!
Work is for earning money! It's for accumulating capital for the future! Not for investing all the income earned through hard work into these bottomless pits.
"Mmm~"
Seemingly sensing that Chen Rang was in a bad mood, the little plush toy cautiously approached. It stood up, grabbed Chen Rang's knees with its two front paws, and then made cute, endearing noises.
This is the only kind cat.
The other cats, especially DouDou, completely ignored Chen Rang's complaints. DouDou turned its back to him, stood still, and slowly wagged its tail, looking as if it were taunting him.
The American Shorthair tabby and the little Munchkin next to him were also doing their own thing, glancing at Chen Rang when they had free time, but not caring about him at all when they didn't.
As for Grandpa Silver and Big Blue Cat, they disappeared somewhere for a while.
"You heartless bastards!"
Chen Rang gritted his teeth in anger, feeling for the first time that these cats were all jerks, completely unable to provide emotional support to their owners like dogs.
"Meow!"
The little doll continued to whine and act cute, indicating that it was an exception.
"the same as you!"
Chen Rang glared at it irritably.
This thing must have disappeared somewhere, it's covered in dust. Even its tail is still wet, who knows where it got the water from.
"You better behave yourself!"
Helpless, Chen Rang pulled the little doll onto his lap and then took out a towel to wipe it.
This towel, which had been hanging on a hook under the counter, had unknowingly become Little Ragdoll's personal item. It needed to be wiped down every day and bathed every two days! As the only long-haired cat Chen Rang had adopted, it consumed a significant amount of his time each day.
In short, none of these cats are easy to manage.
Even the mother silver baby, who had been obediently staying in the delivery room, hasn't been as well-behaved these past few days as she was when she first arrived.
Perhaps it was because the kittens inside her were starting to get restless, or perhaps it was because she was inexperienced with giving birth for the first time, but she would occasionally become very agitated. Whether it was Chen Rang or other cats passing by the door, it would cause her to display an aggressive posture.
This guy is now somewhat dependent on dark environments; even in the delivery room, he always hides in the innermost corner.
The cat refused to use the cat bed that Chen Rang had prepared for it.
Instead, it immediately spotted a few empty cardboard boxes in the corner that had previously contained items. Sometime during the night, it flipped one of the boxes over, laid the opening flat, and silently crawled inside.
When Chen Rang first spotted it, he thought the creature had run away. After searching around, he finally saw a section of its tail sticking out of the box, which quickly retracted as if to say hello.
From then on, that cardboard box became a sturdy castle with a gradient of silver.
Aside from eating, drinking, and relieving itself, it usually stays inside and doesn't come out.
Especially when there's any noise outside, it burys its head in the back of the cardboard box like an ostrich, as if that way it won't be discovered. And so far, it has rarely made a sound, only expressing its emotions with its eyes.
In short, this guy has been acting very uneasy. He needs more care and attention from Chen Rang, and perhaps he won't truly trust Chen Rang until the kittens are born.
Chen Rang understood this perfectly.
Although he decided to cut back on DouDou's food, he never intended to cut back on the mother silver gradient dog's. Worried about its malnutrition, Chen Rang even ordered some dried small fish from across the street, specifically for just one of them.