TL;DR: After years of trusting this practice with my medically complex cats, I followed their advice to board one of them while pursuing surrender options. I returned to say goodbye and was treated as though I posed a danger to my own cat, subjected to cruel comments, and initially denied the opportunity to see him before he had even been surrendered. Although the practice owners later said in writing that staff comments fell below their standards of professionalism and compassion, the experience permanently damaged my trust in this practice and left me traumatized.
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I had been their client for years and trusted them with the care of my three cats, 2 of them special needs.
Lev was found on the streets of Chicago with hind leg paralysis. I adopted him and with neurology, PT, and years of dedicated care, he regained significant function and went on to be the playful little monkey he is today. He is deeply loved, and surrendering him was not a decision I made lightly.
Lev had long-standing inappropriate defecation issues that were manageable, but over the past year they worsened significantly. I repeatedly contacted the clinic for help as accidents increased, he began tracking poop throughout my home, and I became concerned about stress and aggression toward my other cats, who increasingly hid and avoided him.
More recently, he began peeing in the house and I found blood in his urine. I brought him in with a sample and he was diagnosed with a "raging UTI." I followed treatment recs but his symptoms continued. I was spending hours each week cleaning poo/pee from multiple rooms and frequently bathing him after he became soiled.
I communicated repeatedly that I was at my breaking point, asked for options before surrendering him. My last plea went unanswered, and I ultimately explained I could no longer manage his care. Dr. Kay suggested Madison Cat Project, which declined due to his medical and behavioral needs. At her suggestion, I boarded Lev for 5 days while awaiting my DCHS intake appt. During that time, I was told I could instead surrender him to P4P for rehoming.
When I returned after boarding, I was handed surrender paperwork. Before signing, I asked to say goodbye. The receptionist said, in a curt tone, "No, you can't see him. He's under our care now." I told her he was still legally my cat and I had a right to see him.
An angry boarding staff member came out and said I would only be allowed to see Lev through glass because he was concerned about "what I might do to him." I had just spent days boarding him at their recommendation while doing what was best for him, and here I was being treated as a threat to my own cat.
The receptionist then told me, "Honestly, I feel sorry for your cat." Completely unnecessary and deeply hurtful.
Dr. Kay eventually intervened, allowed me to hold Lev and say goodbye, for which I am grateful. She told me staff believed I had said I wanted to "throw him off a bridge." I never said that. If there was concern, I should have been asked directly rather than having a serious accusation repeated as hearsay. I was seeking help throughout, not expressing intent to harm him.
Dr Kay asked what would make this right; I wanted an apology -- she said the staff would not apologize. Later I requested a refund for boarding, as I had relied on the clinic's recommendation to board him while pursuing surrender options, only to be treated as a danger to the very cat I had entrusted them with. That request was denied.
The owners later acknowledged in writing that staff comments did not reflect their expected standards of professionalism and compassion and apologized "that this added to my distress" (they did not apologize for their actual behavior). I appreciate that, but it does not change the impact of the experience. What should have been a compassionate goodbye became something deeply distressing and humiliating.
Because of this experience, I no longer feel comfortable entrusting my other cats to this practice or recommending it to others. read more
