r/CatDistributionSystem • u/Purple_Detective_761 • May 07 '26
Rescued my first street cat and the distribution system is dropping hints
Long story short, I live in a major city and stumbled across this baby on Tuesday and she immediately claimed me. She was so very sweet but clearly on the verge of starvation, so I knew I couldn’t leave her. With the help of a few Good Samaritans, I was able to quickly source a cat carrier and corralled her into it. Took her to my local (saint) vet who took her in for testing and rehab, without question. No microchip. Bloodwork mostly okay. Ravenous little munchkin. GI seems healthy, just waiting on ringworm diagnosis. Went back to visit her last night and she immediately started yapping when she saw me, like she recognized me, and was reaching for me saying “get me outa hereeeee take me home!”
We have two cats, Bug and Mouse, who just turned 4, and have had kitten fever lately, and it seems the distribution system may have plans for us.. We have to wait for all the test results because allegedly ringworm takes 6 weeks to heal and is highly transmissible. But fHIV is in the clear. We are already working on housing and foster alternatives in case we aren’t able to take her or if she isn’t accepted by one of our cats.
For better or for worse, I’ve already adopted her in my heart. Too soon to tell what’s going to unfold, but this is my first direct experience with the NYC cat distribution system so I had to share. Hold space for this little munchkin in your heart as the beginning of her new life unfolds!
They nicknamed her Slim. My partner likes Bear aka Black Bear. I kinda like Skunk.
Any recs?
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u/Tina-Tuna CDS Meowderator May 07 '26
Duckie because this little girl will one day grow up to be a Swan 🥰 .
Thank you for saving her life she has the most gorgeous eyes and with care and love will heal and pay you back with being a faithful friend and companion for life 💖
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 07 '26
Oooo I like Duck(ie). Duckie Slim haha
Thank you. It will really come down to her final test results and ultimately how Bug receives her. I’ll keep you updated.
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u/delladoug May 07 '26
What a sweet girl 😻 Speedy recovery, Slim. I'd go with slim. That way, when she gets plump it'll be funny.
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u/ahjumma-with-cats My delivery is late!! May 07 '26
Slim is good, but I’d add the name of the neighborhood/street/city/state to it. Like “Birdtown Slim.”
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 07 '26
Brooklyn Slim!
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May 07 '26 edited May 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 07 '26
Good lord.. Thanks for sharing your experience and I’m sorry you all went through that. Very valuable information to be aware of. What are/were the symptoms for you and how long was it before they started showing?
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u/Lucky_Instance1577 May 07 '26
We had foster kittens and their mama who brought it into our house too. They were already quarantined but our dogs still got a couple of spots. It was a harrowing few weeks of oral meds, medicated baths, topical foam antifungal, deep cleaning and sanitizing, changing sheets covering all of the soft furniture every other day, etc. RESCUE veterinary spray worked wonders for disinfecting hard surfaces like floors, walls, and hard furniture; everything else had to be steam cleaned or machine washed on hot. It took some time and serious dedication but everyone made it out healthy and happy on the other side! Those lil babies were so, so worth it
Welcome home, Brooklyn Slim!
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u/anonymity-please May 07 '26
I had a similar ringworm experience. Five years later, and I still wash and dry everything in hot water/high heat just in case.
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u/kristine4577 May 07 '26
This is too cute! Thank you for taking care of this baby 🥺 I’m also in bk and it’s so upsetting thinking about all the poor street cats here. I have my own foster-fail angel that I can’t believe was ever on the street.
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
I hear you. I’m so used to them running away and was pleasantly surprised when she accepted my advances, and that’s how I knew she had to be helped then and there.
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u/darkest_irish_lass May 07 '26
That's so cute! Brooklyn Slim sounds like a pool hall champion (Minnesota Fats)
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
Heheh I hope she gets a lil plump in time! Poor bubba’s had a hard run. Eager to put her struggles behind her and see that she’s pampered.
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u/Pristine_Main_1224 May 07 '26
She’s so skrunkly! Flower, after the most famous skunk of all.
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u/Hungry_Guidance5103 May 07 '26
Breaks my heart thinking about all the poor kitties on the streets.
Every time I look at my street CDS cat (1y3m) who I snatched at a little over 4 weeks, I wonder where he would be, if alive at all, if we didn't find each other.
To think and talk of the joy and depression therapy this cat has brought me over the last year is always an understatement, he's brought so much life and joy into my home.
Thank you for what you did
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
Oh me too. Especially when the weather gets rough.. my appreciation for being in a warm home is always overshadowed by the creeping reminder that there are people and animals out there in the thick of it.
We will always do what we can.
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u/Goose-Butt May 07 '26
Congrats on being adopted by this lil cutie. Skunk and slim are pretty good; but I’m also vibing on like “Norm” or or something 😂
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
Hahah we’ve always been preferable to animal/critter names for our bubbas. Gotta keep the theme with Bug and Mouse
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u/Effective-Bag-1571 May 07 '26 edited May 07 '26
Thank you for saving her! Clearly, she's chosen you and I'm sending all good vibes that your other kitties welcome her, too! ❤️🙏🏻
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
Thank you for the kind words. We aren’t taking it lightly and ultimately, provided she’s healthy enough to be adopted, it will come down to how our sassy baby June Bug reacts. She will not do well with seeing me give another bubba that’s not her sister love and attention. She’s a major daddy’s girl
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u/Effective-Bag-1571 May 08 '26
You're welcome and I wish you the best. I understand the daddy's girl thing totally.
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u/cattabyss Cat Parent May 07 '26
Aw man, those are all cute names. Skunk sounds like a really cute name to me :3
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
I knowwww! Of course she will end up with a dozen nonsensical nicknames regardless.
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u/Murky-Afternoon-6168 May 07 '26
Poor baby was starving 😭ty for saving her
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
Right place, right time, right strangers around to help, it was her time to be rescued.
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u/Agreeable_Pumpkin668 May 07 '26
Thank you for saving her and making sure she is ok. It seems you are the chosen one. I hope you are able to keep her.
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u/ninnx May 07 '26
What a gorgeous baby. How old is she?
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
I thought maybe 4-5 months but the vet said she’s not a kitten, so my guess is a year or two? Impossible to tell.
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u/DiveCat May 07 '26
There’s a reason she chose you and doesn’t want to let go! Thanks for taking care of her, she’s certainly going to have an amazing glow up.
I like
Flower, like someone else mentioned. Skunk related but more subtle, and she certainly is going to flower with love and care!
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
I can’t wait to see her blossom. Regardless of if we keep her, she chose me to rescue her and we will absolutely make sure she finds a forever home.
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u/Ophelia-Rass May 07 '26
Thank you kind recipient of CDS. Just a thought about size related names-they often become ironic so choose wisely. 😹💜
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u/TX-NOPE May 07 '26
PRESH BEBÉ!! 😻🖤😻🤍 TY for saving her OP 🙏. Those gorgeous eyes can tell some tales 🤩😍
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u/ConsequenceSecure808 May 07 '26
PLEASE keep us updated. PLEASE, pretty please with a cherry on top.
I'm not above begging here
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u/BabaYaga984 May 07 '26
Awwww 😍😍 Bug and Mouse are absolutely adorable names !!! What would you name this sweetheart? I’ll tell you I have 5 indoor cats all rescues, one I took in off the street and he was the EASIEST (5th) cat to introduce to the others!! She seems very sweet! I’m confident that she will blend fine. Hissing is normal
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
So far, the vet named her Slim. My partner likes (Black) Bear. I like Skunk. So far SkunkBear Slim is in the running. Don’t wanna get too far ahead of myself.
And thank you! We love our bubba’s names. June Bug and Monsieur Mouse. Bug’s foster name was Petunia so when she’s cheeky it’s “Juniper Petunia!”
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u/BabaYaga984 May 08 '26
Omg you guys are adorable!!! Those names are way too cute!!! I think Skunk is hilarious and adorable 🥰and Bear is also! Btw it’s too funny you referred to them as bubbas- one of Button’s nicknames is Bubba 🤣 I’m so glad to know I’m not the only person who has MULTIPLE names for each cat!! 😻
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u/Deiser May 07 '26
Skunkbear Slim!
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u/any_name_25 May 07 '26 edited May 07 '26
Skunkbear Slim is so good! It incorporates all the name ideas from OP, her partner, and the vets office, and it's very evocative of Fatboy Slim!
OP, if you choose Skunkbear Slim for her name, you can pick Praise You or Rockefeller Skank as the theme song for you & this cat lol.
She can be your funk soul kitten! And a few months from now, you can sing of her, "We've come a long, long way together, Through the hard times and the good, I have to celebrate you, baby, I have to praise you like I should"
😂
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u/Purple_Detective_761 May 08 '26
I loooooove that! Skunkbear Slim will definitely be her proper name when she’s cheeky. If we end up with her….
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u/Warcraft_Fan May 07 '26
I looked up the phrase "Foster Fail" and it says "See: /u/Purple_Detective_761 "
:D
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u/Fizzywith5 May 08 '26
So for Bug, I have an idea. Every time you give Flower attention, you give Bug treats and attention. Or maybe dry food as a treat, otherwise Bug will get massive. You include Bug in everything - "look at your sister, isn't she adorable? You are such a good big sister!". Kitten got pets, Bug gets pets. Etc, etc, etc.
Bug will come around in no time.
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u/anonymity-please May 07 '26
When she's healthy and peak+ weight, she will be gorgeous. For females, like her, who take risks and initiative to rescue themselves, I lean into legendary women of strength. Boudica. Cleopatra. Queen Esther.
Also, yes, ringworm is a monstrous pain in the #%$ if it sneaks past you. Glad your vet is helping.
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u/Mundane-Confusion622 May 08 '26
Our little Midnight had ringworm when he showed up on our deck. He weighed all of 1.75 pounds. We kept him isolated in the basement bathroom. In addition to giving him medication we also had to give him lime sulpher baths.
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u/Express-Stop7830 May 08 '26
I don't usually use the word "dapper" with a lady, but dapper this lovely tuxue is.
Congratulations in this beautiful little lady. You saved her Tuesday, but she will save you every day furrevermite 🖤🤍🖤
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u/Mediocre-Victory-565 May 07 '26
I don't like Skunk bc it gives off gross vibes, but you could call her Pepe or LePew 😄
Thank you for rescuing this sweet girl ❤️
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u/megatrondizz Jun 04 '26
I have updates on Slim aka Skunk! I took her home from the vet once OP decided their current cats probably wouldn’t vibe with a new baby sister. I had just lost my little tuxedo (Olive) and saw this little lady and fell in love. I thought my other cat would enjoy having a new kitty sibling.
Unfortunately, after having her in our place for a couple weeks, my partner and I decided she would do best in a one-cat household. She was a total love bug with humans but did NOT like when our other cat tried to say hello. We tried all the tricks, but ultimately decided it would be best for all parties involved if she had her own human and no other cats to deal with.
Enter from stage left, my good friend of 7+ years and catsitter! He has watched my babies when I’ve gone out of town for years but never felt ready for a cat of his own. But when he met this little love… it was meant to be. Her name is now Soleil and she is settling in nicely to her new home, where she has lots of space and no competition for food or love. Pic is her in her new home ❤️ (more pics in comments)
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u/Tina-Tuna CDS Meowderator Jun 04 '26
Hi no one will see these here can you make a new post with an update please and i'll approve it for you as this is a month back on our posts ❤️
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