This page is about our rescue in Egypt and not 'Safe Haven Egypt USA'
Safe Haven Egypt offers cats up for adoption who are rescued from the streets of Cairo. That also means they do not get the best start in life from a medical and health point of view. To survive, they eat and drink whatever they can find. They can’t be picky about that.
When they enter the Haven, some cats look absolutely fine whilst others have obvious broken bones or infections. A few may come with hidden problems.
New arrivals at Haven get the full medical treatment we can offer, considered a high standard compared to local norms.
However, that level of care is lower then what is typically available in the cats’ adoptive countries.
When a new cats enters the Haven, it initially goes into a quarantine area. There it will be examined, vaccinated, de-wormed and de-fleaed. We divide them is several groups who live together. While still large, we try to make those groups a small as possible. When a cat has a confirmed adopter, it goes to the “travel lounge,” a special, small living group for cats with adopters. This group of cats is closely watched for any signs of illness that may not have been previously identified.
Safe Haven Egypt uses the best veterinarians we can find. Our regular Haven vet is very knowledgeable and compassionate. He continues to expand his experience and skills by working with visiting vets and self-teaching via videos and educational papers. For complex cases, we work with specialist vets and routinely ask for new options.
Egyptian veterinary practices don’t have access to the kind of equipment that is much more commonplace in western countries. The same is true with the type of tests available.
Bloodwork is ordered whenever a vet feels it is needed. X-rays are done if medically necessary. There are limited options for ecohography; we have to travel to obtain this kind of test. At the same time, it’s important we stay aware of the associated costs.
Whenever a visitor comes to the Haven from a Western country, they typically bring us a suitcase full of supplies. There are a number of items we either can’t source locally or are only available at extremely inflated prices.
When we notice a cat has a problem we inform the adopter immediately. Locally, we do what we can to treat the issue. We would *NEVER* knowingly send a sick cat to a new home. If there is a health issue, the cat does not fly, even if the adopter wants it to travel.
We do what we can to keep our cats as healthy as possible.
Why this explanation?
Because we want to be very clear about this. – Every adopter is asked to review and sign the adoption contract , which includes a clause on page 2, top section. The adopter is responsible for all medical costs upon the SHE’s arrival in the new country.
- Your cat is adopted to your home in the condition in which they arrive
- If a cat arrives ill, then we did not knew about that – even if you think someone should have.
- The adopter is responsible for the medical costs after adoption
The stress of their journey from Cairo can’t be underestimated. A condition that was not present when the cat was cleared to leave Egypt can – and do – materialize as a result of their journey.
Or, as the result of exposure to different allergens, different detergents, different food, different litter, different weather conditions.
Please remember that your cat has come to live with you on a different continent.
It isn’t uncommon for a SHE cat to have an upset digestive system and/or some sneezing as a result of the journey and change of climate.
We always recommend letting your cat rest and recuperate from their travel. Our team is available to offer recommendations and advice during this initial period.
At the end it all comes down to this: we do the best we can with the resources we have available. Please be aware of the limitations and challenges we face.
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