|
Post by gianna on Sept 6, 2022 11:50:03 GMT -5
Please be sure that all of your indoor cats are totally up to date with all of their vaccinations. You wouldn't think it, but cats can transmit all sorts of diseases via contact through windowscreens. The fear of disease from a 'wild' cat is exactly why the critter will not be brought into the house. (Have I mentioned I'm weak?...) At the moment, they still keep a distance of several feet through the screen, and last night they seem to have gotten along better. But it is a concern.
|
|
|
Post by desertwoman on Sept 6, 2022 12:15:41 GMT -5
(Have I mentioned I'm weak?...) I prefer to see you as compassionate!
|
|
|
Post by desertwoman on Sept 6, 2022 12:20:49 GMT -5
P.S. how about cautious rather than concern? there are ways to safely introduce a stray into a household. Just sayin' (I can be such an enabler)
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Sept 6, 2022 15:53:55 GMT -5
P.S. how about cautious rather than concern? there are ways to safely introduce a stray into a household. Just sayin' If it happens, it wont be very soon. The cat would have to be much more tame for that. Months away I'd think. And since it's been outside, it would always want to go outside. That desire does not subside. The last adult cat I adopted had been indoor/outdoor, and would just sit at the door meowing loudly, till I let him out. And the coyotes got him. (I can be such an enabler) Cats and seeds, lol.
|
|
|
Post by emmsmommy on Sept 7, 2022 15:44:14 GMT -5
P.S. how about cautious rather than concern? there are ways to safely introduce a stray into a household. Just sayin' (I can be such an enabler) One of those "safe ways" does not involve a house full of people at Easter dinner as hubby quickly found out. Actually the cat wasn't a stray but we'd only had him for a week or so when hubby decided to drag him out to meet the family. We had desserts sitting on the bay window ledge and they quickly went flying through the air after the cat got loose. Oddly he quickly made up with our female Manx who disliked most cats and people.
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Sept 17, 2022 20:07:14 GMT -5
I've been feeding this cat about a month now. I think he's an altered male. Which makes his name Lou C. With the C standing for Cat. He's much less afraid, but still won't let me near him. But he does come closer and no longer automatically runs when I am within 10 feet. I still get the occasional hiss. But he's been seen stretched out in the yard, napping. And he's been seen drinking out of the bird bath a couple times instead of his own water bowl. He's still lean, but not skinny anymore. And he no longer totally empties his food bowl, but still has a good appetite. This afternoon he was right outside an open window, sitting on a bench looking in. And the house cats looking out and hissing. If there had not been a screen, he probably would have come inside the house. Sigh. He's a very pretty cat (orange tabby), with a nice coat, and no excessive scratching or other suspicious behavior. His tail does appear to be a wee bit short, as if he's lost a half inch or so off the end, based on coloration and non tapering end. Who knows. edit: and now, less than 30 minutes later, Lou C. is napping in the path next to the celery bed. So cute.
|
|
|
Post by claude on Sept 27, 2022 9:10:48 GMT -5
Gianna…you’re goi g to have to start calling Lou C my boy…ownership is present 😀
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Sept 30, 2022 18:19:29 GMT -5
I'm sure I've already used the word 'my' when referring to Lou C., lol. I doubt he'll ever be really tame. He's just too suspicious. If he's very hungry, he'll allow me to be 3 feet from him when eating, and that's only the past couple days. Definitely progress. Years ago I adopted a cat that had been mistreated. It took an entire year before it allowed itself to alertly sit at the far end of the couch when I was at the other end. Eventually he was totally at ease stretched out on his back in my lap, but that took years of patience.
|
|
|
Post by gardendmpls on Oct 1, 2022 22:47:15 GMT -5
I doubt he'll ever be really tame. He's just too suspicious. Thought the same about Shomer. She only came in because it was freezing out and she was following our other cat, who she was related to-same parents. It took years until she finally became a lap cat. Baby steps.
|
|
|
Post by desertwoman on Oct 1, 2022 23:26:36 GMT -5
I see Lou C in your lap gianna, It's just a matter of time
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Nov 9, 2022 11:03:50 GMT -5
I see Lou C in your lap gianna, It's just a matter of time He's definitely getting less wary. And I now consider his hissing as an expression of endearment. When I have food in hand in the morning, he allows me to remain 3 feet away. I'm not in a hurry to pet him since he could easily scratch or bite if that was considered unwelcome. He has gained some more weight, and is looking like a normally fed cat. Nice for winter. His appetite is still good, and he will finish whatever the pampered indoor cats wont finish. Weeks ago, as emmsmommy had suggested, I built a quick shelter from a sturdy box, and put a bit of old rug in it, and surrounded it with concrete blocks, etc. He showed ZERO interest in it. Then our first real rains came the other day, and low and behold, as I was bringing morning food out, he emerged from inside the dry box!! I was thrilled. I saw him in it over the next couple days too. The rains are over for now, but it's going to be in the lower 40s at night this week (cool for us), so I built him another one this morning which is a little better. And when I have the time and tools, I'm going to convert an old plastic-sided Coleman ice chest into a warmer, even sturdier one with easier access to the inside for maintenance.
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Nov 11, 2022 20:06:02 GMT -5
The rains are over for now, but it's going to be in the lower 40s at night this week (cool for us), so I built him another one this morning which is a little better. And when I have the time and tools, I'm going to convert an old plastic-sided Coleman ice chest into a warmer, even sturdier one with easier access to the inside for maintenance. I ended up 'building' another new one from the old ice chest today. Why wait? He went into the fresh one last night, and that was good. But it was a Rubbermaid bin, and except for the bottom, needed insulation and in time would crack from the sun. So... It was not easy cutting a nice hole in the side with no power tools, but do-able. Insulation in the walls was at least an inch thick. And I was able to put tiles (for weight) and more insulation in the bottom, and a nice old cat bed which he did not reject last night. No signs of fleas or tape worms on the old cat bed from when he was on it last night, so that's good. It's a nice darker maroon color, and blends in well with the blueberry plants in the background. I can see into it's opening from inside the back door. I'm happy with it. I hope the Little Critter is too. When I was working on it and putting it in place, taking down the old one, unknown to me, he was napping in the sun about 15 feet away tucked away in the blueberry patch, and seemed calm with all the activity.
|
|
|
Post by Mumsey on Nov 15, 2022 7:21:24 GMT -5
Our new neighbor has a cat that was a stray farm cat from her sister's property. It took a year for him to let her touch him. Now he is the sweetest thing. She lets him out on nice days and he roams her yard and ours. He like to hide in her asparagus ferns. Yesterday I saw him in the next neighbor's yard, and so did Princess. She barked and rushed the fence. Mr. Gray took off and found he could not climb a PVC fence. He came back our way and climbed the 6 foot wood fence and sat on the top watching us for quite a while. He loves the catmint in our front yard, but it's gone now. He still comes and sits on our front deck. He is not declawed and does not destroy things in her house. She leaves the door open enough for him to come and go, and he has provided several treats. A live chipmunk, dead baby rabbit and a toad! All of which he took into the house. Neighbor had to chase the chipmunk out after an ordeal of hide and seek!
There is a bunch of feral black cats in the neighborhood which are well fed by another neighbor down the street.
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Nov 21, 2022 12:34:23 GMT -5
It took a year for him to let her touch him. I don't think it will take a year with this little critter, but maybe another month or two. I'm not rushing it, and he allows me closer every day. I could have touched him the other day, but didn't want him to panic or even bite or scratch. Ya never know. A big difference has been giving him canned food, and only putting food out when I see him. He does not recognize the sound of a can being opened, but seems to really like the soft stuff. He even came close enough to sniff the new yummy stuff at the end of a spoon, but quickly backed away. I do think he's quite young. His teeth are very white, and he easily chews the crunchy dry kibble. He meows a lot, but the last couple days he has not hissed at me as he approached his food, either dry or wet. That is progress.
|
|
|
Post by gianna on Dec 3, 2022 18:17:46 GMT -5
The Little Kitty is still coming around, at least twice per day for food. He's getting more comfortable all the time. On TG morning, as I hovered over him eating, I touched his ear. He jumped out of his skin, but came back fairly quickly to eat more. I've touched his ear 4 times thus far, each time with less of a reaction. Next time, if it seems right, I'll touch his head. He has made no aggressive moves like lurching or paw swiping, or growling. He still meows quite a bit when waiting for food, but hardly any hissing anymore. He really seems like a nice cat, though still very wary.
Today when feeding him, I was also messing with rain collection in that area, not paying much attention to him, when I saw him going through the door and into the back bedroom. The house cats were closed off in the other part of the house, or I wouldn't have left the back slider open. He made it in about 6 feet before I shooed him outside again. So.. he is not afraid of being inside a house.
It has been raining on and off the past couple days, but he's never wet, just ever so slightly damp, so he's got someplace to say dry. There were a couple muddy foot prints in the shelter I made, but I don't see him in there.
|
|