BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!

Subject: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 11:51 AM

For those who kindly advised me, here's the pros and cons.

I'd have to take kitty 150 km. to find a vet who won't charge me arms plus legs for a whole day quarantining and cleaning their surgery, due to fears about feral diseases. SPCA here only offers euthanising, really. I haven't given up yet, but am not lookin' forward to hauling a wild cat that far and back.

'She' turned out to be a 'he'. I'd previously looked for the usual male appendages at the back of the cat and didn't find any, but the cat has thick long fur. Then a couple weeks ago I caught kitty licking his unmistakable penis. I think the cat is younger than I previously thought, since it's grown to twice original size since I started feeding it, and has not started spraying, AFAICT.

Progress: I can pick this cat up, pet and cuddle it, call it and it will come. Nobody else can get near it, unfortunately, because I want him calm enough to take him to a vet. He let me cut mats out of his coat with scissors, put flea stuff on his neck, will eat from my hand, has never shown aggression towards me, just skittishness if I move too fast.

Survival: I gave up and made him a warm little house on the deck in time for TS Noel, from which he can see in through the patio doors. He likes looking at us, and will come in for brief visits if I'm alone. Our own cat thinks he should keep the heck outside, though, and inevitably starts beating on the stranger, who is half his size.

Hope: I dunno... I've decided to just try to get him tamer for a while before going any further. My own cat's up to date with needles, and this fella appears to be perfectly healthy, although i know you can't always tell.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 12:07 PM

Sounds like you've made some real progress. I know of plenty of tame cats who go bonkers when one tries to use scissors on them, etc. Good for you!

We used to get natural calming tablets to settle our dog and some of the cats when we moved across the country with them; drove all the way from Massachusetts to Wyoming that way!

HERE'S some info on one product with customer reviews. Maybe that will be helpful.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 12:21 PM

Thanks Kat! My vet is sympathetic but understandably will only go so far. I asked about cat tranks and she said (and SPCA also said) it is illegal to prescribe any without first seeing cat: catch 22.

I'm almost considering being devious and just taking him to a vet. My own cat is the product of an indoor outdoor unvetted housecat and an unknown tom, and the vet didn't turn a hair when I went in with him. How much difference is there in danger of diseases between the two of them? But then, if he injured anyone or did spread a disease in the clinic, I'd turn myself in out of guilt.

I'm an admitted sucker for even an old scruffy one-eyed raggedy flea-ridden street cat, but this little guy has no stops on cuteness. All white and fluffy and soft, with a short nose, almost human-looking face, fluffy grey tail and brown tabby spots on shoulders and head and ears. Plus a really loud purr. Goes limp when I cuddle him, purrs like amotorboat and rubs his face on my sleeves. Erk. Melt. Act foolish.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: maeve
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 12:39 PM

Your feral cat sounds like mine- my mum's actually- he lived with me for a year or so. My mother's local vet (South Carolina)was fine about prescribing a tranquilizer for the cat, sight unseen, to enable my parents to bring him in for care. He was given all the care needed, including neutering, without any complaints from the vet. Since that time he's developed into the most beautiful cat, with intelligence, a definate sense of humor, and lots of love to give. When my folks moved from SC to Maine, the cat came too, tranquilized and in a carrier.

He stayed at my house for a year while they worked on their new house, and that was the time during which he really became a fully socialized pet. It's worth all the trouble.

It would seem that if you could weigh him when he's there feeling safe with you, your vet should be able to legally write a script for you- is that possible? The weight would enable him/her to prescribe the correct dosage. Best wishes for yours!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 12:47 PM

Sounds like he's not so feral as you thought - if only because he reacts to human kindness... either that or he didn't suffer human unkindness before you adopted him.

Good luck and persevere!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Mr Red
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 01:56 PM

Joy has a cat she feeds - he is at the point of nosing food as it goes into the dish but touching is a no no. He hisses at me even though I put food out occasionally. Joy lives on a farm so he has plenty of hiding places. No rats now either!
He has a flea collar which must be a year old at least.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Greg B
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 04:55 PM

Take a look at this: http://www.forgottencats.com/

I found them on a Google search. We took three barn cats
to them. There are similar organizations in various places.

150km is ridiculous.

And not all vets are as particular as yours.

On the other hand, if he's a tom, you may want to just
leave him fertile. He'll never have kittens, and in a
world with un-spayed females if it isn't him that knocks
'em up it'll be another.

I'd only neuter him if I intended for him to come indoors,
at this point, especially if it required driving that far.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 08:17 PM

Greg, Nova Scotia has unique winter weather - every kind you can think of, from 30 below and blizzarding to driving sleet all day and night, with a mild day thrown in here and there. There may be times when this cat has to come in for the night to survive, little house or not. Plus, I think toms should be neutered - it's one less tom makin' kittens.

I got a lead on a closer-by vet that might do it, today.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 08:30 PM

Me, I'd just take him to a close vet and tell them I had a new cat. He needs a worm check, ear mites, etc. besides the cut job.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 08:43 PM

Yes, and ear mites usually require daily treatment for several weeks... and then they re-infest.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 10:14 PM

Thankfully, earmites are fairly rare hereabouts - I think they freeze to death outside the hothouse confines of urban areas. Wild Kitty's ears are very clean looking inside - he's overall a very clean looking cat, for a longhaired white critter. He does get lotsa stuff stuck on him, but seems to get most of it off without help... except for a big slug that had slimed into his side fur... ick.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Nov 07 - 10:18 PM

I am in a semi urban area, but NOT truly urban. Rural town and I have ear mite troubles. My friend who does live in 'the country' has them big time, so maybe it is the weather there. Be thankful. They can also cause brain damage if bad enough.

Slug on fur....MAJOR ICK.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Becca72
Date: 07 Nov 07 - 06:18 PM

Any word on the closer vet?

I'd love to see pics of this young man if you can, too. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 07 Nov 07 - 10:54 PM

Head vet wasn't in today, so I'm supposed to get a call back tomorrow. I fudged and said 'stray', not 'feral'. I'll take a trip into town and hit the health food places for cat calmers, and I'll wait a bit longer to see if I can get him to let other people handle him. I was searching through his fur today trying to see his skin condition (looks fine) and noticed he has a sharpish knob on one of his ribs, but doesn't seem to bother him.

Pics? Maybe. I'm trying to figure out hooking up camera to computer - I finally have the right combo of cables, I think, but I've been procrastinating. This computer is very old. I warn you though, you'll want him if you see a pic!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Becca72
Date: 08 Nov 07 - 09:12 AM

You have no idea how right you are, Bee. I cannot say no to a cute little kitty...which is how I ended up with 3 of them.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Nov 07 - 01:09 PM

A friend just sent me this. I thought it might find a "good home" in this thread:

RULES REGARDING STRAY CATS

Stray cats will not be fed.
   
   
Stray cats will not be fed anything except dry cat food
moistened with a little milk.
   
Stray cats will not be fed anything except dry cat food
moistened with warm milk, yummy treats and leftover fish scraps.
   
Stray cats will not be petted, played with or picked up and
cuddled unnecessarily.
   
Stray cats that are petted, played with, picked up and cuddled
will absolutely not be given a name.
   
Stray cats with or without a name will not be allowed inside
the house at any time.
   
Stray cats allowed inside will not be permitted to jump up on
or sharpen their claws on the furniture.
   
Stray cats will be permitted on furniture but must sharpen claws on new $114.99 sisal rope scratching post with three perches.
   
Stray cats will sleep outside.
   
Stray cats will sleep in the garage.
   
Stray cats will sleep in the house, but not in our bed.
   
Stray cats will sleep in our bed, but not under the covers.
   
Stray cats will not play on the desk.
   
Stray cats will not play on the desk near the computer.
   
Stray cats are forbidden to walk on the computer keyboard on the desk when the human is using it.
   
Stray cats are forbidden to walk on the computer keyboard on the desk
when the human is asdfjjhhkl;ljfd.;oier puyykmm4hbdm9lo9jmdskdm.... USING IT!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Becca72
Date: 12 Nov 07 - 01:39 PM

:-) Thanks, Kat

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 12 Nov 07 - 07:21 PM

Bee - in the other thread I posted this link - they may be able to help you with suggestions for tranking widdle white kittie kuddles (well, kuddles you anyways!)


Alley Cat Allies - Every Kitty Every City!
http://alleycats.org/

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 12:16 AM

Thanks, guys.

Kat, we're at 'allowed inside for a bit each day'.

DW, I'll look there. This kitty has to get vetted pronto, as he now has an eye infection (which I gloomily suspect is conjunctivitis associated with FLV). I've been treating it with antibiotic goo (as suggested at a vet site), which seems to be having some good effect. It has not spoiled his appetite. He eats three times what my own cat does, and I feed him as much as he wants because little house or not, it's cold out there, he needs the calories... and he's growing like a weed.

I'm aware there's some risk to my own cat, who has had his needles, etc., but I also know there'd be no way to keep him away from other cats anyway, since he's an indoor-outdoor country cat.

I am trying so hard not to get attached to this cat, but it ain't easy.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 08:22 AM

And still no pic!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 10:18 AM

Readin' my mind, Sorcha. I gotta load the camera (which i barely know how to use!) software on the old computer, then we'll see. I've only had a digital camera for a few months, and I'm not sure if WIN98SE will even work with it.

Little bugger is in the house somewhere right now, hiding. I brought him in out of the rain to check his eye, put some more goo on it (pra-a-aise the lord, it's almost completely cleared up!) and he promptly disappeared - even my cat hasn't found him. Not that I blame him, it's pouring cold rain out.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 12:17 PM

Oh, you're a goner for sure, Bee, if he's already inside and found the hidey-holes. You might as well give up and give him a name, etc.!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 02:03 PM

Reluctant and Highly Disapproving Husband has already named him Snowball - husband's naming criteria does not include high degree of creativity.

And, hours later, I still haven't seen him, but then, my cat just sleeps all day if the weather's bad, so he's likely snoozin' somewhere.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Becca72
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 02:05 PM

It's all over if Husband had named him. He'll grunt about it but his heart is already melted by the little cutie.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 02:12 PM

*snicker, snicker* Yes! The takeover continues. Operation Snowball is almost complete! Viva Kitty Le Mew!

Oops! Sorry about that. Kipling, Trystan! Get away from that computer!

kattroubled&lookingatherlittlefurryrebels

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 04:46 PM

OH, HOW funny! Kat is right...if hubby named him, it really is all over. Sleeping on the bed will be next. Hubby's pillow if karma has anything to say about it.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 09:04 PM

Snowball. OK, I can't really talk now can I, having named my little black feral furball INKY. I was calling him LURK when he was lurking around the yard and house. That was in honour of a black cat an old boyfriend used to call LURK.

That cat used to lurk around the windows of ex-boyfriend's home and hiss at ex-boyfriends then itsy bitsy kitten named Ted. (ex-boyfriend thought it would cute to name a cat after Ted Bundy - Note, he and I broke up shortly thereafter). Anyhoo, Lurk the big menacing black cat attained legendary status which was all shot to hell when it was disovered his real name was INKY. So, when I discovered I had my own little black LURK - I skipped a few steps and just started calling him INKY within a couple of days. He likes it - comes running to the front door when I call him which is all we need right?

You know, somwehre on the Net, I recall there being a Pet names website that lists all the appropriate names for cats or dogs of certain colors of personalities in dozens of languages such as Rua for a red setter and so on. Let me go look for it.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 09:48 PM

OK, I only found the names for dogs by color or country of origin. here are some suitably bad names for a white pet:


Arctic
Aspen
Avalanche
Blizzard
Cameo
Casper
Cloud
Coconut
Cotton
Edelweiss
Frostie, Frosty
Ghost
Glacier
Igloo
Ice
Ice Cube
Ivory
Lily
Marshmallow
Pearl
Polar
Powder
Snow
Snow Ball ************DING DING DING**********
Snowflake
Snow White
Snowden
Sugar
Vanilla

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 10:23 PM

OK - found it!

Before I go on, let me vote for Leche (Lay-chay) if he is the color of milk or Bawny-Boy, I always liked that name. However, my all-time fave name for a white dog or cat is Alby which is short for Alban which is latin for the fair i believe.

Go here:

True Colour Names for your dog or Pet

Now some of these listed these are actual names of colors or names associated with certain colors or hues. they are names of colors that ARE also names, get it??

Some fun but weird ones:

EBURNEAN: of or like ivory; ivory-coloured
*GWEN: white (Welsh) (You can call him Gwynn)
LEUCOCHROIC: white or pale-coloured
NANKEEN: buff-coloured; durable buff-coloured cotton
*NIVEOUS: snowy; white (not bad, not bad at all)
*ORAN: Very pale - (good name for a boy, yes?)
THISTLE: milky cream colour
WHEY: off-white


means white in another language
Chagan
W™bigen
ska
Unega
Janq'u
**Wabiska (means white in OJIBWE - in case you live near any OJIBWE )
Bahn
Txuri
Arousha
Zuri (white in basque - I like that one!)

Here's some more:

male and female color names:
http://lowchensaustralia.com/names/colournames.htm

Oh, here we go - what i ws after all along:White names

Best ones I think - nice and regal sounding, as far away from snowball as possible:

Berwyn
Elgin
Finbar
Finnigan - who wouldn't love a cat named Finnigan? Eh?
Galvin
Gwayne - another variation on Gwynn
Irving
Kenyon
Laban
Nevada or Nevaska meaning white snow in Spanish or Portuguese
Penwyn
Shiro - I like this one too!
Whittaker


I also looked up Black names and see now I should have called Inky "Lon‡n" . Oh well. he's stuck with Inky now.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 10:55 PM

I'm now helpless with laughter. See, Husband is in Good Company!

DW, Niveous isn't bad. Keep in mind I have to shout this name out to call him, and my ringing tones can be heard by neighbours all the way up the road - which is a good reason for ditching the Snowball moniker. When we first moved in, our dog had a common man's name (though she was a girl - I'm not good at sexing young animals, am I?) and for weeks the neighbours thought I was talking to my husband, as in "George! Spit that out right now! George, get off!" and so on.

Oh, kitty materialised just before supper. I just looked down and there he was, yawning. Tomorrow I'm makin' an earnest try at pictures - and some of my own kitty, who is a verra handsome classic tabby and has the left side collarbone area of all my natural fibre sweaters licked smooth.

I keep expecting this thread to fall off the page, but I have obviously fallen into a nest of cat fans. Er... the cats have hit the fans, or something...

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Nov 07 - 11:31 PM

LMAO!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 14 Nov 07 - 03:31 AM

ooh- ooh!

>>Raising hand<<

I have another name suggestion and it has nothing to with him being white but everything with him being feral in origin and needing a bad-ass name.

I grew up on a street that was rule with an iron paw by a semi-feral Tomcat named SOUSER which is pronounced "Soo-sir" or "Sue-Sir". Souser was one tuff puss. He only had one ear, the other having been torn off in a fight and he wasn't too pretty to look at but he was a champion mouser (Not pronounced moo-sir) and he lived to be 19 years old. If ever there was a more auspicious name, I haven't heard it.

Souser the First would want to pass his name down to a little scrapper being threatened with a lifetime as "Snowball." Souser the First would have scratched anyone that dared give a boy-kity such a sissy name. Souser the First was a good cuddler to those of his loyal subjects who were worthy of his affection. Souser the First would likely be proud to know there might be a Souser the Second. C'mon - call the baby Souser!

All hail Souser the Second!
Long live Souser!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Leadfingers
Date: 14 Nov 07 - 05:45 AM

Bee - One thing to remember is that you havent got a cat - A Cat has got YOU !!!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Becca72
Date: 14 Nov 07 - 06:55 PM

My family has a habit of naming our pets with human names so I'm at a loss for names for he of the white coat.   But I do like Finnigan or Snowden from DW's list. Snowball is just so....untough for a boy kitty.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Greg B
Date: 14 Nov 07 - 07:13 PM

You mentioned FLV up above. Before you get too attached, have
him tested.

Our policy with ferals and barn cats is that when we take them
to be 'fixed' we have them tested for feline leukemia and AIDS.

The instruction to the vet is that if they're positive for either,
just put them down and let us know. No further discussion, and
no heart-rending decision. The vets support this--- even the
rescue places.

These diseases are serious, and communicable, and result in a
lingering awful death. Animals who have them need to be destroyed,
unfortunately, to protect the healthy population.

Yes, there's a vaccine for FLV, but it's not 100% effective and
an infected cat who goes outside can be a 'Typhoid Tabby.'

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 14 Nov 07 - 08:46 PM

Having done sone literary research, I would like to point out that nominative determinism suggests that calling the little guy 'Snowball' is poptentially risky - look what happened on 'Animal Farm'... the pig took over...

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Nov 07 - 10:44 PM

Also, regarding FLV, the kits seem to get it from the mother, in the milk. If they are exposed from the milk it seems that no vaccine later will save them.

It's the fertile females that need the vac so that the kits have some immunity until they can get vacced.

It's not easy, Greg, but I applaud your decision.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 14 Nov 07 - 11:21 PM

It's a strong possibility. However, I'm now less sure where he came from (long story, but he might have been dumped), so know even less. My FLV fear stems from the eye infection - it's a noted symptom. Also, as soon as one eye cleared, the other became runny and mucusy, so I've started treating that one. Poor little bugger! Still having reluctance on the part of vets (sterilizing after an FLV cat has been on the premises seems to be their big concern, though surely they must get cats in with it frequently enough), so I'm going to talk to someone at a no-kill shelter (an hour and a half away!). They may have some advice.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 15 Nov 07 - 03:41 AM

Whatever happened to Kitty's feral bee?

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 02:59 AM

So, I take it Souser was a no go? He's still Snowball, right?

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 07:37 AM

Heh! The cat has a tenuous hold on Husband's affections as is - I dare not change his name!

Both eyes have cleared up, though, either on their own or because I gooed 'em up, who knows?

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 24 Nov 07 - 08:27 PM

I haz pichurz.

On my computer....

Of kittehs....

Do I have to email them per Member Photo info, to let people see 'em? Or is there some other way?

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Nov 07 - 11:01 PM

You can put them online in your own photo account at places such as myopera, picasa, or flikr (I wish they'd spell it right!) and post a link here OR you can send them to [e-mail] and one of us could put them in the Mudcat album which we just started at myopera, but I think we're trying to limit that to three pix per member and most want to post their own mugs, so...I could put them in my CAT ALBUM at myopera if you don't want to start one. OR, I could put them in the original Mudcat album I still have there under my user name. (Look over to the left and click on Mudcat when you get there.) You'd have to email them to me. Send me a PM if you'd like to do it that way and I'll send you my email addy.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Nov 07 - 12:20 PM

We got PICTURES!! Thanks, Bee, he is a doll, so is Tommy!

Just CLICK HERE!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update
From: Bee
Date: 26 Nov 07 - 01:29 PM

Thank you for this, kat - I never could have done it with my old dialup and cranky computer.

Now anybody can see why I couldn't give up immediately on that little white cat. We've a ways to go, and things can always go wrong, but at least right now, this is one stray that gets food every day, has a warm shelter, gets a cuddle when he wants one, and isn't wandering hopelessly. He's yawning his way out of his house on the deck when I get up, and goes to bed three or four times before I do - comes out to look in and see what's up. He comes in for a warm up a few times a day, but is scared still of everyone but me.

DW, like many a cat before him, he appears stuck with a silly name. I remember being infuriated with my cousins when we were all under ten - I wasn't allowed any pets, They always had litters of kittens and puppies and bunnies. They named black cats Blackie, grey cats Smoky, and white cats Fluffy and Puffy, while I was imagining romantic monikers like Black Diamond and Mystery and Rapunzel. So I end up with Tommy and Snowball - the cousins are revenged.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Nov 07 - 01:35 PM

Well, I'd say he definintely has MORE than a "snowball's chance in aitch-ee-double-el!" Lucky kitty and good onya both, Bee.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: CET
Date: 26 Nov 07 - 09:36 PM

He looks like a smaller and fluffier cousin of Bill, the cat that ate Ottawa, who came to live with us seven years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: JennieG
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 01:20 AM

He's a gorgeous boy!

Cheers
JennieG and her 3 kitties

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 03:48 AM

he's gorgeous - how can he be a feral? He looks like a well-looked after no-longer lost kitten to me.

sandra (by-the-by, your tabby is beautiful, too, you have 2 lucky cats)

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: gnu
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 05:23 AM

Yup, Bee. I can see why. I may be in the same boat as I noticed "beds" in the leaves bwtween my house and the firewood pile.

Um, how did you make the "warm little house" on the deck?

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Bee
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 06:35 AM

Gnu, a friend gave me an old, heavily constructed stereo component box, with a door on the front. I cut a cat size hole in one side of the door. It's about 20X20 inches, 18 high, and has two inch sticks on the bottom so it is raised a bit off the deck boards. I lined it inside with blue foam sheet insulation, sides and bottom, and soft foam on top (just because I had scraps around). I put an old thick fake sheepskin construction worker type vest in for a bed - it goes up sides and back and covers floor.

Then we started having all these rainy windy days, and water was going inside, so I covered it with old raincoat, shored it up with slab wood, and made eaves for it (more slabwood, the inventive non-carpenter solution) to stick out about five inches to help that problem. There's about four to six inches of slabwood all around it now, further insulating it.

It ain't a pretty deck ornament, but I have a dry and reasonably warm outdoor cat. If we get oldfashioned really cold weather, it may not be enough.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: gnu
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 07:25 AM

I was thinking about making something for buddy (buddette?) but my problem is placement. My "deck" is just a landing - not enough room. If I put in between the woodpile and the house, snow and ice could be death. I'll just have to try to figure some thing out... if it hangs around. It may not be ferrel... just visiting until the owners are up in the AM or sommat.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Bee
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 07:43 AM

Gnu, you might want to make sure it's cats, as opposed to strays or wandering neighbours' cat. Woodchucks and raccoons will nest behind woodpiles. I once startled a woodchuck behind the firewood and those suckers get right snarly when in a corner.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 09:35 AM

If we get oldfashioned really cold weather, it may not be enough.

When we moved into this old country farmhouse, our back porch included a few similar atructures left for us by the previous tenants. The farmer up the road (our landlord) had a large feral population on his place up the road, and the overflow usually headed here.

What you have constructed should work quite well as long as it is out of the worst of the wind; the key in cold weather is not the amount of shelter, but more the amount of calories the cat has available to burn. Cats have very fast metabolisms, so as long as you keep the food supply ample he should do fine. If you give him a hear source, you may reduce his natural ability to grow a thick coat and keep warm, and get into an increasingly-active cat-keeping strategy you didn;t mean to sing up for. On the other hand, if you WANT to do more, and you have a place he can access that is safe for electronics, a 100-watt bulb in a clamp-lamp creates a huge amount of heat; as long as he's not trapped under the bulb he can choose how much time he wants to spend under it. I raised chicks under such lamps many times, in wooden shipping crates with a chicken-wire lid. I just sat the lamp on the lid and watched the chicks to see if the bulb was too hot. (They'll move away from too much heat and maintain normal activity under the right amount of heat.)

If the shelter you made is not warm enough, he'll seek other shelter. The problem comes in when the shelter they choose is under a car hood~~ radiator belt injuries (spinal twists) are common.


A more difficult issue to address will be the winter water supply; cats tend to drink far less than is good for their health, so they are usually on the edge of dehydration under the best of circumstances. You can find safe, electrified water heaters at your local farm store. A chicken waterer set on a heated base (out of the weather) worked well for us, but not all cats are willing to use the narrow water channel these offer; you may perfer to set a large metal reservoir over the heated base. The amount of heat is minimal-- just enough to keep the water from freezing.

Cute pix! With that much long hair, it can't be that long ago in his ancestry that his family was indoor cats. He may tame easily.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: gnu
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 09:46 AM

Bee... oh, it's a cat. I can tell by the beds in the leaves that it's not a coon. And, a woodchuck would not chuck... you know.

Other hint are the garbage bags along the street are not touched on a regular basis nor are any of the beds used every night, so, no coons close bye and PROBABLY not stray or ferrel cat. More investigation is required.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Bee
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 11:57 AM

Susan, I'm beginning to suspect that he is not from the feral cat keepers I know, although the lady said she thought he was one of their feral kittens this spring past, I think she may have been wrong and he was dumped or strayed - more likely dumped, as once I started feeding his skeletal little self, he never left. His muzzle is very short, as you can see in the pics. Not too far from a Persian type indoor ancestor, I would say.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Becca72
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 11:58 AM

Oh, Bee, he is a sweet heart! He looks just like my Maddy except where his dark patches are Maddy's are tan. What a couple of gorgeous fellas you have there!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 12:21 PM

Of course the easiest way to water him in the winter will be to gradually incorporate him into the household.... it's just a matter of time, really.....

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 09:25 PM

So how is SOUSER these days? Oh, errr, I mean SNOWBALL.

Cute pic

Cans we has more?

SHow him the LOLCat bible. Ceiling Cat has clearly been looking after him and deeming it good. Git teh kitteh somes relijin

Teh blessigs of teh Ceiling Cat b pwn u!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 09:46 PM

[gossiping] Psst! I heard (from Bee herSELF) (over in the pets favorite things thread) that Snowball is INside a LOT these days. Oh yes, LOL! Because it's COLD outside now? uh huh! So.... maybe it's time to change this thread title, to take out that nasty word "feral" and make it "furball"..... yesyesyes!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 09:50 PM

You don't say?

I'm shocked, simply shocked that a cute feral kitten has become an indoor kitteh. Shocked!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 10:11 PM

Shocked! AND he has got reelijons too!

Will long johns be next? It's COLD out there!
(bet the bed is warm...hee hee)

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 11:11 PM

Well, ya had to know SOMEthing was going on that she didn't want to tell US about, nope, nuh uh, not in THIS thread. Naw, she's telling all her news in the OTHER thread (like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth)!

Ah bet she's nigh unto ready to 'fess up, though.....

C'mon, Bee, come clean! All will be forgiven (if you just telltelltell)!

It's not Bee's fault, of course; I can't think of any of us who'd have been immune in her situation! What's a girl to DO?!??!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 11:14 PM

hee hee....and my Mr. just don't get it. He's never had a kit attach itsself to HIM.....he will someday. He 'tolerates' my cats....but I'm 'forbidden' to have more than 2 at once. Oh yea?

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 11:20 PM

Men, tough guys! heeheehee....

Hardi is SO CUTE with either of our two kittehs on his lap on a cold, sleepy afternoon. Natcherly I got him the best kittehs to show "traces of fur" on his black work pants! That there is EVIDENCE that he has to wear to work among all the dear sweet parish ladies! And to meetings with the Bishop an' all! Yah, he's a tough guy all right!

I do love a man know how to trail his fingers over a warm, sleeping kitteh, make that kitteh purr nice. Any day now he's gonna let big ole lapdog Faulkner up on that chair with him; it just hasn't got COLD enough yet! :~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 11:22 PM

Current page ad:

Interventions don't work
Ultimatums do. Force the issue or be forced by issues. Use AVRT® now.

KITTEH interventions that is! AVRT®, that some kinda catfood?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Dec 07 - 11:41 PM

She DID say this, in this thread-- saw it coming right off.....

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Bee - PM
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 11:57 AM

Susan, I'm beginning to suspect that he is not from the feral cat keepers I know, although the lady said she thought he was one of their feral kittens this spring past, I think she may have been wrong and he was dumped or strayed - more likely dumped, as once I started feeding his skeletal little self, he never left. His muzzle is very short, as you can see in the pics. Not too far from a Persian type indoor ancestor, I would say.

Uh huh, yepp-ER.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 12:04 AM

"Any day now he's gonna let big ole lapdog Faulkner up on that chair with him; it just hasn't got COLD enough yet! :~)"

WHAT??? Faulkner ain't on the chair????? Good gods and greyhounds, what is wrong with that dog??????


(Woke up the other night/morning...I don't know, was dark. 4 dogs and 2 cats on the bed. Don't know where the Other Dog was. Poor Mr had to fight for space when he finally came home from work, 4AM ish...hee hee)

They are all so pleased that we bought a new couch and recliner just for them! First thing they did was make sure the Put the Foot up/recline back handles all worked properly.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 01:40 AM

I can see now that I'm going to have to find me my own feral kitteh if I want a kitteh named Souser. I should have named Inky "Souser" when I had the chance. I almost had a cat named Luther a few weeks ago but he was just a visiting kitteh.

This big round faced tomcat came strolling into my yard and right up onto the porch and into the house. I said 'WHo are you?" and he said "why, I am Luther of course. Don't believe me? Check my tag!" So I did and he was, in fact, Luther.   He made himself comfy on the bed while I called his mother. She said Luther likes to wander and sometimes he stays away for days at a time but people usually call her. She came and got him 4 hours later. Luther had a good time using the cat pan, eating Inky's food and sleeping all over the house. I took pictures because I didn't think my hsuband would believe me that a strange cat just decided to come on over and have afternoon tea with me.

I haven't seen Luther since then. He lives over 10 blocks away so I'm not sruprised. he's probably having afternoon tea closer to home these days.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 08:15 AM

WHAT??? Faulkner ain't on the chair????? Good gods and greyhounds, what is wrong with that dog??????


Hardi is a man of contradictions-- one Kickass Alpha Male at home, very unlike his always-yielding pastoral self (I am the honored Alpha Female of course). Teens with surging hormones scampered out of that chair (actually its predecessor), and only our houseguests have ensconced themselves in it.

But the F issue is not the chair, it's the lap sitting in it-- he wants THERE, but Hardi has never had a dog until I introduced him to the necessity. NO LAP! NONONO! F would not dream of climbing up, uninvited; but he will climb up onto me and dangle his head on the adjoining chair arm for a scratch from H, so I know it's just a matter of time. For now he's content to be the Only Dog Hardi takes outside with him for XC skiiing, John Deering, and barn explorations.


(F BTW does not lounge about in the LR when we are out and make use of the couch and chairs. Oh, he'd be perfectly welcome to do so and I have tried many times to sneak past him on my way out. But he's convinced that when we put shoes on, he's going to his corner; he races us there, wagging, to show us how smart he is. "I spotted you again! I'm right! I go here!" He insists on staying in there even if I leave the gate open!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 10:14 AM

Oh, Whiz, what a dog. We need MORE pics!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 10:18 AM

Aw, this is Bee's "formerly feral" kitty update. F's exploits properly are listed elsewhere. (You heard of his hockey habit?)

But als, I fear my digital camera have died. :~(

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Dec 07 - 07:20 PM

Bee.... come in Bee...... telltelltell

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Dec 07 - 02:02 PM

Beeeeeeeee........


~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 11:08 AM

maybe I can lure Bee back here to share all her Kitteh news if I teller her that on Christmas day 4 feral Parrots came over my house. Yup, they did.

An we can has pitchurs too once my husband imports them to my computer.

4 wild green conures (possibly young cherry heads or hybrids) came over to spend Christmas afternoon in my magnolia tree. They stayed long enough to cause a huge fuss since never see the wild parrots south of Franklin nor this far west. After being admired and fussed over for an hour, they screamed bloody murder and wheeled away in formation. A quick glance to south revelaed they had spied our not-so friendly neighborhood Red-Shouldered hawk. Smart birdies!

They've been back a few times but not for as long. If I want them to stay around, I may have to get some already mature loquat or kumquat tress and plant them in the yard. They like to eat the fruits. Another favorite is hisbiscus flowers. I don't want to put out seed for them since that would discourage them from wild foraging. I am resolved tho! I want them to cvome over my house some more!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Bee
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 11:53 AM

Feral parrots... cooool!

I'm looking into getting a photo page online, where you will see, DW, Snowball sprawled out on his back snoring in front of the stove, on the couch, on the rug, and on the bed. All right, he appears to be my cat, now, and I should have named him 'Ragbag' or 'Pigpen', as he is always picking up twigs, burrs, dead leaves, bark, sawdust and whatever he's eaten recently and having these bits get wound up in that long fur and turn into mats.

He also has been getting into minor scraps - most of them with Tommy, who swats him every now and then. Snowball leads with his face: not a good fight plan. He's always got one or two dings on his little phiz.

He's also a greedy cat - likely a response to having gone hungry - and always thinks the food in Tommy's bowl must be better than what's in his. But he does not comprehend cheese. Tommy loves cheese, and when I give him some, Snowball always rushes over, sniffs, backs away, and stares in disbelief watching Tommy eat it with obvious enjoyment.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 07:14 PM

Bee, I can recommend a MyOpera page - it's free, has a large capacity and a very short, Plain English agreement.

Kat recommended it to me & Mudcat uses it for the members pictures.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 11:41 AM

Hey Bee, how's the kitteh?

I thought I'd refresh this thread as a place to put in a kitty-save, BIG WHEW.....

With stroke-brain, I don't always notice that I've noticed something-- like a few days without orange kitty Atticus (sorry CET) on my lap or at foodtime. So of course when I DID finally notice, I dropped everything to look/call/listen. It's a regular drill-- the 12 places he can't be, to look first. The 12 places he might be, to open doors and see if he wakes from a nap to saunter out. The 12 places he usually is, last, because if he'd been there, I'd already have seen him. And then, the Big Outdoors, where he never wanders far but maybe this time he DID.... you know the drill.

But with each call I could only hear the answer from Isis, the loudmouth! Eventually she waddled off for a nap so I started over, after having left a LOT of cabinet doors open. In one "unlikely" spot I could hear a very faint, distant answer. Thank God I'd cured my swimmer's ear and could hear well-- I deduced he was up in the Mudcat Drm attic, and YES! Up I went, and there he was, so relieved to be let out! He'd been up there for several days, because I haven't been up there since I went up to get the tape-to-MP3-recording stuff.

I think he'd nailed a mouse up there, tho I didn't find the carcass yet, because he wasn't all that urgent about the food waiting for him downstairs-- he just wanted to rub and rub and rub.

So if you "see" CET, tell him his cat is fine and lookng forweard to their next visiting opportunity.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Bee
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 04:39 PM

Glad you found him! It's been a long time worry of mine, that one of my cats will get trapped somehwere.

Tommy and Snowball are thriving, though I think worming is about due. I haven't seen any symptoms, but Snowball should be fatter, given his huge appetite.

Tommy tried unsuccessfully to teach Snowball how to hunt this summer. I first noticed that Tommy was giving Snowball dead mice to eat. Then he started giving him live ones. Snowball can't seem to figure it out. "Iz not fud." he says.

Tommy also tried to teach Snowball to climb trees, with marginally more success. At first, Snowball would sit at the bottom of the tree and cry because Tommy was up the tree. Tommy would come down, climb the trunk a couple feet, hang on, and look at Snowball. Snowball would dash at the tree, get up a couple feet, cling for a few seconds and fall off. Tommy would look disgusted and walk away. Eventually, Snowball mastered getting into conifers with low branches, which he regularly falls out of. I know when he's fallen out of one again because he comes in with twigs, needles and resin stuck in his fur everywhere.

Yes, I do think Snowball is developmentally challenged.

Snowball recently developed a new and annoying, and possibly unhealthy habit. He's taken to biting the 'pills' off wooly fabrics like blankets and eating them. Now, I have sweaters he could have a go at, but I suspect it just isn't good for him, so I'm trying to stop him.

And, Snowball's wintercoat is starting to grow in. I likely mentioned his extreme mattedness in spring. When he finally finished shedding, he looked like a soft-coated cat with quite short hair and no mane at all, whereas all winter he had a very long coat and huge mane and tail. Now I see his mane is just starting to be visible in a line just above his shoulders. Since all my other cats have been short hairs, I've never seen this total appearance change before.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Becca72
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 05:22 PM

Thanks for the laugh, Bee. Makes me feel better about my own 'gifted and talented' crew. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: gnu
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 05:34 PM

So, he's got a Snowball's chance in hell of learning to climb?

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 05:57 PM

That's a hoot, Bee!

I wonder if the wool pills are a way of eating "grass" to bring up furballs? I suppose the dyes are not the best, but I would think the wool itself is OK.

Yes, some of our past cats did die, trapped. They WILL insist on being cats-- waddaya gonna do? Best we can, I guess.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Bee
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 05:58 PM

Ha! Pretty much, gnu.

Yup, Becca - some cats just don't quite make the top ten percentile, as it were. Kidding aside, starving during kittenhood likely impeded Snowball's development in a number of directions, including brain growth. I've no idea how long he was on his own. He may have been separated from his mother very early on - there wasn't much to him when I started feeding him.

On one subject, though, he has developed strong kitteh opinions, and that is - fud. Wild dead thins iz not fud. Dry kibble iz fud for one day. Then iz not fud, is stale yuckies, do not want. Gushy fud iz gud fud, except salmon flavour, which iz not fud, do not want. Lasagna IZ fud - WANT! (First cat I've known to even touch the stuff).

Tommy is more traditional. Wild thins iz fud. Dry kibble is fud. Gushy fud is fud. Except salmon flavour, do not want! He will only eat two kinds of people food -good aged cheeses, any variety, and vanilla ice cream - WANT!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 08:12 PM

cats are characters!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Becca72
Date: 02 Oct 08 - 05:26 PM

Bee...I once had a cat (Mara Jade) who wouldn't touch people food unless it was chocolate donuts. She was nuts over them. And lord forbid a coin hit the floor. She would come running from anywhere in the apartment and snap it up. I would later find it in the water dish. Go figgah.
Madmardigan LOVES tortilla chips. He will actually steal them out of the bag if you don't watch closely. And Sheldon will put ANYTHING in the water dish (bracelets, coins, candles, frig magnets, cat toys). Maddy is Mara's biological son but Sheldon is no relation. I think she was reincarnated!

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: CET
Date: 03 Oct 08 - 03:38 AM

Hi, Susan. Glad to hear Atticus is back where he belongs.

Edmund

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Oct 08 - 08:53 AM

:~)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Bee
Date: 03 Oct 08 - 01:55 PM

Becca: cats are just weird. And your cats are part Magpie. ;-)

Tommy will not drink water from a bowl... unless it is the toilet bowl. I can't figure how he balances without falling in, but I've seen him often. Otherwise, he prefers the lake and mud puddles, or a dripping tap.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Oct 08 - 02:32 PM

Tommy, in an Edward G Robinson voice: "I'm feral too, see? Yah! Feral. That's me. I like my water feral, see?"

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Becca72
Date: 03 Oct 08 - 03:22 PM

LOL. Good one, WYSI.

As I've stated before, Mikey will only drink from the bathroom sink faucet. Of course, I'm kinda OCD myself so I really can't blame any quirks the cats pick up...

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: Bee
Date: 03 Oct 08 - 03:34 PM

Ha! Likely right, WYs - he's right some feral until until he gets caught in the rain or falls in the lake, then he wants me to dry him off with a nice fluffy towel, and will complain until I do.

Subject: RE: BS: Bee's Feral Kitty Update - pix added!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Oct 08 - 03:59 PM

"Yah! An' I'll be feral when it suits me, see?"

~Edward G Cattinson