How many Mudcats have cats!?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 13 Jul 18 - 09:36 AM

You husband is bad, Sen ;-)

I don’t remember if we ever did this but I think older UK ways would often have put the cat out for the night but I think that largely fell out of favour. Feelings on indoor/outdoor vs indoor can seem to follow a UK/North American divide although perhaps more over here keep their cats in all the time now?

Probably my biggest feeling on this concerns animals that have had the taste for the outdoor life. This could be one like Mewan who found us while still a kitten but had lived all her first part outside and more so with one like Furball who’s known that life as an adult.

Perhaps I’d feel more inclined to try indoor only with one that’s never known that. I don’t know there but, while we are going for in at nightime, with Furball, I’d likely always finish up with the feeling at some point of depriving our type of cats of something important to them if they were denied the chance to do their own thing outside at other times.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 21 Jul 18 - 02:12 AM

I went down the garden at 6am (couldn’t sleep) to collect something I left in a shed last evening. Coming back to the house, I saw a cat. At first I thought “not that next door creature...” then I realised it was a tabby and wondered how Furball had got out, and then another look at the creature partly hidden in the bushes and I realised it was PussPuss who we haven’t seen since the cold spell.

I didn’t think he looked that well, a bit sort of bloated looking and his left eye looked a little odd but I doubt there would be much I could do to help. At his most trusting, he will stand his ground (with hisses) as I put a dish down but after a long break, it would probably be a while before I can get within a few yards.

Anyway, he took 3 pouches (he’ll stand forward of the dish and make himself visible if he wants another) before wandering off. I’ll have to see if he comes back and wonder how things will work out with Furball as a resident now if he does…

As for Furball. He’ll try it on but he seems to mostly have accepted the idea that he’s kept in for the night. He’s explored every room now and, for the time being, has chosen his chair (although he still spend a lot of time on the floor) and is slowly but surely taking control of the house.

He was a bit put out by my attempts at guitar playing (probably the first time I’d picked up an instrument in the same room as me) last night. He didn’t bother too much while I was stumming a few chords but got quite excited when I picked the melody for Madame Bonaparte. He approached me meowing. It was quite funny really and I’ve noticed similar with other cats and a laser pointer. Furball seemed to know the noises were something to do with me but he couldn’t quite work it out. He had a long look (and sniff) at the guitar as if the instrument was to blame.

As for the seeing him in the kitchen/corridor at night. I’ve changed the program for the corridor light at night (actually when it is dark outside). Instead of switching on/off, it now switches on/dim for this period. Everyone seems happy with this arrangement.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Jul 18 - 04:25 AM

Oh Jon, that poor PussPuss! There's not a lot you can do, as you say, except feeding and giving him water (Isn't this drought appalling?)
The bloating could be an enlarged liver, it's what our stray 'Solo' had. So kind of you to keep an eye on him.

I had to laugh about Furball's reaction to your playing.
I often play songs on Youtube on my laptop, and sing along. It really puzzles out two, and they stare right into my eyes as if to say, "What's the matter? Why are you howling like that? Shut up will you!"

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Jul 18 - 09:46 AM

Oh and I took this picture the other day. He is banned from the kitchen worktops but he’d been scared by the racket of combine harvesters and had decided this was the safest place so I let him be for a while. The cat in that picture seems quite a contrast to this one

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Raggytash
Date: 22 Jul 18 - 11:38 AM

That is one bonny cat John, obviously your care, love and attention is paying dividends. I hope you have many, many years with him!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 22 Jul 18 - 12:10 PM

Thanks Raggy. Much of course wasn't really in our control but we are delighted with the way things have gone.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 22 Jul 18 - 12:22 PM

Wow! What a transformation Jon! He looks absolutely great.
Well done!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Jul 18 - 09:09 PM

A most appealing face on that Furball.
I recall the time a lady referred to her pet cat, in public,
as an "ex-Tom" and the nearest adult male blurted out,
"That's politically incorrect."

Hilarious about Furball's response
to Bonaparte's Retreat!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Jul 18 - 09:23 AM

Our old Bill liked the mandolin so much that he would jump into my lap while I was practising and shove his hind end under the treble side of the instrument. Well, maybe he was less fond of the mandolin than he was satisfied that I was sitting down and likely to stay that way for a while.

Furball looks great, Jon. I notice that he lolls on the breadboard rather than the counter surface; I guess he has reviewed the House Cat's Manual and taken note of his obligations.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 07:08 AM

Furball is in the bad books today.

He started off being praised for being a good cat. I couldn’t work out why he was so agitated this morning. He wouldn’t go out in the rain (yes, he’s gone soft already) but kept going to the back door and wouldn’t take any food. Pip made a comment about the litter tray and, sure enough, I put that out and filled with litter and he went about his business was happy.

So were we until we discovered that when he’d gone through to say hello to my parents this morning, he’d used Pip’s bed for the peeing side of the business!

Quite why Pip had decided to empty and just pack away the litter tray yesterday is a bit of a mystery but it’s possible she got distracted over the chap who was coming to replace the bath lift. Whatever, to use that trite expression, “lessons will be learned”… Only thing is that, in my experience, once a (perhaps usually clean but got trapped) has used a spot once, it can be quite difficult to persuade them it’s not an acceptable place.

Apart from that, he seems to be showing more of his young kittenish side now – which reminds me I must order another laser pointer – I lost the last one.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 31 Jul 18 - 10:44 AM

Pip may need to keep the bedroom door shut for a while.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 06:21 AM

Furball is at the vets and very unwell.

I was reasonably happy that he was contented to stay in our garden and up the field but for some reason he decided to go the other way and cross the road this morning. This is something he must have done hundreds of times in his previous existence but this time, he had an accident and a lady in a car hit him.

The poor lady was terribly upset and very kindly offered to and took Pip, who felt too shaken to drive safely, to the and from the vets in Sheringham. We’ve tried our best to assure her that we don’t blame her and that we feel that by both stopping and finding us and doing this vet trip (especially with a perhaps 2 year old child in the back seat) has gone above and beyond anything we could have asked for following the accident.

We are still waiting to find out more about the cat. The vet could not feel any broken bones but the cat is bleeding from his mouth so presumably there is some internal injury. I believe the next step is x-rays and an update this afternoon from the vet.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 08:41 AM

Apparently, at the moment, things seem more settled and the feeling is that the bleeding which has stopped was probably a rib hitting a lung. I believe his breathing is settling and the vets are currently opting for observation which may be for the whole weekend.

Early days there and I'm not getting my own hopes up yet but perhaps there is a chance.

Sounds like the poor cat was thrown up in the air. The driver saw the cat, tried to stop which must have reduced the impact but couldn't pull up fully in time.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 08:53 AM

Oh Jon, I'm so so sorry this has happened. Poor you, and poor Pip also.
It's so distressing for everyone, but wasn't the lady kind and good to help with taking Furball to the vets? As you say, it was no-one's fault.
I can't tell you how much I feel for you; I understand completely the distress and worry this must have caused.
Poor little Furball.
Let's hope he pulls through, and can come home to his new, loving owners and resume his new life.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you all.
Eliza xx

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 09:04 AM

Thanks Sen.

We will get back in touch with the lady when we know the outcome and thank her again for the help she gave.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Raggytash
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 11:24 AM

I'll cross my fingers for Fur-ball too, just when he had found a loving, caring home.

Come on Furball you can do it !!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 11:51 AM

Thanks Raggy too.

I'm afraid though that while the last news was that things had picked up a touch, we've just received the news that Furball has died.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 11:57 AM

Oh Jon, I'm so very very sorry and sad for you.
What a shock - I'm actually in tears here.
I shan't say more just now, as you need time to grieve.
I can only offer a big hug to you and your parents.
Eliza XX

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Raggytash
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 01:05 PM

Jon, i am so sorry for you and for Furball. I don't have to eloquence to express how much I feel.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 01:27 PM

Cheers, Raggy and Sen. There’s not really more to try to say than you have done.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 01:36 PM

You could not have done more. I'm very sorry for your loss.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 10:48 PM

Thanks too K.

Re your other bit, ~~I could go:

I don’t know, K. Maybe I could have got up earlier. On the (common of late as I haven’t often been sleeping well) days I’ve been around first, I’ve been letting him out at around 7am and not given breakfast until he returns. Today with Pip, it was a rather later start and different order and I was woken up from my long sleep to be told about the accident.

But you can beat yourself up over these things and I tend to the more fatalist view that if it was going to happen, it’s going to happen sometime.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Aug 18 - 05:17 PM

How awful, Jon. It's good that the driver stopped and helped; so many just charge off as if nothing had happened.

Poor Furball. Poor Pip. Poor you.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 05 Aug 18 - 05:36 PM

Thanks and agreed, Charmion. I believe the woman (who as far as I gather had been on a run of bad things, including loosing her old dog the well before) returned later in the day and broke down in tears when she learned the outcome. I also believe Pip has sent a bunch of flowers to her for Monday.

One thing I hadn't said with Furball before, although I'm not sure if it makes it sadder or happier is that he did manage to get himself home after the accident. Lying on the kitchen floor in a bad way when I saw him but I guess, either way, it did show that he considered here his home and safe place.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 05 Aug 18 - 07:20 PM

Some things are already coming home. Probably now triggered by Pip seeing Peter/dad to bed. We’d started a little ritual where Furball would come in the room, ask me to lift him up (he wouldn’t jump for this one) and then I’d point him to dad. He’d accept a bit of a stroke and then look at me, sort of if for approval and then move down the other side of the bed, pad and lie down until I moved. He knew then I’d put some food for him it the porch and he’d charge down, overtaking me and skidding on the vinyl wood effect kitchen floor as he turned. Views may be coloured a bit by only having older cats in the few years before but, I still think that in terms of moving from an idle position like lying down, to full gallop, he had the most rapid change of pace I’ve seen in a cat.

While my initial impressions were that he was strongly independent, he later (probably post op) started to develop more into a cat (though obviously, and sadly in that case, still capable of doing his own thing) that liked to be part of things. Pip and I had started an after tea bit with him where he’d perhaps have a couple of hours outside in the field, possibly Pip and/or I doing a few chores and after I got a new kettle, having a cup of tea/coffee down there. Sometimes but not every time, Furball would do the walk down the track with me in this period.

He also seemed very receptive to playing games with me with the new laser pen I got the day before the accident…

Overall though, he remained a bit of a mystery with his own ways (although all cat’s have their distinctive traits) and the say five weeks from deciding things were ready for him to be a house pet was probably too short a time to really know how things might have developed.

The last few months have been interesting to me and I think I’m glad (mixed feelings there) I knew him briefly. I don’t think I’d get involved in another (although I’d still feed a stray and try to find someone to home it) though.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 07 Aug 18 - 01:27 PM

Back in early March of this year,
Steve Shaw posted on this same thread
about the stray cat lurking on his farm,
behaving quite feral.

It interested me to go back and look at that post from five months ago.
The Shaws reckoned that they knew from which household the cat came.
The post mentions a group of "chaotic" people who had packed up and left the area,
with no one knowing whither.

On another BS thread,
Steve disclosed that the feral cat survived the winter somehow,
and is still lurking around the premises,
and "won't let anyone near."

Subject: How many Mudcats have cats?! part two
From: keberoxu
Date: 10 Aug 18 - 06:20 PM

You know, thread 1 isn't closed, however it is getting long-ish.
Is this an opportune moment to open a fresh thread
on the same topic?

Mudcatters in the Twenty-First Century who are owned by Pet Cats.

The perfectly good thread 1 was started so many years ago
that some of the Mudcat members,
not to speak of the Pet Cats that owned them,
have passed "over the Rainbow Bridge" between then and now.

On the other hand,
some Mudcat members are still here, and the pet cats they have now
were not even around when Thread 1 was opened.

For example:
Charmion?
Now that your household has relocated to another town,
and the house has been ripped apart inside and put back together again,
how are your cats doing?

---

Use the "d" link from the main page, or you can click on the number, and click through the pages.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 04:53 PM

Thinking of those with cat-shaped holes in their hearts.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 13 Aug 18 - 05:58 PM

That's a lovely way to put it keberoxu. My heart must be like a Swiss cheese after losing literally dozens of much-loved cats over the decades. It never gets any easier.

I've been thinking about Jon and his darling little Furball. So sad for him and his parents. Bless you Jon.

I did a daft thing today, but in a way I don't regret it. Remember the Evil white cat 'Spirit'? Well, he's getting quite thin, and another neighbour called Pearl was chatting to me yesterday and she reckons he's only fed in the evening when his owners get home (she lives next door to them) They have 3 dogs and another cat, and they all fight for a bit of grub.
So today he was mooching around and I took out a huge plate of cooked chicken breast and some best-quality cat food (the dish was piled high!) The poor little thing came running up and wolfed down the entire lot. While he ate, I sat on the bench and looked at him. He really is quite scrawny. He rubbed against me and chirruped.

Now that was silly of me, as he'll be haunting our garden now and possibly attacking our two elderly gentlemen. But I'm not turning away a very hungry little chap. We always have food to spare, as our two are constantly stuffed to the gunnels and spoilt rotten.

What do you think? Did I do wrong?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Aug 18 - 07:15 AM

Last week had the International cat day. I guess most cats are local.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 14 Aug 18 - 09:05 AM

No, Eliza, you were not wrong. Spirit is probably now an under-cat in his own household, so he doesn't get as much of anything -- food, attention, access to desirable space -- as he used to. But don't be surprised if he gets to thinking that your household looks like a better 'ole.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Aug 18 - 09:14 AM

Ah thank you Charmion.
I don't want to annoy his owners though. They might get a bit miffed that we're giving their cat food like that.
Also, our two were incandescent when they saw what I'd done. They stared at me as if I'd gone completely bonkers!

I suppose he will start haunting the premises now. But I'm a sucker - I can't pass a homeless person in the street, a peckish-looking bird, an entire African family scarcely keeping hunger at bay. It's just too distressing not to take action if I can possibly help in any way.
.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Aug 18 - 01:20 PM

How could you NOT do what you did?
It would have kept you awake at night otherwise!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Aug 18 - 02:46 PM

Thank you keberoxu. The blooming thing was here again this morning (Husband said "I told you so!") so I gave him our two's leavings and a few bits of my husband's roasted topside of beef. (He offered it - he's as soft as me.)

My old mum would have fainted at the very idea of giving a blasted cat topside of beef.
However, he IS very cute and wolfed down the offering (the cat, not my husband, although the latter is very cute too).

Our two don't go out much, so I'm hoping there won't be any 'fracas dans le jardin' as my husband calls it!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 03:44 AM

Both our cats are very old, and we thought SmokeyPokey was the most frail. But yesterday Murphy was very lethargic and this morning he's rather mopey and sad.
I know the signs (had loads of elderly cats over the years) No use taking him to the vet, as he isn't actually ill, just old and tired.
Plus he's terribly nervous and would be traumatised by going in the cat basket to a strange place.
I'm very sad (so is my husband) as it looks as if we might have to say goodbye to Murphy fairly soon.
Hope I'm wrong, but the darling little souls don't last forever do they? :(

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 04:49 AM

I’m sorry Sen. That happened with Oedipus last year. Trouble is that, while you hope they will just die in peace one day, it doesn’t always (I’m not even sure we’ve had one case) work out that way and you wind up either having to take the cat to the vet or (costly but Pip’s preference) getting the vet in.

That said, your cat may still pick up and even if it is that final decline, there can be some good time remaining before the end.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 06:39 AM

Thank you Jon, I knew you'd understand.

With Minty last year we had to take him to the vet to be put to sleep as he wasn't drinking and his liver was swollen up.
We'll be keeping a close eye on Murphy and if we suspect any suffering we'll take him.
As you say, he might just be 'under the weather'.
Oh dear. Every time, I find it so hard to bear.

How are you doing after your loss of Furball Jon? We still miss Minty terribly. But he had a happy life (and Furball too enjoyed your affection and care) which does give some comfort.

Will update on here in a day or two.
Eliza

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 08:31 AM

We’re getting there Sen, thanks.

-
Just another thought with your cat. I'm probably way off but there's no chance he could be feeling this other cat you are feeding is moving in on him?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Aug 18 - 09:28 AM

Good point Jon.
But Spirit hasn't been around for a couple of days.
And Murphy hasn't actually been face-to-face with him (he usually slinks away and spends the day in our sitting room, or in the conservatory)
He's lost weight lately and I suspect triaditis (he's Minty's brother)
We'll keep monitoring him.
SmokeyPokey seems to sense he's not feeling well and licks his head tenderly.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 13 Sep 18 - 07:05 PM

Well, I came through to the living room about 7:45pm and father says “that old cat’s out there”. Sure enough, Puss Puss was out there and sitting there (within the limitations of a cat that does not trust humans) out in the open, as bold as brass, almost as if he’d got wind of Furball’s (who I still miss) demise through cat gossip channels and had decided we should feed him this evening.

I thought he looked a bit better than last time I saw him but he’s still the rough old stray who today let me within 3ft before backing away. I gave him 2 pouches for starters, then he stood to wait for another, and then a fourth as Pip and I were leaving for a music do.

We’ve still got plenty of pouches from Furball at the moment but I guess well need to keep some in stock in case of other visitors.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 02:49 AM

We still have Li!y and Molly but the ranks have been swelled by occasional visitor, Ollie. He is an unneutered Tom but a big softy. We know his name and his story from his current owners and it is very sad. His owner lived across the road but, sadly, died leaving a young son and Ollie. The lads grandparents who live half a mile up the village took on both but Ollie keeps coming back and, I suppose, wondering why he cannot get in his house :-(

Last March, in all the bad weather, was when we first saw him. I guess he may have heard us shouting Molly to get her in and thought we were shouting him! He lived in our shed for a while and then we tracked down his owners through the village web site. They picked him up but he still visits for days at a time. I hope he is back home when he is not here. Molly gets on well with him but Lily doesn't or we would offer to 'foster' him.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 04:18 AM

Isn't it funny how 'cat people' find odd cats hanging around? We now have Puss-Puss, Ollie and Spirit, not our own cats but 'hangers-on' from elsewhere. They certainly have an eye for a good gaff!

Murphy is a little better. I've been feeding him and Smokey-Pokey small bits of this and that almost non-stop while they lounge on the sofa during the day and evening. Bits of chicken, special cat biscuits, those luxury tiny tins of cat food and a small saucer of minced tuna. They seem to have put on a bit of weight, and their fur is in good nick (always a telling sign)
Husband has been having treats too, (Haribo Starmix) and dutifully eating more green vegetables and fruit. His skin is glowing (always a telling sign) :)

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 05:00 AM

At our old house we had an endless string of strays. There were a couple of old ladies lived just around the corner who once had individual adjacent houses but then moved in together and a whole herd of strays then moved into the empty one - It must have stunk! The herd spread until they were a pest unfortunately.

We moved out 5 years ago so we don't know what happened since but the old ladies (twins) featured in one of Alan Titchmarsh's garden makeovers a couple of years back! They had given up the big houses and moved into a newer bungalow just behind where we used to live. Our cats are much happier in their new home without all the visitors but I do miss them sometimes.

The ones we fed most often were Pepe (le pew), a big gentle tom; Boo, a skittish pure white oriental type; Maven, small, friendly, all black; and Mim, a little tabby that used to climb up the ivy at the back and shout at us until we fed her! Then there was the Commander - Big nasty alpha tom with bits missing. We used to discourage him! Pepe was like the lovely old grandad who looked after others. He brought Lily round to live with us :-) We think he may have once been the alpha but was ousted by the Commander. He seemed happy with his new role and wandered from house to house and even to the back door of a local charity shop for his daily treats.

Don't know if has been mentioned before but a good fantasy read about cats is the Wild Road series by Gabriel King. The synopsis of the first one (that the series is titled after) is "A novel about Tag, a naive young cat called upon to find the Queen of Cats from the Alchemist: if the Alchemist catches her first, the world will never be safe again. In the course of a great journey across a country and through the whole history of cats, Tag learns what it is to be a cat. " I enjoyed it anyway.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 05:36 AM

Wild Road by Gabriel King. I'll look that up Dave. Sounds most interesting.
Love all the names of those stray cats. Shame though that they had to go a-begging to get food. Winter must have been hard for them all.
I seem to remember that Alan Titchmarsh programme about the twin ladies.
I fed Spirit again yesterday. He wolfed down a large plate of leftovers, and a bit of milk. I don't usually give cats milk as it can cause diarrhoeia, but he so loves it.

Smokey-Pokey sat on the bench and hollered right into my face in Siamese. I knew full well what he was saying. "Get that blinking White Thing off our property will yer? And for gawd's sake stop feeding the bugger!"

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 07:49 AM

Shame though that they had to go a-begging to get food

Probably said half of this before - I lose track but... But I don’t think PussPuss has ever known life any different. It does seem an odd life but whereas with Furball for example, there was always at least the knowledge that he could meow for attention, there is none of that with PussPuss or any indication that he could consider human friendship. Things start and stop with the idea that we are supposed to feed him if he waits for food.

Perhaps SnotCat was closer to Dave’s one in that there is a feeling that he belonged to an old lady who died. Unfortunately he was known to have spent some time in the then large feral community before settling with us. He was probably the boss there for a while and was much larger than your average tom but we believe it was through fighting there that he contracted the cat aids. I think we only had him in his 3-4 year sort of remission period.

Glad Murphy is picking up a bit.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 08:03 AM

Thank you Jon.
How kind of you to give PussPuss four pouches, he must have been so hungry to get all that down him!
I've 'trained' Spirit to come when I make a special noise (a sort of 'kiss kiss' sound) when he's lurking about. If I hiss, he shoves off.
I find cats respond to signals and sounds.

At night when we're ready to go to bed, we stand there clapping our hands loudly and our two immediately get up from the sofa and head for their cosy beds in the kitchen. They sleep together in one bed, but sometimes one is sick (Siamese seem to huff up quite a lot, no idea why!) and they can swiftly decamp into the other bed.

I bet we look right wallies standing there clapping. Ruth-across-the-road saw us doing that one evening in our front garden, and she doubled up. She asked us, "What? Are yew a-givin' them bloomin' cats a rownd uv applause?"

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 08:17 AM

Assuming we've got the food, Sen, we just give them what they want. Furball was also eating 3-4 pouches when he first appeared. He settled down after more regular feeding and possibly the de worming helped. If he does decide to become regular here again for a while, PussPuss will likely reduce to 2 pouches per day/visit. I don't think we've ever worried about them overeating and taken it to be what they need at the time. I must admit to being a bit surprised the first time PussPuss waited for a second helping though.

PussPuss will respond to his name being called if spotted passing through and hungry. He doesn't approach but waits around to see if a dish of food comes out.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 08:28 AM

I too find cats are self-limiting with quantities of food Jon. When they're full, they're full.
Spirit was like that at first, wolfing down huge platefuls of grub. But several of the neighbours give him a bite to eat now, and he's not quite so ravenous.
I think it's lovely how compassionate you are with stray cats. They sense it I'm sure, and dare to approach. Solo was like that (cat at our last house, I've mentioned him before) He eventually trusted us and we took him in. He died after 2 years, but at least he knew love.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 08:33 AM

One of our cat's many years ago used to bring strays home with him. But only ever black and white ones! He once brought one who we christened Walter and he was a lovely thing who stayed for a while. Sadly he was very ill and I suspect had been rejected. Even though he did not last long, I was pleased to have provided a bit of comfort for him in his last weeks.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 08:56 AM

Sen, a brother does have a cat that needs a very strict diet because of weight problems and I could also note that when we had Furball neutered, we were made aware of a free service the vets offered for neutered toms in case of weight problems. So there can be problems but, it's not one I've encountered (nor I think Pip with 82 years of knowing cats) and like you, our feeding can include treats like chicken...

It's always a bit hard when the cat has a short life but you have to (as you are) focus on the good. Or try to. None of the three that I suppose became or looked to be becoming more "my cat" since being here fared that well. We did have SnotCat for a small number of years though. Delia the other one, nursed from this found on a footpath and I think unlikely to have lasted another day in the wild to this who used to sleep on my bed did not see adult life. We think it was the then farm estate manager's Jack Russell that got her.