Should my dd and I rescue this cat we found yesterday?

[Brenda_V]

Okay, that’s a good idea…thank you! I might not have thought of making the noise, etc:blush: I had thought of going up there and starting a feeding routine, I just hope the gas station owner doesn’t come out and get upset. And hopefully, if we don’t see the kitty tonight, the food will be safe. Last night, we watched the cat finish the can off–he was so hungry. Even my pig of a cat doesn’t eat like that.

If the gas station owner gets upset explain to him that you are trying to set up a routine so you can capture the cat and eventually get him of the property .

Guitar must be an animal trainer or something 'cuz he/she has given great advise that would have taken me some time to come up with:thumbsup:

 

[jmcrae]

So, we were thinking of going back tonight around the same time to see if he/she is still there… Just wanted your thoughts on if bringing him home, giving him some food (he would stay on our lanai in the back because we have a cat, and that might not be a good idea) and calling Animal Rescue. is a good/bad idea?

Look forward to your thoughts–thanks.

Don’t take it home unless you plan to keep it - take it straight to the animal shelter or to a veterinary hospital, and let them know that you aren’t planning to be responsible for it; they can do with it what they think is best. (Most likely, if it’s tameable, they will do their best to adopt it out; if it has a tattoo, it will be returned to its owner.)

 

[Just_wondering]

I have a rescued feral cat (ex-feral cat?) sleeping beside me as I’m typing. I have to say, she’s not a particularly rewarding pet.

She was born and bred on the streets of Seoul. There are a lot of street cats around here. Some soft-hearted soul saw her when she was just a kitten, offered her food, and eventually captured her. The new owner tried to socialize her, but had to leave Korea due to a family emergency, and ended up leaving the cat with a coworker after only a few weeks. The coworker had a cat allergy, and passed the kitten on to a friend. That person left Korea too, leaving the cat behind in her apartment when she left! And that was the apartment I moved into a day later - thus acquiring myself a partly feral cat.

Over the past five years, I have tried to socialize her, but she’s not too keen on that. It’s only in the past year that she started spending most of her time somewhere other than under the bed. The first year I owned her, she wouldn’t even come out to eat when I was in the room. Later, she would cautiously sit across the room from me if I was alone, but would stay under the bed when I had friends over. Now she’ll sleep with me sometimes (this started three years after I began trying to win her over), and greet me at the door most days. Still, sudden noises send her flying under the bed. My boyfriend has been able to pet her once in the year and some we’ve been dating.

I don’t know what I’ll do with her when I leave Korea in about six months. I’m certain a plane ride would terrify her, and she wouldn’t survive being an outdoor cat at my parents’ place (they can’t have indoor cats). I don’t know where I’ll be going, but it’ll involve a lot of traveling which would traumatize her. I will probably need to find her a home, and that’ll probably send her a few years back into the feral stage.

Keeping a once-feral cat as a pet is a serious undertaking. I love my cat, but I wouldn’t recommend it, honestly.

 

[whatevergirl]

Hi everyone…it’s so late. But, since I can’t sleep, I thought I’d jump on here to fill you in on the latest with this.

We went up to the gas station tonight, and the kitty was there! We brought a small can of our cat’s food in case, and we placed it down by the same bush as last night. We moved back, and the kitty had a bright look on his/her face…prancing about…and came close to us…looking up at us …as if to say…thank you! You came back. It’s a bittersweet thing…we are growing to like this cat. My dd wants to keep it.

So…here’s the exciting part. My dh came home from work this evening, and said…

“I was thinking…let’s just keep the cat on the lanai, with food, litterbox, little bed, etc…and it can roam in the neighborhood during the day. It’s getting colder out, a cat shouldn’t be outside like that.”

AW! I was shocked. Pleasantly. DD gave her dad a big hug.

Ok…so, here we go. I asked a woman at work today about shots, etc…I don’t want to spend and arm and a leg…she said every county in Florida has certain days where they charge like $10 for spaying, and $10 for basic shots. So…we’re gonna look into this.:yup: :extrahappy:

I am kind of excited about this.

Here’s my question though…in removing this cat from its familiar surroundings as of late, the gas station–how does one train a cat to return to their home, if they are used to roaming about? My dh thinks he/she will come back at night for food…is that right?

Thanks for your help, everyone.

 

[whatevergirl]

Wait, you don’t think this cat might belong to the gas station owner/manager, do you? If so, it’s awfully hungry for being owned by someone.

 

[whatevergirl]

I have a rescued feral cat (ex-feral cat?) sleeping beside me as I’m typing. I have to say, she’s not a particularly rewarding pet.

She was born and bred on the streets of Seoul. There are a lot of street cats around here. Some soft-hearted soul saw her when she was just a kitten, offered her food, and eventually captured her. The new owner tried to socialize her, but had to leave Korea due to a family emergency, and ended up leaving the cat with a coworker after only a few weeks. The coworker had a cat allergy, and passed the kitten on to a friend. That person left Korea too, leaving the cat behind in her apartment when she left! And that was the apartment I moved into a day later - thus acquiring myself a partly feral cat.

Over the past five years, I have tried to socialize her, but she’s not too keen on that. It’s only in the past year that she started spending most of her time somewhere other than under the bed. The first year I owned her, she wouldn’t even come out to eat when I was in the room. Later, she would cautiously sit across the room from me if I was alone, but would stay under the bed when I had friends over. Now she’ll sleep with me sometimes (this started three years after I began trying to win her over), and greet me at the door most days. Still, sudden noises send her flying under the bed. My boyfriend has been able to pet her once in the year and some we’ve been dating.

I don’t know what I’ll do with her when I leave Korea in about six months. I’m certain a plane ride would terrify her, and she wouldn’t survive being an outdoor cat at my parents’ place (they can’t have indoor cats). I don’t know where I’ll be going, but it’ll involve a lot of traveling which would traumatize her. I will probably need to find her a home, and that’ll probably send her a few years back into the feral stage.

Keeping a once-feral cat as a pet is a serious undertaking. I love my cat, but I wouldn’t recommend it, honestly.

This is a great story, JW. You should be a writer, I have often thought. I enjoyed your posts.

You know, I am thinking this cat isn’t feral…because he/she came closer to us tonight, not as tentative as last night. That was pretty quick…I think food is definitely the bargaining chip with her/him…but, she/he doesn’t seem to be feral. I told my dd we need to do this song and dance with her/him for a few nights, so she/he gets used to seeing us, taking food from us, hearing our voices, etc…so that eventually we can just swoop her up.

We’ll see!

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Felines are a pretty astute bunch by natural design. He or she will know where they live. The cat probably won’t leave its surroundings much for a few days, anyway.

I:newidea: don’t know why I didn’t think of it before this: CATNIP. Get a little baggie of catnip. Give the cat just a pnich until you’ve caught him or her.

When you get it, have a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, neosporin, bacatricin, a can of sevin dust, some catnip and a flea comb at the ready. After a few days, if the cat trusts you, get in the practice of combing it out with the flea comb. Most cats like to be groomed. The sevin dust also keeps down fleas and a host of other critters. Sprinkle it on the lanai, in the cat’s bedding, and apply some to the cat if he or she will let you (mix it with a little catnip and he or she will roll in it). Outdoor cats tend toward injuries, so they need their wounds tended.

 

[jmcrae]

Here’s my question though…in removing this cat from its familiar surroundings as of late, the gas station–how does one train a cat to return to their home, if they are used to roaming about? My dh thinks he/she will come back at night for food…is that right?

Thanks for your help, everyone.

We’ve always kept cats. Here’s what’s worked for us.

Keep the cat indoors for about a week to acclimatize him to your home. You will also have to make sure he knows where his litter box is - if he can’t find it, he’ll make a mess. (And cats are astoundingly dumb, in this regard - you have to actually drop them into the litter box a few times until they “get it.” After that, they’re fine - just don’t move it on them, or else you have to go through the whole same procedure again.)

In our case, we keep the litter box near the bathroom, and the cat food in the kitchen. That way, they feel “included” in the family - they go to the kitchen to eat just like you, and they go down the hall to use the bathroom, just like you. (You would be amazed how important this is, for cats. They want to be your babies.)

After he’s become used to the routine at home, choose whether you want to let him out or not. If you choose to let him out (and if it’s legal to let him out - in some places, it’s illegal to let your cat play outside by himself), then decide how you will do that.

We have found after trial and error that letting the cat out and in by the door is actually the worst way to go - it’s very high-stress both for you and for the cat.

Instead, what we’ve found is that the cat needs a way to get in and out that he is in control of, himself - like a cat door, or a special window for him that he can open by himself (from either side, of course) is what works best. We use cat doors, at the moment - we used to have a sliding window that was loose enough for the cats to push aside and get in and out.

This way, if something is chasing him, he can get into the house really fast without having to wait for you to open the door, and you don’t have to worry if he slips out the door when you’re on your way out to work, because you know he can get back in when he needs to.

 

[MakeUpArtist]

I’m on the euthanasia committee of a low-kill shelter, and we only euthanize animals that are aggressive or sick. Do you have any low-kill shelters where you live?

 

[whatevergirl]

Felines are a pretty astute bunch by natural design. He or she will know where they live. The cat probably won’t leave its surroundings much for a few days, anyway.

I:newidea: don’t know why I didn’t think of it before this: CATNIP. Get a little baggie of catnip. Give the cat just a pnich until you’ve caught him or her.

When you get it, have a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, neosporin, bacatricin, a can of sevin dust, some catnip and a flea comb at the ready. After a few days, if the cat trusts you, get in the practice of combing it out with the flea comb. Most cats like to be groomed. The sevin dust also keeps down fleas and a host of other critters. Sprinkle it on the lanai, in the cat’s bedding, and apply some to the cat if he or she will let you (mix it with a little catnip and he or she will roll in it). Outdoor cats tend toward injuries, so they need their wounds tended.

You are such a gem! :flowers: Thanks for this advice…I wouldn’t have thought of it, although our cat is addicted to cat nip himself.

Okay…the update:

DD and I just got back from being up at the gas station, where our little feline friend was awaiting our arrival. Whatta cutie pie cat, he/she is. Anyways, tonight, we brought another can of food, put it down by the same bush, and he/she was quicker to come forward, and less timid in our presence, it seemed. The empty can was there from last night, and so we went inside and bought some bottled water for him/her to drink. In looking at the cat closer tonight…it seems to have a very shiny, nice coat. Not mangy, like a cat or dog who has been abandoned for months, you know?

The cat came to the edge of the bush as we got into the car to drive away, as if to say…bye guys, and thanks!

DD wants to keep this cat. We really can’t bring this cat inside because our cat will become aggressive…I don’t want to take the chance. Plus, not knowing its medical history, I don’t want our cat to get feline aids, fleas, and other diseases. I’m thinking of the lanai for now, but I told dd that I think we should find it a good home.

Or we could keep going to the gas station for months…maybe years…feeding him every night.

 

[whatevergirl]

I’m on the euthanasia committee of a low-kill shelter, and we only euthanize animals that are aggressive or sick. Do you have any low-kill shelters where you live?

Yeah, we do actually…this is so good to know. You have put my heart at ease, you have no idea.

Do you think a place like Petco would take a stray? There is one right across the street from this gas station.

 

[Brenda_V]

Yeah, we do actually…this is so good to know. You have put my heart at ease, you have no idea.

Do you think a place like Petco would take a stray? There is one right across the street from this gas station.

Petco’s don’t sell pets. They allow shelters to use their space for adoptions though. Go in and see if there is someone in there who is working the adoption area - see what you can that way.

Catnip is not a good idea - all cats react differently to it, it is a drug! Our cats have all gotten mean when they have gotten into catnip so it is verboten in our house! Do not try it on a cat that you know nothing about!

Just some advice from someone who has had cats for years (and yes, I have had cats that did not react negatively to it but having had ones that did, well, don’t try it on a strange cat>)

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Well, I’ve had cats for years, and they have never reacted badly to catnip. They just get mellow. Even my old girl of 18 gets mellow (yes I have an 18 year old cat. I’ve had several live to be 17 or 18).

 

[Brenda_V]

Well, I’ve had cats for years, and they have never reacted badly to catnip. They just get mellow. Even my old girl of 18 gets mellow (yes I have an 18 year old cat. I’ve had several live to be 17 or 18).

I have to tell you it was such a surprise to us when we gave one of our cats catnip and she did nothing but attack us and the dog, not play attack either, crazed, mean attack. We have decided that since all cats do react differently to the herb (drug is a bit strong term for it ) that the cats we seemed to be getting had some genetics in common with each other. We have introduced our current cats to it but have to be careful the amount they get, we chose not to declaw and they can do some serious damage to each other and us. This is why I don’t recommend trying it with a strange cat .

Brenda V.

 

[whatevergirl]

Well…we made our decision. After talking it over with dh and dd this morning, we will ‘rescue’ it, keep it on our lanai for a few days, and then we’re going to drop it off at a pet shelter that is either low kill or no kill. There are some places like Animal Friends, that strictly serve as ‘foster’ homes forever for healthy animals…so, that’s what we’re gonna do. I don’t want to take a chance of the cat getting lost in a new neighborhood, and at this time, we can’t take in another cat into our home, otherwise we would…I think our cat would be too aggressive. If someone was home all day with both, it might work. But, with dh and I working…kids at school…I don’t want the lil kitty to get hurt by our cat. Our cat is pretty muscular and can be aggressive when feeling threatened. So…thanks to everyone here for your thoughts and ideas! Now, here’s to hoping we can capture him successfully this week!

 

[Brenda_V]

Well…we made our decision. After talking it over with dh and dd this morning, we will ‘rescue’ it, keep it on our lanai for a few days, and then we’re going to drop it off at a pet shelter that is either low kill or no kill. There are some places like Animal Friends, that strictly serve as ‘foster’ homes forever for healthy animals…so, that’s what we’re gonna do. I don’t want to take a chance of the cat getting lost in a new neighborhood, and at this time, we can’t take in another cat into our home, otherwise we would…I think our cat would be too aggressive. If someone was home all day with both, it might work. But, with dh and I working…kids at school…I don’t want the lil kitty to get hurt by our cat. Our cat is pretty muscular and can be aggressive when feeling threatened. So…thanks to everyone here for your thoughts and ideas! Now, here’s to hoping we can capture him successfully this week!

Good decision and good luck. Keep up with the feeding the cat only each day sit or stand a little closer to the can until the cat doesn’t care if you are there . God Bless you for taking the time to do this.

Brenda V.

p.s. If the cat is chipped the Animal Shelter may be able to find an owner if there is one.

 

[Zooey]

with kids and other pets in the house, to put it bluntly, I would not take the risk of disease strays are almost certain to carry. tho we have sure made our share of rescues in the past–we never get cats the normal way. I would go back, suitably dressed including gardening gloves, with a carrier, and take the cat to the vet and come up with the price for treatment, including neutering, before I bring it home. no animal shelter will not kill the cat w/o making an effort to adopt, but they will be able to tell you, as will the vet, a bit about his personality from observation, and if he would be a good pet.

I think this is good advice.
I have taken in a cat to our local Humane Society before, & they found him a good home. (At the time, I had a cat with potentially life-threatening illness, or I would have kept him…) He was just a kitten when some http://bestsmileys.com/angry1/3.gif...y1/12.gifhttp://bestsmileys.com/angry1/12.gif just dumped him out…
I had to feed him for a couple of months before I was able to pick him up, put him in the car, & take him in. They asked for a donation for taking him; I gave them the $20 I keep tucked in my purse for emergencies. I have since taken over canned food from time to time, just a few cans that I picked up extra, & they are always glad for any thing like this.
But some shelters simply have no place for animals…They are full up with them.
But I think what you are doing is great. And what a wonderful example for your daughter!!
The patron saint for cats & those who love them is St Gertrude of Nivelles…You can ask her to pray for a good placement for this kitty.
God bless you & yours for what you are doing for this poor little cat .

 

[whatevergirl]

That is good advice…thanks!

Well, we went up last night…and the kitty wasn’t there. DD was very sad…I said, maybe someone found him and took him home…or maybe he is just wandering around. He will come if he smells the food. We put another can down at the gas station last night…we’ll go back up tonight to check.

 

[lizaanne]

I can’t wait to hear the end of this saga!!!

~Liza

 

[Guitar]

That is good advice…thanks!

Well, we went up last night…and the kitty wasn’t there. DD was very sad…I said, maybe someone found him and took him home…or maybe he is just wandering around. He will come if he smells the food. We put another can down at the gas station last night…we’ll go back up tonight to check.

Keep going for a while and leave the food anyway. I once didn’t see two kittens I was feeding pre-trapping for three weeks and the very night I’d decided to give up, there they were sneaking out to eat a few hours after “feeding time”. Anything can put off a nervous animal once or twice - a dog being walked past or some loud people or whatever could be enough to make it go to ground at the wrong time - and it is very early days in your feeding/socialising routine. And thanks to your good work it isn’t quite so desperately hungry right now so it might be a little more cautious.