Caring for an Orange Cat

ArchyCat

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A newly neutered male should take no more than a week to ten days for the testosterone to recede. And the spraying should cease by then.

The only good thing that can happen to an outdoor cat is to be made an indoor only pet!

Will any of the local vets neuter him? Usually that is not very expensive. He is a very handsome cat. Please see if you can have him neutered.
 
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daftcat75

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A newly neutered male should take no more than a week to ten days for the testosterone to recede. And the spraying should cease by then.

The only good thing that can happen to an outdoor cat is to be made an indoor only pet!

Will any of the local vets neuter him? Usually that is not very expensive. He is a very handsome cat. Please see if you can have him neutered.
1. Local vets are backed up because of early Covid restrictions on elective surgeries. Probably also the surge in new pandemic pet adoptions. And for some blasted stupid reason, neuters were considered elective. That's probably where his problems began. I'm sure he was a wonderful kitten from his current disposition. But he probably peed his way out of two homes.

2. At least the couple vets I called, it was not a cheap procedure out of pocket. More than I want to spend on a cat I'm not keeping. Our low cost neuter/spay clinics are all closed because of Covid. The shelter is the only one operating a low cost clinic. And even that, I'm not totally certain of because their website is a mess of previous information and Covid corrections. I don't know what's valid anymore. They don't answer their phone and their email is a three day turnaround for terse and unhelpful answers.

3. I'm not keeping him. I don't want to put money and effort into a cat I'm not keeping. And I don't want to abandon him at the shelter when I don't have a high confidence in their operations these days. He may get a neuter. But he may languish in a cage while the kittens get adopted out. Or nobody gets adopted out because no-one knows how to navigate a city shelter that's nearly completely closed to the public now.

4. The rescues are also absent because of Covid.

5. My own beloved cat of 14 years passed in August and I'm still not ready for another cat. My head and heart just isn't in rescuing this cat.

I'm not posting any more updates about him. It's too upsetting to have to rehash this over and over again. I'm still grieving my own cat. 😿
 

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For anyone interested, the U.S. Surgeon General declared spay/neuter to be non-essential and "elective" when COVID-19 hit, prioritizing PPE for human-specific usage over that for veterinary usage. THAT is the reason for all of this. daftcat75 daftcat75 is absolutely right. And I hope your distress is over quickly, daftcat75 daftcat75 -- how well I understand this problem. And I really don't think people are trying to blame you. I just think they don't understand. Most people have no idea about the Surgeon General's disastrous pronouncement but those of us in the advocacy community knew immediaetely that it would undo much of the hard work we have been doing for YEARS to bring down the numbers of kittens being born homeless! For anyone reading who wants to get involved, research all of this on your device and then, if you want, start sharing on your socials for cats and kittens in your area ACCs, shelters, humane societies, rescues, sanctuaries and in your communities. Sharing increases exposure and thus, the likelihood of cats finding homes. If they are not seen, they will not find homes.
 

Whenallhellbreakslose

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[/QUOTE]
daftcat75 daftcat75 I feel your pain. I have 5 friendly outdoor cats, and it kills me to see them on the streets. I really wanted to get them off the streets and into their forever homes, but I ran into a brick wall. It is now harder than ever to do this, due to the Covid 19 lockdowns. Thankfully, all of the cats are tnred, but they still get bullied by the larger cats on the block. I really wish I could take in a few, but I can't do it. I have taken cats off the streets in the past (one was on the streets for 4 years), it was work. I had to iron out a few bad habits with the cat, but in the end he made a wonderful house kitty.

You can only do what you can do. We don't have control over everything. Don't torment yourself. I decided to give those outdoor kitties the best life I can. If they never get off the streets, then I want them to have a happy existence where they are not facing the struggles outdoor cats face. If I can just do that for them, then that is enough.🙂
 
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daftcat75

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December is an expensive month with car insurance, registration, and the first winter electric bill. Perhaps in January, I’ll look into getting an outdoor shelter for him. I’m still not ready to be (one of) his full time feeder. I can put a camera out on the deck to see if he’s coming under when I don’t feed him.
 
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daftcat75

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Covid situation here has only gotten worse. California has scary numbers and the new more transmissible variants are being found locally. There are no low cost neuters except the shelter. And the shelter is mostly closed now. I’m not risking my life for his. He’ll have to wait until I get the vaccine before I’m willing to brave the shelter for his neuter.

That out of the way...

I’ve been resisting becoming a full time feeder of his. But he keeps catching up to me on those rare moments I leave my apartment to check my mail or pick up takeout (once or twice a week.) He’s coming under the deck fence more often than that to see if I left food out for him. As of yesterday, I’ve decided to start putting out breakfast and lunch for him.

Last time I weighed him (he follows me inside when he catches up to me in the community and I’ve been able to get him to stand on the baby scale I got for Krista), he’s up from 9.7 lbs to 11.7 lbs. Some of that was the last of his kitten growth. But he is looking robust.

Question: How much do I feed him when I don’t know who else is feeding him?

Can a neighborhood stray eat too much? Or does he need all he can eat to brave the elements? Thankfully our winters are mild. Not even freezing.

For now, I’ll keep putting out breakfast and lunch for him. I have a SureFeed motion detection feeder that keeps it fresh and protected for hours. Probably all day if he wasn’t so good at cleaning it out. 😹

I decided against getting him a shelter because this apartment community has rules. I’m pretty sure I’m breaking one of them just feeding him. But I know if I provided that shelter, I’d get a three day notice on my door to remove it or face eviction. Happened before with a bookcase the property manager deemed unsightly. 🤦🏼‍♂️

Instead, I’ll probably provide him some stealth comfort. I was already considering a patio set like this one.
Best Choice Products 3-Piece Outdoor Wicker Conversation Bistro Set, Patio Furniture for Yard, Garden w/ 2 Chairs, 2 Cushions, Side Storage Table - Brown/Red https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P58GKH9/?tag=thecatsite

I can put a self-warming pillow in that hollow of the table. If he uses it, I can spin it away from prying property manager eyes. Other than that, I do know that other neighbors whether intentional, knowing or not, they leave their laundry closet open and I’ve seen him duck under the deck fence and take refuge in one of those before.

I’m hoping that with better leadership and better vaccination, we might be approaching something more normal and safe in the summer to get this guy the services and forever home he needs. At least by feeding him, I can keep an eye on him
 
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Tobermory

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Handsome guy! I would think that his activity level as he prowls his beat might keep his weight regulated. Plus if he’s not neutered, he might stay fightin’ fit—although hopefully there’s no one he has to fight. Too bad you can’t get him neutered.
 
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daftcat75

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Handsome guy! I would think that his activity level as he prowls his beat might keep his weight regulated. Plus if he’s not neutered, he might stay fightin’ fit—although hopefully there’s no one he has to fight. Too bad you can’t get him neutered.
The last time I tried, the shelter wasn’t answering their phone. Their voicemail promised a two week turnaround on any messages left. Their email had an autoreply promising a response within a few days, and three days later I got a vague and terse response back. I didn’t feel like asking for clarification and waiting another three days. I drove down to the shelter and waited outside in a socially distanced line that wasn’t moving. I stood there my entire lunch hour and still didn’t get to talk to a shelter worker. The one and only one that was helping the public that day. It’s just not worth my time or health to risk it right now. These are exceptional times. Hopefully they will come to an end soon.

There’s another wrinkle I hope to have sorted today. I’m almost out of the Fancy Feast turkey flavor I’ve been feeding him and Chewy and Amazon don’t have it in stock right now. I’ll see what Petsmart has this afternoon. I might use the remaining cans I have left to transition him to chicken. If I can get him eating both, then I’ll be happy to subscribe to one or the other and feed him three times a day. The more FF he eats from me, hopefully it will crowd out some of the Friskies and other junk the other neighbors leave for him.
 
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daftcat75

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He does enjoy my company. He meows recognition when he sees me. He will run to my side and follow me back to my unit when he sees me out in the community. He puts up with my hugs and scritches while I prepare his food. Sometimes he even leans into them. He would definitely make a good cat for someone who can take him. Well, maybe. He does that butt/tail quivering--dry-marking--that toms do. I'm always nervous it's going to be wet marking one of these days. He did once and that's why I don't ask him to linger inside anymore. I give him a once over while preparing his food and then out the deck door with him and his food.

I'll do what I can for him without risking my life or lease.
 
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tarasgirl06

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He does enjoy my company. He meows recognition when he sees me. He will run to my side and follow me back to my unit when he sees me out in the community. He puts up with my hugs and scritches while I prepare his food. Sometimes he even leans into them. He would definitely make a good cat for someone who can take him. Well, maybe. He does that butt/tail quivering--dry-marking--that toms do. I'm always nervous it's going to be wet marking one of these days. He did once and that's why I don't ask him to linger inside anymore. I give him a once over while preparing his food and then out the deck door with him and his food.

I'll do what I can for him without risking my life or lease.
Again, huge props and THANK YOU for all you are doing for OC. I agree that feeding him a normal amount per day is optimum because you don't know what else he's eating and you don't know how often he's getting it. Patio set is really nice and a self-warming pillow is a great idea -- I have one here and it's gotten a lot of use in the past. As for dry-marking, my Tarifa angel did that when she was ecstatically happy. Not once did she mark (female cats can and do mark. Our tiny spayed girl Katie was nicknamed "Squirtle" for that reason. She was one of our outdoor/barn crew and never met a vertical surface she didn't mark. Shivering the tail can be a sign of joy, not of needing to mark.
 
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daftcat75

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Shivering the tail can be a sign of joy, not of needing to mark.
Except that he backs up to a vertical surface before he shivers/quivers the tail. The only time he wet marked, he lifted a leg to do so. I didn't realize that cats lift a leg too. I thought that was a dog thing. Shows how much experience I have with male cats. I'll drop by Petsmart this lunch hour. One flavor or another, he'll get a third can tonight for dinner. Since he is friendly and does come in when invited, I'll weigh him again next month to see if he's eating too much.
 

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Funny he lifted a leg which I have never seen a cat do either. I currently feed a TNRed ( done by someone else) female who lives in some nearby apartment buildings. She has been there a long time and I think that various people fed her irregularly so I took it over by default. The person who lives closest to her feeding area did make a bed for her next to his door, so we are stable with her care for now. Having said that, I feed her twice day. She gets a full can of Friskies Shreds with either Sheba (2) or Fancy Feast on top in various flavors. My guess is that others go and finish the food at various times, including possums.

I do have a non TNRed male in my outdoor group now. He is older, not in great shape when he showed up, but better now with decent food. Like you said about the orange cat, he won't get neutered any time soon.
 

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Big props and thanks to you, fionasmom fionasmom ! If everyone that can do this, would do this when they see somecat in need, this would be the kind of society I'd be proud and glad to live in.
daftcat75 daftcat75 and fionasmom, I was born into a home "with cat" (rescued male, neutered) and have lived with cats almost every day of my life; I have never seen a cat of any persuasion lift the leg. OC must be spending too much time around (those other things).:insertevillaugh:
 
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daftcat75

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Maybe I'm imagining the leg lift. Maybe he backed up after all. I have low bins and he managed to pee over the edge into the bin. That was the last time I pushed the issue of him eating inside.

She's so skinny here even in April. The dark grey bin with the colorful blue bag in it, he somehow managed to pee into it rather than on it.
IMG_3920.JPG
 
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tarasgirl06

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Maybe I'm imagining the leg lift. Maybe he backed up after all. I have low bins and he managed to pee over the edge into the bin. That was the last time I pushed the issue of him eating inside.

She's so skinny here even in April. The dark grey bin with the colorful blue bag in it, he somehow managed to pee into it rather than on it.
View attachment 367222
:hearthrob: :kneading: :hearthrob:
He could have been stamping. Cats will do that sometimes, again, usually when they're happy. But each cat is an individual, so you may have a very quirky OC there. I'd like to see the act, though, because I have NEVER seen a cat lift the leg.
 
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daftcat75

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:hearthrob: :kneading: :hearthrob:
He could have been stamping. Cats will do that sometimes, again, usually when they're happy. But each cat is an individual, so you may have a very quirky OC there. I'd like to see the act, though, because I have NEVER seen a cat lift the leg.
As I said, he may not have lifted the leg. I may have imagined that. He probably did just back up against the bag and let it go. I hope to not witness much less video that again. ;)
 

tarasgirl06

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As I said, he may not have lifted the leg. I may have imagined that. He probably did just back up against the bag and let it go. I hope to not witness much less video that again. ;)
Duly noted. He is a mere piker compared to our little angel Katie, though. "Squirtle" didn't begin to describe her copious output.
 
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