Caring for an Orange Cat

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daftcat75

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He's looking thinner.
Probably just angles or lighting. He’s still solid meat.

That’s why I have taken to calling him Meatball. Krista always had several nicknames in rotation at any time. Meatball is his indoor name. When I’m looking for him, I mostly use the clicker or call out for “buddy”. “Hey buddy, where you at?” “Hungry, little buddy? Follow me!”
 

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I was previously planning to take him to the vet this morning. But I was not looking forward to having to wake and walk the grounds for him. I find it highly amusing that after deciding I wouldn’t take him down this morning, he essentially sought me out. 😹😻
So what's the plan now?
 
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daftcat75

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So what's the plan now?
Take him to the shelter Mon or Tues. I’ll drop him off with them. He’ll get entered into the system and get an animal ID. I’ll put that ID on flyers and post them here and the community next door. He will hopefully get a medical and behavioral evaluation. If he seems friendly enough (and who knows how he’s going to act at the shelter), he’ll get snipped, chipped, vaxxed, and put on the adoption site. I can also forward that animal ID to local rescues who frequently take the friendly ones from the shelter and find fosters and eventually homes for them. I believe the worst case scenario here is not euthanasia, but the shelter would simply release him back to our community or possibly to me. If he’s fixed when they release him, I’ll consider fostering him until I can find another foster to take him. But he’s going to have to spend his time in the dog pen or a dog crate until I’m certain he’s not marking anymore.
 

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Take him to the shelter Mon or Tues. I’ll drop him off with them. He’ll get entered into the system and get an animal ID. I’ll put that ID on flyers and post them here and the community next door. He will hopefully get a medical and behavioral evaluation. If he seems friendly enough (and who knows how he’s going to act at the shelter), he’ll get snipped, chipped, vaxxed, and put on the adoption site. I can also forward that animal ID to local rescues who frequently take the friendly ones from the shelter and find fosters and eventually homes for them. I believe the worst case scenario here is not euthanasia, but the shelter would simply release him back to our community or possibly to me. If he’s fixed when they release him, I’ll consider fostering him until I can find another foster to take him. But he’s going to have to spend his time in the dog pen or a dog crate until I’m certain he’s not marking anymore.
You've got it all mapped out. Great. Will they inform you or will you be able to call/email/text/something? if he reaches a point where there is any risk to him? Some "shelters" do this.
 
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daftcat75

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You've got it all mapped out. Great. Will they inform you or will you be able to call/email/text/something? if he reaches a point where there is any risk to him? Some "shelters" do this.
I think so. We'll find out next week. Hopefully they'll be more communicative with me when I have a cat in the system vs. right now where the phones aren't answered and the emails take 4 days for a reply.
 
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daftcat75

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How much do you suppose I should be feeding this guy? I suppose I should go for a walk and see if the Friskies can from the other neighbor has been emptied.

According to the label, it sounds like a 30 cal/lbs 10 lbs cat should eat 3 cans of FF per day.

But I'm not the only one feeding him.

Since he's had one can already, I'll go for a walk and see if the Friskies can has been offered and emptied. If I find him and he seems hungry, he can have another can. Otherwise, I'll put a half can out for him.
 
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daftcat75

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He actually left about half of this morning's can. It looked like he did better on it than he did. The food still looks good. Hasn't dried out yet. I fluffed it back up and set it back out.

I took a walk and saw neither him nor the Friskies can. That doesn't mean that he didn't have one and the neighbor picked it up already or that he's not eating at one of the other neighbor's. I'd love to put a spycam on his forehead and see what he gets up to and into on a typical day.
 

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He actually left about half of this morning's can. It looked like he did better on it than he did. The food still looks good. Hasn't dried out yet. I fluffed it back up and set it back out.

I took a walk and saw neither him nor the Friskies can. That doesn't mean that he didn't have one and the neighbor picked it up already or that he's not eating at one of the other neighbor's. I'd love to put a spycam on his forehead and see what he gets up to and into on a typical day.
Yeah, that's what the can label will say; I have never fed any cat in my care according to the label (no wonder there are so MANY obese cats in the US!). I feed my cats 1/2 can, 3x daily, plus all the high quality dry they want, plus 12-15 Greenies for cats every night before bed. My cats are in very good shape according to the cat shape chart I'm sure you've seen. OC looks just about right as well; and since you don't know what/how much he's eating elsewhere, I'd feed him a can when he shows up, and/or if he exhibits clear signs of being hungry, which he doesn't seem at all shy about doing with you. Cats who are confident of being able to access a regular supply of food won't usually finish everything at one sitting; like their feral/wild brethren, they will usually cover up/conceal a kill and come back later for another feeding. Of all the cats I've known -- and that is a LOT of cats! -- almost all of them leave something in their dish and come back later. I fluff up the food, too, and leave it for them. If it's a very hot day, since we no longer have AC, I watch it more carefully and throw it out if it seems at all "iffy" -- and in this kind of weather, they "food strike" more, just like a lot of people do. It's just not easy to eat as much when it's hot, and a lot of people and cats don't burn as many calories when it's hot.
 
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daftcat75

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Someone both finished off the remainders from the morning and the half can I set out for dinner. But the motion detection to cloud recording on my newly re-purposed camera is not yet capturing my mystery eater. I'm sure it's OC. Unless it's a cat food loving squirrel. We don't have raccoons. I have deleted all my previous rules since I don't have to track an indoor cat with food and poop issues anymore. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have video of him at the self-service buffet.
 
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daftcat75

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That was cute! I was debating whether to go for another walk to look for him.

Meow!

Alright, he's around. Let's put on some shoes and take a walk. I open the door and he runs right in.

Well, alright Meatball. I guess you finished the first half of the dinner can and are looking for the second half.

"What is this fridge cold food? I've seen your YouTube. Warm it up for me!"

He walked away after what was probably just a few nibbles. I didn't watch him. I'll leave it out for a few more hours. But not overnight.

Sorry buddy. If you want overnight meals, I need batteries for the feeder or you need to call to me at the deck door.
 
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daftcat75

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Alright. I’m putting the light out for the night. I took in the remainder. He came back and ate it down to that hard to pick up layer at the bottom. If I had batteries (spendy C-cells I would never otherwise buy so I don’t have on hand), I’d fluff the remainder and put the feeder on motion detection. Hopefully he’ll come by hungry tomorrow morning. I’ll pick up batteries tomorrow.

He’s such a good cat. I hope he finds a home.
 
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He came around again. I somehow missed him on the camera this time. I don’t know if the camera isn’t picking up the contrast or something. But the can I plated at 7:45 looks visited upon now at 8:30. 😋👍

Would be nice if he’d say hello or thank you. 😔
 
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