- Joined
- Sep 7, 2013
- Messages
- 168
- Purraise
- 156
I am having a little crisis. A neighbor has been letting their cat out. It is a beautiful kitten age 2 years. It's big for 2 yrs, i think... six maybe 7 or 8 pounds and long hair, maybe, just looks like a lion. So beautiful inside and out, but acts like a kitten, jumping on all the counters, clawing rugs, furniture, licking and eating everything...
It was eating my feral cat's food. It has a flea collar and I took it in during some recent downpours and cold spells. I have texted the neighbor, (next door) and she me, on occasion. One she left it out when she and her fiance had gone on a five day trip to another state. So of course we fed it and it was cold and wet and probably lonely, maybe scared? It purred non stop. But we can't keep a cat, inside, especially this beauty, when he can't sit still for more than two seconds and is going around wreaking havoc. He bears close watching and even holding. That said he is insanely lovable.
I have communicated with the owners and a few times in downpours when we took him in they asked me to hold on to him but this is a major inconvenience for us, as much as we adore him. And now our little feral who is all of about 5 pounds and ten years old, is having to put up with this "mountain lion in a china shop". It is too young to understand cat decorum, i suspect. Or just bigger than my cat, so she is scared, not sure.
I invited them over to discuss the situation, no reply, maybe they are trying to work something out, but it would be nice if they answered. She had told me last time she picked up the cat that the cat didn't get along with her fiance's dog. She asked me to quit feeding him as it was confusing him, and I pointed out that he was eating my cat's food, we weren't exactly feeding him, it was the opposite. But I stressed that he was welcome and we loved him.
Truth is, we are up against open space, and our home and land is fenced and is protected against coyotes. If he didn't come here, he could seek other food (others leave out food for ferals in areas nearby, we live in coyote territory.) At least once a week we hear that awful howling of an animal going down. I'd rather he be safe over here where at least there is food and shelter, it's much safer and he doesn't have to cross any streets, either.
So at least he is somewhere he is better off, overall. But... I don't know what to do and my little Kitty is upset and even mad at me (of course) for being nice to Sammie the other cat who is a domestic cat. He is almost always over here now and seems very hungry. Either that, or he just likes our food better or ??? (I wonder if they are feeding it some kind of expensive food... our cat gets a mix of wet and dry Friskies, and wouldn't even touch expensive cat food.)
Anyway .... any ideas? My heart is breaking to see this beautiful creature being neglected. I wish i could give it more care but this cat is 24/7 proposition and the owners have already gotten upset that I "am feeding it", I think.... My hubby says he went outside this AM at 4:30 and the cat almost ran in our house... Poor kitty cat... so deserving of so much more love!
I am so at my wit's end about how to solve this. Ideas, anyone? The owners, who seem so very nice, just seem preoccupied. I don't question that the lady loves her precious kitty. I have no idea how to proceed. And no I don't want to adopt him, much as I adore him.
Thanks. I love her kitty too but I want my own kitty to feel ok and I don't want to have a daily struggle with seeing this domestic kitten out in the elements - hungry - cold - wet - begging to come in, and so on. My offer to collaborate - I'm still waiting to hear back from them.
It was eating my feral cat's food. It has a flea collar and I took it in during some recent downpours and cold spells. I have texted the neighbor, (next door) and she me, on occasion. One she left it out when she and her fiance had gone on a five day trip to another state. So of course we fed it and it was cold and wet and probably lonely, maybe scared? It purred non stop. But we can't keep a cat, inside, especially this beauty, when he can't sit still for more than two seconds and is going around wreaking havoc. He bears close watching and even holding. That said he is insanely lovable.
I have communicated with the owners and a few times in downpours when we took him in they asked me to hold on to him but this is a major inconvenience for us, as much as we adore him. And now our little feral who is all of about 5 pounds and ten years old, is having to put up with this "mountain lion in a china shop". It is too young to understand cat decorum, i suspect. Or just bigger than my cat, so she is scared, not sure.
I invited them over to discuss the situation, no reply, maybe they are trying to work something out, but it would be nice if they answered. She had told me last time she picked up the cat that the cat didn't get along with her fiance's dog. She asked me to quit feeding him as it was confusing him, and I pointed out that he was eating my cat's food, we weren't exactly feeding him, it was the opposite. But I stressed that he was welcome and we loved him.
Truth is, we are up against open space, and our home and land is fenced and is protected against coyotes. If he didn't come here, he could seek other food (others leave out food for ferals in areas nearby, we live in coyote territory.) At least once a week we hear that awful howling of an animal going down. I'd rather he be safe over here where at least there is food and shelter, it's much safer and he doesn't have to cross any streets, either.
So at least he is somewhere he is better off, overall. But... I don't know what to do and my little Kitty is upset and even mad at me (of course) for being nice to Sammie the other cat who is a domestic cat. He is almost always over here now and seems very hungry. Either that, or he just likes our food better or ??? (I wonder if they are feeding it some kind of expensive food... our cat gets a mix of wet and dry Friskies, and wouldn't even touch expensive cat food.)
Anyway .... any ideas? My heart is breaking to see this beautiful creature being neglected. I wish i could give it more care but this cat is 24/7 proposition and the owners have already gotten upset that I "am feeding it", I think.... My hubby says he went outside this AM at 4:30 and the cat almost ran in our house... Poor kitty cat... so deserving of so much more love!
I am so at my wit's end about how to solve this. Ideas, anyone? The owners, who seem so very nice, just seem preoccupied. I don't question that the lady loves her precious kitty. I have no idea how to proceed. And no I don't want to adopt him, much as I adore him.
Thanks. I love her kitty too but I want my own kitty to feel ok and I don't want to have a daily struggle with seeing this domestic kitten out in the elements - hungry - cold - wet - begging to come in, and so on. My offer to collaborate - I'm still waiting to hear back from them.
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