From Feral To Lap Cats

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MoonstoneWolf

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And looking back at prior posts, take the cats out of the equation. Let's pretend there are no cats. Mom will still be her usual snotty self yelling at me for something. I could have the house spotless and she'd still complain. I could have 5 million dollars in my bank account and it isn't enough for her. I love her because she's my Mom. It was my Dad that was easier to get along with. Yesterday once again she threw fits because I was earning money. She throws fits if I stub a toe claiming I injure myself on purpose. Unless you know her you really have no idea what I go through. If I had the money and means I would take the cats to a place that allows them and hire someone to care for Mom but sadly I don't have the means. And some on here who have followed my posts will agree it's like I"m a prisoner. I can't even walk outside the door without her screaming and throwing tantrums. And some of this is not age. Some of this she's always been like this for the 64 years I've been alive. Now put the cats back into the equation and it's triple the problems. What am I supposed to do? Let the cats starve? They depend upon me now after a year. And I'm not about to give them up for anyone. Ever.

I'll probably be MIA for just a short while. This is not a goodbye post by the way. Just to let people know (as some people have been concerned since I lost Treasure and Sopdet and disappeared for awhile) that I have 5 million things that needs to be done like make money so my bill collectors are happy, do stuff around the house so Mom is happy, take care of the cats so they are happy and do my 3 hours of physical therapy so my doctor and physical therapist are happy. Throw in eating, showering and sleeping, yea I"m booked for awhile. Also mention the fact of running with fractured rib and bad toe hiding cat stuff from Mom once every hour. lol Oh well it is what it is I suppose.

Awwe, poor Cooper is sleeping comfortably in his new set up area and now the lawn lady is coming to mulch out leaves and he'll be disturbed. Poor guy, first yesterday with me cleaning and rearranging and now today with her. He can't catch a break.

My Mom and I were outside working on her car. I brought something around back when I heard her screaming in fright calling me. I go in front and asked what's wrong. "That cat is trying to attack me". Uhm you know how vicious Cooper was being to her? He was rolling around on his back. It took everything I had to keep from laughing. Yea he was really trying to attack her
 
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MoonstoneWolf

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Since I'm so tired of babysitting food bowls and monitoring fights over the bowls. I'm making the cats wait this morning to be sure they're eating (hungry) instead of fighting, wanting to play etc. It's too cold to stand outside and guard Shaman while she eats so Cooper isn't wanting to play or Shadow chasing her off etc. I want them hungry enough they'll be more concentrated on their food bowl then on other nonsense. I can't walk very well so placing bowls throughout the yard is not going to work, especially with rain coming down.

Shaman tripped me again. I'm being abused here. lol
 
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MoonstoneWolf

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Getting another cat tent today. This one I'll use just for Shaman during meal time so she can eat in peace without another cat wanting to "play". It's a pop up. 1 second to open and one second to close. I'll then cover with an old sheet so Cooper doesn't see her, she doesn't see him / but smells him and she can eat and then time to come out. With winter coming she needs the extra food for energy and "insulation". That way I can stand just inside the door and not freeze during mealtime. I can't think of any other way. Physically I can't be walking all over the yard up and down hills in snow and on ice to leave food bowls

Ok the cat playpen arrived. Now to figure out how to put the roof on, Or I can just turn upside down and put over her while she's eating while standing guard. It may be quicker just turning upside down while she's eating to put over her. Too bad it's raining today or I'd practice with her a few times
 
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MoonstoneWolf

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I wish I was able to get photo of this but I came home and saw the cats and a Wolf (adult wolf) eating out of the same bowl at the same time. No fights or anything.

I'm still waiting on the elephants and giraffes to show up.

Ok, still trying to figure out how to lure Shaman into the playpen so I can zip up quickly while keeping Cooper away from the playpen. This would be easier if my Mom was not so stubborn

This is not going well with Shaman. She's scared of the playpen and now she's deathly scared of me. I spent over a year to get her to trust me and now this tragedy. I'm not sure physically how much more I can do with these cats but to find someone else to take over for me if someone will. I'm half dead myself right now from illness and injury. :(
 
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MoonstoneWolf

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I do have a question. Although not fond of Jackson Galaxy's so called homeopathic solutions, I do like his approach. I have noticed that Cooper is a lot like Treasure was (although he's barely over a year old) and likes to "play" with Shaman. She's trying to eat and he's through and wants to play. Today I'm leaving the food out 30 minutes and then bringing inside til next timed feeding. I don't know in my mind I figure if they are hungry they'll concentrate on their bowl of food. And yes I understand that all Cooper wants to do is play but seeing it from Shaman's viewpoint all she wants is a peaceful meal. Would you say taking up the food after 30 minutes is a good idea or as soon as I see that they are chasing each other and so on? I know some people say that cats will starve themselves but I find it hard to believe that a cat won't stand up for her food if she's hungry enough as self preservation is dominant in all species. Do you think I should continue this approach until I get Cooper a food puzzle toy? Thanks in advance for the answer.
 

maggiedemi

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Wow, I'm surprised the wolf didn't eat the cats. I know coyotes do around here.
 
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MoonstoneWolf

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The coyotes here don't bother the cats either. They all co exist together. We have groundhogs, wild turkey, raccoons, possums, foxes, coyotes, wolves, owls, bats and armadillo recently spotted in St Louis. Never had an incident in the 64 years I lived here
 
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MoonstoneWolf

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Thanks I feed them at 7:30 am, Noon and 4:00 PM. Dinner is more relaxed time though like my dinner is but before I come inside at night I bring in all their food bowls. I do leave water out for them though in various spots of the cat area so they have something to drink. Yesterday I took out lunch, Cooper took 3 bites and then went to play with Shaman. Shaman ran off. So I picked up the bowls for both and brought inside til supper time. I did spend time outside with them though so it isn't like I'm snatching the food away and locking the door on them. Shaman inspected my raking efforts while Cooper wanted to roll around on his back. Of course I had to move all the cat stuff to side of house because of the Mom alert. Before long I'll have to be shoveling ice and snow to be with them and keep them occupied, although St Louis is having unusually warm weather right now for this time of year. Hope it stays this way because I'm still learning with these cats and also I have not been right physically since I fell in June 2018. I used to love love love single digit weather and now I'm like chilled and wearing sweaters in 70 degrees. Something happened to me I think besides the frozen shoulder and severe nerve damage.

One of the mistakes I made was I left food out all day long for them to nibble on, despite the advice given to me to have set meal times. I was so afraid they'd starve or move on to some other place. But seeing the playing and fighting or them wanting me to stand guard over their food bowl while they eat has got to be too much. I can't do it. I'm not well enough to stand outside this winter guarding their food bowl or playing security guard while they eat. So the free feeding stops and scheduled meal times only. Because to be honest, I'm afraid if I continue the current trend I won't be here to care for them so this has to stop. Yes I'll get dirty and defiant looks.

So this morning Cooper and Shaman were outside together. Ate well from their own bowls, side by side and then after 10 minutes Cooper decided to play and Shaman decided to run off. So I figured neither were hungry any more so I brought in both bowls of food til lunch time. The others haven't shown up but they're going to have to learn to show up at meal time or wait til the next meal comes around. I can't keep up with running outside every hour with a bowl of food to feed a straggling cat and then play security guard for 10 to 30 minutes so the other cats stay away. Not in winter time. Thankfully the weather is nice now but it won't be nice much longer so best to train them when I can.

Making a list of chores to do outside though so I can spend time with them not involving food. Cooper likes rolling around in the leaves I rake.
 
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MoonstoneWolf

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Need suggestions on how to get Shaman to not be scared of the cat playpen or should I just open it up and let the other cats enjoy it?

I'm going to just feed them a treat during lunch hour and only real meals breakfast and supper. They tend to play/chase or fight too much during lunch time so obviously they can't be too hungry. And that's placing bowls out of sight of the other bowls/cats.

Ugh I made a mistake and gave in with a feeding. Oh well guess this will count as their supper then. I actually forgot about it and looked at the clock incorrectly.
 
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MoonstoneWolf

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That's what I was thinking. Cooper doesn't seem bothered by it at all but of course if he gets his scent in there Shaman will stay away from it. Of course I can just start feeding Cooper in there after zipping it up so Shaman can eat in peace. But I still think if she's hungry enough she'll defend her food. Another suggestion I read (can't remember where) was to put out an extra food bowl. In other words if I have 4 cats set out 5 bowls. That way the one that thinks the other cat has something tastier to eat will most likely still work his/her way down and the cat run off will be able to work his/her way back to the extra food bowl. Not sure if I'm explaining this properly.
 
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MoonstoneWolf

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Thanks. I am also thinking of NOT staying outside with them when they eat. I just give them the food, pet them tell them I love them and then back inside. Then go back outside in 30 minutes to pick up the food bowls til the next meal. I noticed in the past when Treasure was here that he and Cooper got along IF I was inside the house but if I went outside they both fought. I wonder if it's a "claim on me" type thing that is going on.

Also Cooper is learning that no amount of staring at the door is not going to make it magically open and I emerge with food. I'm not sure where Shaman is but I have thought of where to place the food. I put one plate/bowl in each tent, one in the playpen, one down in the stairwell and one on the side of the house. The food is just right inside of the door so all the do is poke their head in to eat and each week I'll move it back just a bit more til they're each inside. Too bad I don't have money to have them microchipped or I"d get one of those feeders for them. Guess I have to make due with what I have. I realize no two cats are alike but I hope I'm taking the right approach with them on this.

Well Shaman ate for 3 minutes then stopped to look around for me. I still feel mean coming inside but this is the arrangement. I may just leave the one bowl in the playpen just so they get used to it.

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MoonstoneWolf

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Hope someone helps me with this tragedy? Nothing seems to work with these cats. My heart is breaking in two. Treasure was the only one who showed any interest in hunting. Shaman runs scared of her own shadow and Cooper stirs the pot with all the cats. He's lovable but he needs someone to give him a home and no one wants him. I have tried for 7 months to find a home for him. And after the Shadow fiasco I'm not trusting our shelters around here.

BTW: Cooper was never a feral cat. He was dumped by some irresponsible person who didn't want to take on the responsibility of neutering him when he came of age. Simple as that. Cooper came up to me the minute he first appeared, no hissing, spitting, running or anything. I had to take care of him being neutered. He's just barely a year old so I'm surprised that no one wants him.
 
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Does anyone know if this will work? I really have no idea what I'm doing here due to the weather
 

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Hang in there!! I can't do much personally except send you my thoughts and prayers. Maybe there's a group like the Denver Dumb Friends League where they'd help, and an animal transport group who could move Cooper. Colorado seems to be a location where a lot of adoptions occur. Call DDFL, see what they say.
 
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