I've read where experts say tipping the ear doesn't hurt. I'm not sure I fully believe that, but it's a very good way to know at a glance if a feral cat has been spayed/neutered.
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From Feral To Lap Cats
- Thread starter MoonstoneWolf
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Here’s an article. Tipping is better than the alternatives. It also means animal control won’t take.
Why the Eartip on Outdoor Cats?
Why the Eartip on Outdoor Cats?
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Well sitting outside last night was a bust. Treasure is the only one who sat with me, Sopdet off and on. Shaman kept getting spooked about something but she always gets spooked about things. Even the raccoons seemed spooked. Probably the up and down weather. Yesterday it was 70 and today it's supposed to snow. Crazy weather. At least I'm thankful I'm only with a cane now (that is if I don't manage to fall again as usual). Hopefully Spirit and Gypsy will start showing up at some point during the day time.
Poor Shaman can't catch a break. If Cooper isn't chasing her off now it's Treasure. I'm on verge of putting down a huge tray of food and saying "Work it out" and coming back inside and ignore it. This playing babysitter for the food bowls grows old, especially with my Mom around here throwing fits all the time about one thing or another
To clarify about chasing Shaman: It is more that by the time Shaman gets to her food the others have ate so they're ready to play while all she wants to do is eat. So she sees them coming and runs and hides. Liken that to someone wanting to go for a jog or bike ride and you haven't had your first cup of coffee yet as you just rolled out of bed.
Poor Shaman can't catch a break. If Cooper isn't chasing her off now it's Treasure. I'm on verge of putting down a huge tray of food and saying "Work it out" and coming back inside and ignore it. This playing babysitter for the food bowls grows old, especially with my Mom around here throwing fits all the time about one thing or another
To clarify about chasing Shaman: It is more that by the time Shaman gets to her food the others have ate so they're ready to play while all she wants to do is eat. So she sees them coming and runs and hides. Liken that to someone wanting to go for a jog or bike ride and you haven't had your first cup of coffee yet as you just rolled out of bed.
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Once again my heart is breaking. I had to move Shaman's food and all away from it's new usual spot. She thinks I no longer love her and walked off with tail between her legs. The situation around here gets worse every second. I really am at wits end. 
Hopefully she'll be back soon, and will adjust 
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I hope talking to her through the cam helps her even if she can't see me. But naturally Treasure knows who Shaman is (meaning I say the name he makes the connection: unlike he knows his name is Treasure). So when I talk to her through the cam he pops around and looks for her wanting to play which of course she's like "Ack. Let me eat already. What a pain in the rear you can be." type thing.
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How come you changed Wichapi's name? I really liked that name.
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Wichapi is Lakota for Star. Which before she started coming near me is what the white spot on her head looked like. However once she came close and I saw her sitting up in regal beauty, the white on her collar area looked exactly like an Egyptian necklace. And her ice color eyes reminded me of an Egyptian Goddess. The spot on her head is not a star but I kept the Star translation to Sopdet which is Egyptian for Star.
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Sopdet is still the mystery cat. She still makes no cat sound. All her vocalizations are Raccoon. The raccoons get along with the other cats (even Shadow and Gypsy who are pure black) but are terrified of Sopdet for some reason. Sopdet appears and the raccoons scatter in all directions and she walks like she's a queen. Her eyes are ice color and not a normal cat like color at all. Anyone who has watched bald eagle cams especially NEFL cam I will say her eyes are exactly like Juliet's (whose eyes were not typical bald eagle eyes). Sopdet has those mesmerizing eyes
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I'll try to get a close up photo of her to capture her eyes but she's not as curious about my phone as Treasure and Shaman are and runs. Cooper hisses at the phone lol And Shadow has her days.
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I can't do this anymore. It's not good for the cats. Something tragic is always happening or one of the cats is going hungry which last time I checked is considered animal abuse. I'm in process of seeing if someone can take over. Someone who will have better luck then I because after almost 20 months with these cats I shouldn't have to be struggling with them like this. I'm going to miss them dearly but I also want them to stay alive and obviously I"m missing something here. Something works for a few hours and then it's back to the same thing. My heart is breaking in two but I see no other choice.
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Maybe the cats will use the shelter tonight with winter storm moving in. Hope so. Can’t sit outside though tonight but I did briefly see Spirit and Gypsy. Need to catch them during the day before getting traps because of Mom getting upset with traps in her yard. At leadt the cats are using the tents I have.
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All the cats are outside now waiting for Kitty Cafeteria to open for business. Except Shaman who is next door. And where is this snow and severe weather our local news was predicting. Here I was defending them as they've been here for almost 70 years. I may have to just learn the art of predicting the weather by observing animals (whatever that is called). Anyone know what that is called? I only ask because of my Mom who freaks out like a banshee over a single snowflake and I have to hear it for days.
Well, As usual the feeding didn't go according to plan. Treasure and Cooper ran Shaman off again. I still don't get it and not getting any help from the neighbors for putting out food for her or local feline behaviorists about this. And yet the poor girl keeps coming back to me and I"m completely helpless in fixing this situation. I only hope she's eating something to sustain her. But both Treasure and Cooper follow me everywhere like stalkers. I have tried every trick in the book. Feed in different areas of yard (either the T and C see me or my Mom sees me), tried different feeding times for Shaman, but T & C see me from anywhere and come running because my emergence from the door equates food. I have tried the timed feeder but C figured it out (meaning he'll sit and wait at the timed feeder instead of going to his own bowl) and again as usual Shaman can't eat. There are no windows to lower food to her, and no other doors to take food to her without Mom seeing me and throwing her usual fits. Neighbors refuse to help me. The woman who took in Ambrose said he is enough and don't want any more cats to feed. Ugh it is a never ending cycle. As I stated above this situation should have been resolved months ago. I can't go running around on a hilly 1/4 acre backyard on ice, sleet and snow (when we get the bad weather) placing and replacing food bowls (even if Mom didn't care). That would just lead to more injuries then what I've sustained tripping over the cats and my own clumsiness. As I always say I'm at wits end. Something works once and then it no longer works with these cats. Part of my Karma I suppose. Pepper really gave me a very difficult test here and I'm not doing too good with it.
And Yaay, my first smart light bulb is arriving today. That will keep me busy for a month trying to figure it out (did I ever mention I'm the most tech challenged person you will ever meet?). But trying to get the light to turn on outside so that I can see Spirit or Gypsy and look at their ear tips. Otherwise Mom will throw fits if she sees traps in the yard, so if I'm going to face eviction it better be because the two have not been TNRd. And yes, she did kick me out in freezing cold (well for that time of year) 2 months ago for a few days.
Well, As usual the feeding didn't go according to plan. Treasure and Cooper ran Shaman off again. I still don't get it and not getting any help from the neighbors for putting out food for her or local feline behaviorists about this. And yet the poor girl keeps coming back to me and I"m completely helpless in fixing this situation. I only hope she's eating something to sustain her. But both Treasure and Cooper follow me everywhere like stalkers. I have tried every trick in the book. Feed in different areas of yard (either the T and C see me or my Mom sees me), tried different feeding times for Shaman, but T & C see me from anywhere and come running because my emergence from the door equates food. I have tried the timed feeder but C figured it out (meaning he'll sit and wait at the timed feeder instead of going to his own bowl) and again as usual Shaman can't eat. There are no windows to lower food to her, and no other doors to take food to her without Mom seeing me and throwing her usual fits. Neighbors refuse to help me. The woman who took in Ambrose said he is enough and don't want any more cats to feed. Ugh it is a never ending cycle. As I stated above this situation should have been resolved months ago. I can't go running around on a hilly 1/4 acre backyard on ice, sleet and snow (when we get the bad weather) placing and replacing food bowls (even if Mom didn't care). That would just lead to more injuries then what I've sustained tripping over the cats and my own clumsiness. As I always say I'm at wits end. Something works once and then it no longer works with these cats. Part of my Karma I suppose. Pepper really gave me a very difficult test here and I'm not doing too good with it.
And Yaay, my first smart light bulb is arriving today. That will keep me busy for a month trying to figure it out (did I ever mention I'm the most tech challenged person you will ever meet?). But trying to get the light to turn on outside so that I can see Spirit or Gypsy and look at their ear tips. Otherwise Mom will throw fits if she sees traps in the yard, so if I'm going to face eviction it better be because the two have not been TNRd. And yes, she did kick me out in freezing cold (well for that time of year) 2 months ago for a few days.
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I know my Grandma used to tell the weather by observing the animals and 9 times out of 10 she was more accurate than the weathermen were. Sadly I never learned that but 5 times this year we were forecast incorrect weather (even by Al Roker) that I cancelled doing something because we were told 4 or 5 inches of snow with sleet and freezing rain was moving in. And of course the time I will decide to keep with the plans because they were wrong 5 times before is when I'll get stranded on the side of the road due to bad weather. I'm sure watching the cats (if I knew how to read the signs) is a good start. Just needing to find that start.
Thanks for the link btw
Thanks for the link btw
You're very welcome
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And because I had to come inside due to Mom screaming Shaman took off refusing to eat. This gets worse all the time. I'm still at wits end on this.
Hang in there!
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Shaman has lost a lot of weight though due to all of this. She's getting very underwieght. Anyway I have this crisis to resolve. And I mean with the cats because Mom is not going to change. Not at almost 97 years of age.
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