From Feral To Lap Cats

Status
Not open for further replies.

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Shaman is very much into having her photo taken, even that first day she came into my life. Pepper never wanted her photo taken and ran into the other room the minute a camera came out. In her 23 years of life she never came near a camera. So I only have one photo of her, sadly. It's on a piece of computer paper in a frame by her urn. Treasure is too interested in what's on my phone then to sit still and let me photograph him. Sopdet stands back with idle curiosity and if Cooper was around he'd be trying to eat the phone lol

And hard rain again but I have no choice. Spirit and Gypsy need to eat so I put the food in the pet carrier. Couldn't cover it because anything over the top freaks the cats out so the food will most likely be soggy. 😢
 
Last edited:

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Monday's update: Last night we had heavy rains. That didn't stop the raccoons from coming out though. And I had a bowl of food in the carrier for Spirit, Gypsy and Shaman on the side of the house. But since the raccoon could not get to the food he made it where the cats couldn't either and pushed it in a spot that would take a human to go outside and move. Several times I saw this on replay that the cats were trying to get to the food inside. Ugh what a nightmare. Going on 48 hours since Spirit and Gypsy were able to eat. :(
They may all die on me as a result of this. I get no help from neighbors or the local feral society on this situation. Again I'm a horrible horrible caretaker. :(

Shaman just showed up to eat. Mom is downstairs. So I talked to Shaman through the cam. Shaman ran off scared. She never was like that in the beginning. My heart is breaking. Nothing is going to work with these cats. :(
 
Last edited:

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Today is when I try and locate someone to take over the care of these cats and let them get used to the person. It's not fair for the cats to have to deal with this on a daily basis. Mom is downstairs throwing her usual stupid hourly tantrums about silly stuff and so breakfast is delayed. I can't be moving their shelters and all out of Mom's view in 30 seconds time 2 times a day I"m too ill and still am recuperating from my injuries. And the stress is not fair to the cats. I'm surprised these cats put up with me for 20 months and while it will break my heart I may have no other choice than to find someone who is willing to take over the care. Things with my Mom get 100% worse by the minute and things here will never change.

I totally failed the test that Pepper sent to me. :(
 

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Driving by my neighbors house I noticed that there were several crude shelters in the back. Looks like lids from litter boxes anchored in the ground somehow with straw inside. I imagine that's where Shaman is going as she hangs out in that yard. The neighbors don't feed her as they know she and I are bonded but thought they'd help in way of shelters. So I feel better about her at nights. Still no show from Cooper. Been some time now and I can only hope he's ok as he was not a feral but a dumped pet. He was really given a raw deal in life. :(

Anyway I'll talk to her more this week and see if she can take over caretaking for these cats. The stress from this house is really not fair to them as you'll realize looking at the past comments in this thread from last summer. At least they'll be 3 houses up from me so I can still see them but they need a better stress free place to eat and sleep.
 
Last edited:

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Not an update but a question: Any idea what I can use to cover the pet carrier so that when it rains the food I keep inside away from the birds won't get soggy wet? This is a desperate plea as we're getting more bad weather in an hour? The cats are scared of plastic and/or shower curtains (cut up) and I have to kind of make due with what is available here. I also don't have any plastic bags or plastic totes to slide the food into. Nor the money to go to DG and buy. This is NOT something I can order from Amazon as the weather is today like in less than an hour now. Anything that we do have Mom pitches and then screams and evicts me if I pull out of the garbage. Cats refuse to eat wet food. :( Please help me if you can. I'm going broke and the cats will die if they can't eat. I'll update tomorrow. Thanks.
 
Last edited:

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Thanks all. I knew I'd be having a duh why didn't I think of that moment after getting responses on here. lol
 

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Update: Did the floor mat from the car: worked for a bit but the wind blew it off. Not to mention 3 cats scooting it around made it slide down. So I may need to tie it around the top and sides for this kind of weather. I did find the mat that comes with the cat tents and used that but had to hold down with a brick. The top of the pet carrier is uneven as the handle is in the middle so tying around is probably the best option til better arrangements are made. I'm scared that too much moving around could cause a serious accident to one of the cats. Dang birds are still walking inside the pet carrier all the way to the back to grab the wet food or the kibble. And as mentioned before wind chimes etc does nothing to them as they are used to them by now. I have one cat that lays there and watches them and then goes to sleep, forgetting he's a cat.

So all the cats ate last night. Then the pit bull that a neighbor lets run loose cam through chasing off Harrison (the raccoon) ate all the cat food set out for Spirit and Gypsy since they seldom come out during the day, and drank all the water. Then he went to the other side where the tents are and did the same thing. He didn't pay any attention to the cats that were sleeping in the tents though.

I really have to try to find someone to take over all the way. This current situation is not working at all. I'm at my wits end with this nightmare. Am I supposed to get more sick and run off the birds every 5 minutes? The experts on getting rid of birds obviously know nothing from what I'm seeing. :(

Someone is coming today to take over the care of the cats. I can't do this anymore. I just can't. I'll miss them but I want them to stay alive and I have to fight these birds and my crazy Mother ever hour with my declining health as well as injuries that are not healing. In the cold. And the snow. My heart is breaking into a million little pieces over this. :(
 
Last edited:

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
So I was reading in another thread about cats scratching around in their food which is like covering it up to eat later (like a doggy bag for cats type thing). Anyway I just noticed Shaman doing this. I never saw Pepper and Harley do this at all so this was confusing to me. She's tired of fighting the birds though. The neighbor btw doesn't want to even help with the feeding. Even though I'm paying for the food. :(

Treasure is driving me nuts looking for Sopdet running around, yowling and all. She has a habit of hiding til dark when something spooks her and then slinks back to the area when it's dark outside. I'm going crazy with him today.

And Shaman will not eat unless i"m out there with her. I'll be dead from illness if something doesn't happen here and very soon. :(
 
Last edited:

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
I’m going to lose the cats. The’ll freeze to death. 😥. My heart is breaking in two. They refuse to use the shelters even now.

1581659392715.png
 

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Update: At least one of the cats is responsive. Treasure is hunkered in the back of the cat tent still not using the shelter. It would be easier getting them used to going in there if it wasn't for my Mom throwing fits all the time about the cat stuff. The power bank to my one cam died though (hope it resurrects) but again the Mom situation, I can't run extensions and all to run the cam on that area. Ugh

Well it is currently 6 degrees with a 0 windchill. But considering last year's temperatures the cats should be fine. At least I hope so. I haven't seen Shaman, Shadow, Spirit or Gypsy this morning. And they are usually here by this time. I don't want to lose these cats. :( And before anyone thinks I"m making it up about last year's winter temperatures or lying here is an article from last year on the weather. The day it happened.

St. Louis schools cancel classes with dangerously cold temperatures expected Wednesday

Well Treasure and Sopdet were ok but wouldn't eat. I'm so scared now they'll starve to death. My heart is breaking over this. :(

Everyone: something has to give here. The birds went through 12 lbs of cat food in 4 days time. None of the advice by "experts" ha, worked. I put shiny foil they ignore, decoys do nothing, wind chimes are useless. They even walk under low and enclosed areas to the back of the pet carrier and get the cat food. I can't afford 24 lbs or more a week on cat food. I just can't. I REALLY could use some more help and advice here. Even blaring loud music randomly does nothing to deter them. The cats will starve and the last I checked starving cats is considered animal abuse. :(

And I honestly have no idea what to do about Shaman not eating unless I'm outside with her. Surely I am not the only person who has a feral that wants to be babysat while she's eating. If I go out in this weather though I could get very very ill (more so than now). Yet if she does't eat she dies as cats need to eat. No one in my city even bothers to answer me on this situation. :( This situation is a no win and nothing is working. I'm really crying over this. :(
 
Last edited:

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
24 degrees and I have to clean the pet carrier of bird poop. Since suggestions of keeping the birds out of the cat food did not help it appears this is going to be a daily thing. The top of the pet carrier has a handle so it's a bit catywompus to place something on top. Ugh and the to do all of this without Mom seeing and throwing her usual stupid fits. :( Shaman disappeared again. Not sure what is going on but my health is declining again as a result of all the stress and the weather. And yet these cats depend upon me. What a horrible situation I'm in. :(

I called for Shaman and she has not come. My heart is breaking into a million pieces over this situation First Cooper who's been gone since the 5th and now this. These cats deserve better. :(
 
Last edited:

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Update: Shaman is still missing. Cooper has been missing for 10 days. I can't do this anymore. :(
 

CatLover49

All Cats Are Special
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 8, 2018
Messages
2,312
Purraise
3,800
Location
Reidsville NC
Update: Shaman is still missing. Cooper has been missing for 10 days. I can't do this anymore. :(
Sorry I cant keep up with all your kitties names etc....but wasnt shaman a feral...I mean if.he was or is...wouldnt ferals come and go...Dont they tend to maybe come around sometimes...and may disappear for weeks or what..I dont know about ferals
 

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Shaman was a feral but she has been seen hourly on cam for the past 18 months. Makes no sense that she would all of a sudden decide to wander after this amount of time. Remember Shaman DOES NOT know how to hunt. Treasure did all the hunting for her but since she and Treasure are no longer friends and he hangs out with Sopdet there goes that. She's dependent upon others. Cooper was NEVER a feral. He was a dumped pet but no way to prove it. The only way I knew was the first time he showed up last May he knew all the hand signals for come here, etc that we would use on our indoor cats. Someone was too irresponsible and lazy to fix him so dumped him in my yard instead so I had to do it myself. Cooper seldom goes past 3 or 4 days without making a visit to the food bowl, other cats running him off or not as he sneaks in. I haven't seen him since the 5th. That's 11 days now and for his first winter being outside as he is only 17 months old now, (remember I had him fixed so the vet concluded the age) and this winter is brutal for an abandoned cat. Shaman and the others were born and grew up in this so they have a better chance of surviving and know what to do. Cooper doesn't. And I asked around no one wanted him and no one took him in. So I'm worried. BTW: Cooper doesn't like smelly food so trying to lure him with that will not work. Spirit and Gypsy are obviously dumped pets as well as they were extremely emaciated when they first showed up. Thankfully Shaman took to them and led them to the food bowl and they have put on some weight (although not ideal) so this too is probably their first winter outside. I would say S & G were dumped because looking at them they are at least 4 years old and if feral they would know how to get food instead of being emaciated. I don't think it's a disease as if it was they probably would still be emaciated after eating from here. But with them Shaman is buddies with them and so they go to hunker down where she goes. And yes this winter is not as brutal as last winter (Please read the above linked article before citing it never got very cold here last winter, please from a newspaper that has been used in St Louis Businesses for over 40 years in my area). it's still cold and brutal to a pet that lived inside all his/her life.

The fact remains that A. Shaman WILL NOT eat unless I'm babysitting her. I can't do that. Because Mom screams and evicts me if I stand outside in the cold. She's done it before and will do it again. B. I also need to break this pattern because Spirit and Gypsy watch and if they see me babysitting her they'll think I'll do it with them. And then what? Shaman has a falling out with them at some point and then I'll have to babysit 3 or maybe 4 feeding stations. Ugh. And finally C. Treasure who used to be her best friend and now bitter enemy runs her out of the area. And if I go to stand with her he follows.

I am having a hard time getting advice from cat behaviorists on this situation. And oh, factor in the stupid birds eating 12 lbs of cat food in 4 days time. I don't deny them eating but they have their own bird feeders in our yard and everyone else's yard on the block yet they ignore that to torment the cats. This situation along with a screaming irrational woman is why I have hourly issues with the cats and feel like throwing in the towel and finding someone else to do it. You know I have to think of my own health as well. I still have a toe that will not heal. And no money for a doctor. I still have this strange cold/flu from a mosquito bite last summer. So even if I DID NOT throw in the towel what happens to these cats if I get put in hospital or worse (die) which CAN Happen and has been known to happen with similar health issues. Then what? That's why every day on here is a desperate plea for advice. I know a lot of the advice does not work but surely maybe hopefully there is still that one thing that none of us have thought of that will resolve this situation. Because I'm going to be blunt, the cats deserve a stress free life instead of hearing my Mom throwing her hourly tantrums as it stresses them out and frankly I deserve (at least long enough to see these cats die of old cat age) be healthy instead of standing outside in 10 degree windchill for an hour straight babysitting food bowls.

Also I have another cat lying in the tent for 10 hours refusing to eat no matter what. She also does not like stinky food and I can't afford a vet so she will most likely die on me as a result of the ongoing and unresolved issues surrounding these cats. I never should have started this. They would have been better off at another colony with a different caretaker. And that breaks my heart having to face the truth on this most serious situation. :(
 
Last edited:

CatLover49

All Cats Are Special
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 8, 2018
Messages
2,312
Purraise
3,800
Location
Reidsville NC
Shaman was a feral but she has been seen hourly on cam for the past 18 months. Makes no sense that she would all of a sudden decide to wander after this amount of time. Remember Shaman DOES NOT know how to hunt. Treasure did all the hunting for her but since she and Treasure are no longer friends and he hangs out with Sopdet there goes that. She's dependent upon others. Cooper was NEVER a feral. He was a dumped pet but no way to prove it. The only way I knew was the first time he showed up last May he knew all the hand signals for come here, etc that we would use on our indoor cats. Someone was too irresponsible and lazy to fix him so dumped him in my yard instead so I had to do it myself. Cooper seldom goes past 3 or 4 days without making a visit to the food bowl, other cats running him off or not as he sneaks in. I haven't seen him since the 5th. That's 11 days now and for his first winter being outside as he is only 17 months old now, (remember I had him fixed so the vet concluded the age) and this winter is brutal for an abandoned cat. Shaman and the others were born and grew up in this so they have a better chance of surviving and know what to do. Cooper doesn't. And I asked around no one wanted him and no one took him in. So I'm worried. BTW: Cooper doesn't like smelly food so trying to lure him with that will not work. Spirit and Gypsy are obviously dumped pets as well as they were extremely emaciated when they first showed up. Thankfully Shaman took to them and led them to the food bowl and they have put on some weight (although not ideal) so this too is probably their first winter outside. I would say S & G were dumped because looking at them they are at least 4 years old and if feral they would know how to get food instead of being emaciated. I don't think it's a disease as if it was they probably would still be emaciated after eating from here. But with them Shaman is buddies with them and so they go to hunker down where she goes. And yes this winter is not as brutal as last winter (Please read the above linked article before citing it never got very cold here last winter, please from a newspaper that has been used in St Louis Businesses for over 40 years in my area). it's still cold and brutal to a pet that lived inside all his/her life.

The fact remains that A. Shaman WILL NOT eat unless I'm babysitting her. I can't do that. Because Mom screams and evicts me if I stand outside in the cold. She's done it before and will do it again. B. I also need to break this pattern because Spirit and Gypsy watch and if they see me babysitting her they'll think I'll do it with them. And then what? Shaman has a falling out with them at some point and then I'll have to babysit 3 or maybe 4 feeding stations. Ugh. And finally C. Treasure who used to be her best friend and now bitter enemy runs her out of the area. And if I go to stand with her he follows.

I am having a hard time getting advice from cat behaviorists on this situation. And oh, factor in the stupid birds eating 12 lbs of cat food in 4 days time. I don't deny them eating but they have their own bird feeders in our yard and everyone else's yard on the block yet they ignore that to torment the cats. This situation along with a screaming irrational woman is why I have hourly issues with the cats and feel like throwing in the towel and finding someone else to do it. You know I have to think of my own health as well. I still have a toe that will not heal. And no money for a doctor. I still have this strange cold/flu from a mosquito bite last summer. So even if I DID NOT throw in the towel what happens to these cats if I get put in hospital or worse (die) which CAN Happen and has been known to happen with similar health issues. Then what? That's why every day on here is a desperate plea for advice. I know a lot of the advice does not work but surely maybe hopefully there is still that one thing that none of us have thought of that will resolve this situation. Because I'm going to be blunt, the cats deserve a stress free life instead of hearing my Mom throwing her hourly tantrums as it stresses them out and frankly I deserve (at least long enough to see these cats die of old cat age) be healthy instead of standing outside in 10 degree windchill for an hour straight babysitting food bowls.

Also I have another cat lying in the tent for 10 hours refusing to eat no matter what. She also does not like stinky food and I can't afford a vet so she will most likely die on me as a result of the ongoing and unresolved issues surrounding these cats. I never should have started this. They would have been better off at another colony with a different caretaker. And that breaks my heart having to face the truth on this most serious situation. :(
All I know to say is I hope Shaman & Cooper come back safe and sound...And any other of your kitties that are missing...And all your kitties get along and stay safe...And your health get better and your moms health get better...And your whole situation in general gets BETTER...:):alright::redheartpump::petcat::catlove:🙏
 

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
So the most amazing thing: Shaman did return, still no Cooper. I'm really worried about him. However that's not what is amazing. I have read how a cat purrs not only for contentment but also for self healing. I wasn't sure if that worked for other cats or humans but just a bit ago I was getting their can of Friskies ready and accidentally cut my thumb on the lid. As with most cuts it bled and profusely. Not the first time I cut myself certainly won't be the last. However I crudely bandaged it with a towel (Mom throws fits if I cut myself ugh) so then continued to fix their food with pressure on the cut. I took the food out and served to Treasure and then to Shaman on the side of the house. When I went back, Treasure looked at me and rubbing his head up close to the thumb he began to purr very loudly. Almost 3 minutes later the bleeding slowed just enough for me to get some dot bandaids on me and a crude thing of toilet paper wrapped around that. Treasure came back and purred a bit more and then took off to "play" with Shaman who wasn't happy with him as she wanted to eat. Right now the pain is minimal and there is no bleeding through the toilet paper. I just had to share. This is the first time that Treasure purred for my healing like he did.
 

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
I've been evicted. Mom threw me out of the house over the cut thumb situation. Guess that's that. :(
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top