How do I tell if Aashka has a second home?

Columbine

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Aashka's confusing me. She's at the yard for a few days, wary but very talkative, and eats hungrily when the food goes down. In fact, on the days she's about she's nagging from a didistance to hurry mum up with the food! (Between fibro and Asha I'm still staying home for the time being.)

Then she isn't around for days. Easily 4-5 days at a time. Our routine is pretty fixed at the yard, so Aashka knows when to find us - and the food of course ;) She always looks very well...she's a big cat, but not fat. She's always been very vocal and happy to show herself, and her body language is confident as long as she has her space. She's very terratorial...even a bit of a thug when it comes to other cats, as Asha and Pushkin can attest to. Its just close contact that she doesn't like. Is it possible she has a home somewhere, and how do we find out?

The yard has a major road (the A1 to be exact) running the full length of one side. There were fields on the other side, but they're now being turned into a motorway...the yard is essentially going to be a big island between these two roads. There's a village the far side of the feed road, and another farm a good hours walk away (human speed :lol: ). There's also another residential area, but again there are major roads between it and the farm.

So...does Aashka have a home elsewhere? The farmer doesn't want her around...If we stop feeding will she stop coming? At the moment the plan is still to trap, spay and re-home because of the farmer's wishes, but can we do that if she lives elsewhere?

Very confused :confuse3:
 

ritz

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She may be a "roaming romeo", visiting several houses and being fed by cat lovers. Or a good hunter! Hercules is like that--weight always good, extraordinarily friendly for a stray. I TNRd him in May 2012, lived outside for some times ever since and continued to fed him when I saw him. In mid February I decided to take him home because he'd been left outside again in the bitter cold. (Posted notices "FOUND CAT" and on line; no one called.) Doing well, in spite of Ritz.
I take it that Aashaka is not spayed? In my opinion, regardless whether she is officially 'owned', she should be spayed. She'll be healthier and not pregnant. At that time you might consider deworming, flea treatment and tested for FIV/FeLK (though I think you live in England so the policies may be different.)
You could put a collar/tag on her with the message "Is this your cat? Please call..." I considered doing that with Ritz but circumstances intervened. (Hence, the posts.)
Thanks for caring, too.
 
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shadowsrescue

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The collar idea is a good one if you think you can get one on her.  You just place a note inside the capsule and if she is owned they will find the note and hopefully call you. 

Yet she may just be a roamer and roam from place to place for food. 

I would definitely get the trap set up and get her spayed.  She will wind up pregnant soon with spring just around the corner. 
 
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Columbine

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Thanks guys :) My plan has always been to spay, and if I do a straightforward TNR I wouldn't be hesitating. It's having to permanently remove her once I've got her that's concerning me a little.

I don't think a collar is a viable option because she is only confident with people in general if they stay about 5 ft away. I had made progress myself with her, but I think I'm back to square one after 2 failed trapping attempts.

ritz ritz I would ordinarily test for FIV and FeLV, but finances are tighter since taking on Asha (we already have a £200 vet bill for her first two weeks with us and she isn't even spayed yet!). Exactly what happens after trapping Aashka depends on when I do it. If I catch her before May, she will go to my vet and then to a local rescue organisation for short term fostering as a holding operation. If I catch her after May 1st she will go straight from my vet to her new home (a friend who has no other cats currently, but who has previously owned ferals and is able to give Aashka an indoor/outdoor lifestyle where I cannot. Said friend is house and pet sitting for her son until May). Aashka will definitely be spayed, wormed and de fleaed,(which I will be funding) but I don't know that I can afford to have the additional testing done. Because it's essentially a private re homing, there aren't any regulations about what tests have to be done. I know it sounds harsh, but my feeling is that the basic health check, spaying etc are the priorities with the expensive tests being a luxury that I may not be able to cover.

Hope that all makes sense. I just don't want to be accused of catnapping later on. I know my Asha had been living semi feral since before Christmas, but there have been mutterings that she might be a cat someone lost two weeks ago...its a gossipy area here :sigh:
 
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Columbine

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No sign of Aashka since my last post. Hope she's moved on/gone back to her home (if she has one). Still search for her (me or Mum) every day. Pray she hasn't got onto the road and been killed. Wish I'd been able to make things right with her after my screw up before she took off.
 

shadowsrescue

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Now that the weather is warmer, she may not depend on you so much for food.  She may be able to hunt and as you assumed, she might have another food source.  I have had many ferals come and go.  It is one of the hardest parts of working with them.  I hope she is fine and just out enjoying herself.
 
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Columbine

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Thank you. I hope you're right. Bizarrely, it's trying to snow again thus morning...In England at the end of March :confuse3: :sigh:
 
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Columbine

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Still no sign of Aashka...

Maybe her purpose was to lead me to Asha. She stopped appearing a week or so after Asha came home with us. Hope she's ok.
 

shadowsrescue

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Still no sign of Aashka...

Maybe her purpose was to lead me to Asha. She stopped appearing a week or so after Asha came home with us. Hope she's ok.
I hope she is safe and getting well taken care of else where.  She knows she can get food/care with you so if she needs you, she will be back. 

Her purpose certainly could have been to bring Asha to you.  Once she felt secure, Asha was not coming back, Aashka left.

I hope the best for Aashka.
 
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Columbine

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It's official...Aashka's moved on/gone home/left. Pushkin is moving confidently around the whole yard...something she hasn't done since Aashka beat her up. That makes us certain Aashka's no longer around, since Pushkin was definitely scared of her and is in no condition to fight (elderly, pretty sure she has a big tumor/growth on her side/belly and possible thyroid issues. We're not getting a vet diagnosis because she'd be impossible to medicate. She's still got good quality of life. Just watching and caring for her until she goes downhill. At that point we'll have a decision to make. Knowing her character, this feels the kindest option. Better a shorter, happy life than an extended miserable one).

Anyway (really got off topic there), We're sure Aashka's gone
. Still feel like I failed her. Wish things could have ended differently. Aashka, wherever you are, I hope you're ok. I'm sorry...
 

shadowsrescue

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My hope is Aashka has a home somewhere where she gets food and shelter.  Hopefully she is not out somewhere with kittens.  You may see her again.  Feral like cats often come and go.  I have had some go missing for 5-6 months and then reappear.  No idea where they go or what they do.  I hope she is well wherever she is.

You did the best you could for her.  I am sure she is grateful for your kindness.  She also knows that she can come back if she needs food or help.
 
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Columbine

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Thanks. Sorry for being a broken record about Aashka. It's just hard when things end on a bad note.
 

shadowsrescue

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Thanks. Sorry for being a broken record about Aashka. It's just hard when things end on a bad note.
You have nothing to be sorry about.  She was a part of your animal family and you had concern for her well being.  You will always remember her.  Send her good thoughts and let he know that you are available if she ever needs you.  I have many ferals along the way.  It is sad and very hard.  A male that was with me for all last summer and into early winter this year has been gone for almost a month.  No sign of him either.  I am hopefully he has a home.  Yet I am sad to not see him. 
 

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I also have some that come and go, and I wonder about their "second homes." This winter I had a little frail boy and I was able to get him up to a healthy weight  
, but I have not seen him since 3/12, so I just have to hope he is doing fine on his own now in the nice weather. So sorry to hear about Aashka being gone. I hope you will update if you see her again!
 
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Columbine

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Aashka's definitely gone for now. I really hope she has a home somewhere. If she comes back (as the farmer doesn't want her around) I'll be trying again. I've got a home ready and waiting for her with someone used to semi ferals...I think she's quite disappointed that I didn't get her this time around.

I'll definitely be posting if I see her again....can't stop myself from looking for her every time I'm at the yard.
 
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