My Feral And Rescued Cats

[di and bob]

I wanted to answer about the high price of implants. 2000 seems like a lot, but a root canal and a crown are at the least, 1200. Implants are permanent, never breaking off or needing to be redone, or decaying underneath. My insurance even pays for half of the solid 'crown' part and for pulling the tooth. I've heard some insurances even cover implants now. My insurance is 25.00/month and pays for two cleanings a year (with Starmount), so well worth it!

 

[Jcatbird]

I just found out that there is a snowshoe up for adoption through the local shelter. I know there is a lot of interest in them so I thought I would post that here. All rescues are great. Maybe someone here would love that kitty. Beautiful cat.

 

[Jcatbird]

Omg This is a scared looking kitty. I hope someone out there will rescue him. I would if I had a chance. @tarasgirl06 Have you got any empty pockets?!?!? Lol

 

[maggiedemi]

Implants are permanent, never breaking off or needing to be redone, or decaying underneath.

Yeah, that's why I want to get implants instead. I got my root canal & crown 15 years ago for $1,000 and it's already starting to go, it's really painful. I'll check out that insurance you mentioned, thanks.

Jcatbird --Beautiful kitty! I never had a Siamese before. Love the top pic of BJ, I just want to hug him. Great pic of Banjo & Whistle too, I hope those two can always stay together.

 

[surya]

He is beautiful. I am very fond of Siamese cats. They have great personalities and are very smart. This is Bella. She is from my colony. A nice lady is fostering her. If anybody is Texas is looking for a great cat, here is the adoption information:
Adopt Bella on Petfinder

 

[Jcatbird]

Petfinder is a great help for rescued kitties. Bella is beautiful! I am glad you put her picture here! These are such special kitties. I just love the eyes!
M maggiedemi if you have never had a Siamese you would probably be very amused. They are smart, beautiful and hilarious! Very energetic kitties. I have one at that is black but has Siamese lineage. Purry is long, sleek and very determined to wander among all the kitties as a friend to all. He’s a great cat. When I got him he had been injured. A dislocated hip. He had surgery and it turned out well. That was about nine years ago.
BJ does have that huggable look! Hopefully we will get to that point but if you did it now.....we’ll, let’s just say he might be rude. Lol I do love his facial expresssions. I will have new pictures of him for you tonight.
You take care of those teeth!

 

[maggiedemi]

BJ does have that huggable look! Hopefully we will get to that point but if you did it now.....we’ll, let’s just say he might be rude.

Ummm. Did I get myself in trouble again? I didn't actually mean anybody should hug a feral, I just meant he looked huggable and squeezable.

 

[Jcatbird]

It’s been a terribly busy day with the ferals. Cleaning the kingdom for the royal subjects takes a bit of time and I am not up to my usual vigor. The kitties have been patient.
Mitsy is finally making more progress. She has decided to sleep in the carrier and cage next to me at night instead of beneath the couch. She is also willing to be handled more. Since she is the second most timid cat in the house I am very pleased.
Kelly is also doing well. She enjoys laying in my lap now. For a cat that was running in the woods some weeks back, I think it is great for her to be willing to do this now. She purrs quickly and kneads her paws like a kitten. She is a beautiful kitty and reminds me so much of her daughter, Bright. She is a true Gingerbread kitty. I still miss the babies and tend to glance towards their house each time I go outside. In my mind I still see those precious little kitten faces at the door and draw a breath when I look and they are not there.

In all, the kitties are doing well. I think Alley will be more difficult to socialize than Flowers. Alley has been always sweet and funny and Flowers was once the opposite ,but the willingness to fight for her babies has made Flowers the braver of the two and much quicker to adapt to new circumstances. Flowers is still more likely to give me a swat but I do believe she will socialize more easily. Progress is coming but they are all making me earn it. I probably worry the most about Banjo and Whistle at this point. They still have some problems to overcome. Whistle responded today with a very quick and hard slap when I pulled my own food from him as he reached for it. To me that indicates he still feels a need to grab food. A worry for him of going without food. That should not be happening at this point but I understand he may have lost some confidence in a regular food source after he left me. I am going to focus on that with him. Banjo still has some issues with fear. She is better but I fear that it will take more time before she feels totally secure. I still don’t know if they can be re adopted. If someone who truly understands cats adopted them I am sure they would be okay but I don’t think everyone would understand a reaction from Whistle like I got today. I wouldn’t want him to get in trouble for something like that. It would cause more harm to him than good. We will have to see if more time helps my little musical kittens. I hope so.

BJ was his usual charming self today. As always he made me smile with his vast array of expressions.

My impressions of his expressions follow.

Hey! Where ‘ya been?

I’ve been bored!

I’ve been kind of lonely.

Did you need something?

Just call me, the Thinker!

You should always stop and smell the foliage!

Everyone should wear a flower in their hair!

You’re surprising me with a treat?

Awwwww! For Me?

Heh heh! Thanks!

What d’ya mean I ate like a shark?

I’m offended by that remark!

Welllll...... if you’re really sorry......

Okay! I forgive you!

You’re an okay human.

C’mon, I’ll walk you home.

I just love BJ! He did walk me back as far as the fence this time. Maybe he will go to the gate soon. Each step this feral boy takes me with ,is a good one. If he is too smart for the trap, maybe he also understands that I just want to love him. We may call these kitties feral but I think that in their hearts, they all desire to be loved and to give love. To me that makes them creatures that can be socialized. How can we look at these pictures and believe otherwise?

 

[JosieQ]

I'm late on the reply here, sorry! Busy and stuff.

Whistle responded today with a very quick and hard slap when I pulled my own food from him as he reached for it. To me that indicates he still feels a need to grab food. A worry for him of going without food. That should not be happening at this point but I understand he may have lost some confidence in a regular food source after he left me. I am going to focus on that with him. Banjo still has some issues with fear. She is better but I fear that it will take more time before she feels totally secure. I still don’t know if they can be re adopted. If someone who truly understands cats adopted them I am sure they would be okay but I don’t think everyone would understand a reaction from Whistle like I got today. I wouldn’t want him to get in trouble for something like that.

Oh I have this exact same fear with Nixon! Every once in a while, if I'm in swatting distance, he'll take a swipe at me when I walk by. What's weird is that he doesn't do it to my boyfriend, only me. My fella says it's because he "Likes to keep his ladies in line," since he also messes around with Lady Fluffington. XD

I make a little "Ah!" sound to discourage it, though I really don't mind. I'm concerned though about someone adopting him and having some kind of problem with it, because people can be big babies.

It is weird though that he does it to me and not my boyfriend. I'm the one that rescued him, cleaned his wounds daily, hand-fed him while he was in his cone. I treat him, spend most of the time with him. Is it the familiarity? Is it a male/female thing? Hmm.

I would guess that your rescues were slow to go after the laser because it didn’t look like a food source they recognized but now that they are being fed they are looking at it as something to okay with. That’s a great sign that they are adjusting to being non ferals. You are doing a great job with them.

Thanks! And this absolutely makes sense, I'm sure you're right. It did baffle me though that they both decided on the same DAY to go after it. And it wasn't like one saw the other playing and thought "Okay I can waste my time with that if he can" it was just, I turned it on and BAM they both leapt for it at the same time haha.

I think you assume correctly about their awkward pounce and run. It is the movement of a predator as it tries to catch a mouse or bug. The pounce to incapacitate the food and the run to pursue it and capture if it continues. I think your intuitive understanding of cats is very good. The kitties are lucky to have found you. They are smart. They know who to chose.

Aw, thanks again! I still need to put in a few more years/decades to catch up with you. You're amazing.

Since my last post Lady Fluffington has twice actually flipped over onto her back in a tumble when she got a string, she is srs business about that string. It's hilarious.

If you like Banjo you might be interested in going back in this thread to learn her story. She and her litter mates were feral rescues. She and brother Whistle still live here. They have both had struggles , but are survivors. Whistle is a lover and Banjo just steals hearts. Banjo is the funny one. She steals my phone and takes selfies! I have posted these pictures before but to welcome you I will let Banjo give you a high five for all you are doing for kitties and a kitty hug in case you need one! I hope to hear more from you.

I did just that, and her selfies are adorable. XD Thanks for the high-five Banjo.

Another question, since I'm here. Do your stray/ferals purr less than regular ole tame house kitties? I've found all of these stray guys are really sparing with their purrs. Even when they're super leaning into me for a good scratch (the kind where, if I were evil, I could yank my hand away and they'd just topple off the desk/counter/sink), and they are clearly enjoying the hell out of it, I still only very rarely get a purr out of any of them.

I read a site suggesting that cats raised by feral moms may purr less to keep quiet from predators, but it was a hypothesis so who knows. It just made me curious if you've had the same experience with your guys.

Nixon will usually give me a purr when he jumps up onto the counter (where he's not supposed to be) or the washing machine or bathroom sink, and once he manages to overcome my complaints and get in my face to rub on that face, then he purrs really loud. I think he's gloating at me being a pushover. ಠ_ಠ

 

[Jcatbird]

I'm late on the reply here, sorry! Busy and stuff.
Ertainly understand that word “busy”, lol. I am glad you checked in though. I have had you on my mind.

Oh I have this exact same fear with Nixon! Every once in a while, if I'm in swatting distance, he'll take a swipe at me when I walk by. What's weird is that he doesn't do it to my boyfriend, only me. My fella says it's because he "Likes to keep his ladies in line," since he also messes around with Lady Fluffington. XD

I make a little "Ah!" sound to discourage it,
I'm concerned though about someone adopting him and having some kind of problem with it, because people can be big babies.

It really isn’t so weird he does it to you. You are the one he trusts not to hit back and you are also in a position where he may wish to dominate. I give a firm, “No” and refuse whatever he wants. If he is actually feeling a need for more food then I do take him to another area and feed him but I give him a cooling off time first. I don’t want him to think the swat got a reward. It is natural for them to swiftly grab food in nature but , as you said, people can be big babies, so we don’t want a kitty getting rejected.


I turned it on and BAM they both leapt for it at the same time haha.

I am glad they are learning how to play with the laser for fun and not just concerned for food. That’s a big plus all the way around!


Aw, thanks again! I still need to put in a few more years/decades to catch up with you. You're amazing.

You may be closer than you think in the understanding of cat speak. Once you grasp the idea it comes pretty naturally to those who understand the kitties and just put in some time and effort. Your instincts are great so I think you will be surprised at how things evolve. Thank you for the super sweet words though I can’t take much credit. A wise old cat taught me patience and cat speak when I was very young. I think she viewed me as her kitten! Your kinds words did make my day!

Since my last post Lady Fluffington has twice actually flipped over onto her back in a tumble when she got a string, she is srs business about that string. It's hilarious.

Love, love , love watching the cat string dance. It cracks me up every time. Ahhhh, the simple pleasures in life! Lol



I did just that, and her selfies are adorable. XD Thanks for the high-five Banjo.
I’m glad you read the info about Banjo. It has been an interesting adventure with her and her brother.

I read what you wrote to Banjo and at first she listened intently.

Then she appeared humbled by your praise and took this selfie to thank you.I think she’s smiling. I’ve never seen her look bashful before! Lol

Another question, since I'm here. Do your stray/ferals purr less than regular ole tame house kitties?
They do. At least at first. Most pick it up more as they feel secure and lose some of that instinct to be quiet. I have managed to listen in on tiny feral kittens with Mom and they did purr ( and Mom with them) but I expect that is to encourage nurturing. As those same kittens got older and ventured out I noticed a decrease in the amount of purring. Once I got them inside and slightly socialized the purring began to increase among the kittens and the Mom. IMHO it is a safety measure for them to be quiet in the wild. I think you will see an increase in purring.

Even when they're super leaning into me for a good scratch (the kind where, if I were evil, I could yank my hand away and they'd just topple off the desk/counter/sink), and they are clearly enjoying the hell out of it. ( Okay...... the visual on this is cracking me up! This is where we and NO, we won’t actually topple the cats. Lol)



Nixon will usually give me a purr when he jumps up onto the counter (where he's not supposed to be) or the washing machine or bathroom sink, and once he manages to overcome my complaints and get in my face to rub on that face, then he purrs really loud. I think he's gloating at me being a pushover. ಠ_ಠ

.
There’s your sign that Nixon is adapting with the purring! He’s happy!
I love hearing about the ferals and rescues! Stories about trials with kitties being overcome inspire me to keep working with all these babies. Please do keep me updated. We all learn from each other as we go. Give the kitties an extra head scratch from us! ( one from each of us equals 29 , May take you awhile. )

 

[maggiedemi]

I read a site suggesting that cats raised by feral moms may purr less to keep quiet from predators

Yes, my cat Maggie was a feral in the woods for the first 6 months of her life. She is 4 years old now and she doesn't purr much and she's very quiet.

 

[maggiedemi]

I still don’t know if they can be re adopted. If someone who truly understands cats adopted them I am sure they would be okay but I don’t think everyone would understand a reaction from Whistle like I got today. I wouldn’t want him to get in trouble for something like that.

This is exactly my fear. If something ever happens to me, who will take my two ruffians? I need to get serious about working with them and teaching them not to knife people. It's really their only fault. Maybe you can give me some suggestions later.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

He did walk me back as far as the fence this time. Maybe he will go to the gate soon. Each step this feral boy takes me with ,is a good one.

I'm still waiting for BJ to one day just...follow you in the door, and then sit there thinking, "Wait a minute, how did this happen?"

Thanks! And this absolutely makes sense, I'm sure you're right. It did baffle me though that they both decided on the same DAY to go after it. And it wasn't like one saw the other playing and thought "Okay I can waste my time with that if he can" it was just, I turned it on and BAM they both leapt for it at the same time haha.

Kitty see, kitty do! We know that feral cats only hunt enough to survive. They can't afford to waste energy in play, unless teaching their kittens hunting skills. That's why barn cat programs emphasize supplemental feedings...Fed cats begin to hunt (play) simply to hone their skills. Every calorie isn't needed for survival.

 

[Jcatbird]

JosieQ I hope you see that you need to click on your quote to see my entire answer to you. I put my answers with your quotes to try and make all I was saying relate to your post well. I wanted to reply to all.

 

[maggiedemi]

I'm still waiting for BJ to one day just...follow you in the door

This is what happened with Demi, I tamed him outside and one day he just walked inside. Maggie was in heat, so she was pretty easy.

 

[surya]

After you get BJ inside, you will be so lonely when you go outside without any outdoor kitties. I have a present for you, I just have to figure out how to deliver it...

 

[Jcatbird]

Good news below!!!!

Mamanyt1953 Well BJ didn’t follow me into the house yet the way Demi’s did going after Maggie but he did lay close beside me tonight and purr! I was shocked. He still doesn’t want me to reach towards the front of him to pet ( have to sneak in from behind or side) but he laid beside me as though he were perfectly comfortable with doing so. Soon I hope! Very soon. The trucks are back in the woods tonight and I am worried. I tried for hours to trick him into a trap or carrier but he is too wise. It may take him actually following me home one day. Come on BJ! Please..... I feel like the clock is ticking on my window of opportunity. I don’t really have room for him yet but I will find a way if he will just come.

M maggiedemi We all worry about our babies if something should happen to us. I am making some arrangements with my estate to take care of my kitties, just in case. Just as I did when my daughter was still with me. They are my fur babies. As for what happened with Maggie and Demi, I wish it was always that easy! I guess you were a little surprised!

surya You do know all my weaknesses! Hmmmmm. What could it be?!?!?!? You’re definitely making me smile here. I have to admit that an empty yard would be a lonely one. First I am putting up a very high fence that even a cat can’t climb between my property and the swamp though! No more 3:00A.M. strolls through the slime looking for lost kitties. Is there such a thing as a fence a cat can’t climb? Maybe a waterfall wall would keep them on this side. A recirculating pump from the swamp might just do the trick. No cat would walk through that!

I have some good news for tonight!!!
The last Flower kitten has been adopted! Poppy has found her home.

As promised, I have saved a few photos for this moment. These are my favorite photos from that group. I watched this and just melted with Awwwwww!

Helping an exhausted kittens to relax by convincing them to sleep might be a great thing. Lol

Just suppose it worked and this is how it went.

Little kitten you look tired!

All the excitement is keeping you awake.

Babies need to rest!

I will help you to relax.

Just concentrate

You are getting sleepy....

Your eyelids are getting heavy.....

and you are all getting verrrry sleepy.....

Imagine it is kitten bedtime.

Picture yourself snuggling with your Mommy.

Kittens could not be more relaxed.

Your little legs are made of rubber......

Everyone is relaxed and sleepy.....

Imagine you are all completely melted and when you awaken you will feel wonderful!

As I say mouse, you will wake up feeling refreshed!

Mouse!

Hey! I feel great!

If only getting babies to sleep were this easy.

Goodbye to my last Flower baby. You are greatly missed from this garden. I hope you are firmly planted in new hearts as well as you are in mine. Grow well baby Poppy.

Poppy was the last of all the little babies.

 

[Norachan]

Just catching up here. So nice to see all those pictures of BJ. Come on my lovely boy, you'll be much safer indoors.

Congratulations on your new home Poppy. I hope you'll be very happy there.

Jcatbird You need a cat proof fence with an overhang to prevent the cats climbing over. Our fence has been through several modifications to make it snow proof, but you probably don't need to worry about that.



This kept the cats in, but collapsed in the first heavy snow fall.

Plastic around the trees to stop them climbing out that way.

This wire mesh works better. It lets the snow fall through but keeps the cats in.

 

[Jcatbird]

Norachan Thank you for the photos of the fence. We do have snow at times but I doubt it would be of real concern. I did wish for a snow shovel last Winter though! I had to clear paths for the cats over three acres with a spade. I do wish it were safe for the cats to go out here. I have plenty of room for them to enjoy the sun and shade but when they head for the swamp I get very worried. The cyclone fence I put up originally does not keep them in or the two legged predators out. I’d be delighted to box us all in now. The lip on that fence would, not only , keep kitties in but make it difficult to climb over from outside! I like it! A little barbed wire to top it off and we could have a solution to more than one issue. No more swamp slime in the middle of the night can only be a good thing.

Skip this paragraph to go straight to the smiles.
BJ has returned to hiding. Fortunately I have made enough progress with him that he will come out to me. I have seen what he is afraid of and it is human. I was so close today to getting BJ but the human prevented it. This person was not sober or in their right senses. I see why BJ is frightened of them. In fact, he alerted me to their presence. Cat body language told me all I needed to know. Once this person was not visible from the cleared acreage here I tried for several hours to convince BJ to come back out but he stayed where he could not be detected by others. When I reached for him he threatened to bite or run away. No food offerings were accepted at all whether in a trap, carrier or freely given. This cat is very wise. I had fed him easily this morning. He even took a treat very gently from my knee ,where my head was resting, with no fear. Trust between us is very strong but not enough to convince him that I can protect him from another human threat. My timing will have to be perfect to get BJ. I must do it when no human has been near. I have everything prepared. I cleared away all traces of BJ from sight so that no one else will know where to look for him. Tomorrow I will spend all my time watching for an opportunity. I hope BJ will be hungry enough to come to me. I also hope that the person in question will not show up.

On a much more pleasant note, Mitsy has started snuggling me at bedtime now. She doesn’t stay all night but is allowing me to pick her up and lay her next to me. This a huge step forward. Finally!

Flowers came out to visit with everyone today! She also allowed a visitor to pet her without hesitation. She even purred over it. No longer a Viscious feral! Cats are always amazing me. After all that cat endured, she can still trust and love.

A third celebration for kitties today. Kelly just walked right out of her room to join the world. Admittedly she is now under the sofa......Lol . She is in a room with Smokey, Mackie, Bonjure, Mitsy , Thrasher, Whistle, Banjo, Dolly, Lady, Lambie, Muffin and Flowers so that’s a lot to take in at once. To her credit, she wandered around for several hours amongst the crowd before retreating to the privacy of the underside of the couch! If she does not come out by breakfast I will retrieve her but I am going to give her some decompression time to see what happens. I probably won’t put her back in her room with Liberty and Tortie. She is obviously craving more activity than she was getting so I will put her in a very large cage ,with a carrier inside for privacy ,in the living room for short periods of time and try letting her mingle the rest of the time. We’ll feel our way along on this. She is still purring when I pet her and coming out to eat, drink and potty so this is progress. She also allowed our visitor to pet her.
Working with ferals and strays can be quite a process. They never fail to surprise or make me smile.

Smile time?

Some cats are sooo big, they take up an entire human!

Sometimes a cat should just lay low and play innocent.......

and pretend that they did not spill your coffee. Humans are so quick to accuse the cat!

Okay..... maybe I did spill the coffee. Lol

A talented cat can pull a treat from between Mom’s forehead and knee without pinching! Trust me!

I don’t care what you say, my mind is made up, I’m not coming out.

What do you mean, cats can’t have potatoe chips?

Okay Mom, go to bed!

Sweet dreams everyone!

 

[Norachan]

A little barbed wire to top it off and we could have a solution to more than one issue

Barbed wire on top and maybe one of those electric cattle fences just outside? That should keep those nasty drunks away.

I'm so sorry to hear they're harassing you again. Would the police do anything if you called them?

It sounds like BJ is smart enough to stay out of their way.

Sending you more love and protecting vibes.