My Feral And Rescued Cats

[maggiedemi]

Yeah, Demi & Maggie got ticks when they used to go in the woods. I guess ticks live in trees or maybe tall grass?

 

[Norachan]

Awww... BJ. I think you've stolen my heart.

Mine too! Isn't he just adorable?

BJ has made it clear that he mistrusts the boy and perhaps fears him.

That does tell you all you need to know. I used to take Little Boy for walks around here (Stopped after we met one too many dogs off the lead) and he was always super friendly with whoever we met, apart from this one guy. As soon as LB saw him his hackles went up and as the guy walked towards him he hissed at him. He's never done anything like that before. He's such a friendly cat, he even used to let the neighbour's kids at our old address pick him up and cuddle him.

I decided that if he didn't like that guy I wasn't going to go anywhere near him. Cat's are great judges of character.

This looks like a tick but I can’t be sure until I can really examine him a little.

Yep, that's a tick. Profender is supposed to keep ticks off cats. If you put a tiny drop of the liquid directly onto the tick it will die and drop off.

@foxxycat told me about a great tick medicine for cats. (Sorry foxxycat, I can't remember the name of it) It is only available in tablet form over here so I never used it. My cat's are a nightmare to pill, but maybe if it's available as a liquid you can apply to the cast's skin you'd have more luck with that?

Yeah, Demi & Maggie got ticks when they used to go in the woods. I guess ticks live in trees or maybe tall grass?

Yeah, I think they like long grass, don't they? Horrible things, they give me the heebie-jeebies.

 

[Jcatbird]

Norachan Thank you. I have Profender on hand. The ticks can be everywhere her. They can be on the ground, fro from tres and mods, along the rocks by stream beds, in the grass and just everywhere. Creepy. I have been hiking before and been bitten. I am going to try and kill it. Hopefully BJ will cooperate. I have a few ideas about how to accomplish it.

 

[catsknowme]

Time for another adventure: BJ and The Tick

 

[Jcatbird]

I am quite tired tonight. A very dear friend is having some struggles. My heart goes out to them.

The updates on BJ are bright ones. Today I spent a great deal of time with him. It made a difference. Here are the results.

Bj are you hungry?

Eat buddy!

You’re so funny!

Back to taking a treat from my hand!

You look like you are content with a full tummy.

Relaxed enough to lay down and take a bath.

A really full tummy. Tired now.

A yawn!

Oops! Ate a lot. A burp!

Talking to me.

Love you BJ! Just relax.

Then he settled right down.

I stayed with him. He rolled over on his belly and let me brush him. At first I brushed him vigorously but as his muscles relaxed I slowed the brushing and did small short strokes around his face as a mothe would was a kitten. His eyes closed and when he was deeply asleep I left the room and turned out the lights. He has been asleep ever since. He hadn’t called me back st all yet. It was a much better night for BJ.

 

[Norachan]

Look at that smile! Here's a cat who knows he's landed on his feet.

 

[catsknowme]

Such great progress! Cat-taming at its finest

 

[maggiedemi]

I love that photo of BJ eating with his butt in the air.

 

[Jcatbird]

Norachan I think he is smiling too!
catsknowme Cat taming yes, but is the cat taming me or am I taming the cat?
M maggiedemi I like that picture too. He is a funny kitty.
I think you will all be amused by his antics tonight. Such a character!

He is still trying to punch me but now he is doing it without that stressed look on his face. It’s more that he wants what he wants. Which will be fine if I can be sure he is not too feral to have around the other cats. He still has to have a vet check and I have to be able to get him into a trap or carrier so the punching is a problem. I’m working on it. Tonight went like this......

Here BJ. This is a toy.

What is a toy?

It doesn’t smell like ham.

What does she expect me to do with this?

I’d rather swat you!

Why can’t I swat you?

You’re gonna brush me?!?!?

Well, I can wait to swat you.

The brush is nice but I’m gonna swat that hand!

She put on the glove. Rats! I didn’t nail her.

A glove petting is kinda good.....

Yeah! That feels good.

Heh! I pulled her glove off!

You want the glove back?

What ‘cha gonna do to get it?

Oh.... she’s sneaky.

That brush feels really good.

No. You can’t leave. Just brush me.

I’ll just come with you.

I’m going in!

I have to stay in this room?!?!?!

But I want to meet the other cats!

Noooo. I am not giving the other cats a nasty look!

If I can’t go in then you can’t either!

Guess what! You’re stuck in a room with a feral cat again! Lol

Good night everyone! I hope you sleep well. I have a feeling I may be right here until morning. At least he isn’t scared tonight. Who is taming who now?

 

[Norachan]

Yep, he's just training you so he has an on-call groomer and head masseuse available at all times.



Did you manage to get rid of that tick? If you've got any tick killing tricks I'd love to hear them. My beasties pick up plenty of ticks in the summer.

 

[rubysmama]

A quick Google search found this, which I thought BJ would appreciate.

 

[surya]

Some of these reformed feral tom cats never quite get over the idea that they are in charge. My guy Chuchi pushes me around quite a bit and gets me to do what he wants. When I want to work on "his" desk or get him off the computer keyboard he gets very feisty. They have big ego's like their human counterparts.

 

[maggiedemi]

I wonder if BJ will love other cats like Demi does. Did you ever see him around other cats outside? Demi would love 10 brothers and sisters.

 

[dustydiamond1]

I wonder if BJ will love other cats like Demi does. Did you ever see him around other cats outside? Demi would love 10 brothers and sisters.

Are any of the kitty's you recently rescued perhaps some he may have hung out with? Getting him to the point to be neutered is gonna be tricky.

 

[maggiedemi]

Jcatbird --Are you okay? I haven't heard from you all day.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Jcatbird --Are you okay? I haven't heard from you all day.

 

[Jcatbird]

Thank you to everyone here. Your concern and kindness is appreciated more than I can express. I have been busy offering my support to a friend and also trying to help my Father. A family member has been terribly ill. I am okay, just can’t find enough hours in the day. The cats require a lot of my time.
Norachan Ticks! Ugh! The ferals are tough to treat. I do apply the Advantage or Frontline to any that will hold still for it. Lol I plant Spearmint and catmint in the yard. I have read ( no guarrentees) that these repell fleas. In places the cats can’t get to them I also keep Chrysantemums in pots. Cats should not eat those!!! I use the Sevin dust that is safe for pets in the yard. Some forms of this are labeled as safe to use on pets. It is a battle some years. I find the best way is to search the cats fur for them and use tweezers to remove them. During the time I am still removing them from a cat I dispose of them in a deep dish of hot soapy water until I can flush them. They are very good at climbing out of anything else.

rubysmama Ha! That is so cute! BJ found it amazing that the kitten trained his human in only two days. He expects me to do better since he saw that. Especially after what I pulled tonight. I think you will smile at his expression.

surya I think they all think they own us. Hmmmmm. They might be right. It’s not like we put them out after they push us around. I’ve gotten quite a few dents over the years and yet, I still want to snuggle them! BJ must be an expert at owning a human. I wonder if he has previous experience?!?!?!

M maggiedemi I’m back! Better late than never. Lol
BJ did know some of the other cats outside. He was married to Flowers and Thrasher. He probably is the son of Blue and I am guessing he saw Banjo, Whistle and their Mother Mitsy although he would not have had close contact with them. It’s possible he met a few others when they were young. I think that part of his problem is that he wants to be in the same room as everyone else. Until he is neutered and gets through his vet stuff he really can’t be around them yet. Once I can get him in a trap, cage or carrier then he is going straight to the vet. So far he has managed to eat from all the kinds of traps I have used without getting caught. I watched him escape one and he is super fast. Slipped out the closing door! Anything I try to close on him results in him coming up and clawing me. My punishment. Lol His only mistake has been letting me shut him in that room. Time is now on my side. With patience......I will get him. Then he can join the others with no risk of them catching anything from him. I am pretty sure he is healthy but for safety I need to observe quarantine right now. If you really think Maggie and Demi would like ten friends then I will send ten. If they want more than that they can just come here to visit. Right now we are at 26 kitties here.

dustydiamond1 BJ probably would like to see Flowers again more than anyone else. She lived in the same part of the woods he occupied and she was his last mate. The Flower babies were his. He is all Tom so it will be a challenge to get him neutered. Sorry BJ! It has to happen.
Thank you also for noticing I was absent. Wild kitties couldn’t drag me away. They tried but I am slightly larger than their usual prey.

Here is what BJ did tonight. Correction, what I did to BJ. It just kind of happened but the look he gave was priceless.

Bj. You won’t play with the ball so how about a bird on a string? See it?

That’s not a bird.

It is flying.......

Hey! A bird?

Whaaaat!?!?!?

That’s NOT a bird and I’m not falling for your tricks!

Awww. Come on BJ. A bird on the head is worth two in the bush.

I am not amused. I will get you for this.

You thought getting back inside was tough last night. Let’s see you get past the cat now!.

I’m really sorry BJ! Maybe I shouldn’t have done that.

 

[rubysmama]

That look on his face in the pic with the bird on his head !!!!

 

[maggiedemi]

The bird on the head was funny! Yeah, Demi loves other cats. I wish I could get him more siblings, but I will probably have to move next year...My cats are weird, they love their carrier! I just say "Get in your cage" and they go right in. I make it seem like a fun, exciting thing.

 

[Jcatbird]

That look on his face in the pic with the bird on his head !!!!

I know!!!! I am still smiling. He has very strong opinions. Priceless.

The bird on the head was funny! Yeah, Demi loves other cats. I wish I could get him more siblings, but I will probably have to move next year...My cats are weird, they love their carrier! I just say "Get in your cage" and they go right in. I make it seem like a fun, exciting thing.

You are moving? Wow. That will be exciting, I hope. Maybe the kitties will think it is a great adventure. It’s fantastic that you have taught them to love their carriers. I do that with my kitties too. It makes life easier if they see them as a good and safe place to go. Not every cat understands that.