My Feral And Rescued Cats

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Jcatbird

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Let’s see if I can get caught up here. ;)
strider rose strider rose Thank you about the Clowder. They love compliments. Lol There are twenty six in the picture. I had not intended to accept any more kitties here. Somehow a couple of others found their way here though. Lol Actually a third one too but she was adopted. It’s a nice room full! House full! Lol A :flail:cat pile with a human at the bottom.
That is a beautiful kitty video. It makes me think of how Banjo took care of her brother when he was sick. She laid on him just as that kitty does. :redheartpump:

A second box of toys? You made them shaped like kitty heads? How precious! Ummmm, I think I might like to play with one of those!:hugs: Thank you and I am really looking forward to seeing them. The kitties will be excited.

rubysmama rubysmama I sat with happy tears streaming down my face. It was such a clear view of her. I dared not move a muscle but she definitely saw me and recognized me. There was a lot of open ground between us so there was no way to do more than watch but for now, that was huge! My heart leaped when I knew it was her. I am so glad BJ pointed me to that area. I don’t think she is going to be quick to follow me home but stranger things have happened! She is in the company of one or two other cats. I am glad she is not alone. I may have to convince them all to come. Lol

tarasgirl06 tarasgirl06 As for typing on a phone, you made me think of an old commercial, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!” Lol Ah yes. Mackie and Suha do share that trait. Strong kitties and full of spirit. I love seeing Mackie stand his ground and treat me as an equal. It makes me feel like one of the fur gang. Lol Not everyone would understand that in some circumstances, it is an honor to be munched on.
You nailed it about Thrasher. It’s a lot to try and explain since I have had a lifetime to observe her but she is fiercely strong and feral. Defensive but also trying to be invisible as ferals do in the wild. It in need into her to be silent as a huntress and for safety. The birds actually help me to track the cats. A woodpecker lives above the location where I saw her. She calls an alarm as do the Blue Jays. They are my eyes in the sky. The smaller birds take flight if a cat passes below. Today I did not see Thrasher but I did see a silhouette and then heard a cat leap over an old fence line a land in the leaves. Now, if only I had a cat nose to use! Oh! Maybe I do. BJ.;) He still has his fears though. Thrasher appeared almost exactly where BJ appeared. BJ does not have a desire to be back outside of there are scary noises. I think he only agrees to go out because of his great desire to follow Thrasher. I never cease to be awestruck by cats. Such a great and true bond BJ has with Thrasher. He is willing to leave the safety he sought out to go after her.
And N NY cat man I think you may be right. BJ may be my ace. They were in a colony together and I can never match the bond that bond. BJ was her guardian and top cat. Guardian to all her babies and also led her to safety when he could. Maybe he can bring her here again. He did get scared the other day by humans on machinery but when he ran, he looked at me first, then bolted back to the house. If I could put a dome over this place and safely release him, in time, I know he would lead her back.I’m going to work with him whenever he feels safe enough to go there. The quiet hours.

Whenallhellbreakslose Whenallhellbreakslose Thank you! I am so relieved to have seen her. Now I have a place to focus my search. Please do keep praying. If I could trap her, that would be the easiest solution. I fear she has been trapped far too many times in the past to be trapped again but you can know that I will be trying. Traps are already out there. Not set but for her to get used to seeing as non threatening.
The flowers are gorgeous! They did make me smile. You know how I love a garden!

tabbytom tabbytom It is confusing trying to work out why a feral reacts different ways. Each cat is different but an abused cat carries even more complications with instincts. She may desire to run back home but she knows only too well what can happen between one place and another. Especially crossing open ground. That’s why she runs almost clutching the ground and stays to the shadows. Low to the ground to avoid detection. To her, only one human has ever been safe and I am not close enough to place her directly back on her sofa. Even if she allowed me to grab her up, we have to cross open ground. It’s going to take me time to work on edging her back. Putting any new item into the equation is a problem. Before , she went into a carrier that was very near my door. Putting a carrier near her now might work but also might drive her further away. I must be extremely careful. Kitten steps. Please tell January to blink her home! It’s hard to wait.
I love that picture. Kitty hoping and praying.

OHOHOH!!!! She’s in the GREENHOUSE right now!!:bunnydance::jump::woo::banana2::dance:She just walked past the camera!! She is a hair closer!!!!! There is a dish of food just at the opposite end of the building from where she entered! I bet she is headed for that! Yesterday the camera faced opposite but I moved it last night since I had not caught her on it. It was a quick look but I happened to be looking at the right moment. Heh. Just when I was ready to chuck these cameras too! I have a bed set up in there for her with her scent on it. Also her litter box! C’mon Thrasher!!! Oh. That makes me think of something I need to tell someone else.

jefferd18 jefferd18 Do you still have anything with the scent of those kitties on it? If so, put it in a window screen or other sheltered spot for them to catch the scent. It might reach them. The litter box they used can be put somewhere for them to recognize too. Unless you scrubbed it with something like Clorox, it should still carry some scent. Going to message you something too.

BellaGooch BellaGooch Every time Banjo does that is seems like sweet music to me! Lol She does have a way of making me smile. Super snuggler!!

dustydiamond1 dustydiamond1 That video is so sweet! I wouldn’t mind having a sheep to snuggle around here. Isn’t that what they call a Baaa colounger? :p Heh. Sorry about that but couldn’t resist once the thought entered my head.
I love Lily of the Valley too! A favorite since I was very small.
Very glad the Maine Coon is in. As you know, I feel that Maine Coon cats are very adoptablr. They are , not only beautiful but very intelligent and have very intersting purrsonalities.


M maggiedemi If we could see the endings, we would not need to hope. I know it is hard to hope for something unseen but please, never give up on hope. It can lead to the most wonderful things of all.
Maybe you and Thrasher do live parallel lives. In that case, you know that I am hoping for her.;)

Yes, we all need more joy. That’s what Banjo is sending to everyone. :redheartpump:

Mamanyt1953 Mamanyt1953 An expanded candle sounds just right. A nice warm glow to guide her way. She is sooo close. She just has to trust that she can cross to here safely. BJ, her first love, awaits anxiously.

To everyone, an update on Smokey follows.
 

Jcatbird

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Today was a “Quality of Life” vet check. That really means that for a sick kitty we want to make sure she is not suffering and is well enough to maintain a good quality of life. Because of the type of cancer Smokey has, she was not expected to survive very long. She has already outlived all predictions. I am aware of some weight loss so I felt we needed a coupe of tests so I scheduled this visit.
Upon seeing the weight change, the first opinion from the vet was that we might be at a pony where they did not want me to see Smokey in a severe decline. I insisted on complete bloodwork. I wanted to know if her kidneys are okay, breathing, red blood count and white blood count as well as things like temperature and heart. This vet is a friend and she cautioned me not to get my hopes up. Heh. I do maintain my hopes. I think she was humoring me by running the tests. After the tests the vet came back on with a skip in her step. She was very happy! Although these tumors do tend to bleed a bit externally, the only things she found the least bit off on the test was a slight rise in white blood cell count. Smokey was well hydrated, red blood count purrfect, no signs of any real distress. Maybe the beginning of an infection in the one tumor that has bled recently. That has happened once before. That is not to say that there are not adjustments that I have been having to make to keep Smokey comfortable or that everything is always going purrfectly but it is to say that she still has a good kitty life. The vet said that she cannot explain why Smokey is still doing so well but she is one very tough little cat. Smokey purred, did her “fake you out, I’m asleep” routine, made biscuits and objected to being poked for blood before giving head butts all around and then playing with her toys. Not bad for the eldest lady of the Clowder! As always, she brought all the hearts home with her. For now, she is still holding her own. Good fortune was with us.
Hi everyone! How are you?!
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Oh. If you are going to poke me then I am going to pretend that you have stepped on my paw.
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That won’t work because I wasn’t on the floor?
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Well, okay then. Do what you must.
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Peace offering? Okay. You owe me after that thermometer!’
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Yucky stuff over?!
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Then give me that catnip toy!
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I do enjoy good catnip.
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Can you take my Bunny’s temperature too?
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Time to go home?
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Rats! I was just going to ask for more pets! Can we stay?
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Lol It’s so great when your fur baby wants more vet pets!
Thank you to everyone for all the thoughts , wishes, hopes and prayers for Smokey. Each day with her is another , very special, gift.
 

tabbytom

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OHOHOH!!!! She’s in the GREENHOUSE right now!!:bunnydance::jump::woo::banana2::dance:She just walked past the camera!! She is a hair closer!!!!! There is a dish of food just at the opposite end of the building from where she entered! I bet she is headed for that! Yesterday the camera faced opposite but I moved it last night since I had not caught her on it. It was a quick look but I happened to be looking at the right moment. Heh. Just when I was ready to chuck these cameras too! I have a bed set up in there for her with her scent on it. Also her litter box! C’mon Thrasher!!! Oh. That makes me think of something I need to tell someone else.
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! This is the best news to date! I'm so happy that she's inching closer than ever. Will it help if you left some of her blankets or toys with her scents on them and that will give her more confidence to move back into the house?

Please show us the photo of the greenhouse so that we can see how near she is to the coming into the house.

Come on thrasher, GO GO GO GO!!!!!!!!!!!! :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2: :bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:
 
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Jcatbird

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tabbytom tabbytom I will take a photo when it is daylight. When she was younger she used to climb the greenhouse to sit at the top. It’s the only thing I ever saw her climb! She seemed to like being up high and out of reach but where she could get the sunshine. She isn’t much of a jumper either. Her claw marks are still in the plastic! She shredded the edge. She did that at the height of her confidence but knowing she walked through inside is encouraging. It is familiar to her and may feel secure. At least in the dark of night. I already have one of the kiddie pools in there with a blanket and pillow she uses. It is a nice dry place for her in any weather. There are plants in there and it must feel a bit like the woods to her. I have a water dish of hers there too. Each feeding time I have been putting food at the door but I did not know if she ate it or the possum did. I still don’t. I do know she is not in her bed there. I can see that on the camera. Maybe she will go to it at some point though. Kitten steps. I also have hanging baskets of catnip in there. I have planted more seeds but the plants are not big enough yet to matter. She does love catnip! It’s going to be a slow process but BJ has walked through there and can safely do so again. If she will stay in there she will be much safer until I can get her back inside. Oh! Her litter box is there too! I will know if she decides to use it but I think it is more likely she will go outside for that. Unless it rains. Rain might keep her inside. Every little sign is a happy moment! C’mon Thrasher!
 

tabbytom

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I will take a photo when it is daylight.
Ok, sure, thanks.

I hope no other critters will go hop into the kiddie pool and litterbox and change the scents on it.

Is there a trap door or an automatic door shut when she enters the greenhouse?

My heart is racing even faster after this news. I do hope she make the right choice.
 

Jcatbird

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tabbytom tabbytom There is not automatic door but I have put two openings at the corners of the building itself. Previously other cats pulled some screen and plastic from the door so she has three entrances she can use. The walls are two separated layers of 6ml plastic that she can go between as well. I don’t know if you would want to read of her first coming in since the posts tell of some of her struggles but it is a story told here to some extent. When I first brought her in she was thin and I had her vet checked and spayed quickly. I had her in my bathroom and she began letting me pet her. When she allowed that and purred I was overjoyed. She has certainly filled out since that time. (And not from repeated pregnancies) Below are the first inside photos of her after her first pets. She was always beautiful.
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tabbytom

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There is not automatic door but I have put two openings at the corners of the building itself. Previously other cats pulled some screen and plastic from the door so she has three entrances she can use.
Oh, my question was is there a trap door just like the cage used to trap them and when they step on the plate, the door closes so that the cat is trapped inside and cannot get out again.
 

Jcatbird

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tabbytom tabbytom Oh! No trap door. There are so many possible entry points I can’t cover them all unless I have an idea of where to put a trap. I will be watching though! I will have to disguise it well though or she will leave again. I want her to feel secure in coming because she is very wily to the ways of humans. When she feels safe enough to just walk right in, then I can set a trap. I was never able to trick her last time.
I just bought a much larger trap that might be wide enough that she does not notice she is entering a trap. I am working on weighting the trip plate a little since it is actually meant for large raccoons which are heavier. I’ll be getting Bonjure to help me practice setting it off. That should be interesting! He’ll probably like going into it! It’s been kind of funny that the cats, once indoors, like going inside of the traps. Their own private room? :dunno: Somewhere I have a picture of Callie and Allie relaxing in a trap that I had brought in out of the weather. Funny girls!
 

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*GRATEFUL PRAYERS* Smokey! Yes, every day is a treasure to be savored and kept. *SNORGLES* on Smokey! :hearthrob: :tabbycat::hearthrob:
SO hoping and praying for Thrasher to COME IN!!!
M maggiedemi You've been through a lot and so have all of us talking here -- so you know that, through the bleakest of times, we must keep hope. Prayers, and hope. Always. There's a wonderful piece of music that includes words found during WWII that were written by an inmate at Auschwitz: "I believe in the sun even when it is not shining/I believe in god even when He is silent" We must take inspiration from those words, especially in the context in which they were written.
 

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I need to post very early today. Tomorrow is a very important vet appointment. It’s a quality of life exam. I need every second of time here today. I am hoping test values come back good.

The other news is this. Look close. See the outline of a cat in the dark?
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Obviously ,I could not tell any more than anyone else there but I sat motionless. After about a half hour, a cat emerged from under a shed. Into the bright sun of day, without any doubt at all, there was Thrasher. She spotted me and circled right back under the shed to emerge on the side where I had placed a third dish of chicken. I had placed the dishes according to my observations and BJ’s indications. Spot on! The sun lit up the gold in her fur and I saw her face clearly. I had watched a cat moving through the underbrush but until she emerged, I could not be sure. Now I am. Thrasher lives. I say still long enough for her to eat and I will repeat this routine at each meal. Never pursuing until she indicates she recognizes me again. I tried to take BJ back there but he got spooked by a lawnmower across the road and fled back into the gate. Then he held up his paws for me to pick him up. He was willing to circle around and go close to where Thrasher had been. He marked a trail for her and then returned towards the house so I brought him back inside. He is an amazing cat. He does love his Clowder. Cats are the most devoted of creatures. I am guessing he will want to do another search late today. My heartfelt thanks to everyone for holding out hope that Thrasher is still out there. Hope paid off. Never, ever give up.

If I may, I would like to ask for very strong hope, purrs and paryers for tomorrow. The appointment is for Smokey. She is a tough girl and my hope extends to her.

Now, how about a smile?
When I returned last night after crossing over the paths that Thrasher has been traveling, Banjo got very excited. After she released her Dad from his harness, she turned her attention to me.


Being sniffed intensely! Lol
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Do you recognize something Banjo?
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Checking to be sure.
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No doubt about it!
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Head butts all over for you! You may not know it yet human but....
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You found her! You found our Thrasher! I such a happy cat!
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Making biscuits for you like I did as a kitten!
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This is what joy feels like.
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Now it’s time to be thankful.
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Indeed. And we are.
Smiling a smile of great relief. I have a place to start.
So very relieved you had a Thrasher siting. I wonder what happened to turn her wild again. Is that something that happens sometimes with kitties? You have a lot of catjoy and catlove in your house. Hope Thrasher will find her way home to it again. Best of luck today with your quality of life exam for your kitty.
 

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strider rose strider rose The toys sound darling. I am sure thatWhistle will be happy to pass them around again. He really had fun doing that.

Lari Lari Thank you. It was nerve wracking for me but I was very relieved. Another pass for now.

rubysmama rubysmama Thank you! I breathed a sigh of relief. I seem to be living on pins and needles right now.
Thrasher made her appearance late but I was so glad to catch the sight. Nothing yet today but it is pretty hot out. Maybe when it cools off.

tarasgirl06 tarasgirl06 Thank you. Smokey is a tough kitty. She had a very good visit.
Now.... Thrasher. She is out there somewhere. That’s also a relief. I just have to keep doing what I am doing.
Just do you know, maggiedemi wrote to say she has a few things to attend to again. She may be absent for a bit but will return.

pearl99 pearl99 You had a puppy named Smokey? Aww! A good name for a fur baby. This Smokey is doing well for an older girl with health issues. She amazes me. Thank you about that and about Thrasher. The greenhouse is a fairly large place with lots of hiding places. She can go there as she pleases but I hope she settles in one spot long enough for me to accomplish something.

C Cat Grrl I kind of know what happened to revert Thrasher to feral. She had a fright. Most ferals do not easily revert but this cat had survived severe abuse before I got her. She had years to try and survive on her own but just a few as an indoor lap cat. If I can get her back inside, she should be just fine after an adjustment period.
Thank you! The quality of Life exam went well. I don’t know how much time Smokey will have but the outlook is good for now. It’s all about cherishing the time we have no matter what stage anyone finds themselves.;)

BellaGooch BellaGooch Thank you! Good news for both kitties. It was a good day.
 

Jcatbird

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tabbytom tabbytom Here is your photo of the greenhouse. I don’t know if it is hard to judge scale but the structure is 11 1/2 feet high, 33 1/2 feet long. It is not terribly far from the house. The photo was taken from the back door which is where the cat room is located.
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The layer of plastic with the claw marks is still under the current layer. Maybe she will climb again!
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