She's Gone...

[kikilove]

I've been caring for a stray (Soots) who showed up in my yard 7 years ago. She was feral but during the first two years, she settled down and decided I was an ok person. She's had my heart for years. I'm her only friend and I take great joy in giving her her daily dose of lovins. Anyway, she's gone. She's always had the run of the house (outside), and spent her time on the front porch and in the backyard. Front porch being her favorite hang. But then another stray showed up 6 weeks ago and of course I needed to help. Trapped him, had him neutered, shots, etc. Brought him back here and he proceeded to take Soots' front porch. She was relegated to the backyard, where I thought she was doing ok. But the neighbors have a new dog (we share a backyard), and I think between the new stray and the dog... her territory just disappeared. And now she's gone. She literally never left my yard and now she hasn't been home for two days. Not for food, not for anything. I'm worried that she got fed up, wandered off and has been injured or trapped in someone's toolshed or just gone. It's the strangest feeling... the emptiness in my backyard. She may show up again, but I'm afraid that what's happening is, since I can't be around all of the time, she has no protection against the new cat and when she tries to get back into the yard, he's in front of the house, sees her and runs her off. I'm so upset. I need to trap new cat and move him to a new location - hopefully this brings Soots back. But the reality is that today she's gone and I have such fear that she's hurt somewhere... and that she's mad at me. Any thoughts...?

 

[Sarthur2]

I'm so sorry. Hopefully she's in the vicinity. Have you called her around the neughborhood?

It definitely sounds like a territorial problem.

If she comes back, can you bring her inside until you figure out what to do with the new cat?

Or bring the new cat inside so Soots can have her front porch back?

I sure hope she responds when she hears you.

I understand your emptiness and sadness.

 

[kikilove]

Thanks so much for the kind words Sarthur... I really enjoy this forum. Definitely the place to find the people who get it. I haven't really done anything except walk the block- but have started to think about putting up some flyers and knocking on a few doors. I'd be totally ok finding out that she's decided to see other people, I just want to know that she's ok.

 

[kikilove]

I just posted on a neighborhood social media site and will put up some flyers later today. I'm also going to spend today doing as much stuff as I can while sitting on the front porch. I want to be there should she pop by to see what's up.

 

[ondine]

It is heart breaking when they wander off. Not knowing is the worst. Hopefully, she's settle in somewhere.

I did have a thought - is your yard big enough for a catio? I'd put the newbie in one, in the back yard, and see if Soots returns to her front porch. The catio does not need to be huge - a secure dog kennel would do.

 

[kikilove]

OMG she came back and gobbled a bunch of food and as I was sitting w her, I looked past her into her house and there's a POSSUM sleeping in it!!!!! No wonder she's been gone. So, good news is that she's still with me. Bad news is I gotta evict a possum.

Ondine, great suggestion about a catio. Might be workable... I'll give it a go.

 

[Sarthur2]

So glad she's back!!!

I hope she stays around!

 

[msaimee]

Is there a way you can bring her inside your house?

Not sure what you meant about re-locating the other kitty, but if you meant trapping and releasing him on someone else's block or new neighborhood, I implore you to not do this. He would have a hard time surviving in an unfamiliar territory, away from his food source, and could end up in a territorial dispute with other cats residing there. The landlord of a property next door to me did this a few years ago--trapped two ferals on his property and released them on my block. They fought relentlessly with my beautiful feral who had been residing on my porch and block for years. I believe one of them might have been responsible for giving him feline AIDS, which killed him. So please don't do this. Your two cats will learn to co-exist in time. You are caretaker to both of them and they know that.

Are you leaving food in The kitty's pet house? Not sure why a possum would be in there. Hopefully someone can offer you advice on how to evict him.

 

[kikilove]

Hi Msaimee- thanks so much for your concerned input. I should have been more clear... there is no way in h-e-double toothpicks I would release a cat to unfamiliar territory with a kiss for luck and nothing else. Mostly because I wouldn't be able to live with myself. No, what I meant was... I have 5 neighbors who are all animal people who have offered to help care for Soots if ever needed. And they know about the New Guy. It would be easy to start feeding Greyjoy (the new guy) two houses down. This way he's close and still under my jurisdiction, but his primary place to hang would be on the neighbors porch, not mine. So both he and Soots will be cared for, safe and well fed... but Soots could get her porch back. The backyard gets almost no sunlight (the two houses on either side block all of the light), while the porch is always warm and sunny. Yesterday I watched as Soots found the one tiny patch of sunlight in the backyard and tried to squish her whole body into it. I was so sad!!
When I mentioned trapping it was with the idea to take GJ to a friend of mine's house- she has the space and the love and one other feral we trapped and released to her yard. But I don't think I'll need to do that and, frankly, even though I'm mad at him for running Soots off, I'm totally invested in his transformation and truly care for him. The day he lets me pet him will be glorious! And seeing him gain weight is a daily joy. He was pretty desperate when he first showed up here.
As for the possum, I never leave food out at night. We get them all... skunks, raccoons, posseys. But I've never known them to curl up in Soots house. Soots has a Kitty Tube (don't google that... you'll get a lot of porn links, like I just did... ) The Kitty Tube Generation 3 – with Straw Only | Free Shipping
She loves her house, so this really bums me out... again seeing her displaced. I think it's possible that possum got in when I moved the house to ground level in the backyard. It was on a ledge on the front porch, and I think it might have been challenging for the wildlife to climb the bricks to get to it. Anyway, I just hope it's moved on. Then I'll wash out the tube and replace the straw and hope S will take to it again. Poor lil monkey.

 

[Sarthur2]

Can you put her house back on the front porch?

 

[orange&white]

I'm so glad she's back!

I recently TNR'd a cat who was too wild to be socialized and I've been feeding her morning and evening in the backyard. I've never owned an outdoor cat (I guess we never actually own ferals) and I worry about her ten times more than my 2 indoor cats.

Reading your thread, I was worrying along with you. I know how it feels when they disappear to "WhereverTheyGoLand".

 

[kikilove]

That's because they give us 10x more things to worry about than our indoor cats! Make me tear my hair out! "Don't you know I'm doing this for you!!! Now get back here!!!"
Great suggestions sar- her home is back on the front porch and I'm getting fresh straw today. It's a delicate balance, wanting to keep her environment as she's known it (because we know how much the kitkits LOVE change), and making sure Greyjoy feels welcome.

 

[kittychick]

kikilove SOOOO happy to see such a "quick" happy ending! (I know it felt interminable to you - but it was actually fairly quick). And you handle people's input very nicely - even if it's not exactly what you agree with (or if it's something you've stated already) - - - - it's hard to do sometimes when emotions run high But you're right - it's a great site - - -keeps me sane often when I'd otherwise pull my hair out! And definitely a wonderful place where you don't feel "crazy" for talking about being horribly concerned about "just" a feral kitty etc. I loved your "no way in H-E-double toothpicks would I release a cat in unknown territory" bit Cracked me up! And mostly of course - SOOOOOO happy to hear Soots is back!!! WOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Territories are indeed an extremely delicate balance - both indoors and out. If it does happen again - I would absolutely do more than even walk the block. Hopefully you'll never have to use this suggestion -but I'd make color fliers with several GOOD color photos of her, a description, and a bit of a tearjerking text about how much she's loved, and of course, how to contact you. SO this is a good time to start amassing some pics of her - should they (god forbid) ever be needed to locate hre. I always recommend putting the in people's mailboxes and doors - - and covering a radius of several blocks. Cats - even fixed ones like Soot - -will travel quite a distance!

And you're right - I made the same mistake - NEVER google "Kitty Tube." I can't scrub my eyes enough

Make her feel as loved and supported etc. - -- -new straw, some yummy stinky mackerel with her food, etc. And poor other guy - sounds like he needs love too. Sometimes I wish kitties ran the world....I think we'd all be taken care of quite a bit better! Keep us posted as to how things go in the "territory sharing" world. And once again - hurray for the return of Soots!

 

[WaltS]

Glad she's back. I was gonna say don't fret over two days. Ferals and strays can disappear for weeks. Remember this, if you're feeding them, chances are someone else is feeding them too. They will wander and find food. We have our daily regulars that never leave the yard but we have some that we'll see daily, and then nothing for a week or two, then out of nowhere, they always come back. We get worried when it's bad weather and fear the worst but cats are resourceful and will find shelter somewhere. I've had to let cats out of the shed before and I'm almost 100% certain my neighbors have done the same.

Regarding the new one, unless you see or hear fighting I wouldn't worry about territory issues. Unless the dog is running free, cats will ignore them too. Our neighbor has some big dogs behind a fence. Our colony couldn't care less.

 

[kikilove]

Omigosh kchick... what a lovely note. And killer advice about having flyers ready to go. I'm going to do this, for my indoor cats too. Will make ME feel a lot better. And thanks Walt for the perspective- I have often wondered if she's being unfaithful to me!!!
I really needed to see this thread today. Poor Soots... she can't catch a break. She's gone from a life of luxury with her food and kitty tube all on the front porch, and now she's sleeping in a cardboard box in the backyard. She has a backyard house too, but since the possum, she won't go near it. Even though IT wasn't the possum house. I've washed it and replaced the straw, thinking something else may have gotten in there, but still, no. And then two days ago I realize that hornets are eating her food so she won't go near the food bowl. Yesterday I bought wasp traps and spray. But this morning, again, I felt so defeated for her. BF says "she's fine, you're anthropomorphizing, if you took care of me like you take care of her... etc." And so, out of pity and into action! She won't come back to the porch as long as GJ has spread his territory throughout the front yard. I'm thinking about opening the separating gate this weekend and "referreeing" as Soots makes her way back out. Though I tried this the other night and she ran into the neighbors yard not onto the porch. That said, kchick, you inspired me re the use of stinky fish. If I put some stinky fish as a distraction for GJ on the OTHER side of the house and put a little straw bed over there... encourage him to "live" on that side. And while he's eating his fish, I can lure Soots to the porch w her own stinky fish. Once there, maybe it'll remind her to keep trying? I could do this several times and hopefully train them.
Did I just say "training cats?" Bahahahahahhahahaaaahhhahhahahaha HA.

In other news, BF and I are splitting up and I'm trying to buy a house. If I can pull this off, it will have a big backyard. And that will be the time to try to bring S indoors. She's 7 or 8 years old and mostly sleeps. So I think chances are good that this will succeed. I just don't want her to run off in the 3-4 months this process of transition will likely take. Come on Soots! Stay with me!!!! It will get better- I promise!!!

 

[Sarthur2]

Is there absolutely no way to bring her in now? I'm concerned that she may leave for good between the new cat and other transitions coming up.

 

[kikilove]

Is there absolutely no way to bring her in now? I'm concerned that she may leave for good between the new cat and other transitions coming up.

Hey Sarthur- yeah, I worry about that. Unfortunately it's been a perfect storm of obstacles. I rescued a kitten about 2 months ago (she was living under someone's porch)- had her spayed, chipped, etc and then found her a home. The woman returned her to me and for the past 5 weeks she's been back w us and we've decided she's staying. Great, right? Well you know how cat integration goes. We're JUST settling down. The hissing is occasional and only when Bunny jumps on one of their heads. This would be so hard on them to go through this again and, honestly, my partner wouldn't allow it. That said, I keep thinking about your enclosure idea.

 

[Sarthur2]

Are you living in his house? Did you say you're splitting up?

 

[kikilove]

Are you living in his house? Did you say you're splitting up?

Yep and yep.

 

[Sarthur2]

So hopefully, as you said, you can bring her inside your new place eventually. I hope she sticks around in the meantime.

Will you be keeping all of the cats in the split?