Struggling With Play Time

[calicosrspecial]

No, agreed.

So true. Mine (inside and outside) go through the same things. Move together, drift apart, etc. Cool that Frost wants to play with Ash. It is good that her relationship with Ash is better though maybe not as good as at one other time.

So true. I think he will. He just probably wants the easy way out for now. Ash can do it, he just chooses not to for whatever reason now.

 

[Animal Freak]

Ash would probably disagree. Sometimes he just doesn't want anything to do with Frost. They've definitely drifted apart. I have to admit, I've struggled to get used to them being so... separated. They were so close and had grown up together. I got used to thinking of them as "the boys." Like two parts of a whole, as weird as that may sound.

I'm sure he can do it. It's not the hard and neither of the other two have had an issue with it. He's apparently even less food motivated than I thought though!

 

[calicosrspecial]

It happens. My twins (a boy and a girl) get like that. Yesterday they were all cuddled together. But lately they have been further apart. When I caught them outside I got the girl first, he would not leave her and let me capture him. They love each other but at times they get "funny" with each other. It is normal. Disappointing at times but normal. I will say, adding other cats have caused them to be more distant in my household. My outside ferals almost fought to death. Then they became best friends. but lately even they are fighting a bit. But they still eat together, sleep together and rub on each other almost constantly. But they get into it at times as well. I know how disappointing it is to see them drift apart but I am sure they will get back at some point.

Agreed. I thought he was food motivated but I guess not enough to work for it a little. Maybe he is a bit spoiled.

 

[Animal Freak]

It can be a bit sad to see them distance themselves, but I do like the fact that they've gotten closer to me. It would be fine, but I'd like to see them interact a little more. Ember wants to play with Frost, but Frost doesn't want to play with her. Frost wants to play with Ash, but Ash doesn't always want to play with him. And when Ash does want to play with Frost, Ember gets tense and sometimes goes after him. Which pretty much sums up their interactions as of late. Fortunately, there haven't been any serious incidents though. Knock on wood.

Not maybe. Definitely. And even more so since he's been getting on the counters and licking dirty dishes. He did get the food out of the mouse today though! I put him in my mom's room so the other two wouldn't have to remain locked up until he was done. Then I momentarily forgot about them being locked up. They weren't in there long though.

 

[calicosrspecial]

I know exactly what you mean. But when they do interact more in the future you will love it. I do think sometimes they drift apart because they have another "interest" - either cat or human. So sometimes it is that simple and of course the more confident they are the less they feel the need for the other one. It is pretty normal, sad, but normal. Thank goodness there haven't been any incidents.

Hahahaha, yep. YES!! That is great. He figured ok, this looks ok. Hahahahaha

 

[Animal Freak]

Oh, yes. I'll be happy to see them interact with each other. I'm okay with this lets-pretend-I'm-the-only-cat-in-the-house thing, but it's a bit sad too. Especially with the boys. They were so close and now they barely have anything to do with each other. But if them all pretty much ignoring each other (other than occasional attempts to play that usually fail) means no fights, then that's great.

Yeah, I'm glad he did it. It was kind of weird that he'd totally walk away from it. Lazy cat.

 

[calicosrspecial]

I know. Yes, I agree. As long as they are happy and your mom is happy then all is good.

Hahahahaha. Yeah.

 

[Animal Freak]

I've actually gotten to a point where I don't have much to say. I'll take that as a good sign.

I do need to find some toys. I broke the handle off of the snake toy and Ash has lost interest. I want to do it some old ones.

We also have a couple of new cat trees coming soon.

 

[calicosrspecial]

That is really good (for the cats).

That is always the challenge. Keeping them interested. I will say, I do believe it typically is more about how a toy is made to move vs the toy itself. For example, a shoelace can be so interesting to a cat yet a real toy (that should be interesting) may not be. It is getting the "thing" to move like prey. There is always something.

Wow, very cool. Cat trees are so great for cats. My youngest always was hanging out in trees outside. Inside she is always up on the cat tree. Pretty much all cats love cat trees but some REALLY love them. Comfortable and they build confidence from being high and "owning" something. Awesome!!

 

[Animal Freak]

Well, I was moving the toy the same way I was when he was playing with it and he's no longer interested. I've tried different movements, but that snake toy isn't fun to hold on to since I don't have the handle anymore. I've lost a lost of length and I have to hold on to the wire which is frayed at the end. So I think that toy is done for. He's been interested in the feather toy I play with Frost with lately.

Well, we got one cat tree today. Looks like it's going to be smaller than expected. Oh well. I liked it because it has platforms kind of like stairs. I thought that would be good for Ash if he has arthritis flair ups or if it gets worse. He doesn't have to jump so high.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Yes, it sounds like that toy is finished sadly. That is great he is interested in the feather toy. They look like birds so cats tend to like those. Very good.

Yes, those with different levels are great. Mine like shorter cat trees as well as taller ones. So I wouldn't worry, I am sure they will love it and it should be good for them if they have any issues in the future.

 

[Animal Freak]

Yeah, he doesn't play with it much, but he does play with it. Though his favorite thing to do is sit in the way when I'm trying to play with Frost. I don't know why he does that, but it happens every time. And Frost likes really fast, rapid movements on the floor, so I'm waving this thing across the floor like mad and usually end up whacking Ash with the wand. But he doesn't care.

Well, I do want to get them a tall one too. They have a really short (probably 4ft) one in my room, the one the dining room is just a bit taller than that, and the one the storage room probably used to be around 6ft, but the top of it broke off a while ago. Now it's probably around 5 1/2ft. But we can't afford much right now and those cat trees are expensive! Especially the tall ones. And a lot of them aren't very stable.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Even playing a little is good. I know, some cats do just like to watch. Why? I have no idea. It is good Ash doesn't care when it whacks him.

Wow. 4 ft is pretty good. I have some that are maybe 3 feet and mine love them. And the big 6ft ones. It sounds like you are doing really good on trees!! Stability is something that has to be considered for sure. Especially when cats get wild and jump hard on angle. I try to put them against things to shore them up a bit.

 

[Animal Freak]

Yeah, and then when I try to play with him, he sits out of the way with his back to me. Doesn't really matter what I do with the toy when he won't even look at it. He's kind of rotten.

The stability is the hardest part. The one in our dining room seems like it should be really nice and has a very heavy base, but the top keeps coming loose and the thing rocks when Ash jumps onto it. Which is sad because I like that cat tree. Fortunately, it hasn't fallen and doesn't seem like it actually will, but it still makes me a bit nervous and it's also quite loud.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to ask. Do you know about how long it should take for fur to grow? I've been trying to keep an eye on Ember's legs and stomach and it doesn't seem to be getting any worse, but it doesn't look any better either. I wouldn't expect it to have completely grown out by now, but it seems like there should be a bit more fur. It looks awful when I see the inside of her legs as she walks. Reminds me of a partially plucked chicken, honestly, and that's not an image I want in my head! And I feel bad because it has to be cold missing so much fur.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Hahahaha. You made me laugh. I know exactly how you feel, been there, done that.

Yes. I try to put them up against things etc (if possible). I know, it is worrisome. We just have to try to think of everything and make sure that it can't go through a window etc. I am so glad yours hasn't fallen over.

I don't unfortunately. I think it depends really. If she is wearing it away then it will take longer (rubbing it on carpet, etc). If it doesn't look red or irritated then I am guessing it will just come back in time but I think it depends on each cat. I wish I had a better answer. Just keep an eye on it as long as she acts normal, eats, drinks, uses her litter box then I wouldn't worry too much. I am guessing it isn't too cold for her if she is acting normal.

 

[Animal Freak]

Lol. Cats. They're interesting creatures. I swear he does it intentionally though. Without fail, every time I try to play with one of the other two, Ash is in the way. But the second I try to play with him, I get nothing but his back.

It's in a corner, so has walls on two sides. I didn't think about it going through a window, but I don't think it would. Most of it's weight would hit the wall, rather than the actual glass. And the base is really heavy, so I think that prevents it from moving enough to actually fall. It's mostly just that the poles get loose.

That's fine. As long as it's not something I have to worried about. I just thought it was a bit odd that it seems pretty much exactly the same. It doesn't seem irritated and she's pretty much unfazed. I mean, she's always wanting on my mom or me and looking for ways to get under blankets, but that's not exactly out of the ordinary.

So I've sort of separated the colony of semi-ferals from the random cats I've seen around and was starting to think maybe there weren't many cats in that colony since I hadn't seen any new faces in a while. The count sort of seemed to end at two brown tabbies, and orange cat, and one black cat that would hang around that house. One black cat that I saw once. Those aren't the only cats I've seen, of course. There's the orange tabby I was going to feed and the calico my mom saw once. I also saw another orange tabby in someone's backyard closer to my house that was similar color to the one at the cat house, but seemed a bit calmer. I've also seen two cats at the park, at least one of them being new. However, as far as the house's colony, there were only those few. Well, today I not only saw both brown tabbies and the old orange cat, but they had another friend on the porch that I almost missed. It was under the bench and is mostly white with some orange splotches. And the orange cat let me get much closer than in the past. I mean, he was right beside the house and I was on the side walk. Maybe ten feet, give or take? You can tell he's had it rough. His ears are always tilted back. At first I wasn't sure if there wasn't something wrong with them, but they seem fine. There's something off about his eyes though. They seem kind of small and squinty.

On my way back, I saw movement in the backyard and looked over to see the orange cat, but he wasn't alone. There was a big blue tabby that I think might be male. He looked like he could be a bit chubby, so it's possible I'm wrong, but he looked like a broad cat with pretty big cheeks. There's also a long haired blue and a long haired blue kitten. I'm really hoping that this was a case of an abandoned unneutered cat or a new feral that hadn't been neutered in time. They all get along so well to be unneutered and I'm still holding out hope that means all of them have been fixed. The kitten is at least a few months old, but I didn't see it very long.

At this rate, I'm going to have to come up with names for the cats or something.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Hahahaha, I think you are correct.

That sounds good. Yes, after being jumped on etc they can get a bit loose sadly over time.

Yes, it sounds fine. And being on people or under blankets is so normal. As long as something doesn't seem odd then I wouldn't worry. But just keep an eye on it.

There are a lot of cats in the wild sadly. TNR tends to help not only the population but also keeping roaming toms away as they search for a mate. It sounds like that group is pretty stable.

I hope there is nothing wrong with white and orange cat. They can get infections etc in their eyes. Ughhhhhhh. If there are any rescues in your area you may want to contact them. It gets really tricky. You would want pros to help. I would steer away from animal control probably because they may do more and might just euthanize the cat or cats. But we don't want a cat to suffer IF they have something wrong. Ughhhhhhh, it is so tricky. I can trap them because I am experienced but not everyone can. Sometimes I just hate the wild and what happens out there.

I am sure there are some intact cats. Especially since there is a kitten. Usually the males move along to find a mate so if there is an intact male there probably is a female around (or females). I have an intact male coming around here now (I am trying to trap him) but the weird thing is I don't have any females. He seems to come here to eat BUT he isn't hungry enough to go into the trap yet. Smart little devil.

Hopefully at some point you can get a TNR rescue group to help out in the area. Once you do a bunch it tends to lead to a stable environment.

There are just so many ferals and so little time and money to help them all.

 

[Animal Freak]

I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on her stomach for a while. Probably until all the fur has grown back in and maybe even after that. Seeing her poor little bare legs is so sad. I'm not even sure why.

It does seem like a pretty stable group and I was even wondering if perhaps this lady has been working with the colony for a while now and gotten the numbers down. They're definitely used to people around and are relatively tame, so it seems like they've been getting food from people for a while.

There is a TNR group that I need to contact. I can email them about the situation and see what they say. I'm not sure if there are any nearby shelters/rescues that take in or work with ferals. I know the shelter I volunteer at has ended up with a feral, but I know most shelters don't really handle ferals from when I tried finding one to take in the kittens my dad found. Most of the shelters/rescues are also in the big city we live just outside of and, due to that, we're mostly outside of their range. I'd definitely rather not get animal control involved. This is a stable and mostly healthy looking colony. I'd rather nothing bad happen to them.

I've wondered about that orange cat. He seems in pretty good shape otherwise and I didn't notice any goop or anything in his eyes. He seems to be a good weight, his pelt is a bit dull, but not unhealthy looking. I thought perhaps it could be a birth defect or maybe a past illness? I'm not sure. I do worry because, if the condition of that house is anything to go by(or the fact that she lives in this town), I doubt the woman could keep up with medical bills if the cats got sick.

Well, I'm guessing the blue longhair I saw is the mother of the kitten. I'm not sure if the blue shorthair is the father or not. I did see the kitten hanging out near him, but it's hard to know, especially when I know the kitten seems to take after another cat. There aren't really any traits to connect it with the blue shorthair. The shorthair is a pretty lighter blue tabby and both longhair adult and kitten are a darker solid blue. If he is the father though, I would think that means he has been neutered. I'm no expert on how ferals think and work or on distinguishing the genders, but I think the orange cat is male as well. If either were unneutered, it seems like they'd be fighting?

I've thought about trying to get in contact with the lady, but I have to admit it makes me nervous. I usually avoid people, not go out of my way to talk to them. That's one situation in which my anxiety still gets the better of me.

If I had the money and the room, I'd likely being stealing at least one of these cats though! I'm still in love with the brown classic tabby. Such a pretty cat. And seems to be the tamest of the bunch. But the blue tabby is a pretty cat as well. Of course, if I had the money and the room, I'd take all of them.

 

[calicosrspecial]

It is understandable since it is different and we worry. But I am guessing it is really nothing.

Yes. I hope she is or knows about TNR. Being tame is good and bad in a way. I struggle with that. Tame cats are more vulnerable to the risks (especially people). BUT if they are tame then someone might bring them in and give them a home. It is so tricky. It is such a difficult situation.

Yes, agreed. I have done a lot of TNRs and though it is not perfect it does help them from not reproducing and fighting etc. I would love to find them homes but it is difficult so the next best ting is releasing them and if the people give them food, water and shelter then their life is about as good as it can be. It is heartbreaking because bad things happen and their lifespans are shorter being outside but it is the best we can do. So maybe this rescue group can do a TNR even if they can't shelter them and try to find them a home.

It is tough to know without seeing the cat up close. It could be what you mentioned. And watch how the cat moves around etc. If the cat seems scared, skittish, making sounds etc then it is more worrisome but if the cat is going around confidently then it probably isn't an issue. Yes, medical costs can get crazy but there are organization that do help out. I think there might have been a post on here about organizations that can help.

Orange cats are usually males. Yes, if someone was intact there would be fighting. But someone fathered the kitten. Maybe they moved on and the female must be intact unless they TNRd her recently.

I don't blame you. I am not good at going up to people like that either. A lot of time people that due TNR are good at it though. So that organization might be good at that. I do TNR if asked but I am not good at going to an area and saying "I can help with this situation". But maybe some day when she is outside and you are walking by you can get a little conversation going.

Oh I know. But it is exponentially more difficult adding a cat. I have a feral colony I take care of and LOVE them all. But I am at my indoor max now and even if I could add it would be REALLY difficult to integrate. It is hard because I have lost a lot of ferals over the years and the guilt I have is off the charts. But we can't take them all in unfortunately. It is so hard and we have to do what is best for as many as possible. It is really hard to introduce a 4th or 5th cat. It is hard to explain the challenges. I have 4 now that I would love to have in my home or find them a home. And it breaks my heart I can't do either. But I do my best to give them the best life they can have.

I know exactly how you feel. It would be nice to save as many as possible. Maybe someday.

 

[Animal Freak]

I saw a dilute tortoiseshell today. That was the only cat I saw. I didn't expect any though since it was raining. She seemed either young or just small. I'm surprised they feel safe in that yard though. There's a dog right next door. It barked at me as I walked by today, but that tortoiseshell didn't budge.

Well, it does seem like she must be getting the cats fixed since I think at least two of them are males. I do wonder why none of them have the ear tips to mark them as neutered though. It would be helpful since I wouldn't have to sit here wondering about it! I do think people and dogs would be the biggest threats to these cats, but I believe at least most people would leave them be as long as they aren't nuisances. None of the cats are at all interested in getting close to me and the few times I've walked towards them (because they were on the sidewalk or near it, not because I was trying to approach them) they've run off.

Well, that cat is by far the most skittish of them, but that's not saying much since none of the others are really skittish. He didn't run off when I walked past him the other day though. He seems cautious, but not terrified. I could see it inhibiting his vision a bit though. His eyes are very small looking. I did get a picture of him, but it's not very good since it was on my phone and he looks even further away in it than he actually was.

Perhaps the female is a recent addition? Or hard to catch? She could be young and the lady struggle to get her in order to spay her. There are so many different scenarios. I hope she's spayed now though.

I'll probably email the group and see what they say. It does seem likely the cats are fixed. At least most of them. But there's probably other cats that could be fixed anyway and maybe they could help the lady with costs or finding homes. I was looking at them and they do rescue and adopt animals out, but they also do the TNR. I'd really like to get in contact with the woman and find out more, maybe get to know the cats. I'd love to be able to take photos of them. Partly just because I want to take pictures, but also because I could try and help find homes for them or maybe raise money by sharing their stories. But even the idea of knocking on the door makes me nervous. I've honestly seen very few signs of life in that house. There's occasionally a car parked on the side of the road and I've seen a light on once. That's it. Maybe if I could find out what time she feeds them, but I don't usually go out before 3p.m.

My only reasons for not taking another cat are money, space, and Ember. The same reasons I can't have a dog, except add Stella to that list. But if I didn't have reasons to not get an animal, I'd keep getting them. It's so hard to say no, especially when you know those animals need a home. But I do have to keep Ember in mind. Not just now, but even when I am in a position where I can have another animal. She's gotten a lot more confident and does well with the small dog that comes over sometimes, but I'm not sure how she'd do with another cat. I wish I could at least do something for them though. Help with food or something, but right now I can't afford that and even when I can, I have to think about the future and save. I can't let my animals suffer because I choose to spend all of my money on ferals. And I plan on moving, so I don't want to leave behind a bunch of cats that are dependent on me.