Struggling With Play Time

Animal Freak

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They are very unique, I'll give them that. I picked up training sessions again and started getting them used to the harness as well. I've done it off and on before because I went back and forth on whether or not I'd take them out. Ember would put the harness on herself if she could. She loves getting food, but she's not a fan of me pulling the harness underneath her. Ash resisted more than I expected, but he doesn't care what you do as long as he gets something out of it. Frost is, surprisingly, the hardest. Ash was the last with the harness on today and he slunk around about looking like he expected something bad to happen. So then Ember was looking at him like she might have to attack him. She followed him around and sniffed him and, to my surprise, licked him on the top of the head! It wasn't what I was expecting as I was preparing for a fight.

I guess we'll never know what was going on in her head. We saw some cats at my brother's house last night. A dilute tortie and a solid blue were together by his back porch. We think the tortie was the momma and I'm pretty sure she's the slender tortie I saw quite frequently. Last time I saw her she was absolutely huge. It was obvious she was pregnant because she's usually a slender cat. I didn't see her for a while so I figured she had her kittens somewhere. I feel bad. She seemed confused. I didn't recognize the blue cat with her other than I think I saw it on the porch just earlier that day. That doesn't say much though. I see new cats all the time and it's hard to tell them apart if they don't have a distinguishing feature that I can see from a distance. The other day I saw stunning cat with medium length fur that was a rich reddish brown color with black spots and it's eyes were a vibrant green. Really pretty cat.

We have come a long ways, Old Tom and I. He used to run when he saw me even from a distance. Now he just looks at my like, "Bug off, you pest." :lol: To be fair, that might just be because of his tilted ears and squinty eyes. He does seem comfortable with his life and where he's at. He naps out in the open and seems to have no problem fending off other cats.

There's this long-haired blue cat (not a feral, someone's outdoor cat) who we see more days than we don't. She scared the crap out of me yesterday. I was walking Stella home and I hadn't even seen the cat. Just all of a sudden heard paws running through the grass at us. My first instinct was it was a dog because who would suspect a cat? It sounded small, but that wasn't very comforting since there's a Boston terrier just a few houses down that's gotten lose and has been one of the few dogs to show aggression towards Stella. Well, I whip around ready to fend of whatever it may be and, lo and behold, it's the cat! She stopped right at the edge of her yard, staring dead at Stella. I couldn't help but laugh a little and talked to her a bit, but she barely glanced at me. Wide-eyed stare right at Stella. But no fur up, no lashing tail, just as still as could be. I'm still not sure if she was being aggressive or playful. She's been a bit nervous around Stella in the past, but has gotten comfortable with her over time. This was the first time she ever approached us though.

We're guessing he's either going to try to make as much money as he can and come to us with one puppy expecting his dog to spayed or he's going to want to keep breeding her. I'm keeping an eye on his Facebook post, but he hasn't said anything since last time I checked. It's so frustrating being so close and still not being able to do something. I mean, we're literally physically close. He's somewhere in this town. He's in reach, we know it's happening, but we still can't do anything.

It's so hard watching people act like that and knowing there's really nothing you can do. You can search for way to get them to care, strike some cord in them, but if they don't care then they just don't care. That's a fact that I struggle the most with. That people are even capable of not caring. I can only hope something changes. And that it happens soon enough because I'm afraid our time is running out.
 

calicosrspecial

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Wow, that is really sweet (Ember licking). I am not surprised she doesn't like reaching under her. Ash is so funny. I am not surprised to hear about Frost. Sounds like it went well overall.

So true. Oh my. They are hanging out at your brothers. He wont have to worry about mice!!! I love Torties. How did she seem confused? I hope everything was ok. Wow, that cat does sound gorgeous.

Hahahahaha, I actually laughed out loud on that one!!! I could see Old Tom doing that. I love how you said that. That is so funny. He is pretty smart to know you are cool. He does seem confident and comfortable. That is nice.

WOW!!! That is something. I would guess she wanted to play. Stella is not that small where she was hunting. I wonder if cats can tell Stella is a cat's cat? Maybe she smelled your cats on Stella? That is interesting.

I fear he might chose the latter. :( Let's hope it is wrong. I know. But all you can do is your best and you have to stay safe. There are a lot of weirdos out there. Especially when money is involved. As you get more into this you are going to see things that are really tough and can't do anything about. Emotionally it is difficult. Just know you are doing all you can. If we do what we can and improve some things it is still positive.

I know. It is so frustrating and dangerous. We have people that are in full denial. They will see something, hear something and act like it isn't real. It is bizarre. All we can do is our best, be respectful., try to educate and then mitigate or deal with the result. It isn't right or fair but it is reality. There are more good people than bad though. I know, it is hard to understand, accept. I struggle with it as well. But letting go is best for our mental health. As long as we try and do our best that is all we can do. I hope things change and maybe people think of others................... What scares me is people are accepting that loss of life is some how ok since it is not happening to them. They will change if it hits them or their family (which I hope it doesn't). I live in a good place where people care about others but there are some places that are just crazy. I saw videos that are astonishing, scary. Sadly, we are going to have more cases, more hospitalizations, and more deaths. Some governors are providing leadership but we need more people to step up and do the right thing, to set better examples and think of the people not themselves. I feel very badly for all the people that can't stay at home and stay safe. All the grocery store people, drivers, delivery people, etc. :( They are keeping us alive.
 

Animal Freak

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I was surprised she did that, but it was very sweet. She's usually very trusting of me, so I didn't expect her to be quite so against me pulling it under her considering she was fine with the loop going over her head. I tried to hold them and move them as little as possible so it wouldn't be a negative experience, but she still didn't appreciate it. It might've been partly because she was looking for treats though. It's hard to keep feeding them treats while also putting the harness on. She's actually the one I would've expected to be the hardest though since she's so skittish. She doesn't like new things. Frost is usually pretty chill. Even if he doesn't like something, he's not one to put up much of a fight. It did go pretty well all things considering.

Well, my brother lives right across the street from the cat house and they were getting into his basement (hence the kittens in his basement). He also has two cats who were intact until recently. The tortie is a very pretty cat. She was probably largely scared because she appeared from by my brother's back porch and we were standing a short distance away. That's where they had access to the basement, so we're guessing she was looking for a way in. Even after she ran off, she stopped and looked around. Just seemed like she was looking for something and was unwilling to leave.

I can almost hear him saying it. He didn't trust me immediately and I wouldn't see he completely trusts me now, but he is a lot less skittish. I see him all the time and I worry if I don't see him for more than a few days. And then I see him curled up, unmoving, and think he's dead. :ohwell: He likes to scare me.

I sure hope it was play! This isn't first cat to have an odd reaction to Stella either. The first to charge at us, but cats never seem to know what to think of her. They look at her like they aren't sure if she's really a dog or if she's an odd-looking rabbit. There's been a white cat that crouched down as we walked by and I wasn't sure if it was preparing to run or preparing to attack. Never did either. Once we walked by, it started following us from a distance for a short ways before stopping. This gray cat was similar at first. She'd lay hunched in the grass (or even right on the sidewalk once) like she could run or she could attack.

That's my fear as well. I don't like the guy just based off of the few posts I have to scroll through to get to the post about the puppies. He still hasn't posted and it's driving me crazy. He's been on just today. I can tell since he shared something, but he won't update on the puppies. I'm nosy in general so even if I wasn't worried about the puppies, I'd still want to know so this is really bugging me.

I agree. We do what we can and we keep trying, but there's only so much we can do. Sometimes it feels like a battle we'll never win, but we still have to try. It's sickening how easily we convert human lives to numbers and statistics though. I've heard people say we have to lose a certain number of people before they take it seriously. Why?! If you don't take it seriously then you'll certainly get those numbers, but why do we have to let it get there? We can keep the numbers from getting that high. It's like people forget that those numbers and percentages represent actual lives. And some of lives didn't have to end if we could just bring ourselves to care enough.
 

calicosrspecial

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It really was sweet. Mother Ember. There is more love between them than you think.

Yes, cats tend not to like under since they are more vulnerable. Pretty normal. Sounds like you do it right though. It could be the treats but cats (especially female) tend not to like being messed with there. I think it well very well overall. I am impressed.

Makes sense. Has he closed off the basement now?

I can imagine!!! Too funny. Old Tom could have his own TV show!! What a character!!!

I would guess it was. Cats typically would not attack. Getting into that position is probably ready to flee. Cats will chose flee over fight nearly every time (if they aren't cornered). They like Stella. One of my feral colony cats would follow me and the dog all the time even though the dog was a big dobbie/shep mix. Then we took the cat in and they loved each other. It is funny to see cats love dogs. My boy LOVES the dogs (I only have females). And the dogs love the cats. So funny. I am wondering if Stella is a cat's dog. Seems like they like her. I am impressed she does so well with the cats outside.

:( Yes. I am not surprised the posts are worrying (in general). Typically how one behaves with animals is a good sign of their character. I can understand you frustration. :/

I totally agree. I think if we can improve that is good. So we may not "win" but we can hopefully improve. I understand the concern about the need to make money, to survive. Being out of a job leads to depression, addiction, etc.It takes a person's self worth away in many cases. BUT the alternative is spreading a virus. It is hard. I can see both sides. People get "numb" to things. Bad things. If you don;t see it, doesn't happen close to a person then it is "over there". Human nature. BUT we need to try to understand all sides. And try to make the best decision and do what we can to help those negatively affected. It is hard. We need people to produce food, supplies BUT we need to protect them as well. Those of us that can stay at home (either in general or for work) they should really to hopefully limit the spread to those that have to be "out there". And then help those affected by lose of job, money etc. It is hard, sad. I don't know the right answer. But if those of us can do the right thing hopefully we can spare others and help others. I really feel terrible for all those negatively affected. Sure, I can't leave the house but it isn't so bad compared to what others are having to deal with. :/ It is so hard..............................
 

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I had a bit of a scare today. A long-haired GSD--same one I had to deal with a while back and ended up in my brother's fenced in yard because of--got loose. Again. I was walking Stella home from our walk and I heard it barking, but that's nothing new. I happened to look back just to see the dog charging across the road at us. I managed to snag Stella, but was hoping it would back off since it wasn't like I was anywhere near it. My first encounter with the dog lead to him snapping and lunging at me, but I took a couple of steps back and he went to ignoring me. This time was different. I was no where near him. He came running at me and if I'm being honest, he doesn't seem to look at Stella at all. Usually dogs are more interested in her and worry about them being dog-aggressive, but I swear he looks at me the whole time. And he didn't try to lunge up to Stella while I was holding her either. He lunges towards my legs. I started kicking out at him to keep him away and yelled at him. He lunged and snarled and bared his teeth, but after a moment he just ran off to the tree in my brother's yard to pee on it. The old man that lives next to the dog's house (at the cat house) came out and started yelling at the dog to go home from his porch. I just started walking home, looking back to make sure the dog didn't start coming at us again but we might as well have not even been there.

It was. ❤ I do think they have a better relationship than the cats at the clinic I work at though mine tend to fight more. I sort of feel bad for those cats. Only one seems confident. Another seems to almost feign confidence. The third doesn't even try to pretend. They don't fight, but there's always tension if there's more than one of them in a room.

Ember is such a sensitive cat. I do think she was somewhat trying to following the treats in my hand, but she definitely wasn't comfortable with me going under her belly either.

Yes, the basement is closed off now. At least they think it is.

Indeed, he could. He's an interesting character. It's weird how attached you can get to a cat that won't even let you near him and looks at you like you're nothing more than a nuisance.

I wouldn't expect them to attack, but with the way they stare Stella down... Well, I can't help but be a tad nervous. It's that wide-eyed, pupil-blown look that often comes with zoomies, but also often means fear. And when they don't run, I question why not. I've also had birds not fly away immediately and thought they must be diseased or something. But especially with Stella being so small. She's basically the same size as the cats. She probably smells more like a cat than a dog too. Lol. She lives with three of them! Old Tom and the other semi-ferals have all been pretty calm around her too though they live next door to much bigger dogs. Stella definitely does prefer cats over most dogs. She not much of a dog-dog for sure. She can get a bit excited and whiney around cats, but unless they get within a few feet of her then she doesn't try to get to them or anything.

Well, I'm not saying I found any proof he might be abusive or anything, but he's definitely not a fan of the guidelines to protect us from corona. Which, to me, to says he close-minded, ignorant, and selfish.

It is hard. I get that it's hard no matter what we do. Maybe I don't understand the full scope of it since my mom gets to work from home and I barely need my job, but I do understand that it's difficult. But then, it's not going to matter much if you get your job back if you end up dying of corona or end up in the hospital with a huge bill that you now have to pay off. I can admit to the virus not always feeling 'real' to me since I haven't actually witnessed it myself, but that doesn't mean it isn't real, unfortunately. I still have a hard time remembering to wear a mask if I do go out. But we have to try and we have to remember that this real and it can affect us.
 

Animal Freak

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I personally think it's likely a bunch of us that have had mild versions of it and didn't realize it. Hang in there!
Yeah, it's definitely possible. I actually did get sick at the beginning of this. I was tested for the flu and came up negative, but the doctor just assumed I had strep. They weren't testing for corona unless you had some pretty specific symptoms at that point. It's still probably unlikely I had corona though because my mom didn't get it and she usually gets everything I do and it's typically worse for her.
 

calicosrspecial

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I had a bit of a scare today. A long-haired GSD--same one I had to deal with a while back and ended up in my brother's fenced in yard because of--got loose. Again. I was walking Stella home from our walk and I heard it barking, but that's nothing new. I happened to look back just to see the dog charging across the road at us. I managed to snag Stella, but was hoping it would back off since it wasn't like I was anywhere near it. My first encounter with the dog lead to him snapping and lunging at me, but I took a couple of steps back and he went to ignoring me. This time was different. I was no where near him. He came running at me and if I'm being honest, he doesn't seem to look at Stella at all. Usually dogs are more interested in her and worry about them being dog-aggressive, but I swear he looks at me the whole time. And he didn't try to lunge up to Stella while I was holding her either. He lunges towards my legs. I started kicking out at him to keep him away and yelled at him. He lunged and snarled and bared his teeth, but after a moment he just ran off to the tree in my brother's yard to pee on it. The old man that lives next to the dog's house (at the cat house) came out and started yelling at the dog to go home from his porch. I just started walking home, looking back to make sure the dog didn't start coming at us again but we might as well have not even been there.

It was. ❤ I do think they have a better relationship than the cats at the clinic I work at though mine tend to fight more. I sort of feel bad for those cats. Only one seems confident. Another seems to almost feign confidence. The third doesn't even try to pretend. They don't fight, but there's always tension if there's more than one of them in a room.

Ember is such a sensitive cat. I do think she was somewhat trying to following the treats in my hand, but she definitely wasn't comfortable with me going under her belly either.

Yes, the basement is closed off now. At least they think it is.

Indeed, he could. He's an interesting character. It's weird how attached you can get to a cat that won't even let you near him and looks at you like you're nothing more than a nuisance.

I wouldn't expect them to attack, but with the way they stare Stella down... Well, I can't help but be a tad nervous. It's that wide-eyed, pupil-blown look that often comes with zoomies, but also often means fear. And when they don't run, I question why not. I've also had birds not fly away immediately and thought they must be diseased or something. But especially with Stella being so small. She's basically the same size as the cats. She probably smells more like a cat than a dog too. Lol. She lives with three of them! Old Tom and the other semi-ferals have all been pretty calm around her too though they live next door to much bigger dogs. Stella definitely does prefer cats over most dogs. She not much of a dog-dog for sure. She can get a bit excited and whiney around cats, but unless they get within a few feet of her then she doesn't try to get to them or anything.

Well, I'm not saying I found any proof he might be abusive or anything, but he's definitely not a fan of the guidelines to protect us from corona. Which, to me, to says he close-minded, ignorant, and selfish.

It is hard. I get that it's hard no matter what we do. Maybe I don't understand the full scope of it since my mom gets to work from home and I barely need my job, but I do understand that it's difficult. But then, it's not going to matter much if you get your job back if you end up dying of corona or end up in the hospital with a huge bill that you now have to pay off. I can admit to the virus not always feeling 'real' to me since I haven't actually witnessed it myself, but that doesn't mean it isn't real, unfortunately. I still have a hard time remembering to wear a mask if I do go out. But we have to try and we have to remember that this real and it can affect us.
WOW!! That s SCARY!! I am so glad you and Stella are ok. Whew.

Agreed!! It is really sweet. Well, disagreements, not really "fights" though I know it seems not good. They don't hurt each other which tells you they do care. I am sure the clinic cats it is tough. But it is much better than being on the streets.

She is sensitive and really sweet, loving. Probably the treats, agreed. But my one girl really doesn't like anyone touching her belly. My boy on the other hand LOVES belly rubs. He is ALWAYS rollie pollie asking for his belly to be rubbed. It is just the way cats are.

Very good. That could be a good reason why the cat was confused.

He really is. It is TOTALLY easy to get attached to a cat that is at a distant. Some just have a lot of charisma. Old Tom sure does.

Yep. Now some ferals do go "statue" unless they have to flee. They probably wonder if Stella is a cat!! Hahahahaha. Yes, she is a cat's dog. Stella sounds sweet. I would like her.

Oh no. And I hope he isn't. But I know what you mean, things just seem not good. Selfishness can lead to bad things on a spectrum. They could be mildly bad or really bad. But usually it leads to something not so good. :( Let's hope he isn't too bad.

I am so glad your mom can work from home!! That is GREAT!!! It is hard to understand. It is important to try to see all side to a story then see where you come out. With experience it will get easier to see all sides. So true, life is most important. With life there is always hope. But I understand the panic people are feeling. We have to find some protection for those. I wish I had the answers.

It is hard to understand when a person can't see it. Witnessed it. And let's hope most people will not see it close to them. I think it is so dangerous to not realize it is "real" and ignore or deny it. We can debate what to do and how best to proceed etc but not deny reality. And it is not just our exposure but those other people that we come into contact with. That is why we should care because we are all in this together and we need each other to survive and protect ourselves. It is not fair to those in vulnerable jobs etc to not take care.

Especially wearing a mask when in enclosed spaces and indoors. Wearing a mask outside is good and social distancing important but it si especially important going into a grocery store or now other stores.

The CDC says about a third of people were asymptomatic meaning they could spread the virus and not even know it. That is why it is important to wear a mask, to protect others just in case.

At my age and health I would sadly know if I got it. Others would be the same, others would avae more mild but the symptoms now are pretty well known.

I agree, if you had covid your mom would have gotten it and she would probably have shown symptoms. At some point you can get a good (not just any) anti-body test which will tell you if you had it. But they still have a lot of false positives so it could cause people to take more risk than they should. It might be interesting to know but not sure all that helpful yet. The best advice I have heard is act like you have it and wear a mask, social distance, and wash your hands, surfaces and don;t touch your face (or other people's faces).

We don't know the long term damage covid does to people. Let's hope that we stop the spread and get a safe vaccine soon.

I do hope we come out of this better. Think of others more, etc. Not talking about you or furballsmom or pretty much everyone else on this site but with society in general. This country is better than what it seems like nowadays. There are a lot of good people out there. Sometimes it is hard to remember that since we tend to see a lot of bad in the news (especially when we are quarantined!!!).
 

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It was terrifying to be quite honest. And I might've had a bit of a break down afterwards. We drove down on my mom's lunch break to get their address and reported it to the police and animal control as it's the second incident. The girl who lives there came out and was watching us until my mom asked if she got her dog and she said she did. She tried blaming the incident on him recently being attacked, but this isn't the first time he's done this and come to find out he has quite the history. A lady asked if my dog was okay on my way home and said it's happened before and my brother said the dog has done the same to him a few times as well as several other people. The girl seemed way to calm about it too. She wasn't surprised in the slightest.

And to top that off, yesterday Ash got in a basket and peed blood. :frustrated:My vet was closed, our old vet was closed until Tuesday. The only place open was the emergency clinic. I tried calling my vet, but couldn't get through. We were just about the call the emergency clinic when I tried to call my supervisor who got a hold of my boss who got a hold of my vet (the boss's husband) who called me. He met me at the clinic and gave me a bunch of medication. I got an anti-inflammatory, more Gabapentin, as well as a couple of doses of a narcotic. He got everything after we got home yesterday, but you wouldn't have guessed! We thought he'd be knocked out with the Gabapentin and the narcotic, but he pretty much acted normally. He didn't have his full-out zoomies like he usually does after meals, but he did yowl a bit. He even started biting and kicking my hand while I was petting him! He was still peeing blood this morning and I gave him more Gabapentin as well as the second (and last) dose of the narcotic. Last I saw he was napping on the base of the cat tree in the storage room.

Poor Gyzmo usually stays in one spot until the other two are locked up. She pretty much stays up front where Tulip spends the least amount of time and if she sees them she's instantly ready to run. Flounder will follow her though he doesn't stalk or attack. It's just like he knows even his presence scares her. Gyzmo is a sweet cat though.

I wish one of my cats liked belly rubs. Ash and Ember both roll around on their back to lure you in, but they don't actually want you to pet their belly. They just know it's the best way to get pets! Ash will tolerate it sometimes, but eventually he'll headbutt your hand. Ember won't, like, attack you for touching her belly or anything like that, but she doesn't care for it.

I feel a bit bad that she no longer has her babies or her home, but it was necessary.

Doesn't look like that guy is going to post anything else about the puppies. :ohwell:

I do agree with you. I'm not going to respond to every paragraph individually because it would pretty much be me agreeing with everything you say and I'm tired and only have limited time. I wanted to get a response though because I probably wouldn't respond until tomorrow if I didn't do it now. I wanted to give an update on Ash with what's going on with him though. But I do agree. My mom and I are in a pretty good position where we can handle this. I understand not everyone is so lucky, but getting through this alive is the most important thing. I hope we do come out of this better.
 

calicosrspecial

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Oh my, I didn't see you posted yesterday. :( SORRY!!

Absolutely. Totally understandable. :/ Some people are like that. Just please be careful as some people are not very rational and can be dangerous. It is sometimes hard to find a safe balance and some people are just very difficult.

OH MY!!! I am SO GLAD you work at the vet clinic!! Poor Ash. I hope he is doing better. Do you and the vet think it is a UTI?

:( Awwww. Poor Gyzmo. But they must do pretty well. I am sure it is hard to build confidence as everyone is working. Still better than being on the streets. :/

Hahahaha, yep, cats will do that (lure in then........). My boy LOVES it, like ridiculously loves them. Silly boy. Ash sounds pretty good.

:( I know but it had to be done. :( Emotionally it is hard. I have been doing this for a while and it still is emotionally difficult. :(

Hmmmmmmmmmm. :/ Let's hope all went well. I have a feeling you may see a post in the future. :(

That is fine. I am sorry I didn't see your post yesterday. Agreed. Yes, you have to deal with Ash. Don't worry about the "world stuff".

Please let us know how Ash is doing. Poor guy. :(
 

Animal Freak

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Oh, that's fine.

I'm so tired of all the loose dogs. I can't walk through my own town without worrying about what dog might be loose and which are aggressive, if they'll attack Stella... I'm so ready to move. This dog should've been taken away a while ago if it's been doing this so much. I can't figure out why no one has reported it. I hate reporting dogs. I don't want to see anything bad happen to them. But if it means protecting my dog, so be it.

Considering his history with UTIs, I'm pretty confident that's what it is. I'm so grateful for the vet meeting me. Otherwise we would've been going to the emergency clinic and I don't even want to think about how much that could've costed. Not to mention it's further away and we would've had to drive him out there. I am a bit concerned he's still peeing blood though. Usually he seems to recover pretty quickly and is back to normal almost immediately after starting treatment. But he is peeing and it's a more normal amount now. He acts fine. He barely shows any signs of being medicated.

Yes. I like Gyzmo. She really is a sweet cat and she is more confident now than she was. They said she was really skittish and scared of everything when they first got her. Wouldn't even come out of the cage. And even since I started working there, she's started coming towards the back while I prepare their food and wanders around a bit more when the others are locked up.

Maybe you could send your boy over here. Let me borrow him. I always want to pet Ash's belly because it's so dang fluffy. He's good about it and let's me, but he doesn't prefer it. He's a sweet cat. He's very tolerant of some things, but then he's always the most likely to use his claws and teeth to tell you what he thinks.

I'm sure it's really hard to watch and care for ferals when you know there's only so much you can do. I already dread the day something happens to Old Tom. I'm sure his luck will run out one day, but I don't want to see that day. I don't want to see that day for the slender tortoiseshell or the black cat that was trusting enough to sleep right by the sidewalk or the tabby that I've been seeing since I first noticed the cats.

I would love to see an update on the puppies. He doesn't have any photos of his dog either. I was curious what the mom looked like, but couldn't find anything.

It's fine. I was a little late on posting it. I've just had a tiring few days.
 

calicosrspecial

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:( I know. It is dangerous. It is too bad. Again, too bad people don't care about others.

Yeah. :( Poor guy. Thank goodness you know the vet. That not only helped but saved a lot of money. Yes, I am surprised he is not responding as quickly. Let's hope he does soon. Your vet is really cool. I am glad he is acting fine. Amazing he is not affected much by the treatments.

Wow, that is great!! So nice to her she is doing better.

Hehehehehe, he would LOVE that. You would get tired of him wanting belly rubs all the time. :) He is something. Ash is a sweet cat. They all are it seems. Each very unique but all seem so lovable. Well, one of my girls is like that. She wont hurt but she will let you know what she wants by using her paws.

:( Yes, it is hard. But that is why we have to enjoy each time as much as possible. Do our best.

I am guessing the puppies are all gone now. :/ HOPEFULLY to good homes. Did you see pics of the puppies? But we can;t always tell what the parents looked like even seeing all the puppies. Sometimes it can be surprising!!

:( I can imagine. You have been through a lot. :( I just hope Ash gets well soon. Poor guy. I have gotten attached to them at this point and I know how much you are going through. Thank goodness you know a good vet.

Get some rest. Hopefully things get better really soon. A lot has gone one the past few days.
 

Animal Freak

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They really don't care at all. That girl knows exactly what her dog is doing and yet it's still able to get loose again and again.

My vet really is a life-saver. And he said if Ash stopped urinating completely then to call him day or night. I think Ash has gotten pretty used to the Gabapentin, but I'm surprised the narcotic on top of it didn't knock him out. It was a very small dose though. He's peed a few times today and it's still a bit bloody, but unless I catch him pretty much in the act then it's hard to tell how much because it spreads on the towel and the color fades.

Yes, it always makes me happy to see signs of her growing confidence. Honestly, Tulip is the one in need of the most help. She is both the sweetest, most tolerant cat I've ever met and also the meanest, most temperamental cat I've ever met. I once saw her draped over one of the vet's sons shoulders like she might as well have been just a pelt! :eek2: :lol: She likes to be help and will wrap her paws around your neck with her face nestled against your throat. But she'll turn in a second and slap and bite you. She has a history of piercing someone's lip and someone else's nose. And you can forget about sticking so much as a fingertip in her cage if she's in there. At least before eating. Afterwards she's a bit calmer.

I might, but it would still be adorable. Ember can get me with her belly more often than not. They are all sweet cats. To people anyway. Ember seems to handle dogs better than she does cats. Frost doesn't care for anyone other than humans. Ash just couldn't care less. But to people they're sweet.

Yeah, I look forward to the day that they're all neutered and cared for. I hope to catch the organization when they start the TNR. I'd like to learn if possible. If I can, I'd like to take pictures of the cats.

I hope they got good homes. There's a video of them, but it isn't the greatest quality and I only counted maybe five puppies in it when there's supposed to be nine. They're definitely shepherd mixes, but there's a variety of colors. At least a couple of solid blacks, a couple of dark browns, and there was one white pup.

I hope he does too. I think he feels fine, but the persisting blood in his urine worries me.

A lot has happened and it doesn't seem to be letting up. My brother came over to clean out our gutters and accidentally knocked a robin nest down. Well, it pretty much just fell apart. :frown: There were two fledglings in it who fell to the ground. The parents apparently attacked my brother immediately. My mom called me out and I managed to catch the birds and get them in a box. We took the box in the backyard. I called a wildlife rehabilitation center and they said to watch and make sure if the parents are feeding them. If they are, leave them in the box. If not, take them out. They're old enough to make it and probably would've been leaving the nest soon anyway. I watched and the parents are feeding them, so it looks like they'll be okay. They'll be able to get out of the box soon. So we have baby birds in our backyard now and soon enough they'll probably be hopping around all over the place. Fortunately, we have a privacy fence and I don't think any animals other than birds or squirrels can get in. We'll have to keep Stella out though.
 

calicosrspecial

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:( It is terrible. I wish people would be responsible.

The vet really is. It is terrific to have someone like that. Poor guy, I hope that he gets over it soon.

Wow, Tulip. Some cats will do that. Overstimulation, lack of trust, could be a few things.

Hahahaha, well........... ;) They are sweet. I can see those traits in them. Very common.

That would be wonderful. It will make things much better. Yes, pics of the cats and maybe even pics of the process? They could use if they ever get a website (if they don't have one). It is really good to watch and learn. It is more complicated than what people think. And it is tricky.

I hope so. Wow, they sound gorgeous!!!!

:( Yes. Your vet seems really good though so he is in good hands.

Oh my, just one more thing. :( Hopefully ferals don't come around. But what can you really do? Good job on saving them!!!

Hopefully things get better soon, slow down. It always happens at once at the worst time. :(
 

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I'm just so ready to get out of here...

Ash gave me a bit of a scare today and I don't really know what to think. He barely peed once, got in the litter box twice and did nothing, but then shortly after peed a decent amount. And it doesn't seem like there's anymore blood. He seemed a bit out of it briefly today, but was back to normal after napping for a little while. He's taking a lot longer to recover this time than he usually does. But he does seem to be back to using the litter box for the most part.

Tulip is an odd cat. She can be so sweet. She often lays on my lap when I sit down for a snack and she'll let me pick her up and hold her, but I struggle with getting her out of the cage when I need to clean it and I won't dare touch her in pretty much any room other the break room where I have my snacks. We seem to have a truce in that room. She might give me the occasional half-hearted slap in there, but I don't think she even usually uses claws. No other room is safe though!

Yes, they are. :)

I would love to take pictures of the process. I just don't know when they'll start doing the TNR. I'd like to learn how it's done too.

We put a table of the box last night because it looked like it was going to rain. I moved it this morning and one of the babies was missing! I figured it still had to be in the yard and then I was terrified to walk through the yard lest I stepped on it. I watched for a while after that and didn't see the parents feeding the baby in the box or any signs of the other one. So I let the one out of the box and I did end up finding the other baby. I got them both in the same area so they'd be easy to find and the parents are still feeding them. I was worried because I didn't see the one baby get fed for a while. I went out there to move it to it's sibling and it didn't try to get away or anything. Just opened it's mouth at me like it thought I might feed it. They're awfully cute. I think I'm getting attached. Our backyard is pretty secure.

Indeed, always all at once.
 

calicosrspecial

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:/ Hang in there. I know.

:/ Hmmmmmm. Make sure you communicate with the vet. It does seem different. I am glad he is better now though. I am so glad there is no more blood. Poor Ash, what an ordeal. :(

Tulip sounds like a confidence issue. Who knows what her history was. A lot of cats are like that with their bed/crate etc. I am not surprised to hear that, that is more common that most people think. It is about territorial confidence/security.

They really are. I love hearing about them.

You would be really good at it and they could benefit from the pics. Win win. Yes, you may be amazed at the process. It is really interesting.

Oh wow. SCARY!!! You did a really good job. I am sure it was kind of heartbreaking to see the baby want to be fed. It is easy to get attached. You are doing a really good job with them!!

:( Yep, sadly................................
 

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I called the clinic this morning. I was told to get through the rest of the anti-inflammatory and if he was still peeing blood after that then we'd probably have to get him in for x-rays to check for bladder stones. He seems to be doing okay today. Acting normally. I don't see him drinking much considering he's getting the UR food twice a day, but can't say that's entirely odd. He seems to be back to using the litter boxes which is great, but it's hard for me to keep track of what he's doing when and I can't see the color. He hasn't gone on the towel at all today.

I think they've had her since she was a kitten. Who knows what came before she was rescued or what her parents were like though. All their cats are rescues. I think her and Flounder might've had some issues in the past and she still holds onto some of those though. If he looks at her, she immediately hunches up and prepares to flee or fight. But I don't think I've ever seen him instigate anything. It's usually Tulip who will run up and slap him if he turns his back on her. He just looks at her like he doesn't know what's wrong with her.

Well, hopefully I'll get the chance to get those pictures someday and help out.

One of the babies flew off today. :yess::bawling:I feel so proud and yet so sad. He didn't get far. Went into the neighbor's yard and then ended up on a telephone wire. Last I saw, he was still there. The other baby is getting stronger and is walking around more. I think it'll be another day or two and he'll be gone as well. He's around where his sibling was when we caught them developmentally. I'm going to be sad to see this one go. The other hid well and I didn't see much of him. This one has been a lot more comfortable with me. I haven't really had to do much for them though. Just leave them be and let their parents feed them. I'm probably too involved, really.
 

calicosrspecial

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That is really good he is more back to normal. I was thinking of stones. Some cats are more prone to them. :( Let's hope he continues to be normal.

That is great they are all rescued. She may not have been socialized by her mother. Who knows the history. Sounds like Flounder is pretty good with her. And she doesn't seem too bad to him. They must have an understanding.

So true. Would be cool for everyone.

AWESOME!!! :clap2: You should feel proud!!! You did a GREAT job!!! It is kinda sad BUT that is the life they are meant to have. Let's hope the other baby is flying soon. This one bonded a bit more, appreciated the help. He might not have made it without you. Well, too involved I don't think so. Seems to be working out well. Fingers crossed everything goes well until the baby can fly. I think you did a great job!!!

Le us know how Ash is doing. I hope he is over it.
 
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