We could use some "Khol come home" vibes....

[ldg]

We've had a really stable colony of ferals for the past three years. There are some that come and go - disappear for months even.

But there are four kitties that have always stuck near home: Fog (otherwise known as Froggie), Khol (otherwise known as Crazo), Baloo, and Smokey. Khol will often disappear for a few days, especially after a storm. But she went missing late August/early September, no storm. We're not sure of the exact date, but it was at least 1.5 weeks ago. We didn't fret the first 2 to 3 days, because that's her style.

Though... she's basically been here every day this entire summer, her disappearances limited to just a meal. She's been following me around the yard like a dog; goes for walks with me, and for months now has always come running when she hears the door. But given this disappearing act for short periods is her prior pattern, we weren't fretting.

But now that we're approaching what is probably two weeks, we're getting really worried. THIS - this is too long.

If she's not here by early next week, I'm probably going to contact the animal communicator we work with, just to make sure she's alive.

This is the one thing about loving and caring for ferals that always gets to me. I worry far more about the ferals than I do my indoor kitties, because of that lack of control.

Khol-y Khol, you crazy cat, please be OK, and please come home. :rub:

OK - she disappeared around Aug 28 and 29. I took this picture the 26th, and the last time I took pictures with this phone was just a few days before she went missing.

_Khol 130826.jpg

• ldg
• Sep 13, 2013

 

[vball91]

Many many vibes for Khol to come home safely. I can't imagine the worry all of you feral caretakers must feel when they disappear. I don't know how you do it without developing an ulcer!

 

[ldg]

Thanks.

With the truly feral ferals, I'm just happy to see them off in the distance - especially if they're close enough I can see they're OK. :lol3:

With the traveling ferals that aren't reliably around for every meal, just seeing them at some meals frequently is reassuring.

Oh - who am I kidding. I still think about the TNR kitties from 2009 we don't see any longer. (We moved here in 2008. There were only two the first summer, and they'd been around people since being born, so we adopted one out, and brought Billy inside. We lived here from 2002 - 2004, and TNR'd over 40 cats the first year. Most were kittens. By the time we moved in 2008, there were 2 adult ferals, and we relocated them to a friend's home). It was nice that when we moved back 4 years later, there were so few cats here. (This is a natural attraction for cats because of the ease of availability of garbage; it's a popular place to dump, and during season, campers put out food for the cats. Well - used to. There are now instructions that ask them not to, because the RV Park cats are part of a TNR program, and without being attracted to the food, they won't be sterilized).

And I worry about all of them, a lot of the time. :emba:

Dot, Babygirl and Tabby are still current regulars from that 2009/2010 winter trapping. Tabby hasn't been around for a month or so, but outside of winter, she does disappear for long stretches. I think she still comes to eat, just not on my schedule.

Babygirl I saw today.

I haven't seen Little Dot for a few days, and the agitation is growing...

I really need to put up web cams. The peace of mind it might bring....


But for me, from an emotional perspective, caring about the ferals is a lot easier than fostering. DH and I are so not cut out for that.

...And Gary does have ulcers, so other than mentioning after a week or so, "I haven't seen Khol for a week," (if he hasn't already said something) I say nothing until she turns up again, because he'll go bat crazy if I keep bringing it up.

...which is why I need TCS. :heart2:

 

[ldg]

For anyone interested, this is our feral crew. The only new addition is Pawley, a black & white male kitty we need to trap. Like Tommy, he needs a drop trap.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/252410/most-of-the-current-feral-crew

Haven't seen Cool Kitty or PBT for... months.

Tommy is a lurker, who will be around for a week or two, then disappear for long stretches. We're currently in a "not here" stretch.

I think Pawley is living under the RV most of the time. :heart2:

 

[vball91]

Oh, many hugs for you. I'm glad you can come here to share some of those worries. I have thought about fostering, but my husband says that would be a bad idea since I get so attached. I think he's afraid they would all be failed fosters.

I think the web cams are a good idea. More peace of mind would be good.

 

[ldg]

Yeah, then I could see how much food the raccoons, skunks and possums are eating. :lol3: Are those empty bowls in the morning because... who ate the food?

I always put out enough food for all the cats "active" colony cats, whether we've seen them or not. :heart2: They become "inactive" in my mind when we haven't seen them for a year.

We were terrible fosters. :lol3: The actual adoption always involved a lot of crying. ...and we adopted out a lot of cats to people we worked with. We were SO the crazy cat people at the office. :anon:

Despite that, we only have one failed foster. The others we knew weren't going anywhere.

The failed foster is Flowerbelle. And that's because we didn't know how many issues she was going to have with her health that first year. But once we realized we were fighting to save her eye, she became ours. :heart2:

 

[Norachan]

Hello LDG,

First of all I want to say how much I admire you for taking care of all those cats. It's wonderful that you've managed to TNR so many of them, as well as finding homes for them too. I'm trying to get the stray cat colony in my neighbourhood under control. We moved here three years ago and I got my 15th female cat spayed yesterday. (Yay!)

 I still have a ways to go yet though..... and I don't have much luck at all when it comes to re-homing them. People just aren't interested in taking in stray kittens around here, I usually end up keeping them myself or putting them back outside. At least they seem to do quite well around here.

I hope all those kitties you are missing show up soon. I've found the male cats I care for can disappear for months at a time and the females will sometimes take off for a week or two. There are other people who leave food out for cats around here, so I always assume they've gone to hang out in someone else's yard for a while.

Khol looks a lot like Mr Mustache, one of the strays I feed. You mentioned talking to an animal communicator to find out where she has gone, how did that go?

Fingers crossed for all your missing cats. 

 

[shadowsrescue]

Please come home Khol!!  I am so sorry she is missing and I will send out vibes of energy for her to return.  I too have contacted an animal communicator just to check and see if one is alive.  My dear Patches has been MIA since March.  Yet, he has been spotted in the area and the animal communicator I work with assures me he is still among the living.  He sees my home as his winter gig!  We will see if he returns when it gets cold. 

I do have web cams to keep track of my boys.  My wonderful DH bought me 2 for Christmas 2 years ago.  THey are both a wonderful wonderful thing, but also a curse as I do see things that frighten me.  Of course I see the skunks, raccoons, opossums and other cats that wander about, but I have also see the coyote and fox.  The fox even came up onto the deck last winter while the cats were there.  Yet it does give me peace of mind.  When I am away for a few days and have others taking care of the boys, it also assures me that they have been fed.  I can check on them at night too.  I love the fact that I can have the camera send me emails of activity during the night.  It's fun to watch the boys play or snuggle and how often they come and go. 

If you'd like more info on the cameras I use I would be happy to share.  They are on the lower end and do have glitches, but I work and work at them.  They pretty reliably work during the heat of the summer and cold of the winter, rain and snow too.  I received a 2 pack of outdoor wireless for about $180.  You can get them cheaper if you get them wired, but I didn't have a connection close enough.  You also can mount them.

I hope hope hope that Khol makes a reappearance very very soon.

 

[mani]

It's good to have the photo, Laurie..

I really believe the power of good vibes.. sending loads your way. 

 

[jcat]

What a beautiful girl she is with her white moustache! that she gets herself home asap.

 

[ondine]

Laurie, many, many vibes Kohl comes home. This is the one thing I hate about caring for ferals. Worrying about them when they aren't "home."

 

[feralvr]

This is the one thing about loving and caring for ferals that always gets to me. I worry far more about the ferals than I do my indoor kitties, because of that lack of control.

_Khol 130826.jpg

• ldg
• Sep 13, 2013

OH Laurie... sweetie.... :heart3: As you know, I love your darling Kohl and she seems to be one of my favorites just by you telling us about her and just by looking at her absolutely cute and mischievous face. I know how much you love your ferals and we always say it makes it harder when they become "less feral" and closer to us. I wish, oh SO wish, I could tell you 100% that she will return, but I am going to be hopeful and positive that she is keeping herself safe from harm during her absence. :cross: :cross: :cross: I am on the same page as well when it comes to worrying about the feral kitties more than our indoor kitties. It is absolutely impossible to keep them safe and keep them from harm. It is out of our control and IS always such a worry. But, hun, and you already know this, , that your feral babies couldn't be more loved or have a better life anywhere else and that is what makes it so heartbreaking when they go missing. I am sending SERIOUS, MAJOR vibes/prayers that little sweet and "crazo" Kohl :rub:, COMES HOME SAFELY AND SOON.

I really need to put up web cams. The peace of mind it might bring....

...And Gary does have ulcers, so other than mentioning after a week or so, "I haven't seen Khol for a week," (if he hasn't already said something) I say nothing until she turns up again, because he'll go bat crazy if I keep bringing it up.

...which is why I need TCS. :heart2:

Completely understand your position in not wanting to worry Gary. :nod: Oh sweetie, you have such a heart of gold and this is a hard time between worrying about Kohl and NOT wanting to worry Gary. I hope you know you can count on us all to be here for you in times like these. I think we all need the extra support from time to time when being feral caretakers. The webcam is not a bad idea at all other than you having to watch the footage with baited breath, hoping to catch a glimpse. I don't know, for me, the webcam may just cause me more anxiety, but you know me.
Contacting Ellen, :nod:, absolutely. Remember, it worked for Baloo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, he came home after what, a few months?? (can't remember)

PLEASE COME HOME......... KOHL........ :cross: :heart3: :cross: :rub: :cross:

 

[ldg]

Thank you everyone, for your thoughts and vibes for Khol! And for listening to me blather. :lol3: Feels better to "talk" about it.

I also feel a lot better having gotten it out... knowing others are pulling for her... and having decided to call Ellen Monday night if Khol's not home by then.

Lauren, YES! Ellen was right about Baloo!

Baloo had been gone for a little over two weeks. He'd never been gone for more than a day or two before. We weren't SO worried about him being dead, more worried that he'd gotten locked in someone's garage, or hopped in someone's car and jumped out wherever the car went... (Baloo likes exploring vehicles with open doors :lol3: ). He's the least feral of the feral cats.

Anyway, I contacted Ellen to find him. And she not only found him, she had a quick chat with him. He told her he was just on a walkabout, and would come home.

He'd disappeared just shortly after the RV park opened for the season, and there was a lot of activity in the park. So he probably went for a hike. He returned one week later (after talking to Ellen), I think it was, sitting on the deck, pretty-as-you-please, as if he'd never left. :lol3:

 

[vball91]

That's a great story about Baloo. Many vibes that it's the same situation for Khol.

 

[feralvr]

It certainly does ease our worries a bit when we "share" them with others who do care so much. It is a mental burden release, in a way. We will share the "worry burden" with you. :nod: :grphug2: AND HOPE FOR HER SAFE RETURN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cross: :rub:

Loads and loads and loads more vibes for :heart3: Kohl :heart3:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s. IF you do have to contact Ellen, I think she will come through once again like she did for Mr. Baloo. :cross: :cross: :sun:

 

[angels mommy]

Vibes & prayers for Khol's safe return!

By the way, how is Flowerbelle? I don't think I saw anything about her visit w/ the specialist. How did it go? Any answers?

 

[goholistic]

I'm just now catching this thread, LDG. I'm so sorry to hear some of these kitties are causing worry.  I really hope Khol comes home, as well as the other ones that have been gone longer than normal. You're an angel for taking care of all these cats and looking out for them.

Come home, Khol!  

 

[ldg]

I don't have ulcers - but I have my equivalent. That knot in my neck/shoulder that won't let go.

I have a strong feeling I'm going to be contacting Ellen.



I saw Treebie today. I forgot to include him in the list of newbies. The way he bolted out of the trap, I thought we'd never see him again. He does keep his distance, so I have no pictures (other than of him in the trap), but I do see him regularly now. It took about a month after we released him for me to start seeing him (though I'm sure he was coming by to eat food).

Smokey has become aggressive to the "feral feral" cats. Baloo is also rather aggressive. I wish we could build an enclosure. Not for all of them, just for those two.

Used to be so peaceful, and all the cats got along. Baloo changed all of that.

Cats.

 

[goholistic]

No Khol, yet? 

 

[ldg]

No. I'm going to email Ellen right now. :heart2:

:cross: