Lots has been happening to poor widdle Sir Percy. On Monday I dropped him off at the vet so my cats could have a much needed vacation from him, poor dear. While here he go his final set of vaccinations, so that was good. His "camper report card" indicated that he was calm and spent most of his time hanging out on his shelf and watching out the window.
Bu things got more hectic for him after that. I picked him up on Thursday and he spent the night at Beatrice's house, trying (and absolutely failing) to make friends with that feisty feline. Friday morning he was dropped off a the clinic for his much needed neutering. By Friday evening he was recovering a Beatrice's house-- and already acting perfectly normal (for him, at least!) other than walking a bit funny, poor dear. (Beatrice was still mighty angry.) I brought him back here late last night and he's been acting just fine ever since. (My cats? Still mighty angry.)
So all of that is a relief.
What about Germany, you may be asking? And honestly, I'm not sure where things stand there. I'll update as I learn something...
Finally, a huge shout-out thank you to A.. Knowing her, she wouldn't want public thanks (I'm not sure she'd even want thanks...) but she deserves them because she is awesome. Not only has she helped out financially in the past with Project-Cat, but she is also the person I go to for advice in all feline related matters. She, too, has been a rescuer. And she is a rescuer of this particular cat rescuer. :) Her most recent donation is incredibly appreciated.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Feline Insanity!
Percy is a fairly laid back cat. He seems to like to find a place to sprawl out (he's 10pounds, which isn't all that big, really, but he sprawls well) and just watch the world go by. Sometimes he does like to explore, hopping up on places he really ought not visit, but, well, he's a cat after all.
Despite this happy-go-lucky nature, my cats don't like him. To be fair, they don't like any cat other than each other (and sometimes that's questionable and based on mood). So one is hiding under the bed pretty much constantly and the other is refusing to eat (although she'll still happily take treats, thankyouverymuch, morepleasenow?) Between this and the constant low level of Percy's "Mrow? Mrow? Mrow?" to the other cats and the grooooororrrrrooorrrrrrwwwwwlllll response he gets (punctuated by occasional hisses, of course), I'm also going a bit crazy and would like some sleep, thanks.
So, Percy's going back to the vet for a few days of boarding. This is not entirely a bad thing-- while he's there he'll get his second set of shots and I've also arranged for a fecal test because his elimination has never seemed quite right and he hasn't had one. (He'll be providing them with fresh samples, after all.) I'd put up with the noise and even the hiding cat, but the not-eating cat has me worried, y'know? Percy will have a condo with a window (he likes windows) and it won't be for long, just a break for my cats. If timing works, he'll go for neutering shortly after that, during which he'll recover with Beatrice's mom (who will closer all her windows tightly).
Then, if we're really lucky, he'll be heading to Germany at the end of the month. The end of the month being reeeeally soon, in fact. So, fingers crossed. :)
Sorry no pictures today-- I'm writing this from a coffee shop. And sooper-hyooge thanks to kitty lover (and my personal friend) D. in NYC for the donation I got yesterday towards Percy's care. :D You are the bestest!
Despite this happy-go-lucky nature, my cats don't like him. To be fair, they don't like any cat other than each other (and sometimes that's questionable and based on mood). So one is hiding under the bed pretty much constantly and the other is refusing to eat (although she'll still happily take treats, thankyouverymuch, morepleasenow?) Between this and the constant low level of Percy's "Mrow? Mrow? Mrow?" to the other cats and the grooooororrrrrooorrrrrrwwwwwlllll response he gets (punctuated by occasional hisses, of course), I'm also going a bit crazy and would like some sleep, thanks.
So, Percy's going back to the vet for a few days of boarding. This is not entirely a bad thing-- while he's there he'll get his second set of shots and I've also arranged for a fecal test because his elimination has never seemed quite right and he hasn't had one. (He'll be providing them with fresh samples, after all.) I'd put up with the noise and even the hiding cat, but the not-eating cat has me worried, y'know? Percy will have a condo with a window (he likes windows) and it won't be for long, just a break for my cats. If timing works, he'll go for neutering shortly after that, during which he'll recover with Beatrice's mom (who will closer all her windows tightly).
Then, if we're really lucky, he'll be heading to Germany at the end of the month. The end of the month being reeeeally soon, in fact. So, fingers crossed. :)
Sorry no pictures today-- I'm writing this from a coffee shop. And sooper-hyooge thanks to kitty lover (and my personal friend) D. in NYC for the donation I got yesterday towards Percy's care. :D You are the bestest!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
The cat came back, the very next day...
Well, okay, the title is a lie-- I found Percy a few days after his most recent escape, hanging out by the downstairs foodbowl. I said hi, he said "Meow." I scooped him up and he's back here with me. (Seriously, as soon as I got home from the airport, there he was.) So he's back safe and sound. And in fact, this time around he doesn't seem to have gotten into any fights.
[Sorry-- all the pictures below are from my phone-- it was closer to hand than the camera. You know how cats are; you get up to get the camera and they move from whatever pose you wanted.]
Here's a picture of Percy one week after he was found after his first escape. Kinda gross, but those were all scratches and scabs. There are a lot more that you can't see in the picture. (I was mostly taking it as a reference shot to see if the one below his left eye was getting better-- it has, as you'll see in the next picture. But he was scratched all across his face, had a pretty nasty puncture under his jawline, and two more nasty ones on the top of his head. I think he may have tangled with a dog, perhaps? Something that actually had Percy's head in its mouth? Eek. He also had scratches all along his shoulder blades.]
And here he is today-- you can certainly still see where the scratches are healing and it'll be a while before his fur grows back all the way, but he's getting better. At the tippy top of his head you can see a furrow where there was a scratch (now healed) but the fur is missing. Same thing on the right side of his face-- he's healed up, the scabs are even gone (you can just see new skin) but the fur will take a while.
Poor little beastie. He's still very handsome, I swear-- these pictures don't do him justice!!
And he's getting comfortable-- here's his tummy. :)
Right now he's wandering around meowing fiercely. I have no idea what he wants at the moment...
This week we'll try that whole neutering thing again, and he'll also get his second set of shots. The shipping-him-to-Germany plan is harder than anticipated, but we're working on it.
(Speaking of which, thank you very much to the donor who put a few dollars in the 'jar' to help unite Percy and his momma. Yay!)
[Sorry-- all the pictures below are from my phone-- it was closer to hand than the camera. You know how cats are; you get up to get the camera and they move from whatever pose you wanted.]
Here's a picture of Percy one week after he was found after his first escape. Kinda gross, but those were all scratches and scabs. There are a lot more that you can't see in the picture. (I was mostly taking it as a reference shot to see if the one below his left eye was getting better-- it has, as you'll see in the next picture. But he was scratched all across his face, had a pretty nasty puncture under his jawline, and two more nasty ones on the top of his head. I think he may have tangled with a dog, perhaps? Something that actually had Percy's head in its mouth? Eek. He also had scratches all along his shoulder blades.]
And here he is today-- you can certainly still see where the scratches are healing and it'll be a while before his fur grows back all the way, but he's getting better. At the tippy top of his head you can see a furrow where there was a scratch (now healed) but the fur is missing. Same thing on the right side of his face-- he's healed up, the scabs are even gone (you can just see new skin) but the fur will take a while.
Poor little beastie. He's still very handsome, I swear-- these pictures don't do him justice!!
And he's getting comfortable-- here's his tummy. :)
Right now he's wandering around meowing fiercely. I have no idea what he wants at the moment...
(Speaking of which, thank you very much to the donor who put a few dollars in the 'jar' to help unite Percy and his momma. Yay!)
Friday, April 8, 2011
Oh, Percy...
When Bea's mom re-found Percy after his narrow-window escape a few weeks ago, he came back covered in scratches, all beat up. It seems that Percy is way too friendly to defend himself from other cats. This certainly seemed the case against my cats-- mine didn't attack him (or even come near him) but they growled and hissed and Percy just sat there, as if to say, "Why don't you liiiiike meee?"
But Percy also really, really still wants to go outside, and yesterday, while Bea's mom was taking care of all the cats (my pets, foster-Percy and also the ferals, while I'm out of town for a few days doing my 'day job'), Sir Percy escaped. Again. Bea's mom caught him, but he scratched her up and escaped again before she could get him indoors.
So, I guess he's out adventuring again. Worst part is, he was supposed to be neutered today-- that clearly didn't happen. As long as he stays away from the other cats and doesn't get too close to cars or troublesome humans, he should be okay until I can catch him again. And this time he's got a microchip, which helps.
Sigh. Oh, Percy
But Percy also really, really still wants to go outside, and yesterday, while Bea's mom was taking care of all the cats (my pets, foster-Percy and also the ferals, while I'm out of town for a few days doing my 'day job'), Sir Percy escaped. Again. Bea's mom caught him, but he scratched her up and escaped again before she could get him indoors.
So, I guess he's out adventuring again. Worst part is, he was supposed to be neutered today-- that clearly didn't happen. As long as he stays away from the other cats and doesn't get too close to cars or troublesome humans, he should be okay until I can catch him again. And this time he's got a microchip, which helps.
Sigh. Oh, Percy
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Send Percy to Germany!
The good news is that Beatrice's mom successfully found Percy! Hurray! Then she not only wrestled him back inside (I can imagine Percy thinking, "But! But! I was having fun!!!") but also bravely gave him a bath (as he'd gotten quite dirty while out in the big world.) He seems none the worse for wear, other than a couple of new scratches on his face. (He apparently also fought with the big world while out there.)
His adventures have not cured his wanderlust, so we're sending him to Germany.
Just kidding. Well, no, not really-- we are sending him to Germany, but not to cure his wanderlust. (Although while there he'll get neutered, so actually, in a roundabout way, perhaps that's precisely what'll happen...)
Let me explain. A friend of a friend, currently traveling in the US and hoping to live here permanently soon-ish, saw this here this very blog and fell in love with Sir Percy. Who could resist? The downside is her visa expires in a few days and back to Germany she must go.
You see the dilemma? Percy's in AZ, the friend is in NYC, soon to be Germany...
Well, she really wants this cat, so we're attempting what seems pretty impossible. Tomorrow Percy will go to the vet to get his vaccines and microchip and (fingers crossed!!) a clean bill of health (preferably in German... I know some German, but honestly, nothing involving Katzen beyond calling them Katzen. Anyone know the German for "Rabies vaccinated"?)
The second cat I adopted came to me from a few hours away, initially rescued by a now very close friend who was then an online acquaintance whose website I really liked. And I have often felt that that cat and I were meant to find each other, even though it took the internets and circuitous routes for that to happen. So I understand Percy's hopeful adopted momma's desire and I'm doing everything I can to make it work. She is, too-- she has hours on the phone tomorrow to look forward to, in changing her flights, arranging flights, double-checking things with various embassies and customs. Between us, we'll be spending a lot of money to get this cuddly feline to the momma who wants him. He deserves a human who will adore him, and love him to pieces-- he's certainly not gotten a lot of help from humans before this.
My point in this post is threefold--
1. To celebrate Percy's safe return! Huzzah!!
2. To share with you how Percy has found a momma, barring unforeseen circumstances in the next two days. Huzzah!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Very Bad News
The whole time that Sir Percy was at his first foster home, he tried valiantly to get out the front door, occasionally getting as far as the apartment's steps before being scooped up by his foster dad. At my house, Sir Percy tried to escape by digging through the glass window-- fortunately he is not equipped with diamond claws and thus could not actually succeed as he'd have had nowhere to go but straight down three floors.
At his current foster home, his attempts to escape continued-- only today he was successful in finding a window that was open just a few inches. From there he must have gotten to a lower roof, then to a wall, then, we assume, the ground. This was about four hours ago, and despite repeatedly walking around the neighborhood, putting out food and used litter (not, obviously, together), there has been no sign of Sir Percy.
Both his current foster mom and I are, obviously, devastated. I'm particularly concerned that he's in an area of lots of cats and dogs and cars, and not an area he knows. There are lots of people in this complex who feed strays/ferals, like my complex, but he may be kept from the feeding stations by the ferals, like he was at my place. I'm concerned that I've made things much worse for the little fuzzie, and I miss him, and I just really, really hope he's okay.
Beatrice's mom and I are sitting outside her house with a dish of wet food that seems to be smelling up the area enough to call two other strays cats and several indoor/outdoor nearby pets, but no sign of Percy.
I will keep you updated as I learn anything.
At his current foster home, his attempts to escape continued-- only today he was successful in finding a window that was open just a few inches. From there he must have gotten to a lower roof, then to a wall, then, we assume, the ground. This was about four hours ago, and despite repeatedly walking around the neighborhood, putting out food and used litter (not, obviously, together), there has been no sign of Sir Percy.
Both his current foster mom and I are, obviously, devastated. I'm particularly concerned that he's in an area of lots of cats and dogs and cars, and not an area he knows. There are lots of people in this complex who feed strays/ferals, like my complex, but he may be kept from the feeding stations by the ferals, like he was at my place. I'm concerned that I've made things much worse for the little fuzzie, and I miss him, and I just really, really hope he's okay.
Beatrice's mom and I are sitting outside her house with a dish of wet food that seems to be smelling up the area enough to call two other strays cats and several indoor/outdoor nearby pets, but no sign of Percy.
I will keep you updated as I learn anything.
Monday, March 21, 2011
More of Sir Percy
The friend who was fostering Sir Percy brought him back to my place this evening, which has upset all the cats-- the ones who live here permanently and Sir Percy as well. Sir Percy keeps looking for his foster dad, and being upset when he can't find him, and not settling for me. (It doesn't help that I gave him his medicine.) He'll settle down in a bit, I'm sure. Fortunately, though, Bea's mom has agreed to foster Sir Percy starting tomorrow night. Poor baby really needs a forever home, though, so he can stop being shuffled from house to house and person to person.
The only black cat fact that I can prove is that it's hard to photograph them!
Meet Sir Percy
I started seeing this little guy around when I got back from my winter travels. He'd hang out under people's cars, mostly. But I never saw him around the feeding stations, which made me curious. Then one evening, as I was walking towards the fitness center, I knelt down and called him over-- and he came. Yup, this adorable fuzzy is not the least bit feral-- he's clearly a dumped pet. Sure, he could belong to someone, I suppose, someone who lets him outside, but he's unfixed and had dried bits on his nose/eyes, and was diiiiiirty. He was also a bit cranky after I examined him a bit, and he hopped away from me that night.
Fast-foward a week or so, and as a guest and I were heading out the door to visit some nearby gardens, here was the kitty, sleeping on the landing-- the one opposite the food bowl. I really think that the ferals were keeping him from the food. He didn't protest as I scooped him up and took him to the kitten hatchery.
A few days later I got him his first checkup at the vet. He is FIV and Feline Leukemia negative. Happy dance!
A friend cared for him for me for a week as I traveled some more, but now I must seek a home for this lovable fuzzy. The vet says this guy is between 1 and 3 years old. He is the most loving cat ever-- he just drapes himself in your lap and starts purring. He even purred at the vet, just sprawling around, waiting for someone to love him. He's also talkative and will hold meowing conversations with you.
Please, please, please spread the word. I absolutely cannot keep him-- I ought not even foster him, but, well, see above re: soft heart.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Quick Update
The colony is going to be cared for by a friend for a few days while I'm out of town, so I thought I'd give you a quick update.
Miss Hannah Pigpen is still pregnant. I wish she weren't pregnant at all and that we'd caught her before, but if she has to be, then I'm glad she hasn't delivered yet. I want to catch her via those kittens, but see above re: leaving town.
Mr. Tuxie is getting more curious and friendly, in spite of himself. I suspect this has to do with the treats I've been tossing to him... I actually managed to touch him-- not quite pet, but still-- yesterday. Then today he hissed at me before I came near. Go figure. Delayed reaction?
Mr. Tig(g)er has taken to sleeping curled up on the cat bed I put outside, as I mentioned before. This has not yet changed. Since he's tame, he's quite happy to take treats from my hand-- and now waits on my doorstep after I've fed the ferals, knowing that I'll be on my way out and will give him treats. He has a bit of a stuffy nose, however, which has me worried.
Miss Miley Barnaby is still herself-- no difference that I can see. I haven't been much in touch with Neighbor E., alas, to get her take on Miss MB.
Cyrano has been coming around a lot more than usual.
Bessie is still a giant, giant cat, and he has been coming up to the second floor for foods, too.
I've seen Walsingham around a bit, but alas, not Agatha, which has me worried. But both of them have disappeared for a time in the past and come back, so fingers crossed.
I seem to only ever spot Daphne in the dark, or when I don't have my camera-- or both. She seems to be doing well, however.
Mr Mistopholees, or as Beatrice's mom has taken to calling him, "Mangy Cat", seems to be well and is often around. He also looks slightly less mangy.
Daisy is often around, although I haven't seen her in two days. She follows DNL all around the complex-- it's funny. Aloysius is similar-- often around but not in the last day or two. He, however, is quite shy.
On the "I haven't seen them in a long time and I'm worried" list are: Little Gray, Gremlin and Athos. Eek.
In no-longer-colony cats news (which is to say, kittens I've adopted out), I've heard recently from both Zadie and Zoe's moms-- with pictures of the latter-- and they look incredibly well cared for and very happy and spoiled rotten. Miss Beatrice is still ... special... and very loved. (She took quite a fall a few weeks ago, but suffered not at all for it, which was good but surprising. And also means she has not learned her lesson about hanging out on high up ledges.) Dean and Max are doing amazingly-- both are now cuddle bugs (well, Dean always was!!) with their cat-daddy. But they also get along together marvelously-- play fighting and such. (Their dad put up a video for me to see in which they are playfighting, but they also take time out for a second for licks.) Malcom, apparently usually called "Baby Ugs" (and no, I don't know why), also does well. Since he's a desert cat and has all that fur, he's often shaved and funny looking (hence the name, perhaps.) And Sam, aka Whiskey, wanders by occassionally and has grown very large and very fluffy and doesn't mind at all when I pick him up and hug him.
And now I leave you with two articles about a feral colony in Disneyland.
"Disneyland Partners with Feral Cat Colony..."
Disneyland's Feral Cats
(I can't find any information about whether Disney World has feral cats. Anyone know?)
Miss Hannah Pigpen is still pregnant. I wish she weren't pregnant at all and that we'd caught her before, but if she has to be, then I'm glad she hasn't delivered yet. I want to catch her via those kittens, but see above re: leaving town.
Mr. Tuxie is getting more curious and friendly, in spite of himself. I suspect this has to do with the treats I've been tossing to him... I actually managed to touch him-- not quite pet, but still-- yesterday. Then today he hissed at me before I came near. Go figure. Delayed reaction?
Mr. Tig(g)er has taken to sleeping curled up on the cat bed I put outside, as I mentioned before. This has not yet changed. Since he's tame, he's quite happy to take treats from my hand-- and now waits on my doorstep after I've fed the ferals, knowing that I'll be on my way out and will give him treats. He has a bit of a stuffy nose, however, which has me worried.
Miss Miley Barnaby is still herself-- no difference that I can see. I haven't been much in touch with Neighbor E., alas, to get her take on Miss MB.
Cyrano has been coming around a lot more than usual.
Bessie is still a giant, giant cat, and he has been coming up to the second floor for foods, too.
I've seen Walsingham around a bit, but alas, not Agatha, which has me worried. But both of them have disappeared for a time in the past and come back, so fingers crossed.
I seem to only ever spot Daphne in the dark, or when I don't have my camera-- or both. She seems to be doing well, however.
Mr Mistopholees, or as Beatrice's mom has taken to calling him, "Mangy Cat", seems to be well and is often around. He also looks slightly less mangy.
Daisy is often around, although I haven't seen her in two days. She follows DNL all around the complex-- it's funny. Aloysius is similar-- often around but not in the last day or two. He, however, is quite shy.
On the "I haven't seen them in a long time and I'm worried" list are: Little Gray, Gremlin and Athos. Eek.
In no-longer-colony cats news (which is to say, kittens I've adopted out), I've heard recently from both Zadie and Zoe's moms-- with pictures of the latter-- and they look incredibly well cared for and very happy and spoiled rotten. Miss Beatrice is still ... special... and very loved. (She took quite a fall a few weeks ago, but suffered not at all for it, which was good but surprising. And also means she has not learned her lesson about hanging out on high up ledges.) Dean and Max are doing amazingly-- both are now cuddle bugs (well, Dean always was!!) with their cat-daddy. But they also get along together marvelously-- play fighting and such. (Their dad put up a video for me to see in which they are playfighting, but they also take time out for a second for licks.) Malcom, apparently usually called "Baby Ugs" (and no, I don't know why), also does well. Since he's a desert cat and has all that fur, he's often shaved and funny looking (hence the name, perhaps.) And Sam, aka Whiskey, wanders by occassionally and has grown very large and very fluffy and doesn't mind at all when I pick him up and hug him.
And now I leave you with two articles about a feral colony in Disneyland.
"Disneyland Partners with Feral Cat Colony..."
Disneyland's Feral Cats
(I can't find any information about whether Disney World has feral cats. Anyone know?)
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Miss Hannah Pigpen
aka, my arch nemesis.
I came home this evening to find Pigpen downstairs eating some dry food. I walked towards her, to see if I could take a guess at pregnancy status from getting her to walk way from me. From the side I wasn't sure, and she quickly turned a corner into the dark.
I followed, though, and she looked up at me all, "What?" And then a dog came near and she walked off.
From above/behind? Yeah, she's totally expecting kittens. From that angle you can see the way her belly swings from side to side, but at the sides, not beneath like house-cats. And her belly is clearly wider than her hip bones.
Oh, Pigpen. Sigh.
Catching her and the kittens is all going to come down to timing (and location), I'm afraid. I'll be in and out of town the rest of this month, until almost mid-January. Yes, someone will be caring for the ferals, but there's no way that any of them would be up for TNRing Pigpen or taking the kittens...
It's chilly out, for the AZ desert. Not a good time for a feral kitty to be having kittens. Poor Miss Pigpen.
Fingers crossed that everything works out as best as can...
I came home this evening to find Pigpen downstairs eating some dry food. I walked towards her, to see if I could take a guess at pregnancy status from getting her to walk way from me. From the side I wasn't sure, and she quickly turned a corner into the dark.
I followed, though, and she looked up at me all, "What?" And then a dog came near and she walked off.
From above/behind? Yeah, she's totally expecting kittens. From that angle you can see the way her belly swings from side to side, but at the sides, not beneath like house-cats. And her belly is clearly wider than her hip bones.
Oh, Pigpen. Sigh.
Catching her and the kittens is all going to come down to timing (and location), I'm afraid. I'll be in and out of town the rest of this month, until almost mid-January. Yes, someone will be caring for the ferals, but there's no way that any of them would be up for TNRing Pigpen or taking the kittens...
It's chilly out, for the AZ desert. Not a good time for a feral kitty to be having kittens. Poor Miss Pigpen.
Fingers crossed that everything works out as best as can...
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