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.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
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...
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Oh my...
Wow, I really am fairly terrible at keeping this blog up to date. My sincere apologies! I would like to blame my camera or my internet connection or something, but honestly, it's just my fault.
So, where were we?
(You can click on the pictures to make them bigger.)
First, Ms Miley-Barnaby. She seems to be doing fine, but I have been remiss at talking with her primary caregiver and getting her to a vet to double check.
Second, Ms Hannah-Pigpen does look rather round... could there be kittens? I really hope not. But if there, I've spoken with DNL and if they're had on her porch (as per usual), she'll let me know and we'll use two traps (as per The Volunteer's recommendation) and put the kittens in one and trap mama that way. (Then I suppose the kitten hatchery might have to be open, but let's not think about that right now, shall we??)
Third, the mystery cat has shown up once more. I was only able to get these pictures of him/her (from my balcony, no less), so I feel a bit like I'm chasing a yeti or something. But I did have someone else around when I spotted him/her this time.
Fourth, Tig(g)er remains adorable. But it has gotten chilly here at night (although it's supposed to warm up in another day or so), so I put out a bed for him. (I'd put out shelters for all the cats if I could, but management would not be keen on this.) It's apparently a bit small for him, but he likes it anyway.
Fifth, since she's rarely seen and even more rarely photographed, here's a picture of Daphne:
And sixth, there are fifteen new pictures in the Project-Cat 2010 Flickr Set. (Scroll to the bottom).
So, where were we?
(You can click on the pictures to make them bigger.)
First, Ms Miley-Barnaby. She seems to be doing fine, but I have been remiss at talking with her primary caregiver and getting her to a vet to double check.
Second, Ms Hannah-Pigpen does look rather round... could there be kittens? I really hope not. But if there, I've spoken with DNL and if they're had on her porch (as per usual), she'll let me know and we'll use two traps (as per The Volunteer's recommendation) and put the kittens in one and trap mama that way. (Then I suppose the kitten hatchery might have to be open, but let's not think about that right now, shall we??)
Third, the mystery cat has shown up once more. I was only able to get these pictures of him/her (from my balcony, no less), so I feel a bit like I'm chasing a yeti or something. But I did have someone else around when I spotted him/her this time.
Fourth, Tig(g)er remains adorable. But it has gotten chilly here at night (although it's supposed to warm up in another day or so), so I put out a bed for him. (I'd put out shelters for all the cats if I could, but management would not be keen on this.) It's apparently a bit small for him, but he likes it anyway.
Fifth, since she's rarely seen and even more rarely photographed, here's a picture of Daphne:
And sixth, there are fifteen new pictures in the Project-Cat 2010 Flickr Set. (Scroll to the bottom).
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Not much new today-- oh crud, yes there is, holy carp.
I'm doing laundry-- why, you may wonder, is this relevant to a blog about feral cats? Well, for two reasons, actually. First, because today I am doing the laundry that comes about from taking care of feral cats (ie: the trap covers. And actually today, also, the last of the foster kitten towels, as I'd somehow missed a baggie's worth, ew.) And second because doing laundry (for me) means going up and down the stairs and past where the cats generally hang out.
Anyway, I do have a point. Today Tuxie came up to the feeding station for the first time (that I've noticed) since the trapping. He's gotten over it, it seems like. :) Tig(g)er continues to hang out by my door as well.
I'll be happier when their ears heal up-- I hate seeing the edges of their tipped ears, even though it was done for a good reason.
No new news of any kind on Miley. She's around, she's eating. I need to make an appointment for her, but I have to figure out how. I'll update more on her when I know more...
...
I paused in writing this entry because I had to go move the laundry around and I thought, gee, there might be more news after that. Sigh.
The good news-- I saw Walsingham and Miley (and Tuxie and Tig(g)er.) They all seem their usual selves. Walsingham is curled up in the sun, Miley in the shade, while Tig(g)er is currently sprawled across a step.
But THERE'S A NEW CAT. Sigh. He's big and all black-- he looks like an all black version of Tuxie, actually, with the medium/long hair and poofiness. He was standing in an awkward position over one of the tunnels-- he was so still as I approached him that for a moment I wondered if I were talking to a stuffed cat that someone had put there (although why ...?) But no, he was just being very still and managing to keep an eye on me, Tig(g)er and Tuxie all at once. I sat down nearby in the hope of ascertaining if he is feral or friendly, and he lay down on the tunnel top (while the other two cats were laying in the grass, noses pointed directly at Mr Newcomer.) But then a toddler (with a balloon) and his (I'm guessing) grandfather came trotting up (the toddler trotting, the grandfather just walking) and dashed after Tig(g)er (the grandfather explaining that they have a cat who looks just like him.) Anyway, the toddler got very close to the newcomer and said newcomer didn't flinch-- but as I turned to watch the toddler, the newcomer disappeared! Okay, so he didn't vanish ala Cheshire Cat-- he was sitting in the stairwell of the building across the way-- but it was pretty eerie nonetheless. Anyway, he didn't seem perturbed by people, so the jury is still out on whether this is a feral, a stray or a pet.
As you can imagine, I'm hoping it's an already speutered pet! But no collar. Sigh.
I still have to get my laundry in another 40 minutes so you never know, there might be another update. (And I did get a picture of the newcomer on my phone.)
Anyway, I do have a point. Today Tuxie came up to the feeding station for the first time (that I've noticed) since the trapping. He's gotten over it, it seems like. :) Tig(g)er continues to hang out by my door as well.
I'll be happier when their ears heal up-- I hate seeing the edges of their tipped ears, even though it was done for a good reason.
No new news of any kind on Miley. She's around, she's eating. I need to make an appointment for her, but I have to figure out how. I'll update more on her when I know more...
...
I paused in writing this entry because I had to go move the laundry around and I thought, gee, there might be more news after that. Sigh.
The good news-- I saw Walsingham and Miley (and Tuxie and Tig(g)er.) They all seem their usual selves. Walsingham is curled up in the sun, Miley in the shade, while Tig(g)er is currently sprawled across a step.
 |
| WHO IS THIS? WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?! |
But THERE'S A NEW CAT. Sigh. He's big and all black-- he looks like an all black version of Tuxie, actually, with the medium/long hair and poofiness. He was standing in an awkward position over one of the tunnels-- he was so still as I approached him that for a moment I wondered if I were talking to a stuffed cat that someone had put there (although why ...?) But no, he was just being very still and managing to keep an eye on me, Tig(g)er and Tuxie all at once. I sat down nearby in the hope of ascertaining if he is feral or friendly, and he lay down on the tunnel top (while the other two cats were laying in the grass, noses pointed directly at Mr Newcomer.) But then a toddler (with a balloon) and his (I'm guessing) grandfather came trotting up (the toddler trotting, the grandfather just walking) and dashed after Tig(g)er (the grandfather explaining that they have a cat who looks just like him.) Anyway, the toddler got very close to the newcomer and said newcomer didn't flinch-- but as I turned to watch the toddler, the newcomer disappeared! Okay, so he didn't vanish ala Cheshire Cat-- he was sitting in the stairwell of the building across the way-- but it was pretty eerie nonetheless. Anyway, he didn't seem perturbed by people, so the jury is still out on whether this is a feral, a stray or a pet.
As you can imagine, I'm hoping it's an already speutered pet! But no collar. Sigh.
I still have to get my laundry in another 40 minutes so you never know, there might be another update. (And I did get a picture of the newcomer on my phone.)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Tuesday Cats
When I left this morning to go to a meeting, Tig(g)er was curled up across from my door. He has, evidently, forgiven me for his sojourn in a trap. Upon my return and leaving again he was hanging around my door still. (There's food and water available, no worries.) So that was nice. But of course I was worried about Miley.
Upon returning home for the first time today, I spent some time just standing in the courtyard hoping to spy cats in general and Miley in particular. (I only saw Bessie, and didn't not have my camera then.) But I ran into Neighbor J. (and her little dog Scrappy) and she said that she'd seen a cat matching my description of Miley this morning, sunning herself a bit. Well, that was good news, but an unconfirmed sighting wasn't enough to totally ease my mind of course. (She and I also talked a bit about Pigpen and how next time we'll catch her when she has kittens-- not ideal, but better than not catching her.)
Upon returning home for the second time today, I was DELIGHTED to see Miley hanging out in the stairwell!! I still didn't have my camera with me, and tried to take pictures with my phone, but they weren't any good-- it could have been Miely or an alien for all you knew. So I ran up the steps and nearly tripped over Tig(g)er, sprawled out and looking good.
So of course I gave him a scritch, then stepped over him in my haste to get to my flat and get my camera. I needed photos of Miley, darn it!
And succeeded! She'd only gone as far as the edge of my building at this point, but she's always been nervous around me, and more so now, so my movement sent her off into the grass:
And then she settled in to hang out amongst the rocks at the edge of the next building. If you didn't know she was there (and have a semi-decent zoom on your camera), you'd think she was one of the rocks. Excellent camouflage for the kitties.
It's a nice day out, so I sat down on the pavement to see if I couldn't get some better shots. At this point I called Neighbor E. to let her know that Miley was around, but alas, E. did not answer. Then the UPS guy came to a door and scared Cyrano towards me! Run, Cyrano, run! I was glad to get a picture of him-- it's been a while!
Then Mr. Tig(g)er sauntered over as if to say, "I'm right here. Why are you not fawning over me?!" So I took a picture.
And then he hammed it up.
The sprinklers came on then, chasing me back from the grass, and the same for Miley. So I circled around the buildings and got this picture of her in a stairwell:
And another, getting just a bit closer-- she's ready to run from me now, though.
And then I headed home, but snapped one more picture of her, as she'd moved again:
So hopefully she went to Neighbor E.'s house to eat some gooshy food tonight, and she continues to feel better.
Upon returning home for the first time today, I spent some time just standing in the courtyard hoping to spy cats in general and Miley in particular. (I only saw Bessie, and didn't not have my camera then.) But I ran into Neighbor J. (and her little dog Scrappy) and she said that she'd seen a cat matching my description of Miley this morning, sunning herself a bit. Well, that was good news, but an unconfirmed sighting wasn't enough to totally ease my mind of course. (She and I also talked a bit about Pigpen and how next time we'll catch her when she has kittens-- not ideal, but better than not catching her.)
Upon returning home for the second time today, I was DELIGHTED to see Miley hanging out in the stairwell!! I still didn't have my camera with me, and tried to take pictures with my phone, but they weren't any good-- it could have been Miely or an alien for all you knew. So I ran up the steps and nearly tripped over Tig(g)er, sprawled out and looking good.
So of course I gave him a scritch, then stepped over him in my haste to get to my flat and get my camera. I needed photos of Miley, darn it!
And succeeded! She'd only gone as far as the edge of my building at this point, but she's always been nervous around me, and more so now, so my movement sent her off into the grass:
And then she settled in to hang out amongst the rocks at the edge of the next building. If you didn't know she was there (and have a semi-decent zoom on your camera), you'd think she was one of the rocks. Excellent camouflage for the kitties.
It's a nice day out, so I sat down on the pavement to see if I couldn't get some better shots. At this point I called Neighbor E. to let her know that Miley was around, but alas, E. did not answer. Then the UPS guy came to a door and scared Cyrano towards me! Run, Cyrano, run! I was glad to get a picture of him-- it's been a while!
Then Mr. Tig(g)er sauntered over as if to say, "I'm right here. Why are you not fawning over me?!" So I took a picture.
And then he hammed it up.
The sprinklers came on then, chasing me back from the grass, and the same for Miley. So I circled around the buildings and got this picture of her in a stairwell:
And another, getting just a bit closer-- she's ready to run from me now, though.
And then I headed home, but snapped one more picture of her, as she'd moved again:
So hopefully she went to Neighbor E.'s house to eat some gooshy food tonight, and she continues to feel better.
Monday Pictures
To the left, Mistoffolees. A picture taken on Saturday, actually. It's completely unrelated, since he wasn't trapped this time, but he's cute, so I felt like sharing it. :) No, I don't know what those weird patches on his back/rump are-- they've been there for months. He acts normal, though, so that's all right then.
I already wrote about Moday's release of the feral-five here, but I've got some pictures of the release for you now: You can click on each to see it bigger.
The Beast, pictured below, is the kind of cat that all those TNR safety warnings are about. He was angry the whole time. Alert after anesthesia sooper quick. After I released him, he ran straight into one of the tunnels.
In the trap, Paint, below, was much calmer. He even let F (Bea's Mom) pet him a little (not recommended). When I released him, he ran for the other side of the apartment complex.
Honestly, I had expected Tuxie to be a good little (big) patient. Not so much, though. Upon capture he yowled and yowled piteously. He was quiet most of Sunday, coming out of anesthesia, but back to hissing and howling on Monday. His release, necessitating a trip down the stairs accompanied by his caterwauling, attracted us an audience of nosy neighbors in pajamas. Thanks, Tux.
He ran straight from his trap to a tunnel-- where he had to stop short because The Beast already occupied that tunnel. (Yeah, it's a lousy picture with laser-eyed kitties, but it's amusing.) He seemed completely at a loss as to what to do, despite the existence of another tunnel directly beside the first, and two more just a few feet away.
Sorry for another lousy quality shot, but proof that after a few minutes in the clearly lesser tunnel (he finally went into the one beside The Beast), Tuxie came back out and started surveying the area as king again.
Tig(g)er dealt with captivity better than anyone else. Upon original capture he did freak out a bit (he has a small cut on his nose from banging his head into the trap before I could get the sheet on it) but after that he was fine. He meowed a little, wanting attention, arched his back into the crate for pets, and generally wanted love and food.
Consequently, upon being left out of his trap, he was calm and investigated the situation.
He sort of gave off an air of, "What now? What to do? What to do?"
As you know, Miley had me and The Volunteer and even the vets nervous. She took a long while to fully wake up from the anesthesia. The vets gave her a shot of penicillin (because she looked like she needed it...) I was so happy that she ate in the trap, though-- great to get some calories into her, lots of canned kitten food.
You can't tell from this picture, but she's actually mid-hiss here. I got a pretty good look at her teeth while she was snapping at me Monday morning-- gots pretty many of them, it seems. :) As I said before, I chose to take her orneriness as a good sign, a sign of energy.
She was the last one I let out and she went for the tunnels across from where The Beast had gone. I had to go to work then, and did not see Miley all day, nor in the evening. As I mentioned in the last post, Neighbor E. came over to ask if I still had her since she had not shown up for supper. And we both were worried. Read the next post for more on Miss Miley.
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Day After
This morning I discovered that all five cats-in-traps (the groggy moggies, if you will, which is so going to be my band's name, if I ever have a band) had eaten overnight, at least a little. (A lot in some cases. Miley had had tons of wet food [relatively speaking] although no dry food, so I wonder if there's something wrong with her teeth/mouth). So that was a good sign. Also, all the cats were more than ready to be let go. Miley was even up and hissing at me. (Hey, The Volunteer-- her teeth look pretty good on a quick inspection... heh.)
So, I carted each cat down to the grass, one at a time, and left them out (one at a time), starting with The Beast. I garnered an audience for a while, some nosy-people in nightgowns. I think they were probably alerted to the action by Tuxie's incessant meowling which started as soon as I picked up his trap. I was smart this time (unlike in 2008) and wrapped cloth around the handles of the traps I carted them up and down, and so didn't hurt my hands nearly as much as before.
We grow our feral cats big in my apartment complex-- at least the males. The Volunteer joked that even though he only took 5 of my cats to the clinic, in poundage he'd brought the most! :)
The Beast immediately ran into a tunnel upon release. Tuxie ran for the same tunnel, but then saw The Beast and decided maybe he wouldn't hang out in there. A few minutes later he was sauntering around the courtyard as though nothing had ever happened-- no, he wasn't trapped, or neutered or anything... Paint rain towards the center of the complex, so I'm not sure where he ended up. Tig(g)er sauntered out of his trap, paused to let me pet him-- then went back up the stairs I'd just carried him down so as to ask for foods. I let Miss Barnaby-Miley out last and she went into a tunnel (a different one than The Beast.)
I was gone most of today, so I haven't seen any of the cats, except Tig(g)er who was waiting by my door upon my return home. This was somewhat surprising. He let me pet him, and then wandered exactly two feet away and flopped down again. He seems to have forgiven me rather easily.
This afternoon I spoke with The Volunteer to hear about my options as far as Miley and further testing/lab work/vet care is concerned. Monetarily, it can be done (at least as far as finding out what's wrong via blood test, etc.) but it depends on a few things like, can we catch her again? and what happens if we find out some particularly bad news? or even mediocre news in a tame cat, but bad in that she's feral and how do you treat something ongoing in a feral? So I'm not looking forward to any of that... I'll worry about it a bit later. Neighbor E. agrees that Miley doesn't look well, and is all for my taking her to the vet, etc. It even turns out that she's been feeding Miley kitten food (different than the other cats), which is good, since it's high calorie.
Frankly, there's a more pressing worry. Neighbor E. came over this evening to ask if I still had Miley (no), and if I'd fed her (not since this morning), or if I'd seen her (ditto.) Apparently Tuxie, Pigpen(Hannah, the Arch-Nemesis), Tig(g)er and even Whiskey (!! Hey, silly cat, you have a home!) all showed up right on time for dinner tonight, but not Miley. As if knowing something was up, Pigpen(Hannah) even let E. pet her (!!) and walked along with E. as she walked around calling for Miley. But no Miley tonight.
Obviously we're both worried, and this is hitting E. very hard. We sat and talked for a while, and we're hoping she's just lying low tonight, huddled in a cozy tunnel, sleeping and healing. If she's not out and about tomorrow, though, I'm going to be really worried and it'll be time to start searching the spots I know of, and looking for spots I don't know of...
Fingers crossed.
Oh, and Neighbor E. is concerned that Pigpen/Hannah might be pregnant. It's certainly possible... And while equally certainly don't need more kittens, it would, if we find the kittens, mean we could probably catch Pigpen and put an end to this pregnancy/kitten madness.
Anyway, more updates as they come. Also, I took some pictures today of the cats more alert and awake in their traps, and I'll post those later, too.
So, I carted each cat down to the grass, one at a time, and left them out (one at a time), starting with The Beast. I garnered an audience for a while, some nosy-people in nightgowns. I think they were probably alerted to the action by Tuxie's incessant meowling which started as soon as I picked up his trap. I was smart this time (unlike in 2008) and wrapped cloth around the handles of the traps I carted them up and down, and so didn't hurt my hands nearly as much as before.
We grow our feral cats big in my apartment complex-- at least the males. The Volunteer joked that even though he only took 5 of my cats to the clinic, in poundage he'd brought the most! :)
The Beast immediately ran into a tunnel upon release. Tuxie ran for the same tunnel, but then saw The Beast and decided maybe he wouldn't hang out in there. A few minutes later he was sauntering around the courtyard as though nothing had ever happened-- no, he wasn't trapped, or neutered or anything... Paint rain towards the center of the complex, so I'm not sure where he ended up. Tig(g)er sauntered out of his trap, paused to let me pet him-- then went back up the stairs I'd just carried him down so as to ask for foods. I let Miss Barnaby-Miley out last and she went into a tunnel (a different one than The Beast.)
I was gone most of today, so I haven't seen any of the cats, except Tig(g)er who was waiting by my door upon my return home. This was somewhat surprising. He let me pet him, and then wandered exactly two feet away and flopped down again. He seems to have forgiven me rather easily.
This afternoon I spoke with The Volunteer to hear about my options as far as Miley and further testing/lab work/vet care is concerned. Monetarily, it can be done (at least as far as finding out what's wrong via blood test, etc.) but it depends on a few things like, can we catch her again? and what happens if we find out some particularly bad news? or even mediocre news in a tame cat, but bad in that she's feral and how do you treat something ongoing in a feral? So I'm not looking forward to any of that... I'll worry about it a bit later. Neighbor E. agrees that Miley doesn't look well, and is all for my taking her to the vet, etc. It even turns out that she's been feeding Miley kitten food (different than the other cats), which is good, since it's high calorie.
Frankly, there's a more pressing worry. Neighbor E. came over this evening to ask if I still had Miley (no), and if I'd fed her (not since this morning), or if I'd seen her (ditto.) Apparently Tuxie, Pigpen(Hannah, the Arch-Nemesis), Tig(g)er and even Whiskey (!! Hey, silly cat, you have a home!) all showed up right on time for dinner tonight, but not Miley. As if knowing something was up, Pigpen(Hannah) even let E. pet her (!!) and walked along with E. as she walked around calling for Miley. But no Miley tonight.
Obviously we're both worried, and this is hitting E. very hard. We sat and talked for a while, and we're hoping she's just lying low tonight, huddled in a cozy tunnel, sleeping and healing. If she's not out and about tomorrow, though, I'm going to be really worried and it'll be time to start searching the spots I know of, and looking for spots I don't know of...
Fingers crossed.
Oh, and Neighbor E. is concerned that Pigpen/Hannah might be pregnant. It's certainly possible... And while equally certainly don't need more kittens, it would, if we find the kittens, mean we could probably catch Pigpen and put an end to this pregnancy/kitten madness.
Anyway, more updates as they come. Also, I took some pictures today of the cats more alert and awake in their traps, and I'll post those later, too.
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