just a cat

Thanks Tim, I don't get down that way very much anymore.

So to update, we had a couple camera sightings with the kitten and a possible mom on Wed.  Then a fox in the front yard one night, followed by radio silence. Concerning.

hobiercr said:

In reply to preach :

You will be amazed! So glad he is feeling better. Give that boy some love when you get home.

He's my boy. Insta purr when I picked him up. Doing incredibly well!

I thought Sam was just messin' with me, but the googles say he's right, today is indeed National Black Cat Day..

Fluffy has become a favorite among the ferals. He always comes right out to see me when I'm in the area. He stays out of reach, but doesn't run away.

Goostav comes by a couple times a week. Yesterday while he was focused on cracked corn, little Nike started stalking him. A stealthy creep a few steps at a time. The minute he stood and turned she changed her mind ran the other way.

When I die, I want to come back as a house cat

Meanwhile my two adopted ferals, Miso and Scout own the house and the dogs.

It appears to be picture time.  Here's my 18 year old cat Lucy on what has become her favorite blanket.  

It was our first night of the season with freezing temperatures and we have had flooding rain.  I don't know if this year's kittens have good cold weather shelter. I put out two insulated boxes as temporary shelter.

This one came with a holiday ham and has a sweatshirt-rag for comfort. This morning I could see that it has obviously been used. I didn't shine a light in to see if it's occupied.

Two adult cats that used to always run away before I could get a good look at them are letting me get closer now, so they are named.

Here's James, a male with similar color to Molly:

Here's Boots, named by my granddaughter on Sunday.

I attempted trapping this morning. No luck. A change of wind and weather had them all more wary.

Thomas supervised the trap, but didn't tell anyone the secret.

Fluffy watched from his nesting place above the spring.

I'll try again tomorrow, hoping for Nike or Boots.

Our oldest cat has been having some issues this year.  Probably not the beginning of the end yet, but definitely the end of the beginning.

She's 17, approximately.  We got her about 13 years ago after she spent 2 years in the shelter - she had been returned at least once, and I think twice.  They said with her history that we could bring her back, but she has never been a problem for us at all.  She took some time to warm up to us, but since then she's been the most companionable cat we've ever owned.

This year she really started losing a lot of weight.  In her prime she was around 10 pounds; as she aged she dropped to more like 7 or 8 pounds, but this year she dipped to 6 and then to just under 5 pounds.  We got her on an appetite stimulant that seems to be helping - she's back up to the low 6s now.

She has some kind of recurring mild upper respiratory issue no one has ever really been able to diagnose.  A month or two ago she got very lethargic and sequestered herself away.  The vet gave her a shot of time-release antibiotics that perked her up again, but a couple weeks ago it seemed to move into her lungs.  Radiology showed a pretty serious case of pneumonia, so they gave us a ton of antibiotics, both pills and liquids.

She's extremely difficult to medicate.  That first night we really thought we were going to lose her - trying to dose anything orally really put her in respiratory distress, and she's a fighter.  She's gradually responding to the antibiotics, but at her followup visit they gave us a transdermal steroid, because her breathing is still fairly labored.  I'm hoping for the best.

I trapped Nike this morning.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day. All of the local vets are out of the office today. Wish I had checked earlier.

I drove around and made calls for about an hour. I could have had her boarded or kept her in a dog crate in the garage until Monday, but decided that it was best to just let her go. If I catch her again, it will probably have to be the drop trap.

In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :

Love her coat. 

Front is pushing through and the colony is seeking communal warmth......this is not all of them  

12 cats at breakfast this morning. It's still funny to me that I can walk out and not see any, then a moment later have a dozen. Eleven of the twelve were familiar,  but there was one that I had never seen before; strong black stipes on gray. I got a cellphone pic this evening in the dim light to add it to the census. I'll name it if it sticks around.

Tom is fully healed now and looking good. Nike had no ill effects from the trap and release and today approached me closer than before she was trapped. Fluffy is starting to show from the East side of the pond rather than his den over the spring.

While everyone was eating...

a long haired barbarian with a beard and curly mustache arrived from the north.

Thomas quietly Ford Econoboxed him back up the path he arrived from, then stood watch.

Blacktail had been absent at feeding times for about a month.  She's coming back now, keeping a good distance from me. I think she has kittens in a den above where I saw her this morning.

Goostav in the center of this picture below the footbridge has family over for Thanksgiving:

In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :

We have a kitty named Jiggawatt that looks alot like your Boots!

Sent to me by a friend on FB:

Poem from a Feral Cat.

I may never be a lap cat,

or one who comes when called.

I may resist the hand that tries to touch

and some may think I’m flawed.

I may prefer my freedom

to your warm and cozy house

I may reject a bowl of finest foods

for the chance to catch a mouse.

But the box you put out for me,

Feels safe and warm and dry.

And I raise my eyes to thank you

when I see you walking by.

I eat the food you give me

I listen to your voice

I may never be a lap cat

but thank you for offering me the choice.

One day I’ll see the winter,

one day I’ll feel the rain,

I may grow old not knowing

there is freedom from this pain

I know you’ve tried to help me

and although my days will end

I may never be a lap cat

but I know you are my friend.

-Author Unknown

In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :

That is awesome!
Gotta read back a few pages to catch up, but glad I caught that poem, before I do. 

This morning I trapped Ranger. Still not sure if 'he' is male or female.

It's going to be cold and rainy today, so planning for pick up and release tomorrow morning when I get home from night shift.

Ranger is a female, now spayed, vaccinated, and treated for parasites. I released her at the morning feeding after picking her up from the Vet. Her buddy James came over and checked her out in the carrier just before release.

I've noticed Nike and Fluffy coming from the east side of the pond regularly now. My neighbors over there lost both their elderly dog and cat this year and had started putting out food for East-Side and Sylvester ii. Now more of the cats have found the bowl on their porch and are getting comfortable there.

That's James, Boots, and Nike. Almost looks like they have a home. Can't have feral cats inside my fenced yard because of my dogs.

Maybe this belongs to in the confessions thread, but it looks like we're up to 5 cats now between the house and the barn/clinic.

We're now feeding a black and white stray tom and a small yellow tabby of indeterminate sex at the house.  

The tom is friendly enough to pick up, so he's probably got some time coming up in my wife's surgery.  The yellow cat is much more shy, and a bit challenging to get food to past the black and white.

Today my feeding time was off the normal schedule. Sometimes I'll have ten at the bowls at once. This morning while I was there, only Thomas, Fluffy and Nike showed up.

This evening none of the cats came to eat while I was out. I was early and they were busy doing cat things.

Sylvester i:

Molly:

The kids; Fluffy, Nike, Paulie: