Recently, both neighbors on each side of me have lost their spouses to death. One home has recently sold and today I was told by the previous owner that the new owner is a cat-hater. He has told her (and yes I know this is heresay- but he has told her that if he sees any cat in his yard, he will shoot it!) I have five cats who roam our acres, hunt mice in the barn and they can come inside, but they don’t get along with the others. I can’t confine them to the house if I do, they spray but if they can go outside, they won’t spray.
I have called the sheriffs department and i have been informed that shooting or harming animals is illegal in this county but I would need to prove that this man had done so.
My hope is the guy is just a blowhard and he talks tough. Hopefully, once he moves in, I will be able to go over and talk to him nicely to see what I can do to rectify the situation, but he used to be a former neighbor and I had a run-in with him on the treatment of his horses (that I disagreed with) so I don’t know-
All of a sudden, I just find myself wishing we could move and find a private place away from all other people.
On the kitty front- the three cats who were upstairs are now in my husband’s shop and they appear to be a lot happier out there. No one has stepped up to adopt Calico and I don’t suspect they will until after the holiday is over. The two kittens; Clara and Amelia are doing better since being pulled out of the burn pile and they are eating and playing like normal 4 week old kittens- although they are still so painfully thin.
Jedi’s biopsy results are in and the lumps were not cancerous (thank you God) and she is has healed and is with the others as well. We are thinking of keeping her because she is so special.
It is oppressively hot here- as it over most of the country and we are just parked under the fans trying to stay cool.
That pretty much catches up the kitty news around here. Roscoe goes in to be neutered in mid-July and then he is off to his new home-
Why do people have to be so mean? I inherited a colony, there were 10 cats there, with your encouragement, I started to bring them in. I started with the youngest 4, 3 were adopted. Next I brought the next 4 siblings. All were feral, they are still a bit skittish with company and don’t like to be held, but they have integrated into the household. That left the 2 females, the original mom and one from her first litter. I have been able to feed and shelter them there for almost 2 years. Now the neighbor on the other side wants them gone. I tried to talk with her, she would not budge, would not even listen. She was rude, just plain rude. I am building an enclosure for the girls, I hate to keep them confined, but it is close enough that they would try to go back, and she would hurt them. My heart breaks for my girls, I hope they will adjust, the enclosure is large, but I am just so stressed over this. She said they taunt her and she is afraid they are going to attack her new puppy.
I suspect a lot of the people who say they ‘hate cats’ are actually afraid of cats. I knew a couple guys who were that way, at least until they got to know my kitties. Doesn’t really help much, but might make him a little easier to deal with, maybe.
Beyond that, if you can afford a cat proof fence or a camera or two on his side, that might slow him up a little.
Glad the kittens are all doing well.
Purrrrring for Calico. We thought she was going to live with your Mom in her new place. Problems? Or we just misinterpret something?
Mother has decided she doesn’t really want to take care of her. I think it is because she will remind her of Dad. I know that when I am with her- I am in tears most of the time, because she was his cat and that is where my memories of him lie-with the cats in his life. Mother doesn’t really like cats- it was Dad who carried such a fierce love for them all his life
Many times I see people around me and think how much more I prefer my cats. They have better manners and better taste most of the time.
Marian in Houston
I know how you feel about wishing to move. Hopefully, your new neighbour will be more reasonable these days, though that’s probably a long shot.
I just found out a neighbor on the next street has been trapping feral cats and taking them to animal shelters. >:( Well I was wondering where some of my colony has gone. I’m still angry and heartbroken but it’s not her fault. Just wish she knew to leave the tipped ear cats alone.. She was horrified to know that I was taking care of them and that she sent them to their death. She’ll now leave them alone. Just glad I took in my favorites. I really hate people sometimes. Hoping that your neighbor grows a heart. If not use some funds for a camera (or a fake one!) and let him know he’s on candid camera!!
There’s just something not right about people who dislike cats which such intensity. I hate spiders but I don’t step on every spider I see in the house. I might freak out a bit, but I take them and put them outside carefully. I just think cat-haters are wired wrong and the cats turn out to suffer for that in the long-run.
Oh Roseann, I’m so sorry. She probably thought she was doing the right thing. Lots of folks just don’t know that shelters are kill zones for ferals. They still think county shelters are safe havens for animals. 70% kill rate here in Central CA. sigh.
Re: Haters. Now, it does seem like everyone has given themselves permission to act their worst. They speak crudely, act cruelly and have no charity toward others. I try hard to keep myself from being sucked into their world by having hope & TNR’g regularly!
I think a catproof fence if one exists that would keep your outdoor kitties on your property, sounds good. I’d be glad to donate to a fundraiser for such a project. You have enough on your plate without worrying about a neighbor harming any of the kitties you care for and about.
ps have you thought about a monthly sponsorship program to help with costs for your shelter?
Pat- you are talking thousands of dollars to fence off our property- way to much for a fund raiser unless I would for example raffle off a brand new harley or something! I can’t just fence off a small part of it because of how it is laid out- but if I ever hit the lottery that is the first thing I would do- fence this property in cat-proof style!
Today, they scattered my Dad’s ashes at sea under the Golden Gate Bridge. He would have loved that- being a former Navy man-
I will check into what I was thinking of, to see if it’s appropriate for your situation (non-profit, shelter)..it’s called kickstart. I don’t think you need a Harley to raffle 🙂
Just let me check on the perhaps possibility.
As odd as it may sound, that sounds beautiful – to have scattered his ashes there (my dad was a navy guy too…).
Hugs.
Well Kickstarter is only for funding creative projects, couldn’t see where a non-profit shelter could use it.
I did find a site that is for non-profits, but I realize you have so much on your plate, and this would take quite some work to set up etc.
Just know that if/when you have fundraisers, my business would be glad to make a donation of goods (or gift certificate) to raffle off.
Thanks Pat- I do appreciate you checking especially considering I now have 13 kittens to spay/neuter! 🙂 I can’t do raffles, they are illegal without a special license to run them. I have about a dozen wonderful brand new cat books I would like to sell- but strangely, when I take them to adoption days or kitten functions, no one even glances at them! They were all donated by the authors and some are signed. I guess everyone is on Kindle these days- but not me. Nothing more comforting than the weight of a good book in my lap and a kitty purring alongside.
What I would like to ask you is if you know anyone who would make a good owner for Calico? She has to be an only kitty- she barely tolerates the other cats and rushes them aggressively. She would be so good with an elderly man or woman who just wants a lap cat as she loves people. Dogs and cats- not on her list- but people she loves. I would bring her to their door on your say-so-
I am sorry, I wish I knew of someone, but I do not. She sounds like she’d be wonderful “love” therapy for someone who needs it 🙂