Got a call tonight about a found cat in danger of freezing to death because no one wanted him in their home. The kind-hearted woman adopted a cat from me years ago and kept my card and she is the one who called me- so Off I went. Yes, I am a bit off but it dropped down to 12 degrees last nigh!
Barnabus is in our warming barn away from all the other cats and lost and found posters will be made up tomorrow. Someone loved him enough to neuter him- no ear clip or microchip. He is a bit grumpy but at least he is warm and cared for-
A cold night to be homeless. It was good that there was room at the inn.
What a great web site – How do I post a new comment. I live in a very rural area at 4,00 feet in the WNC Mtns I trapped a feral kitten 4 months ago – it has totally come around – very affectionate. I trapped a sibling a week ago – when it got into the teens – it’s still hiding out in my barn apt – keep in mind it’s now apx. 8 months old.
Do i give it more time or let back in the wild and make it a warm place and feed it. Recently I found out the 3rd kitten is alive – I’d like to see number 2 come around and trap number 3 – with the intent to have them spayed and neutered and keep all 3 as indoor cats – some potential predators around here. HELP and PEACE
Hi David,
Thank you for rescuing these unfortunate ones. My advice is to keep the kitten where it is safe. Putting it back into the wild, especially if not neutered, it becomes a target for predators, the elements and toms. Not to mention cat-haters and they are out there even in rural areas. Decrease your expectations of what you want this kitten to bring to you and let it learn in time that it can trust you.
My process with new arrivals (developed over many years) is to just let the kitten hide as long as it is eating, drinking and using the litterpans. I know some are fans of the “hands on approach” or caging the kitten. I only cage if they are ill and in need of meds. I set up a schedule and stick to it- food during the day at the same time(s) no deviation. Same with the litterpan clean-up. I go into the room during the day (not on the scheduled times) and I sit on the floor in my barefeet (we carry most of our scent glands in our feet) I read out loud to the kitten, pray, or just lie on the floor and work on an article. If the kitten comes out, I don’t look at it, touch it. I just ignore it and leave it alone. Often they walk all over my back, some even bite my head. But until they headbump me (in the cat world this means let’s be friends) I keep my hands off. If I happen to catch the kitten in a direct stare, I blink my eyes slowly and lower my head. I remove the threat- because if you ever watch two strays before a battle, the first thing they do is stare down each other. It is in the cat world, an invitation to war.
If you find you can’t keep this kitten any longer PLEASE at least get it neutered or spayed before releasing it back into the outdoors. But you have already shown (what others do not) that you CARE about these beings and I feel you will just keep your patience and work slowly with the kitten until that wonderful moment when the two of you begin to bond.
Sometimes, the kittens who arrive at our sanctuary come here in such bad condition that I wonder if they ever will trust a human again. It is rare to find one that won’t respond to a human who has no expectations in their heart other than trying to feed care and eventually bond with the unfortunate one who arrives believing most humans are untrustworthy based on whatever experience they were in before they were rescued.
You’ve found an excellent cat resource in this site, David. Always good advice. I follow Mary Ann’s rule about letting the cat set the pace of acquaintance and it’s never failed.
Thank you soo much I have faith number 2 -Marble – will come around. Sounds like I’ve been doing mostly the right things. Number 1 – Owly – totally black – just goes about her business like Marble’s not even here.
Should I wait to trap number 3 ? It’s going back into the low 20’s this week.
I saw the most incredible Great-horned owl the other day with at least a 4 foot wingspan – flew down about 10 feet over the road and up to a limb – the body stood about 2 feet tall I’d say. What an incredible site but not what a cat in the wild wants to see.
If I end up releasing number 2, which I doubt I will, I will definitely get it fixed.
Mary Ann I was thinking about what you said about the head bump. I grew up with cats but raising 3 boys we had big dogs. I don’t recall the head bump in the 60’s but I sure know what your saying now. Owly just in the past week has been doing that – now I know how important it is to reciprocate – little motor boat – I bet you know what I mean.
I went by a local humane place today and am working on getting all of them fixed even Bella – the little Mtn Feist I learned it’s better for her health to get fixed – curious do you agree ?
LOVE and PEACE
David