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  #31  
Old September 13th, 2006, 07:31 AM
Sariss Sariss is offline
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Livetrap!
We did this two summers ago. There was a female cat that gave kittens in our neighbors woodpile. We managed to catch two of the kittens (about 8 weeks old) by hand. We caught the rest, along with mommy, with a livetrap we borrowed from Animal Control. The whole thing took about three days.
The kittens were adopted out, and momma was spayed and let go again.
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  #32  
Old September 13th, 2006, 07:47 AM
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Thank's once again,for a great morning-read,better than the Star's comics
IMO,the most skittish of the 3 kittens,is probably a female,but that's only from my own experience,not science..
If your SIL has female cats,she'll more than likely notice the 2 little thingys left after neutering,on my tabbie Rocky,they look like 2 little black buttons
I think your SIL should try a little boy,I don't think gender really matters when mixing cats,as long as they are fixed,but that's also only my opinion.
I have a little Calico-cat coming to my house every morning(not stray,I know where she lives)I have to shooo her away,since she's driving my 3 males batty.
Yesterday morning I tried to get close to her,she growled and was getting ready to bite me,so I pulled away,she is definetly not feral,but was in defense mode right away...a wee little thing,maybe 7-9 lbs compared to my 17lb boys,but certainly spirited
Keep up the good work!!
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  #33  
Old September 13th, 2006, 07:49 AM
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Sariss,the OP already has the kittens in an enclosed area,so they are safe already,but thank's for the advice
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  #34  
Old September 13th, 2006, 07:52 AM
Sariss Sariss is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chico2
Sariss,the OP already has the kittens in an enclosed area,so they are safe already,but thank's for the advice

Haha, Okay! Sorry, I'm not really awake. Just thought I'd share my story.
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  #35  
Old September 13th, 2006, 08:04 AM
Luv5cats Luv5cats is offline
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help is on the way

You should get trapping cages. They work great except for the accidental capture of other animals like skunks. That shwat happened to me!! But anyway, you put food in these traps and as they go in they will close after they are in...Trust me I had up to 45 strays in my yard at one time and this worked... I figured I would just feed the ten that I had out there but before I knew it there were about thirty or so kittens out there! It was a zoo..no I have some inside and some are waiting on adoption! Good luck and get some traps!! Find them a nice warm loving home!!
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  #36  
Old September 13th, 2006, 10:13 AM
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cpietra: Can't be a soap opera yet. No one has died, no one is a murderer and no one's had someone else's baby who's been switched at birth....yet. lol

I love reading the updates and I look forward to them every day! I'm glad they're doing well.

Little puma's huh? That's cute Sounds like my boys...on a good day! lol

I hope everything continues to go well with them.

Keep updating!

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  #37  
Old September 13th, 2006, 05:49 PM
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Yay, another update and glad to hear Pepper and Cash are starting to come around.


Quote:
Originally Posted by chico2
I think your SIL should try a little boy,I don't think gender really matters when mixing cats,as long as they are fixed,but that's also only my opinion.
I agree. I have a 4yr old spayed female and a 3 yr old neutered male and have had both since they were babies. They get along great and have never had any problems.
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  #38  
Old September 14th, 2006, 12:30 AM
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kashtin's kin kashtin's kin is offline
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Smile Feralarama Report

Thanks, everyone, for the most recent feedback; if The [Almost] Daily Feral Show Report is a sorta 'soap opera/comics' combo, then the encouragement etc. I get here is invaluable therapy ...so hopefully a good trade!! (Re: soap opera-if a s. opera is defined to some extent by it's murder/death/switched baby content, then count me out!! On the other hand, if it involves HUGE vet bills i.e.we just forward our paycheques to the clinic!/critter juggling-not literally!/days full of jogging from one litter box to the next etc. then I'm yer gal!!!!)

Speaking of litter boxes, besides the 2 for our 3 longtime cats and 1 each for the Puma Pair and Mr. Sparklet, there are the 2 dogs to pick up after outside, and those cuddly 1/2 ton pets-les horses. I had had horses for many years before I read somewhere that the average horse produces app. 50 lbs. of manure a day ; if I'd known that, I might have had second thoughts. No wonder my life seems to be a constant rerun of "I Dream of Feces"...bad joke perhaps, but sadly true!

I'm thinking of applying for a job at some fancy? sort of restaurant where the wait staff prance around with huge trays, or balance 5 big plates on one hand, what with the practice I've had lately with the cats; on more than one occasion I really have dragged out my one lousy tray to facilitate carting multiple bowls around. At least I would get some tips (unless I turned out to be as untalented as my mother, who lost her first summer job on her first day of waitressing when she dropped a huge tray onto another waitress as she lurched through the swinging kitchen door ...in her defense, she was a very tiny person!); these felines are real cheapskates.

Ooooh, chico2, I hope you're right about the 'skittish female' theory re: Cash. And I'm glad to hear others say that they have no problems with a m/f blend of cats (until last year when our 4 very senior cats died in a sad 6 mo. span, we had 2 males and 5 females coexisting just fine). If Cash turns out to be another macho dude, I should wallpaper SIL's house with pro-m/f mix comments from here!!

Thanks to the folks who related their live trap experiences; even though the kittens are all inside, it's not like there won't be more wild-ish strays:sad: . I'm hoping we get a break for a while now; in the first 8 years we lived out here we had only one [friendly!!] stray appear, that we adopted, and one or 2 very self-reliant cats who just passed through... I had wondered how live trapping worked with multiple cats, but it sounds like it's doable.

On the subject of live trapping-sort of-I haven't seen the kitten's mom for a few days now:sad: . For so long I was just trying to keep the whole family fed, and on the way to 'human friendly'...THEN came the past couple of weeks of sudden kitten-catching; I had just caught my breath and was going to focus on mom, and now she doesn't seem to be around. I'll certainly keep an eye out, especially when I'm doing my horse chores after dark; I wear a headlamp as our place is not well-lit, and it's great for catching critter eyes out there (I almost miss The Three Kittens following me around from a distance, but it's not as if they ever lifted a paw to help out anyway).

Time for some kitty cuddling...keep well, all you good critter people .
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Last edited by kashtin's kin; September 14th, 2006 at 12:33 AM.
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  #39  
Old September 14th, 2006, 07:56 AM
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I envy you living on the countryside having horses etc...I am sure you also see some wild critters.
As for poop,I would think almost everyone here have become poop-experts,a subject discussed on many occasions,although 50lbs of horse-manure is not part of my daily chores,I would not mind as I am sure you don't,they too have to poop
Between my 3 cats and walking Bailey(my neighbors Cocker)there is plenty of poop.
When I walk Bailey,I've learned to bring FOUR poop-bagsdid not know such a small dog could poop sooo much!
I am hoping your mamacat is not off somewhere having more kittens or your porch could become a very busy place!
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  #40  
Old September 18th, 2006, 01:05 AM
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Smile Feralmania, Chapter ??

Soooo, a fairly uneventful few days avec les furals. Pepper and Cash remain in the back porch playing up a storm...although they were a tad quiet for an unusual length of time Sunday afternoon, and when I went in to check on them Pepper didn't come to greet me (for the first time since deciding I am not in fact a dastardly alien). I couldn't see either of the little fursters, so peeked under the freezer, a favourite snooze spot. They were both there, but seemed awfully sedate; I [quietly] panicked, and carefully moved the freezer (I'm not SuperVoman, it's just a very small freezer ) so that I could get a better look. Bottom line: they were just fine, and somewhat perturbed by my disruptive concern! Yes, I know cats nap a lot, but their unprecedented 'scarceness' kickedstarted ye olde adrenaline..."I'm not nervous-just incredibly alert!!"

Upstairs in Club Quadruped, Sparky was also a bit more subdued today; perhaps it was the warmer weather?? Sparkadelic has lots of toys and human visits with which to keep himself amused, but he is definitely expressing more interest in the World Beyond the Door. As I assured him today, only 3 more days of quarantine until he can begin the integration process. It's always interesting to see how that goes; 2 of our cats took at least a month to fully emerge from protective custody, while one notable-Goose the Unflappable-demanded to come out in just 2 days (she'd already had all her shots etc.).

I feel a bit like an air traffic controller, with planes stacked up waiting for touchdown i.e. Sparky from the quarantine room to the household, the Two Pumas from the back porch to the q. room. I never realized how handy the back porch and door were until they were closed to in/out traffic. All kinds of clutter has now built up in the side sunporch (with an outside door) which is usually the only really organized room in the house; we are even parking the car in a different spot to accommodate the present situation. ...And do the little purrmeisters even THINK about bringing a bowl of ice cream to yours truly?! (I know, I know, the mere sight of their safe little faces is reward enough!!).

Hopefully Cash will warm up to me a bit more in the next week, otherwise the transition from porch to room will be a smidgeon more challenging. My most recent 'befriending strategy' has been to talk to her as much as ever, but to actually avoid getting too close (before, I would reach out to let her sniff, but perhaps playing just a bit 'hard to get' will work better...how is it that she will at times deign to eat a treat right off my hand, yet otherwise not tolerate ANY contact; I've only ever had one or 2 other cats that would eat right from my hand...go figure).

Momcat a/k/a 'Wee Wilhelmina' reappeared a few days ago; I had a livetrap all lined up to borrow on Thursday, but it didn't pan out. However, I have a couple more leads to follow up on Monday, and I'm sure one of them will work out. I've already contacted a vet clinic that is prepared to spay a feral cat on short notice-if she's not already too preggers, so for trapping and spaying. I'll do my best.

This whole feral scenario is nudging me towards spay/neuter activism, I think. I've always felt very strongly about the issue, but perhaps the Von Cat Family came along to motivate me to take things FURther. When I get a bit more time I plan to post on the subject in the 'rant etc.' forum, as I'd like to get some ideas on what is happening re: spay/neuter (particularily with regard to cats) in different areas. I know there are children starving around the world (we do sponsor 2 girls in Africa), and my horse passion will always inform my life to a huge extent (to the detriment of our savings account HAHA that is a laff and a half...horses?? savings??!!...oh puhleese)...

BUT, as the saying goes, "think globally-act locally", in different contexts. There is absolutely no kind of lower-cost spay/neuter option in my area; the Ontario Humane Society and SPCA organizations don't have a tangible presence (in this area), and although their admirable mandates include spay/neuter education and advocacy they have a number of issues to deal with i.e. cruelty/abuse investigation, care and adoption ETC. (Again, the county I live in doesn't even have a shelter.)

Perhaps Wee Wilhelmina et al. will end up being the inspiration for SPAYWOMAN...hmmmmm , think that may need a little work!!!! Bad action figure name aside, think of the comics/toy vet clinics etc. that such a venture could involve!
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  #41  
Old September 18th, 2006, 07:51 AM
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Thank's again,better read than my regular comic-strip
As for spay/neuter at a lesser price,probably really hard to find.
Our Oakville HS had a spay/neuter/release thing going on a couple of years back,when I was feeding and trying to catch a feral Tom,I don't know if they still do.
If ALL shelters would s/n before adopting out,it would be a good start,I am sure any serious adopters would not mind paying a little more if the cat/dog is already fixed.
I saw on the news,the Toronto HS once again had a no-fees adoption day last week,I hope all those FREE animals were altered
I believe people getting puppies are often more serious about s/n,people getting a cute little kitten,often lose interest once the kitten grows to be a cat and simply let them out to fend for themselves
A thousand by-laws are going to make no difference to them,they simply do not care,unlike us who love our cats and only want the best for them.
Sorry to be boring
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  #42  
Old September 19th, 2006, 12:41 AM
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Smile Fun in Feraland

Hey chico2, thanks for the s/n comments and info (and it was NOT boring!!). I finally found a livetrap to borrow-yay-so it'll be good to at least be able to try to get momcat/Wee Wilhelmina. After trying local vets etc. re: livetrap, I ended up striking paydirt at an independant pet food business that also sells a lot of birdfeed and related stuff...kinda ironic.

I'm slowly ramping (with hubby's assistance) to the changing of the kitty 'guard'...now that's a change from kitty litter ! I have to move the big cage out of the back porch, disinfect it, and put it upstairs; I plan to keep in the open area up there as a pied a terre cum bachelor pad for Sparky to feel safe as he starts to be integrated with the household.

Once le Sparklet no longer needs the Club Quadruped room to retreat to, it's out of the back porch and up to the scrubbed down room for the Two Pumas. Especially with the rainy weather arriving again, I am soooo looking forward to having back porch access to the outside (and no more accusing looks from the Dynamic Duo as I make endless trips to the freezer for ice cream-hey, I need something to run on besides nervous energy, guys!).
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Last edited by kashtin's kin; September 19th, 2006 at 12:43 AM.
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  #43  
Old September 20th, 2006, 01:40 AM
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Smile Feralapalooza!!

OOOOkay, take a deep breath...you are in a safe and calm place, palm trees are swaying, the sun is shining...ARGGHHHHHH!!!! Well, so much for that tranquility exercise; I think it's time to give my head a gentle tap with a semi-soft?? hammer, 'cuz the wee gerbils up there are working mega-overtime, and we all need some rest!

So, the 3 feral kitties are all doing fine (bit more on that later), but now I REALLY feel like I have a tiger by the proverbial tail: I set up the livetrap at about 9 p.m., and when I checked it around midnight-during last horse check of the day-my headlamp picked out a pair of eyes . Good news...it's not a skunk! 'Bad' news...it's not momcat/Wee Wilhelmina!

Scary news (well, just a bit of a surprise, really)...it's le tomcat, WW's toughguy boyfriend. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised, but I just wasn't at all psyched up for this development . Mr. Tom had not been in evidence for a couple of weeks; I figured he'd had his fun and moved on. Apparently not...he's big, he's trapped, and he is very ticked off/scared.

I've been around cats all my life, but this is the most intimidated I've been (except for the time I was jogging along a path at the Toronto Zoo to catch up with my family, and suddenly realized that to my left-on the other side of a fence!-a tiger was moving right along with me, stride for stride...and it's not like he was out for a leisurely fitness run!).

M. Spitting Mad Tom is now in the garage-in the trap, needless to say. Luckily, I phoned around last week and found a vet clinic will to s/n a feral on short notice...guess who's getting a call first thing tomorrow! I was so sure that I would be bringing in WW, but at least this way there will be one less catdad around; the plan is to release him back here after he's 'neutralized'.

This still leaves WW (I spotted her, and left out some food after the drama of getting El Tom into the garage) to hopefully be looked after in the same fashion in the near future. Yikes , this is all turning out to be quite the complicated caper, from just one little feral family. (I've also got a senior horse on beaucoup de meds who requires extra special time and attention every day, not to mention a hyperactive pony who needs to be kept out of trouble, etc. etc.).

On the more fun side , Cash "Don't Touch Me!" Kitten in the back porch suddenly decided around suppertime that he'd deign to let me pat him; wow, what a turnaround. He's been a very stubborn holdout for almost 2 weeks, so that was a nice moment...later in the evening, he decided to adopt a bit of an aloof pose once more, but at least we're on the way. It was kind of funny to have to pat 2 kittens at once; I'm so used to playing with Cash's friendly brother Pepper, and talking to Cash from a distance!

(Incidentally, it looks like Cash may be the third male kitty in this litter, but that remains to be confirmed. If my s.i.l maintains her 'female cats only' policy, I'll deal with that down the road.)

In closing, if anyone has any words of wisdom/calming mantras/huge supplies of sedatives...please do let me know ASAP! I'm revving a little on the high side-even for moi-tonight and could use some reassurance; some of you folks have helped me get this far (which has been great!), so at the risk of 'going to the well once too often'...HELP/AU SECOURS!
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  #44  
Old September 20th, 2006, 06:36 AM
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Someone else who knows how to deal with ferals please HELP this funny lady,I can sense a bit of desperation regarding the trapped Tom
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  #45  
Old September 20th, 2006, 06:48 AM
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I know there are several people here who have dealt with ferals,I have not,I only kept one fed for a couple of years.
I am surprised your vet even agreed to treat the Tom,but it would be great if he could be neutered,NO more little homeless furbabies..
Be very,very careful in dealing with him...I've had a few catbites that had to be treated at the ER.
Whatever happens to the tom,at least the little guys are safe,I wish you could take some pics
I know the feral(George)that I fed,skillfully avoided the livetrap until we(HS and me) gave up on catching him,until one day,sadly he did not show up anymore:sad: Here he is:sad:
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  #46  
Old September 20th, 2006, 09:10 AM
Ed U KayShawn Ed U KayShawn is offline
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Hi, please cover the trap with a large towel or blanket one that you do not care if it gets wrecked because it will! Before you transport the kitty cover your car seats with a tarp, then a blanket as ferals are known to eliminate when stressed. Be sure to never, have your fingers or hands, or legs near the cage when carrying it. Be sure to advise the vet staff under no circumstances should they touch the cat unless under anestetic.These are basically wild animals! they must be treated as so. Do not remove the towel or blanket from the outside of the cage no visibility for the cat is the most calming effect they have, other than drugs!! When you get the kitty home, he may be released if after the 24 hour surgery and you have ensured that he seems back to himself however, you must continue to provide food shelter & water and veterinarian care when neccessary (otherwise is it just abandonment) ** reminder even if he seems cuddly from the anestetic DO NOT TOUCH him!! please admire and coo from afar. and remember your awesome!! pm if need be k !!
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  #47  
Old September 20th, 2006, 09:59 AM
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Smile Feral Affairs (no pun/joke intended!)

Ed U. and chico2, thanks so much for the feedback; you two always have good ideas and just plain encouragement. Thx muchos!! . My surprise captive, 'Darrell the Feral" is now at the vet (FIV check first, and if he's okay then shots/neuter to follow).

Regarding the vet clinic, I'm really fortunate to live about 25 min. away from a small animal practice that is fully licensed and experienced in wildlife rehab (Windrush Clinic near Brantford, Ont.) ; I phoned them last week to check on the feral s/n issue. When I called this a.m. to book in Darrell, and mentioned that he is big and hostile (and SCARED, of course), the gal that I was talking to replied to the effect that he couldn't be worse than a big mad raccoon!

I'm hoping that 'Darrell'-man, that is one BIG cat!-is FIV neg, and that things go okay. Thanks for the advice re: trap, towel, care with hands...thankfully my common sense (and the hubby's calm smarts!) kicked in, and we'd done all the things advised. This cat is as mentioned BIG and extremely irked ; I have no illusions about being his buddy/getting near him when he's not in a cage.

And, due to my stupidity earlier in the year (don't ask!!), I've had the post-bite series of rabies vac's. I don't intend to get that stupid again-once is definitely enough-but it's not such a bad thing to have that protection..."and now, I will pat the wolverine..."

Thanks again for the help-any further feedback etc. will be gratefully received. Now I'm off to roll pennies harhar to pay for Darrell; once the 3 Amigos Kitties are all sorted out, I'll be living in a ditch !! ...All the more reason to get real pro-active in the spay/neuter area!
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  #48  
Old September 21st, 2006, 12:25 AM
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Smile FunFunFun with Ferals...

Well, Darrell the Feral tested FIV neg. , so he got his shots and op; he's resting overnight in a small cage in our insulated garage, and tomorrow he'll be out from behind bars...minus a bit of testosterone etc. I imagine he'll be taking off right quick after his not-optional surgery; I just hope he stays as safe as possible. He is definitely one VERY FERAL cat.

At least he won't be fathering any more kittens , and is not spreading FIV. There was no sign today of his galpal, WW-the one I thought we were going to trap. I guess we'll bait the sucker again tomorrow night, and see what happens; good thing those badgers moved on, 'cuz if D the Feral was a lilttle scary...

With all the drama the past 24 hours, there wasn't much time to supervise Sparky's integration, or for the 2 Pumas; I'll just have to catch up a bit tomorrow?! An interesting day, but not one I would care to repeat on a real regular basis without some kind of medication . However, I guess the experience may serve me well in the future, as this feral theme seems to be recurring. People who know me are amazed at the number of times that they DON'T hear the word 'horse' in my conversation these days...
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Old September 21st, 2006, 07:08 AM
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It must be ESP,I was just thinking of Catsnatcher and her she is,back with an update,check "Pet Pictures",under the "Homelsss in winter"thread and you can read all about CS's struggles to get 5 outdoor kitties a safe place to live.
She,CPietra(who took in 2 of the cats)and others,are absolutely wonderful people with tons of experience with troubled cats.
Hopefully they can give more useful advice than I can give.
for having the Tom fixed
I wish I had a horse grasing in my backyard,they are the most beautiful creatures on earth,you are very lucky!
How old do you think the kittens are??
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Last edited by chico2; September 21st, 2006 at 07:20 AM.
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  #50  
Old September 21st, 2006, 09:37 AM
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Kashtin's kin, you are doing well. What you are doing is what we all did. You need patience, patience, patience...and more patience. From experience, you only catch a ferrel when he is hungry, sick, comfortable. As far as trust, you are working on their timetable. please feel free to pm me for specifics, as well as catsnatcher. Hope you don't mind catsnatcher
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  #51  
Old September 21st, 2006, 02:24 PM
Ed U KayShawn Ed U KayShawn is offline
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I agree cpietra, you definately work on their time!! Way to go k! you've done a great job! The only trick I have ever found can work pretty good for bait is good ol can of stinky mackerel!! I have found that it does work the best and be sure to put it at the very back of the cage! But ya know sometimes that has not always worked either, they are just really that good at outsmarting us sometimes!!
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  #52  
Old September 22nd, 2006, 01:05 AM
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Smile Frolics with les ferals...

I'm VERY grateful for the above posters/critterkin who continue to offer helpful advice and encouragement-thx again, everyone . As I continue my journey in Feraland, hopefully I'll be able to pass some of that knowledge and support on...what goes around does indeed come around .

Darrell the Feral took off without a glance back today; he seemed in fine fettle. New as I am to really getting involved with ferals, I've fed and observed quite a few strays over the years...I got the feeling with Darrell that he is one experienced and determined feral cat. I would be surprised if he was ever 'domestic', even as a kitten.

It would be great to see him again (even a postcard would do), but I'm not going to hold my breath...I've lost enough brain cells as it is . I've read about how some feral colony 'managers' will notch a fixed and vaccinated cat's ear to indicate their treatment; it's too bad that wasn't really feasible in Darrell's case. If anyone has used any other method of ID, please let me know (i.e. some wild animals are temporarily 'non-toxic spray painted', or banded).

Momcat/Darrell's galpal/WW is around again today. I had hoped to try to trap her Thurs. night, but my vehicle broke down , so no transport to the vet. I'll have to wait till Sun. now to try, so as to be able to get to the vet clinic when it's open (would rather not possibly trap WW sooner, and stress her-okay, and me as well-with an extended confinement).

Sparkadelic was out of his bachelor pad for an hour or 2 today under supervision. Bold little fella that he is, he explored the whole house (we're not exactly talking zillion-room mansion here). The 3 'mature??' cat inhabitants have been pretty SSSSSSish around Spark, but he's standing up for himself without being stupid...I should take notes!

Cash and Pep continue to enjoy the back porch (so glad 'one' of us has the use of it ). We don't turn on our furnace till it's a tad colder-gotta save $ somewhere-so I put one of those fake fleece crate 'pillows'with the rolled edges on top of a roughtote, and the guys are enjoying cuddlying up on that.

Of course, when I hit the sack at whatever ungodly hour I finally hit the wall, there will be the 3 crabby longtime inhabitants to try to negotiate with-without waking the hubster..."look, Odin, if you and Sally would just shift a few inches, and Goose would let me have half of my pillow??!!" I know I should be more assertive , but frankly it's easier just to go with the flow!

p.s. big thx to catsnatcher for posting her feral-trapping/gentling routine...the whole exercise re: putting food in a crate/cage in a progressive sort of method sounds EXACTLY what you do to teach a horse to load into a trailer (unless they are a bit unusual, and saunter right onto the thing first try)...when I was doing some remedial trailer-loading schooling with my pony this past summer, she went from "I'm not going ANYwhere!", to wanting to get on it when we were heading out for a ride down the trail!! Go figure!!
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Last edited by kashtin's kin; September 22nd, 2006 at 01:14 AM.
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  #53  
Old September 22nd, 2006, 07:30 AM
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OMG,wish I had your writing-skillsyou make a,what must be really frustrating situation,sound like sooo much fun!
I too have to share my side of the bed(King Size)with 3 cats,I don't think I could fall asleep without the steady purr in my ear After a while though,2 of them go off to their own regular spots,Rocky(my tabby 16lbs)stays with his mommy..:love:
Good luck getting the mommy cat,at least the big bad Tom can make no more babies
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  #54  
Old September 22nd, 2006, 09:39 AM
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cpietra16 cpietra16 is offline
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Have food, they will come. I am sure Darrell will be back...his girl is there
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  #55  
Old September 25th, 2006, 12:31 AM
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kashtin's kin kashtin's kin is offline
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Smile A Very Feral Life...

Eek!: a busy coupla days with no update, and the Friendly Ferals are complaining about their lack of 'press'...seem to regard me as a combo Buffet Consultant & Supplier/Chew Toy/Toilette Sanitizer/Media Liason. It's not like I haven't tried to schmooz with Lloyd Robertson (we DO wear the same shade of lipstick after all-oops, sorry Lloyd!!), or line up something on Vickie Garbreau! I've even emailed Dr. Phil, but apparently we have to work on our 'angst factor'; if I can guarantee an onscreen brawl between the longtime resident felines and the Three Ferals, apparently we've got a shot...

Actually, I'm a bit more occupied with making sure Le Sparkster doesn't provoke a bit of a kitty donnybrook in the process of his gradual main house integration. Today was about his 4th day testing the waters; we're up to 2 hours or so-supervised! That little guy is SUCH a brat, albeit an endearing one. The first day he made rather aggressive overtures to all 3 mature cats...he was a tad excited, and while he really did nothing more than try to 'sniffmeet' nose-wise, poor Sparks was met with very crabby hisses and growls.

Picture Dennis the Menace charging into a senior centre (no offense intended-seniordom is no longer just an abstract concept to moi anymore!) and running amok. Our oldest cat is 12, and the 2 gals are about 7, so they aren't exactly ancient; I do wish they wouldn't get their kitty knickers in such a twist. Considering that the crochetty trio were part of our herd/pride? of 7 for approximately 7 years, and that they also were rescued and coddled cats, I think they're being somewhat unreasonable...but I suppose that's a cat's prerogative ?!

Meanwhile, back in the [back] porch, Pepper and Cash are having a jolly time. Who knew that a small step stool could end up providing hours of kitty enjoyment-perfect for 'king of the castle'! Although Cash first bestowed 'your touch will be tolerated' status on me last week, he has progressed to not recoiling a bit at my friendly overtures, and has gone so far as to seek me out (okay, so that may be when I am coincidentally accompanied by a tuna snack, but I'll take what I can get).

Momcat alias Wee Wilhelmina does not appear to have been around on Sunday, but the outside food is disappearing...I am assuming the badger family has NOT returned , and that WW and/or her BBBF are responsible. I am still keeping my fingers crossed that Darrell the Feral does not bring a civil suit against me regarding his 'loss of enjoyment et al.'; good luck Darrell...if you want to be awarded nothing but 'buttons and a smile', you've sure come to the right place .

Well, I'm off to start penning my hopefully wildly successful screenplay (hell-oooo, Hollywood!) entitled "Brokedown Truck"-I had this compelling story outlined well before that upstart "Brokeback Mountain"!! I found myself with a dandy opportunity on Saturday to make a bunch of notes when my '85 3/4 ton truck decided to take a time out halfway up a big, steep hill-with a load of hay bales in the back! While plotting out my blockbuster movie-to-be, I was also able to enjoy an invigorating jog through the countryside in search of a phone. I even managed a pretty impressive sprint at the first house I came to; that dog was NOT on a very secure rope, and he moved surprisingly quickly for a portly fella with a grey muzzle.

When I finally got through to the auto service, they didn't seem to find the fact that I had no idea what road the truck was on to be quite as amusing as I did. I was vaguely aware that I was in the VICINITY of Orangeville...don't they have global positioning stuff or something? It's not like it was my fault my map had a big splotch on the very area I was in, or that the woman who so kindly loaned me her phone had just moved in last week. Some people take things just a little too seriously, methinks.

Harking back to the cats, I'm still hoping to snag WW...if she is too pregnant to spay, I will cross that bridge when I come to it. We'll work things out somehow. When I get a bit of a breather from kitty gentling/senior horse crisis management/truck trauma etc. my first priority is going to be getting some sort of s/n initiative going in this area. If I have to personally go through such an intense feral family scenario on a regular basis, I simply cannot guarantee my sanity (such as it is )!?
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Last edited by kashtin's kin; September 25th, 2006 at 12:36 AM.
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  #56  
Old September 25th, 2006, 07:03 AM
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KK,I am hoping you keep a diary of your daily kitty-life,then you can write a book similar to James Herriot's "Cat Stories",it would be on any catlovers bestseller list
When I brought my Vinnie(found outside a factory) home to my other 2 cats,it took about a week,before I had reasonable harmony.
My Chico still gives off the occasional hiss,even after 4yrs he's hoping Vinnie is just a visitor.
Sorry about your truckadventure,hopefully everything worked out..
As for the food outside being gone,even here in suburbia,I have raccoons,possums and skunks(no badgers )who will happily munch on anything served!
Keep up the good work
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  #57  
Old September 27th, 2006, 01:03 AM
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kashtin's kin kashtin's kin is offline
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Exclamation Adventures in Feralville...

Hmm, I was just going to post a quick update tonight i.e. le Sparkster is having a laffriot turning our household upside down with his daily integration visits (he's actually being a really good boy, responding to verbal scolding without being upset etc.). Our 3 peeved mature cat residents are also relaxing a bit...less evil growls, and more mere dirty looks (at Sparky, and moi, whose fault all this is!). The Two Pumas are doing well, also; Cash-who was extremely aloof for a couple of weeks-is now vying with his brother Pepper for the Friendly Feral of the Week title!

As I posted below? in my only mildly?! panicky fashion, we have momcat/WW in a livetrap as of 11 pm Tues.-almost time for another zip up to the [domestic, and wild animal] vet clinic. I am sooooo hoping that WW is FIV neg, and either not pregnant or not far along...so much to fret about, and luckily I am a worldclass Fretster. As I was saying to my husband earlier, when my beloved (I've been her ridiculously devoted servant for 18 years) senior/very retired horse had some colic on the weekend, I was [at least comparatively!!] cool as the proverbial cucumber as I rubbed her ears and waited for the vet at 1:00 in the morning.

I guess I've been through so many horse crisis' (they are truly an animal with a real talent for heartstopping behaviour) that I eventually became somewhat resigned to whatever equine semi-disaster comes along, while the feral cat thing is a 'muddle your way through and bellow for help when necessary' kind of thing... Wish Wee Wilhelmina luck-and me, steely?! nerves-if you have a moment . Thanks!
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Last edited by kashtin's kin; September 27th, 2006 at 01:13 AM.
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  #58  
Old September 27th, 2006, 07:00 AM
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How is WW behaving??
Mind you,even the sweetest cat can turn in to a demon in a cage,I know ALL mine do,they howl and scream all the way to the vet.
I am glad the kittens are doing ok,between them and your horses,I hope you are relatively wealthy or have a very understanding,compassionate vet.
with WW!
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  #59  
Old September 28th, 2006, 12:36 AM
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kashtin's kin kashtin's kin is offline
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Smile ...dispatches from Feralton...

Yay!!-Wee Wilhelmina (Meryl the Feral on her vet chart for simplicity!) checked out FIV neg, and was vaccinated and spayed Wed. morning. As suspected, she was pregnant but not too far along, so we went ahead with the spay. Hopefully this pragmatic approach to cat overpopulation doesn't offend anyone...what would have happened to this next litter?

I got my first close-up look at WW in the a.m. at the vet clinic, as it was dark when she was caught, and we figured getting a towel over the livetrap and leaving her in a quiet place was more important than doing a photo shoot ("Work with me, Willi!"). She was actually quite calm-staying still, and no dilated pupils etc., unlike her big/VERY FERAL boyfriend, Darrel. She really is a wee thing...likely had this first litter after an encounter during her first or second heat.

I'm so glad she's at the clinic on this wet night; on Thurs. I'll pick her up, after talking to the clinic staff, and figuring out what crate/cage to transfer her to for her recuperation period. She may be small, but I have no illusions about 'petting the kitty' ! I will want to be able to feed her from the outside of the cage, thank you very much; when Cash was about a month old I idiotically thought I could nab him by the nape of his neck while he was eating, and I came off that match-up much the worse for wear (for a while there I thought OHIP might cover cosmetic surgery, but apparently my wounds weren't bad enough, and anyway, they declined to do a facelift when only my hand was lacerated-POO!).

WW's boys are all pretty happy house kitties after a month or so indoors, although they are still in varying stages of quarantine. I'm planning to get Sparks in for his second shots, and the Two Pumas in for their first vacc's next week; they're pretty much ready to be neutered at 4 mos.-ish, so I'll have to figure out the logistics of all that (and maybe hold a telethon in the meantime!!). After this intensive 'vet period'-not to mention the $350 /mo. in meds my senior horse needs-I won't even be able to afford to shop at Value Village. But, hey, I've got lots of felines to keep me warm; maybe they can hunt down mice in the basement, so I can make some tasty stew to go with all the generic 'Kraft Dinner'!?

Rescuing critters beats the heck out of 'designer wear' (can't miss what you've never had!) any day, I'm sure you'd all agree.
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  #60  
Old September 28th, 2006, 07:29 AM
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Don't worry,I don't think anybody here objects to WW's pregnancy beeing terminated.
I wish we could all do what you did.
Collect ALL feral and homeless cats and have them s/n,the winter is coming and many little kitties will freeze to death:sad:
Maybe WW will warm up to being caught and you'll have 4 more cats SEVEN cats oh,oh....
Your vet might be able to find homes for a couple,my vet keeps cats from HS right in the waiting room,the adoptionrate is really good.Although it really bothers me,seeing them there in a cage knowing I can have no more cats,I think it's a great idea
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