I do recall saying no more cats?

hissy

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Apparently, the cats did not listen. I have a new feral upstairs. She is a lovely little silver and gray female- very noticeably pregant, and very feral. I got a phone call this afternoon, an apartment complex in another town was going to poison the ferals this weekend!
One of the tenants had captured this female and called her vet, who told her to call me......sigh........I can never say no, now where did that donation cup go?
 

ldg

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It's that inability to take down the Neon Sign, Mary Anne.


Boy - the house must really be crowded these days!

And wow - this sure seems the season! Pamela just rescued a pregnant cat, too.

BTW - is anything else going to be done at that apartment complex - is it legal to put out poison to kill cats there? It must be, I guess. ????? How awful.
 

lotsocats

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Bravo to you for taking in yet another feral...and....shame on the apartment managers for even thinking of doing something so horrific! They will get theirs in the end.
 
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hissy

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I am calling her Whisp, for a couple of reasons. One she is a real whisp of a kitty, barely enough meat on her to keep her warm. And two she appears to not be able to meow- only squeak. She is so young!

She very effectively hid this morning when I went up to get her some food and say hello- I didn't stress and try to turn the room inside out to find her. The room has stood the test of many ferals and eventually, doing a quiet search and talking all the while to a supposedly empty room, I found her in the birthing cupboard. I swung open the door, saw her scratching in the corner (nesting) not burying waste, the litter pan had seen some action. So I quietly swung the door back closed and spoke with her telling her that she was in a good place, no one will hurt her her and I had just put out food for her as well.

I have my ratty old sweatshirt on right now, nothing underneath, I will wear it all day as I sweat and scent in it, and then tonight, I will leave it in the birthing closet, with a nice piece of dried fish on it. Ferals love dried fish, and she will learn that my scent will mean good things.

My vet will be out today to vaccinate my horses, and I will ask him about her, but I am of the opinion, that her only problem is more than likely worms, and not enough food. The only way I can worm her or even take her to the vets would be to sedate her, and her stress factor would be off the map. I don't want to compromise her that way. Her eyes are clear, her nose is too, she is eating and peeing (probably pooped as well) just somewhere else that I need to find, which is typical too of a new feral behavior, and the fact that I could only scare up one litter pan. I need to go buy a few more today.

So right now Whisp is wondering, what the devil is going on? Here was a scary human type with clunky big feet, who talks to empty rooms, leaves food and leaves her alone basically undisturbed! Why, she is thinking didn't I chase her, pull her out of the closet and demand she go right on my lap so I could give her pets? Why didn't I hurt her? Why didn't I shout at her, why did I speak so soft I could of been in a library? Why is their classical harp music playing upstairs now, and an additional thing has changed as well- there is now a big cardboard box, weighted down in the middle of the room with holes cut all over it, smelling like my cats who played in and around it last night. This box is flipped over and underneath laying on the floor surrounded by cardboard is a nice fluffly pile of bedding. Whisp's cave of cave if the birthing cupboard suddenly becomes scary and she needs an alternative place to go.
 

a_loveless_gem

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Umm...congratulations on the pending arrivals.


Good luck hissy. She'll figure out that you're a good person and love you to bits along with the kittens.

Good luck with finding a home for them all if that is what you are intending to do.
 
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hissy

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Yesterday, Whisp hid quite effectively most of the day. I went up there for a few minutes and read to her from Dean Koontz's new book, just sitting on the floor quietly.

This morning when I went to give her food, she was in one of the open carriers. I took the open can and slowly reached in to let her have the can instead of my hand. One hiss, a sniff, and I withdrew just as carefully. I was sitting on the floor and dishing out her food when she came out of the carrier!!! She passed right by me, I just ignored her, put her food bowl towards her and turned around to leave! A very small promise of a trust, but one I will gladly take!
 

kiwideus

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wow, that is amazing - i am amazed at your knowledge of cats MA! you must be known up above as the guardian angel of cats. bless you!
 
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hissy

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Went upstairs to a mound of shredded paper being shoved around. So this time, when I fed her, she again was inside the open carrier- I placed the food plate in the carrier, and slowly dragged it out of the carrier and put it on the floor next to where I was laying. I kept my hand on the far side of the plate at all times, but I was so close to her, and she scarfed up the food quickly, then walked right past me her tail brushing my face.

As much as I wanted to touch her, to see if I could feel movement of her kittens and see how really boney she is, I didn't, I just let her walk on by. I wouldn't be pushing my contact on her so quickly were it not for the kittens and the fact that she is to young to really have them.
If there is a problem at birth, and I pray there won't be, I don't want her to look at me as a threat if I have to intercede to save a kitty.

But she came home with us Monday night at 8:00 p.m. and she is already comfortable enough around me to chance coming out while I am in the room, though she will only come out when I am laying down and not standing up, as I am less of a threat to her that way.
 
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hissy

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This morning, she was again in the carrier, and not looking to great. I took the bedding and while speaking quietly to her, I slid the bedding out, and she walked up to greet me. (I was again laying on the floor) SHE LET ME PET HER!!!! Not once, but twice! Then she went to her corner and sat there while I put her food down. I found that if I nuke it in the microwave, she eats it readily enough. She does not seem to like dry food though. I was able to run my hand down her belly, she is bulging with kittens. Her fur is so ratty looking as well. This poor girl- I will keep working with her and checking in with progress or not results!
 
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hissy

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At afternoon feed, she was laying on the couch and hissed at me when I went upstairs. I immediately sat on the floor and began to dish our her food. She came towards me hissing, and I pushed the food towards her. To my delight, and my surprise, she came at my hand instead, rubbing and nudging me. We had about a 10 minute pet fest upstairs, and I left her finally eating. Her nipples are engorged, but god she is soooo skinny!
 

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She sounds like my Willie... wary, but soooo starved for affection. I'm so glad she found you, since you have... uh... a "furry" thumb? Keep us posted!
 
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hissy

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I am getting mugged by her now everytime I go upstairs! The minute I sit down, she stops hissing and comes over and chases my hands so that I will pet her. LOL I have to tuck my hands behind my back, and she will go back there, so I will put them in front of me and there she is. I don't want to pet her to much and over stimulate her, I believe, I am reading her correctly in that she is the type of feral who is so starved for affection that she will eventually bite the hand that pets her. Sort of like our Karma girl. To much petting just pumps them up to much and they start nipping when you quit.

She is a lovely cat- but I need to watch her and not let this get out of control. I fancy keeping my fingers with me for a long time.
 
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hissy

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She is a funny duck. I sat on the couch this morning, and after some hesitation, she jumped up and sat on my lap. If I pet her, she will let me, and if I stop, she will lunge at me, as if she is going to bite me. So I stood up and made my lap unavailable to her. There is a sneaky quality about her when she is getting pets, which I have seen before in other ferals, and those are the ones who ended up biting me. I think (and I am guessing) that it somehow overloads them because they have never had that type of touch before, and they don't quite know how to deal with it, or how to deal with how it makes them feel.
 
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