TheCatSite.com › Forums › Ferals and Rescue › Caring for Strays and Ferals › I finally let them go...
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

I finally let them go... - Page 11

post #301 of 339
5/26/11 at 7:23am
This is an amazing thread and I really enjoy it and appreciate what you've done for these cats. What a journey you've taken with them!

Robin
Reply
post #302 of 339
5/27/11 at 7:33am
Last summer we has a possum die under our deck . Same thing, the smell was awful when I would go out on the deck and the dogs were going nuts sniffing too. Larry (DH) pulled up some of the boards on the deck and put the body in a bag (he wore disposable gloves) and we carried the possum out deep into the woods and buried the body. If you can't find the body of whatever it is, it will take about a week for the smell to go away. Poor little animal ........

Have fun on your camping trip if you go. Stay warm, sounds cold
Reply
post #303 of 339
6/3/11 at 1:59pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for kind word, Robin.

Feralvr.
Dead opossum must have stunk really bad. I wonder what happened to poor guy…
Smell in my yard is gone now. We are hitting 80 degrees this weekend! I am totally looking forward to it.
Reply
post #304 of 339
6/24/11 at 1:06pm
Thread Starter 
Leo seems to have allergy or cold. He sneezes repeatedly once in a while. Then his one eye becomes very watery.
He is eating and playing just fine, so I am not overly worried about it. Since other kitties are not sneezing at all, it may be allergy or something is stuck in his nose.

We had nice summer day on the first day of summer, but went back to spring weather again.
This year, kitties are not bringing any bunnies. I just wonder bunny production is behind this year due to weather or bunnies finally moved out kitty territory?
It is good that I don't have to do catch and release of baby bunnies… I kind of miss them though.
Reply
post #305 of 339
6/25/11 at 4:43pm
I have a major soft spot for baby bunnies. At the barn where I used to board my horse there were many baby bunnies and the barn cats would always bring them into the barn . I would have to chase them down and save the baby bunny as I could not stand seeing the little darling getting tortured... .

You could give Leo some L-Lysine in powder form. I order it from NOW on-line. Start him on 500 Mg. (1/4 tsp) for at least ten days then you can go to 250 Mg. (1/8 tsp.) for maintenance if you so desire. Cats don't mind it at all and can't taste it. Just mix in wet food. This might help with the sneezing, etc.

It is a lovely summer and I am glad it is finally here after that LOOOOONG COLD winter......
Reply
post #306 of 339
6/27/11 at 12:36pm
Thread Starter 
Leo seems to be done with his cold but Torao and Torako are sneezing now.
Torao pretty much acts the same. He eats little less but comes out to demand for food.
On the other hand, Torako seems more tired. Yesterday, it was nice beautiful day. But she stayed inside until noon.
It was almost like we checked back on her too much and she went outside to find more quiet place.
In the evening, she went inside the hey bed and didn't come inside. When I checked back on her, she was still there. She didn't come out to eat until later.
I hope she would recover soon. Leo recovered within 3 days or so.

I wonder how Leo got cold? All these years, only cold he had was when he was in the shelter.
Thinking back… When Torako was 3 to 4 months old, she was suffering from cold. That was in the middle of summer, too. That time, Torako was the only one who was sneezing. Other kitties were fine.
We didn't know much about kitties that time and took Torako to emergency vet. (LOL)
I guess virus are out and about…. With this unstable weather, both humans and animals get sick easily.

Thanks for advice, FeralVr.
I was thinking about getting L-Lysine last week, but too lazy to go to the store and look for it.
I got some when Torako was sick 4 years ago, but knowing it was too old, I just got rid of them.
Reply
post #307 of 339
6/27/11 at 12:51pm
Who knows where they pick these colds up , just like when we get colds. But glad Leo is better, and then that means Toreo and Torako's colds should be minor as well. The L-Lysine will help even if you get some in them after they have recovered, it will be a benefit to them. I enjoy your updates about your wonderful cats !!

Lauren
Reply
post #308 of 339
7/6/11 at 3:41pm
Thread Starter 
Kitties are all recovered from cold. Torao took longest to recover. I wonder it was so because he never had previous exposure to cold.
I manage to pick up L-Lysine but could not find any capsule form. Pills are huge! Even for human consumption, it was huge pills. I ended up grinding them.

Weather here is fully summer and kitties are coming inside less and less.
We are scheduled to go to Yellowstone for 1 week at the end of July. I am planning to take kitties to kitty boarding place. Torako and Leo are easily caught outside, but Torao would be a problem. He only lets me touch him inside. He does not let me pet or even touch him when he is outside.
Thus, if he didn't come in few days before our departure, then we may have to leave him out in the yard….
Hope this won't be the case.
Reply
post #309 of 339
7/6/11 at 7:48pm
I know, the Lysine tablets are huge. Before I found out about the powder form, I used my coffe grinder to grind up the pills. So glad your crew is feeling better now.

I have never been to Yellowstone, that is on my list of places to visit. I sure do hope you can catch Torao before you have to leave Maybe you have a neighbor or friend who could come over and feed him if you can't catch him.
Reply
post #310 of 339
7/26/11 at 10:19pm
Thread Starter 
7/26/2011

Caught Torao! It's been more than 1 week since I held him.

I have been trying to pet him every time he comes to eat. He would let me touch him if Leo is next to him but very timid. Today, I was outside and Torao wanted more kibbles. Then Leo came, too. So I brought some dry food to the dish. Then they both came without hesitation. I stated to pet Torao and he didn't run. So, I grabbed him and off I went to cat room.
Good part of Torao is that he never fights in this situation. Unless he was totally startled, he never claws me or bits me. He gently tries to escape, that's it.

Poor Torao must feel like he was trapped in the room now. I was gaining trust from him out side but he must feel like he was tricked.

I am planning to take all three kitties to cat boarding place. I will be able to have Yellowstone vacation without worry.
Reply
post #311 of 339
7/27/11 at 11:39am
YAY, at least you won't have to worry while on vacation now. And I think your Torao will forgive you !!! Hope you have a wonderful trip
Reply
post #312 of 339
8/9/11 at 6:34pm
Thread Starter 
8/8/11

We are back from our vacation and so are the kitties. Poor Torao has been very shy at the boarding place but other two are being very friendly and cuddly.
Torako didn't like the crate and she kept meowing entire ride home. After little brushing (a lot of loose fur from 1.5 week without brushing!), they went to the yard.
So far, Torako has been catching bird every day. She is an expert bird catcher jumping in to the bird feeder. I seriously need to put some kind protective cage around bird feeder. My husband thinks I am a curl cat lover who attracts birds for kitties. (NOT!)
Reply
post #313 of 339
8/9/11 at 8:07pm
Welcome home!! See you cat's survived! I hate leaving my kitties and always wonder how they will manage without me, but somehow they always do. I am sure you are getting bags of fur out of them, the stress of boarding will make them drop some coat. AW the poor birds, they had a nice vacation too while the cats were away
Reply
post #314 of 339
9/2/11 at 8:16am
Thread Starter 
9/2/2011

It's September!
We are still having "summer" but mornings and evenings are cooling down quite bit.
Torao came inside just 2 times since we came back from vacation. But I expect him to come in more as weather cools.
He seems to be more open to me lately. I am able to pet him when he comes to the sliding door for food. But he only let me do this if most of my body is inside.

September means it's time for annual vet visit. Next time when they all come inside, I have to take them.

Torao some times eats too quickly and ends up throwing up. This morning, he did the same. Then Leo ate all of vomit! Is that OK?? I guess kibbles were soft and tender mixed with Torao's stomach acid….
I know some animals feed own vomit to younglings. I don't think kitties do this, though…
Reply
post #315 of 339
9/2/11 at 5:32pm
Wonderful news that Torao is coming in more and trusting you completely. He let you pet him, "finger petting" I call that !! Fantastic. I had a feral cat that would let me pet him when he was eating. Eventually, weeks later, he was so trusting of me, he would crawl into my lap. This was a barn feral, and now he is living in a wonderful, furrever home!! Anyway, that is a good way to start getting closer to Torao..

I have seen other kitties (the piggy ones ) eat vomit of other cats, but it is not common at all . Dogs will do that more than cats, as far as I know. Glad to hear your kitties are doing well
Reply
post #316 of 339
9/18/11 at 10:27pm
Thread Starter 
9/18/2011


Summer is over in Seattle area. We were having cold rainy night list night.
Leo is obviously wanting Torao to come inside with him. Once they came to the door, but Torao is not ready to come inside.
Leo stayed by the door and waited for Torao, but came inside. Leo meowed at me few times. I have never seen him meow like that. He is anxious. Leo knows that brining Torao inside would make me happy.
Leo went out again and disappeared. Before going to bed, I went out to look for kitties. Leo was under the barbecue and waiting for Torao.
I brought him inside and took him to the kitty room. Leo ate snack but wanted to go downstairs so I let him. Then Torao came back and he came inside!
I petted Torao and brushed. He relaxed and enjoyed. Then he wants to go out the door. So I open the door and he wants to go outside now.

I think cause of his restlessness was his toilet schedule. He doesn't like pooping in his room. (I don't blame him. It would make entire kitty room stink even with air purifier circulating air all the time.)
When he is content inside, I don't see any poop in litter box in the morning. But whenever he acts like this, I always see poop in there.
I hope his poop schedule would get adjusted to he wouldn't miss timing to come inside.

After Torao was out, I was totally ready for bed. I took Leo in to the kitty room but he wants out. And he went outside.

I wonder what's going through their mind…. Torako is totally out of this loop. She does not care if any of kitties are in or out. She comes in when she want and she stays out when she wants to. She is very easy going. But Leo and Torao are definitely buddies. I think Leo is acting more like Torao's guardian.
Reply
post #317 of 339
9/19/11 at 8:35am
Let's hope Torao's poop schedule gets regulated very, very soon so he will want to stay inside with the cold weather coming. My sister also lives in Seattle, in Redmond. I love Seattle, very beautiful there. She also rescued a family of cats a few years ago, all feral. She has an out-building on her property where she housed the cats and they were just gorgeous looking cats. All had blue eyes and some sort of Siamese mix. They all got homes. I sure wish I had an out-building like that. I guess in Seattle, it is quite popular. My sister uses it now for her pottery studio.

Your boys do seem bonded, how sweet . Torako is just happy being herself, she sounds quite confident and easy-going.
Reply
post #318 of 339
9/23/11 at 7:37am
Thread Starter 
Summer is back!
Feralvr, I live close to Redmond and I used to work in Redmond. I guarantee your sister is enjoying nice stretch of summer.

Our summer started off late and it's almost like season has shifted by one month. We are having 79 degree today and tomorrow and then back down to 68 with rain.
Kitties are enjoying the warm night out. Torako is already in winter mode, but she couldn't help last night. Torao brought some critters back and she had to jump out.
Reply
post #319 of 339
9/24/11 at 8:08am
OH you are sooooo lucky to have such nice weather right now. My sister did just say how lovely the weather has been in Seattle.


I bet your kitties are just loving the nice warm night still. OH and how nice of Torao to bring some "critter" gifts. Sure to get Torako outside
Reply
post #320 of 339
10/11/11 at 10:23pm
Thread Starter 
10/11/2011

Summer is officially over here. We are having rainy stormy days now. Low temperatures are hitting low 50 and upper 40s.

Torako comes inside early and leaves late in the morning.
She often stays inside until noon or so. Then comes in around the dusk. She is a fair weather cat. She doesn't like rain. She only stayed out for around 1 hour and quickly came back in yesterday. But staying home is boring and she stayed in the cat house during the day today instead.

Torao is the one who prefers to stay out at night. I know he likes the warmth and comfort inside, but he is still timid. I can pet him by the door now, though. He comes in may be once a week. I hope he would come inside regularly.
Heated mat is turned on inside the cat house. I hope Torao realizes it soon and goes in there when it's cold. He currently stays in another shelter made of hay and insulation board.
Reply
post #321 of 339
10/12/11 at 7:34am
Still have summer in my neck of the woods. It has been about eighty degrees this last week. Today a bit cooler and then into the sixties over the next few days.

I am sure Torao will soon figure out the nice heated pad you put in the shelter. I am setting up my feral shelter in the next couple of days. I have straw to put in the second level that is fully insulated. When temps really start to plunge, I will add the heating pad too.

What great progress that you can now pet Torao. I would love to see pictures of your cat house sometime if you can post them. Torako must love being the queen of her castle
Reply
post #322 of 339
10/14/11 at 12:55pm
Thread Starter 
10/14/2011

Torao started to come inisde now. He also discovered heater in the cathouse. Leo and Torao are staying in there most of the day.

Now Torako may be driven out of there. When 2 kitties are on the lower level, it is difficult to go through. Torako likes staying in the attick area up above.

Here is the picture of our cat house. Plant next to it is a catnip!


Here is the picture of it in the snow.


Here is the one with racoon!
Reply
post #323 of 339
10/14/11 at 4:35pm
Oh the pictures were so cool UNTIL the raccoon one . Those dirty little scoundrels and houligans. ARGH they make me so mad. Your cat house is INCREDIBLE I absolutely love it. Did you make that? Sorry if you mentioned in one of your earlier posts, I might of missed that. It is really cute . I just set up my FeralVilla today. Second level added straw. I hope Dixie and Willow use it . I set is right along side of my deck so one of the exit's opens to a path they use to go under my deck. I really hope those raccoons don't trash it. They just broke (the raccoons a 2nd bird bath they pull themselves up onto it and pull the heavy bowl down and it lands my garden boulders and breaks.)
Reply
post #324 of 339
10/17/11 at 9:34pm
I loved reading this whole thread. Thank you for sharing it with us. How are the kitties doing?
Reply
post #325 of 339
10/25/11 at 8:45am
I would love to know how you keep that catnip bush so big. I have some in a hanging pot, but it doesn't last through frost or cold. If my cats had free access to it (as they did once when it fell without my knowing it) I'd NEVER be able to grow it.
Reply
post #326 of 339
10/28/11 at 7:29pm
Thread Starter 
10/28/2011

Weather has been cool here. Daily high is like upper 40s.
Torako is becoming house cat lately. She doesn't want to go out in the bad weather. She only goes out when she is board or needs to go potty.
Torao comes inside often. But not every night. It seems like he goes for late night patrol and I go to bed before he comes back.
Leo is half and half. Some days, he goes out almost all day, but some days he stays inside. Sometimes Torao tries to solicit him to go for patrol with him. I don't think Leo wants to go too far in the cold night.

At least our cat house is warm. It is built by my husband. Exterior paint color is exactly like our house. It has full of insolation and heated pad on the bottom floor.

To answer BlueOrchard's question, I think cat house is keeping catnip from dying. Also, there are different kinds of catnips. I have another kind in my yard and that one is more hardy. They are planted on the ground and keep coming back every year. But our kitties prefer the one next to cat house. They eat it like a snack. I also dry them and use it inside of kitty toys. Catnip may be biannual. That means, it lives for 2 years and die. I had to buy new plant this year since last one died after 2 years.
Reply
post #327 of 339
10/28/11 at 7:47pm
This thread is amazing..
Reply
post #328 of 339
10/28/11 at 9:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kazy View Post

Here is the one with racoon!
I really think this picture is priceless. The kitty is looking on at this raccoon squeezing out of the kitty house .

I actually saw an opossum near the villa this morning I hope it doesn't move in
Reply
post #329 of 339
12/8/11 at 10:00pm
Thread Starter 

It's cold enough out side that Torao finally decided to come inside every night.

Leo and Torako prefer indoor warmth.  They spend 3/4 of time inside. 

Torao still goes out in the morning and never comes inside during daylight.

 

I was sewing jacket for my sister-in law's dog.  When it was done, we had to put this on Leo.

 

Here is the video.

 

 

Both Torao and Leo are very plump for the winter.  I know they lose most of it in the summer… or will they? laughing02.gif

Reply
post #330 of 339
3/19/12 at 8:31pm

I don't see your update for a while.

Is everything OK?

How are your cats doing?

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Caring for Strays and Ferals
TheCatSite.com › Forums › Ferals and Rescue › Caring for Strays and Ferals › I finally let them go...