Had a stray walk in my door ...

darlili

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Hey, vent away - your life got turned pretty upside down just when you thought you had pretty much planned for every contingency....but I have the feeling there was some very special reason this guy literally walked into your apartment, of all the apartments in the area...and that you happened to have that spare can of cat food....and enough love to watch out for a poor scrawny dirty boy who wasn't loved before.... that things work out for both of you. Maybe Someone has very special plans for the pair of you....
 

c1atsite

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Originally Posted by NCommander

so I couldn't do it. Brought the cat to the shelter, filled out the paperwork and all, and ... I just couldn't do it.

I talked to my ex, and it looks like we may be able to move my first cat to her sooner than expected. If I can get this tom fixed, then I can keep him, at least until the end of August.

I *really* hate having my life being so turbulent, its just ... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

(sorry to rant but I need to vent a bit :-/)
We're thinking of you and sending you vibes vibes and more vibes.
 

darlili

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Oops, forgot to ask - what's his name? (you know you're a goner when you name them!)

Was he a good boy at the shelter, or did he look terribly relieved when you left with him in tow?
 
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ncommander

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Originally Posted by darlili

Oops, forgot to ask - what's his name? (you know you're a goner when you name them!)

Was he a good boy at the shelter, or did he look terribly relieved when you left with him in tow?
I'm not going to officially name him until I know I can keep him. I can't currently stay in my apartment and expect to sleep (personal reasons), so I'll probably pack up the cat and myself and stay at a local hotel which is pet friendly.

I think kitty had a pretty good idea how close he was to being put up for adoption. My vet is going to see if they can cut me a deal for boarding ~1-2 weeks which is enough time to get my first cat taken care of and off to its new home with its former owner.

I'm still not sure I'm making the right choice however in keeping him *sigh*.
 

bellaandme

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It sounds like this "meeting" was meant to be--these things happen for a reason. I really hope you can work it out and keep this little fellow.
My friend came home from work one day and found a stray sleeping in her bed!!! So I understand how bizarre it can be to have one just walk right in and make themselves at home.
Thanks for ALL you have done for him
 
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ncommander

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Ok, so we're holed up at a motel ATM, and I'm feeling better (I can't sleep at my apartment), Kitty is wandering about after hiding under the bed for awhile, then made a beeline for the litter box.

Seems for a stray, he's fairly travelable!

I've also managed to pet and brush out a ton of dead fur out of his coat, and it doesn't feel course to the touch anymore, although the undercarrage is a different story. If I can just get some meet on his bones, he'll be a very pretty cat.

EDIT: he just started grooming himself which is the first time he's done it since I took him indoors. Guess the brushing + the bath got him to the point he cares about maintaining his fur.
 

addiebee

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You have a kind heart, "M". As for not being able to leave him at the shelter, I understand. We all understand, trust me. I am near the top of the list as a failed foster mom. Seven beasties running around my townhouse right now. I don't live there currently. Looking after my elderly mom at HER place! Took them in so they wouldn't be PTS and then couldn't part with them. My boyfriend was worse about it than me!!!

So I drive back and forth twice a day to feed, water, groom, play with and clean up after the boyz! My BF helps on the weekend. Been doing that for almost a year now. ... geez.... time flies ....

In between I manage both of the properties and my mom's personal and financial affairs, do freelance work and volunteer with a local animal rescue.!

ETA: likely he IS feeling better and they groom when they are relaxed... or very, very stressed out!! That's usu. overgrooming... sounds like it's the first one.
 

at129

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I just stumbled upon this thread, and just wanted to say THANK YOU. For just being an excellent human being and doing so much for this little guy. The pictures just melted my heart, he very clearly adores you, and obviously you're pretty fond of him as well.


It can be VERY stressful when they find you and you're not prepared for it, but at the risk of sounding cheesy, love finds a way.
I've been unemployed for ages, and when I found my kitten I spent days trying to "talk myself out of" keeping her, because I knew I really didn't have the funds for it. I kept asking myself, what will I do if she's ill and needs expensive vet care? How will I afford the food, the litter, etc? Somehow, not only have I managed the financial aspect, I ended up adopting another one! My meager "entertainment" budget has been converted to the Cat Toy Fund, and I eat a lot of cheap, crappy food unless my parents are cooking...but I'm happy, they're happy, and it works.

Also, marycatherine had a good point - if he's so laid-back about travelling, can you take him along? Would probably depend on whether you get to choose where you stay when you travel (ie, a pet-friendly place), but if you could take him along, you'd have someone to keep you company on the road!

Best of luck to the both of you!
 
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ncommander

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Originally Posted by marycatherine

You say you travel a lot... could he travel with you?
Taking cats through customs is difficult. Most of my travel is international, not domestic :-/

I'll talk to the shelter today, and see if they can board the cat as long as I need it.
 

krazy kat2

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Bless you for helping this poor little lost soul. It could nothing but fate that brought him to you. It says a lot for the kind of person that you are that you worked so hard to help a cat that just wandered in to your home like that. Most people would have chased him out, being a dingy, skinny stray. He is a beautiful boy. It is also good of your ex to change some plans to help out. I hope you get to keep him, he seems to be very attached to you already. Please keep us posted on his story.
 
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ncommander

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Originally Posted by marycatherine

Ooh, now I'm a little jealous as to what your job is!
I'm a software engineer for Canonical Ltd, and I travel about once every two months for 1-2 weeks. Sometimes more frequent. I was also up until a month ago a volunteer firefighter.
 
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ncommander

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So I called the shelter, and they can take him for the 1-2 weeks I need to have him in storage. I'm not hugely happy about having him kenneled for that long, but its a necessity in this case. I just hope he'll still trust me after that :-/

EDIT: Anyone know a good pet transport service so I can send my ex's cat to her?

SON OF EDIT: so after eating, he's grooming a bit more, but doesn't seem to want to fully groom himself. I wonder why; even after kitty got a bath, he didn't groom himself.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by NCommander

I wonder why; even after kitty got a bath, he didn't groom himself.
He probably didn't feel like it. Grooming takes quite a bit of a cat's energy if they do a thorough job of it. Who knows what he had in his fur and for how long, too.
Also if some are taken away from their mother too young they can have some issues with grooming themselves later on - as if they if they never truly learned how to do a proper job of it.

Canonical huh? Decent company for promoting what they do. The 'buntu's have helped get a lot of people off of M$ and helped provide an option that would not otherwise be available to those needing computers.
 
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ncommander

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

He probably didn't feel like it. Grooming takes quite a bit of a cat's energy if they do a thorough job of it. Who knows what he had in his fur and for how long, too.
Also if some are taken away from their mother too young they can have some issues with grooming themselves later on - as if they if they never truly learned how to do a proper job of it.

Canonical huh? Decent company for promoting what they do. The 'buntu's have helped get a lot of people off of M$ and helped provide an option that would not otherwise be available to those needing computers.
Heh, thanks. Nice to know people use Ubuntu :-).

As for kitty, he's been kenneled, and they will fix him sometime while he is there (i.e. if someone cancels an appointment, etc). Then when I get back to Rochester, I can take him back home once I get my ex's cat situated/
 

jennyr

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Well done, you and the nameless one, for finding each other! I do hope you sort the the problems out so you can stay together. My Bonaparte arrived like that - walked in one day, thin as a rake, paw pads bleeding, full of parasites. He ate a meal, curled up on the sofa and has been there for two years now. I did not have too much trouble introducing him to the others. So good luck with your little stray.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by NCommander

Heh, thanks. Nice to know people use Ubuntu :-).
I don't. Debian sid user here.
(yes I know that's a bit crazy
) But there's no denying how the ubuntu and other distros built on it have done a lot for getting people to try linux.

Please keep us updated on the little guy and if you can get him into a good home/rescue.
 
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ncommander

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

I don't. Debian sid user here.
(yes I know that's a bit crazy
) But there's no denying how the ubuntu and other distros built on it have done a lot for getting people to try linux.

Please keep us updated on the little guy and if you can get him into a good home/rescue.
Oooh, small world. I'm a Debian Developer in addition to an Ubuntu MOTU :-)

*watches everyone else in the thread's eyes gloss over*

Anyway, there isn't a lot to post for the next few days, but I was wondering if anyone had experience with leash-training a cat.

I admit at heart, I'm more of a dog person than a cat person, but its *really* hard to find apartments that allow dogs, and they are really needy, but they travel really well compared to cats (or at least cats I know).

I was hoping it would be possible to leash train a cat to the point that I can walk with it on an unplanning route like a dog without too much difficulty; I realize a part of this requires the cat to be cooperative, but if I can leash train, it would make things easier on me, and probably easier on kitty since he won't have to be boxed to go anywhere with me.
 

addiebee

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Hey, NCommander - how is your little pal this evening? Have you made peace with the sitch yet? I know you're going to be boarding him and getting him fixed, which is a wonderful thing.
 
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