Hi guys, first I want to thank everyone who responded to my question - your suggestions and just knowing there was someone there helped to calm ME down so that I could get "Freckles" some help. I ended up buying him a $70 sherpa bag to get him to the vet, because the carrier that I borrowed from them was plastic and he busted out of it three times. Oh what a day last Saturday was! I finally got him there - he actually let me pick him up and put him inside the bag which I never would have thought he'd let me do. I'm convinced he loves me lol. He didnt kill me LMAO. Anyway, the doctor could not find a thing wrong with him other than the 104 fever he was running - so as a precaution, gave him an antibiotic shot that will be in his system for 2 weeks. I took him home, made him comfortable and even though he cried to go out was adamant about not letting him outside. On Sunday night, it ended up that this poor baby did have an abcess and it broke, and drained. Monday I stayed home from work to watch over him, and the fever broke and now all that needs to happen is that the hole must heal and scab over. Hard to do when he KEEPS LICKING IT!! lol. Anyway, I figured that he was in the house with me for so many days that I took a chance on keeping him inside yesterday when I actually left him alone and went to work. I checked on him at lunchtime, and when I got home there was no "damage" done to either kitty or to my apartment. Now the only things is, I'm wavering in my adamancy about keeping him inside because he cries so pitifully. He wants to go back out but I feel like if I let him out I'm basically signing his death warrant, and if I keep him in, I'm breaking his fun loving, free spirit. What should I do guys? Freckles and I love each other and we have a mutual trust, that is not debated. But what is best for him? I dont want to deny him the best life he could possibly have especially when I saved it last weekend by bringing him in for that shot. Any advice would be very much appreciated
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
Something wrong w/my feral cat - CONCLUSION
- Thread starter dollusions
- Start Date
I don't think that you can let him out before wound is healed, after that it gets little more complicated.
Cats are curious, they love to explore, but on other hand domestic cat is not part of nature, they have no place in ecosystem, also it is bad for their health to get all kind of pests etc. Also there are injuries and such to consider.
In Africa, there lives African Wildcat, that is not much different from domestic cat, but it is part of ecosystem, it has enemies and it has food, nature has adapted to it, when we introduce new species in our local environment it creates a small disaster, which surely will get balanced over time.
Of course many areas there already are many free roaming felines, but adding new one is just disturbing balance.
In nature balance is found via death, if there are too many predators they starve to death and there is no boundaries between species, if cats eat lot of mice, then owls and other predators eating mice are suffering too, only the ones with best genes will survive and breed new generations, but sadly it means many will suffer and many will die.
So letting cat roam free is not choice where we can look only cat, but whole world around the cat, it is part of responsibility to understand bigger picture, imo.
Australia and rabbits is perhaps one of the best examples what happens when there is no any balancing species, rabbits breed, there were no enemies so they did multiply to millions very quickly, eating food from original species, they are still fighting with the problem even mistake did happen before steam power.
Of course with single kitty and if spayed/neutered issue is nothing comparable, but it is good to note that even one kitty is eating from table of original species on that area.
This all in mind, I have come to conclusion that any domestic cat that is living outside, should be in cage or otherwise limited area only, but I have not quite settled my mind on this, however this seems most logical to me with info I currently have.
Perhaps this is not much of help, but maybe it gives some new thoughts, anyway I hope you can find solutions that pleases you and which kitty can live by too
Cats are curious, they love to explore, but on other hand domestic cat is not part of nature, they have no place in ecosystem, also it is bad for their health to get all kind of pests etc. Also there are injuries and such to consider.
In Africa, there lives African Wildcat, that is not much different from domestic cat, but it is part of ecosystem, it has enemies and it has food, nature has adapted to it, when we introduce new species in our local environment it creates a small disaster, which surely will get balanced over time.
Of course many areas there already are many free roaming felines, but adding new one is just disturbing balance.
In nature balance is found via death, if there are too many predators they starve to death and there is no boundaries between species, if cats eat lot of mice, then owls and other predators eating mice are suffering too, only the ones with best genes will survive and breed new generations, but sadly it means many will suffer and many will die.
So letting cat roam free is not choice where we can look only cat, but whole world around the cat, it is part of responsibility to understand bigger picture, imo.
Australia and rabbits is perhaps one of the best examples what happens when there is no any balancing species, rabbits breed, there were no enemies so they did multiply to millions very quickly, eating food from original species, they are still fighting with the problem even mistake did happen before steam power.
Of course with single kitty and if spayed/neutered issue is nothing comparable, but it is good to note that even one kitty is eating from table of original species on that area.
This all in mind, I have come to conclusion that any domestic cat that is living outside, should be in cage or otherwise limited area only, but I have not quite settled my mind on this, however this seems most logical to me with info I currently have.
Perhaps this is not much of help, but maybe it gives some new thoughts, anyway I hope you can find solutions that pleases you and which kitty can live by too
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thank you for taking the time to write your reply to me. I wanted to let you know that my cat is not a house cat that I let outside - he was born and lived outside for 2 years. He's only been coming into my home at night for the last 4 months. I saw him in my backyard and fell in love with him. I've been feeding him and taking care of him but he set the rules that in the morning, the party was over and he was going outside! LOL. Until he got hurt that is, then I decided to keep him in and i feel like I'm imprisoning him. I dont know what is best for HIM, without putting my feelings onto him.
Thanks for the reply though! It's much appreciated
Thanks for the reply though! It's much appreciated
It is bit similar to my Mauku cat, she too has spend lot of her life living wild outside and it has not been even a year that I have known of her as she moved to live at my warehouse.Originally Posted by dollusions
Thank you for taking the time to write your reply to me. I wanted to let you know that my cat is not a house cat that I let outside - he was born and lived outside for 2 years. He's only been coming into my home at night for the last 4 months. I saw him in my backyard and fell in love with him. I've been feeding him and taking care of him but he set the rules that in the morning, the party was over and he was going outside! LOL. Until he got hurt that is, then I decided to keep him in and i feel like I'm imprisoning him. I dont know what is best for HIM, without putting my feelings onto him.
Thanks for the reply though! It's much appreciated
However it is same thing I'm thinking, to let out or not, logically I should not, but it is not going to be easy for her to adjusting indoor life, so am I able to handle that, I don't know yet.
Anyway indoor life is best for cat, outdoor life takes many years off from their life, but making indoor life enough good for cat's mind, there lies some problems, with one cat alone, it might be difficult, but with several they are perhaps adjusting lot better as there is much more activities for them.
Even I can feel how it would be 'nicer' to cat have whole world to explore, feeling itself can't control what is best, feeling can give some information, but good decision should be based on logic, well that is at least what I believe and I try to go by that, however it is not always easiest thing to do.
I'm thinking that as I took three cats off from streets and from nature, I'm perhaps helping bit of local wildlife too, or maybe it is just something which makes decision easier, I don't know, human mind is rather complex at the times
I think I just posted to you on your other thread about this
But will add again, I think if you just try to deal with the adjustment period for Freckles, he will come to love his indoor, safe new life. Love, food, and toys and you attention is all he will need, plus some playtime of course
. Freckles will in time adjust to being an indoor cat and it will be a much safer life for him
I'm so happy to hear that Freckles is feeling better!! I'm sure you are relieved as well knowing that he is ok!
As far as your question as to whether to let him back outside or not, I think is really up to you. You obviously care a great deal about this little guy. You and Freckles have a very strong bond to each other.
When asking myself the same question as to what was best for Luna, I too was afraid that I was taking away her freedom, but when I thought of how she came to be in my house in the first place, I realized that it was not safe for her to be outside.
Its been almost a month and a half since Luna has been hiding behind a mirror in my office. I know she is safe, warm, dry, has food and water, etc. She is just now beginning to trust me more and more everyday and if I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. I made the decision that I thought was best.
You have done and are doing a wonderful thing for Freckles and I'm sure you too will make the decision that is best for you and Freckles.
Wishing you and Freckles lots of Love and Luck!!
As far as your question as to whether to let him back outside or not, I think is really up to you. You obviously care a great deal about this little guy. You and Freckles have a very strong bond to each other.
When asking myself the same question as to what was best for Luna, I too was afraid that I was taking away her freedom, but when I thought of how she came to be in my house in the first place, I realized that it was not safe for her to be outside.
Its been almost a month and a half since Luna has been hiding behind a mirror in my office. I know she is safe, warm, dry, has food and water, etc. She is just now beginning to trust me more and more everyday and if I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. I made the decision that I thought was best.
You have done and are doing a wonderful thing for Freckles and I'm sure you too will make the decision that is best for you and Freckles.
Wishing you and Freckles lots of Love and Luck!!
