Tripod's Adventures

caliesmom · Mar 6, 2012

Yesterday we put Tripod's cage in the bedroom since we have Grandma for a few days. And he did fine sleeping in the cage for the night. The girls did protest by staying out of the bedroom all night. But they even gave in today & are back there sleeping again. He is still trying to be territorial with no luck ~ so he needs to be in the cage at night for awhile longer. But hubby let Tripod out of his cage around 6 this morning when he woke up. Up on the bed he jumped. And right away started playing with imaginary mice.

Tripod loved it. He had the whole bed to himself. This guy has some strong front legs. He bats hard. He has ALOT of kitten left. Whatever infection he had last week is gone now. He is here on the floor licking the feathers off a toy right now. He loves feathers

Tripod wants to be top banana still ... but he's still outnumbered. He has spent the last couple of days going from Shadow to Bubbers to Calie trying to find out which one will let him into their circle first. I keep telling him that it's gonna be a few more days if not weeks before all 4 are snuggled together. But yesterday I did catch a picture here of Bubbers at the foot of the bed ~ Shadow on the pillow ~ & Tripod on the side. It's a start ...

caliesmom · Mar 6, 2012

Forgot the picture again ... one of these times, I'll remember

sadiecat · Mar 7, 2012

You have my cat! Sadie had white on his tail tip though - sadly his tail was amputated on friday.... I posted his story yesterday.

What a great story! Tripod is one lucky kitty!

If someone was setting "bear traps" I would like to take them to their little death torture and put their most vulnerable body part in it.

I will have to check your profile to find the D's on Tripod's life.

Cheers!

caliesmom · Mar 7, 2012

When I saw you have my cat ...

     ... I almost didn't want to keep reading.

   But yeah it is amazing how much they look alike. Tripod is still trying to find out which sister will accept him 1st. He keeps trying. And I tell him patience is a virtue, women have many ... men have few. We let him have free run of the house last night when we went to bed. It made for an interesting night. Tripod would go back & forth from the livingroom where the girls were back to the bedroom where the humans were. He would talk the whole time. But as soon as he jumped up on the bed, he didn't say a word. He just played with the imaginary mice (our feet). And this went on for most of the night. The more he gets around now, the more we don't think he will need any kind of prothesis. And just by chance yesterday I found out that there is a chiropractor 90 minutes from us that does treat animals. So I am going to put him on our speed dial in case we see that Tripod needs to be adjusted. There was one semi~major fur fight sometime in the night. But not too bad. There will be a few more I'm sure. He is the only boy in the brood of girls ya' know. I think it was somewhere past the 3 hour mark of him playing on the bed that I finally remembered Shadow when she was a kitten. Shadow used to do the same imaginary mice game in the middle of the night too. I think it took about 6 months to get her to finally realize that bedtime & sleep went together. I have noticed today that when Tripod plays with the hubby, they play rough but with no claws. And they both love it. When Tripod plays with me, he doesn't bat me as rough, & also with no claws. Tripod's favorite toy is that feather wand. Not the wand part, but just the feathers. He licks them so much they are as thin as toothpicks by the time he is done. So we might have to buy stock in the feather industry. So all is going well with Tripod. And to think he started out as a throwaway.

sadiecat · Mar 8, 2012

Ahh, you love your Tri so much

It's those HUGE golden green eyes that both of the cats have! So full of enchantment.

You made me laugh about the kittens with the imaginary nice in the middle of the night. Yeesh! Kittens are crazy.

mystiquetyler · Mar 8, 2012

Wow what a touching story. You and your Hubby are

. God bless you both. Tripod is the luckiest kitty to have survived long enough to find you. I can't wait to find out if he ever become top banana.

feralvr · Mar 8, 2012

AW hun, I am so happy for you and your new little baby, Tripod. Heartwarming to say the least :heart3: :heart2: He certainly is making himself part of your family :happy3: Love the happy updates !!!!!!!!

caliesmom · Mar 16, 2012

Life with Tripod has definately been eventful. He has his routine down now. He gets up with the hubby at 6:30. Plays up & down the hall til 8 when I get up. Then everyone lines up for breakfast. All 4 have their own places to eat their breakfast. And Tripod's is pretty close to Shadow & Bubbers spot. So that's a plus. Tripod lays down at his food dish to eat. He sits to drink water, but lays down to eat. He has gained weight since we've had him. After breakfast, Tripod likes to play with the girls, but they aren't quite ready to play with him yet. Calie says he smells

& Bubbers thinks he walks funny

I have to remind Bubbers that she walked funny too when her previous owner had her declawed. Which I am SO AGAINST !!! But I still say all 4 will be bouncing off the walls playing in time. Shadow is the only one that doesn't hiss at him in the daylight. But at night when everyone is supposed to be sleeping, they get along. Tripod is definately a talker. He talks non stop. We have given him another nickname ... Thumper. Because that's the sound he makes in the middle of the night when he is chasing his toys up & down the hallway. After about 2 or 3 naps, then he jumps in my lap looking for attention. Then after about 5 minutes of bellyrubs, I have to remind Tripod that I am not his personal chew toy. Bubbers will chase him through the house, then when he turns around she will hiss at him. And then it's Tripod's turn to chase Bubbers, then she'll stop & they'll both hiss at each other. They do this alot. He plays all day long. And all night long. And yes, he still plays the imaginary mouse game. We had company the other night & the hubby was showing off Tripod to them. And that's when we noticed that everytime the door opens, or someone goes in or out the door, Tripod takes off like a bolt to the farthest part of the house. Can a cat have PTSD ? So definately Tripod has turned out to be a great cat. But he does have his issues. On another note ... I want to start a facebook page for Tripod. He does some of the strangest things. And now with his possible PTSD, who knows? I don't know how to start a facebook page for a cat. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

mrblanche · Mar 17, 2012

The door thing... I wonder if his foot got caught in a door?

caliesmom · Mar 20, 2012

Tripod has been doing very well. The other day I witnessed him & Calie touching noses (a very positive sign). And this morning as he was playing in the hallway, Calie was watching. I think these 2 don't have much longer before they are playing.

Shadow has put him in his place a couple times. Also a good sign ... she doesn't his at him anymore, she walks right past him & they look at each other. Bubbers is a whole other story. Bubbers seems to think she has to fight with Tripod every chance she gets. We monitor the fights & step in when it's needed. The more I watch these 2 go at it, the more I see that Bubbers is trying to teach him that he is still at the bottom. And Tripod doesn't seem to get it. He still thinks he should be top. I think this may go on for awhile with these 2. Yesterday I watched Bubbers egg him on & as soon as Tripod got close to Bubbers, then she took off after him. Pretty soon Tripod turned around & chased Bubbers. During this little "play" Bubbers was growling the whole time. But as soon as they are done, then she is staring at him like nothing happened. I can see that both Tripod & Bubbers take turns egging each other on. So they are both at fault here. Like I have said before, I have patience. So at this point I am not worried about it.

Tripod goes in on Friday for his booster shots. He has gained some weight ... ok more than some. He is pretty lazy too when it comes to eating. He will sit to drink water. But he lays on the floor to eat his food. In the morning after he sucks his plate clean, then he will lay down behind Bubbers & Calie waiting for them to finish. Then he sucks all the leftovers on their plates. Sometimes the girls leave him a bite, sometimes they don't. But at least he can get pretty close to them during meal time. Yet another sign that things will work out eventually. I still think it's cuz' he is the 1st he that the girls have met.

And as for his PTSD, if the door is opened or closed quietly, Tripod is ok. But if there is alot of noise with closing the door, then he is a basket case. So I am going to put a sign on our door to quietly open & close the door. All of our family & friends know that we are cat people. So no one will wonder when they see it. I will post when I get it made. Thanks guys for all your support with Tripod ...

feralvr · Mar 20, 2012

I am happy to read these wonderful, positive updates on Tripod :heart3: It is truly a miracle how you have changed his life. He SO deserves this life after the trauma he has endured. I do believe that cat's can have PTSD. I have two cat's right now that were abused and almost drowned repeatedly (don't want to get into details..... :sniffle:

) but my point is that they are terrified of the "thing" used for their torture. They DO not forget - never. :sobbing: SO we don't really know WHAT happened to Tripods foot :shame: but maybe in time something will trigger in him and you will see a fearful reaction to something that might give you some insight as to what went wrong LIKE him freaking out at the door opening and closing. Very possible ... and how awful that someone didn't try to get him some help IF that was the case. :sniffle:

I am just glad that he is safe and sound in a loving home. Just a beautiful story. :heart2: :vibes:

caliesmom · Mar 25, 2012

It with deep sadness & many many tears that I must report that Tripod got loose on Friday afternoon. I was on my way to the vet with him for his boosters & I had stopped in to give the hubby some good news. He got Tripod all leashed up & gave him hugs & high fives & such. And as soon as hubby put him on the ground for some exercise, a truck went by & spooked Tripod. Poor guy started racing & *poof* like a bat out of hell he was racing through the woods. We all went after him. I saw him climb 2 trees & climb down both trees trying to hide. He was too quick though. This was at 2:00 on Friday. So Tripod has been gone for 48 hours now. I have been back to that spot almost non stop. Today I even went there with enough gear to stay warm (since the winter cold decided to show up for a few days) & my plan was to stay there until almost dark tonight. But no luck so far. We have left his favorite foods, & his blanket. We also left a couple of our blankets, my shirt, & the hubby's coat. That way our scent is there for him. But it doesn't look like he has even been back. We set up a live trap right away & decided today to trip it for the night. Hubby will be back there in the morning & do one last search there. But tomorrow I am going to go into town where I am hoping he headed. I will be going door to door through the whole town. I hope we have enough business cards. I have put Tripod's description on the back of our business card & handed it out to the ones I saw out & about on Friday. I did call in to the Homeagain # & reported him missing. We had no idea that we would have to use his microchip # so soon. So they have done their end. We are not allowed to put flyers up at the businesses, but I will hit every pole I can find a spot on. We trapped Tripod on Feb. 22. And he escaped on March 23rd. So we have only had him for a month. But he had hold of both our hearts since we put him in the car in Feb. I have alerted the police dept, the sherriff's office, all the animal places in town, & within an 80 mile radius too. Hubby says that if we haven't heard anything by Tuesday, he wants to put a reward out. my question is ... how much of a reward does one say? If I had it, I would give 500 or more. But we aren't blessed with an unending supply of money. Just cats. And we are ok with that. Right now, we just want Tripod back home with us. The hubby said that Tripod probably got out of the harness within a few minutes after he bolted. Which would be a good thing right? That means that he wouldn't get hung up on something. The last time I lost a cat, I was 9. I have been crying an ocean since Friday. The hubby is just as upset as I am. He just has a clearer head than me. And I'm lost at what to do now. Any suggestions?

sadiecat · Mar 25, 2012

Oh love, I am so so sorry. I know how much you are in pain right now

I gotta tell you though, that in your story when you said 'hubby put him on the ground and a truck went by...' I thought the absolute worst.

I was VERY relieved to find the opposite

His harness may get caught on something, but cats are pretty strong at wiggling out of things... 1 good thing about the harness being on is that when somebody does see Tripod they will know he is a pet and try even harder to catch him AND he is microchipped !!

Hang in there and just know that in the short time that you knew Tri, you changed his life for the better, forever.

He is strong and healthy and he will be okay!!

Right now he is outside in the fresh air stalking birds and chasing mice and having the time of his life. He doesn't realize that right now his mama is at her wits end looking for him, all he realizes is how wonderful it is to be playing in the dirt.

He may come home, but hun, just know that you did your absolute best for him and will always have a very special place in his heart.

Please keep us updated!!

feralvr · Mar 25, 2012

hno: AW Sweetie..... :bawling:

I am so upset for you, your DH and for Tripod. I will be sending along massive, mega vibes that Tripod will be alright and you will find him soon. I would keep putting out the food, the shirts, the blankets that smell like you and the home. My heart is aching over this and I can only imagine your pain.... :sniffle:

Please don't be hard on yourselves, these thing's happen. So was this outside? He was in the harness/leash outside? Did he run off with the leash attached too or just the harness? Let's just say our prayers that he did get out of that harness :cross: :vibes:

I hope that IF someone sees him with his harness on - they will try to befriend him and get him to you. Can't remember... did he have a microchip yet? Please keep us updated - we care for you all - and are worried for Tripod. I will pray my heart out for the angel's :angels: :angel3:

to bring him back to you safely. :please:

krz · Mar 25, 2012

Oh my, I am just so sorry. I know you are heartbroken. I will be praying for his safety and for his return. Did he run from your property or were you somewhere else? I know you won't give up looking for him.

krz · Mar 25, 2012

Oh my, I am just so sorry. I know you are heartbroken. I will be praying for his safety and for his return. Did he run from your property or were you somewhere else? I know you won't give up looking for him.

caliesmom · Mar 26, 2012

Yes, Tripod is microchipped # 985121011118699. He was last seen bolting outside through the woods with his pink leash attached to his purple harness. He has gotten out of his harness before with no problems. So if he did get caught on something, the harness would come off ~I'm hoping~. We were just south of Detroit Lakes in the woods when he bolted. So we weren't even home. I had just stopped to talk to the hubby before taking Tripod to the vet in town. Yesterday I went back to where he was last seen & set up my chair out there with all kinds of goodies for him. I brought a plate that I give him his can food on & the spoon too. So I was sitting out there tapping on the plate like I do at home at feeding time. It used to bring him running from a dead sleep to eat. Calling for Tripod & tapping the plate. No luck yesterday. And now we're past the 48 hour mark, so today I am off to town to pass out flyers & our business cards with Tripod's information on the back. Going to the Dept. of Transportation today, the police dept, the sheriff dept, the highway patrol, all the businesses in that area, animal control, & every place that deals with animals. Today the hubby is going to call in to the local radio station swap & shop for lost pets. I have already handed out alot of cards, & talked to alot of people. Just so happens that when Tripod took off, the people that run the local taxi service for DL was there at the time. And they have been putting the word out to everyone that gets in their taxi. Today I will be giving them a bunch of posters & business cards too. I called the radio station, the police dept, the sheriff dept, & all the animal places on Friday. So today I am going to keep going. I have lots of goodies in the car for Tripod. And I will have a friend with that can do alot more of the legwork than I can. Posted on my facebook & tagged the ones that I think are close to that area. So if anyone sees him, please call. And yes, I am not giving up. I even called the person that had livetrapped Tripod back in Feb. He may go back there. So she is out looking now too. Mega vibes please guys for Tripod to come back to us. Is there anything else that we need to do?

'

krz · Mar 26, 2012

You were the first thing on my mind when I woke up this morning. I am praying for you! How close are you to the area he used to live and where he was trapped? I was taking care of a stray /feral cat for two years where my husband had a business. He was impossible to trap. So we just took our time and did everything to try and socialize him.

My had had to move so we decided to take the cat with us. After a week, he ran out of the warehouse. I did everything I could think of to get him back, talked to everyone I possibly could and walked everywhere looking for him. Someone told me to go to the old place. I did not see how he could have made it back, he did not know the new place at all because we kept him inside and he would have had to cross two busy roads. But sure enough a week later he was sitting outside of the building under his favorite bush.

I know how dedicated you are to Tripod, I will continue to pray for his safe return.

mieshasmom · Mar 26, 2012

Caliesmom, I am so upset upset along with you. I know what it's like to lose a loved pet. My prayers go out for a safe return of your Tripod!!!! How far is it from where the original trap sight? I agree with TRZ, he may go back there as it was his comfort zone. I know one thing, i'm going to get Tiger and Baby miicrochiped now,as I lost Tiger yesterday too in the house. I couldn't find him anywhere, and I searched every crack and craney 4 times if not more!!! I thought he had gotten out of the house somehow.. So I know what you are going through!!!! Luckily, many hours later, he showed up bigger than h*ll, all happy to see me! So I'm certain you will find Tripod! You are doing everything possible to find him. HE WILL SHOW UP! It's just the time it takes to get there is unbearable. He's out there somewhere. You saw him before you caught him the first time, you'll see him again!! I stiil think his original home is your best shot if it isn't too far from where he got away. And even if it is farther.....cats are smart, the things they can achieve surprises me more and more!! You'll get your baby back!!! Keep us updated so we can celebrate with you when he is returned home!!!! My heart is with you.........Cathy (Mieshasmom)

sadiecat · Mar 26, 2012

I feel so sad for you. You love your little kitty so much.

I'm sure you have walked everywhere through the forest as much as possible.

Silly kitty is probably right there somewhere watching you.

Hang in there.

Tripod's Adventures

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