Long time, no see everyone. I have visited often but haven't had reason until now to post ...
I have had several tame strays in the last year or so and have had them all fixed and found homes for them. As it turns out, they were all from a house a few doors down. The man refuses to fix anyone and will not let me trap, so when they invariably end up in my yard, I trap them and take it from there. Apparently, he takes good care of the kittens and finds homes for some but when they get too big, he puts them outside. I do not know if he feeds them or not.
Three weeks ago, I took the 13th cat to our no-kill shelter, where she immediately found a home. On the way home, in tears, I vowed that the next cat I helped would have to come to the back door and introduce himself. Maybe three days later, a little black cat came to my back door and started screaming! He startled everyone (we could hear him over the TV!)
I was able to trap him and get him an appointment. His front paw was infected (the flesh had been torn off the top claw). After his surgery and antibiotics, I rehabbed him in our shed (in two crates I've cobbled together into an "en suite" I use for rehabbing). He never once tried to get out - he'd wait patiently inside the crate while I gave him food and cleaned his box.
I decided to get him his own house and keep him here. He can't come inside (we already have 6 rescues, so we're full up). The day the house was delivered, he ran out of the crate and disappeared. He was gone for three days. This morning, he came to the back door and screamed for his breakfast. He was once again starving, so I can't imagine where he's been.
When he was finished eating, I walked him back to his new house and found he'd already been in it! His litterbox is in there, along with the straw and a blanket he'd had in the crate.
He's inside it now, with the doors closed. It is actually one of the mini-sheds they use for a chicken coop. There's a little side area where the hens roost but it makes an excellent "bedroom" for him. The big front door is where the litter box is, so it's easy for me to scoop. There is a smaller door at the back with a ramp that he uses. All in all, an excellent house for him.
My dilemma is I can't afford an enclosure right now. My plan is to keep him safe until I can save my pennies for one.
We have room for a large enclosure - at least 15' x 20'. Think that's enough for him? Any other thoughts?
Thanks for any ideas.
I have had several tame strays in the last year or so and have had them all fixed and found homes for them. As it turns out, they were all from a house a few doors down. The man refuses to fix anyone and will not let me trap, so when they invariably end up in my yard, I trap them and take it from there. Apparently, he takes good care of the kittens and finds homes for some but when they get too big, he puts them outside. I do not know if he feeds them or not.
Three weeks ago, I took the 13th cat to our no-kill shelter, where she immediately found a home. On the way home, in tears, I vowed that the next cat I helped would have to come to the back door and introduce himself. Maybe three days later, a little black cat came to my back door and started screaming! He startled everyone (we could hear him over the TV!)
I was able to trap him and get him an appointment. His front paw was infected (the flesh had been torn off the top claw). After his surgery and antibiotics, I rehabbed him in our shed (in two crates I've cobbled together into an "en suite" I use for rehabbing). He never once tried to get out - he'd wait patiently inside the crate while I gave him food and cleaned his box.
I decided to get him his own house and keep him here. He can't come inside (we already have 6 rescues, so we're full up). The day the house was delivered, he ran out of the crate and disappeared. He was gone for three days. This morning, he came to the back door and screamed for his breakfast. He was once again starving, so I can't imagine where he's been.
When he was finished eating, I walked him back to his new house and found he'd already been in it! His litterbox is in there, along with the straw and a blanket he'd had in the crate.
He's inside it now, with the doors closed. It is actually one of the mini-sheds they use for a chicken coop. There's a little side area where the hens roost but it makes an excellent "bedroom" for him. The big front door is where the litter box is, so it's easy for me to scoop. There is a smaller door at the back with a ramp that he uses. All in all, an excellent house for him.
My dilemma is I can't afford an enclosure right now. My plan is to keep him safe until I can save my pennies for one.
We have room for a large enclosure - at least 15' x 20'. Think that's enough for him? Any other thoughts?
Thanks for any ideas.
] is hanging out in the chicken coop. In so far as size: 15' x 20' is bigger than some bedrooms, and cats can do just fine in that size room if they have enough to do. Seeing as Kitty is an outdoor cat, he has LOTS to be entertained by.
