How do you check to make sure all your cats are counted for?

I didn't even notice I did this until rich asked me how I knew if everyone was acounted for I think in my head, four white, four gray, two orange, one black and one tortie yep all the tails are there! For those with lots of kitties do you just count and make sure the right number is there or do you have a fast way? I like to do head counts at least twice a day because I always worry someone will get out!

LOL Val, I have a system too! It's:

4 cats that were here before kittens (Midnight, Sunshine, Coal and Lil)
6 Kittens (Easily done as 3 boys 3 girls) (Jules, Blondie and Poly; Silver, Pan and Max)
3 Fluffy cats (Sasha, Romeo and Tillie)
3 Abys (Kepi,Titi and Osiris)
1 Phoenix
1 Question

I realized the other day we have a straight run on the alphabet from J through T!

Jules
Khepera
Lilith
Max (Midnight)
Nefertiti
Osiris
Pan (Poly, Phoenix)
Question
Romeo
Sasha (Sunshine, Silver)
Tillie

Blondie and Coal are the only ones not involved.

You must go crazy trying to keep track of all those cats! I was constantly doing head counts when I had six cats for only a few weeks. I drove myself crazy worrying that one of the kids would crush a kitten under the rocking chair. But they all survived unscathed. I suppose after a while you would become used to it and be more relaxed with keeping track of them. I suppose once they outgrow the kitten stage and laze around most of the day they are easier to keep track of.

That is too funny!! Yes, I do head counts, but usually only when we've been gone for a while. Since I have so many pairs, I do it this way and usually in this order:

Alpha's (2 red tabbies): Stumpy and Scarlett
Seniors (2 grey): Bogart and Shep
Kitten-nino's (2 black): Muddy & Koko
Igamu's (2 grey tabbies): Dakota and Sage
The Rascals (red/white tabbies): Spanky and Oscar
The Goofballs (tuxedo & brown tabby brothers): Eight-ball and Tigger
The Bruncle (red tabby): Pinky (used to be part of a pair)
The Busy Guy (red tabby): Bob

I usually count the outdoor ferals each day at feeding times.

If I don't pair them up I always forget a few.

Even though I only have 2, I do a visual inspection before I go to bed or go out, especially if I have had the door to the garage or to the porch open. Both cats have been locked in the garage accidentally before.

If I need to know whereabouts quickly, I shake the treat can. Everybody comes running.

Originally posted by Deb25
If I need to know whereabouts quickly, I shake the treat can. Everybody comes running.

Click to expand...

LOL I use the can opener, for the same effect.

LOl...I do this I don't know how often, I don't keep track. I look for groups...almost all are related, and I know which are buds...rachel and ivy are sissy-poo's, unrelated (except way back since all curls have one known ancestor in common, Shulamith) but best palls, check for the two brown tabbies and whites (bro's who like to sleep wedged together into one mass with 4 eyes)etc.

Of course, calling out names rarely gets a response beyond an ear swivel that means "present!"

Don't laugh, but I keep a list on the :censor::censor::censor::censor:- especially during flea treatment. I make sure that all the cats get dosed with advantage and check them off when they do. Same goes when I worm them, being barn cats part-time they are eating mice a lot. When I feed I do my call out the door and they all come running- I feed the outside ones on the porch and the inside ones in the kitchen. Even Cyclone knows my food call now! LOL My neighbors think I am nuts-

Originally posted by hissy
Don't laugh, but I keep a list on the :censor::censor::censor::censor:

Click to expand...

LOL (oops, I wasn't supposed to do that).....I not only have a list on my fridge with their birthdays (I make them up) and last set of shots, I now have a picture of all of them on a printed Powerpoint slide. It really helps our vet tech when she comes out to take care of them while we're gone - she also gets a printed word document on special needs for each cat. For flea or worm treatments, we make a new list each time and cross them out once we have them done. We also put their appointments on the calendar.

They are our kids afterall!

I only have four but if I can't find one efore I have to leave, I'll call home and make sure that the lost kitty is there when Brad comes home. I've never had one not be there, especially since I've locked one accidently on the enclosed porch before all night. I was terrified when I couldn't find her the next am!

This is not exactly what you asked, but with two cats, I am always checking to see where they are. I know their favourite spots, and go on a cat hunt if I have not seen them for an hour or two. And if I go looking and can't find them, if I call, they usually stroll into the room, looking like "what is your problem, I'm right here!" It just doesn't seem right that I don't know where they are, 24/7.

Originally posted by Momofmany
...I now have a picture of all of them on a printed Powerpoint slide. It really helps our vet tech when she comes out to take care of them while we're gone - she also gets a printed word document on special needs for each cat.

Click to expand...

Really good idea!!

We have an M, N, S thinkg going over at our house

Marble
Moemoe
Misty
nanook
Neo
Nimbus
Stormy
sebastian
Snowwhite

And the rest
Trinity
Ashton
Blizzard
Granet
Lola

Originally posted by hissy
Don't laugh, but I keep a list on the :censor::censor::censor::censor:- especially during flea treatment. I make sure that all the cats get dosed with advantage and check them off when they do. Same goes when I worm them, being barn cats part-time they are eating mice a lot. When I feed I do my call out the door and they all come running- I feed the outside ones on the porch and the inside ones in the kitchen. Even Cyclone knows my food call now! LOL My neighbors think I am nuts-

Click to expand...

That's what I do too...I have a list of all their names, (and I know them all by name) and I check every day to make sure that I have seen all of them and that they are doing okay and have come up to eat.
I have 18 now....

Sheba
Oscar
Phoebe
Lips (named by my friends daughter)
Milo
Sabrina
Patches
Fred
Shyra
Ghost
Princess
Garfield
Tigger
Spike (named after Jenn's Spike)
Bear
Elvira
Buttons
Buddy

And I am very proud of myself that most of them are fixed! And the ones that aren't were born last summer and I will find a way somehow to afford to have them fixed as well this spring. Many of these are (were) ferals who showed up on my farm, either dumped out or never even owned by anyone and some of them took some time to tame, but I think I have a connection with cats...they seem to know I love them and won't hurt them. The last two....Buttons and Buddy...my husband found Buttons in a ditch all by herself, abandoned by her mother, and she was crying and very little, so he brought her home to me...then the next day he brought home her brother, Buddy...he found him in the same ditch...he was almost starved to death. I have those two in the house right now because they are so little and it is too cold outside for them as little as they are. I am hoping my husband will let me keep either Buttons or Buddy in the house for good, since Merlin (our only housecat) is gone. (He crossed the rainbow bridge in May )

Willie is always there, you never miss seeing him, he's just "there". Rueben is most likely on the couch, Marley is probably in the closet sleeping in the hay.

Dawn

Originally posted by Debby

Milo
Fred
Garfield
Tigger
Bear
Buddy

Click to expand...

I have had cats with these names before as well..

I just know if one of my cats are missing, I can feel it.

All I have to do to make sure everyone is accounted for is go in the bathroom. They will all follow me in there!

Originally posted by mzjazz2u
All I have to do to make sure everyone is accounted for is go in the bathroom. They will all follow me in there!

Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth!!! ROFLMAO

hahaha, Momofmany that's too funny that you make up birthdays for your cats! At least they all get their own special day this way. Toby's birthday I know (July 2nd) but for Howwie, I just celebrate the day I rescued him, (Dec 20)