New Rescues! (+ Socialising a Feral Cat)

Okay, so I haven't been on in a while, and the reason is that I've rescued a family of cats and kittens (+ one feral that I couldn't say no to..)

I'll have pictures of them up soon, they're the healthiest cats I've rescued as yet! :-) Though I'm pretty sure they were abandoned by someone.. they're white, and no-one leaves white cats on the street over here unless there's a problem (in this case the 'problem' is probably the babies...)

Anyway! They have fleas, and I've isolated them away from my four into the upstairs rooms (which is VERY easy to clean) and I'm bathing them in fairy liquid and a little vinegar, which seems to be working.

The only problem is that the big ginger and white feral is absolutely TERRIFIED of human contact.. he starts shaking whenever I pick him up or stroke him and jumps if you suddenly move to touch him :-( I'm worried that he might make himself sick from hiding all the time, and was wondering if there's anything I can do do make him a little more sociable and friendly? Do I just have to sit by him for a few hours or something every day? I'm really up for anything really, as long as it means that he isn't scared any more!

Another thing, when the fleas aren't moving, does that mean they're dead or are they just scared into not moving anymore? Because I've noticed that after leaving the fairy on for a few minutes, they stop trying to wriggle around and fall over pretty easily. If they were still alive, would they be suckered onto the skin still or?

The first thing would be to get them all to the vet.  Socializing will be so much easier once they are spayed/neutered.  Also it will stop all of the pregnancies and unwanted kittens.  The vet would also be able to give you a better remedy for the fleas.  I don't know what fairy liquid is.

Since you are able to touch and handle the kitties they are most likely strays as you mentioned.  You do not want to allow them time with your resident cat(s) until you take them to the vet for a clean bill of health. 

Thank you for helping these kitties.

indie-n-button said:

Another thing, when the fleas aren't moving, does that mean they're dead or are they just scared into not moving anymore? Because I've noticed that after leaving the fairy on for a few minutes, they stop trying to wriggle around and fall over pretty easily. If they were still alive, would they be suckered onto the skin still or?

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Fleas don't attach themselves like ticks do. Fleas take enough blood in a very quick bite. Then they often drop off the animal till the next meal. If you have fleas on the cat you can have up to 10 times the number in the environment, in carpets, furniture, cracks etc, waiting till the next time a cat passes to hop on to eat. So you must treat bedding and all around where the cats go. They drown in the water/soap quite quickly, but you do need a few minutes. I have seen them recover. The dish soap helps to keep them under the surface long enough to kill htem.

With my at-least semi feral cat I've had for 2 1/2 weeks- I had him in my bedroom with a bathroom off it with the litterbox, water, food- after a couple of days I didn't free feed anymore- I'd hand feed him. Then he had to approach me. I'd sit on the floor, put a trail of some treats up to me, and have the dry food in my hand. Didn't free feed so he'd be sure to be hungry. And talk to him while he ate, or sing a song- anything with voice; got canned catfood and chicken babyfood (irresistable things) in between that he'd have to come somewhat near me to get.
I'd lay on the floor and try to have him come up to be scratched on the cheeks, or behind ears, top of head. I also plugged up the total hiding places so he can still hide, but can see and hear us, and we can see him. Otherwise he'd never come out.
And yes I'd just sit and read a book on the floor in the room.
Once he got a taste of scratching, he loved it, he purrs and purrs with it. Still skittish though.
So now I can put the bowl of food on my lap for him to eat, and he totally loves being scratched and has started coming up to be scratched. he comes into the living room, kitchen to see us and be around us now. Still can't pick him up (yet), still is not sure of standing up humans, still not getting on my lap- but gradually he's becoming social.

Sorry I took so long to reply! They're all been to the vet a few days ago and turns out they have worms (I knew before-hand though because of the 'rice-balls' in their poop). There on meds for that now though, they've gotta continue the meds for 4 days before they'll be worm free! :-)

The fleas are dealt with too, so that's a plus side.

The only thing left now is their ear-dirt? It just seems to be coming back, and the vet said to just clean it with spirit and put in some drops (which I used for 3 days before they ran out!) There WAS pus in their ears, but that's gone thanks to the drops, just this black gunky stuff is left, now, which I regularly clean. I don't think it's mites either.. does anyone know what it could be?

Also! The ginger and white tom is getting a lot nicer :-) He's coming out of his shell and plays a lot! He's still not used to strange people though, like if we get guests over he'll go to hide

I think its mites anyway in the ears.  Try a drop of oil, its a working home remedy.

indie-n-button said:

 
Sorry I took so long to reply! They're all been to the vet a few days ago and turns out they have worms (I knew before-hand though because of the 'rice-balls' in their poop). There on meds for that now though, they've gotta continue the meds for 4 days before they'll be worm free! :-)

The fleas are dealt with too, so that's a plus side.

The only thing left now is their ear-dirt? It just seems to be coming back, and the vet said to just clean it with spirit and put in some drops (which I used for 3 days before they ran out!) There WAS pus in their ears, but that's gone thanks to the drops, just this black gunky stuff is left, now, which I regularly clean. I don't think it's mites either.. does anyone know what it could be?

Also! The ginger and white tom is getting a lot nicer :-) He's coming out of his shell and plays a lot! He's still not used to strange people though, like if we get guests over he'll go to hide

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The ear-infection has gone and since hasn't come back, it's only a little build up f wax every so often that I have to wipe away :-)

But! I'm back with lots of pictures!!

The Ginger one is a little boy called Pickle and he's probably the most confident one out of the bunch!
The mother is called Mano and she's the pure white cat -- she absolutely ADORES everyone and is friendlier than any cat I've ever seen, making me believe that these poor babies were once someones pets :-(

There are two pure white babies, one is called Pepe and the other doesn't yet have a name!
The large ginger and white is a boy and he's called Mango :-) He's getting very confident as long as I have food around for him!

indie-n-button said:

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This reminds me about a book I read a couple of years ago.  It was some sort of  marriage-coupling bureau in India.  And the book a nice one, such a Feel Good book.

Among the matches were also people of different casts - very touchy matter in India, no?   Of course, it may be touchy everywhere, although its not called for  casts...

And someone there told a story which was supposed to be a nice story.  About this beautiful, purebred white persian cat girl, whom sneaked out for a while, and 65 days later had a bunch of   "mixed breeds", the unknown father surely a street cat.  But she was a good mother to them, took excellent care, didnt bothered they werent purebred persians...  And the kittens grew up, etc.

Nice and swell, no?

But then comes the tragical part.   The owner, not knowing what to do with a bunch of kittens, took them all  and carried to the fish marked, and leaved them there to manage on their own best they could...

I presume, it was supposed they would manage nicely among this lotsa of food, fishes etc...  And also many friendly people...

But the author apparently didnt realized what he let the teller describe as a nice doing (he didnt drowned the kittens after all, did he?),  he did really described a tragedy, a heavy sin, yes even a great crime...

So, if a very nice, sympathetic author can write such a thing as something nice and animal friendly,   Im sure abandoning cats isnt rare in India nor Pakistan...

And sorrowfully its not rare in USA nor Sweden either...

Ps  Pickle seems to be a spotted tabby. Not the most common!

could we please see a good pic higher up of his side, and or his back?

Yes, it's very common for people to abandon their cats over here, especially once the kittens are at an age where their owners feel they can 'fend for themselves' :-(

My dad regularly sees people dumping off bags (yes bAGS) of kittens beside the butchers shop, thankfully though, he also sees many people picking them off the street and taking them home. It seems that for every bad person, there are a handful of good, which is something to be a little happy about.

And oh? I wasn't aware that he was a spotted tabby! His colourings are very light though, but I will definately take some more photos today! :-) I'll try and get some photos of the markings of the other big ginger one, too!

Those were the best I could do because his fur is so light! He does still have stripes though, as well as the spots, the spots just form a kind of 'saddle' around his lower torso? He really is beautiful though :-)

Genetically he is probably a broken mackerel after all (ie broken stripes),  but there are quite a few spots.