Look What I Found When I Came Home.....

Originally Posted by laureen227

i bought some really cheap towels at dollar general for my ferals... i put them in a large rubbermaid tote, turned on it's side w/the open side to the deck. it's not great, but they all snuggle in there together. plus, it doesn't get quite as cold down here... you might check at your local cheapy store for cheap blankets that you wouldn't mind leaving under the house! or maybe goodwill or salvation army would have cheap coats? anyway, just an idea...

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I don't recommend using towels, blankets, etc because those keeps moisture in. From my research regarding how to take care of ferals and strays, it was written repeatedly that straw is the best way to go.

One example is "Consider surrounding your cats' shelter with bails of straw. Did you know that straw is a fabulously efficient insulator? Homes insulated with 18" wide bails of straw could save 75% on heating & cooling costs. Just think what that could do for your cats!"

Another comment- "Alley Cat Allies recommends the use of hardwood shavings (no cedar or pine), straw or fake sheepskin as bedding in the shelter. "Never use towels, blankets or sheets because they retain moisture," says Holton. Scroggs places bed sheets made from cut Mylar,â€[emoji]8482[/emoji] a space-age product that retains body heat, in her shelters. These sheets can be found in the home section of department stores and are easily cut to size."

Check these links out regarding how to keep ferals & strays warm in the wintertime- hope these helps..
http://www.pacthumanesociety.org/core/WinterShelter.htm
http://www.petfinder.org/journalinde...cats/1.5.1.txt
http://www.alleycat.org/resources_care.html#5

He looks CUTE!!! Keep it up!! He's lucky to have you Robin taking care of him.

Thanks for the great ideas. I could throw some hay under my house to keep the cat warm and insulate my house better at the same time! This house is always so cold.....that's why I try to insulate the vent covers every year to try and keep the cold wind out from under the house. Of course, that doesn't work too well when there's a cat who keeps pulling the vent covers off!

Well I saw my boy again tonight. When my daughter came home from the store tonight, she said, "That cat is out there by his bowl waiting for dinner again."

So I went out there and sure enough....he was sitting there in the shadows out on the driveway from where he had run off when he saw my daughter. I called to him and he came right to me. I was petting him and he actually snapped at me for some reason. Fortunately, I had on a long sleeve t-shirt....so he just caught the sleeve and not my arm. But he didn't run off. I think maybe he has a sore spot on him somewhere and maybe I touched it by accident because it wasn't like a "mean bite".....it was more like an "ow that hurt" bite. I still need to be careful of him though because he IS stray and I don't know anything about him or his history.

Anyway.....I filled up his bowl and he meowed a "thank you" and proceeded to attack his dinner.

That's what it sounds like to me Robin, like you touched an "ouchie" Poor little guy. He does sound like though that he is trusting you though, and that's great!

How is your back?

Originally Posted by Pamela

I don't recommend using towels, blankets, etc because those keeps moisture in. From my research regarding how to take care of ferals and strays, it was written repeatedly that straw is the best way to go.

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yes, that's probably better since you're going to leave it under the house. i take in the towels when they're wet & wash & dry them. that would be difficult in your situation!

Originally Posted by kittylover4ever

That's what it sounds like to me Robin, like you touched an "ouchie" Poor little guy. He does sound like though that he is trusting you though, and that's great!

How is your back?

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Yeah I think he is beginning to trust me more. He won't come to either of my daughters.....just me. It's funny that he's beginning to come to his bowl every afternoon about the same time and sit and wait for me to feed him.

My back is terrible. I called in sick to work today. There's no way I could be on my feet for twelve hours with this pain. It's actually more in my neck.....at the lower part of my neck where that "bump" is.....where the upper back meets the neck......but the pain goes down into the middle of my back between my shoulder blades. When I first get up in the morning, when all the pain medicine has worn off, it hurts so bad that I can hardly hold my head up. I'm off work again tomorrow, so I'm hoping that with two more days of rest, it will begin to feel better.

Awww, pain stinks. Believe me, I know! I hope it gets better soon!

I think this guy can tell time! He's been waiting by his bowl every day this week at about 5:00pm. That must be his dinner time. He's also getting more affectionate each time I see him. Tonight when I went out there carrying the food and squatted down beside the bowl, he just started rubbing his head all over me.....he was SO happy to see me. (of course I am feeding him which is probably why he was so happy to see me) He is also becoming a little more "talkative" when he sees me. He's such a sweetheart!

I need to think of a name......I can't just keep calling him "the big orange boy." He needs a "tough" name since he's such a tough guy......like Jake or Rocko.... LOL

Originally Posted by KittyKook

I think this guy can tell time!

He's been waiting by his bowl every day this week at about 5:00pm. That must be his dinner time. He's also getting more affectionate each time I see him. Tonight when I went out there carrying the food and squatted down beside the bowl, he just started rubbing his head all over me.....he was SO happy to see me. (of course I am feeding him which is probably why he was so happy to see me)

He is also becoming a little more "talkative" when he sees me. He's such a sweetheart!

I need to think of a name......I can't just keep calling him "the big orange boy." He needs a "tough" name since he's such a tough guy......like Jake or Rocko.... LOL

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Just melts my heart Robin everytime I hear you say how he's beginning to trust that your not going to hurt him, that all you want to do is love him. I'm sure he wants to be loved and love someone too. As for a name, I think Pipsqueak is fitting! LOL

Oh this little boy is getting braver by the minute isn't he!!

And to be giving you headbutts is just brilliant!

Originally Posted by kittylover4ever

Just melts my heart Robin everytime I hear you say how he's beginning to trust that your not going to hurt him, that all you want to do is love him. I'm sure he wants to be loved and love someone too. As for a name, I think Pipsqueak is fitting! LOL

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Pipsqueak! Oh yeah.....that's perfect! NOT!

What's the name of a tough guy who was living on the streets who turned out to be a sweet guy just looking for love? I can't think of any right now.

By the way.....I've got to make a run to Petsmart today.....I'm running low on kitty food now that I have an extra mouth to feed.

Originally Posted by KittyKook

What's the name of a tough guy who was living on the streets who turned out to be a sweet guy just looking for love? I can't think of any right now.

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I know I know!!! JERRY!!

Hunk, or maybe Homer,...

Originally Posted by kittylover4ever

I know I know!!! JERRY!!

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Your husband's name?

I think you should call him Tiny! You know, like in all the gangster movies, the gigantic thug is always called Tiny.

Originally Posted by mamacat

I think you should call him Tiny! You know, like in all the gangster movies, the gigantic thug is always called Tiny.

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That's good! I also thought about Guido.......you know the thug who is always supposed to break your thumbs?

Originally Posted by KittyKook

Your husband's name?

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Yep, Jerry is my husband!

Erik, as in Erik the red? or Leif for that matter? (I'm in a norsey mood, lately)

Originally Posted by KittyKook

That's good!

I also thought about Guido.......you know the thug who is always supposed to break your thumbs?

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I dunno, Guido makes me imagine him in a velour track suit, leaning out of the side of his Trans-Am while he drives, and listening to Vanilla Ice... Maybe that's just because I grew up in Queens though...

Rum Rum Tugger!
not original, but i like it!