Advice and Support Needed!

[auntie ev]

Hi April!

She does - she sleeps in the tunnel and spends big parts of the day in there with them...I'm hoping I can disguise it enough so that it looks and feels like the same thing. The crate is a little higher than her tunnel, and a little shorter, but as long as she doesn't take a measuring tape to it, I'm hoping that she won't know how I've changed it. It just seems to me to be the easiest way, and most stress free way, to get her in the house.

I'll douse in in Feliway calming spray as well, and maybe put one of my shirts in it, hopefully it will work.

Fingers crossed,

Ev

 

[ape48066]

 GOOD LUCK

 

[auntie ev]

Thank you, April!

Fingers crossed for Rosie!  I'll let you know if I can get thru Step 1, and get it set up without tripping her suspicions...going to try tomorrow

Ev

 

[auntie ev]

Hi April!

Just wanted to let you know that it worked!  We now have Rosie and her kittens safely in my home, and although Rosie is a little ticked at the change, she is eating well & using the litterbox. I hope now it's just a matter of time. Sigh of relief - now the weather can get 'as bad as it wants' and I can easily check on them at any time.

I'll put up some pictures as soon as the kittens are a little more mobile.

Thanks again for your encouragement and support. I can't tell you how much this has meant to me.

Ev

 

[ape48066]

Woo Yeah!! That's awesome and it's good that Rosie is eating and using the litter box.  Now she can get comfy and be an indoor Mommy.  Can't wait to see more pics of those babies.

 

[ape48066]

How are things going now that everyone is in the house?? Did you name the babies yet???

 

[ape48066]

BABY 1.jpg

• ape48066
• Dec 7, 2015

BABY 2.jpg

• ape48066
• Dec 7, 2015

These are Rosie's babies!!  Aunt Ev and myself have been chatting back and forth in a private message and she sent them to me, so I thought I would share them. They are just so sweet!!

 

 

[Sarthur2]

Adorable [emoji]128525[/emoji]. I just read this whole story and enjoyed every single post. Aunt Ev is a tremendously caring cat lover, and she did so well with Rosie and her babies.

Hopefully, A auntie ev will post an update here for us to enjoy. Thank you for the pictures!

 

[auntie ev]

Hi Sarthur2,

Happy to give an update. Rosie's babies are roughly 9 and a half weeks old now. I'd been bringing them over to their new home for play visits every other day, for longer and longer, to give the kittens a chance to socialize without their mom, and to give Rosie a chance to get used to their absence. It actually worked out pretty well. Rosie has been slowly getting used to my house, as I would keep my old boy upstairs and let her explore the basement on her own terms. The kittens loved the 'play palace' the new owners have for them, and seemed to enjoy taking a little trip to go over and play.

We moved the kittens over last night for good. So far their new mom tells me it has been smooth sailing - they have not been making strange, and are pretty playful; eating & everything else is right on target. Rosie cried for much of the night, on and off, but she did also spend some time sitting beside me on the couch - as it turns out she has an interest in tv

I still can't touch Rosie, but she is getting more comfortable being in close proximity, which is great.

I'm hoping to socialize her. She's pretty fearful so I've ordered a 'calm' formula kibble and even have calming litter in addition to the feliway plug ins and acoustically designed music for uptight cats. I also have a carpenter planning to build Rosie an outdoor enclosure so that she can get fresh air safely.

I have read some studies that show that Prozac is a big help for socializing ferals. My vet is willing to prescribe, but by law  Rosie has to be in the clinic for bloodwork etc beforehand. Since I can't yet handle her, that may come, but it will be later on. 

One thing I will mention in case it's helpful to somebody down the road, is that I've also ordered a dvd by Dr. Sophia Yin, Low Stress Handling Techniques; it's all about how to wrap a cat safely so that they can be more easily handled. I'm hoping this will help me, because I have rubber arms when it comes to cat wrangling.

Thanks for your interest in Rosie and her babies. Their new mom sent me some pics today, as soon as I have the chance, I'll put them up. And if you have any suggestions on things that worked with your feral, I am always open to them!

Aunt Ev