Frodo is Out!

[opilot]

Frodo, the Siamese Snowshoe mix I took from the
shelter (on spec mind you!) has found his way outside.

After 3 months of indoors with me, it became clear
he was going to be semi tame but never really tame.

I still cannot touch him, but he is not afraid of me.
He never was, he just didn't want touching...

He slowly inched out the pet door (which was left open)
2 days ago. He vanished after a few hours of lounging,
sniffing and investigating the yard. I feared he was gone
for good, but then, 24 hrs later, after we had a heavy rainstorm,
I was out calling my Frogita and Goose and Diablo, and lo and
behold - Frodo appeared!! Where he had been I do not know.

I do know he stuck round that night, last night, and came in
the basement slider doors when I left them open due to
threats of rain...

He has not yet (to my knowledge) come in via pet door again -
but he HAS been all over the deck sniffing again. He ate there
this morning when he appeared at about 8 am, I brought him out
food to eat, and left him in peace. He ate, went back down the
stairs, and sat/lounged in the yard... Then at noon - off he went
for a wander to cooler/better shelter places...

I left the pet door wide open last night - I heard vigourous
scratching in the litter box, it could have been him. Both my
Diablo and Frogita were on the bed... so, he may well have
been in the yard and/or out on the deck...

I am praying that as the summer wanes to cooler weather,
he will slowly but surely begin to come in side for shelter.
He will be my in/out cat that requires little in the way
of maintenance or friendship from humans...

He is beautiful, with a snowshoe face and lovely crystal blue
eyes. Big, solid but graceful. A gentle cat with kittens and
not agressive with other cats...that I know. I hope and pray
he will leave my Grey Goose alone and perhaps be friendly...

He knows Goose's smell, and Goose knows his, though I never let
them mingle too freely...

Anyway, I will keep yo all posted. Prayers and vibes that he
tames more, now that he has his outdoors restored to him.

He was truely depressed and miserable being inside. He
is much happier and more relaxed now that he can go outside...

 

[bella713]

I hope it all works out with Frodo and he realizes he should come home for TLC and food and shelter.

 

[cc12]

When the fall comes around you may have an easier time. With all of the birds and insects around it is hard to keep them in.
I hope he realizes he was living the good life sooner rather than later.

 

[opilot]

Oh YES I am SOO HAPPY. Frodo came IN ON HIS OWN and
STAYED IN this morning till daylight! Yayyy...

So Frodo has learned to use the pet door (well sort of, I did
leave it propped wide open for entry) and b) came back inside to his "safe"
room and even JUMPED the babygate in front of it to go IN
the room and check for food, and visit with Baby....

He knocked it over sometime during the night - I don't know
exactly when but maybe round 5 am?? I got up to hissing under
my bed, and saw Baby running for her life to the kitten room,
when I got there the gates were knocked down, so I put
her back in it, and put the gates back up...

When Mom got up at 7 am, there he was in the kitten room!

AND then when my Mom took the gate down
he came out and went back outside with Mom this morning, ate his
meal on the deck and went off for washing, wandering and
snoozing...

Not quite like my others eg non petable, BUT he
allowed himself to be let in/out AND waited around clearly
*expecting* food from us.

so it appears yes, he has learned he can come in for safety to the house,
and that no one will chase or hurt him there... if he feels
threatened he can come in and hide upstairs, LOL.

Big gaint baby cat!!! Now if only, if only, if ONLY he would let
me pat/approach him. ... Does anyone know of a case like mine?

Eg cat comes in and out but doesn't want to be petted, but
then does tame eventually?? I would LOOVE to hear encouraging
words/stories... Anyone??

 

[opilot]

Frodo made a huge breakthrough yesterday night. He came out, after
hiding all day somewhere not in my yard...

so he appeared at 8 near my front door - popped up and looked at me,
then at the door, it was clear he was possibly wanting inside...

I opened and called and he came toward the door, then stoped
on the walk. So I propped the door open, and stood aside inside,
and YES HE DID COME IN

Then we negotiated the dinner bowl - there was stuff it, he
ate, and then wanted more, so I inched into the kitchen past
him - he backed up a bit, till he figured I was only getting
him food - gobbled it up, then ran upstairs to check out
Baby (he was with Baby for 3 months).

Baby was fine they visited, and then he came back
downstairs meowed to go out. Repeat in reverse, prop
door open back ways ... and out he goes!

He went off a trot, to where I know not. I did not see
him this morning waiting for bfast. But I suspect he
had good hunting and will be here tonight for dinner
and a possible nap.

So this is a total feral kitty as far as know, never
been a house kitty, and he is learning to trust me when
I open the door to come inside! Amazing...

I still can't pet and maybe never will, but he knows enough
that he knows he can be inside and rest secure from other
kitties, he knows he can eat inside and he knows Baby
is here to visit.

He hasn't figured the pet door out yet, I do not know
if he will... it seems very hard for him to get the hang of
pushing the flap... if I prop it open he comes and goes,
but if he has to push it... well he's a bit confused about
that part...

Nevertheless i am pleased to see him in the house.

fingers crossed he sticks around the area, coming home
each night for a dinner and visit...

If he does, and doesn't get chased off the turf... I'll
be so so happy. Big vibes for Frodo fitting in with the
resident cats of the hood, and the bully cat NOT bullying
him!!

 

[opilot]

Yayyy! I am so relieved. Frodo came back last night to the patio/deck
and investigated the sliding door. He seems to sort of have the pet
door issue - he has checked it out but can't figure out how to operate it..

I have my finger crossed! He showed just before a storm hit, so I
kept both him and Frogita and Diablo in with Baby. All the cats did
alright - Frodo was pretty relaxed - he ate and rested while it rained.

He wanted to go out, but when he saw the rain and heard it
through the screen door, he decided to stay with us...

I let him and the other kitties back out once the rain passed.

He trotted off, and I have not seen him since that time.

Of course, he probably has a night shelter spot, and who knows?
He may be spending time on the deck or in the back yard area...
Just that when I am asleep and do not see him...

But I was heartened that he has returned here every night but one
since he went outside... and each time, rather than EAT outside,
if given a chance he has entered the house to eat...

Big grin...

One day when it gets colder perhaps he will STAY inside for a night
of sleep and rest...

My poor goosie who doesn't seem afraid of Frodo but is not fond of
him either, showed later in the evening... he was dry so he is
sheltering somewhere too. He was quite hungry so I fed him
lots of good chow, petted and then let him out when he wanted...

Frodo has gotten on with Baby, sniffed Frogita's butt and been
hissed at, and gotten quite close to Diablo (who hissed at him and
scared him silly!!). I haven't seen him interact with Goose.

However, there have been no "fights" just a live and let
live detente...

fingers crossed this works as planned and Frodo beings to take
steps towards becoming more affectionate and "tame". He
truely would be a lovely cat, if he were just pettable. I could
find him a good home in no time flat...

 

[opilot]

Well, another night with Frodo! He and Goose showed up at approximately the same time last night round 11. I worked late, and wasn't home at 8 which is when I usually see Frodo come round for his "feed".

I was worried about Goose and Frodo both, but then it turned out no need to worry! Frodo "followed" Goose in I think. Goose doens't like him, but he
follows Goose everywhere... like a shadow at a distance. Like he is learning
from Goose where to go, to survive etc...

Goose at first, was loved and petted. Then I let him out, and
saw Frodo approaching from the same direction Goose had come.

I called him inside, left the door open for him to wander in... he came
inside, but was meowing and plantive. I think he was looking for Cody, the
nice gentle male cat I'd had him with to help him adjust to live inside the house when we first rescued him...

After a bit of wandering and mewing in the house, Frodo settled down
to eat with Baby. He got a good feed, and then I let him back outside.

Off he went again, in the same direction he usually does, to I think cross
to the horse farm fields and march over to the barns. I believe that is
where he goes to sleep at night and/or during the daytime. coming to my house for a solid feed and some rest when needed.

Send prayers and vibes that he and Goose come to an agreement before the cold sets in, that he can shelter in the house along with Goose. Goose was never an outdoor only until the weather got warm, then off Goose went.

Now with Frodo around, he doesn't like coming in the house at all! I get hisses from him when I take him upstairs to the area I keep Baby and Frodo (or kept them).... I will have to work on Goose to show him that there are no cats there any more!!

 

[addiebee]

I love reading about your work with the ferals. Here's hoping that Frodo continues to come around in every sense of that phrase.

 

[opilot]

So bad news last night. The grey cat that has my cats terrified,
came out. Poor Frodo was chased away! He did not come when
I called nor did he come inside. I put food in the front and
behind and on the deck, to make sure he had a chance of eating.

Poor guy!! He didn't get much of a chance. I also left the pet
door wide open in case he went up on the deck area,
to check it out.

When I got up this morning, the food on the deck (wet) was
gone, the wet and dry in front was gone, and wet and dry
on the ground in the yard was gone. So Some One Ate It.

Just don't know if he got any of it

Or if he came in the house.

My cats were there on the deck all 3, Frogita, Goose and Diablo.
This is unusual and tells me that they were holding off
grey guy.

Grey guy is a puzzle. I THINK he is either a) abandoned or b) his owners
ignore him. He is NOT FERAL as I have petted him tentatively and he
is not afraid of coming up to me. But not fixed either.

I shall do the dirty deed once I can trap him.
It will help with his agression. i think he keeps
wanting to mate my Frogita - but she's fixed
so no chance of that!!

I will leave the pet door open once more tonight. I know
now where the Frodo hides at night and in the day, in the
sewers near my house. I saw him there at twilight,
and it is the direction he takes when he leaves the house
after being let out from eating...

So I will go and call down them, and
try to get him to come home to me. Praying that he
understands my calling to him, is a signal of warmth,
care and food... if he comes to understand that then
he might answer my call like Goose and Frogita who
almost always come when called.

Lets cross fingers he comes in this time. I would love
to see him eat and relax and may be go under the
bed upstairs to sleep in his old room. Know he knows
he will be let out when dawn /daylight comes he should
not be so worried about being inside.

I still don't understand his meowing in the house,
unless he is seeking Cody cat. Cody was sort of
a buddy for him, and I think he is missing Cody.

 

[opilot]

Well NO Frodo sightings in 24 hrs. I'm worried.

Grey guy was out last night, and Frogita was with him, she's
the only one not cowed by him.

Goose didn't show, but he did show up this morning for food
and pets, then out again he went. But no Frodo

There was a rain storm/T storm, and I left the pet door
propped open last night for easy access in case it
got wet. I don't know that Frodo didn't come in during
the night, but food in the house was not touched, so I
think he didn't come inside.

I'm worried. Vibes that I see him tonight please? I'm working
late till 9 pm, so he may not come tonight either. I've
left dry chow out for him, and the others incase he
shows...

Grey guy needs a snipping, and is friendly (ie pettable). I
think he's someone's stray and/or dumped out cat.

I was thinking I need to trap somehow and get to a vet
for a snipping and rabies/distemper shot. I hope my
plan to catch can be exectued soonest. I worry about him!!

To top it off, I've heard I'm to move back ot my old place
of work, (which I wanted because its closer to home) so
I won't have as much time to blog on this site about
my cat adventures.)

On the plus side moving back to work at the old site
will let me get home sooner and be with the cats
more. So I am happy about that...

 

[opilot]

Frodo hasn't been seen in 48hrs. I THOUGHT I heard a cat in the house meowing (Frodo style), but that was Monday night. And I didn't see or hear him Tuesday night. I got home late, and stayed up late, but no show.

All the food in the house and out side was eatn but that could have
been (outside) a coon or possum. I have both that come to eat sometimes.

The food IN the house (and there was lots down) was eatn cleanly,
and the wet outside was gone.

I put more out today, we are expecting rain, and I HOPE and PRAY
he goes to the "tent" city in the yard to shelter.

The "tent" city is a piece of plywood across 2 saw horses, drapped in
double layers of tarp, with straw underneath. It is comfy when
it rains, you stay dry in there. I hope to goodness he goes in there.

He knows it is there, and that he can shelter there. If raining
during the daylight or evening hours other animals don't go
there. So he should be relatively dry and safe if he stays there.

I wondered if he had found the horse barn, he definitely has
been in the pasture across the road from my house (spotted there
a few nights back) and all he has to do is travel a straight line
to get to the barns. About 1/4 to 1/8 of a mile or less, no
distance at all. My Goose goes there all the time, and there's some
barn cats that live there...

Pray and send me vibes that he comes inside and shows himself
to me?

I left the pet door open for him last few nights - so he knows to come
and he may be coming later in the evening like 1 or 2 am - once I'm
safely abed and my cats are safely out roaming away from the house.

He could be coming just to eat, then heading out to some "safe" spot
to rest. I just wish he could come in and rest safely.

Send vibes!

 

[opilot]

Frodo makes progress! Yes, ok yes. He meows to come in and out, spends time at the front door / stoop, stays in sides sometimes, AND LETS ME PET HIM! In fact he LOVES pets outside!!! Only if I don't approach him from the front, of course, then he shys away. but he did it! And I got to gently lift him under the belly and pick him up a short distance!! WOW

This kitty is becomimg WAY more socialized. Eventually I think he will be enough social that I could ask Siamese Rescue to help place him.

YES YES YES!!! I prayed for this, I shall continue to pray for him to become even friendlier!!! Go FRODO!

 

[opilot]

Frodo is an amazing boy. I connected with his former caretaker and got more of his story. He lived in a cul de sac neighborhood area, with a care taker who fed the ferals / strays of the area. Sadly, in this area there were many who moved and left behind animals... Frodo was the off spring of one such litter. The caretaker helped trap and get them fixed.

One day the hood decided that the cats were using the sandboxes of the kids for litter boxes and had to go! Instead of putting covers on the sandboxes (so they could keep out racoons and bird dropping and the
stray rabbit or two ya know?) they trapped all the cats and send them to the shelter. Unowned ones with care takers were caught unaware.

Frodo almost died. He was at the shelter for 3 days before his caretaker's friend found him there. He was terrified. Hissing and cowering in his carrier.
Vicki kept him in her bathroom, because she had no room for him to be isolated in. Finally, she asked if I would take him and try and tame him.

I was very doubtful but I said I'd try. He came in with runny eyes and a possible URI, which he promptly passed to the other kittens/cats in his
room. But company helped him - he liked the other cats, they make him less afraid.

He hid for the first few weeks, but slowly came out to play with string toys. Once that happened I had hope he was not a total loss. So I kept at it.
I gradually allowed him to roam the house, and stay out in the house when I was home (to supervise interaction with my crew of cats).

Slowly I began allowing him more freedom. Until the fateful day I decided to open the pet door and allow him to go out. As you know, he did not disappear or run away, he scouted the territory, followedmy other cats around and gradually became more at home.

Now - he comes and goes by meowing at the doors, I expect him to be at in the morning - when its nice I let him out, and he asks for it... when it
is not nice, he stays inside. He has not mastered my pet door, for which I cannot say I understand - as he has observed the other cats going in/out it...

Maybe one day he will get a light bulb flash and figure it out, LOL.

He allows me to pet, but shys from direct hand coming at the head, but if I pet from behind, he ADORES it. He even purrs sometimes out side. He doesn't allow as many pets inside - is more skittish, but he still seems to
be very relaxed.

I am not sure how he will react to my BF (this is new behavior and the BF hasn't seen it yet) in the house. If he doesn't run away, well and good - I believe we may be on the road to finding him a good home.

What made him decide to trust me? I don't know. Maybe the simple act of giving him his freedom to go outside? Or watching me with the other kitties getting loving? Or maybe all along he was a gentle loving cat, well socialzied by the caretaker and driven into his shell by the trauma of trapping, fixing, neutering and the stay at the shelter??

I will never know what made the lightbulb go in his head, but let me
just say, there's nothing more magical. I hope and pray (and invite you all to hope and pray along with me) that Frodo continues his progress towards tamness. If he can become a love bug, then he will be a candidate for
Siamese Rescue to find him a loving, understanding home.

He is a wonderful boy, if a tad shy. I never in my wildest dreams thought
he'd come to blossom so greatly. I guess with love patience and understanding, he has decided that this human isn't so scarey.

 

[trixshar]

So happy to read that Frodo returned and is making such progress. I know how you feel about gaining the trust of a feral. A few years ago I accidentally trapped a momma cat when I was trying to trap the remaining kitten of two little darlings I found on my doorstep. I had her spayed, but she was so wild, we could barely put food into the cage with her, and she "sang" all night when I went to bed. (My bedroom was the only cat-free place I could keep her.) Finally, when the rainy season was over, I released her, promising to feed her for as long as she came by my house. Over the next year or so, she came by from time to time to join whatever stray cats I was feeding. Last year we had a breakthrough. She decided to follow the example of an abandoned but very friendly & affectionate fellow and started accepting pets. Now she not only comes when I call, but winds herself around my feet & loves her petting all over. And she seems to spend all day on my property.
So now, if she doesn't come around for 24 hours, I panic and imagine the worst.
Feral or "tame", these little furballs have such power to enmesh out hearts.

 

[opilot]

Yes, they do have the power to capture you.

Frodo has become what he would have been had he been born in doors -
a loving cat. I see every day improvement, and less and less fear
more and more confidence.

He has begun to fit in with the others after a rocky start, he is on
the bottom of the pecking order, LOL.

He is still never going to be compeletly at ease with humans, but
HIS humans he will be affectionate and loving too - and he will come
when called. He knows my "special" cat call I use to summon in the
fur babies I own.

All in all, if he would only learn to use the pet door! That would
make things quite perfect. Unfortunately, he doesn't or won't
or hasn't made the connection - despite seeing all the OTHER cats
doing it!! Well, one day I hope he does, LOL.

Meantime, I will continue to play with and love him, and hope for the very best outcome. Ideally I'd like to find a family in my county that lives in the country and will let him be indoor / outdoor - as he is happiest that way, and also as it is not as safe as I would like in my location for cats.

I dream of moving in with my BF one day, on his 5 acre parcel of land,
where the cats would have lots of room to roam without encountering cars...

Okay gotta go now! I'll keep everyone posted on Mr. Frodo's journey to
"tame"

He is doing so so well. He even asks me for pets sometimes, and occassionally RUBS up on me

 

[opilot]

Frodo continues to behave nicely. Today when it was going to storm, I went out and called him in from the yard - and he promptly (once he heard thunder and felt rain!) came up the stairs to the sliding door where I let him in!

He let me pet him inside, still shy about the head rubs, but loves
the full body pets from behind

He went up the pet tree and settled down to nap, waiting for
weather to clear! Isn't that sweet? Now he STILL can't figure
the pet door out, and I am at wit's end about that, can't be leaving it
open in winter, but hey, maybe he'll spend more time in in winter??

I also saw him interacting with my Grey Goosie - Goosie had at first
not liked him, but now they seem to calmly get along. No mutal grooming or anything, but they sit near each other eat near each other etc. Signs he isn't considered a "threat" to Grey Goose. And I've seen little Frogita bop him with her paw in a play attack

He tolerated it and was deferential to her wee whims!

He eats well and has gained some weight and I think he is a completely
happy cat now.

Such a change from the frightened lonely cat
I got from the shelter!! He has by and large forgotten his fears and
become much more relaxed....

Now, the bad habit for which he was rounded up and sent to the shelter : digging in the sandbox - he has transfered to my front mulched over lawn
area, LOL. He seems to find that the ideal non litter box area. Doesn't much bother me, as he is quite fussy and buries things, and usually only pees
there. He does poop elsewhere I guess...

So I think he is going to stay. One day I hope he will risk jumping on the bed to sleep with me. But I think that will take some time coming...and one day I hope to pick up and hold. We are slowly working on that!!

Frodo oh Frodo you are a mellow loving boy who doesn't roam far from
the food and shelter, knowing how bad it can be out there!!

Meantime, Grey Intruder - whom I've seen since June, showed up 5 days ago in a state of starvation all skin and bones. I grabbed him up, popped him in the basement in advance of a bad storm - he has been there since, eating, sleeping and gathering up strength and healing from whatever had put him down.

He has put on a small amt of weight, but given how dreadfully thin he was, this isn't saying much.

He goes to the vet in the am on Monday. For a rabies, a feluk/aids test (vibes he is neg for Luke and AIDs!!!) and if we can do it, a spay/neuter jobbie. Tho he may not be up to that surgery. And of course, we are checking for a systemic infection of a wound, I think he has in his cheek/throat area. It is very very puffed up, like he has mumps but on one side only... hence thought it is an infected abscess...

Good luck to Grey Intruder please! We will name him, and once he gets clean bill o health I plan to release back outside or try to find a better home.
He bothers my Grey Goose - I think because he is non neutered. Once neutered he might be much less of a threat and less aggressive too.

 

[cc12]

Good luck. I hope all goes well. I am glad Frodo is back and happy too.

 

[opilot]

CC thanks for vibes. Grey Intruder IS FIV positive

But luckily not Feluke. So we will neuter and nurse to health
and then either a) release or b) keep with the herd.

Most people say not to release, but it will depend entirely on
how he does as indoor only and his agression factors.

He was quite a dominator tom, but I think he will be
nicer once fixed to other kitties and less "dominating".
He is very very sweet and gentle to people - the vet
told me he was great having his blood work done.

It should help with agression if he is neutered
and if he IS released back,
it will mean less fighting if I can also supply food and outdoor
shelter that he "accepts" (on my deck for example).

I could have had him PTS but I thought - you know, FIV isn't
the death sentance that Feluke is and is much harder to
contract and pass to other kitties, and if he is going ot be around -
I can care for him if and when he does get sick. Many times the
well cared for kitties never do get sick. Or are healthy for many
many years.

I know my other boy Grey Goosie was being scared off
home by this boy, so perhaps the fixing will reduce the
amount of fear Goosie has. All my cats walked in some
manner of careful round this boy, tho he never seemed to
agress against them...

Ah well. One life maybe saved. Meantime, trying to find a home
for Bengal Boy - the rescue from the Burger King. Either a dumpee
or an escapee - my money is on dumpee. How horrid. He has
had perfect box manners with me, but for one time, the 2nd time,
it was a too small box and not really peeing out of box...

He really isn't a bad boy at all! I hope I can find time to get him
checked for a chip. It would be AWESOME if he had one!! And
we could get him back to owners who were missing him....

 

[cc12]

Oh that is a shame. FIV is still not something you ever want to hear. Hopefully you can contain him on your property so that no other cats get ill. Could it be a false positive?

 

[katie=^..^=]

I'm sending lots of vibes for Frodo and Grey Intruder.

This is a wonderful thread so full of love and caring.