Mandy Is Out On Adventures, And I'm Not Pleased

Feral Mom

Feral Mom

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 11, 2019
Messages
105
Purraise
304
Location
Clearwater Florida, USA
I do understand, i can see why it did not land well in your ear, because my post came out wrong, because I did let my feeling of hope, that this IS going well, the cat had turned up!
override my understanding of how truly awful it DOES feel when your furkid is missing.
I think your little one will be home soon enough, i think so...
but from now til then? hang in there as best as you can!!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #30
Freedom

Freedom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
707
Purraise
430
Location
Methuen, MA
Feral Mom said:
YESSSSSSSSSsssssss!!!! OH i am so happy for you both!! wonderful!! :hyper::yess:
Did she just run into the open door? Did you trap her?
well, guess the important thing is she home safe n sound, whew!!
Click to expand...
I had set the trap about 5 PM; reports said the rain was over with. Did the calling, shaking the Temptations jar and soon. 7 PM we had downpours again. The towel, the sheet draped over the trap, everything was drenched. After my post (#20 bottom of page 1), I shut down the laptop for the night, went out one more time to do the calling / shake the jar routine. But never did. Because when I got out there, I saw the trap was closed.

I was cautious lifting the sheet; you never know if you have a wild animal. IT WAS MANDY! I gathered everything up and brought in. Not until I had the trap IN the breezeway, and the outside door closed, did I feel all the tension go.

Took the trap to 'her' bedroom, set it down, and Crystal was right there sniffing. Opened the door and let Mandy out, closed that bedroom door for 2 hours to keep the other cats out, let her settle. Of course she walked out of the trap and bolted to her hiding spot in that room. After 2 hours I opened the door for the night. I gave her small amounts of food every hour x 3 before going to bed for the night. She is skinny and cleans the bowl in one go. She has some catching up to do. Small amounts, as I don't want to overwhelm her tummy. Each time I walked past, she was up on the cat tree gazing out the window . . . planning her next venture perhaps? I hope not! Booted up the laptop to post and let you know she was safe.

I slept 10 hours; I had some catching up to do as well!

Today I fed her 3 times before noon, and twice since. She's still eating everything up in one sitting. The other cats must have checked on her while I slept, as I haven't noticed any changes in anyone, it's as if she never left.

And each time I enter the room she bolts to her hiding place, same as she's done for years. I wish I could pet her and feel her over, but with Mandy that sort of thing does not happen.

I returned the trap to the MSPCA and got my deposit back.
 
Feral Mom

Feral Mom

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 11, 2019
Messages
105
Purraise
304
Location
Clearwater Florida, USA
OH what a sweet ending, how absolutely lovely!! :heartshape::sunshine:
How smart you are, to wade into feeding her.:rock:
I wonder if one of the "slow-eater" dog bowls would help her slow down a bit,
but come to think of it, i guess rapid eating is not harming this cat..

Now, your other cats, they DO allow petting, right? and Mandy watches that, but still doesn't let you pet Her, is that right?
I only ask,
because one of my ferals who went 2 years without letting me touch her,
did observe me petting a stray,
and soon after that? that feral did learn by watching, and now lets me pet her. ha, it's true.
and i know she was a true feral, since i knew her feral mom and knew her from birth onwards. Cat was never touched in her life. but saw me petting a stray,
and got on board with that!:petcat:

but i guess all cats are different.
I had a friend who took in a feral, and that cat was 10 years without being petted! haha! :catrub: That cat eventually did, however, relent and allow brief petting. That cat lived in and out, going in and out as she pleased. :chessirecat: My friend was less a worry wart than i am i guess.

does Mandy play toys with you? Now I am curious about Mandy, haha!:lol:!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #34
Freedom

Freedom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
707
Purraise
430
Location
Methuen, MA
The others are tame, some sleep on the bed with me others choose not to. Some play with toys, others have one toy only that they interact with. Some roam the house, stare down the dogs with that Clint Eastwood "MAKE MY DAY" face, others choose to avoid the dogs. 4 different personalities for Mandy to observe. At one time I had 11 cats (hazard of rescue) so Mandy has had many opportunities to observe and emulate if she wished.

She does not play with toys and never has. She does not like the other cats entering "her" bedroom, and will start a fight if they get too close to her. She does not like me, or other people.

Mandy has been this way for 12 years, I trapped her at age 6 months. She spent a year from age 2 to 3 with a friend who is also in cat rescue and something of a 'cat whisperer,' after a year she gave up, and she wanted to release Mandy as a barn cat, at a barn which already had a large number of cats. I've heard stories of them tearing apart a newbie with house smells, she'd been inside for 3 years at that point, so I said no, and I took Mandy back. Guess she is just set to be Mandy and no one else. I do feel bad for her, but she is safe, well cared for.

When I trapped her, I trapped her brother also. The rescue insisted they be separated even though I said no. Her brother is the only cat I ever trapped that I lost track of. (most were TNR, returned to the colony, so I could follow them too). A month later I again trapped a brother and sister, again the rescue said separate them, I refused, left the rescue and kept both. Tommy and Tuppence both tamed up. I still have Tuppence; Tommy passed last year. I really believe Mandy was not ready to be apart from her brother, and that has a lot to do with it. But who knows. Feral Mom Feral Mom
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #36
Freedom

Freedom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
707
Purraise
430
Location
Methuen, MA
Feral Mom said:
How smart you are, to wade into feeding her.
I wonder if one of the "slow-eater" dog bowls would help her slow down a bit,
but come to think of it, i guess rapid eating is not harming this cat..
!
Click to expand...
Mandy doesn't normally eat like this. She has been hungry for 5 days, so she is catching up. When I say she is cleaning the bowl . . . I am giving her small feedings. Cat, dog, human, if you are overhungry and gorge, then you throw up. I don't feel like cleaning up, so I'm being selfish, feeding her small amounts but regularly. And that will end today. Tonight's feeding begins the normal routine around here.

I haven't seen any indication that eating fast is an issue for her.

There have been a few times, with different pets, that I've really wanted to 'talk' to them, to know what they are thinking. Mandy is one I always wonder about and wish she could communicate. I guess scratching and biting has been enough communication for her, lol, I know to keep my distance!
 
K

Kflowers

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 28, 2018
Messages
5,779
Purraise
7,620
I know the rescue logic is if you break the bond the cats have the cat will have to bond with the person who adopts them. This is, of course,
insane. If you break the bond a cat has with another cat you teach it that bonding with another living being is foolish and the path to heart ache. It's the same with people.

Glad you save Tommy and Tuppence. I believe that Maude is happier with you, who understand her than she could be with anyone else.
 
Mamanyt1953

Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
31,333
Purraise
68,301
Location
North Carolina
It is uncommon (although not so much here) to find a person who is content to let a cat be just who she is, to care for and nurture a cat who shows no affection or much trust in return. We are lucky to have people like you working with difficult animals.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top