Suddenly everyone's gone-& in this weather! Help/thoughts appreciated!,,,,

[ondine]

I remember rushing my outside kitty to the vet's last summer.  He hadn't eaten in two days and I was frantic.  The vet examined him, said he still had some fat reserves and it was probably too hot for him to feel like eating.  A light bulb went off over my head.  If your kitties have been like mine, they ate plenty to stock up for the winter.  You have done all you can to facilitate that.  It is critical for them to remain warm now - and eating may come second.

You need to ease up on yourself a little - you already know the fibromyalgia responds negatively when you're stressed.  Take a deep breath, give yourself some points for helping and worrying and then try to relax a little.  You being sick isn't going to help them at all!

I am praying for all the cats outside in this weather.  May they survive in health and may their caregivers not go absolutely bonkers in the meantime!

 

[kittychick]

AMEN!!!! I've made myself sick over this --headache,, sore throat, ----------know it's to do with worrying about our gus. It jus seems SO cool and wondering if they can gt to water. ARGH!!!!!!! . Suire with they enjoyed the taj mahal of feeding stations and heated water hbowls we're offering!!!!!!!!!!

 

[shadowsrescue]

I have made my IBS flare up with all of the worry, crying and total lack of sleep.  Hopefully each hour that passes here today will get better and better.  I know I am a worrier and when it's out of my control it just makes it worse.  Lots and lots of prayers for all of the kitties.

 

[Willowy]

Mine disappear when it gets really cold too. I can't imagine they aren't eating at all. . .maybe they found a food source closer to where they hide? I don't know. Or maybe they do stop eating when it gets really cold, IDK. Seems to me they'd need the calories to burn but I don't know how that works. I've never lost a feral in the cold, so I guess they know how to stay warm. They always show up again once it warms up a bit. They don't use the shelters I provide either. I just had to learn to not worry about them too much. They know what they're doing.

 

[ondine]

I forgot to say that that summertime visit to the vet cost me more than $200 (blood tests, etc.)  So I've realized there's only so much I can do and if I can help it, making myself sick isn't going to be part of that.  Hard not to do, though...

 

[kittychick]

Does anyone have ANY idea why they do this? We provide such a great set up (just short of being inside) - and yet they barely come to eat once it snows a bunch or gets really cold? I just dont get it. Tonight my husband did see Blackie briefly shoot out of a shelter, but she hasn't come back (she's been in and out when we've been around before, so it shouldn't be like we scared her out for good?!?! I also put small ramekins of extra fat, a little dry food, and meat net to each shelter - and the one next to the doggloo as picked clean - but no sign that anyone had set foot in the dog gloo shetler. So now they all even have heating pads - and I checked that all are dry. I just don't get it?!?! Theyre not even eating their regular food. Any thoughts? Other than they do it on purpose to see if we really care (kidding!!!!).

It's so cold we actually had TWO BIRDS find their way into our house (explain that - all doors and windows and flues are shut?!?!) We got them out humanely - and I put some peanut butter covered ceral in the driveway - which is now gone. Poor anything outside - this is GOD AWFUL! Even my husband gets teary thinking about Flick out there in the -40 weather!!!

Any insight into this behaviour??????

 

[kittychick]

Behaviour of the cats, not my husband

 

[astrael]

My current theory is that the cold affects their hormones, and with the way they're metabolizing fat stores in this cold, it might be interfering with their appetite and even energy levels. Best I can guess, anyway.
 

Chances are they might have been allowed into another shelter with some other ferals through the worst of this. More bodies means more warmth for all of them, and most put aside grudges through such rough weather. Hopefully now that the worst is past, they'll return to their routine and you'll have some peace of mind.

Believe me, I know it's hard not to worry. My husband's grandma, who never even liked animals much all her life, has spent all night awake worrying about our little Kira. When you know a life is hanging in your hands, you just can't get it outta your mind. So, while there's nothing more you can do right now, just send warm and loving thoughts their way (and maybe make sure non-frozen water is available). They seem to have a way of knowing just how much you care. But hopefully, they won't show it with dead "presents".

 

[shadowsrescue]

I have read that when the weather is very cold, animals need to do everything they can to conserve all their energy.  The energy needs to be used to keep them warm.  Although eating will give them more energy, it also takes energy to get to the food, eat the food and then digest the food.  So most cats will find a warm, secure cozy spot and not more until absolutely necessary. 

Neither of my two regulars ate much during the cold spell.  By late yesterday they were very hungry.  I even left dry food out for them last night and they ate most of it.  They will make up for it the next few days. 

 

[kittychick]

We woke up to a new one--------birds!!!!!!!! The inside of the kitty feeding station was packed with birds inside & out? The heated water bowl was littered with feathers & feces.....and the roof of the station was covered in crows!!!!!!! (Wish I'd taken a pic). We pulled all the soft, cleaned the water, put handfuls of makeshift bird food down the driveway (cereal mixed w/peanut butter., dried berries, cornmeal, etc & tossed the mixture into the driveway.) we then put soft only back in the feeding station, on top of a snuggle safe disc.....1/2 hour later-birds were eating the soft stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're trying to figure out how to stop this!!!! I made more homemade bird food but put it much further down by the street.

Maybe I'll start a new thread-but this has thrown US!!!!! They don't even seem deterred by soft. They're obviously frantic (as judged by the 2 in our house-that's still a dead scratcher---all flues closed, etc.---as to keeping birds away). I don't want them to starve either but....

So we were excited that food had disappeared a bit overnight, but now wonder if it was birds

Thoughts on when kittens might come back (SO worried about flick in particular) & how to cut down bird eating from their covered station! Help!

 

[msaimee]

I have occasional problems with birds getting into my cat's bowl of dry food, too. Two things have helped. Cut a piece of a cereal box to fit around three quarters of the perimeter of the round cat bowl, two inches higher than bowl. Cover the cardboard piece with aluminum foil and secure around the bottom of the bowl with large rubber band.  Something about the foil and the fact that it's a pain to get to the food discourages most birds from getting at it. It won't work the starlings. With starlings, you have to not put out any food for a week or two until they leave. It works with all but the most clever sparrows. Also I sometimes place a ceramic bear cookie jar in front of the bowl which will scare some birds off for at least a while.  

 

[kittychick]

Thanks everyone for suggestions/thoughts! 

We still haven't seen any of the guys...but we finally did see multiple sets of kitty prints in the snow this morning and most of the food was gone. So we don't know who/how many are back,  but at least it's a positive sign!! It's funny that it almost seems as though they have internal thermometers that tell them it's ok to roam again once it hits 30 degrees again. 

And luckily it seems as though the starlings were deterred by just turning the feeding station entry so that it backs into the wall. Fingers crossed it continues to work!

 

[kittychick]

OH MY GOD!!!!!! THe day of the thaw in NW Ohio (2 days ago) ---not only did all the "regular" TNRs return (Flick, BLackie, Big Ray) ---two of the cats we'd TNRd over the summer PLUS (unfortunately) 2 we'd never seen before showed up and not only ate but used all 3 of the shelters!!!!!!

They're all eating like crazy  - but they're back with and then some!!! Yeah!!!!  Obviously there's something instinctual about that extreme cold/snow that  makes them go somewhere else (why they wouldn't use heated shelters, shoveled pathways, and great food including constantly replenished hard and soft that we kept microwaving to keep from freezing) also led them back once the weather cleared up ?!?! So all of the houses are full again - and the food is disappearing at an almost alarming rate. And Flick (the one we're really attached to but can't get too near - no shock) actually came onto our deck and looked into our back door, and even sat three feet away while I filled the bowls with food...and even ate ham/ham fat I tossed to her without even the slightest bit of alarm.

So for now - all's back to normal and even better!

Although, sadly, shows we didn't get them all when we TNRd this summer. Guess we've still got work to do. But wanted to let those really kind folks who offered so much support that - yeah!!!! - they're back!!!!!!

 

[shadowsrescue]

 
OH MY GOD!!!!!! THe day of the thaw in NW Ohio (2 days ago) ---not only did all the "regular" TNRs return (Flick, BLackie, Big Ray) ---two of the cats we'd TNRd over the summer PLUS (unfortunately) 2 we'd never seen before showed up and not only ate but used all 3 of the shelters!!!!!!

They're all eating like crazy  - but they're back with and then some!!! Yeah!!!!  Obviously there's something instinctual about that extreme cold/snow that  makes them go somewhere else (why they wouldn't use heated shelters, shoveled pathways, and great food including constantly replenished hard and soft that we kept microwaving to keep from freezing) also led them back once the weather cleared up ?!?! So all of the houses are full again - and the food is disappearing at an almost alarming rate. And Flick (the one we're really attached to but can't get too near - no shock) actually came onto our deck and looked into our back door, and even sat three feet away while I filled the bowls with food...and even ate ham/ham fat I tossed to her without even the slightest bit of alarm.

So for now - all's back to normal and even better!

Although, sadly, shows we didn't get them all when we TNRd this summer. Guess we've still got work to do. But wanted to let those really kind folks who offered so much support that - yeah!!!! - they're back!!!!!!

I am so happy they have all appeared.  I bet it is great to see those that you haven't seen since summer.  I always find that my already TNR'd ferals always bring me new helpless souls.  I also think I have an invisible shingle that says "All Cat Welcome Here".  Maybe it also should say "All Creatures Welcome Here" as I feed the birds, squirrels and occasional deer too!!  The racoons also seem to get their fair share too.  I hope you can get to the new comers before kittens arrive! 

I have no idea why they all leave during the worst of the worst weather.  It causes such a worry.  Yet, they must know where to go to survive.  The heated shelter my DH and Ds built went unused during the terrible cold, yet now that it has warmed up, they are using it.  They just needed time. 

My hope is that the winter will quickly dwindle away!!

 

[kittychick]

THanks for the encouragning words ShadowsRescue!!! It was heartbreaking to see the food go uneaten for days in that deep, deep snows, and very tough winter subzero weather ---as you said - not even the heated houses!!!!

But like you, I think we have a shingle outside our house too (but we swear it reads more like:   all stray cats welcome! No place too small or too unheated and cold to utilize for your bedroom. So please - survive!

 

[dahlia]

Great news that they all appeared again!!!