Where's Puff??

[Bibette & Lulu]

Bibette was at the patio door all evening - peering out the side window into the dark; jumping onto the arm of the bench we have there, straining to see what was outside; poking her head behind the shade on the door window. The only thing that gets her that worked up is a critter on her property :eek::eek:. Turned the spot light on and looked out myself - nothing moving and no new paw prints in the slowly disappearing snow. Then we learned that the neighbor next door was moving out - landlord let another neighbor know the renter was to be out by today (3/9).

The neighbor (who lives directly across from the house in question) reported seeing the people who were moving out the furniture take two cats. Now we are wondering if Puff was one of them.

So - who's Puff? She a member of that household, but she's the one who was let out daily - or probably insisted on going out (insisted as only a cat can :rolleyes::rolleyes:). I discovered her roaming around my large garden that is our backyard last summer. She came up to me on the deck and was looking for pets and attention. She came up to me readily and let me pick her up. Not sure if she was supposed to be outdoors, I carried her up to the house next door and knocked. The young woman who answered said, yes she was hers and cat's name was Puff (she never did give me her name) and that she had two others but they were indoor cats. She took charge of the little ragamuffin and that was that.

Over the summer I would find Puff in the yard, sleeping on the sunny side of the Arborvitae or hanging out on our deck. She would come to me and enjoyed a pet or two. My furballs were on the other side of the windows carrying on, hissing and making a general nuisance of themslves as they made clear their feelings about this interloper!! One morning I realized that Puff had been closed inside our garage for the night - I had left the door open when I went out - noticed the light was on when I returned (automatic door opener with a sensor at the base of the door that turns the light on if someone or something crosses the laser beam). Didn't think anything of it until the next morning when I became aware of my overnight guest. She came in once or twice more but I've been more careful not to leave the door open. Little Puff paw prints have appeared in the snow (when we've had some :rolleyes:). But now I wonder - did they collect her and take her with them last night or is she out there somewhere looking for her Mom?

She's a little disheveled domestic medium hair tabby with quite a purrr. We've discussed (B&L's Mom1 and I) if she is still hanging out, should we try to bring her into our fold? I'm afraid that Lulu, our senior member who has an "attitude" may give her a hard time or turn a cold shoulder on us; and Bibette, the youngster, will either go into complete retreat or the two of them will end up in fisticuffs. No good place in the house to set up a "time out" room. But our other option is to take her to the local shelter where our two came from, and give her a chance at finding a furever home.

So, keep Puff in your prayers - whether she's hanging out in our yard or is checking out territory in a new home - I'll miss her little fuzzy face peering into the window if its the latter :(:(.

B&L's Mom2

[catmandu]

:(
That is I think our worst nightmare that some one would steal one of Our Cats.
We pray that Puff shows up and will be your Cat again.:love::love:

[Bibette & Lulu]

:(
That is I think our worst nightmare that some one would steal one of Our Cats.
We pray that Puff shows up and will be your Cat again.:love::love:

Oops - clarfication needed. She's not my cat but belonged to the gal next door who just moved out. Puff had adopted my back yard as her Queendom and I was afraid when the took their last load they may have left her behind.

So far not sign of her and the house is empty.

[cassiesmom]

Dear Puff, wherever you are, I hope you are safe.

[phesina]

Prayers for dear Puff that she is safe and well.

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[kitten645]

I agree with everyone. Prays that she is a valued member of the family and she is adjusting to her new home.

[Bibette & Lulu]

Looks like she must have gone with the gal who moved out. I walked my property this morning, looking at the disappearing snow piles and the bulbs that are starting to push up some shoots. But no kitty. The house next door is definitely empty. I do believe she'll be a survivor and find a special place to enjoy as her own!!

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.

B&L's Mom2

[lizbud]

I know how it is to become attached to a "outside" cat, even if it's not your own.
Gets so you know them & their habits just like you do your own. Hopefully Puff was one
of the two that were taken. Still, it would be nice to know for sure.

[mrspunkysmom]

I know how it is to become attached to a "outside" cat, even if it's not your own.
Gets so you know them & their habits just like you do your own. Hopefully Puff was one
of the two that were taken. Still, it would be nice to know for sure.

This is how I acquired Callie. Her home was the woods across the road, so I'm not really poofing. I admit that I got attached.

[Bibette & Lulu]

Puff showed up this afternoon in the garden, hunting some critter that must be borrowing the ole 'chucker hole. Purring and rubbing up against me. I put out some food and water, which she sniffed and then headed up to her old home. Didn't want me to carry her (she gets a little snippy if she's not ready to do what you want her to) - so I just let her be. Saw her chowin' down later when I was getting ready to head out for an orchestra rehearsal. When Lois (Mom1) and I headed out later to the concert - no sign of little puff.

When we came back about 9:15, she came out and let Lois pet her. Then she sat at the edge of the patio while we were going in. I needed to put Bitty into "time out" in the big bathroom (otherwise she shoots out the door when we're getting Lois and her wheelchair inside). Couldn't leave Puff outside - not with that soulful look she gave us - so I carried her in and set her down. Checked out the cat box that's just inside the door and started moving through the house. Lulu (our senior member), watched her from the sidelines - no growls or anything. Puff found a small throw pillow on the futon in the den that's kind of tucked in between a small Canadian rocker and another bigger pillow, curled up and is quite comfy.

Let Bitty out and she still hasn't figured out Puff is inside - she's been making the rounds of the windows and doors. Oh well - it's a wait and see now!!!

Still can't believe that gal just abandoned her and didn't even try to check in with us about looking out for her. I'm sure Puff's the reason our chipmunk population took a dive last summer, so she does know how to hunt. And while she's a little scrawny, she's been fed. Oh well -looks like a trip to the vet is in order - and a definite claw clipping (she got me earlier today when she had her little hissy fit).

Keep us in your prayers - I'm hoping that I don't have to peal someone off our sheers on the back picture window before the night is over:):):)

[phesina]

Oh, thank God.

And thank you folks for taking her in.

:love::love::love::love::love::love::love::love:

[mrspunkysmom]

Awesome and sad at the same time. The lady could've asked you if you wanted her. Or it could be that they didn't move far and Puff was let out. Not too smart in my book. Or Puff hid while they were doing the packing.

Awesome because I believe Puff has found her true home. She seems to prefer your home to theirs. Thanks for bringing her in. :)

[Grace]

Cats know where, and with whom, they want to live. Puff picked you - she knows you'll do right by her :love:

[Catty1]

Happy News!

Looking forward to news of her vet check. Having been a hunter, she'll need a dose of Revolution at the very least!

Welcome home, Puff!:D:love::love::love:

[Scooter's Mom]

Thank you for looking after Puff! I hope your vet visit goes well. Hope to see pictures, soon, too!

[mrspunkysmom]

Cats know where, and with whom, they want to live. Puff picked you - she knows you'll do right by her :love:

They sure do. Callie had been trying to get in for a few weeks before I brought her in.

You probably gave Puff more attention this whole time than her previous owner had.

[sasvermont]

Awww. Poor Puff. I don't understand people. How could one just leave a cat? They must be creatures themselves.

B & L, you are such a good writer. I love reading your posts. They are such fun and so colorful. Do you write?

I hope Puff fits into your arrangement and things run smoothly for you all.

Please do keep us posted on the events, as I am sure there will be a couple. Hope the curtains make it through as well!;)

[Bibette & Lulu]

Awww. B & L, you are such a good writer. I love reading your posts. They are such fun and so colorful. Do you write?
Please do keep us posted on the events, as I am sure there will be a couple. Hope the curtains make it through as well!;)

Thanks for the kind words, sasvermont. Must run in the family - my brother as Phred :) Haven't quite got the "critter-speak" down yet - but we'll work on that. B&L themselves are a little shy.

So - Everyone's still in one piece (including us hoomans:D ...and the curtains). Puff hasn't moved much since she came in last night, except to roll herself over and reposition. Spotted her grooming a few minutes ago (yeah :):)). Everyone's aware of her presence and where she's hanging out. Here are some pics (I hope):

Shucks - have to go back to the instruction thread and relearn the process. Back shortly.

B&L's Mom2

[Bibette & Lulu]

Okay - let me se if I can do it now:

52935
Check out the paw!!

52936

Prett specia little gal - who could leave her behind :confused:.

Catch you all later for the next insallment.

B&L Mom2

[sasvermont]

She looks so sweet and relaxed. Almost relieved. It is so nice of you to take her in and care for her. I hope her vet visit is a positive one. I also hope she fits in nicely. Fingers crossed. So you had no fights or confrontations last night? That's when the lurking happens and things go bump in the night. It certainly sounds as though you are through the hard part. Have you left the time out room kitty out?

I love the photos of her. No, I cannot take her. Just kidding. She does look like a real love.

Keep us posted.

:)

[momcat]

Puff is absolutely beautiful! What a lucky kitty girl to have found her furever home with you. How could anyone leave a sweetie like that behind to fend for herself?

Welcome home, Puff. You're a PT kitty now and you're going to get the very best of everything. Prayers are being prayed that your visit to the whitecoat goes well. Wishing you many years of love and companionship with your new family.

Could I ask you to give Puff lots of lovies from me? And a generous round of lovies to her new fursibs :love: :love: :love:

[Grace]

She's lovely, and appears very content in her new surroundings :)

[Bibette & Lulu]

No "lurking" or "bump in the night" - but quite the little hissy fit when Bibette came a little to far into "her" room - I'm the one wearing the bandaids!!! Clearly, Puff is not one to tolerate intrusion into her space if she doesn't want t deal wth it. We're wondering if she would be better in an "only-cat" home - but it's all new yet. I do want to get those claws taken care of - their as sharp as daggers. And given her temper - it ain't gonna be me clippin them :eek:

She is pretty and soft. Got some brushing in before the confrontation. She seems to feel safest in the den - I'm just hoping she understands the use of the kitty box I have set up in here :rolleyes:

More later.

B&L's Mom2

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'll never understand people who leave their pets behind.:mad: I'm so glad that Puff found you again and I hope that everything will work out well.:) She sure looks comfy in her new home.:) It could take any where from a few days to a month or more before everyone in the household gets along and or tolerates each other. Good luck.:)

[Karen]

So is the a polydactyl? Looks like it in the first picture, anyway. such a pretty, soft grey gal, here's hoping she makes progress settling in, and that the two resident felines agree.

[Grace]

So is the a polydactyl? Looks like it in the first picture, anyway. such a pretty, soft grey gal, here's hoping she makes progress settling in, and that the two resident felines agree.

It does look like that - wonder if the Vet charges more for an extra clip or two :D

[Catty1]

She is so beautiful and looks so soft! I think once she feels more secure and that she is at Home that she won't be so defensive. Lots of big changes for a little kitty girl!:D

Any ideas on her age?

[Bibette & Lulu]

It does look like that - wonder if the Vet charges more for an extra clip or two :D

I sure hope not :eek: - it's expensive enough as it is!!! I just hope I survive getting her into the carrier :rolleyes:. Karen - we count six on her front paws. Talked to the owner of the house today - his wife was very upset that the cat had been abandoned - but I assured him she would stay with us or we'd help find another furever home if this doesn't work out. Needless to say, they jumped ship owing him February rent and left the place a mess. I was kinda hoping he would say they were going to sell it - but they plan to try to rent it again. He's not having any luck reaching her - so we'll never know what she's had for shots or care.

Couple more pictures:

52941

She sure is long :D

52942

Couple growls - but the other two have given her her space and haven't been too mean to us.

Pray for another quiet night :)

[phesina]

What a pretty girl you are, Puff!

[smokey the elder]

Aww, Puff, you're so pretty!

[Bibette & Lulu]

Okay - I need some help. Puff's been in the house now since 9 PM on Saturday. She found her place in our den and has been pretty much sleeping since she arrived. I set her up with food, water and a cat box right next to her futon bed. I know she will eat the dry food (we use Science Diet) as I saw her chowing down outside on Saturday, before we brought her in. I expect that her pevious owner pretty much put her out for most of the day and brought her in at night - so she's probaly used to doing her business outside. We, however, prefer our cats to be indoors and I haven't been too happy with the large garden that's our backyard being her personal litter box!!! She wandered out of her little refuge this morning (got Bitty's hackles up in the process [Bits went to the time out room for a spell]) - wandered to the back door, looking out and checking back with me - then she checked out the living room before heading back to her spot on the futon. Reminded her about the food - but she just curled up and went back to sleep.

Contacted the White Coats House, but no appt available until 10:30 Wednesday that doesn't conflict with other appointments we already have.

Guess it's a wait and see. She's on pretty high alert when I sit down to pet her, watching the door to see if one of the other furkids is going to come in. But she's purring and generally seems content.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks. B&L's Mom2

[Catty1]

You can try the kitten training thing - put her in the litterbox, take hold of her front paws and make scratching motions in the litter with them. Hopefully she'll get the idea. She may not know she can "go" in the house.:)

[cassiesmom]

She's beautiful! Prayers that either she will be a purr-fect sister for Bibette and Lulu, or another ideal home will b e found for her.

Edited to add: Cassie didn't take anything in or put anything out the first couple of days she was home with me. She just hid under the love seat (where she still likes to take a nap!).

[Bibette & Lulu]

Okay - now she's been eating some of the dry food I gave her :D. We're getting somewhere. Stopped to get some more cat food and picked up a bed and a toy for her - she immediately moved onto the bed and snuggled right in. Toy - well, it's there. Bibette, on the other hand, was a little bent out of shape when she smelled the catnip in the air and wanted to check out the to -- NOT A GOOD IDEA:eek::eek:. A bit too close to the growling "monster." So I gave her some of her own loose catnip and put it on her ball and scratch toy (the one pictured in our avatar). Tried the "kitten training thing" but nothing "out" yet.

So, we're up to 48 hours and no catastrophes and no major fisticuffs :rolleyes:. Tomorrow is another day and we'll see what it brings.

Night, all. B&L's Mom2

[Bengalz]

She's so lovely - thank you for taking care of little Puff. I'll bet she gets quite used being loved and cared for - probably quicker than one may think;) It may take a little time for her to understand house rules but it will come.

When Eve first came to us, she was so tired and stressed from tearing around the neighbourhood and fending for herself, she slept and slept (usually on one of our laps). When I gave her toys to play with she ignored them until I played with her. It was then that I realized she did not know how to play:( she had been an outdoor cat and spent her time hunting and defending herself. She nows has a huge basketful full of toys and drags them around the whole house.:D At first she was protective of her toys (still is to some degree:eek:) and would spend time in the night carrying all her toys into our bedroom - she had to know where they all were and bring pressies to mom and dad:D

Eve was very tentative about her litterbox. She is extremely fastidious and has never had an accident in the house. But she would cry to go outside when she needed to go potty. I had to take her into her bathroom and sit and talk to her so that she knew it was OK for her to use the box. The funny thing about this ritual (Dad calls it girl time in the powder room:p) is when she is outdoors now and needs to go potty she runs into the house to use her litterbox then proceeds back out onto the deck to resume her wildlife vigil;) Smart little kitty:love:

Aren't cats wonderful??

[Bibette & Lulu]

She's so lovely - thank you for taking care of little Puff. I'll bet she gets quite used being loved and cared for - probably quicker than one may think;) It may take a little time for her to understand house rules but it will come.

Aren't cats wonderful??

Thanks, Bengalz - yes, they are very wonderful!!

I certainly agree that she is recovering from her time in the garden. She really hasn't tried to get out or to insist on going out. She has a wonderful view from that window out on her former domain, but she seems content to just watch it all. She's taken a few saunters out into the living/dining room and looked out hose windows - but she just heads back to "her" room and stretches out again. She loves to be petted and is quite the purrer. When she was making her way back into the den and had to pass by the chair where Bitty was sacked out, she growled, hair down her back came up,but she lowered herself and slunk back into the den - as soon as she was through the door, she stood back up straight. Bitty watched her go by and just stayed put - 'course I was reminding both of them to mind their manners!!! The two resident cats seem to be tolerant of Mom's little project!!! She's pee'd but not poops yet.

We're off to the White Coats tomorrow and I'm anxious to get her talons trimmed - they are quite the weapons :eek:.

Ta ta for now. B&L's Mom2

[Bibette & Lulu]

We all survived the trip to the White Coats. I pulled out the heavy leather gloves and poured her into the cat carrier. Only a few peeps on the way over. A very hefty growl for the first technician who took down what information I had on her and we both decided we'd wait for Dr. Ms White Coat to do the rectal temp :eek: Dr. Ms White Coat arrived with reinforcement who donned the "falcon gloves" and they went to it. All in all, Puff behaved herself and no swipes at anyone. Since we don't know her vacination history, she's got the basics. FLV test pending. Got meds for the deworming. Checked for spaying scar which was noted. Teeth in okay shape with some tartar. General opinion is that she's about 5 years old. Hips are fine but there's some stiffening of her hind legs. No bugs on her or in her ears. Clean bill of health, at this point. Suggested I try some hair ball goo to grease the skids, so to speak - and we've had success :D.

Waiting for word on the FLV test and will return for Distemper booster in 3 weeks. At that time, I'll have her microchipped. So, looks like we're a 3-cat household now :):).

Thanks everyone for your encouragement, advice and prayers. I'll check back in a few weeks with an update thread.

B&L&P's Mom2