I have a porch kitty

[catnapper]

Look who I found is living under my front porch!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/kimmel101/Fosters/dilutetortie1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/kimmel101/Fosters/dilutetortie2.jpg
(Sorry the photos aren't the greatest. I was happy to just click these two!)

I have to go out again and put out some more food and fresh water. Poor thing. She won't let me get too near her, but she doesn't run from me either. I can tell she wants to trust me, but I haven't fully gained her trust yet.

She's small - so I'd "assume" fairly young. HUNGRY! And her belly is rather low and swings --- kittens? I can't see under the porch to see if there are any kittens here yet - perhaps she is still pregnant? We had kittens and a mama cat living under the porch exactly two years ago. Grant had boarded it up, but apparently she found a way to un-board it. ;) There's a hole large enough for her to squeeze in where a board was pried away. Smart girl.

She's so very pretty! A dilute Tortie with what looks t o be the softest fur. No collar, and since she fears people so much I'd bet she doesn't have a family.

[smokey the elder]

Poor kitty. If she's preggers then she'll be having kittens in the cold.:(

[catnapper]

Originally posted by smokey the elder
Poor kitty. If she's preggers then she'll be having kittens in the cold.:(
Not if I can help it. I have already e-mailed the rescue I foster for, to see if they can help me set up a humane trap and then check to see if the kittens are here or on their way. If she tests negative for everything, she will be my foster (and her babies) since she was my porch kitty. :)

[jazzcat]

Aww Kim, that is so great that you will foster her and her babies. Prayers on the way that you are able to catch her and she is negative.

Fingers and paws crossed here!

[catcrazylady]

Thank you so much for helping her!! What a beauty! I hope you can trap her soon and if she has babies I hope they are all ok.

You know I have porch kitties and I look them in the eye sometimes and just wonder what has happened to them in their lives to make them so mistrusting. I would probably rather not know!:(
Keep us posted on this pretty girl.

[catnapper]

I went out to give the tortie more food and fresh water - she's eaten at least three times what I feed my boys! and as I placed the bowl of water and food down, I noticed she wasn't under the steps like she's been all morning, so I whispered softly "Oh, sweetie, where are you?"

I got an answer! The answer was (in a male voice) "I'm right here!" :eek: I almost fell over.:eek: I stood up, and looked over the tall bush blocking my view to see a utility guy standing at the utility box making repair work! I then had to explain why I was out in my socks and no shoes on a chilly morning calling for my sweetie... goodness I was caught off gaurd. :o

Well, no wonder she wasn't around, because the utility guy was right in front of her hole under the porch. I hope he didn't frighten her away permanently.

[catcrazylady]

ROFLMBO!!!!:D :D :D I almost wet my pants with that story!!!:D

Don't worry because I'm sure she will be back as soon as your "sweetie" leaves!!!;) :D :D :D

[Felicia's Mom]

Good luck with your porch kitty. Your "sweetie" story was funny!:D

[pitc9]

That was funny!!!:D :D

I'm sure she'll be back!! (for more food):p

[QueenScoopalot]

UH oh...I took one look at the pics, and thought she's nursing! Too thin around the middle, and a voracious appetite = kittens. :rolleyes: If you put catnip down near where you can see her when she rolls around, you'll be able to tell better if she's nursing, and how many. It will be obvious which nipples are being used, so it also gives a good guess on how many little ones are under the porch. Then it's time to get that trap, catch mom, then fish the kittens out by using a good flashlight, and a butterfly net. I'd work fast before she up and moves them to another nest. P.M me if you need tips, or help! ;)

[rinkrat]

Haha! That's such a funny story. I probably would have been shocked myself to hear an answer. That guy must have a good sense of humor. She's very pretty. If I had a porch (which I hope to have someday) and I had a cat move under my porch, that's what I'd like it to look like :D

[AmberLee]

:D *snirk!* What an unexpected answer.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you, and the tiny furry family!

[Traice]

My heart stopped for a moment wwhen I saw her picture. she is the image of Nesta. Nesta was in her position five years ago when an angel rescued her and her kittens, and for that I am grateful. Thank you for caring for this little girl.

[lizbud]

catnapper,

:D Funny story about the utility guy. Bet he told that story
all day.:D LOL.

I hope you are able to to keep on feeding this poor, scared
little one. Helping her & any babies would be fantastic. :)

[lady_zana]

She's so beautiful. She looks just like my Grey Girl did...before she fattened up of course. Sometimes those porch kitties make the best pets. Once strays realize where the love (and food) is, they can't seem to get enough.

[leslie]

That low swing could be a spay belly or a nursing belly. Jan's good advice will tell you! those wet nipples will be obvious when she rolls over in the nip! And you can probably count how many are wet and get a good idea of how many kittens there are if any. As she is short haired, much easier. Her appetite does sound like a nursing mother. Beware. They do plan out at least 3 nests prior to giving birth and move them immediatly after birth then I don't know how often to avoid being prey to animals. An instinct. Once she moves them, she'll come to you for food but if you try to follow her, she will literally go the opposite direction of her kittens. And she will out-wait you. Sit and wash for hours until you are gone! Keep us updated?

[nibblets]

Good luck helping her out. *fingers crossed* I hope she realizes she is in a safe place and stays there so you can get to her.

[catmandu]

She is such a gorgeous Girl,and we hope,that you can get her,and her Baies,to a safe place,and that she is spared,the fate of RB Karina,who was a porch Cat,Too!

[catnapper]

I took aphoto of my porch this morning to show you were she's staying. Please pretnd the weeds don't exist ;) :D

The yellow arrow shows where she's staying, and the blue arrow shows the bush that hid the utility guy from vision... hence my calling him "sweetie" :D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/kimmel101/misc%20nonsense/frontporch.jpg

The photo doesn't show it, but a bit further to the left is a rose bush with two FRAGRANT blooms. Everytime I go to look for my porch kitty, I get a welcome smell of roses... so I've decided her name is rose. Here's the rose she's named after:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/kimmel101/misc%20nonsense/Singlerose.jpg

I haven't seen her yet today. I hope she's ok.

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by catnapper
so I whispered softly "Oh, sweetie, where are you?"

I got an answer! The answer was (in a male voice) "I'm right here!"
ROFLMBO!!! Good story Kim. Yes, I bet your utility sweetie is telling all his buddies this story today:D :p

Can't wait to hear about how your rescue attempts go! Best of luck to you!!

[christa]

Oh, I REALLY hope she comes back into sight! I'm sure she will though, especially if you're feeding her like you have been! She'll be hungry if she's nursing!

If there are kittens under your house, will you be able to get them out? I know my parents have a crawl space under their house like that . . . it's so tight under there!

Keep us posted!!! I'm hoping & praying that you can help this poor girl out & her babies if there are any.

[QueenScoopalot]

I hope she shows up again. Maybe she'll have kittens in tow if she does! Too funny about the utility guy. I had an embarassing situation years back while trying to locate a litter of kittens around a marshy area. There was low income housing nearby. I was behind the stores mewing like a kitten over and over, and trying to get a response from the kittens there. I looked to my left and saw two policemen watching me with quite a look on their faces! No idea how long they were listening to me walking around mewing LOL...we all laughed in the end when I told them what I was doing. :rolleyes: But was I embarrassed!:eek:

[catnapper]

QSA, we've all had embarassing cat moments, huh? I tried to reply to your PMs, but your box is full!

I did spot ehr again today. She did find the food outback no problem. Whew. Now I hope she learns to trust me, since she ran from me again today.

[QueenScoopalot]

I'm cleaning out the PM box...sorry!

[lady_zana]

Any more news on this grey beauty?

[prechrswife]

I'm a little behind, but LOL at the utility guy story!:D

[kimlovescats]

Oh Kim ... how funny about the utility guy!!!:eek: :eek: :D
I agree with Jan ... she looks and sounds like she is a nursing mom! Good luck getting to her babies!;)

[catnapper]

I'm trying everything I can to get her to come to me. I only spotted her once yesterday - and that was from my bedroom balcony. She ran away. Though did return for food later (at least something at the food)

I was talking to my neighbor and we were trying to figure out exactly where she'd coming from... and she thought "Rose" had come from under my garbage can enclosure, which would make sense because the first time I saw her was a few feet from the enclosure.

I had plans on doing some serious stalking today, but of course its POURING rain. Wherever she is, I'm sure she's in deep hiding, not to get her or her babies wet. I left food out again today but since the rain is so heavy, I opened my back door to the mudroom and placed a bowl of food in there. Will she come inside the room? I hope so.

[K & L]

Originally posted by sirrahbed
ROFLMBO!!! Good story Kim. Yes, I bet your utility sweetie is telling all his buddies this story today:D :p

Can't wait to hear about how your rescue attempts go! Best of luck to you!!

This was hilarious! Least the utility guy has a sense of humor!