More "disposable" pets

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

This is Patches (the cat which Ally - and my hand - had a close encounter with over the weekend).

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid73/p0a7c47218ad1a88c962713d313a1f507/fb6e53c5.jpg


She has such a sad story. She was already living in my compound when I moved here, and she is one of my "regulars" who I feed daily. Since I have caught her and had her spayed however, she has become very territorial and now refuses to leave my garden. She meows outside every morning until she gets food and water, and then when I leave for work she trots down the path beside me like a little doggy, and sits in the gateway watching me drive away! I have always thought that she is far too affectionate and loving to be a "real stray" - she loves to be picked up and cuddled, and loves chin-scritchies - and I recently found out her sad little story......

She belonged to a family who lived here, and was an inside/outside cat. When the family left they just left her behind! Poor girl! She now spends her days lying up against my front door (I have removed the insulated strip along the bottom of the door, so the cold air from the Air Con blows out under the door and helps a little bit with the heat).

I can't have another inside cat (hubby refuses), so she will just have to content herself with the love and attention she gets from us outside. (Although if I leave the door open she will wander into the house like she owns the place!)

I am moving house in a couple of weeks, and I am taking her with me to the new house. I hope she will settle into her new surroundings, and not run away when we release her!


This is my other outside "regular" - Ginger.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid73/p6c19928be4688364831d09e4c29bc315/fb6e53c7.jpg

Like Patches, he seldom leaves my garden, although he is not as affectionate as her, and I have never been able to pet him or touch him. He shares the cool space in front of the door with Patches, although they do have their occasional squabbles. He may not like to be petted, but he LOVES his food, and will welcome me very loudly every morning when I take their food and water outside.

As you can see from the photo, he has a badly damaged eye. In the next few days he will be going to the vet to get "fixed" and also get his eye seen to. (I just hope they can do something, as I can't get close enough to him to administer treatment if required - they will have to do what they can whilst he is in the vet).

I am taking Ginger with me to the new house also - so I really hope he will stick around when we release him in new surroundings!

[bisi.cat]

Ally cat's mom, you have such a big heart to care for these abandoned cats and I hope they will settle in at their new place with you...
We have some feral cats over here as well, but they are very very scary and thus we have never really the possibility to get close to them...
I think these cat will always be true ferals and they really hate humans...
Though most of them are spayed/neutered they never settled in close to humans!

So I think you really did a gorgeous job for Patches and Ginger...as I always think that according to Saint-Exupery "we are responsible for what we have tamed"...you really live according to this and that's just purrfect!!!

Paws and fingers crossed that the outside cats will love their new home just like Ally!!!:)

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Originally posted by bisi.cat
...as I always think that according to Saint-Exupery "we are responsible for what we have tamed"...

I think you "hit the nail right on the head" - these two are totally reliant on me as their only source of food, and I simply can't have it on my concience that they are abandoned AGAIN.

The only downside is that I know I am setting myself up for heartache - I am SO attached to them but I won't be in Bahrain for ever, and will not be able to take them with me when I leave. I just have to console myself that I am doing the best for them at the moment, and try not to dwell too much on the future:(

Thanks for your kind words:)

[jenluckenbach]

How wonderful for Patches and Ginger to have you on their side. When you move them to the new place is their any type of out building (garage, shed....etc.) that they could live in so that they can get used to this area as being their new home. I fear they might just wander off if their was nothing keeping them there. Think about how scarey it is when one of us brings home a new cat and it does not know how to act in it's new INDOOR environment. The outdoors must be even more scarey than that.
Best of luck to you with both Ginger's vet visit and the move.

[IttyBittyKitty]

Because they met YOU! :D

Good luck with moving these two, and Ally! Patches has very unusual markings. And Ginger, WOW!!!! :eek: he is very eligant, unlike anything I've ever seen!

I like Jen's suggestion, though they will probably learn quickly that it would be wise to stay around your new house if they want to score some easy dinners!

[K & L]

That is SO wonderful you're doing this for these cats. There are some guidelines they suggest to follow when relocating a cat/feral that will be outdoors. Good luck and please let us know how it all works out.

For specific instructions on how to safely relocate feral cats, check out Alley Cat Allies' fact sheet entitled "Relocation - Guidelines for Safe Relocation of Feral Cats," available on their website on the Info Center page (www.alleycat.org). The fact sheet covers every aspect of the process and should be carefully read and followed, especially the recommended confinement period in the new territory of 2 to 3 weeks. Many people mistakenly believe they can simply let a cat go in a new area and it will be ok. In fact, the cat needs to be trained (through confinement) that its food source has changed, or else she is liable to run off in search of her old territory, never to be seen again.

Confinement period
1. Cats need to be confined initially in their new home for at least two to three weeks in order to familiarize the cats with their new environment, sothat they will remain on the premises. Even though there are instances of cats remaining when they have escaped upon arrival, this is rare and most cats will take off, never to be seen again.

2. Other than being dangerous for the cat, this can be traumatic for the rescuer who has usually put a lot of time, energy, money, and care into the rescue.

3. Some people see confinement as cruel, but a short confinement period is a very necessary part of the relocation project.

4. Not confining the cats and having them run off could mean a far worse fate for the cats. You should warn the new caretaker that during the first day or two, the cats may struggle to find a way out. Most cats settle down in the cage after a day or two when they realize that no harm will befall them.

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Thanks for all the advice! I am looking into arranging some kind of enclosure for them. There is a storeroom, but it has no windows, ventilation or AC, so there is no way I can leave them there - unless I can maybe construct some kind of screen door like Jen's - I'll have to look into it. The only other option is to confine them to some kind of "hutch" - like a large rabbit hutch or something??? There is a feed wholesaler close by, who also makes hutches, scratching posts and similar - maybe I could "rent" a hutch from him for a while!

I know that sounds awful, but there is no garage (just car-ports) and no single room in which I could isolate them.

I was also hoping that if I interrupt their feeding I could encourage them to stick around. eg I feed them twice a day, so their evening meal I will give them only a little food, and catch them when they are hungry then make sure their first meal at the new place is a real treat - whiskas singles or tuna or something?

Kim, I've read the article - that site is great - and I'll be returning back to it to learn more! One question - can you make any recommendations on the minimum size of the enclosure - as I have very limited resources, and if I can't use the storeroom I will have to get a hutch or something.

[catmandu]

I now have 4 Cats that come for some kind of meal , as well as Nugget and Rascal who are mine , butcan not stand to be indoors on a warm day. Now there is a greay Cat with a white circle around his mouth. There are signs somewhere on my street , like the Old Burma Shave signs! If you just...Go up the Street...The Old Fat Bald Man...wil make sure ...That you get a friendly pet ...and enough to EAT!I bought a Big Bag of Purina Kitten Advanced to give them more protein!!!

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Catmandu, I have also wondered about this! Do they have some kind of "network" to spread the information? I have a small group who arrive together every day at the same time - you can almost set your watch by them!

[zippy-kat]

It is so very heartwarming to hear (and know!) of people like yourself. Cleaning up the "mess" that others have left behind. Those cats are so lucky to have you as their mom.

Thank you for being you!:)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

It's wonderful that you not only take care of these kitties, but that you are planning on bringing them with you when you move. Like you say, they would be totally lost without you, and it's a wonderful thing that you are taking full responsibility for them :) when their previous owners couldn't have cared less. :mad: