Gracie

[NoahsMommy]

I already posted about this in Rescue, but I thought I would get more response here.

I'm really worried about Gracie. It seems that I don't have place to take her. I'm not sure if she's feral or a stray...if she's a stray, I can find her a home. If not, she has no where to go. Our building will be demolished around June 2004, but I'm leaving the company in May 2003. I planned on taking her to the Humane Society that we voluneteer at, but they aren't set up for ferals. I spoke with the Concerned People for Animals, they only do catch/alter/release with ferals.

Gracie lives all by herself, she's not apart of a feral colony. I has a suspicion she came from a local luxury condo place nearby...but I'm not sure. She is somewhat used to humans in that she'll stay outside if people are out, just making sure she CAN escape if need be. When I've seen her while out feeding her, she does run away from me, but doesn't hide. She loves basking in the sunlight and lays upside down in the drain pipe (her shelter) during the day at times. She is well groomed for a cat that lives where she does.

She has half-feral, half-stray qualities, but I'm leaning more towards stray because she's been seen frolicing and playing in the parking lot gardens during the day.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm almost to the point that I want to trap her and take her with us when we move and have her be an outside kitty. I'm just not sure how much my hubby will like that...

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

To me it sounds like she's a stray and is just shy of people at this time. If you live in a small apartment, this might be kind of difficult, especially since you already have your four kitties there, but if you trap her, maybe you could bring her home temporarily, just to reacclimate her to having people around. Then when she's ready, you could take her to your shelter to find her forever home. Seems like she would get used to people again, but would need to be trapped and forced into it.

I hope others have better suggestions, but that's all I could think of right now. I wish you luck in whatever course of action you take.

[jenluckenbach]

You (or any one else for that matter) will not be able to assess her temperament without trapping her. I myself have never done this so it is out of my expertise. But I think that is where you need to start.

[NoahsMommy]

David and I went to feed her yesterday and she was out, laying in the sun! I sat on the curb and talked to her, she just sat there looking at me.

I approached her to put food in her bowl and she jumped into the drain pipe, but only so that her tail was almost hanging out of it! She stayed there, about a foot from me until I turned away. Within seconds, she was backing out and eating!!!

My hubby and I know she's a stray...that was amazing behavior!! I'm so glad!!!

[NoahsMommy]

I fed Gracie today and saw that none of her water had been touched. I did feed her only wet food during the weekend, do you think that has something to do with it?

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Yes, that could have something to do with it. I've heard that if a cat only gets wet food, the food can supply all the liquid it needs in its diet. I would still leave the water out though, just in case she does want some.