New Year's Eve Stray Cat Find

[Beau Cassidy]

Yesterday the wife and I were taking something to storage. As we passed a parking lot she said "Stop. There is a hungry tortie kitten in that parking lot". I turn around and pulled into back of the the parking lot, fully expecting the kitten to run. Well low and behold she went up to my wife who picked her up. I got out and took the severely emaciated cat that looked like a kitten and got back into the truck. She looks like at one time she was a wild cat who someone trapped. She had been recently spayed and her left ear had been snipped like they do to wild cats after fixing them. I don't think she would have made it another day or two. Anyway, the cat is super gentle and purred and made biscuits the whole way home. We put her into a room in the basement and broke out the food. She went nuts when she saw the cans of Fancy Feast. I have never sen a cat eat so fast. She devoured the food! We put a litter box down, made her a nest, and put plenty more food down. I want to keep her segregated from my other cats until I get her checked out. She does have the sniffles and I started her on some left over clavumox. She is a very sweet cat but I can't keep her. Anybody in the Chattanooga area want her? I will be going thru Knoxville up to Kingsport over the next few days. I will be taking her to the vet (I call it the Torture Chamber) as soon as one opens. She doesn't like to stay still for pictures. I just got Orders from Headquarters that the new owner will have to agree to keep her safe and inside.

http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/OrthoNP/2012-12-31_17-44-29_650-1_zpsc25d8575.jpg

Here she is chilling out with a full tummy
http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/OrthoNP/2012-12-31_19-14-27_74_zps0c535397.jpg

http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq95/OrthoNP/2012-12-31_17-36-37_484_zpsb8923650.jpg

[RayinNH]

A number of years ago on a stinkin' hot day a stray came into my welding shop and laid on the cool cement floor. It looked like it couldn't go any further. My wife got it cat food and some water and it fed heartily. We nicknamed it "Roadkill" because it looked so bad on first impression. I suspect it may have been deaf as well because at one point when it had it's back to me I drop a piece of steel on the floor and it never flinched. The cat hung around over night and was gone the next day...Ray

[Beau Cassidy]

This one got lucky. I think she was a short-timer. She is safe, fed, and warm right now. I am also giving her some antibiotics for her cold. No takers yet.

[runfiverun]

so what are you gonna name your new cat?
we got a dog the same day we moved into this house we are in now.
we were movng in and she did too. [shrugging whatyougonnado?]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oQPn0rvXtE
when i first seen the header this is what i thought of.
but here's some name thinking music for ya..

[Pb2au]

Good on you for helping her. We have adopted 7 in all, otherwise I'd be down there to scoop her up!
I love cats, but the wife said no more......maybe I could keep her in the reloading lab,,,,,,,,

[Beau Cassidy]

I don't know what we are going to call her. I am gonna have to pawn her off on somebody. She was obviously taken care of at some point. She doesn't like to be left alone that's for sure. She loves to be held and purrs very loud.

[fcvan]

That is so cool. Today, I went out to my car and there was a puppy on my porch. She followed me to my car and back into the house. She took a quick tour around like she owned the place. I led her back to the door and closed the screen door. She barked like she wanted back in so I just watched her for a while. I went out on the porch and looked her over. She was about 12-14 weeks old, well groomed, nails trimmed, and had a collar but no tag.

My dog wandered off a year and a half ago and was found by a neighbor acting odd and disoriented. He was 13 at the time and his age was showing. I was able to get him back after the neighbor called the radio station. I knew the owner of the puppy would be going through everything I felt and would be looking for her. My dog passed last spring but I still have leashes and other assorted accessories.

I sat out in the driveway with the puppy on a long retracting leash. Although young, she was obviously comfortable with the leash. After 20 minutes of sunshine I saw two young ladies walking up the street. 'Bella' bolted toward the girls when they called her name. I told the girls the tale of finding their puppy and how I was grateful to turn the favor shown to me when my dog wandered but was returned by a neighbor. I realized how much I miss having a dog for a buddy but also realized I'm not ready for a new member of the family just yet.

[gwpercle]

The decision to adopt or not adopt a cat is not yours. That kitty has decided your place is now home and shortly she will have you trained. I got 7 cats that decided I needed them and moved right on in... it don't matter if you got others they will learn to get along. I would bet money you now have another member of the family.

[FISH4BUGS]

I am 1 cat over the Crazy Cat Lady count. We were adopted by 4 cats, and now have 5. Good thing is that we have no mice, moles, voles, chipmunks or squirrels. They keep the place pretty free to critters.
Hard to say no to a critter that INSISTS on hanging around.

[oldred]

The decision to adopt or not adopt a cat is not yours. That kitty has decided your place is now home and shortly she will have you trained. I got 7 cats that decided I needed them and moved right on in... it don't matter if you got others they will learn to get along. I would bet money you now have another member of the family.




I agree I drew the line at 3 cats, all strays, then I drew the line again at 5, absolutely drew the line at 6 and now there are 15 very happy, spoiled and fat cats here on the farm! No I am not a nut I have a lot of room for them to romp so they are not in the way and to be truthful they actually do a lot of good keeping the vermin out of our stock feed (at least that's what we tell ourselves:roll:). All have been spayed/neutered and basic shots so they don't multiply but occasionally another one will mysteriously appear. My wife and I just can't say no to a hungry kitten and truth be told we have gotten quite attached to all of them. I never gave much thought to cats one way or the other until we accumulated our herd as we call them but I have been amazed at their differing personalities and amused at their antics, we wouldn't willing part with a single one of them.

[opos]

Thanks for caring for a stray cat...we got 3 that "came to visit" and stayed....everyone is special too us...We don't have room for a dog or other big animal but the cats are wonderful friends...all 3 are feral all were un neutered..all were about 3-4 years old...one lives strictly in the house (with his "catio) cage..the other 2 are outdoor (unless they sneak in)...all "mean old yeller cats...not quite!..5739957400ds....57398

[theperfessor]

If I lived near you I'd have already been there to adopt that little rascal. One of ours died last August and I'm still torn up over it, she was such a sweetheart. Haven't quite got SWMBO to the point of letting me get another one yet, she thinks three is enough. All of ours are rescues or shelter turn-ins. The local animal shelter has a no-kill policy and I contribute as much as I can afford to them.

Bless all those who show kindness to animals, it takes so little to get so much love back from them.

[Beau Cassidy]

Well $140 later (after a gracious $40 discount from the vet for taking in a stray) she is FIV negative and up to date on her shots. We also got her one of those long acting antibiotic shots. She is starting to get stronger and isn't as wobbly. She still eats voraciously. I have 6 and that is enough. All but 1 are strays. The ones like this you rescue have made the best pets by far in my opinion. They have seen the other side of the fence, so to speak.

[gwpercle]

See... I told you, they don't ask ..they just adopt you. So what you going to call her .. . Eve ? As she found you on New Year's Eve ? Cats are so much fun ! Also you can draw all the lines you want, cats just don't respect lines. Every line I draw gets crossed with impunity ! Oldred can tell you about them line crossers.
gary

[Beau Cassidy]

We haven't named her yet. I thought about calling her Shorty because if we didn't find her she was for sure a short-timer.

[dale2242]

I`m not a real animal lover.. Not an animal hater either, BTW.
But, the 2 cats we have are both strays that wander in. We live in the country so I assume they were just dropped off.
One has become the house cat . The other just stays outside and eats....dale

[mpmarty]

No cats. Thought about getting one or two from the pound but remembering living in the city and cat tracks all over the vehicles cures me. Besides I think my Two dogs would probably draw the line at one cat. As a kid on the ranch we had barn cats and every couple of years we had to go out with 22s and thin the herd.

[geargnasher]

Well $140 later (after a gracious $40 discount from the vet for taking in a stray) she is FIV negative and up to date on her shots. We also got her one of those long acting antibiotic shots. She is starting to get stronger and isn't as wobbly. She still eats voraciously. I have 6 and that is enough. All but 1 are strays. The ones like this you rescue have made the best pets by far in my opinion. They have seen the other side of the fence, so to speak.

You are a good man.

Gear

[gew98]

I've got two outside cats from a litter of 5 that I was'nt able to find homes for and they have become permanent family. Two tabby brothers I call buddy & skeeter. YOu could'nt ask for better cats..especially since they are 'gunbroke' and skeeter for sure is a rodent killing machine.Pretty cool when you are letting loose with a rifle and the cat is curled up sleeping on the picnic table like you are just poppoing bubblegum right next to him.

[Beau Cassidy]

Her cold is about gone today. She is much stronger, is cleaning herself, and walks with a little pride. My wife has been calling her Daisy. We introduced her to the rest of the Guys- Bones, Clancy, Sinatra, Diesel, Montana, and Scooby. She isn't sure about things and will just growl for no reason. She isn't confrontational. She is walking around checking things out. She is keeping a full stomach and is out of the cold and rain. She is safe now. I just hope she realizes it.

[oldred]

She is safe now. I just hope she realizes it.


She will, she just has to have a little time to get accustomed to her new surroundings and once she is satisfied that nothing is going to hurt her she will be fine, the fact she went right up to your wife instead of running away after all she had been through tells quite a story about her nature.

Besides that, she doesn't have you properly trained yet!

[abunaitoo]

Thing about animals is that they are honest.
Unlike most people.
I have to force myself to only one cat.
If not, I'd be like one of those crazy cat lady's.
I feed stay's when I see them. Keep food in my cars.
Have a few regulars at our shooting range.

[oldred]

This is how it starts. :mrgreen:

57926

[ErikO]

Muted calicos are nice cats. My Russian Blue, Sparta, is very rambunctious. The six months we went with no cats felt like an eternity.

[Beau Cassidy]

This one is a very dilute tortie. Lots of gray with smears of cream and orange. I personally prefer the traditional darker torties. I am out of town right now but my wife said she is starting to play some and is taking over the loveseat. She is eating good and keeps a full tummie. When SWMBO cracks a can of Fancy Feast she comes running. Right now I am buying 3 or 4 cases of the stuff a week.

[FISH4BUGS]

She isn't sure about things and will just growl for no reason. She isn't confrontational.
I have a stray that is that way. We adopted her two kittens first, then adopted Mom.....or should I say they adopted US. She is in a house with 4 fixed boy cats and just lets everyone know who the boss is. The boys give her a wide berth. She is getting fixed as I write this. Have to pick her up in a few hours.
I think the growling is just a "pecking order" thing. She is the boss.....and will be....just letting the others know.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/LULU04082012001.jpg
This is Lulu who decided to live with us since her owner had 7 other Cats.
She can,t possibly be related to your stray we are in England.

[palmettosunshine]

My wife and son found a tortie at the vet on Friday and I was inundated with cellphone pics at work. My son and I went by there this morning and well, I guess we have a new kitty. She will be joining us on Monday after she gets a clean bill of health. Animal hospital really has a thorough process about adopting including an application and interview process. I guess we passed. Kitty had just been spayed so the vet wanted to wait until the stitches came out on Monday and she got the rest of her shots. Snooty bunch of women in the office until they saw the kitty interact with my son and I, then they all melted and I'm pretty sure they never even looked at the application. This will be kitty number 4.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff1/palmettosunshine/IMAG1053.jpg

[Blacksmith]

I never in my life went and got a cat. Current count is four that found me.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/008-2.jpg
Our lodger (Lulu) silhoueted against the snow.We are experiencing a lot of snow at present.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/005-2.jpg
Another view of the conditions over here.

[bob208]

we have 9 plus feeding more out side. we can not get below that number. we lost 4 of the old cats in 2 months. thought we were down to a good number then found 2 kittens brought them in a day later the mother came in. then another showed up with her kittens. she and the kittens came in. we lost the scond litter of kittens. but we are back up to 9. they like chasing the laser pointer and sleeping by the wood stove.

[oldred]

Just got one of ours back from the vet, a solid white blue eyed Himalayan, because he was unable to urinate due to blockage from eating too much dry cat food. I was aware that dry cat food is bad for causing that problem but the little fella was not drinking enough water with it so it caused crystals that plugged him up, he was really in misery while we were waiting for the vet to open. We were told that it was close to being irreversible because he had suffered some kidney damage but we managed to get him there in time so he should be ok as long as we treat him for the next couple of months, we have to mix canned cat food in water so that he lives on a soupy mix to insure enough water and we will have to administer a solution under the skin for the next two weeks using an IV setup except the needle is placed into the skin and not a vein so we can do it at home. Just a warning about dry food, make SURE they are getting enough water and the vet says to be very careful about the quality of the food since most of the cheaper "off brands" are extremely bad for causing this problem. A good quality food like any of those made by Purina should be ok as long as they get enough water or at least some wet canned food once a day to go with it.

[Col4570]

oldred,nice to hear that you are doing your best for your Cat.Although independent creatures they still require us at times.
Regards.

[Beau Cassidy]

Yep. Cats will hold out on you when sick. When a cat acts sick, they are usually really, really sick.