What to Do - Abandoned Kitty
 

A number of weeks ago, we found this very little kitty meowing in our
backyard by our shed. It looks like the offspring of a wild cat we had
living under our shed last winter (Minnesota, can wild cats survive the
winters here?). Days passed and the kitty was looking very thin and weak so
we decided to feed it. We never ever saw the mother return so we believe it
has been abandoned. We have continued to feed it and the kitty now allows
us to come very close to it. My wife actually picked it up yesterday. My
concern is that this is a wild cat and would be very difficult to
domesticate. And I really hate the thought of bringing it into our home and
having to have it declawed. So our option is to continue feeding it and
keeping it outside, or call the humane society (not my wifes preference).
If we could somehow keep the cat wild and outside, but provide shelter for
the Minnesota winter, I would think this would be a reasonable solution. We
live in a suburb, not even remotely close to woods or farmland, so natural
food source is probably out of the question during the winter. The best
solution would be to try and domesticate without declawing and teaching it
to use a scratching post, but I don't think this would be possible. Any
opinions or advise. This is a really cute cat and we have grown somewhat
attached to it.

The best
solution would be to try and domesticate without declawing and teaching it
to use a scratching post, but I don't think this would be possible. Any
opinions or advise. This is a really cute cat and we have grown somewhat
attached to it.

Why wouldn't that be possible? Especially with a very young cat, it will adapt
readily to its environment. Even an old cat will.
When my mother died, my sister had to take the cat -- who had always lived
outside and refused to go inside -- to her home in New Jersey where it had to
adapt to indoor-only life with her three cats. My mother lived near Palm
Springs, CA.
The cat, which was quite old, did fine and lived happily for several years.
Cats will respond to kindness. You can teach them to use scratching posts. Be
firm and vigilant and get lots of scratching posts. It's easier with just one.
Two sort of gang up on you. Four, I discovered, is impossible.



http://www.madmousergraphics.com
web design, print design, photography

On Mon, 6 Oct 2003 11:08:40 -0500, "Curtis Fox"
wrote:

A number of weeks ago, we found this very little kitty meowing in our
backyard by our shed. It looks like the offspring of a wild cat we had
living under our shed last winter (Minnesota, can wild cats survive the
winters here?). Days passed and the kitty was looking very thin and weak so
we decided to feed it. We never ever saw the mother return so we believe it
has been abandoned. We have continued to feed it and the kitty now allows
us to come very close to it. My wife actually picked it up yesterday. My
concern is that this is a wild cat and would be very difficult to
domesticate. And I really hate the thought of bringing it into our home and
having to have it declawed. So our option is to continue feeding it and
keeping it outside, or call the humane society (not my wifes preference).
If we could somehow keep the cat wild and outside, but provide shelter for
the Minnesota winter, I would think this would be a reasonable solution. We
live in a suburb, not even remotely close to woods or farmland, so natural
food source is probably out of the question during the winter. The best
solution would be to try and domesticate without declawing and teaching it
to use a scratching post, but I don't think this would be possible. Any
opinions or advise. This is a really cute cat and we have grown somewhat
attached to it.

Is there a Vet in your area who could look at it and determine
whether it is s wild breed or a feral domestic breed (or combination
of the two)? tThis could help you decide. If it is truly a wild
breed, perhaps a zoo would be willing to accept it. I doubt it would
be able to live on its own in the wild. Good luck. MLB

MLB,

The cat is wild as in feral, *not* a lynx, bobcat or otherwise. And it
seems she is not so wild since she has allowed some handling. She'll
make a good pet with some love and attention (and a spay.)

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

A kitten is a kitten is a kitten. I've been working with feral-born
kittens for a long time now, and I know. Please please please don't
declaw.

Visit the Campus Cats website for some pointers on socialization, but I
doubt you even need them. All you need add for a small kitten is hands-on
love.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats
Seattle
www.campuscats.org

I just finished fostering a 'feral' kitten found at age 8-10 weeks. He was
just adopted & was as sweet & loving as could be. All my four guys were
'feral' kittens when found & are quite content to live the good life
indoors.

Take the little guy in. Keep him in bathroom or other small room with a
litter box & food & water (not too close to litter box) for a couple of days
& then let him loose. My little foster stayed pretty much under my bed for
a few more days, coming out only when it was quiet or dark. Within a week,
he was rolling around with the other guys & coming to eat in the kitchen
with the big guys! Three weeks later, he was sleeping on the bed, the sofa,
or any place else that struck his fancy.... I fostered him because shelter
said he was feral, would hiss at anyone who came close, etc. etc. By the
way, he had just started using scratching post so declawing not necessary.
I will tell you, however, that when we picked him up on the street he put up
quite a struggle, scratching & trying to bite to save his life! 3 1/2 weeks
later,,,, no problem. so take him in before it gets cold!
"Curtis Fox" wrote in message
...
A number of weeks ago, we found this very little kitty meowing in our
backyard by our shed. It looks like the offspring of a wild cat we had
living under our shed last winter (Minnesota, can wild cats survive the
winters here?). Days passed and the kitty was looking very thin and weak
so
we decided to feed it. We never ever saw the mother return so we believe
it
has been abandoned. We have continued to feed it and the kitty now allows
us to come very close to it. My wife actually picked it up yesterday. My
concern is that this is a wild cat and would be very difficult to
domesticate. And I really hate the thought of bringing it into our home
and
having to have it declawed. So our option is to continue feeding it and
keeping it outside, or call the humane society (not my wifes preference).
If we could somehow keep the cat wild and outside, but provide shelter for
the Minnesota winter, I would think this would be a reasonable solution.
We
live in a suburb, not even remotely close to woods or farmland, so natural
food source is probably out of the question during the winter. The best
solution would be to try and domesticate without declawing and teaching it
to use a scratching post, but I don't think this would be possible. Any
opinions or advise. This is a really cute cat and we have grown somewhat
attached to it.

"Curtis Fox" wrote in message
...
A number of weeks ago, we found this very little kitty meowing in our
backyard by our shed. It looks like the offspring of a wild cat we had
living under our shed last winter (Minnesota, can wild cats survive the
winters here?). Days passed and the kitty was looking very thin and weak
so
we decided to feed it. We never ever saw the mother return so we believe
it
has been abandoned. We have continued to feed it and the kitty now allows
us to come very close to it. My wife actually picked it up yesterday. My
concern is that this is a wild cat and would be very difficult to
domesticate. And I really hate the thought of bringing it into our home
and
having to have it declawed. So our option is to continue feeding it and
keeping it outside, or call the humane society (not my wifes preference).
If we could somehow keep the cat wild and outside, but provide shelter for
the Minnesota winter, I would think this would be a reasonable solution.
We
live in a suburb, not even remotely close to woods or farmland, so natural
food source is probably out of the question during the winter. The best
solution would be to try and domesticate without declawing and teaching it
to use a scratching post, but I don't think this would be possible. Any
opinions or advise. This is a really cute cat and we have grown somewhat
attached to it.


If this kitten has allowed you to handle him, he's no longer really "feral"
and is well on his way to being tame. Kittens are quite adaptible, and
there is absolutely NO reason that you cannot bring this baby into your home
and make an excellent pet of him. Declawing is NOT "mandatory" for indoor
cats. They are quite intelligent and can learn rapidly what is and isn't
acceptible to claw---if you really make an effort to train him. Don't
expect it to "just happen". Have a strategy. And, please do not cut the
little baby's toes off.

Sunflower

"Sunflower" wrote in message
...

"Curtis Fox" wrote in message
...
A number of weeks ago, we found this very little kitty meowing in our
backyard by our shed. It looks like the offspring of a wild cat we had
living under our shed last winter (Minnesota, can wild cats survive the
winters here?). Days passed and the kitty was looking very thin and
weak
so
we decided to feed it. We never ever saw the mother return so we
believe
it
has been abandoned. We have continued to feed it and the kitty now
allows
us to come very close to it. My wife actually picked it up yesterday.
My
concern is that this is a wild cat and would be very difficult to
domesticate. And I really hate the thought of bringing it into our home
and
having to have it declawed. So our option is to continue feeding it and
keeping it outside, or call the humane society (not my wifes
preference).
If we could somehow keep the cat wild and outside, but provide shelter
for
the Minnesota winter, I would think this would be a reasonable solution.
We
live in a suburb, not even remotely close to woods or farmland, so
natural
food source is probably out of the question during the winter. The best
solution would be to try and domesticate without declawing and teaching
it
to use a scratching post, but I don't think this would be possible. Any
opinions or advise. This is a really cute cat and we have grown
somewhat
attached to it.


If this kitten has allowed you to handle him, he's no longer really
"feral"
and is well on his way to being tame. Kittens are quite adaptible, and
there is absolutely NO reason that you cannot bring this baby into your
home
and make an excellent pet of him. Declawing is NOT "mandatory" for indoor
cats. They are quite intelligent and can learn rapidly what is and isn't
acceptible to claw---if you really make an effort to train him. Don't
expect it to "just happen". Have a strategy. And, please do not cut the
little baby's toes off.

Sunflower

I just recently started "lurking" here, and even that only occasionally,
being a mostly dog person and rescuer until I took in a mother cat and her 3
kittens last November. We adopted out the 3 kittens but decided to keep the
scrawny teenage mother, now named "Bug", and now quite healthy (maybe overly
so!). I never even considered declawing her even though she would be an
indoor only cat, because I know what it involves and know how many declawed
cats we get at the adoption center that have behavior problems. I do
however trim the nails on her front feet. I have to catch her in the right
mood, and sometimes only get one nail or one foot at a time, but so far this
has worked for us. She still has enough nail to scratch with but not enough
to hurt anyone with. I just wanted to mention trimming as a very good
alternative to declawing, for those out there who think there is no
alternative for an indoor cat. Bug was nearly full grown when I got her and
started this, so I'm sure that starting this practice with a kitten would be
even easier and more accepted as the cat grows.

--
~ Lori
and Jack, Sasha, Rufus, Joey, and Bug
{Clean the doghouse to reply}
~ http://www.smithandwest.net/
~ PETS, Inc - http://www.petsinc.org/
~ http://petsinc.petfinder.org/

Keep several scratching posts around the house.
I have 2 in living room and one in the hallway.
Ideally, there should be one in each room.

LT

Before you decide on whether or not you HAVE TO KEEP IT... Figure out if you
really are ready to commit to domesticating this cat and caring for it the
remainder of its life. If not, then do the right thing and turn it over to
the Humane Society or another agency that can handle finding someone to
adopt it. The sooner you decide to keep it, or not to keep it, is essential
regarding how fast it generally is adopted. Remember, everyone loves
kittens; not everyone loves cats!





"m. L. Briggs" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 6 Oct 2003 11:08:40 -0500, "Curtis Fox"
wrote:

A number of weeks ago, we found this very little kitty meowing in our
backyard by our shed. It looks like the offspring of a wild cat we had
living under our shed last winter (Minnesota, can wild cats survive the
winters here?). Days passed and the kitty was looking very thin and weak
so
we decided to feed it. We never ever saw the mother return so we believe
it
has been abandoned. We have continued to feed it and the kitty now
allows
us to come very close to it. My wife actually picked it up yesterday.
My
concern is that this is a wild cat and would be very difficult to
domesticate. And I really hate the thought of bringing it into our home
and
having to have it declawed. So our option is to continue feeding it and
keeping it outside, or call the humane society (not my wifes preference).
If we could somehow keep the cat wild and outside, but provide shelter
for
the Minnesota winter, I would think this would be a reasonable solution.
We
live in a suburb, not even remotely close to woods or farmland, so
natural
food source is probably out of the question during the winter. The best
solution would be to try and domesticate without declawing and teaching
it
to use a scratching post, but I don't think this would be possible. Any
opinions or advise. This is a really cute cat and we have grown somewhat
attached to it.

Is there a Vet in your area who could look at it and determine
whether it is s wild breed or a feral domestic breed (or combination
of the two)? tThis could help you decide. If it is truly a wild
breed, perhaps a zoo would be willing to accept it. I doubt it would
be able to live on its own in the wild. Good luck. MLB