Help please ! - temporarily adopted cat

"rpl" wrote in message
...
I wouldn't use SoftPaws or blunt the nails on an outdoors cat. Cat
flaps are useful... don't know if your local wildlife will take
advantage of it... I've always imagined a cat flap in a window as being
better because 'coons and skunks wouldn't be tempted to climb.

LOL! Tell that to the raccoons who climb up to my second-story deck to eat
all the stray cats' food. [Actually, I'm a little worried about Ray Coony -
he hasn't been over to dinner in a couple of days! :).

Hugs,

CatNipped

Your landlord can do what people have been doing for millenia, just shoo
the cat with a broom; shouldn't take more than a couple days to catch
the hint.

pat


Daytona wrote:
I've just taken on responsibility for a ginger tom cat for a couple of
months that would otherwise have been put to sleep. He's name's Barney
- URL:http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/JohnsStuff/Barney1.jpg.
It's a weird situation and I don't have any experience of looking
after animals, so I'd appreciate any thoughts or comments on how to
handle it.

The cat had scratched the owner (my landlord - I live in the grounds
of her house) and infected her with an unknown poison. She's 80 years
old and has been in hospital for 2 weeks as a result. She,
understandably, doesn't want anything to do with the it anymore when
she comes home today. Her daughter (who originally rescued it as a
kitten) is buying a new house and will take it when she moves in, in a
couple of months. She currently lives near a road and feels that it
can't live there as it's not used to roads.

I've always got on well with the cat; he's always wandered in and out
of my house and I feed him when his owner goes on holiday. As I didn't
like the thought of an otherwise healthy cat being put to sleep, I
offered to look after it for the daughter and she's really grateful.

The problem I see is keeping the cat away from my landlady. It's got
plenty of space - about 4 acres, half woodland half garden but it
likes company and usually follows her about when she's in the garden.
It occasionally plays games with her, hunting her through the
undergrowth and pouncing. I think it's bored out of it's mind and does
this to entertain itself.

For the past 2 weeks it has spent much of its time with me and I feed
it at lunchtime - the daughter has been feeding it in the morning and
evening. For the first time, for 4 nights out of the last 5 it has
slept with me and has started bringing me the occasional gift of a
dead mouse/vole. The daughter has said that she normally finds dead
mice in the house, but has noticed that he isn't bringing them in
there anymore.

Does this mean that he's accepted me as his new owner ?

The cat flap on his old house has now been blocked up and I have all
his bowls, food brushes, flea treatment etc

Is it possible/fair to attempt to keep him inside all day ?

He seems to spend most of the time with me (I work from home) and the
disappear out in the evening until about midnight. It's a bit of a
pain if I want to go to bed as there's no cat-flap. Do you think I
should get one ?

I would like to help the daughter as much as possible, as she's good
with animals but has had a bad run with her other pets - one dog dying
from cancer, another dog losing the use of it's leg because of
pressure on the spine.

Any thoughts would be great, thanks for any help !

John

"Daytona" wrote

That's another issue - I think he's bored out of his mind, which is
maybe how he scratched my landlady in the first place - frustrated and
desperate for someone to play with. He is a great hunter - so he
probably gets most entertainment from that. What are the best toys
for cats ? I tied some bird feathers on some string and wave those
about but he rips them to pieces within seconds. It is impressive to
see cats in action like this.


Some of my cats' favorite things are the cat tower, nice and big, covered
with carpet and sisal for them to climb and scratch, fishing pole toys
(stick with a long string with feathers or some sort of toy at the end), and
little mousies that they can bat around. Another good toy is that circular
track with a ball or mouse in it that can't come out, I forget what it's
called, there was just a thread about it. You can check out some cool cat
toys at www.drsfostersmith.com.



How ? Any pointers ? I'll do some Googling.


I don't know really, I just don't let them out. As in, doors are closed, if
I have them open in nice weather there are screens. Although I guess that's
another cultural thing, I heard in Europe you don't really have screens in
the windows and doors. Here they are a must with all the insects. I'm not
sure how you would do it with no screens.



Interesting idea - thanks ! Although how you put them on without being
scratched is the interesting bit !

If he's easy to hold, you should be able to do it. The one cat I've used
them on (he tends to swipe at me sometimes and sticks his claws out when
kneading on me, ouch!) is not easy to handle so I take him to the vet to
have it done.


The only
issue I see in doing this is that since he is indoor/outdoor, it might
leave
him with less defenses if he were to get into a fight. Again, this is
something you need to assess. Are there other cats he is likely to get
into
fights with?

No other cats

No unknown (to him) dogs

Does he need to ward off predators?

Foxes possibly - but from all I've seen they just want to get to the
food thrown out for them and want to avoid him. I've never seen them
fight.

Also, was the landlord
doing anything to provoke his scratching?

Good question !

She's an experienced cat and dog keeper, but used to get scratched by
him regularly. She used to play with him - I didn't and I've never
been scratched. He would mock hunt her around the garden. Also I get
the impression that he respects men and doesn't try the same thing
with them. I think her husband punished him the first time it happened
to him as a kitten and he's never forgotten. Would this make sense ?

Or maybe she was doing something that he mistook for play? Given her age
and the recent bypass, and the fact that she was gardening (a source of all
sorts of bacteria) she probably got an infection much much easier than
anyone else would have. The cat could have barely broken the skin. I would
just advice her to be careful of him. Maybe spray some bitter apple on her
arms and legs.

On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 15:23:22 +0100, Daytona wrote:

Ted Davis wrote:

Do a Google search on

"cat scratch fever"

Interesting - thanks !

The microbiologists at the hospital were excited as they felt it was
something they'd never seen before - they had to take a sample, grow a
culture before developing/finding a drug that worked, so I hope it
wasn't cat scratch fever/desease as they obviously should have been
aware of it !


Since it's mostly a childhood disease, they might not think of it in
an elderly patient. I didn't start keeping cats until I was about
thirty, and was nearly forty when I caught it, so it really may be
more an issue of how long serious cat exposure has been going on
rather than an age thing.

--
T.E.D. )
SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.

On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 12:54:18 -0400, rpl
wrote:

I wouldn't use SoftPaws or blunt the nails on an outdoors cat. Cat
flaps are useful... don't know if your local wildlife will take
advantage of it... I've always imagined a cat flap in a window as being
better because 'coons and skunks wouldn't be tempted to climb.

They are both very good tree climbers. However, neither can jump.

--
T.E.D. )
SPAM filter: Messages to this address *must* contain "T.E.D."
somewhere in the body or they will be automatically rejected.

On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 13:37:45 +0100, A strange species called Daytona
wrote:

I've just taken on responsibility for a ginger tom cat for a couple of
months that would otherwise have been put to sleep. He's name's Barney
- URL:http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/JohnsStuff/Barney1.jpg.

He looks to have a healthy coat, nice colour. You must be feeding him
well

It's a weird situation and I don't have any experience of looking
after animals, so I'd appreciate any thoughts or comments on how to
handle it.

The cat had scratched the owner (my landlord - I live in the grounds
of her house) and infected her with an unknown poison. She's 80 years
old and has been in hospital for 2 weeks as a result. She,
understandably, doesn't want anything to do with the it anymore when
she comes home today.

Her daughter (who originally rescued it as a
kitten) is buying a new house and will take it when she moves in, in a
couple of months. She currently lives near a road and feels that it
can't live there as it's not used to roads.

Wait until she moves house. It is best not to unsettle the cat if she
is going to be moving in three months. You ideally need to keep a cat
inside for up to one month when you first move it, otherwise it will
just find its way back to its previous home/territory. Some people
have found just one week is long enough. I think it is best to be on
the safe side though.

I've always got on well with the cat; he's always wandered in and out
of my house and I feed him when his owner goes on holiday. As I didn't
like the thought of an otherwise healthy cat being put to sleep, I
offered to look after it for the daughter and she's really grateful.

The problem I see is keeping the cat away from my landlady. It's got
plenty of space - about 4 acres, half woodland half garden but it
likes company and usually follows her about when she's in the garden.
It occasionally plays games with her, hunting her through the
undergrowth and pouncing. I think it's bored out of it's mind and does
this to entertain itself.

Just let her know you're sorry the cat scratched her (even though it
is not really anyone's fault). Tell her that it will just be there
for a few more months then it will be going to her daughters. She
will understand, especially if it is her daughters adopted cat. Even
better, how is this for an idea.. make a small card for her with a
picture of Barney on the front with a red rose and text "just a note
to say...". Inside put "Sorry for scratching you love from Barney"
along with a paw print.

For the past 2 weeks it has spent much of its time with me and I feed
it at lunchtime - the daughter has been feeding it in the morning and
evening. For the first time, for 4 nights out of the last 5 it has
slept with me and has started bringing me the occasional gift of a
dead mouse/vole.

Fantastic! If he is bringing you presents he likes you! I wish our
cat Harvey would bring me more presents like that. He has only caught
one bird (today) that we know of in the last 6 months since moving
house.

The daughter has said that she normally finds dead
mice in the house, but has noticed that he isn't bringing them in
there anymore.

Does this mean that he's accepted me as his new owner ?

No. He probably accepted you the minute you started feeding him If
we could all understand what cats think, I don't believe they would
look on the situation in terms of you being their owner. Cats will
get along with most people who feed them, play with them and are nice
to them. They are pretty self-sufficient though. They can look after
themselves to a large extent.

The cat flap on his old house has now been blocked up and I have all
his bowls, food brushes, flea treatment etc

Is it possible/fair to attempt to keep him inside all day ?

No. I wouldn't recommend that. Let him continue to go outside. He
will have to stay confined indoors for up to one month anyway when he
is moved back with the landlady's daughter. He will almost certainly
start crying (meowing a lot) if you lock him indoors, and begging to
get outside. He would become lackluster and depressed. Don't worry
about him staying out all night once in a while.

He seems to spend most of the time with me (I work from home) and the
disappear out in the evening until about midnight. It's a bit of a
pain if I want to go to bed as there's no cat-flap. Do you think I
should get one ?

That's your call. If you can manage without for another few months it
may not be worth it? Perhaps you could buy a chain lock cheaply from
a DIY place and fit it to your door? This way the door may be able to
open just enough for your cat to get in, but prevent anyone else from.
You could also get a door stop to prevent it from blowing shut or
anything. It might be more of a hassle to get a cat flap put in the
door, or to get a new door fitted with one already built in, if you
are just going to have him a short while longer.

I would like to help the daughter as much as possible, as she's good
with animals but has had a bad run with her other pets - one dog dying
from cancer, another dog losing the use of it's leg because of
pressure on the spine.

I think you're a top bloke by the sounds of it. Of course you are
called John so that explains a few things

John

On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 09:24:19 -0400, A strange species called "Snittens"
wrote:

snip

The indoor/outdoor question: My own personal feelings are that cats should
be indoors if the outdoor environment is not safe (predators, traffic,
neighbors who don't like cats in their yard, etc). In much of the US, this
is the case.

Hogwash! I live in Great Britain. Britain is a small island with 62
Million population. I live in an urban area on a busy main road. Our
cat is let out all the time, day and night. Whenever he wants to go
out he can.

What is a neighbour who doesn't like cats in his yard going to do? I
think you will generally find that most people don't really care. They
are not going to go to the trouble of running out the house every time
they see a cat in their back garden just to scare him off. Even if
there was the odd person that did, so what? Cat just moves elsewhere
and learns that patch isn't part of his range.

The indoor/outdoor debate among cat owners often gets divided
along national lines on here. You have to assess the situation and
determine if this is a safe environment for the cat. It is not cruel to
keep a cat indoors.

If the cat has 'never ever' been outside and has been artificially
confined to a life indoors, then the cat wouldn't know any different,
so even as a person who is against confinement of cats indoors I would
admit that wouldn't make a difference, although it would be nice for
them to get out and experience the real world and what normal cats
engage in. I would also say, even though I am against de-clawing, if
you have a cat that has been de-clawed, it would be cruel to not keep
them indoors permanently!

All of mine have been indoor-only for their whole lives
and don't seem to mind.

They don't know any different.

They have plenty of toys and spaces to climb
inside.

That's a relief. What do they do when no body is in? Watch TV?
Entertain themselves? Or is someone always in?

It might be a little tough to convert a cat who is used to going
outside though, but it can be done.

It "would" be cruel to convert a cat who regularly goes outside and is
allowed to live the life a normal cat should live, and experience
outside life. Even keeping them inside for up to a month to get them
used to a new home after a move is a pretty traumatic and unsettling
period for a cat that has a routine and regularly ventures outside.
By the time their settling in period is up and the door to the outside
world is opened, you notice a remarkable difference. It makes them so
happy to get outside and explore once again. There mood changes from
one of depression and being withdrawn to being a happy active cat
again, one of a cat that is allowed to be a cat, and enjoy freedom.


Scratching the landlord: There is a product called Soft Paws you could get
(www.softpaws.com) and put on the cat to stop him from scratching.

Thank God you didn't bring up de-clawing. At last someone suggesting
something sensible. Not that it is really needed IMHO.

John

On Wed 03 Aug 2005 08:37:45a, Daytona wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav
):


I've just taken on responsibility for a ginger tom cat for a
couple of months that would otherwise have been put to sleep.
He's name's Barney -
URL:http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/JohnsStuff/Barney1.jpg.
It's a weird situation and I don't have any experience of
looking after animals, so I'd appreciate any thoughts or
comments on how to handle it.

I just wanted to say what a beautiful orange boy he is! And, it
sounds like he has accepted you, so if it doesn't work out with the
daughter, you might have yourself a new owner.

--
Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields

On Wed 03 Aug 2005 06:09:15p, John wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav
):

[...]
Even
better, how is this for an idea.. make a small card for her with
a picture of Barney on the front with a red rose and text "just
a note to say...". Inside put "Sorry for scratching you love
from Barney" along with a paw print.
[...]

What a sweet idea.

--
Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields

I use softpaws regularily. I took a good couple months for him to stop
fighting when we put them on him but he's used to it now and it's an
excellent way to stop scratching. It doen't hurt him and it's much
nicer than getting their claws removed at an older age.
If he's close to home I would let him outside just make sure you're
always close by and it's just for an hour or two so he doesn't wander
off or meet other animals who might cause fight or diseases.
Eventually he'll stop bugging the older lady as he'll sense she doesn't
want him around anymore.

Poor kitty, he's just in need of real loving. You're dong the right
thing. Go pick up one of those circular floor ball things; the cat
pushes this ball around and around in this tube on the floor for cats
to try to chase, catch it. My cat loves it! He's constantly chasing
this ball and in the middle he can sit on it and scratch the cardboard.
I hope you know what I mean. They sell them everywhere where cat toys
are.

Good luck!
Jacquie

in article , John at
wrote on 8/3/05 5:24 PM:

On Wed, 3 Aug 2005 09:24:19 -0400, A strange species called "Snittens"
wrote:

snip

The indoor/outdoor question: My own personal feelings are that cats should
be indoors if the outdoor environment is not safe (predators, traffic,
neighbors who don't like cats in their yard, etc). In much of the US, this
is the case.

Hogwash! I live in Great Britain. Britain is a small island with 62
Million population. I live in an urban area on a busy main road. Our
cat is let out all the time, day and night. Whenever he wants to go
out he can.

What is a neighbour who doesn't like cats in his yard going to do?

Unfortuneately, here in the U.S. the cat can often be impounded or even
worse, some nasty people will poison or otherwise harm them Yeah, we're
so nice