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... We had a terrible kitten season this year because of a mild winter with not a whole lot of snow and the shelters and animal control were/are overflowing. That's true for us as well, and we were adopting out more dogs than cats. We've been taking dogs and small animals (rabbits, hamsters, guineas, etc) from other shelters to help them out. We have that feral program, but it only holds so many cats at a time. The assistant animal director has gotten to the point that she introduces feral to feral to save cages, but she has a good enough heart that I was able to talk her into holding off euth of a trio of hissy/shy kittens, the oldest of which was maybe 3 months. Eventually she called the head of the feral program and explained our need for cage space (because if it comes down to it, it's the ferals that go first unless there are non-feral-but-highly-aggressives), she came in, and I explained about the kittens. She took all three. It's one of those things that my boss wasn't terribly happy about (because it tied up extra cages for a couple of days), but how do I face myself and go back to work if I don't make every effort to save cats that just need some extra time? While I'm at it, Megan... do you have any advice on my situation? I took a terrified little grey tabby in June, and it's only in the last few weeks that she'll come over in the early morning and make happy paws on me. I still can't approach her once I'm up and around. The problem is she has chronic conjunctivitis, and it's getting worse, so she has to go back on terramycin. The difficulty is that the only time I can reliably get the cat without chasing her around for half an hour is in the morning, but I don't want her to start associating me with medication and ruining what trust has been built so far. My only other option is putting her in the bathroom for two weeks. Any idea how best to positively socialize her and still get the medication going? She does like treats; she'll come out to sniff and eat them, but as soon as I touch her, she bolts. |
#23
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Kalyahna wrote:
While I'm at it, Megan... do you have any advice on my situation? I took a terrified little grey tabby in June, and it's only in the last few weeks that she'll come over in the early morning and make happy paws on me. I still can't approach her once I'm up and around. The problem is she has chronic conjunctivitis, and it's getting worse, so she has to go back on terramycin. The difficulty is that the only time I can reliably get the cat without chasing her around for half an hour is in the morning, but I don't want her to start associating me with medication and ruining what trust has been built so far. My only other option is putting her in the bathroom for two weeks. Any idea how best to positively socialize her and still get the medication going? She does like treats; she'll come out to sniff and eat them, but as soon as I touch her, she bolts. Actually, putting her in the bathroom is the best way to accomplish both goals. I always recommend starting ferals out in a small space which generally consists of a large cage or small bathroom. This is the best way to get a cat used to you coming close to it without it having an opportunity to get far away and teaches them that when you do get your hands on them they live to tell about it ;-) I would put this cat in the bathroom and then make a concerted effort to make medication times become a positive thing by following the administration of the meds with really good things that she loves such as treats. There are many cats that know that when it's med time they get yummies and are more than happy to endure a moment of inconvenience for a tasty reward. Since this will be a new thing for her, I'd bring out the heavy artillery and use prime treats like tuna and chicken or similar. If you are feeling guilty about keeping her in the bathroom, don't. Two weeks out of a lifetime is nothing, especially when the reason is to help her. If you do want to bring her out, get a walking jacket (a regular harness is not appropriate for a feral and these are much better anyway) and get her used to wearing one. http://www.hdw-inc.com/walkingjackets.htm I use these when I first start bringing a feral I am socializing out of the cage and start integrating them into the household. They have more freedom than a cage, but I have them on a leash so they can't run away and they learn with time that, whether I'm sitting or moving around, I'm not a threat outside of the cage either. While using this method does not guarantee they will become lapcats, I have found that when I do have to pick them up it's not a half hour ordeal and I usually can get them fairly quickly if I move slowly and gently. The key is to never give them the freedom of large spaces until you can make reasonable progress handling and moving around them on a regular basis. The above would be a good exercise for you to work on with the cat for a few weeks while she's getting meds. HTH. 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 |
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