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How about a challenge????????
OK, cat people, I ... well actually we, i.e. Mother, the cats, and I, need
some guidance from the best cat thinkers on the planet. I somehow feel this is the moment to say "your mission, should you choose to accept it........" because the situation is rather daunting, taking on aspects of *Mission Impossible.* I'll begin by telling the whole story, since neither of us were doing anything else anyway;-) About 3+ years ago, my 90 year old Mother opened the kitchen door to let Rattler, our 15 year old arthritic dog, out to answer the call of nature. She found a cat huddled against the door, trying to keep warm. We had 14 inches of snow at the time, and the temperature was well below freezing. Feeling sorry for the poor creature, she set out a can of tuna for it. The cat survived and was named Bootsie by Mother (you have to be a regular to earn a name). The following Spring, Bootsie rewarded us by having two kittens, White Stocking, a Tom, and Miss Kitty. Along in there, somewhere, Mother happened to read the life expectancy of feral cats was about 3 years. Mother is a cat person in good standing, however, and it really is a very large HOWEVER, I am terribly allergic to cats. I can't exactly say I have gone into anaphylactic shock because of them, but once the doctor gave me a shot of adrenalin to keep me going. Naturally, cats love me and will curl up on my coat for a nap, to the exclusion of anywhere else, at any opportunity. Accordingly, Mother has never been able to have a cat for a pet and I must always be mindful of my contacts with them. That means washing my hands immediately after petting one and never letting one get in my lap--unless I intend to change clothes soon. Cleaning and vacuuming a place where a cat has been on a regular basis doesn't work, as, while I was away at school, Mother had a cat which slept on a day bed. Knowing of my allergy, she dilligently cleaned the area for me to sleep there, upon my return from school. Took about 20 minutes before I was struggling to breath. More's the pity as I really do think cats are neat, but, for me, it's about like playing with a live grenade. Back to the cats. Anyway, to give the feral cats a better chance at survival, Mother started putting food out for them. To help them survive the Winter, I built *kitty condo's* for them by cutting openings in ice chests and placing them in sheltered places around the outside of our house. In case you're interested, I also got a car battery warmer which, placed under a pan of water, kept our cats supplied with fresh water through the cold. At one time, we were going through 18 pounds of Meow mix every 10 days, such was the popularity of Mother's Kitty station. Mother doted on the cats, as you might expect, and regular visitors to our back yard would get a name. We had Big Gray, Tough Guy, Yellow Boy. Ring Tail, Little Gray, Tabby Cat, Hobo Cat, and several others who would show up, as well as our resident Bootsie, White Stocking, and Miss Kitty. Everybody's gone now, except for Bootsie, White Stocking, and Miss Kitty, poisoned by our neighbor next door. While we were having a new roof put on our house, I happened to walk up my neighbor's drive to see how the work was going. I chanced to look down and discover two cans of cat food, afloat with antifreeze. As I had watched Hobo Cat die 3 days before, I was not pleased and canceled a business deal with the sumbitch. I also reported it to the police, only to discover they could care less. Since then, the neighbor and I have been warring back and forth, he calls the police to complain, I make him get his stuff off my property, etc. I'm ahead in the count, incidentally, as I have put up two bird feeders and a birdbath beside his driveway. The first bird feeder I put up was stolen...the police are completely baffled. Anyway, birds come and feed, then fly into his trees, or perch on the wires over his beloved vehicles;-) I have an ace up my sleeve, his fence is a foot onto our property and, come Winter--'bout Christmas time--I shall have my lawyer demand he move it. Mother says I make a bad enemy. In some cases, I'm inspired. Bootsie, White Stocking, and Miss Kitty, are tamed to the point they will come, when I whistle to announce I have a treat of canned food for them. Depending on their attitude at the moment, they will either remain aloof and stay a few feet away (who would have thought) or, in the alternative, come rub against my legs and--lately--actually seem to seek attention/petting. Haven't heard anybody purr yet. White Stocking can't seem to decide whether and how much he wants to be petted--or when, for that matter. Bootsie doesn't always show up when I whistle, but, when she does, she's quite social. Miss Kitty hangs with White Stocking and follows his lead. Sometimes she'll hang back with him, but, when she does come near, she seems to revel at the human touch. Today, White Stocking rolled over on his back and seemed to like having his stomach scratched. I did manage to get enough official attention that the *******s have apparently stopped poisioning the cars, but now they are trapping them. I've retrieved White Stocking and Bootsie from the local animal shelter. And, my supposition is that one trip through that experience is enough for them. My concern is, if he manages to trap one on the weekend, when the shelter is closed, he drives off with it and we never see it again. Meanwhile, our cats discovered the doggie door--we may have to rename that--in the kitchen, and come to visit every night. They are becoming more bold in their explorations of the house and Mother puts canned food out for them every night. They go through about 2 cans and, on one occasion, Miss Kitty brought all 3 of the kittens (her two and Bootsie's one) into the house. Mother, incidentally, is house bound and has her bed downstairs. Miss Kitty allowed the kittens to have the run of the downstairs for about an hour, while she sat in the kitchen doorway and Mother sat up in bed, watching the whole affair. From time to time, Mother and Miss Kitty would make eye contact. My supposition about it is that she brought the kittens in for show and tell, sort of like introducing them to the rest of the pride...but what do I know. They haven't been back for a return visit, en mass, but there have been kitten sightings inside from time to time. Most recent was about 9 AM today, when the black kitten (Bootsie's) tried to come in the door twice, but declined as Mother was in the kitchen at the time. That pretty well covers everything I can think of to bring you up to speed on our situation. Now for the problem. We've bought a new house to get away from the %#&*(@/%## next door (talk about dedication to cats). Anyway, Mother is now very concerned about how we will go about moving *our* cats away from this unhealthy environment to our new home--about 3 blocks away. Remember, they ain't exactly tame and they absolutely can't be house pets...not while I'm alive, anyway, if I wish to remain alive, that is. Mother thinks the thing to do is take them up to the new place and shut them in the garage, with food and water, in hopes they will acclimate to their new home. I don't think it will work as all they will see is the inside of the garage, and be off like a shot when we let them out. I think our best hope at pulling it off is to wait until Winter, then provide *warm* shelter, food and water, at the new place. In one sense, time is on our side since we will be hanging on to our old house until the Spring. So, should they scoot back to their old home, I can haul them back to the new place. PROVIDING I can catch them...over and over and over. Killing the sumbitch next door, while an attractive notion, is not a viable option (drat). So, anybody got any experience at this sort of thing (sure you do)? In the alternative, what's your best thinking/experience. Now, hasn't this been fun ;-) Cheers, Jack B *USA* PS-- I'll be planting Mulberry trees next to his drive this Fall. |
#2
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OK, cat people, I ... well actually we, i.e. Mother, the cats, and I, need
some guidance from the best cat thinkers on the planet. (snipped) I know you think your mom is doing the cats a kindess by feeding them; but think about this. She is simply attracting them to her property, where they can continue to breed, and risk exposure to antifreeze poisoning, (one of the most horrible deaths you can imagine),) and cause problems to your neighbors. Please do the right thing. Trap the remaining cats. Take them for spay/neuter and find someone in the country to adopt them, or someone who is willing to spend time taming them enough to be house cats. You're just setting them up for suffering. Your cats don't have a right to roam all over the neighbor's property. Your continued defiance is only going to cause the neighbors to take out their frustrations *on the cats*. Sherry |
#3
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OK, cat people, I ... well actually we, i.e. Mother, the cats, and I, need
some guidance from the best cat thinkers on the planet. (snipped) I know you think your mom is doing the cats a kindess by feeding them; but think about this. She is simply attracting them to her property, where they can continue to breed, and risk exposure to antifreeze poisoning, (one of the most horrible deaths you can imagine),) and cause problems to your neighbors. Please do the right thing. Trap the remaining cats. Take them for spay/neuter and find someone in the country to adopt them, or someone who is willing to spend time taming them enough to be house cats. You're just setting them up for suffering. Your cats don't have a right to roam all over the neighbor's property. Your continued defiance is only going to cause the neighbors to take out their frustrations *on the cats*. Sherry |
#4
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Jack,
Before you do anything else you MUST get ALL these cats spayed and neutered! If you don't it is only a matter of time before you have 20, 30, 40 or more cats to contend with. You'll be doing a very good thing by stopping the breeding (there are millions being illed in shelteres and the world does not need more cats) and the cats will be healthier for it. If you work on socializing the kittens you should be able to find homes for them and take them out of the equation altogether. You also have to quit antagonizing your neighbor, regardless of what he has done. Fighting with him is hurting the cats and it needs to stop. Your best solution is to put in a tall fence around the yard at the new place and cat proof it so the cats can't get out, then bring them over. You can build them a nice house of some sorts that will provide them with shelter when it's cold and, if they become friendlier, you can find them homes as well. But again, before you do anything, ALL the cats must be spayed and neutered. 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 |
#5
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Jack,
Before you do anything else you MUST get ALL these cats spayed and neutered! If you don't it is only a matter of time before you have 20, 30, 40 or more cats to contend with. You'll be doing a very good thing by stopping the breeding (there are millions being illed in shelteres and the world does not need more cats) and the cats will be healthier for it. If you work on socializing the kittens you should be able to find homes for them and take them out of the equation altogether. You also have to quit antagonizing your neighbor, regardless of what he has done. Fighting with him is hurting the cats and it needs to stop. Your best solution is to put in a tall fence around the yard at the new place and cat proof it so the cats can't get out, then bring them over. You can build them a nice house of some sorts that will provide them with shelter when it's cold and, if they become friendlier, you can find them homes as well. But again, before you do anything, ALL the cats must be spayed and neutered. 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 |
#6
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Jack,
I think you and your mother would get along with me just fine! My neighbors and I are caring for a colony of ferals in our back yards. We started last winter (which was a really bad winter), putting up shelters for them, and I keep a heated birdbath on the ground filled with water for all the wildlife. We started feeding them as well in the late winter, and this past spring we got an expert to help us do trap/neuter/release with them. We now have a stable base population of feral cats, while skunks and raccoons also take advantage of leftover food, and of the fresh water of course. Now, I do not have any experience with relocating ferals, but if it's really just three blocks, chances are the new house is within their territory already, yes? Is the garage attached to the new house? It would be ideal if there were a dog/cat door between the garage and the house, so while they're shut in the garage (with food, water, boxes, bedding, etc.) they could twig to the fact that you guys are in the house. That way when you opened the garage up, they'd be motivated to stay around. I'm glad you're moving away from that neighbor. If you were staying I'd suggest that instead of perpetuating the hostility you step down your efforts, but you're moving so never mind. I also suggest you post this in rec.pets.cats.rescue. You're liable to find people with experience in this area there. Good luck! Priscilla -- Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum. (thanks be to topfive.com) |
#7
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Jack,
I think you and your mother would get along with me just fine! My neighbors and I are caring for a colony of ferals in our back yards. We started last winter (which was a really bad winter), putting up shelters for them, and I keep a heated birdbath on the ground filled with water for all the wildlife. We started feeding them as well in the late winter, and this past spring we got an expert to help us do trap/neuter/release with them. We now have a stable base population of feral cats, while skunks and raccoons also take advantage of leftover food, and of the fresh water of course. Now, I do not have any experience with relocating ferals, but if it's really just three blocks, chances are the new house is within their territory already, yes? Is the garage attached to the new house? It would be ideal if there were a dog/cat door between the garage and the house, so while they're shut in the garage (with food, water, boxes, bedding, etc.) they could twig to the fact that you guys are in the house. That way when you opened the garage up, they'd be motivated to stay around. I'm glad you're moving away from that neighbor. If you were staying I'd suggest that instead of perpetuating the hostility you step down your efforts, but you're moving so never mind. I also suggest you post this in rec.pets.cats.rescue. You're liable to find people with experience in this area there. Good luck! Priscilla -- Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum. (thanks be to topfive.com) |
#8
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Jack,
I think you and your mother would get along with me just fine! My neighbors and I are caring for a colony of ferals in our back yards. We started last winter (which was a really bad winter), putting up shelters for them, and I keep a heated birdbath on the ground filled with water for all the wildlife. We started feeding them as well in the late winter, and this past spring we got an expert to help us do trap/neuter/release with them. That's great that you neutered them. What most kind-hearted people don't understand is that by simply feeding them, they're not really helping in the long term. (Plus having cat-hating neighbors really complicates things). I still think it might help to try to mend fences a bit with the neighbor instead of antagonizing him. By moving only 3 blocks away, the cats still might roam their old 'hood. It's horrifying to think they were putting out antifreeze. Death by antifreeze is an agonizing one. Sherry |
#9
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Jack,
I think you and your mother would get along with me just fine! My neighbors and I are caring for a colony of ferals in our back yards. We started last winter (which was a really bad winter), putting up shelters for them, and I keep a heated birdbath on the ground filled with water for all the wildlife. We started feeding them as well in the late winter, and this past spring we got an expert to help us do trap/neuter/release with them. That's great that you neutered them. What most kind-hearted people don't understand is that by simply feeding them, they're not really helping in the long term. (Plus having cat-hating neighbors really complicates things). I still think it might help to try to mend fences a bit with the neighbor instead of antagonizing him. By moving only 3 blocks away, the cats still might roam their old 'hood. It's horrifying to think they were putting out antifreeze. Death by antifreeze is an agonizing one. Sherry |
#10
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