How to feed a stray

Hi there,

Here's a short question made long:

I fed a stray where I used to work. I was trying to trap him when I had
to quit (nothing more distracting than an emergency medical helicopter
ride for the one you love...). Anyway, I had someone else at work
feeding him until I could go back to work full-time, then construction
started in the field next door and his visits became more sporadic. He
eventually disappeared.

I still go back to look for him now and then even though it's been
months. Yesterday, I saw a beautiful tabby with a raccoon-striped tail
making his way over a mound of dirt. I got out the cat food and he RAN
over when I was a safe distance away. He pigged out.

Question: Since I'm not there 8 hrs a day to know when he's there, how
can I leave food for him without the crows getting every morsel? Is
there any feeder out there that will keep the birds away? Those birds
know me and wait for me to open the trunk.

Hmmm. Maybe I could always go over sunset. That would be at 10pm in the
summer, though.

Thanks,

Rhonda

Rhonda wrote:


I still go back to look for him now and then even though it's been
months. Yesterday, I saw a beautiful tabby with a raccoon-striped
tail making his way over a mound of dirt. I got out the cat food
and he RAN over when I was a safe distance away. He pigged out.

Why not take him in.


Question: Since I'm not there 8 hrs a day to know when he's there,
how can I leave food for him without the crows getting every
morsel? Is there any feeder out there that will keep the birds
away? Those birds know me and wait for me to open the trunk.

I don't think you should feed cats unless you can give them shots
and fix them, and de-worming and giving it a breakaway flea collar
will probably help the food go more to the cat instead of to the
tapeworms. A collar also helps alert conscientious humans to the
fact it is being cared for.

The problem with simply feeding stray cats is that they produce lots
of babies that have the same fate as your prior groupie. Cats live
short and difficult lives outside.

Others have other, more experienced opinions which are invited.

Good luck.

John Doe wrote:

Rhonda wrote:

I still go back to look for him now and then even though it's been
months. Yesterday, I saw a beautiful tabby with a raccoon-striped
tail making his way over a mound of dirt. I got out the cat food
and he RAN over when I was a safe distance away. He pigged out.

Why not take him in.


Oh noooooo. We took in a pregnant stray into our already crowded
household two years ago and now we are packed. Oh, and then last fall we
got a return of a 3yo cat that we had placed as a kitten -- he was on
his way to a shelter and I could not let that happen.


Question: Since I'm not there 8 hrs a day to know when he's there,
how can I leave food for him without the crows getting every
morsel? Is there any feeder out there that will keep the birds
away? Those birds know me and wait for me to open the trunk.


I don't think you should feed cats unless you can give them shots
and fix them, and de-worming and giving it a breakaway flea collar
will probably help the food go more to the cat instead of to the
tapeworms. A collar also helps alert conscientious humans to the
fact it is being cared for.


So far, I can't get near him and I won't let him starve if I can help
it. Later on, I'd consider a TNR or finding him another home. There are
just too many cats that need homes. Where do you live? ha


The problem with simply feeding stray cats is that they produce lots
of babies that have the same fate as your prior groupie. Cats live
short and difficult lives outside.


I still can't let an animal starve to death, just can't.


Others have other, more experienced opinions which are invited.

Good luck.


Thanks, I think he needs it.

Rhonda

Rhonda wrote:
Hi there,

Here's a short question made long:

Yes, I've read your spiel... Half of it is indeed unnecessary..

I fed a stray where I used to work. I was trying to trap him when I had
to quit (nothing more distracting than an emergency medical helicopter
ride for the one you love...).

Why should his little life be any less valuable that whoever it was in
that copter? What are you telling us about yourself here...?

Anyway, I had someone else at work
feeding him until I could go back to work full-time, then construction
started in the field next door and his visits became more sporadic. He
eventually disappeared.
I still go back to look for him now and then even though it's been
months.

I don't get it... So what was the point in bring him up...? Just so you
could show us what a sensitive compassionate child-like person you
are...?


Yesterday, I saw a beautiful tabby with a raccoon-striped tail
making his way over a mound of dirt. I got out the cat food and he RAN
over when I was a safe distance away. He pigged out.

Sure it wasn't an actual racoon? Go try to "trap" one of those. You'll
get a mouthfull of razor sharp teeth in your arm for your troubles.
It'll be you who will be needing the medo-vac.

Question: Since I'm not there 8 hrs a day to know when he's there, how
can I leave food for him without the crows getting every morsel? Is
there any feeder out there that will keep the birds away? Those birds
know me and wait for me to open the trunk.

You must be joking. That or you are a naive idiot. Nothing can keep
birds or squirrels away from food when you're not there.


Hmmm. Maybe I could always go over sunset. That would be at 10pm in the
summer, though.

Wow...!!! Must be far, far away! How..... exotic! Impressive...! You
must be a very, very kool person.


Thanks,

Rhonda


You're not welcome. You're not very sharp, either. Leave the friggin'
cat alone. It was doing well before you messed with it. All people like
you do is screw things up by trying to fix them. You mean well, but
since you're probably on mental medication, you **** things up more
often than not. Just leave well enough alone. That's the kind of advice
that you'll get from most everyone in here. Not to mention, it was a
completely stupid premis to begin with..
Go away... Leave us alone.



IBen

Nomen Nescio wrote:

The answer is easy, but may not be practical.
Crows tend to have a huge hangup about having
an immediate vertical escape.You will probably
never see a crow anywhere he cannot just jump up
and fly away.

roflmao

"

"Freight Train Jones" wrote in message
oups.com...
i've been up so long, i don't know what might happen if I lay down

do boogie men get people who've been up too long


No--the boogie cat does. He's about as much bigger than you as you are than
your cat, and he's hungry.

Nomen Nescio wrote:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

From: Rhonda

Question: Since I'm not there 8 hrs a day to know when he's there, how
can I leave food for him without the crows getting every morsel? Is
there any feeder out there that will keep the birds away? Those birds
know me and wait for me to open the trunk.

The answer is easy, but may not be practical.
Crows tend to have a huge hangup about having
an immediate vertical escape.You will probably
never see a crow anywhere he cannot just jump up
and fly away.
My first thought would be to make something like
a 4'x4' sheet of plywood with 8" - 10" legs in the
corners, and place it over the food with the food
centered underneath. It would be very unusual to
see a crow willing to go undernearh it to get the
food. A cat would have no such hangup about
crawling under a table to score a meal.

Hey, that may work!

Now, can I interest you in a cat?

Thanks, Nomen.

Rhonda

Rhonda wrote:
Nomen Nescio wrote:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

From: Rhonda

Question: Since I'm not there 8 hrs a day to know when he's there, how
can I leave food for him without the crows getting every morsel? Is
there any feeder out there that will keep the birds away? Those birds
know me and wait for me to open the trunk.

The answer is easy, but may not be practical.
Crows tend to have a huge hangup about having
an immediate vertical escape.You will probably
never see a crow anywhere he cannot just jump up
and fly away.
My first thought would be to make something like
a 4'x4' sheet of plywood with 8" - 10" legs in the
corners, and place it over the food with the food
centered underneath. It would be very unusual to
see a crow willing to go undernearh it to get the
food. A cat would have no such hangup about
crawling under a table to score a meal.

Hey, that may work!

Now, can I interest you in a cat?

Thanks, Nomen.

Rhonda

Hope you meet a racoon someday, Rhonda....



IBen