Caring For Abandoned and Feral Cats

His Mom did not raise any dumb kitties!

 

I played a game with the feral kitten, Baby Kitty, last night. Her buddy, Thunder Cat, was off tom catting and she was lonely.

I walked out to the end of the driveway and when I turned to go back to the house, I saw that she was sitting under the back of the car. She'd followed me out that far.

I was about 10 feet from the car and wanted to see if I could coax her out. My driveway is covered in fallen Oak leaves so I picked up a leaf and scratched it back and forth on the ground. She watched it but wouldn't come out so I tossed it up and let it float to the ground. This got to her, lol. She came out from under the car and went right to the leaf. Now, she was only about 4 feet from me. I got another leaf and we did the same thing. I guess we played this about a dozen times and she came within about two feet of me, but no closer.

I left it at that and considered it a big breakthrough with her. I'll go out and play with her later. Last time I was out she didn't seem interested in getting up from her nap in the carport. Yes! Twice today I found her napping in the carport. She is making progress toward becoming tame.

 

I hope Baby Kitty isn't sick. She's sleeping on top of some boxes out in the carport. I went out and talked to her and she didn't get up and run like normal. She sat up and laid right back down. She let me extend my hand toward her and she smelled it from about six inches away.

Normally, at this time of night she's hidden away somewhere.


Side note: I had my 4 granddaughters in a store today and the 10 year old pointed out a board game she thought I should buy. It was called "Crazy Cat Lady"!

 

A board game called Crazy Cat Lady, that's hilarious! :2thumbsup:

Well, we know what you're getting for Christmas. lol

Poor baby kitty..

 

LOL, yeah maybe so.

Baby Kitty got up and pottied; then she went to the food bowl and starting eating. Maybe she's going to sleep at the house now instead of hiding out wherever she normally sleeps.

 

Well, thats always a good sign.

 

I don't think I'd be able to pass up a game like that...talk about syncronicity! Crazy Cat Lady indeed.

I HATE hearing that Baby Kitty sounds like she may be sick, Aeri. Hopefully she is just ready to quit fighting the love. Let us know.

 

^^^ Thats a sick old cat I'll betcha...Wild cats don't normally do that, get that close to houses like that in broad day-light...look at its ears and the look on its face...
that poor kittys hurting.

 

Baby Kitty is fine. I guess she was just hanging out.

 

:2thumbsup:

 

Speaking of kitty health is a taste for garlic hummus a symtom or simply a strang taste for a boss siamese tom.

 

A little garlic is okay but not alot or often. Never feed any onions. Onions, and, to a lesser degree, garlic breakdown the red blood cells in cats and will make them anemic.

 

Sai disn't eat but a few licks, but as soon as it came out he grabbed it and I had to convince him to let me open it! lol

 

We had a cat that was crazy for Neosporin ointment, lol.

 

Lol

 

I never figured that one out, lol

 

I did not know that! Excellent info.

The only thing I know that is bad (actually potentially lethal) is a peace lily. I got very lucky last year when one of mine chewed on a peace lily and got sick; but, got over it. He could have died.

What other good cat food info can you pass on, Aeri?

Oh, and I'm very happy to hear that Baby Kitty is fine. :sunny: (I look forward to seeing some pics of her in the leaves...hint hint)

 

Cats are weird. I had one that liked hot chili stew... I never encouraged it, but she ate a pretty big bowl of it once while I wasn't looking. The hot chili didn't seem to bother her at all! lol

 

Here's a list I got off line, Lynn:

Human Foods To Avoid Feeding Cats

Onions, Garlic, & Related Root Vegetables
Onions contain a substance (N-propyl disulphide) which destroys red blood cells in the cat, causing a form of anemia called Heinz body anemia. Garlic contains a similar substance in a lesser amount.

Green Tomatoes, Green (raw Potatoes)
These foods are members of the Solanaceae family of plants, which includes the Deadly Nightshade, and contain a bitter, poisonous alkaloid called Glycoalkaloid Solanine, which can cause violent lower gastrointestinal symptoms. The leaves and stems are particularly toxic. (Tomatoes in pet foods are ripe, and should cause no concern because they appear in relatively small amounts)

Chocolate
It's becoming more widely known that chocolate is very toxic to both cats and dogs. Theobromine is the offending substance here. Janet Tobiassen Crosby, D.V.M. has an excellent article on the symptoms, effects, and treatment of chocolate toxicity.

Grapes and Raisins
These foods' toxicity has mainly been found in dogs, in quantities of varying amounts. The ASPCA advises: "As there are still many unknowns with the toxic potential of grapes and raisins, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center advises not giving grapes or raisins to pets in any amount." That's good enough for me.

Milk
Although milk is not toxic to cats, it may have adverse effects. Simply put, adult cats fed a nutritious diet don't need milk, and many cats are lactose-intolerant, which means that the lactose in milk and milk products produces stomach upset, cramps, and gassiness. If your cat loves milk, and begs for it, a small amount of cream may be okay, two or three times a week. (The more fat in the milk, the less lactose.) Another compromise is CatSip, a product made from skim milk with an enzyme added that helps the digestion of lactose. Catsip is available in supermarkets such as Safeway, Albertson's and A&P, as well as pet products chains, such as PetSmart and Petco.

These are the most commonly seen "people foods" that are potentially harmful to cats. The bottom line is to feed your cat nutritious food developed with his needs in mind and choose treats designed for cats instead of table scraps.
http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/humanfood.htm



Tuna only occasionally - Not enough nutrients and can cause mercury poisoning.

Raw Eggs besides possible salmonella they can interfere with B vit. absorption and cause skin and coat problems.

Raw Meat and Fish
Raw meat and raw fish, like raw eggs, can contain bacteria that cause food poisoning. In addition, an enzyme in raw fish destroys thiamine, which is an essential B vitamin for your cat. A lack of thiamine can cause serious neurological problems and lead to convulsions and coma.

Dog Food
An occasional bite of dog food won't hurt your cat. But dog food is not a substitute for cat food. They do have many of the same ingredients. But cat food is specially formulated for a cat's needs, which include more protein as well as certain vitamins and fatty acids. A steady diet of dog food can cause your cat to be severely malnourished.

Liver
Small amounts of liver are OK, but eating too much liver can cause vitamin A toxicity. This is a serious condition that can affect your cat's bones. Symptoms include deformed bones, bone growths on the elbows and spine, and osteoporosis. Vitamin A toxicity can also cause death.

Raw Eggs
There are two problems with giving your cat raw eggs. The first is the possibility of food poisoning from bacteria like salmonella or E. coli. The second is that a protein in raw egg whites, called avidin, interferes with the absorption of the B vitamin biotin. This can cause skin problems as well as problems with your cat's coat.

Fat Trimmings and Bones
Table scraps often contain fat trimmed off of meat and bones. Both fat and bones may be dangerous for cats. Fat, both cooked and uncooked, can cause intestinal upset, with vomiting and diarrhea. And a cat can choke on a bone. Bones can also splinter and cause an obstruction or lacerations of your cat's digestive system.
http://pets.webmd.com/cats/ss/slideshow-foods-your-cat-should-never-eat