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Post by simnettpratt on Oct 5, 2018 5:01:54 GMT -5
So I was closing the door to my shed, and this starving stray cat came flying out. I had almost consigned it to a dark and miserable slow, thirsty death in the Texas 100° summer heat. I decided to put food and water on my back porch to help it out. I forgot you never feed just one stray cat.
Pretty soon I had an assortment of random, hungry cats chowing on the meow mix. They were all feral, and bolted for the hills when I opened the sliding glass door, until one day a cat bolted straight IN the house. What the hell?? Then, I noticed it had a tatty old collar on, and I realized it was pre-owned. I liked Indoor Cat, but when it started getting fat, I realized it was a girl. The first six little cats all died within six months. By died, I mean went out and never came back; presumed dead.
Last summer, five more all died in childbirth. I finally got the money to spay Indoor Cat, but the soonest appointment I could make was six months away. Damn cat had six more cats the week before the appointment, and they wouldn't give me my deposit back. This was last December. There are two of those cats left.
I found a new place that would spay cats for $20, but damn Indoor Cat just had six more. Their eyes have just opened, but they haven't left their bed yet.
Then, last week, a new and surprising thing happened. I was headed to the kitchen and there was a new cat in the house, smaller than December cats. By the time I got to the kitchen, there were SIX new stray cats in the house, and they all wanted pettings. I didn't do ANYTHING to cause this; all the outdoor cats ran for the hills when I opened the back door. These six just decided to come in and want pettings. What the freaking hell, man.
So, to add this up:
1+ (Indoor Cat, the only one I want) 2+ (Survivors from December) 6+ (Just born ones that can't walk yet) 6+ (Random frigging outdoor cats that want pettings) = 1 Jillion Cats
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Post by toshtego on Oct 5, 2018 5:20:14 GMT -5
It is good of you to open your home, your life and your wallet to feral cats.
I, too, have many. As many as four come indoors with another squad staying in a store room accessable from the outside and other outbuildings. They assemble by the front door, under a portal for feeding. The numbers go up and down as some roam and are picked off by coyotes, foxes, owls. I have spayed and neutered one generation but one male escaped prosecution and now I am on the third.
I certainly enjoy them and respect their resiliance. My rodent problems are finished.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2018 5:23:41 GMT -5
I’m an animal lover so I feel your pain! However, it’s time to close your front door faster. Set up a warm shelter outside, they shall come. Feline leukemia is common with feral cats, could be why many kittens passed. Give them love and attention outdoors, otherwise your home will soon be upside down. Your talking to someone that raised a baby raccoon and squirrel indoors years ago. Only time they ever went outdoors was to follow me, once I went back inside they followed. They both realized what a good life it was indoors in their cages at night.
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Post by simnettpratt on Oct 5, 2018 5:56:24 GMT -5
They come in through the cat door. My mom has a lady that takes cats for free she gives to farmers to be barn mousers, so most will be headed there. She tells my mom she makes the farmers promise to feed them, but I bet most don't. I can handle Indoor Cat and the December two, but got twelve more in the last week I didn't plan for. I can't afford to catch and fix every damn stray cat in Grand Prairie.
The shed has bedding in it, and I stopped the door ajar, and the frigging lawn mower now lives in the house. The six that all decided to domesticate themselves were the surprise. They are house trained, and don't eat any more for coming in, but they have to go before they multiply too.
I don't want any pets, we had hundreds growing up, of all kinds. This time next week, I shall expect to have two house possums, a couple of raccoons, and an armadillo.
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Post by antb on Oct 5, 2018 6:16:03 GMT -5
A noble thing to do, David!!! I love all cats....
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Post by Pistol Pete 1911 on Oct 5, 2018 6:16:32 GMT -5
Noble gesture
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Post by pepesdad1 on Oct 5, 2018 6:55:30 GMT -5
Good for you! Carry on. Love all animals, the Lord put them here.
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Post by Darin on Oct 5, 2018 7:04:25 GMT -5
What's the old adage? No good deed goes unpunished? Lol Your a good man, Charlie Brown!  |
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Post by pepesdad1 on Oct 5, 2018 9:09:19 GMT -5
Unfortunately, stray cats are all too common....also dogs. Taking in a homeless critter will bring you joy unbound...they will love you for taking care of them...and the Lord will take care of you, for caring for his creations.
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Post by Legend Lover on Oct 5, 2018 10:16:03 GMT -5
You've done a good thing, but I feel your pain. It must be costing a fortune in cat food.
Your cat definitely gets around.
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Post by simnettpratt on Oct 5, 2018 11:23:38 GMT -5
I only fed the first one because I used to see it on my street on trash day, sniffing all the trash bags for some moldy scraps, and felt sorry for it when I almost locked it in the 120° dark shed. It would have been a nasty death. I didn't realize there were that many in this damn suburb, but they don't live long; it's a rough life.
I get $80 at the grocery store every second Wednesday. I'm up to spending $30 of it on the damn cats, and it's the cheapest generic meow mix crap they sell. I can't afford kitty litter as well, so the experience this last year of the ten that lived a few months was not fun. These new little six are headed for the mouse barns, so that's good, and Indoor Cat gets to visit the $20 clinic shortly thereafter.
What I've never seen is six wild animals suddenly decide on their own to become tame and demand pettings. I've had possums sneak in to eat the cat food before, and one would sleep in the bookcase during the day and take treats under the table, but they weren't tame. Our cows figured out how to open the back door if we forgot to lock it, and come in the kitchen, but they only came in for milk, not pettings. Did you know cows can do the splits? Wax the floor and let one in and you'll see.
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briarbuck
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Post by briarbuck on Oct 5, 2018 13:57:25 GMT -5
Must...refrain...from making....insensitive....cat jokes...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2018 14:48:08 GMT -5
David, ^^^^^^^^^^ here’s a song that you should listen to........
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Post by LSUTigersFan on Oct 5, 2018 20:40:07 GMT -5
I can see this place having Caturday like on AR15.com!
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Post by monbla256 on Oct 5, 2018 22:12:06 GMT -5
I've been raising feral cats for around 20 years now. I've lost track of how many liters have been born in my backyard. I have 4 tamed ferals that live in my house now. All were tamed as kittens with the oldest going on 15 yo and the youngest just turned 3 this summer. I have another 3 yo that lives in my backyard which I got fixed and her shots and I can pick her up now and pet her. If you want to try making a feral your pet start early if you can and remember, IT TAKES TIME. Don't be in a hurry as you have to earn it's trust but when you do, they are loving kittehs.  |
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flyinmanatee
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Post by flyinmanatee on Oct 6, 2018 0:30:23 GMT -5
This is a pet peeve of mine pun intended. Re-domesticatimg a cat is great but please do not increase and promote the feral cat population by setting up outside living areas. Studies have shown feral cats are killing birds by the billions. Even endangered species are under assault in places like Australia.
Cats belong inside! Ok I'm off my high horse...grew up around farms..get the mice thing...but please consider directing your compassion torward a more overall effective ecological goal. Thanks.
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Post by unknownpipesmoker on Oct 6, 2018 0:45:31 GMT -5
All of my cats have come from either shelters or feral from the wild.
Best advice I can give is find a local charity that fixes them. Buy a cat trap online. Trap them all and take them and get them fixed. If you want to leave food out for them, thats great.
You've got to control the population. Its really the only humane way to take care of this problem.
The only time this gets messy is when you might have to move. My mother took care of stray cats for years, and then had to move - then found herself driving 20 minutes there and 20 minutes back, to take care of the little bastards, because they'd starve without her. They'd been fed by her for over 7 years. Its incredible a feral cat even lives 7 years, but these guys lived well beyond that.
I don't know man. I love cats. But aside from just getting them all fixed, I really have no other constructive advice.
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Post by simnettpratt on Oct 6, 2018 1:07:21 GMT -5
Ideally, I'd have the money to fix all the outside cats, but I don't, and anyway, there's such a high turnover rate I don't think any of them see their first birthday. The multiplication rate is the problem; Indoor Cats made seventeen more cats last year alone. Five died or were dead being born, ten went out and never came back, two are still kicking, but I wouldn't be surprised if they see the inside of a coyote's belly by December.
I don't know where all the new strays are coming from. I never saw any around the house except the one that would sniff the trash on trash days.
Bottom line is, if you live in the country, you can get away with feeding strays. Feed city strays at your peril.
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Post by simnettpratt on Oct 6, 2018 1:42:44 GMT -5
Last Year:
This Year:
Next Year: |
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Post by unknownpipesmoker on Oct 6, 2018 2:00:50 GMT -5
Ideally, I'd have the money to fix all the outside cats, but I don't, and anyway, there's such a high turnover rate I don't think any of them see their first birthday. The multiplication rate is the problem; Indoor Cats made seventeen more cats last year alone. Five died or were dead being born, ten went out and never came back, two are still kicking, but I wouldn't be surprised if they see the inside of a coyote's belly by December.
I don't know where all the new strays are coming from. I never saw any around the house except the one that would sniff the trash on trash days.
Bottom line is, if you live in the country, you can get away with feeding strays. Feed city strays at your peril.
Yeah there are some stray cat organisations that do it at a discount rate though, or even for free. If you just google "your city name /region/state ___________ feral/stray cat charity/group" you can probably find one. All those clinics do though is fix them and very standard vaccines, they don't do regular wellness visits or anything of that nature, thats how they keep it $20/free. If you think the stray cat problem in America is bad you should see Thailand.. The whole country breaks my heart. Not just stray cats, but dogs as well. Everywhere. All over Bangkok, and most of the country. Terrible. |
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Post by simnettpratt on Oct 6, 2018 5:35:17 GMT -5
The clinic that does it for a discount is the $20 one; the regular city one charges you $65, has a six-month waiting period, and keeps your deposit if the cat gets pregnant in the six months. Drugs for after the surgery are extra, too.
With the $20 clinic, you just show up, and if you say they're feral, it's $20 and free drugs. I know, we took four or five of mom's stray cats there the other day. We have plenty of catcher cages and regular cages (most folk call them cat carriers). Indoor Cat's definitely not feral, but maybe if I take the tatty collar off and say it is, I'll get the discount.
$30 for cat chow and a $20 clinic visit is a significant portion of my $80 two-week grocery bill. If I can get Indoor Cat and the December two fixed, I can send the newly crawling six to the farmer lady, but may have to send her the new outdoor-to-indoor six off too. I imagine when it gets down in the 50°s here, they'll spend a lot more time indoors, and I can't have them multiplying inside.
My insane female parental takes in ALL strays: growing up we had pet dogs, cats, birds, fish, gerbils, cows, possums, a fox and a bear. The most dogs we ever had at one time was twenty seven. One of them had just had puppies and I made a count. That's WAY too many dogs. My insane sister is the same: maybe seven or eight dogs, seven aquariums, and pet scorpions. Why in the everliving hell do you need pet scorpions Aaand now I have a jillion frigging indoor cats, and it's my own damn fault. FML. C'mon, farmer lady. Grr. |
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Post by pappyjoe on Oct 6, 2018 6:13:55 GMT -5
This is a pet peeve of mine pun intended. Re-domesticatimg a cat is great but please do not increase and promote the feral cat population by setting up outside living areas. Studies have shown feral cats are killing birds by the billions. Even endangered species are under assault in places like Australia. Cats belong inside! Ok I'm off my high horse...grew up around farms..get the mice thing...but please consider directing your compassion torward a more overall effective ecological goal. Thanks. You do realize that cats are feral by nature and are predators? They lived outdoors until humans domesticated them. |
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Post by pepesdad1 on Oct 6, 2018 6:15:22 GMT -5
David,
Pet scorpions? Really? Whew...can't do that one. You're gonna have to develop a stronger NO reflex. It is hard, you feel for the creatures that are now dependent on you for their life (eating). Ya just can't do it. They must have a cat "Hot Line" that lets the others know they have found someone who will feed them. When I was in college, I fed over 100 cats in 8 locations after I finished school...why? cause I was dumb, dumb, dumb.
Ya just can't do it. More will come as sure as the sun rises. Adopt 1 or 2 and then develop a hard heart cause they will eat you out of house and home.
I try to close my eyes when I see a homeless dog on the street...My little family just can't afford to feed another and stay above water. Our last little one, whom we love dearly...costs us $1300. the first week in dental issues....just sayin'.
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driftingfate
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Post by driftingfate on Oct 7, 2018 0:03:41 GMT -5
Everything lived outdoors until
Man domesticated it. We tend to forget that domestication isn't training one animal but changing a genetic line. Cats and hogs seem to be the two animals closest to crisscrossing that line.
My advice: find a free clinic to fix the cats you don't want and boot them outside. Provide water but not food, we aren't barbarians, but they need to learn to forage elsewhere.
It's a hard spot the heart often puts us in, but you can't have a dozen cats relieving themselves in your home without consideration to the long-term effects on the property.
Still, I love cats and dogs equally, and that means a LOT.
Best of luck with a difficult situation.
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Post by trailboss on Oct 7, 2018 2:44:04 GMT -5
Feeding strays if you live in a subdivision, can be problematic for others. When I lived in California, one neighbor was feeding the strays, that ended up shredding another neighbor’s boat cover, and using the seats for a scratching post, another neighbor with a classic hot rod left his windows down and a cat sprayed the interior of a newly restored 1950’s Cadillac.
I think between the two of them guys, they started poisoning the cats.
Where I live now, a few years ago, I trapped over 17 cats in my yard and relocated them to my work. They walk along the fence line and taunt my dog, two of them lost their footing and met their fate from Duke... that only makes Duke more eager to put another notch on his collar. I figure they are better off living at the trucking terminal... most have skedaddled, or a ‘yote ate them.
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Post by Pistol Pete 1911 on Oct 7, 2018 7:53:06 GMT -5
David, ^^^^^^^^^^ here’s a song that you should listen to........ Good Tune |
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Post by LSUTigersFan on Oct 7, 2018 8:19:30 GMT -5
This is a pet peeve of mine pun intended. Re-domesticatimg a cat is great but please do not increase and promote the feral cat population by setting up outside living areas. Studies have shown feral cats are killing birds by the billions. Even endangered species are under assault in places like Australia. Cats belong inside! Ok I'm off my high horse...grew up around farms..get the mice thing...but please consider directing your compassion torward a more overall effective ecological goal. Thanks. You do realize that cats are feral by nature and are predators? They lived outdoors until humans domesticated them. Remember, dogs have owners...cats have servants. |
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Post by Wolfman on Oct 7, 2018 9:00:20 GMT -5
@lonecoyote I think the last time I watched that video was in 1982. What a great band !
I've always had a soft spot in my heart for stray cats.
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Aaand now I have a jillion frigging indoor cats, and it's my own damn fault. FML. C'mon, farmer lady. Grr.
