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Barnyard Buddies:  Think I have a part-time cat-Updated  |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 6:44:09 PM
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The last 3-4 weeks, we've seen the same kitty hanging around our house. I was washing windows and she came up while I was putting the screens back in and let me pet her. Then days later I was on the patio and she came up. Very, very friendly and skinny as can be. Not having a cat right now I gave her some dog food and she ate a little. The next day she came up to DH and he called me at work and asked me to stop and get cat food. I did and she ate 1 1/2 cups in one sitting and more throughout the day. So we figured we had a new cat and went out and bought all the necessaries.
The dog doesn't like her and chases her or barks so we put her in the garage until they get to know each other better. The first time we did this we let her out in the morning and she disappeared for well over a day and a half. Only came back the following evening. She asked for more food and gobbled up a bunch and again, I put her in the garage at night. Let her out this morning and no sign of her all day. I'm beginning to expect that we might be her "alternate" owner? Anyone else have a 2 timing kitty? 
Audrey
10/15 Update
Well, it's been cold here lately and we haven't seen hide nor hair of the kitty for a week. Sure hope she's at home on a nice warm bed. It was kind of fun having a cat again but I guess she's moved on. We wish her well.
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
Edited by - acairnsmom on Oct 15 2008 7:09:27 PM |
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 6:49:50 PM
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Aww, Audrey...well, don't know, if she is friendly, she definitely has probably had another owner at one time, because she is used to people, but she doesn't sound like she likes to be INSIDE..as you say she scurries out when you open the garage up in the morning...so it may just be that she is used to wandering....and, in any case, if she is SKINNY, she either DOESN'T have an owner, or doesn't have one that treats her very well, as she doesn't seem to be getting fed.
No way to tell though (although the skinny bit makes me think that it's not so)...when my family first moved to Florida, when I was a kid, we had an outdoor cat who did this very thing...she was pretty robust looking though, but she was definitely going to the neighbors because they told us that they'd seen her, and they'd feed her cooked chicken, etc! Kitty was definitely cheating on us!
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PlumCreekMama
True Blue Farmgirl
730 Posts
Heather
Iowa
USA
730 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 7:11:36 PM
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I have two parttimers here. They are both very wild, so I would assume they are just farm cats from one of the farms around. One is a huge striped tomcat that has been hanging out here for well over a year now. I see him probably once or twice a week. One of my other cats that lives in the haymow (she only comes down to eat) doesn't like any of my other cats, but she likes this big striped one. The other I have been seeing all summer, almost everyday. He is black and white and has weird splotchy markings on his face. He is also very wild and I can't get near him.
http://plumcreekmama.blogspot.com/
http://plumcreekcreations.etsy.com |
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Homespun Livin
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Brenda
Louisiana
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 7:17:52 PM
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Does she appear to be full of milk? Maybe she has had a litter of kittens? Just wondering if that could also be the reason for her skinniness. Could you follow her one day to see where she wonders off to? Just a thought.
"Love one another." |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 7:28:53 PM
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No, no milk, so I wouldn't think she'd have a litter (yet! I was wondering about the future though!) I think she's only around 6 months old so that could explain her being skinny. DH usually lets her out so I don't see her in the morning and he doesn't have time to be detective. If she comes back I think I'll have him leave her in and wait for me to let her out. We live in the 'burbs and are surrounded by fences so not sure how long I'd be able to follow her but it's worth a shot. She sure is cute and we'd love to be her new home IF she needs one but if she has one I wouldn't want a neighbor to accuse me of Cat-napping! She's white with big gray patches all over so we ofcourse call her Patches!
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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chicken necker
True Blue Farmgirl
509 Posts
Sherry
Eastern Shore
Maryland
USA
509 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 8:54:42 PM
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You know that email that runs around about every other month or so, about friends, "for a season, for a reason" etc.?
I adopted a cat just like that. We called him "MoochMan". We were living in West VA at the time. I had to go to the airport to pick up my sister and stopped at the post boxes on my way out. My girls were infants at the time and in the car (seats). I jumped out to grab the mail and by the time I got back in the car, there was this black little kitten on the passenger seat. The babies were cooing and awwing. But no, I don't need a kitten. I tried to grab it and put it back outside with no such luck. Finally, I got out of the car and went to the passenger side door and shushed him out. I walked around the car and got back in and drove off. I'm driving down the road and hear the babies giggling, I look back and there he is, in between the carseats, playing with both of them!
Finally, (as if I had a choice) I gave in and brought him home. A year later, we moved to the "city" actually just a townhouse project. He was a great housepet, never used a litter box, was always clean, endured two little girls dressing him up, ate like a king. But he would go outside every evening. After a while, he didn't come back in the morning for days on end. Finally, he showed up with a note attached to his (licensed) collar, "If you really don't want this animal, I'd be glad to take him in." The woman left her number and we chatted.. He was coming home to eat then headed off to her house to sleep! I guess the stress of the two babies in the house was getting to him.
FarmGirl Sister #123
Crafty Bay FarmGirls Chapter
"Whether you think you can or think you can't, either way, you're right." Henry Ford |
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 9:15:15 PM
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LOL! That's great! I know cats are opportunists and only looking out for themselves. I'm afraid that's the way my story is going to end up. Haven't thought about a note attached to her neck. Might have to try that! I feel sorry for the poor thing since she eats so much when she's here and we have foxes, racoons and even a few coyotes around. I'm always seeing "lost kitty" posters around, we joke and say it must have been a buffet last night. I just don't want one of those posters to be her picture.
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Oct 03 2008 : 9:27:37 PM
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At one of our duplexes we had a cat that would come, gobble some food and then disappear for several days or weeks. I tried to housify him, but he was a confident tom that wanted nothing to do with our dog. I guess some neighbors had abandoned him and he was just looking after himself.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
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katie-ell
True Blue Farmgirl
1818 Posts
Katie
Illinois
1818 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2008 : 05:11:34 AM
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A stray cat in our neighborhood kept coming around at suppertime every night. I'd feed him, and he'd hang around with us and loved to be petted. He also visited our neighbors. When the weather turned cold, I put him in our back room in a box with an old blanket for a few hours and after that he stuck around. We ended up adopting him (Thumbkin -- he had an extra toe on his paw so looked like he had a thumb!), had him fixed, and he lived with us for many years. He still loved to roam during the summers, but was really our house cat and a very good one!
When the weather turns cold and snowy, your part-time cat will need shelter. That's when you'll have to decide what to do.
Bless you for feeding this poor thing!
www.youaretoocreative.blogspot.com |
Edited by - katie-ell on Oct 04 2008 05:11:55 AM |
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Homespun Livin
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Brenda
Louisiana
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Oct 16 2008 : 06:28:55 AM
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I would go ahead and adopt the sweetie, but consider putting a flyer up saying "kitten found." Maybe one at the vets office too. Don't give too much info on the flyer as you don't want to attract ill meaning people (you'd be surprised). If nobody claims the kitten, you have a new pet. This way, no one can accuse you of stealing their pet. I am a big softie for kitties. :)
"Love one another." |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2008 : 06:48:19 AM
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I wonder about people who get cats and then don't take care of them. Right now I am feeding a stray. I already have 3 indoor kitties so I can not take another. This poor cat was first seen last summer and he seemed okay. Then over the winter I would see him and he got thinner and thinner and then early this spring he was at the point of almost dying, he could barely walk across the lawn. I finally had it and could not stand it any longer. So I started feeding him (at least I think it is a him). After 6 months we have a routine. He is fed in the morning just before I leave for work and he is waiting on my porch in the afternoon when I get home for the evening meal and sometime later in the evening he gets one more snack. He has filled out nicely and really seems to be a good cat. I have finally been able to touch him a few times - so hopefully by Thanksgiving we can catch him and take him to the Cat Adoption Team. They are a no kill shelter and they will find him a good home.
If people can't take care of a pet they should not get one. This poor cat does not understand why he has no home.
Anne in Portland, OR
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl
2544 Posts
Karin
Belmont
ME
USA
2544 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2008 : 07:50:02 AM
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We keep seeing a small kitty, grey and white, looks to be maybe four months old, who darts into our barn in the evening and once in a while we see him out in the backyard. I'm keeping my eyes on him, he looks healthy at the moment, but I'll start leaving food if necessary. I called the neighbor's, no one is claiming this little fur ball, but since we have too many cats already I'm not willing to get attached...
Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
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acairnsmom
True Blue Farmgirl
1319 Posts
audrey
cheyenne
wy
1319 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2008 : 2:11:20 PM
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I'm afraid that one of the neighbors has turned the kitty in and she's sitting behind bars. We still haven't seen her and it's well over a week now. We never could get her and the dog to get along so it's probably for the best. They are a no-kill shelter and she's young, in good health and very friendly so she shouldn't have any problems getting a new home. Just wish it could have been me.
I would like a cat but I don't know what to do to keep the dog from chasing them. He gets along with the cats at the vets, goes up and sniffs them and they are used to other dogs so they don't run. And that is the key, I need a cat that will keep it's ground and not run, 'cuz once they run they are fair game! And my dog loves chasing moving objects! It's not that he doesn't like cats, it's just they are fun to chase.
I do miss the kitty though. 
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
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Barnyard Buddies: Think I have a part-time cat-Updated |
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Think I have a part-time cat-Updated
