Dave trapped his stray cat tonight-ideas for transition?

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Traci and Boomer

Traci and Boomer

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Dave's been feeding a male unaltered tux cat for close to 2 years. Dave's got a vet friend and a 24-hour vet clinic in his town. He captured Cruiser tonight and his vet friend went in and operated on him tonight and get this.....she let Dave scrub in! Can you imagine? Can't wait to hear these details. The vet is also going to give Cruiser a blood test and an exam. Not sure if this cat has ever been touched by a hooman. It's taken Dave a LONG time to get Cruiser to trust him. Dave's going to try to make him into a house cat. He's done this before with another stray Patches. Patches is now an innie/outie. Patches was easier - Cruiser seems a little more feral. I hope he's okay healthwise.
 
Re: Dave trapped his stray cat tonight-he's getting fixed

Traci

Pictures please, also please update Trink and Merlin pics. I just love those.
How are the Trink and Merlin doing? I truly need a Siamese fix. I miss mine so much. Miss those blue eyes
Terri
 
Re: Dave trapped his stray cat tonight-he's getting fixed

Hi Terri-

I'm so sorry, hon! If you are in the market for a new Siamese, how about rescuing one from the place I got Trink and Merlin? Just take a look at the webiste....
http://va.siameserescue.org/
There's a lot of them looking for their new mommy! I got both of mine transferred to me from Virginia for free. It's a great rescue.
 
Re: Dave trapped his stray cat tonight-he's getting fixed

Dave's back home with Cruiser and he's got him in a cat carrier and he's waking up. I'm a little nervous for Dave because this cat is really a feral. I'm not sure what he's going to do when Cruiser wakes up.
Any tips? I don't think this cat has ever been touched. He's never used a litter box. Dave's gotta give him meds too! It seems insane. He's got him in a room in the carrier. He's also got a bathroom that's not used but there is stuff in it. Any wisdom for my man? Is he gonna get hacked up by this cat??? nailbite_smile
 
Re: Dave trapped his stray cat tonight-he's getting fixed

Traci,

You know how you all say ECID? Well the same goes for turning a feral into a housecat. It depends on the cat, but I would say the open space of a bathroom is not the best place to start...especially while freshly recovering from anesthesia. I had a barn cat scale a 7-foot parrot cage, with the agility of lioness on a hunt, while still "under the influence" of anesthesia. She could barely walk, but she shot up the side of the cage as if someone had given her a map to study a week prior...she had never seen the inside of the house before.

Ideally, he should wake-up in a crate; already set-up with a litter box, food, and H2O. The litter box should be wired to the crate, so he can't flip it over. If he can flip it, he more than likely will flip it, and Dave doesn't need to deal with this mess without knowing how accepting, or dangerous Cruiser may be. If the litter box doesn't already have a hole on the top ledge, Dave should drill one. I use tiny bungee cords, but they have to be hooked-up strategically, so if it shoots loose, it will not hit the cat, god forbid, in his face or eye. Dave can use a twist tie, or zip tie; it's just less convenient for cleaning the box. I've never known a feral to not use a litter box when crated...well, at least, eventually. However, at first he might simply sit, or lay, in the litter. The food and water bowls should also be as "non-flippable" as possible.

If Dave can assess the kitty's behavior, while crated for a few days, he'll not only find it easier to give meds (rather than loose in a bathroom), but he can also get a feel for just how "feral" Cruiser really is. If Dave talks softly to him, and slowly blinks his eyes, and Cruiser returns the favor (with slow eye blinking, not talking; although if Cruiser can talk, you should contact your local news)...Cruiser might be half way to becoming a house cat. Slow eye blinking goes a long way in cat communications; then again, ECID...some cats become fearful with eye contact. Am I stating the obvious? I can't tell anymore...I've had about 5 hours sleep in 36 hours. :)

I could go on, and on...but I don't know how far along you are with this. Let me know if I can help. I had approximately 30 "ferals" turn themselves into housecats. Some of the most WILD, were the best housecats ever, and the most appreciative of all human efforts. Hope this helps.

Deb

PS: Dave might want to keep a pair of suede work gloves close by...in case he's a biter. Also, he should have had his claws trimmed at the vet??
 
Re: Dave trapped his stray cat tonight-he's getting fixed

Wow- thanks Deb. I'll see him later and see how it's going. Cruiser was in a carrier overnight in the bathroom. I'm a little nervous for him after reading your post! I'll update later.
 
Re: Dave trapped his stray cat tonight-he's getting fixed

Hi Traci,

Sorry, didn't mean to make you nervous. If Dave hasn't called from the ER yet, I'm sure he's doing fine. lol

Let me know how it's going. I miss the thrill...followed by great rewards. Ferals make wonderful housemates!

Deb
 
Re: Dave trapped his stray cat tonight-he's getting fixed

Hey Deb-

Cruiser is free in a smallish room with a bathroom. Dave's got some food, water and an LB in the bathroom AND food and water with Cruiser under the bed...which is where he's been since he returned home from surgery last night. No bad behavior-just staying under the bed. He lets Dave touch him. Dave also has a female cat who Cruiser likes so Dave brings her in too because they are friends. Not sure if he'll creep out at some point or not. I'm hoping he doesn't decide to pee or poop under the bed for Dave's sake. Dave doesn't want to let him outside again because he's afraid the cat won't come back. We'll see how things go. I don't know that Cruiser will "know" what an LB is. Do you think Dave should haul him out and put him in the tiny bathroom with the LB or just wait and see what happens?
 
I have trapped (by hand) eleven outdoor kitties. Some were certainly more "feral" than others. I always released them out onto our deck (which is where the fifteen cat houses are). They would shoot out of the crate and most would fly off the deck, some i thought never to return, but everyone has. Three of them sleep inside all day, only to be put out when my husband and i go to work. i can't bring myself to call any of them feral anymore. they ALL love a good scratch or pet. patience, time and food i'm sure is the key. good luck.
 
Hey Traci,

Thanks for the update. Believe it, or not, it brings me back to happier, less complicated times!

It sounds like it's going well. Maybe Dave is not as worried about where Cruiser goes potty, like you and I might be. Honestly, we both know the "pooping" under the bed isn't nearly as bad as the urinating. Okay, they're both no good! I take that back.

In my humble opinion, I would definitely, without hesitation, at least confine him to the bathroom. Also, I would never let him out so soon after surgery. For the most part, it can be done...but I had one, who was never to be seen again. He was one of the original "Fantastic 4" barn cats, which consisted of 2 females, and 2 males. So basically, his genes (his name was Morris...I'm so original) were a large percent of the entire barn cat colony. He was the dominant male. I honestly don't think he would have ever left the 100 acres, and his "queens", out of the sheer insult of finding himself "lighter in the seat" area. I believe he experienced post-surgical complications (rare in males, but it can happen) and he went off to die. There was no way we could locate him on such a vast property. Better safe, than sorry, and wondering about it for decades to come. Hindsight is 20-20. I wish I had-had the experience to know to keep him confined for observation back then. Then again, it was a huge undertaking; sometimes having 3 spays/neuters done in one day.

As far as the litter box goes...they sure do know what it is. Now whether they choose to use it, when, let's say, carpet is also a brand-new perfectly acceptable option...well, now you're just leaving it up to Cruiser's preference. They'll both work just fine for him! Sometimes we need to make the decisions, and let them think it's their idea. :)

Tell Dave he's doing a good thing; and he can't let him out anyway, as long as he needs to admin meds...right?

Deb
 
Hi Deb-

I agree with your keeping him in the bathroom idea. I told Dave that earlier but he was hemming and hawing about it. He wasn't sold on it. He wants Patches to be able to see Cruiser to make him feel comfortable. He leaves her in the room with him. I did say a few times that if he goes to the bathroom under the bed that he's gonna have a whole new set of issues but he's taking his chances. He thinks Cruiser will come out at some point and fine the LB I guess.

I read your other post on health. God, I feel bad for you and all your vet drama. Lots of people seem to have the same issues from time to time. I am convinced that vets just don't know everything. I could give you several examples of dumb vet mistakes. Both my cat Boomer (GA) and my mom's cat Francis went OTJ on Lantus. It's hard when you first come here because there is so much information and it seems people here know more than the vet....and it's generally true. I got more help here around the clock than my vet EVER gave me. People here live with diabetes every day and really know it inside and out. If I were you I'd start posting on Lantus about your cats. You will have a "condo" every day for your cats - their own thread. People will get to know you and them and be able to give you advice. Don't worry, in time you will be an expert just like I was.

About food- generally anything grilled or in sauce or gravy is higher carbs. There are some by Sophisticat in sauce that are low to medium carbs-I know this because I fed them to my diabetic. Generally anything pate style is low carb. I promise, if you keep coming around here you'll be an expert beofre you know it and you'll be helping new people! Hang in there!
 
Hi Traci,

It sounds like Dave is finding his own way of dealing with Cruiser. He's the one dealing with him "first-hand", and if he hasn't needed the suede work gloves yet, well, it sounds like they are all well on their way to housemate wedded bliss.

Geez, thanks for reading my other posts. I can't imagine leaving this place...unless they drag me out screaming. I don't expect vets, or anyone else, to know "everything", but since I'm in "bash the vet" mode, feel free to tell me your dumb vet mistakes...or not. You can always PM me.

I'll take your advice and let the Lantus folks know of my existence. I still have to get accustomed to the daily "condo" thing.

As far as becoming an expert on anything...I'm afraid you've already tapped into my life-long expertise...feral cats, that is. It's quite sad, isn't it? Oh Traci, I just truly "laughed out loud" for the first time in two days. I realize it's sad that I was laughing at my own comment, but it was you who precipitated it, and for that, I can't thank you enough...still laughing...another sleepless night, but this time with a smile on my face.

Thanks for the food tips. Just one more thing, what is the (GA) after Boomer's name? I think I've seen that around here before.

Deb
 
GA after a cat's name stands for Guardian Angel or Gone Ahead we use it to denote a cat that is waiting for his/her person at the Bridge.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
The update is that Cruiser came out from under the bed and started exploring the room at about 4 am. Not sure if he used the LB since Patches is in there too. So far no sign of poop or pee under the bed. Same with the food - some of it was eaten. Cruiser is now allowing Dave to pet him on the head and neck and will lean into him so he's really liking it. I can't believe it. Dave's coming over to my house for a little while today. So far things are going much better than I thought. I guess Cruiser likes being in a house. Maybe he's not feral after all?
 
Hi Deb-

My biggest "dumb vet" story is when my mother's cat was put on Lantus and the vet told her specifically NOT to home test. The vet put him on 2 units BID, not test and come back to the vet in 2 weeks. Francis had been on another insulin - can't remember which one- at 2 units. But lantus is very different. After the first shot Francis went into a hypo which my mother would not have known if she hadn't tested him. Mom had to take care of him for the rest of the cycle feeding him high carb and testing. It was scary. At the time she didn't have a computer so I posted here on Lantus for her and relayed the advice I got. It got him through the hypo. If mom had listened to the vet and shot blindly Francis would have been dead.

Another dumb vet thing is that my cat Merlin was diagnosed with mild asthma and my vet thinks it's a-okay to NOT treat him. I did my own research online and found a feline asthma group and learned what to do.

And my biggest pet peave is that vets don't seems to know a damn thing about feline food or nutrition. God forbid you've got a cat with food allergies or stomach issues and you need help.

GA- as Mel said means "gone ahead" or "guardian angel" and it means the cat is no longer with us.

The condo thing in the lantus group is great. It just means you get a thread every day all to yourself for your cat. If you post regularly, people will get to know you and your cat(s) and you'll get invaluable help that you can't get anywhere else!
 
Traci,

Thanks for the "dumb vet" stories. I'm so glad Merlin and Francis had smart people caring for them. Did you ever see Letterman's "Stupid Pet Tricks"? Maybe we should call them "Stupid Vet Tricks"...ahh, then again, maybe not. :)

As for the lack of knowledge, or caring, when it's comes to diet/nutrition, you hit the nail on the head. I've gone through this for years with my IBD cat...if that's really what he has. I guess I need to do what you did, with your asthma kitty, and find an IBD internet group. Most of the time, when "the fix" doesn't come in the form of a pill, the vets can't be bothered beyond that.

Good luck to you, and all of yours...including Dave & Cruiser.

And thanks Traci, and Mel, for clearing up the GA mystery. However, I'm so sorry to hear that this is how Boomer got his letters. Big Hugs.

Deb
 
Yes, you are right Traci, it is extremely unlikely that a feral cat would let Dave pet him after just one day. Exploring after one day is also unusual. I would say that he had a home at some point and was regressing to feral. Things are starting to trigger his memory;)

Cats when traveling and such can and do hold it in. The whole trip to Oregon from SF, Spock did not use the litterbox at all until we got to the motel. So, I would have Dave put the litterbox on the side of the bed--um sort of like where a nightstand would be...and if one side is away from the door, that side.

If hes letting Dave pet him, and exploring, shutting him in the bathroom at this point will be more stressful. Its too late now anyway. Generally folks adopting a shy cat/feral kitten are advised to use a small room without a bed to hide under because the person needs to be able to reach the cat/kitten to pet them and work socializing, and its hard to see body language under a bed ie claws or teeth coming. Also, many kitties are more defensive when you are reaching INTO their hidey space.

All adopters of shy/scared/former feral cats and kittens that are still exhibiting shy behavior are advised that they should not be indoor outdoor. The risk is that they regress again. Daves situation is a little different since he rescued them not adopted from shelter, but he should be aware that they can "dissappear" at any time. Some former ferals are hard to keep inside of course.
 
Thanks Lisa. I have copied and pasted this and sent it to Dave. He's not sure about how it's going with Cruiser because he's not come out. I've reminded him that it's normal and that things are going better than I thought they would!

Today Cruiser purred while being pet and he licked Dave's fingers and ate some pot roast! He's still unsure if he ate his cat food or used the LB because Patches is in there with him.
 
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