A full garden atm (kitten update)

I've got 8 cats here, Fudge, Bola, Jimmy, Max, Dexter, stripey tailed tom, the ginger tom with cancer, and Donnas new kitten.................amazingly there's not a hint of aggro, not least between Fudge and Jimmy My cat magnet must have been on supercharge overnight

Ian

Lol, aye you must have used those everready batteries... or word has got round that you're handing out turkey

It wasn't peace&love for long ..............Fudge took a dislike to Donnas kitten, I had to step in to stop her stalking him, then Dexter, of all cats, joined in , tho' kitten or not, he stood his ground with both and has been here on and off all day so far with no more trouble that I've seen or heard.

Considering Donna is such a cat person, frankly I'm amazed she lets him out for so long as there's no flap at home for him to use. Talking about this kitten, his tail is massive, it's that long I reckon he could knot a balloon with it

Ian

Just look at this tail



Ian

it's longer than him.

Rofl! Thats not a tail.... someones stapled a feather boar to his back

'Tis huge isn't it?

I had a good look at him earlier and the brown patches I thought were down to his being in the sun are genuine colour. What with those and that tail, he's going to be one standout cat when he's fully grown.

Ian

I spotted him playing on the road this morning so called him and he came running over, then spent the rest of the day (till about an hour ago) either playing or sleeping in my garden

He's got nerves of steel, he barely moved when I had the mower out and only did when I got within a couple of feet of him He was fascinated by it unlike the rest of course, the only one who didn't move at all was the ginger tom with cancer who was sat on my doorstep filling his face as I mowed, yet more proof, if any were needed, that he's stone deaf.

Ian

Oh dear, it hasn't taken him long to learn how to use the flap, he's busy exploring the house atm............time to put him back outside before he starts to feel too comfy.

Ian

The little sod invited himself in at 12.30 last night, had a good prowl round the living room and a play fight with Dexter as I was trying to watch the end of The Wire, then curled up on a armchair and went to sleep. I didn't have the heart to out him out so left him there, tho' he'd gone when I got up today, but no doubt he'll be back as soon as he spots I'm up and about.

He doesn't ask for food here and only nibbles any I do put down, so he must be going home to be fed, but I don't like the way he's left to roam at all hours. Ok, he's not exactly a kitten and seems to have enough nous to stay out of trouble, but I couldn't rest easy knowing a cat of mine was out at that time of night at his age.

There can't be a *better* way for a cat to look for another home than this, especially one so young.

Ian

have to agree with you on that Ian, reading through this, that was my first thouhgt **he's really young to be out all hours***, but people have their own way of thinking and Donna obviously can't see anyting wrong, lets just hope he doesn't come to any harm.

Hi Kath,

I haven't seen him today so far, hopefully they were up even later than me and let him in.

Ian

Or he's out exploring elsewhere, he'll be back , as sure as a cat's a hairy beastie.

He turned up shortly before I set off shopping, and yet again he refused food so it looks like he's been home at some point. He's still here, tucking into a bit of cooked ham and wanting to play with Bola atm, who for once isn't interested

Ian

He threw up big time just after lunch today, looked really sorry for himself, then disappeared and has only just come back into my garden.

I wish he hadn't learned how to use the flap, but the way he does it is so comical I can forgive him, unlike the rest who either nose their way in, or like Bola and Dexter who just barge thro' it, he sits there and paws frantically at it till it opens

Ian

aaww bless him, he hasn't quite got the hang of it yet, but he will.

He has Kath, all too well.

They were all out when I went to bed so I closed every door except my bedroom, only to be woken at 2am by him playing silly sods on my bed after he'd come in, found his way upstairs and discovered one of those valerian catnip toys............he was in heaven for a good half hour, but he stopped me going back to sleep.

He was curled up next to my pillow when I woke today, followed me downstairs asking for breakfast, licked the plate clean then trotted back upstairs and curled up next to my pillow again.

I don't know what to do for the best here, I've never encouraged any cat to come into the house let alone adopt me, they just have, but he already has a home. Granted I/we think Donna is perhaps wrong to let him wander at such a young age, but he's her cat after all, so I'll have to find some way of discouraging him. I'll start today by locking the flap while I'm at the pub later, the forecast is for a dry warm day, so my lot would be out anyway and wouldn't be in even if they could.

Hopefully he'll stroll back to Donnas as though he's not been missing and I'll try to have a word with her to ask her to keep in in for a while before he gets too comfy here with me. Bola isn't helping as he's made up to have a new friend to play with

I love cats, but I sometimes wish I wasn't such a soft touch

'EDIT'

If all that wasn't bad enough, the ginger tom with cancer is trying to come in as well. Thankfully he's not using the flap, but he's had breakfast on the doorstep and everytime I open the door he's edging into the kitchen with the most pathetic look on his face.


Ian

ah ha, another has found his way into your home/heart. Maybe you'll have to stop leaving food out, or just not feeding them, well apart from your own, and hopefully when he sees there's nothing to be had at yours, he'll realise food means home, and then go back to Donnas. We had a similar problem when we first moved here, we only had Sam and he liked food in his bowl all the time, didn't eat it, but it had to be there. Well every cat within walking distance came in, but I stopped leaving food out, Sam wasn't happy, but eventually the other cats got the hint.

Hi Kath,

That's just it with this kitten, it's not food he's after, he eats very little here, he just wants company whether it's mine or other cats. As Donna is in just as much as I am, I don't understand why she lets him out like this The only *reason* I can think of is that William was her sons cat, and if this kitten is a *replacement*, she's leaving all responsibility down to him. He's working, so it's not as tho' he's too young to do it, but he obviously can't be home all day.

Ian

He could of course just prefer you, you spend time with them all, so he will like that attention.

Not really Kath, he comes in but rarely stays long, at least during the day. He'll stroll in, have a tour round the house and a quick chin rub then he's off out again. It's like he knows he doesn't live here, but is grateful he's welcome whenever he calls. More often than not I see him perched on top of a nearby shed roof and as soon as he spots me outside he wanders into my garden, it's Bola and the rest who's company he's after, not so much mine.

Ian

Well it kind of puts the theory that cats are solitary creatures, maybe your lot haven't read the book.

Teddy wrote:Well it kind of puts the theory that cats are solitary creatures, maybe your lot haven't read the book.

Fudge has, in fact hers was printed in bold capital letters Bola is the complete opposite, I've only once seen him show aggression to s strange cat, for the rest he dashes up chirruping his head off, and if they're willing to play, especially roughly, so much the better. It looks like this kitten is going to be very much like Bola as he gets older.

Ian

Donna has just been up to ask if I'd seen her kitten (he's called Buddy) As luck had it, I was outside and I knew he wasn't in the house, so I was able to tell her I had a good idea where he was and I'd go and get him, and there he was. He spends hours either on a shed roof or in the garden of a house nearer hers than mine, so I told her to ask her neighbour or just go into their garden and call him as he wouldn't be far away. I couldn't deny he comes in here, but I told her I don't encourage him and he never stays long anyway. He's due to be neutered and chipped soon

She only took him on to socialise him, the intention was to return him to a house a few doors away, they had a litter of 4 kittens but while 3 were very timid, and IIRC, Buddy was out and out aggressive with anybody/cat who came near. She's done a good job with him imo, perhaps too good as he's now a bit too friendly with anybody he meets.

More sad news from Donna as well, her elderly cat (19) has vanished of the face of the earth, which is why she decided to keep Buddy. This cat very rarely strayed beyond her garden and is deaf as well, so to just disappear like that is a mystery. Having that happen so soon after losing William must be a heartbreaker, and I don't blame her being protective of Buddy, but I wish she wouldn't let him wander so much, especially as he seemingly has a nasty stomach upset atm.

Ian

I was up early today (just after 5am) and he was there in my garden as I opened the door to look for Fudge, so he's been out all night, tho' I'm pretty sure he didn't come in as all the doors were still shut. I tried to show him the box in my shed yesterday, but he wasn't interested, which perhaps isn't a bad thing.

Ian