Topic: Strange visiting cats!

[Palustris]

We have an odd thing going on here at present. When Bill was ill we saw a long haired black and white cat in the garden. It fled when it saw me and we have not seen it again. However, yesterday Anne saw two cats down the garden and thought that one was Ben and the other the black cat. However, today I have seen another much smaller short haired black cat which fled when I approached it, but this evening we have both seen yet another cat which was small and tortoiseshell like. It ran away when our neighbours old cat arrived. The neighbours have no new ones and the nearest Farm cats look nothing like these and the farm is a fair distance away. Strange.

[Obelixx]

Just wondering if you've still got your strangers and if you've found out where they've come from.

We have adopted a small cat I found sleeping in our barn last September after I'd seen her hanging around all summer.  i'd assumed she was a neighbouring farm cat but no.  Now we have a tabby and white tom who sneaks in at night and nicks food - and sprays - so we've taken to locking the cat flap but I've enquired and he's not a farm cat either .

I found him already curled up in the garage on Monday night and it was so filthy outside I didn't have the heart to kick him out so I left him some food and water and locked the inside cat flap instead.  OH says I'm barmy but I reckon a cat in need needs our help.

[Palustris]

We are feeding the two of them at present, both are very very nervous. Eventually we will have to catch them and have them neutered if nothing else. Trouble is both our existing cats chase them away whenever they see them. And Bill has to have special (expensive ) food so we can only put food out when he and Ben are safely tucked in for the night.

[Obelixx]

Good luck.  It took me two months to catch Pusscat and get her neutered and it was just as well as she'd apparently had several litters and developed cystic ovaries.  Since then she's become a determinedly indoors cat but dislikes the resident cat and dog so stays upstairs.  In fact she only seems to like my daughter.

I shall feed the tom and see how it goes.

[Palustris]

These are the two feral kittens we are feeding and hoping to catch. They are obviously  litter siblings as they feed from the same bowl with no arguing, but are very different colours.



We put out food last night and the black and white one had had a good feed and was then joined by the other. When the bowl was empty, the black one came and looked at the back door where we were watching and meowed. So Anne went out and put more food in the bowl. The gingery one went off over the gate, but the black and white one only moved out of reach. It came back before the door was closed. The gingery one came back a few minutes later. When the bowl was empty, guess what?  Repeat performance. This time though they had obviously had enough as they then went off together, down the garden.
Really need names for them. the black and white one has four white paws by the way.

[Ellen K]

Fred and Ginger?

[Palustris]

Need to be non gender specific since we do not know what they are.

[Poppy Mole]

Socks & Kipper

[Palustris]

At the moment we are toying with Bootsie and Smudge.

[Aden Roller]

Fred and Ginger?

Many moons ago (don't laugh!) I had a girl friend called "Fred". It was her family's nick name for her. As for Ginger... could be either male or female surely?

Oh well...... just a thought.  ;)

Years later I called my mynah bird Fred... just remembered.... he talked almost as much as the girl friend.  ;D

[Palustris]

They are still turning up for food, usually around dusk. It is funny to watch them, they are less nervous now and the Bootsie will come and miaow at the door when the bowl is empty and they are still hungry. When we go out to replenish the food, they both move out of reach, but return almost before we are back inside. We did manage to get worming tablets in them both.
For the last three nights we have also put out some table scraps, pork fat, fish skin, that sort of thing. they lapped it up in no time, but last night we had nothing extra for them and Smudge kept coming to the back door and looking up, as if to say. "Hey, where's the good stuff?"
At least we know how to catch them now, a bit of salmon in the trap and we would have them. Trouble is if we did catch them , what would we do with them?

[Aden Roller]

Cats that have been out and about fending for themselves can be a real handful if cornered. Years ago when I was a child we had a black and white kitten that decided to go awol. When we did manage to get it to come into the house it shot straight up the net curtains in an attempt to get out through the window and boy would it scratch!

Take care!!!

[noname]

Have you established if they are male or female?

[Palustris]

Not yet, bit hard to tell until we catch them.

[noname]

If they are male, catch them, neuter them, let them live in Mytton's shed? Not sure how much good they would be as mouse catchers though- it's difficult to know whether they are terrible hunters or pretending they are starving hungry.

[Obelixx]

Are you intending to keep them or try and rehome them?

Either way, I'm sure the Cats' Protection League or the RSPCA could help catch them and give you a good deal on neutering.  Even if they end up being outdoor cats they need to be neutered for their own future health and to avoid a kitten population explosion.

[Aden Roller]

Are you intending to keep them or try and rehome them?

Either way, I'm sure the Cats' Protection League or the RSPCA could help catch them and give you a good deal on neutering.  Even if they end up being outdoor cats they need to be neutered for their own future health and to avoid a kitten population explosion.

Sounds very sensible advice to me.  ;)

[Palustris]

They are too young to be neutered as of yet so no decision needs to be made for the moment.  Obviously if there is a female then they are fertile at a young age and that might be a trouble.
We have the room to keep them as Barn cats, but since we cannot find where they are actually sleeping, it is difficult to get them to use Mytton's Shed (Where our old Barn cat used to sleep with a cat sized hole in the door).
The major problem at the moment is Bill's attitude, he really viciously attacks them both as soon as he seers them. Ben is much more laid back about them.
Also there is the question of Bill's diet. His food is very expensive, but he is not allowed to eat normal cat food. Ben is happy to eat Bill's stuff with him, but to feed 4 on it would be a big expense.
The Vet's down the road do a cheap neutering service so that is not a problem when the time comes.
Finally, we will have nothing to do with the RSPCA under any circumstances whatsoever! Those who know us know why that is.

[Obelixx]

Our adopted stray actually likes the cheaper dried foods I first bought her when she was sleeping in our barn so maybe your two will too.  You could try graduallly moving their feeding station nearer to where you'd like them to sleep and further away from Bill and Ben's attentions and temptation.

Meanwhile, our recently adopted Labrador was neutered yesterday and is bouncing around like nothing happened.  He weighs 30 kilos but leaps about like a 3 month old puppy and is very soppy.   He'll start training when he's had his second set of jabs in two weeks' time.

[Hazelb]

You'd be surprised what you can achieve with a feral!

We have feral cats on the industrial estate next to us. They usually aren't a problem until a dominant Tom decides to invade the neighbouring gardens and start spraying.
That's exactly what a grey and white Tom started to do, so with  Cats Protection help us trap neuter him.

He was totally wild and couldn't even been contained in the garage or shed. So we just had to let him go, but we kept putting food out for him.
That was eight years ago. He is now a very fact contented  moggy, who follows us everywhere in the garden, demanding strokes and tummy tickles and loves sitting on our laps. He still hates to feel cornered and will sneak into the house through an open door, but he is soon out in the garden if he feels threatened.



He's turned into a delightful cat. Don't worry about the missing fur on his leg, he had just had an op for an abssess on his leg  in this pic ( taken 2 years ago ).