For the love of pets

[Hair_bobbles]

I have a cat. She was going to be taken up to a farm & left to fend or herself after she just had her 2nd litter of kittens,,all of whom died.
We took her in. Looked after her. Had her neutered,microchipped,gets taken to the vets for worm tablets & flee injections. She is now a very loved spoilt baby.
She has gone from strength to strength & is a lovely addition to the household. She is a mouse & bird catcher & we have had quite a few hairy & funny moments with the little presents she brings us.

However!! I have 3!! Stray cats that gravitate to my bins. One of them has only recently appeared. he looks poorly to me. I've put food out for him & he has eaten it.
I think these cats live off the contents of our bins & all the vermin that's around us- we live next to a canal & fields.

I thought I might ring cats protection about the poorly looking cat. The other 2 I'm not worried about. The big mean black cat has been around for years & the other cat is actually a few doors away neighbours cat who got out as a kitten & never returned back to them.( They've split up since & i don't know if they actually neutered the cat- she's a girl & i worry about that) When I see her I put food out for her .

It is a moral dilemma but my feeing is although these cats are what may appear to be healthy,,I'm afraid to say my feeling is they should be put to sleep. I think time money & resources should be put into neutering animals & educating owners on how to look after their pets responsibly.

Again,,before we took in our fluffball,,,we had another cat. Unfortunately she got run over on the road ( a harrowing experience & vowed I'd never get another cat again) we got her off someone we knew who had not neutered their cat & surprise surprise had a litter of kittens...& then another litter of kittens.

[Skippy]

Harry was a stray and was trapped by a local charity who at first thought he was feral but then realised he wasn't and fostered him until we adopted him.

If you do contact someone about the cats Hairbobbles please make sure it's Cats Protection or a local charity and not the RSPCA. They deserve a chance as it's not their fault their previous owners were to stupid to care for them.

[Hair_bobbles]

Will ring cats protection tomorrow.


He came to me earlier. ( he looks like a boy to me) he is in such a bedraggled state & very thin. He's made a " nest" for himself underneath our shrubbery & trees in the front garden.

I think I'm gaining his trust a little bit when I put food out for him. Actually,,I don't know what to do for the best. If I could manage to get him in our cat box,I'd take him down to our vet- but then you don't know what costs you may incur with getting him checked over & anything that may need doing - it's a real dilemma for me because I'd be quite happy to take him on. ( although not sure how our fluffball would take to it)

I really don't understand how people cannot look after their animals properly!! It's cruelty in my book.

[Shining]

Skippy since our beloved lab passed away we have put the other cocker as he's anxious anyway on Zilkene, it's working a treat for him, calmed his down. Have a google the first lot I got from the vets but after I bought from EBay so much cheaper. They are for cats too. Worth a read.

[dunkynuts]

Skippy,
Have you had Harrys Thyroid checked? That was what ended up being the trouble with my friends cat that was pulling fur out also. I've heard good things about feliway too. Hope you have a happy ending with your stray Hairbobbles

[Skippy]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think it is stress more than a medical cause as he only does it when there is some sort of change. The first time it was when our neighbours had scaffolding and it was in 'his' alley. He was also doing it when Dave's sciatica was bad as he didn't like it when Dave shouted out. Now he's not happy because the Christmas tree has gone up!

[dunkynuts]

My Neighbours cat won't go in the house if anyone visits.The only vistors people he tolerates are their Grandchildren. Thye ended up with him because his original owners weren't looking after him property. They're sure something happened to him there!

[Skippy]

Harry has to come and have a look at visitors and he has an unfortunate habit of sitting down in the middle of the living room and licking his bum! I presume it means he's comfortable with them!

[dunkynuts]

Duncan always seems to use the litter tray whilst I have visitors!

[Skippy]

Don't you just love 'em?!

[Shining]

Zilkene is for when there is change in life Skippy. Hoping to take him off them soon now he's settling. x

[Skippy]

Thanks Lesley, how is he getting on?

My main worry about that for Harry is actually getting him to take it! When he was on antibiotics we really struggled to get any down him - I had more of it on my clothes!

[Shining]

He's not too bad, there's a definite improvement but a long way to go. he's been out of the house a few time, that's the front not the back as he will go in the garden. He actually came in the lounge tonight and laid on the sofa for about 6-8 minutes with me and although that doesn't sound long for him outside the crate is a long time to be still. He paces when out of his crate. He has to be covered like a budgie when we go to bed. He's secure in there is how I see it. he soon headed back to his crate tonight but he impressed me tonight being out so long. He's 10.5 now so by the time he's 14 he may be sociable! bless him, he's unique that's for sure.

[Hair_bobbles]

The stray cat saga continues.

RSPCA said they'd send an officer out to take a look at him. Nobody has turned up.

My local cats protection have said they will pay for a vet check & anything that needs doing,,but I have have to get him do the vets.

They have a 3 month waiting list to get into the shelter.

The vet has said they will not take a look at him until cats protection fax over the HLO authorisation number.

( just taken a call from vet- I can take him down first thing in the morning.)

If he is ok : then

The vets will keep him all day, blood tests , de fleed ,wormed & neutered . ( hopefully give him a good wash & de matt aswell)

If he has a cat illness they'll put him to sleep.

If not we'll be taking him in. ( hubby is not best pleased as this development but I said to him " what can you do? Turn a blind eye & ignore a starving cat in your front garden??- we don't know what he's been through & needs someone to take responsibility for him!!! )

I have gained his trust the last couple of days & have given some fuss. He's long haired & skin & bone & poorly looking. I also think he's got an old injury on his back legs- they are very low to the ground,,he doesn't appear to be able to straighten then up- if you know what I mean.

This is such bad timing for me. I'm going in for an op on the 23rd December.i'll be out of action for about a month. I've been reading up on how you introduce a new cat into house- I'll be able to keep them separate & I'll have to designate cat litter changing duties etc to one of the girls.

Anyway,,,we'll see what tomorrow brings. I'm just glad he is going to get medical attention he needs.

[Skippy]

Bless you Hairbobbles, I hope he's ok but I'm so glad he's got you looking out for him. Let us know how he gets on.

Unfortunately nothing surprises me about the RSPCA now and I will never donate to them after this. My friend spoke to them about the stray she found and they are going to home check her which will take about 10 days. She still doesn't know if her husband will say yes to having the cat but she's working on him.

I don't know what wil happen if she fails the homecheck as I don't think they will consider my Mum because of the cat's heart murmur. Fingers crossed they will as it would be disgusting to put a cat to sleep when there was someone prepared to give him a home.