Author Topic: Free Kitten to good home. (Read 49482 times)

rusky · « **Reply #250 on:** 04 June, 2012, 11:15:16 pm »

That sounds like the same behaviour as one of mine. Lasted about a week, now back to normal!

TimO · « **Reply #251 on:** 05 June, 2012, 08:37:50 am »

Well, he wasn't around when I got up, and hasn't appeared even with lots of bowl clanking. Zev's had her breakfast now and has buggered off. I will wait and see if today is going to be like yesterday, or whether he's gone off again. I reckon both are plausible eventualities.

He's obviously a cat who likes his freedom to roam.

TimO · « **Reply #252 on:** 12 August, 2012, 08:17:16 pm »

Just a quick update on his roaming. Over the last few months I've seen him fairly randomly. Mostly I'll see him about once a day, but he can be gone for two or three days with no sight of him, and sometimes he'll barely leave the house for several days. I suspect he's still reliving his days of being entire, and wandering around trying to get his paw over (possibly successfully, but with no issue (for all meanings of that word!)). He has come in with the occasional scratched nose, which tends to support that theory, since he'll likely end up in scraps with others for the ladies favours.

Sometime this week, he lost his collar and tag, which had been on him since December. That was a pretty good run. He has then excelled any previous records, by loosing the collar I put on him this morning, before he came back for the evening meal. I reckon that was less than eight hours, which improved upon Talisker's record of about four days by quite a bit. He's got another collar on now, I wonder how long this one will last?

TimO · « **Reply #253 on:** 20 August, 2012, 10:57:55 pm »

Interestingly, he has been appearing for most meals over the last week or two. I'd say he's missing less than one meal a day, although which can be a bit random. He normally has at least one breakfast, I don't think I haven't seen him for at least one in quite a while (first breakfast is when I get up, second breakfast just before I leave).

Very unusually for him, he appeared and slept on my bed for a fair bit of last night. He took over the prime position, which is where Zev tends to sleep, so she had to sleep on the other side. I, of course, was stuck with a cat on both sides for quite a bit of the night, so had a crick in my neck this morning! That's probably only the third or fourth time he's slept on my bed for any significant amount of the night, and the first time for months. I would have thought that during this warmer weather they'd be more inclined to go out at night and hunt, and sleep during the day when it's too hot to do much exercise.

He is obviously doing quite well with dead mice. He's caught at least four that I've seen, in the last week. The last was this evening when he appeared just after I got in, and wanted to bring a dead mouse in with him. I convinced him to drop it and come in for supper, but I think he went and found it again afterwards!

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #254 on:** 27 September, 2012, 04:25:51 pm »

*demands update*

TimO · « **Reply #255 on:** 27 September, 2012, 10:14:46 pm »

Not a lot really. I'm not even seeing him every day at the moment, but the weather is still very mild and mostly dry. I last saw him a couple of days ago for breakfast, but it was a very fleeting visit, and he shot straight back out the cat flap once he finished. He didn't even stop for a nose about, or wash, which he generally does. He's lost his collar (again), so I've got a new one ready for the next time he appears, just to give him that 'owned' look.

I guess he's getting well fed somewhere, and possibly bedding down overnight as well, although he seems to appear more easily if I make "breakfast sounds" relatively early, which is suggestive of him having been turfed out overnight, and not having been let back in yet.

There's obviously always a bed for him here, and he can get in or out via the cat flap, so he can always come in if the weather is too cold or wet, and he can't find somewhere else to go.

TimO · « **Reply #256 on:** 30 September, 2012, 08:10:11 pm »

As I was tidying up after doing some work in the back garden, Kai appeared this evening.

He was quite nervous, but came in and scoffed some dried cat food that I put down for him.

Zev was a little bitch, and managed to upset him, so I had to sit there with her on my knees, progressively getting more and more angry. I think she considers the house to be hers now, and resents it whenever Kai appears, which of course makes him less likely to come back. $:-\$

He's less friendly than he used to be. Initially he let me pick him up, but then growled and spit a bit (any other cat would have clawed or bit me, but he's surprisingly well behaved, even when very annoyed), so I put him down and let him have the food. After that I couldn't get close enough to him to get the spare collar on that I had ready, because he's lost the last collar I put on him.

I can't help feeling he seems to be getting a little feral, which suggests that maybe he isn't being fed by another house, but is either subsisting on wildlife or finding scraps of food from other sources (bins etc). The park nearby probably provides a reasonable supply of small animals whose eventual demise is likely to be "squeak, crunch", but there are a fair number of cats around. He didn't seem to be very hungry. He ate the cat food readily, but not massively rapidly, like a cat with a big appetite, so I don't think he's going hungry.

It's a bit odd, because for many months he and Zev seemed to get on mostly OK. Now they can both be a bit aggressive towards each other, although that may just be lack of familiarity. He did sniff around her rear, and then lost interest, which makes me think maybe he's just wandering off in search of females to "acquire", even if it'll no longer do him any good, just a practice he got into in the past, and continues to do.

TimO · « **Reply #257 on:** 04 November, 2012, 08:34:24 pm »

I've just posted these images here for the sake of completeness, they're also in the Gratuitous cat pics thread.

Kai has spent a lot more time around the house this weekend, although whether that's because of the poorer weather today, or possibly because wherever he normally disappears to is away, I'm not sure. Hopefully it's a trend.

He lost his most recent collar a few days back, and I've yet to put a new one on him, because between him and Zev, they've now exhausted my supply of spare collars.

In his new favourite sleeping location, the door from the hall into the living room, looking suspiciously at me!

Another shot, equally relaxed.

TimO · « **Reply #258 on:** 04 November, 2012, 08:37:57 pm »

... and for comparison, compare these two shots, taken by Loafheads, just over twelve months ago. He is so much fluffier now, and possibly a bit tubbier as well.

TimO · « **Reply #259 on:** 11 November, 2012, 06:32:16 pm »

He came in this afternoon, limping, and hasn't been overly active ever since. Just finding a location and sleeping all day, isn't exactly unusual for him (or any cat!), but it's not a good sign. He was very unhappy when I picked him up, and is very mucky and smelly, so not cleaning himself very well. He also doesn't have a great appetite, and Zev finished off his supper for him.

This all says to me that he's hurt something, but I can't work out what, so it's off to the vet tomorrow morning. I've had to switch the cat flap over to Vet Mode, which means incoming cats only, so I need to put a spare litter tray out, and make sure both are clean and fresh for use. Zev has been chucked out to use the loo, and she can let herself back in when she's done.

rusky · « **Reply #260 on:** 11 November, 2012, 06:34:38 pm »

Poor little guy. At least he's back with you so he can be looked after.

Knowing cats, he'll be back to normal in the morning though!

andrewc · « **Reply #261 on:** 11 November, 2012, 06:40:05 pm »

Fingers crossed the poor chap is OK.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #262 on:** 11 November, 2012, 06:51:15 pm »

About 80% of cat ailments seem to be fixed with a night in (human) bed.

In contrast to Kai, Hector, who was a farm kitten, is the most domesticated cat imaginable. He rarely ventures outside the garden and prefers to lounge about on our beds or the sofa.

TimO · « **Reply #263 on:** 11 November, 2012, 07:00:34 pm »

Well, we will see tomorrow. I'll get up good and early, so I can call the vet up when they open, and if necessary cart him straight in.

If he's eating with his normal gusto, and not reacting badly to being handled, then it will all be back to normal, otherwise it's best to let the vet poke him.

I'm reasonably happy to pay for a checkup, even if the vet says there's nothing wrong with him, rather than worry about him. Once I go to work, if there's a problem, the vet will be closed by the time I get back, and getting to the emergency vet is a fair cycle away, towing a trailer with a heavy cat, uphill for 6 miles! (plus I may have left a miserable cat at home all day).

TimO · « **Reply #264 on:** 12 November, 2012, 07:09:49 am »

Quote from: TimO on 11 November, 2012, 07:00:34 pm

If he's eating with his normal gusto, and not reacting badly to being handled, then it will all be back to normal ...

Well, he seems a lot happier this morning. He slept downstairs all night, at least I didn't see him, but Zev has always favoured sleeping on the bed, and he only rarely has.

He is moving much more easily, and whilst I did see him limp once, he's mostly walking "cleanly", and happily. I did pick him up, and attempted to inspect his paws, and he wasn't too unhappy about that. He seemed to be inclined to complain more when I touched his rear left paw, but didn't cry.

Breakfast was scoffed with the normal enthusiasm, so he's got his appetite back.

Overall, I think he's good to go, and I'm not going to take him to the vets. I've unlocked the cat flap, and let him out, and he trotted out at his normal speed, so I think he's as healthy as I could hope for. I doubt he'll be back this morning (ie for second breakfast), but hopefully he'll return this evening, as he has been most evenings recently.

TimO · « **Reply #265 on:** 16 November, 2012, 02:04:32 pm »

So, he had his MOT today, and is apparently healthy, and good for another twelve months with his vaccinations.

He's now about 4.8 kg, which is very slightly heavier than he was at the last checkup (basically when he was neutered).

TimO · « **Reply #266 on:** 28 November, 2012, 10:51:23 pm »

After a week of only occasional visits, since the weather has become slightly cooler this evening, he's returned a couple of times. He seemed keen to hang around a bit more, but Zev was generally a bit difficult, although this just seemed to be her in a mad cat mood, since she continued like it even after he'd gone out.

He's disappeared off outside, and hasn't come back yet, but it's not as cold out yet as it's probably going to get for the next few days, and with his fur, he's well insulated against chilly weather, so I'm not too worried.

I do have a new collar to put on him, but he's clearly a little bit upset at being inside at the moment, getting a bit nervous when I'm near him, and even growling a bit (but not attacking me, which is good). I haven't grabbed him to fit it yet, since I don't want to make him even more uncomfortable about coming into the house. Hopefully when the weather gets colder, he'll get more used to coming in again, so it'll be easier to get the new collar on, and give him that "owned" look.

TimO · « **Reply #267 on:** 21 December, 2012, 07:03:06 am »

I've just "re-acquired" Kai, by getting up early, because I know he'd appear much more easily then. He was happy enough with getting breakfast, but is extremely unhappy now, at not being allowed out. Luckily this is limited to growling a bit, and hissing at Zev if she annoys him. He's laid back enough that even very annoyed it's possible to pick him up, so in a few hours time it shouldn't be too much effort to get him into his carrier.

I last saw him at the start of the week, but was worried that if he's been getting food from a neighbour, he could be out of luck over Christmas, if they went away, so he's off to the cattery with Zev shortly.

It looks like he's lost his collar since I last saw him, so I'll put a new one on him when he comes back next week. I'm leaving off doing that now, since he's pissed off enough at not being allowed out as it is!

He seems entirely healthy, as he has every time I've seen him recently. Obviously he's eating well, although given his annoyance at being indoors, I think he's largely been an outdoors cat, presumably nicking food from the neighbouring cats, when he can.

TimO · « **Reply #268 on:** 08 January, 2013, 07:02:31 am »

Last year, when I needed to take the cats to the vet (for their vaccinations and checkups), or cattery, I was lucky, and managed to easily "acquire" Kai. Before Christmas he appeared within a few minutes of getting up early, and banging the cat bowls together with the back window open.

No such luck today. I'm going away for a few days, and have booked the cats into a cattery, but even though the cat flap is in Vet Mode (ie it allows cats in, but not out), Kai hasn't made the slightest appearance. I last saw him at Sunday lunchtime, but not a squeak (or meow!) since.

Ah well. I'll leave the cat flap in it's normal mode, and a large bowl of dry cat food and water out, should he pop in while I'm away. I'll only be gone a couple of nights, so he should be fine.

TimO · « **Reply #269 on:** 08 January, 2013, 07:46:19 am »

That was me being prematurely pessimistic!

Kai just made a bit of a bobo, and came in.

Interestingly enough, he seemed to be following Zev. She came in about a minute before him. I'd let her out, to see to her post-breakfast ablutions, and she'd been gone for forty five minutes or so, which is typical behaviour for her.

Of course, they've now got a couple of hours to comfortably hide. It took me about twenty minutes last time to find them both, they're not entirely stupid.

Kai is somewhat pissed off. He's doing the low growling thing, with an occasional hiss, since he's just twigged that the cat flap is locked. With any other cat that would worry me, since you'd keep well away. With him, it just means he's very unhappy, you can still pet him, and even pick him up!

TimO · « **Reply #270 on:** 29 January, 2013, 04:07:41 pm »

I've only seen Kai occasionally so far this year, even when it was cold and snowy outside. I suspect he's been visiting when I've not been around, because on some days the dried cat food dropped dramatically faster than on others, which I'm attributing to him eating it, as well as Zev, who isn't as keen on dry food as him.

As I was leaving this morning, he trotted past me on the bike, seemingly in a half arsed attempt to chase after one of the other local cats. He was happy to stop and be scratched briefly, although clearly not particularly enthusiastic about trying to get me to go home and feed him.

He's still healthy and well fed, so finding plenty of food somewhere, I suspect a combination of the dry food I leave out, the neighbours cat's food, and local small rodents whose life is likely to end as "squeak, crunch".

TimO · « **Reply #271 on:** 15 March, 2013, 09:53:15 am »

Recently I've started seeing a lot more of Kai than I had previously.

After a cold and occasionally snowy winter, when I haven't seen much of him (surprisingly) he's suddenly started appearing a lot more. The other day he was in the house when I came home, and this morning he was waiting for me and Zev to appear for breakfast (Zev tends to be asleep on the bed until I get up, although she does often seem to disappear during the night, presumably off hunting).

For the last couple of weekends, I've also been seeing him a lot more, since I'm in the house a lot more than during the weekdays, and the dried cat food has been dropping down much faster than it does normally, and Zev isn't a big enthusiast of dried cat food.

I can't help wondering if some other source of food for him is no longer available, whether one of my neighbours have moved (although I haven't seen any moving vans), or more likely, they've done something like fit a restricted access cat flap, to avoid feeding the entire neighbourhood of cats!

Zev's also been better behaved when he's around, which is a good sign. She's obviously mellowing with age.

He seems perfectly healthy, clean, and an appropriately round domestic cat shape, so he's obviously still happy and well.

Arch · « **Reply #272 on:** 17 March, 2013, 05:16:05 pm »

Quote from: TimO on 29 January, 2013, 04:07:41 pm

As I was leaving this morning, he trotted past me on the bike,

He has a bike???!!!

slowfen · « **Reply #273 on:** 17 March, 2013, 05:47:24 pm »

Also he may have cleared the locality of easily catchable squeaky crunchy things.
I had a previous cat which would re-appear more often when she managed this.

TimO · « **Reply #274 on:** 17 March, 2013, 06:03:07 pm »

He's definitely around a lot more now. He's been in the house quite a bit this weekend, and not just for food, although that's clearly a drive, since he's been scoffing most of the food I've put down for him.

I think there's a little bit of friction between him and Zev still. Even though they'll pass each other without claws or fur flying, she mostly notices when he comes in, and has to wander off and check things out, which I think he finds a little aggressive. She was far worse as a kitten, and would chase his tail at the slightest excuse!

He's always seemed relatively unaggressive, although he has turned up with a scratched nose more than once, but I think he does tend to avoid any possibility of a fight with Zev, so will leave the house rather than let her get too annoyed.

It seems like he's lost somewhere that he liked visiting, like a compliant neighbour, presumably with a cat / cats that are friendlier than Zev is. I know when loafheads was feeding him, that was because loafhead's cat brought him home, so he clearly gets on OK with some cats, but Zev obviously isn't that big friendly ball of furry happiness towards other cats.