 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneral TopicsCat AnecdotesHealth and BehaviorRescue CatKB.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / May 2006IBKFergus is leaving ;-(
I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i or Joel can fathom, IBKFergus just ripped my thumb to shreds. Its that bad, i can't use my right thumb to type. Now I've wrestled with Shmogg all his life and I've had my fair share of scratches and bites, but never this deep, and never without severe provocation first. The deepest cut extends right from the base of my thumb all the way around to the thumb to the knuckle - about two inches of deep cut, with other scratches parrellel to it. This *cannot* happen to Cary, who, being a 2 year old boy, does provoke her. If it was Cary's thumb, he'd behaving reconstructive surgery to have it reattached about now. the clawing is *that* severe. I'd like her to go to a home with people used to ex feral and feral cats. A home that doens't have children, a home that won't make her the nervous skitty cat she is here. She is an *excellent* hunter and would be most suited to barn life rather than a house cat or pet, She has never been intered in receiving any affection from us, althogh will occasionally discover how much she likes it if we 'force' it on her. She does, however, answer to her name. The Cat Protection Society might take her - theres a lady here in my suburb that lean me a crate when IBKFergus first got here. If not, I'll try the Humane Society. Failing that, I'll take her back to work where the rest of her family is. I don't like the idea of dumping cats, but she'll have a better chance there than at the RSPCA. The RSPCA do a great job in many ways, but if I say that she's vicious, and I feel duty bound to mention it, they'll deem her 'unadoptable' and just euthanise her because they can't home her forever. And I don't want her euthanised. Please purr she finds a home more suitable to her wild nature (if you know of one around Wollongong, Australia, please let me know). Every extra hour here increases the risk she might severely hurt and/or maim Cary, so she's got to go ASAP. Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. Even though my thumb is throbbing, and I know that this is what we have to do for Cary's sake, I am *heartbroken*. I just hope she can find a home that will be able to provide her with whatever it is she needs to become a lap fungus. I feell like *such* a traitor, a failure, a bad parent etc etc. And then I have to explain to Cary why his fursister and Evil Overlord is no longer around. in tears, Yowie > I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i > or Joel can fathom, IBKFergus just ripped my thumb to shreds. Its [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > > Yowie I'm so very sorry to hear she has to go, but obviously you can't take chances with Cary. Purrs that Fergus finds a suitable home, purrs for your thumb, purrs that Cary doesn't miss her for too long.  SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk I'll take her back to work > > where the rest of her family is. I don't like the idea of dumping > > cats, but she'll have a better chance there than at the RSPCA. The > > RSPCA do a great job in many ways, but if I say that she's vicious, > > and I feel duty bound to mention it, they'll deem her 'unadoptable' > > and just euthanise her because they can't home her forever. And I > > don't want her euthanised.//// First, many, many purrs that this is resolved in the best interests of IBK Fergus. However, to take her back to work and dump her there is grossly unfair. Firstly, she'll have inital problems being introduced to the colony as they won't recognise her and there will be fights. Secondly, she has not developed the "awareness" of a permanent living *outdoor* cat as she has known the safety of a home. Can you pin point *any* reason why she might have reacted in this way? Purrs that things work out. Helen M > First, many, many purrs that this is resolved in the best interests of > IBK Fergus. However, to take her back to work and dump her there is [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Helen M Just echoing what Helen Miles says, in that it wouldn't be fair to dump IBK back at work and the good idea of trying to figure out *why* IBK reacted this way. My ex-feral (Marble) has been a bit err... quick with the claws over the years but as long as *I* remember to keep his claws clipped, there is no problem. Thing is - said feral is a lamb when it comes to clawclipping time, so it's easy for me. I just use ordinary nail clippers and they work a treat. I found the way with claw clipping is to make sure said feline understands I'm the boss and this *is* going to happen. Once Marble worked that out - no problems clipping his claws. Being a mum, I can understand the worry as regards Cary: truly. Think about giving claw clipping a go - it does need to be done regularly though. Hope you can work this out. helen s > I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i or Joel > can fathom, IBKFergus just ripped my thumb to shreds. Its that bad, i can't [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > Yowie I don't know if you'd want to try this, but over the years that I've read newsgroups, I've heard a lot of positive results with "Soft Paws", those claw caps. That would work with the claws; but unfortunately wouldn't help if she bit. There's a chance IBK will calm down with age; but there's also the chance she won't, but you already know all that. I had a cat, Cherokee, who would have *no way* been suitable for a home with children. That's just a fact. The older he got, the more fractious he got. He would have hurt a child badly, no doubt about it. He hurt *me* badly enough times. I imagine this is a bad wound you're talking about; it is not like you to make such a decision lightly, and I know you're agonizing over it. Purrs for a good solution & good home for IBK. Hope you are able to home her with a family where you can see her from time to time. Best of luck. (((((hugs))))))) Sherry Yowie, first purrs for your injury, frazzled nerves, and breaking heart. Be sure to get antibiotics right away and have a tetanus shot. Second, please reconsider dumping IBKFergus - I really think being humanely euthanized would be a kinder fate. The colony of cats will not recognize her and may viciously attack her. She has been a house pet so she won't know how to survive on her own. As a stray she will face starvation, disease, animal attacks, being hit by a car (and *NOT* dying right away), and possible torture by the sick individuals in our society. Third, in the mean time I would isolate IBKFergus so there is no chance of her hurting Cary (or anyone else). Put her in your bedroom or a bathroom with her food, water, and litter and you can rest easier about her being in the house until you can find her a home. SignatureHugs, CatNipped See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/ >I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i or >Joel [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > > Yowie > Yowie, first purrs for your injury, frazzled nerves, and breaking heart. > Be sure to get antibiotics right away and have a tetanus shot. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > starvation, disease, animal attacks, being hit by a car (and *NOT* dying > right away), and possible torture by the sick individuals in our society. Very true - I guess the thought of returning her to work was one of those desperte thoughts. It is an industrial estate with no cars, no houses and a plentiful rodent supply, but yes, she would be a strange cat in a large colony of feral, vicious cats. Not a good idea when I think about it a bit more logically. I hope the cat protection society can take her :-( Yowie >> Yowie, first purrs for your injury, frazzled nerves, and breaking heart. >> Be sure to get antibiotics right away and have a tetanus shot. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Yowie {{{{{{{{{{Yowie}}}}}}}}}} I know how hard it is! We're sending purrs that IBKFergus can find a good home soon. SignatureHugs, CatNipped See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/ ah, don't feel so bad, Yowie. If you and Joel feel that it is the safest thing for Cary, then so be it. Jazz was vicious too and would attack me with no provocation. But, it was just him and me so I could just tend to my wounds by myself. But Cary is a little boy who is so trusting that if IBKFergus was a threat, then there really is no two ways about it. We will purr and pray that the furkitty will find a forever home where she will be safe and loved, just as you kept her safe and loved. God bless. Lily & her mama SignatureIrulan from the stars we come to the stars we return from now until the end of time >I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i or >Joel [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > > Yowie Yowie, What is IBK"s history? How long have you had him? I agree about not dumping him outside. He will be ripped to shreds by the other cats in the colony, or maybe just isolated enough to be kept away from any food. Is there anywhere, like a basement or a garage, you can keep him for the time being until you find him a home? If he was a former feral, the Humane Society will probably not take him, at least they don't around here. And if you say why you are turning him in, that he attacked you or that he is a former feral (which you really have to) he won't really have a chance there. I would think the best options are finding some kind soul on your own, which can take some time, or finding a cat sanctuary, which can also take time to find an opening. I hope you can keep him somewhere safe from your son in your home until then. Good luck, what a tough situation for you. I hope everyone calms down a bit and takes some time to find the right solution for all of you. Rhonda > I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i or Joel > can fathom, IBKFergus just ripped my thumb to shreds. Its that bad, i can't [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > Yowie > Yowie, > > What is IBK"s history? How long have you had him? IBKFergus has been with us since Christmas, 2004. She's from the feral cat colony here at work andI brough her home when she was approximatley 6 weeks old. SHe's always been agressive and skittish. Anytime Joel or I walk past, she screams and swipes at our ankles. I think she was kicked at somepoint in he rlife, it would make sense. She doesn't go well with human signs of affection like patting or scritching, she has never asked for it, and rarely accepts it. She will bite and scratch if you try to give it when she doesn't want it, and any scritching session is always ended with a swipe from her. I have my suspicions, judging by the feral cats here at work, that she is probably grossly inbred, althoug I don't know for sure. She is really small for a cat. > I agree about not dumping him outside. He will be ripped to shreds by > the other cats in the colony, or maybe just isolated enough to be kept > away from any food. The thought of returning her to her feral family was a thought of a desperately upset person. DOn't worry, she won't be dumped. > Is there anywhere, like a basement or a garage, you can keep him for the > time being until you find him a home? She's been confined ot the Garage during Cary's waking hours (Cary sleeps with the bedroom door shut - he has to otherwise IBKFergus gets in and wraps herself around his head) > If he was a former feral, the Humane Society will probably not take him, > at least they don't around here. And if you say why you are turning him [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > take time to find an opening. I hope you can keep him somewhere safe > from your son in your home until then. The Animal Welfare League can take her. They'll get a substantial donation to help with her adoption costs. The lady I spoke to is familiar with the CRM ferals, where IBKFergus came from. They are truly Feral, not just pets that have been abandoned. Perhaps I was too ambitious to take on a feral cat. I dunno. I'll miss her alot, even though she was never affectionate, and a PITA most of the time. I still loved her <bawling> Yowie > Good luck, what a tough situation for you. I hope everyone calms down a > bit and takes some time to find the right solution for all of you. [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > > > > Yowie > Perhaps I was too ambitious to take on a feral cat. I dunno. I'll > miss her alot, even though she was never affectionate, and a PITA > most of the time. I still loved her > ><bawling> *hug* Yowie. I don't know what to say. I gave up Eros because Eric was allergic to him, and Eric was in the hospital (impossible to know if the two were related), and Oscar was terrified of Eros. Could someone with a lot of time and knowledge have resolved the situation? Maybe. But I couldn't at the time. I was just overwhelmed. In my case, I was lucky because Eros was the easy-going, love-everybody cat, so I knew he would be adopted. Still it was heartbreaking, and I'll never feel quite right about it. I've never had a child, so I can't identify with everything you're feeling. But I imagine it's a horrible position to be in, and if something happened to Cary and you had some inkling in advance, you would never forgive yourself. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > The Animal Welfare League can take her. They'll get a substantial donation > to help with her adoption costs. > > The lady I spoke to is familiar with the CRM ferals, where IBKFergus came > from. They are truly Feral, not just pets that have been abandoned. Great news - well done for this solution. Hopefully Fergus will find a good new home. > Perhaps I was too ambitious to take on a feral cat. I dunno. I'll miss her > alot, even though she was never affectionate, and a PITA most of the time. I > still loved her Of course - that's never been in question, and if you didn't, the initial post would never have even made it to these boards. Deb. Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield > The Animal Welfare League can take her. They'll get a substantial donation > to help with her adoption costs. > > The lady I spoke to is familiar with the CRM ferals, where IBKFergus came > from. They are truly Feral, not just pets that have been abandoned.///// This sounds like a good and safe situation for IBKFergus. It also helps that the lady is familar with the colony. Purrs and prayers that the situation works out for Fergus. Helen M <snip> > She's been confined ot the Garage during Cary's waking hours (Cary > sleeps with the bedroom door shut - he has to otherwise IBKFergus > gets in and wraps herself around his head) <snip> From the way you've described the interactions between Cary and IBKFergus sice she arrived, I honestly believe that Cary is the person least at risk in your household. Somehow animals seem to understand youngsters and will let children get away with things an adult never would. Having said that, you can see the situation first hand so you're in a better position to judge than anyone on the group. Purrs once again for a resolution that suits all, fured and bare. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk > IBKFergus has been with us since Christmas, 2004. She's from the feral cat > colony here at work andI brough her home when she was approximatley 6 weeks [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > accepts it. She will bite and scratch if you try to give it when she doesn't > want it, and any scritching session is always ended with a swipe from her. So it's only been a year and a half or so. What are you expecting miracles? From they way you describe the way she is acting it sounds like she is doing pretty good if she is as "feral" as you indicated. I bet if you gave her more time she would have been fine. It sounds to me like you were expecting her to change overnight. So sad that she could not live up to your unrealistic expectations. As for the biting and scratching name any cat who will not bite and scratch if they don't want attention? > So it's only been a year and a half or so. What are you expecting > miracles? From they way you describe the way she is acting it sounds [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > scratching name any cat who will not bite and scratch if they don't want > attention? She got the kitten at 6 weeks old. Had she socialized it properly from the beginning, it would have been a matter of weeks or a couple months at most, before she would have been tame. Six-week-old ferals are easily tamed. -L. >> IBKFergus has been with us since Christmas, 2004. She's from the feral >> cat [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > to your unrealistic expectations. As for the biting and scratching name > any cat who will not bite and scratch if they don't want attention? I've had seven cats over the last forty years. None of them ever bit or scratched. Jo recipe material. Get BENT already! Pam S. digging up her cook books > I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i or Joel > can fathom, IBKFergus just ripped my thumb to shreds. Its that bad, i can't [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > This *cannot* happen to Cary, who, being a 2 year old boy, does provoke her. You need to make that stop immediately. It's possible that your DS' "provoking" has actually made her aggressive. Animals do not behave for "no reason". Not to mention the fact that a child that young should never be allowed to interact with *any* animal unsupervised. -L. >I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i or >Joel > can fathom, IBKFergus just ripped my thumb to shreds. Its that bad, i > can't > use my right thumb to type. I am so very sorry. Sometimes we do everything right and it turns out wrong anyway. I KNOW how you feel. And can't imagine how you will explain this to Cary but you will. IBKFergus, youse blew it, but I'm thinking you know it and just couldn't help it. I'm sad it happened. Now gather up what is left of your nine lives and hang in there. Vicki and Joel and Cary have done all they can. Now its gonna have to be your turn to work stuff out. I know they will give you as much help as possible. Purrs and doggy drool and prayers that this works out for you all. And know that as awful as sending Cary's cat away feels, keeping him and having this happen to Cary would feel even worse. Keeping him and thinking it could happen at any time would be intolerable. Jo > Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. Where is she going after that? As others have said - please don't dump her as she isn't a feral cat, and she will die, and please hold out for a home for her, either via the Cat Protection Society, or in a farm or stables environment, which would be ideal for her. No doubt the CPS would take her as soon as they can but being in a similar group here, foster spaces don't appear at the drop of a hat. Can you borrow the crate again or give IBK a room to live in as a temporary measure? If I wasn't halfway round the world, I would certainly take her. *Something* must have triggered her to go for your thumb, she surely didn't just leap out of nowhere and go for you? I have a *very* touchy rescue cat called Cocoa - Helen M has met her! and the way we have to treat her is to ignore her physically unless she actively seeks attention, and then to give very cautious and brief scritches until the first sign she is getting touchy, and then to leave her alone. She does have a screw loose caused by some trauma in her young life before I adopted her, but if we respect her boundaries, everyone is happy. If she growls when she is on our laps and we aren't doing anything, she gets turfed off by the lap owner immediately standing up so she has to leave. She has learned over the years that we don't harm her and we also won't take any nonsense if we haven't provoked her (which we don't). She's 13 now and I've had her since she was about 1-2. She also amusingly answers back if you tell her something she doesn't like, and she has a thing against black footwear which inevitably gets karate-chopped and cursed, which can be amusing but is also sad as she is obviously scared of it. Is Cary really too young to learn to leave IBK alone when she has had enough? Is that not a better lesson to learn, than to get rid of IBK because she scratched? (and yes, I do appreciate it was a bad injury) Flame away, folks... :-/ Deb. Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield >> Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. > [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > Deb. No flames from me. What you've said is a measured, sensible response. To be fair to Yowie - I can understand her worries about Cary, but no, it really would not be fair or right to dump IBK. But, again, being a Mum, I can understand the initial reaction. I hope that once Yowie has calmed down she can work something out that is fair to all. I'd find it very difficult to believe she would really dump IBK. The Yowie we know & love doesn't do that sort of thing, as she's much too sensible and caring. Cheers, helen s >>> Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. >> [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > difficult to believe she would really dump IBK. The Yowie we know & love > doesn't do that sort of thing, as she's much too sensible and caring. Yowie is NOT going to dump IBKFergus. Yowie was just having hte thoughts of hte desperate. Cary has never been left unsupervised with IBKFergus. there has never been any incident with him, although she regularly attacks Joel and I. Cary *is* learning "gentle" and is pretty good about it, but he doesn'treally know about the basics like patting he right way down the back, or not just suddenly grabbing at things he wants, including cats. Its simply that I can no longer trust IBKFergus to be around Cary anymore in case she just sudenly turns on him like she turned on me. A severe cut on an adult could well be real and permanant damage on a child. I can't take that risk. I still dont' know why IBKFergus atacked me. Its been on my mind all night. I went to pick up a book to read, and IBKFergus jus tlaunched herself at me, diced and shredded my hand, and hten took off again. i saw no signs of agression or warning beforehand, and she wasn't in 'halloween kitty' mode after she made a reappareance. Its a total mystery to me. Will no tbe dumping IBKFergus, but she can't stay here. Yowie Yowie, You might take her to the vet for a full physical. Many animals show sudden aggression when they are hurting. If she pees on fabric too -- could she have a flare-up of a bladder infection or that other bladder condition, I forget what it's called but it's bleeding in the bladder? My rabbit fought and bit me the other day when I picked him up. I thought it was odd, but I didn't know until days later that he had a large abscess on his leg. It was not visible. Rhonda > I still dont' know why IBKFergus atacked me. Its been on my mind all night. > I went to pick up a book to read, and IBKFergus jus tlaunched herself at me, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Yowie > I still dont' know why IBKFergus atacked me. Its been on my mind all night. > I went to pick up a book to read, and IBKFergus jus tlaunched herself at me, > diced and shredded my hand, and hten took off again. i saw no signs of > agression or warning beforehand, and she wasn't in 'halloween kitty' mode > after she made a reappareance. Its a total mystery to me. A mystery? Yeah I bet! Reaching for a book and she just attacked you for no reason? Baloney! My bet is one of these scenarios or something similar is what really happened: 1. You made a sudden move to grab a book with out realizing you were reaching towards her with your hand open and she thought you were going to grab her or something so she struck first. 2. You clumsily grabbed the book and dropped it, or knocked another book off the bookshelf which made the book fall near enough to her making a loud thump which scared her. Either way or no matter what it was something you did set her off. I can't see her or any cat just attacking without at least some provocation. Do you always give up so easily? RECIPE TIME!!!! BARBECUE SEASON!! Any favorite barbecue sauces or dishes? I use commercial sauces usually, so don't have one, but would love to have some really good barbecue recipes to savor Pam S. More eloquently said than I could have. > I have a *very* touchy rescue cat called Cocoa - Helen M has met her! > and the way we have to treat her is to ignore her physically unless she > actively seeks attention, and then to give very cautious and brief > scritches until the first sign she is getting touchy, and then to leave > her alone.//// Biting the bullet and wading in behind Deb...Cocoa is no different to many other cats, including Andrea Fullers Flo, and my Robbie & Cleo. I didn't say this before, as I was trying to remain tactful and "on the fence", but 95% of cats behaving like this are doing it not because they are "vicious", but because they are "fear agressive". Regardless of how much you said that Fergis seemed to enjoy playing with Cary, the truth is that he was probably a little rough with her and she treated him as another kitten. When i see how Lily nails HRFL Tiger in play, it makes me glad I'm not on the recieving end of those claws and teeth!! Try isolating IBKFergus in a space of her own, and assessing her in a quiet environment away from Cary - keep her confined to one room, ignore her, and let her approach you. You've had her since she was a tiny kitten, and it is not common for feral kittens who are socialised properly to become *vicious* without a bloody good reason behind it. Then start to reinstigate play. The majority of times I have seen the same behaviour as IBKFergus exhibited by other foster cats, is when people have played with them completely inappropriately and they have not learned boundaries. I'm probably going to be aoutrageously flamed for this, but to be brutally frank, if Fergus is sent to either Cats Protection or the humane society and labelled as "vicious", you have pretty much signed her death warrant. You may as well take her to the vet and have her put to sleep yourself, because at least it will be with someone she knows and trusts then. As Deb said, flame away, Helen M My aunt has a rescued Persian cat, Blue, that cannot be trusted. She even wanted to have her put down after she put my uncle in the hospital with a nasty bite. Their vet refused to euthanise an otherwise healthy cat so they reconsidered and kept her. When she bit, she was being petted at her request and just turned and sunk in her teeth. Now she pretty much lives under my aunts bed. She does not come out for strangers and friends know not to touch her even if she seems to ask. No one is really happy with the situation, but she is doing as well as she would anywhere. They have a second Persian they rescued at the same time, Sunshine. He is a lover and he is company for Blue There is no way Blue could be trusted around children, and she is a risk around frail adults. Jo >> Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. > [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > Deb. > My aunt has a rescued Persian cat, Blue, that cannot be trusted. She even > wanted to have her put down after she put my uncle in the hospital with a [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > There is no way Blue could be trusted around children, and she is a risk > around frail adults. What I don't understand is -- is this a crazy, vicious cat with no hope of redemption like it seems is your aunt's, or is this a cat with a behavior that can be treated with love and understanding? I guess I thought this was a random attack after living with a child that may have been too aggressive with her. If so, can't that be rectified without sending her somewhere with a label that will keep others from wanting her? If Yowie doesn't think she and her family can handle this situation, I hope she can personally find a new home for her. Rhonda >> My aunt has a rescued Persian cat, Blue, that cannot be trusted. She >> even wanted to have her put down after she put my uncle in the hospital [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Rhonda The situation at my aunts is the result of some other probably well meaning person in effect sending a cat off with out warning to potential new homes. And my aunt being pretty much stuck with the fallout. She doesn't have children around and is able to deal with the cat OK, but I'm quite sure she will never adopt another cat. And neither will some of her family and friends who have met Blue. Its a shame all around. Jo > > My aunt has a rescued Persian cat, Blue, that cannot be trusted. She even > > wanted to have her put down after she put my uncle in the hospital with a [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > rectified without sending her somewhere with a label that will keep > others from wanting her? I dont think it can rectifed without alot of attention and time. We don'thave either to give (as much as I'd like to), and I can't risk Cary's safety in the mean time. If it was just Joel and me (and Shmogg & Fluff) here, IBKFergus would have another chance. But not with Cary around. Even the best behaved two year olds can do silly, stupid, cat-provoking things without ever meaning to annoy the cat. And Cary *is* a really well behaved two year old that has been *excellent* with the cats. Butif she can attack me for reaching down to pcik up a book, what could she do to Cary? > If Yowie doesn't think she and her family can handle this situation, I > hope she can personally find a new home for her. The Animal Welfare League does not put down healthy animals. Thats why I picked them. They'll find a suitable fosterer until she finds a forever home. I wish that foreverhome was with us... but it can't be. Yowie I wish her the best. Will the AWL let you know how she's doing? Rhonda > The Animal Welfare League does not put down healthy animals. Thats why I > picked them. They'll find a suitable fosterer until she finds a forever > home. I wish that foreverhome was with us... but it can't be. > > Yowie >I wish her the best. Will the AWL let you know how she's doing? They won't tell me anything further about her when I give her up as they've had issues with ex-owners wanting their animals back and stealing hem from new owners or making a big fuss and abusing the staff of where the animal goes (I won't know where she's located). I sign all my rights to her away when i sign her over. All I know is that they do not put down healthy animals *ever*, and that if she is adopted, the new family will be properly asessed as suitable before she goes with them. If she isn't adopted, she'll be living in a humane cattery with other cats that find themselves homeless, and be tended by volunteers. She won't want for shelter and food for the rest of her life. She doesn't much like human attention, so its unlikely that the lack of "luvvins" will bother her. The more I think about it, th emore I'm satisfied I'm doing he best thing by her and us. its not ideal, no, but the best given he circumstances available. At least, no matter what happens, she'll be able to live out all her nine lives, and she does have a hope of getting a foreverhome that will be more suited to her temperament than here. The Animal Welfare lady plus two vets (at seperate facilities) concur. Whilst it is possible hat she attacked because she was in pain, or needed behavioral therapy, or had some other medical problem, there is no 'instant fix' for a cat that is agressive no matter what the underlying cause, and it may well be that its simply because she is a *feral* cat. And beacause there is no 'instant' fix, and certainly no guarantee that whatever I try would work, Cary's safety must take precedence. Whilst no-one can be 100% sure about any animal, it would be child neglect to allow Cary to continue to have access to an animal with a record of agressiveness. And I would die a thousand deaths if, after knowing IBKFergus is capable of, I let her stay only to have her maul Cary the way she mauled me. No behaviorial therapist or drug program, no operation or no medical intervention can guarantee that she won't suddenly turn again. The risk is just *not* acceptable. If she was a dog, there'd not even be an issue here - dogs that have atacked humans are immediately put down without question. What I'm giving her is a chance at a life where the humans have the time and patience and environment to deal with her nervousness - something we can't give her - and at the very least, she'll be safe, warm and fed. The Animal Welfare League will also be receiving 'alimony' from me that would cover the cost of IBKFergus in food and vet bills had she been living here. She is, after all, still my moral responsibility, even if I am no longer her 'custodial carer'. Others in different situations, different skills, different priorities may have amde different decisions, but this is the best *I* can do in this situation, with my skills and my resources. Yowie {{{{{Yowie, Cary, Jeol, IBKFergus}}}} Purrs for your aching hearts, and that IBKFergus has a happy life wherever she ends up. One good side is I bet Smoggleberry does a happydance now that the 'annoying brat' is gone. OK, maybe not a happydance, but at least a huge sigh of relief (or maybe just a snore :D). >> I wish her the best. Will the AWL let you know how she's doing? > [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > Yowie > {{{{{Yowie, Cary, Jeol, IBKFergus}}}} > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > brat' is gone. OK, maybe not a happydance, but at least a huge sigh of > relief (or maybe just a snore :D). The difference in Shmogg with IBKFergus locked in the garage yesterday was nothing short of miraculous. I thought Shmogg hid away from Cary during the day, only coming out to remind me about dinner time. I was wrong! He had been hiding from IBKFergus! Shmogg spent all day in the loungeroom, sat on *Joels* lap for about an hour whilst he played on teh comouter, let Cary snuggle him, and then sat on my lap whilst I read Cary a story after dinner. His tail was held up high, there was trot in his step, a sparkle in his eyes again. He might even be plotting another b*st*rd c*t trick. Its like he's an enitrely different and much younger cat. I'm starting to suspect that it really was a mistake to bring IBKFergus home at all. A mistake made out of good intentions, but a mistake none the less. Haven't I always maintained that feral cats here in Oz aren't just strays looking for a home, but are actually *feral* and can't be tamed? And who did I really think I was, taking on a *feral* cat - the cat whisperer? Hubis, all hubris. May Bast (and Shmogg, and IBKFergus) forgive my ego. Yowie > I'm starting to suspect that it really was a mistake to bring > IBKFergus home at all. A mistake made out of good intentions, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > think I was, taking on a *feral* cat - the cat whisperer? Hubis, > all hubris. May Bast (and Shmogg, and IBKFergus) forgive my ego. Not ego, compassion. "Taking on a feral cat" isn't always what has happened in your experience, so I hope that people aren't discouraged. In our case, with Bonnie as the former feral (and TOTALLY FERAL - after 4 years I STILL can't handle her), it was Shamrock the former stray, obviously owned at some point, that is the aggressive one. Bonnie wouldn't hurt a single patch of skin of a human, and I can't ever imagine her hurting anyone no matter what happens to her. She's more likely to run. Even at TEDs, she will freeze rather than try to even get away or hurt anyone. You can pull her out of the carrier in a stiff, still piece when she has to go. Getting her into it is another story, though. As with all cats, ferals are all different in how they respond to humans. I suppose it might have to do with how they perceived us before they came to live with us. If they never knew us before, and only observed us from afar, they will act differently in captivity. SignatureCheryl > Cary's safety must take precedence. Whilst no-one can be 100% sure > about any animal, it would be child neglect to allow Cary to [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > If she was a dog, there'd not even be an issue here - dogs that have > atacked humans are immediately put down without question. As I posted before, I understand where you're coming from. I just want to note here that not all dogs are immediately put down for biting. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca ...> Others in different situations, different skills, different priorities may have amde different decisions, but this is the best *I* can do in this situation, with my skills and my resources. > Yowie Well said, Vicky. You have looked at all the angles and have come up with a solution that protects IBK and your family. It is sad that you had to make such a difficult choice, but I believe that this is the best possible solution. Hugs, Annie > Others in different situations, different skills, different priorities may > have amde different decisions, but this is the best *I* can do in this > situation, with my skills and my resources. I was going to send this to you privately, but have decided to send it to you publicly instead. Right now you are probably considering leaving the group after the hate mail you have, I'm sure, gotten because of this situation. Please don't. A lot of us have been there, and received the kind of "what kind of person are you" mail that makes even the nicest person want to punch someone out. Ignore the hate mail. They aren't living in your house, aren't interacting with IBK, and don't know the social dynamics of your family; other than what they read here. While one can make judgments by reading, they can be and often are wrong. The same people who are howling at you for re-homing IBK are not going to pay medical for Cary, if IBK were to strike out at him. They are also not considering the psychological trauma for Cary if that were to happen. Would they prefer Cary to become traumatized enough to hate cats? Would they be willing to pay for psychological help if he were harmed by IBK? Would they be willing to pay for the reconstructive surgery if he were harmed by IBK? Would they be willing to pay for your psychological trauma if Cary were harmed by IBK? Are they willing to pay for your psychological trauma for sending you hate mail while you are agonizing over having to choose between the cat and the kid? To all of you sending nastygrams to Vicky. You should be ashamed of yourselves. This has been traumatic enough for her and Joel, and the decision to re-home IBK has not been made lightly. Instead of flaming her, why don't you fly over to Australia and get IBK. It would cost less than any surgery or psychological therapy that Cary would need if IBK were to cut loose with him. Disgusted, Pam S. >> Others in different situations, different skills, different >> priorities may have made different decisions, but this is the best [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > Pam S. *BRAVO* Pam, *BRAVO* > I was going to send this to you privately, but have decided to send it > to you publicly instead. Right now you are probably considering leaving [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > howling at you for re-homing IBK are not going to pay medical for Cary, > if IBK were to strike out at him.////// I'm hoping that you're refering to stuff that Yowie has recieved via PM, which is completely unacceptable, rather than from the strongly held beliefs on this group. I am going to defend my posts because I'm not 100% sure that this isn't directed partly at me. I personally, was at first very concerned by the fact that Yowie was thinking about taking IBKFergus back to work and dumping her there. I hoped that I was wrong to be concerned because of what I know about Yowie being a caring and loving person. I voiced my concerns, in public. My second post was a lot more harsh, admittedly. the reason being was because from Yowies inital post, it inferred that it was one-off behaviour for IBKFergus and it seemed like a harsh reaction to get rid of her. Yowie then further clarified IBKFergus's personality, and said it was a common occurance, and that she had found not only a no-kill rescue willing to work with her, but and experienced rescuer who knew the colony she came from. I should have remembered that we all say things in the heat of the moment that we don't really mean (dumping IBK) and that what i know of you, Yowie, should have told me that IBKFergus would be placed in a safe situation. I'm genuinely sorry I doubted you, and I should have known better. {{{Hugs}}} Yowie for giving up a precious fur kid, and prayers and purrs that Fergus finds her ideal forever home. Helen M > I'm hoping that you're refering to stuff that Yowie has recieved via PM, > which is completely unacceptable, rather than from the strongly held > beliefs on this group. I am going to defend my posts because I'm not > 100% sure that this isn't directed partly at me. Helen, I'm referring the the private hate mail that has been flooding Vicky's email account. Some of it is nasty, and the rest is just plain hateful poison. Pam S. >> I'm hoping that you're refering to stuff that Yowie has recieved via PM, >> which is completely unacceptable, rather than from the strongly held [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Pam S. Oh, I was wondering about that because the posts I saw here I didn't think were hateful (maybe some forceful out of concern for IBKFergus, but not hateful). Let me guess, the cowards used an anonymous remailer to spew their venom (I would be surprised if they had the courage to do it using their real identity. SignatureHugs, CatNipped See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/ > Helen, I'm referring the the private hate mail that has been flooding > Vicky's email account. Some of it is nasty, and the rest is just plain > hateful poison. > > Pam S.//// That's just plain disgusting. Whilst Yowie expected some of us to hold fairly strong views put in a forthright manner, vicious nasty and vitrioloic emails are completely and TOTALLY unacceptable. {{{HUGS YOWIE}}} Helen M, just plain appalled. >> Helen, I'm referring the the private hate mail that has been flooding >> Vicky's email account. Some of it is nasty, and the rest is just plain [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Helen M, just plain appalled. I think a lot of us here have strong opinions sometimes and post them. I don't think that it's necessarily bad. The post I made came straight from my heart, (not waiting for my head to kick in..) hoping for a solution through being so sad at the scenario. If I upset you, Yowie, I am very sorry. I didn't mean to. It's just so awful to learn that some forever homes don't work out. We all think we have the solution, but of course, you know the situation and what you must do. It must be a heartbreaking decision. It's made me even more determined that when I have a vacancy it will be filled by a "hard-to-home" cat. Ex-feral, very timid, or one that doesn't want petting would be fine here. They needn't even come into the house if they don't want to, although I'd like it if they did. There are a couple of dry toolsheds I could put a bed in and lots of mowsies and ratties to hunt plus two good meals a day and a lot of acres to roam in. Kitty heaven. Tweed > Helen, I'm referring the the private hate mail that has been flooding > Vicky's email account. Some of it is nasty, and the rest is just plain > hateful poison. Whoever did this should know that it's on the same level as the so-called 'animal liberation' terrorists who proclaim their actions are in the interests of animal welfare then go and bomb someone's car or attack their private house, or releasing a barn full of mink into the countryside - i.e. self-gratifying and beyond despicable. Totally uncalled-for and serves no purpose except to unleash a flood of bile upon a very kind-hearted individual who was at their wits' end. Whoever did this should realise their actions have got nothing perceivable at all to do with the welfare of IBKFergus and are totally counterproductive to any helpful messages posted here. Absolute shame on you. Deb. Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield > > Helen, I'm referring the the private hate mail that has been flooding > > Vicky's email account. Some of it is nasty, and the rest is just plain [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Deb. I agree wholeheartedly. Anybody who has read any of Vicky's posts knows that it broke her heart to do this, but she had to think of her baby first. Joy > I'm genuinely sorry I doubted you, and I should have known better. > > {{{Hugs}}} Yowie for giving up a precious fur kid, and prayers and purrs > that Fergus finds her ideal forever home. > > Helen M I've only just found out what's going on. Yowie, big hugs, I've figured out what's going on, and you must be aching for your little cat, whatever kind of dances Schmogg is doing. Helen, your post shows your grace and compassion. I'm proud to count both of you as my friends. Jeanette >> Others in different situations, different skills, different >> priorities may have amde different decisions, but this is the best [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > > Pam S. I must be so naive, it never occured to me that people would send Vicky, Hate mail. It's obvious, any mother would do what's best for their child, she's also doing everything she can to ensure IBKFergus has a happy life. Vicky's hurting enough already, she certainly doesn't need any more pain. Shame on anyone that's sent her anything hurtful. :-( SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk > Ignore the hate mail. They aren't living in your house, aren't > interacting with IBK, and don't know the social dynamics of your family; > other than what they read here. <snip> > To all of you sending nastygrams to Vicky. You should be ashamed of > yourselves. This has been traumatic enough for her and Joel, and the [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Pam S. What Pam said! Yowie, I know that you did the best you could given the circumstance and dynamics of the situation. Continued purrs, Bassett Hound drool for you and your family. For those who have sent the nasty grams, there are some virtual nasty Bassett droppings headed your way. Diane > I was going to send this to you privately, but have decided to send it > to you publicly instead. Right now you are probably considering leaving [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > > Disgusted, So am I. As if this wasn't a difficult enough situation for Vicky and her family already. Well said, Pam! SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > > I was going to send this to you privately, but have decided to send it > > to you publicly instead. Right now you are probably considering leaving [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > So am I. As if this wasn't a difficult enough situation for Vicky and > her family already. Well said, Pam! Amen! Joy > The more I think about it, th emore I'm satisfied I'm doing he best thing by > her and us. its not ideal, no, but the best given he circumstances > available. At least, no matter what happens, she'll be able to live out all > her nine lives, and she does have a hope of getting a foreverhome that will > be more suited to her temperament than here. Purrs for you all, for IBK to find a good home, and for you and your family to deal with the loss of her. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > Whilst it is possible hat she attacked because she was in pain, or needed > behavioral therapy, or had some other medical problem, there is no 'instant > fix' for a cat that is agressive no matter what the underlying cause, and it > may well be that its simply because she is a *feral* cat. And beacause there > is no 'instant' fix, and certainly no guarantee that whatever I try would There is no "fix" at all if you don't even try like you did. I guess I was right you were expecting her to change virtually over night. MIL's Potato Salad: Combine: 1 dozen eggs hard boiled, peeled and chopped into small to medium pieces 4-5 large potatoes boiled to tenderness, but not mushy, chopped into small to medium sized pieces. 1 small white onion (or 1/2 large one) minced chopped dill pickle to taste Blend: about 2/3 cup mayonnaise 1 teaspoon prepared mustard 1 teaspoon dill pickle juice paprika to taste Mix the two together and chill. All measurements are approximate as I never measure the stuff out and neither does MIL. Pam S. > My aunt has a rescued Persian cat, Blue, that cannot be trusted. She even > wanted to have her put down after she put my uncle in the hospital with a > nasty bite. Their vet refused to euthanise an otherwise healthy cat so > they reconsidered and kept her. Years ago when I was at the vet with Rusty on the exam table, I heard a loud scream from a cat in the waiting area. It didn't fazed Rusty. Turned out the cat's owner wanted it to be euthanised. The vet didn't want to and tried to talk the owners out of it. They think the cat was sick and kept the cat at the clinic. Next time I asked about it, I was told the cat bite a staff and was put down. Winnie >> Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > *Something* must have triggered her to go for your thumb, she surely > didn't just leap out of nowhere and go for you? Thats *exactly* what she did. I reached down to pick up a book to read, and she launched herself at me. I know about overstiulated cats, I can read the signs in Shmogg well. I didn' scare here, wasn't roughhousing with her, wasn't doing anythign with or to her. > I have a *very* touchy rescue cat called Cocoa - Helen M has met her! > and the way we have to treat her is to ignore her physically unless she [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > enough? Is that not a better lesson to learn, than to get rid of IBK > because she scratched? (and yes, I do appreciate it was a bad injury) If it was a play related injury, then perhaps. But this was totally unprovoked. IBKFergs has always been *great* with Cary, but if she attacked me for no reason, then I can't trust her not to do the same thign with Cary. Its just trust, and I can't trust her any more. Shmogg, I have no issue iwth because he scratches or when other warning signs have been ignored,a nd only does so to the degree needed for whatever it that has displeased him stops. He's drawn blood, but nthing to this degree. If it was just Joel and I here, she'd have another chance, but not with Cary, not when he's still this young. Not taking *any* offence, I posted my message knowing it wasn't going to be, err, popular, bu hoping someone had a solution that I could use. Yowie >>> Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. >> Where is she going after that? [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > signs in Shmogg well. I didn' scare here, wasn't roughhousing with her, > wasn't doing anythign with or to her. But you did set him off even if you don't realize it. If you made a sudden unexpected move it can set a fearful cat or other cat off. It has happened with my male cat at times in the past before I trained him out of it - and he was NEVER a feral cat or lived out on his own. I rescued him when he was seven weeks old in the out before he had been there for long. I still say you are jumping the gun here and should TRY and work with IBK. Also the recommendation to take him to the vet for a checkup is a good one. Perhaps he is in pain that it not apparent to you. Especially if he has never attacked this viciously in the past. Please exhaust other options before you give IBK up - especially the vet checkup! > >> Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. > > [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > > Yowie Yowie, I'm sorry for your distressing situation; here are my thoughts and suggestions: 1. If the scratch was that deep, I'd suggest you get on antibiotics. 2. I, too, am thinking that the IBK Fergus' behavior had an antecedent which triggered it, even if you were not aware of what it was at the time. If I look back on my early interactions with Tucker I either made a mistake in my interactions (such as giving a feral cat a catnip toy to play with) or in my first encounter with him, he reacted to me because he was fearful of another cat (Robin) coming up behind him. Another thing that can happen is redirected aggression -- when a particular neighborhood cat comes into our yard, all our cats get riled up and if I'm don't handle things right, they'll find an outlet for their displeasure that is either one of them or the next nearest subject. If you are willing to try and learn and examine the antecedents to the inexplicable behavior, you can usually always determine that there is a trigger and take precautions to avoid those. 3. As others mentioned, IBK Fergus could also be in pain and you not know it, which could also have caused such a reaction. I would definitely take him to the vet and see if that's the case. Also, another possibility is that maybe IBK Fergus has a chemical imbalance issue, like we humans can get. Speaking for our chemically imbalanced household, besides our human med needs, we also found that putting Tucker on clomipramine helped alleviate his anxiety levels, so he isn't so fearful and reactive. 4. As you know, I received a lot of very valuable information, insight, and advice from the cat rescue lady, Megan, both in helping tame feral Tucker and in finding a way to find a happy home for Pirate, the FIV+ cat. I strongly suggest you consider giving Fergus another chance as his options for a happy outcome otherwise are very slim. I know Megan would work with you and him so that you could enjoy him as a happy member of your family again. Please email her all your details and tell her I gave you her name. Her email is zuzu22@webtv.net. Hope this post helps you; believe me that much more is possible than we can ever dream. Meanwhile, purrs for you and your family and for IBK Fergus. Christine Burel >I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i or Joel >can fathom, IBKFergus just ripped my thumb to shreds. Its that bad, i can't [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > >Yowie I hear you. When my brother and I were children, we had a little wild thang around called Charcoal, who was the demon cat from hell. He liked to pounce on people's heads from above, but the really bad thing was he attacked bare feet. He slashed my little brother's foot open almost to the heel bone. But my brother and I cried so much when my parents proposed to get rid of the little monster, that they compromised and had him declawed. We didn't know as much then about how harmful the practice is. But what a shame about IBK Fergus-- we are purring that she finds a good home, and quickly. And for Cary to feel better soon. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com Make Levees, Not War > When my brother and I were children, we had a little wild > thang around called Charcoal, who was the demon cat from hell. He [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > parents proposed to get rid of the little monster, that they > compromised and had him declawed. I have to admit that this went through my mind as a possible solution for IBKFergus's aggression. But I don't know which would be more cruel, euthanization or declawing. I think people have come up with a number of creative ideas that don't involve either of the above, so I hope that a good solution is found!! Joyce >I have to admit that this went through my mind as a possible solution >for IBKFergus's aggression. But I don't know which would be more cruel, >euthanization or declawing. > >I think people have come up with a number of creative ideas that don't >involve either of the above, so I hope that a good solution is found!! If I absolutely had to make a choice between the two, it would be declawing - I'm they can still live happy full lives, just as cats who are blind or missing a leg can, but I kind of doubt that this would help. If IBK is just aggressive, wouldn't that turn her into a biter, which would be worse? >>I have to admit that this went through my mind as a possible solution >>for IBKFergus's aggression. But I don't know which would be more cruel, [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >help. If IBK is just aggressive, wouldn't that turn her into a biter, >which would be worse? It wouldn't necessarily be worse. And it wouldn't necessarily happen. I hate to admit it, but when we had Charcoal-cat declawed he calmed down a lot, and I have a theory why. I think for all his demonic tendencies, he was at heart just not well socialized, grew up with lots of other cats and not so many people, and was just a rough player. I think when he didn't slash us all to ribbons every time he hit out at us, we stopped screaming and yelling when it happened. We didn't react, so he didn't get more excited and escalate the attacks. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com Make Levees, Not War > > When my brother and I were children, we had a little wild > > thang around called Charcoal, who was the demon cat from hell. He [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Joyce Declawing is absolutely not an option. It is illegal in Australia, as it is in many other countries. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk > I don't want to do this, but don't have much choice. For no reason i or Joel > can fathom, IBKFergus just ripped my thumb to shreds. Did he just come up and attack or were you petting him? If you were petting him he probably did it because you didn't notice the warning signs that he had too much so he attacked. If this is the case it is possibly to learn to avoid this in the future. Now as for Cary I and this happening I have no advise if he is too young to explain this to. > I'd like her to go to a home with people used to ex feral and feral cats. A > home that doens't have children, a home that won't make her the nervous [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > here increases the risk she might severely hurt and/or maim Cary, so she's > got to go ASAP. Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. Hiopefully if he does have to be rehomed he finds the perfect home! > Even though my thumb is throbbing, and I know that this is what we have to > do for Cary's sake, I am *heartbroken*. That is because you really don't want to do it. > And then I have to explain to Cary why his fursister and Evil Overlord is no > longer around. If you can explain this to Cary then perhaps you could explain how to handle IBK properly? Good luck in any case with whatever happens. > Did he just come up and attack or were you petting him? If you were > petting him he probably did it because you didn't notice the warning > signs that he had too much so he attacked. If this is the case it is > possibly to learn to avoid this in the future. Now as for Cary I > and this happening I have no advise if he is too young to explain > this to. I don't know. Oscar can go from purring to hissing with no middle ground. She's bitten me, but never drawn blood. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >> Did he just come up and attack or were you petting him? If you were >> petting him he probably did it because you didn't notice the warning [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I don't know. Oscar can go from purring to hissing with no middle > ground. She's bitten me, but never drawn blood. Perhaps since I did not see the incident you are referring to. But I bet there was at least some sign even if you didn't notice it. Sometimes it can be almost unnoticeable if you aren't looking for it. My male cat was like that but by paying attention to small signs he gave I soon was able to avoid these situations and stop them before they started 99 % of the time. >> I don't know. Oscar can go from purring to hissing with no middle >> ground. She's bitten me, but never drawn blood. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > he gave I soon was able to avoid these situations and stop them > before they started 99 % of the time. Well, if I stopped petting Oscar as soon as her tail started twitching, I would never get to pet Oscar. So I could probably avoid them 100% by never petting her, but that's no fun. It might be better to say, it's not that she never exhibits nervous symptoms in advance, it's that she always exhibits them, but they don't always result in trouble. So in that way it's hard to predict. It may be possible to tell by her eyes, but she likes to be pet facing away from me, so I can't go by that. She *has* gotten much better in the last two years. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >>> I don't know. Oscar can go from purring to hissing with no middle >>> ground. She's bitten me, but never drawn blood. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > She *has* gotten much better in the last two years. As everyone knows, Sammy used to be a little holy terror and left me bloody almost every day when she was little. The way I finally got her to "hold back" when she played with me was to, EVERY SINGLE TIME, give a high-pitched, loud "MEW" as soon as she started biting or scratching. That's how kittens tell each other when they're getting too rough in their play. Sammy now thinks I'm a big wussy kitten, but at least she's become very, very gentle with me. SignatureHugs, CatNipped See all my masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped/ > Perhaps since I did not see the incident you are referring to. But I bet > there was at least some sign even if you didn't notice it. Sometimes it > can be almost unnoticeable if you aren't looking for it. My male cat was > like that but by paying attention to small signs he gave I soon was able > to avoid these situations and stop them before they started 99 % of the > time. I'm sorry, while I understand what you are saying, what you don't seem to recognize is that the Yowlet is only two years old. At that age, an attention span of five minutes is good. I've got a nineteen year old who doesn't always seem to understand leaving the kitties alone. Vicky has said repeatedly that all she did was reach for a book and IBK went off. Now, you may be right and there were signs that IBK was overstinulated and Vicky just didn't see them. If an adult didn't or couldn't see the signs, how do you expect a two year old to do so. I'm glad to see that she isn't going to take her back to where she used to work and I fully agree with her decision to find a less threatening atmosphere for IBK to live in. If this had happened with my children when they were little, I probably would have done the same thing, even though there were few no-kill shelters back in the eighties and early nineties. Pam S. purring for Vicky and Joel's decision, knowing how hard this is on them >>Did he just come up and attack or were you petting him? If you were >>petting him he probably did it because you didn't notice the warning [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I don't know. Oscar can go from purring to hissing with no middle > ground. She's bitten me, but never drawn blood. Melly will often turn and bite me for no apparent reason. Whether or not it begins as a "love bite", the longer I sit still, the harder she chomps down. She has certainly drawn blood on MANY occasions - to a point where I refrain from petting her at all, when she sits on my lap. If she wants to be petted, I let HER rub against ME. Fortunately, I don't have children to worry about, but I DO warn visitors, who react to her friendly investigations with the obvious response, that she might bite. > Fortunately, I > don't have children to worry about, but I DO warn visitors, > who react to her friendly investigations with the obvious > response, that she might bite. Does she bite strangers? Doc only bites me, because he loves me. He looks a fierce and quarrelsome cat, But claw he never would; He only bites the ones he loves, Because they taste so good. (by somebody I forget who, and probably poorly quoted) Chak SignatureYou can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake. --Jeannette Rankin > Please purr she finds a home more suitable to her wild nature (if you know > of one around Wollongong, Australia, please let me know). Every extra hour > here increases the risk she might severely hurt and/or maim Cary, so she's > got to go ASAP. Tonight, sadly, will be her last night here. Why the rush - can't you segregate IBK away from Cary for a while - at least until you find a proper home for IBK? >> Please purr she finds a home more suitable to her wild nature (if you >> know of one around Wollongong, Australia, please let me know). Every [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Why the rush - can't you segregate IBK away from Cary for a while - at > least until you find a proper home for IBK? I understand the panic of an apparently unprovoked attack but in my (limited) experience there is no such thing, unless of course IBK Fergus has a brain tumour. It's unfair, IMHO, to let a toddler continually provoke a cat, she's probably fed up with it all and let rip at you instead of him. At two years old, children can be taught not to do this, in the same way as you teach him not to put his hand on a hot stove or in a flame. It's just as dangerous for him keep provoking a cat and he needs to learn not to do it, fairly swiftly. Like Debbie said, if I was not over the other side of the world, I would take her myself. Tweed > Like Debbie said, if I was not over the other side of the world, I would > take her myself. > > Tweed Hmmmm, would it be too expensive to have her shipped to someone on the group? It seems there are a few kind people willing to work with her. Rhonda >> Like Debbie said, if I was not over the other side of the world, I would >> take her myself. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Rhonda Australia to England is not possible. If IBK Fergus was in England I would definitely try to integrate her with KFC & BF. I don't mind how friendly/unfriendly my cats are. They can be petted or not, as they wish. They can spend time outside around the poultry huts, ratting and mousing all day if they want to and come inside the house to sleep if they want to, or they can sleep in the tool shed if they don't. When KFC departs (hopefully not just yet!) I will approach the local society for an ex-feral that nobody wants. I have just the home for him/her. Tweed > >> Please purr she finds a home more suitable to her wild nature (if you > >> know of one around Wollongong, Australia, please let me know). Every [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > It's unfair, IMHO, to let a toddler continually provoke a cat, she's > probably fed up with it all and let rip at you instead of him. Cary does *not* "continually provoke" IBKFergus. Usualy Cary |
Enable EMail Alerts
Start New Thread
Reply to this Message