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Cat Forum / General Topics / May 2006Dilemna and questions
As I mentioned in a previous post, a cat in my neighborhood visits my home regularly once or twice a day. I have checked around, she doesn't belong to anyone. She started coming to relax on our 3rd floor apartment's back-porch (which is very quiet, good view, many cushioned chairs!). Later I started offering her food, she eats or not depending on her mood (I have no way to know what she ate elsewhere or when), stays around for 1-2 hours, and then she wants to go. She is pretty cute and her behavior has been impeccable. I have one general dilemna about caring for this cat, and two specific questions. (1) We travel regularly, sometimes we are gone for 4-8 weeks on overseas trips. There is no way I can truly 'adopt' her. At the same time, whenever we are here, I truly don't mind letting her hang out in my home as long as she wants and feeding her regualrly. My anxiety is, is it good for her? If I feed her regularly, would it take away her ability to survive on her own? (I don't know the details of how she does it, but she is resourceful enough to find our third-floor apartment.) Last July 4, we were gone about one week. Being a major holiday, it is also possible that some other people she may visit were gone too. Anyway, when we returned, she was in the back porch, without her usual spark and looking weak and depressed. No way to know when she ate last. When she saw us she meowed a lot, came running into the apartment and didn't want to leave for more than 12 hours. In a few days she recovered her old style of visiting for 1-2 hours and then wanting to leave. However, this experience made me think what approach on my part would be best for her? We can care for her enthusiastically, lightly, or just let her be around but not freed her, etc? Please give your thoughts. (2) Next, something very specific. Last two days she ate very little and later vomited. It has been very hot here; also, as usual, I don't what she ate somewhere else. So the reason may well be something beyond my control. However, it made me think about my practices. A. I buy quality canned food, but no particular brand, just a mix of whatever is on sale. Is this good or bad? (But I also don't want to be the reason for her to be addicted to a particular brand since I am not always around to give it to her.) B. I buy 6 oz cans and she seldom eats more than 1/3rd at a time, so the rest is refrigerated (tightly closed lid). I have tried serving those portions gently microwaved (5 seconds) and also cold. Could either be bad for her? C. Sometimes I just open a new can, so the old refrigerated food could be sitting several days. With a tight lid, how long would it last? (Unlike human food, I can't trust my sense of smell as all cat food smells bad to me). (3) Finally, I have noticed she was much more enthusiastic about the cheap Whiskas cans I had bought than about "premium" foods I have been buying since I learnt a little. She doesn't care about paste-like food, she is happier with chunks-in-gravy texture. What can I buy that will have the taste/smell/texture of cheap brands but nutrition of premium ones? :-) That's it. Thanks for all the guidance. Cats need water. And if you decided you wanted to adopt her, having a friend pop by to feed her when you're gone is the usual. pat > As I mentioned in a previous post, a cat in my neighborhood visits my > home regularly once or twice a day. I have checked around, she doesn't [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > > That's it. Thanks for all the guidance. I would either adopt her and have someone care for her while you are gone or try to find her a good home with someone else. It is unfair to her to feed and care for her sometimes and let her fend for herself at other times. Gail > Cats need water. > [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] >> >> That's it. Thanks for all the guidance. > I would either adopt her and have someone care for her while you are gone or > try to find her a good home with someone else. It is unfair to her to feed > and care for her sometimes and let her fend for herself at other times. > Gail I agree with Gail. She needs a home. You also don't know if she has been spayed. If not, she will have kittens at some point. I don't know where you live but many places it is just unsafe for a cat to run loose. It sounds like you really like her. You can have a neighbor come in and feed her while you are on trips. Cats don't usually mind being alone like that as long as they are in their own house. Adopt the little girl and try to keep her inside where she is safe. Candace : I would either adopt her and have someone care for her while you are gone or : try to find her a good home with someone else. It is unfair to her to feed [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] : > And if you decided you wanted to adopt her, having a friend pop by to feed : > her when you're gone is the usual. I am new myself and don't have any friends who'd care for a cat for 1-2 months. I don't want to turn her to some agency that might kill her. She knows how to "fend" for herself in this neighborhood: we didn't find her, she found our (3rd floor) porch and started sunbathing there. For months I gave her no food, she still came to our porch just to relax and lounge around. Only then did I start feeding her. (Actually feeding is not the best word, "offering food" is more like it. She obviously has other sources of food, and doesn't always eat what I offer.) I can not shoo her away if she comes to my porch or forcibly restrain her if she wants to go ( as I won't any other creature). But if there is a consensus among cat lovers in this group, I can stop offering her food. Or do it so infrequently that it would only be an occasional treat, so she won't depend on it. Thanks for all thoughts. About water: I offer it but she is often uninterested. Also, I hear that canned food has all the water cats need? > : I would either adopt her and have someone care for her while you are > gone or [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > About water: I offer it but she is often uninterested. Also, I hear > that canned food has all the water cats need? Some suggestions. Put a collar on the cat and attach a message to whatever owner it might have. If the cat comes back with a response from another owner or other caretaker, you have learned a lot. A few "Found Cat" flyers posted in the neighborhood might work also. Cats do wander and may take many homes but 1-4 hours a day is all I get out of my cat in the summer but lots more in the winter. I know he goes in at least 1 neighbor house to hang out with their cat but doesn't stay long and I asked them not to feed him. I have also seen him solicit petting from numerous strangers in the park nearby (which got him a trip to the pound one day last year, good thing for his name collar, he's microchipped and licenced now) As to caring for it when you are away, I have a small cat door so that my cat can come and go as he pleases, he does not use a litter box (but knows how) and eats when he wants. When I travel for up to a week, I simply leave a big bowl of dry food and some water and he is fine. He drinks most of his water elsewhere anyway (they are particular about that). It sometimes takes a day or so for him to realize I am home though. Take it to a vet or shelter and have it scanned for an ID chip. If you can spare the money, get an examination and basic vaccinations especially if you plan to adopt (or even if you don't). If the original owner is found later, often times, they will pay for your vet expense in lieu of a reward. Finally if you are sure there are no other owners and you cannot care for it yourself you should take it to an SPCA shelter where they will do everything they can to find it a home (unlike the city pound where it is basically on death row the moment it arrives). Call the shelter first and find out what their policies are and their success rate before deciding to do so. Kittens are generally easy to place but adult cats maybe not so much. You can also adopt it out yourself using flyers, newspaper ads and some websites for the purpose but do make an effort to determine if there is an owner first. If this cat is truly homeless it would be more humane to find it a home than to stop feeding it and hope it finds a better place to hang out. Though it would not be cruel to do that either. It may be healthy now but if it gets sick, it will suffer without care. > Cats do wander and may take many homes but 1-4 hours a day is all I get out > of my cat in the summer but lots more in the winter. I know he goes in at [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > day last year, good thing for his name collar, he's microchipped and > licenced now) Yeah wander over and sh.t in my yard and walk on my car. I'd have called the pound too!! >>Cats do wander and may take many homes but 1-4 hours a day is all I get out >>of my cat in the summer but lots more in the winter. I know he goes in at [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Yeah wander over and sh.t in my yard and walk on my car. I'd have > called the pound too!! must be your charming personality. > >>Cats do wander and may take many homes but 1-4 hours a day is all I get out > >>of my cat in the summer but lots more in the winter. I know he goes in at [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > must be your charming personality. I think I'll come and take a sh.t in your yard and walk on your car since you have such a charming personality. Would you like that? >>>>Cats do wander and may take many homes but 1-4 hours a day is all I get out >>>>of my cat in the summer but lots more in the winter. I know he goes in at [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > I think I'll come and take a sh.t in your yard and walk on your car > since you have such a charming personality. Would you like that? If you're the same complainant that's been posting that for awhile then you already know you have a nice cold shower waiting for you and you hate water; feel free to drop by sometime. pat > >>>>Cats do wander and may take many homes but 1-4 hours a day is all I get out > >>>>of my cat in the summer but lots more in the winter. I know he goes in at [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > pat I'll run you'll never get a drop on me, just like those damned cats. >>>>>>Cats do wander and may take many homes but 1-4 hours a day is all I get out >>>>>>of my cat in the summer but lots more in the winter. I know he goes in at [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > I'll run you'll never get a drop on me, just like those damned cats. ya need a variation on those security lights sensor, except instead of "bigger than a breadbox" to set it off it looks for moving cat-sized critters and douses them... a little adjustment and it's also good for use against feral children. >> Cats do wander and may take many homes but 1-4 hours a day is all I get >> out [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Yeah wander over and sh.t in my yard and walk on my car. I'd have > called the pound too!! Why are you here? Do you need to be petted too. Your cries for attention are very loud. >Put a collar on the cat and attach a message to whatever owner it might >have. If the cat comes back with a response from another owner or other >caretaker, you have learned a lot. A few "Found Cat" flyers posted in the >neighborhood might work also. One thing I learned from a local lawyer is cat law is different than dog law since a dog may have one owner but a cat could have several owners, each of whom knwo nothing of the other owners. So yes that cat could easily have a half dozen people who think they own this cat. No that doesn't make it easier but that is something to be aware of with cats. I would also add cats travel great distances sometimes by intended means. Cats have been known to get trasported by car/truck/bus/plane/package/etc. to a far away location. Yes all this makes the situaion even mudier. ------------------------------------------ http://www.barnabascollins.blogspot.com : a cat could have several owners, each of whom knwo nothing of the : other owners. So yes that cat could easily have a half dozen people : who think they own this cat. This cat definitely has had other sources of food, owners or people who chip in like me. As I said, she came regularly to enjoy our porch for months although I gave her no food. Even when I started offering food, I could never be sure if she would accept and when not. (I have never had pets and couldn't trust myself to know when she was hungry. I can't distinguish one kind of meow from another.) : No that doesn't make it easier but that is something to be aware : of with cats. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] : : Yes all this makes the situaion even mudier. : Put a collar on the cat and attach a message to whatever owner it might : have. If the cat comes back with a response from another owner or other : caretaker, you have learned a lot. Thanks for the suggestion. So far I have only enquired around informally, but this is a good idea. : Cats do wander and may take many homes but 1-4 hours a day is all I get out : of my cat in the summer but lots more in the winter. I know he goes in at [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] : would not be cruel to do that either. It may be healthy now but if it gets : sick, it will suffer without care. How about adopting the cat and hiring a pet sitter to take care of the cat when you are away. You could find a pet sitter through the veterinarian or local paper (many advertize). The pet sitter I use is bonded, insured and comes with references. Just a thought. Sue > : I would either adopt her and have someone care for her while you are > gone or [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > About water: I offer it but she is often uninterested. Also, I hear > that canned food has all the water cats need? If you are limiting your choices of feeding her or not feeding her, I would continue to feed her. Gail > Cats need water. > [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] >> >> That's it. Thanks for all the guidance. : If you are limiting your choices of feeding her or not feeding her, I would : continue to feed her. While I appreciate all comments, I especially thank you for paying attention to what I asked and answering it directly. : Gail : > Cats need water. [quoted text clipped - 68 lines] : >> : >> That's it. Thanks for all the guidance. > Cats need water. > [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > > It has been very hot here; also, as usual, I don't what she ate > > somewhere else. So the reason may well be something beyond my control. Put a little rat poison in her food before the next trip and your problem will be solved! Sounds like "Mary" has brought in another of her personalites. Notice the headers is Carolina RoadRunner. He/She/It has been reported. >> Cats need water. >> [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Put a little rat poison in her food before the next trip and your > problem will be solved! reported for what. This is a public newsgroup. Report me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > Sounds like "Mary" has brought in another of her personalites. Notice the > headers is Carolina RoadRunner. He/She/It has been reported. [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > >>> However, this experience made me think what approach on my part > >>> would be best for her? We can care for her enthusiastically, it's spelled DILEMMA Ajanta <ajanta@null.void> wrote in news:200720051444524148% ajanta@null.void: > As I mentioned in a previous post, a cat in my neighborhood visits my > home regularly once or twice a day. I have checked around, she doesn't [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > > That's it. Thanks for all the guidance. I think you should take the higher ground. Someone needs to step up and be the bigger person and help this cat. Even if it has owners - the cat is out looking for something - not just food but obviously more...I fear the owners are negligent in allowing kitty to roam all over the place. An outside kitty can be the victim of pranks, poisens, dog attacks, pesticides, parasites, fights, and diseases..it is risky for cats particularly in a populated area which it sounds like you are in... I am not trying to be ugly but you have spent a lot of time debating which food kitty likes but there is alot more at stake then just which food kitty likes. Take the higher ground and be brave and make the tough decision - either take responsibility for the cat - or take it to an ethical, humane shelter and give the kitty the chance to get someone who will be truly attentive too all of her needs (not just occassional food....but consistent food, consistent shelter (hopefully kitty will be indoors only to prevent kitty from being the victim of those who do not like cats), Veterinary care, vaccines/deworming/deflea, attention. You sound like a kind person and that is to be commended but kitty needs more than just kindness...kitty needs someone to step up and help her. : I think you should take the higher ground. Someone needs to step up : and be the bigger person and help this cat. Even if it has owners - [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] : pesticides, parasites, fights, and diseases..it is risky for cats : particularly in a populated area which it sounds like you are in... I have no prior experience with pets but she does not seem sick or mistreated in anyway. If she has any owners, or co-owners who don't know one another, :-) would it be right to just "kidnap" her from them? They may be considered negligent in letting her roam, but some would regard forced confinement as cruelty, and this area has big yards with trees and lawns and is considerably safer than your typical city block with traffic. : I am not trying to be ugly but you have spent a lot of time debating : which food kitty likes Well, that is the only discretionary part of my small relationship with her. She comes and goes as she pleases---usually once a day, but sometimes twice, and sometimes she skips a few days. Once I started offering her food, I did want to learn fast and do right. My thought was, I don't control her entire life, but at least I don't want to be the source of any bad food or disease. On Wed 20 Jul 2005 03:44:47p, Ajanta wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav (news:200720051444524148% ajanta@null.void): > That's it. Thanks for all the guidance. I think that if she's a stray/feral, she has decided that you're her food source. They tend to stick close to where they find food, and though cats are opportunistic feeders, I've found that strays will stay between a couple of safe houses where food is put out (this includes unintending feeders in the form of leaving garbage easily acessable, or even a home with a bird feeder that's regularly filled) and the home of someone who is putting out actual cat food. If she isn't eating, and is vomitting, I suspect that she's ill. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable knowing that a cat (or any wildlife/feral) that depends on you for food has to do without when you go away. Even if you think she's fed somewhere else; the signs of the Jul 4 weekend and visit after you came home sounds like her alternate food source isn't stable, either. If you can't keep her as a pet, the best thing to do would be to call around and find a rescue group that can take her in and try to find a home. I'm not saying this will be an easy task, but she sounds like a friendly cat that may have been someones pet at one time. I can tell you care. It's hard not to. :(  SignatureCheryl "The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited breath." - W.C. Fields : I think that if she's a stray/feral, she has decided that you're : her food source. She is comfortable with people. Even when I offered her no food, she came regularly to our porch to relax (she chose the chair with best view); once she became comfortable, she started coming into the apartment, even watch TV if it was on (but only for a while, then she always wanted to go back out). All of this for months without any food from me. She seemed and still is very well behaved. So I don't think she is feral. My best guess is, she either has very lenient owners or was once a pet but later abandoned (this is a university neighborhood, lots of transients who come and go). One arguemnt against her having current owners is that once in a while she has shown up at odd hours, veyr late night or early very morning, and not her usual late afternoon routine. : They tend to stick close to where they find food, : and though cats are opportunistic feeders, I've found that strays [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] : regularly filled) and the home of someone who is putting out actual : cat food... Actually, I wouldn't mind leaving out a whole bag of open dry cat food myself when I am gone, but my SO says this will attract racoons or others animals. By freak chance we are the only ones left in this building this summer. Come autumn, there would be others I could ask to fill the bowl once a day. : I personally wouldn't feel comfortable knowing that a cat (or any : wildlife/feral) that depends on you for food has to do without when : you go away. Even if you think she's fed somewhere else; the signs : of the Jul 4 weekend and visit after you came home sounds like her : alternate food source isn't stable, either. Yes this is the first time I observed this. Other times I have returned after 1 month long overseas trips to find her happy go lucky as usual. During major holidays this neighborhood empies out. If she has enough sources, one or two may remain. By chance it may be that nobody was around this time. : If you can't keep her as a pet, the best thing to do would be to : call around and find a rescue group that can take her in and try to : find a home. I'm not saying this will be an easy task, but she : sounds like a friendly cat that may have been someones pet at one : time. I can tell you care. It's hard not to. :( > Actually, I wouldn't mind leaving out a whole bag of open dry > cat food myself when I am gone, but my SO says this will attract > racoons or others animals. He's right! :) I don't leave food out anymore, but a couple of years ago in the winter with deep snow on the ground I started noticing tiny footprints in the snow that looked feline. They got into my trash which threw me off because I'd never heard of cats getting into the trash. Then I discovered they WERE cats first because of my own cats reactions around the windows when it was dark out. Then I spotted one of them, then another. I put food out and it took a while, but that's how I got my Bonnie. She looked like a tiny version of my black cat Shadow that was alive then, and I called her Baby Shadow. But back to the point, I was feeding opossums and raccoons in addition to the cats, plus birds (they like cat food, go figure) and ants and bees. Best wishes for whatever you end up doing. Tough call, that's for sure! I saw your post to Gail about answering your direct question, and I'm sorry I went off in other directions. I have a strong passion for stray/feral cats. SignatureCheryl "The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited breath." - W.C. Fields : But back to the point, I was feeding opossums and raccoons : in addition to the cats, plus birds (they like cat food, go figure) : and ants and bees. For a few days, I wouldn't mind that some food was going to other animals as long as it wasn't harmful/dangerous for the cat I was trying to help. : Best wishes for whatever you end up doing. Tough call, that's for : sure! I saw your post to Gail about answering your direct question, : and I'm sorry I went off in other directions. I have a strong : passion for stray/feral cats. I appreciated all the discussion. Of course my immediate question was, should I feed her or not, but there will be other questions tomorrow and I am grateful for all knowledge. Anyway, since she vomited and left last (I wasn't even around then, just my SO), she hasn't shown up yet. Brainstorming in all directions, I even inquired if he reacted to her vomiting (on the dining room rug) in any way that might have frightened her or made her feel pushed out, but he says no, he escorted her to the porch gently and later she went away as usual. Going by my past experience, I am hoping she would show up soon, healthy and happy. > As I mentioned in a previous post, a cat in my neighborhood visits my home > regularly once or twice a day. I have checked around, she doesn't belong [quoted text clipped - 61 lines] > > That's it. Thanks for all the guidance. Here is an old saying about cats: "If you feed them, they are yours."MLB Sounds like you two are dependent on each other now. My cats seem to like a particular brand of dry and consistency in that brand I have understood to be a good thing. Wet canned food I serve as a treat about once a month. I have found that cats do have preferences in the food they eat if given a choice. While you are away it might be a good thing to have a friend stop by and put food out for it on the balconey or leave extra dry food for it and a water bowel. Maybe its previous owner moved away from the neiborhood or others in the neighborhood take pitty and feed it like you do.... Hard to say, short of taking it to a Vet to see if it has a tatoo or chip inside show where it belongs. Here in Calgary most outdoor cats only leave 2 to 3 years, and it is preferred to keep them as house pets, which I do. Good luck! >> As I mentioned in a previous post, a cat in my neighborhood visits my >> home [quoted text clipped - 72 lines] > > Here is an old saying about cats: "If you feed them, they are yours."MLB Since you live in an apartment, perhaps you could get one of your neighbors to set food out once a day when you travel. Something you provide, of course. And it would be best if the food was set in front of your place. > As I mentioned in a previous post, a cat in my neighborhood visits my > home regularly once or twice a day. I have checked around, she doesn't [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > > That's it. Thanks for all the guidance. : Since you live in an apartment, perhaps you could get one of your neighbors : to set food out once a day when you travel. Something you provide, of : course. And it would be best if the food was set in front of your place. This is a university neighborhood that empies out during summers and my apt building is small: by sheer chance we are the only ones this summer. From autumn we would have others living here and I should be able to do what you suggest. I also don't want to suggest that I am her only source of food. For months I gave her no food and she visited our porch regularly anyway. Then, almost as a play, we bought a few cans that were on sale, but for her they were nothing more than rare treats. Even after I started offering food regularly, I have gone away for a month and returned to find her happy go lucky as usual. This July 4 was an exception, it may be that by freak coincidence all of her sources were gone. So I may be worrying about nothing, it may never happen again. However, it did make me think. How can I be a helpful presense in her life without creating a dependence that would paralyze her when I am away? |
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