Kittie Update...
Feb. 1st, 2006 07:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
johno...or more of a timeline...
Wed, 1/25 - I had a day of telecommuting, so I went out to the
and rented a live trap.
We placed the trap in our backyard for a couple of days so the kitties would get used to it being there.
Fri, 1/27 - We set the trap, baited with tuna.
Elana and Miles were quickly sniffing around the wrong end of the trap, trying to figure out how to get at the tuna. Elana finally went around the entrance of the trap and was caught.
However, she was thrashing around so hard, we were worried she would harm herself on the wire, we attempted to move her to a cat carrier. Bad move, she got away from us.
Less then 2 hours later,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chriso called to report that Miles was trapped and she was transporting Miles to the vet.
The trap was ignored for the rest of the day.
Sat, 1/28 - Again the trap was set, with tuna.
Cordelia was quickly sniffing around and following the trail of tuna into the trap. I was going crazy watching, because Elana was almost, but not quite following Cordy into the trap as well. Cordy got to the trip plate, then began to stretch her neck and head across the plate and pull a piece back to eat.
She eventually set off the trap, but Elana had given up getting past Cordy, so was not trapped too.
I took Cordy off the vet.
Sun, 1/29 - We were busy running around, coming home then leaving, so did not set the trap nor did we feed Elana, hoping she would be hungry enough on Mon to go right in.
Aunt Cat shows up. She's a big black cat, who was around a lot when there were 4 kittens and only shows up once in a while for a free meal (see pics). She seems to be comforting Elana and sticks around all day and into the evening.
Around mid-day, I went and picked up Miles. He was very dopey, but mewed a few times as I talked to him. It was cute as he would face a wall of the carrier and "hide" using the regency collar. Later he was trying to eat, but the collar was too deep.chriso took it off her to trim it, but Miles disappeared into a hidey hole.
As we came and went through the day, we checked up on him (after finding the hidey hole) to make sure he wasn't in distress.
Mon, 1/30 - set and tuna'ed.
Elana is not living down to the tortie stereotype. She's very skittish about entering the trap, despite obviously being hungry. She's also spooked by seeing us at the door. So we leave the kitchen area.
20 minuteschriso calls out "We have Aunt Cat." No hissing, no spitting, no running around the cage. Just a steady "When I figure out how to get out, YOU die." laser look in her eyes.
Off to the vet she goes, warning the vet techs she is a full on feral. Later that day I get a call from the vet. "The big black cat, Aunt Cat, is a male. Do you want us to neuter him?" Well the sex is a surprise, but yep go for it.
Tue, 1/31 - you know the routine by now....
Elana is now VERY skittish of the trap, giving it a wide berth. Understandable, as she has been trapped by it, and seen it work 3 times.
We finally have both head off to work. I brace the trap door open, so she can get the food without being trapped for several hours.
Come home to find the food had not been touched.
Picked up Cordy in the evening. She was VERY dopey. Sprawled out in the cat carrier like dish rag. We removed her from the box and removed her collar. We started to move her onto the blankets we had set up as a bed for them, but she woke up enough to dive into a obvious hidey hole.
Checking later, she was not in that hidey hole, but Miles was not as deep into his. We think she was behind him. He was not aggressive, allowingchriso to touch him, but was in defensive stance that said "come no farther."
Wed, 2/1 - and again, crunchies and tuna this time.
Checking on Miles and Cordy. Some crunchies have been eaten, along with the dab of drugged (vitamins, pain killer & antibiotic) meat and best of all the litter box has been used. The last was one our big worries.
Turning around to check on Miles, I notice several books on the floor. Look up and see Cordy hiding on a bookshelf. Put my hand up to her, she stood perfectly still. No response. I turned away and heard her diving for another hidey hole.
Look in Miles' hidey hole, he is now way back in the hole. Confirming that he was probably protecting Cordy.
Elana still skittish, but gives into hunger and eats the crunchies & tuna up to the trip plate, and NO FARTHER. We wander off and do our morning stuff.
Chris checks on Miles and Cordy. No sign of Cordy, Miles lets her touch him and even to scritch his chin. He seemed to enjoy it, but was still unsure about letting her touch him.
Success. Elana gave in to the tuna temptation, went all the way in and hit the trip plate.
Off to the vet she went. She was a bit restless in the car and was settling down with Chris while I did the paperwork, but was disturbed by a Dachshund that just kept barking and barking.
Looking forward...
Fri 2/3 - Aunt Cat, now dubbed Big Daddy comes home, to be release directly into the back yard. We'll put the cat carrier out back, till he wakes up enough to defend himself. Then I'll put on plate amour and open the cat carrier door.
Sat 2/4 - Elana, comes home and moves into the spare room with Miles and Cordy.
Ongoing we hope to convert Miles, Elana and Cordy into indoor cats. I expect success with Miles, high probably for Elana and a definite maybe for Cordy.
We will try to keep them in the spare room for a at least two weeks. So they can get the full run of drugs, then make a return trip to the vet for booster vaccination and deworming shots.
Wed, 1/25 - I had a day of telecommuting, so I went out to the
We placed the trap in our backyard for a couple of days so the kitties would get used to it being there.
Fri, 1/27 - We set the trap, baited with tuna.
Elana and Miles were quickly sniffing around the wrong end of the trap, trying to figure out how to get at the tuna. Elana finally went around the entrance of the trap and was caught.
However, she was thrashing around so hard, we were worried she would harm herself on the wire, we attempted to move her to a cat carrier. Bad move, she got away from us.
Less then 2 hours later,
chriso called to report that Miles was trapped and she was transporting Miles to the vet.The trap was ignored for the rest of the day.
Sat, 1/28 - Again the trap was set, with tuna.
Cordelia was quickly sniffing around and following the trail of tuna into the trap. I was going crazy watching, because Elana was almost, but not quite following Cordy into the trap as well. Cordy got to the trip plate, then began to stretch her neck and head across the plate and pull a piece back to eat.
She eventually set off the trap, but Elana had given up getting past Cordy, so was not trapped too.
I took Cordy off the vet.
Sun, 1/29 - We were busy running around, coming home then leaving, so did not set the trap nor did we feed Elana, hoping she would be hungry enough on Mon to go right in.
Aunt Cat shows up. She's a big black cat, who was around a lot when there were 4 kittens and only shows up once in a while for a free meal (see pics). She seems to be comforting Elana and sticks around all day and into the evening.
Around mid-day, I went and picked up Miles. He was very dopey, but mewed a few times as I talked to him. It was cute as he would face a wall of the carrier and "hide" using the regency collar. Later he was trying to eat, but the collar was too deep.
chriso took it off her to trim it, but Miles disappeared into a hidey hole. As we came and went through the day, we checked up on him (after finding the hidey hole) to make sure he wasn't in distress.
Mon, 1/30 - set and tuna'ed.
Elana is not living down to the tortie stereotype. She's very skittish about entering the trap, despite obviously being hungry. She's also spooked by seeing us at the door. So we leave the kitchen area.
20 minutes
chriso calls out "We have Aunt Cat." No hissing, no spitting, no running around the cage. Just a steady "When I figure out how to get out, YOU die." laser look in her eyes.Off to the vet she goes, warning the vet techs she is a full on feral. Later that day I get a call from the vet. "The big black cat, Aunt Cat, is a male. Do you want us to neuter him?" Well the sex is a surprise, but yep go for it.
Tue, 1/31 - you know the routine by now....
Elana is now VERY skittish of the trap, giving it a wide berth. Understandable, as she has been trapped by it, and seen it work 3 times.
We finally have both head off to work. I brace the trap door open, so she can get the food without being trapped for several hours.
Come home to find the food had not been touched.
Picked up Cordy in the evening. She was VERY dopey. Sprawled out in the cat carrier like dish rag. We removed her from the box and removed her collar. We started to move her onto the blankets we had set up as a bed for them, but she woke up enough to dive into a obvious hidey hole.
Checking later, she was not in that hidey hole, but Miles was not as deep into his. We think she was behind him. He was not aggressive, allowing
chriso to touch him, but was in defensive stance that said "come no farther."Wed, 2/1 - and again, crunchies and tuna this time.
Checking on Miles and Cordy. Some crunchies have been eaten, along with the dab of drugged (vitamins, pain killer & antibiotic) meat and best of all the litter box has been used. The last was one our big worries.
Turning around to check on Miles, I notice several books on the floor. Look up and see Cordy hiding on a bookshelf. Put my hand up to her, she stood perfectly still. No response. I turned away and heard her diving for another hidey hole.
Look in Miles' hidey hole, he is now way back in the hole. Confirming that he was probably protecting Cordy.
Elana still skittish, but gives into hunger and eats the crunchies & tuna up to the trip plate, and NO FARTHER. We wander off and do our morning stuff.
Chris checks on Miles and Cordy. No sign of Cordy, Miles lets her touch him and even to scritch his chin. He seemed to enjoy it, but was still unsure about letting her touch him.
Success. Elana gave in to the tuna temptation, went all the way in and hit the trip plate.
Off to the vet she went. She was a bit restless in the car and was settling down with Chris while I did the paperwork, but was disturbed by a Dachshund that just kept barking and barking.
Looking forward...
Fri 2/3 - Aunt Cat, now dubbed Big Daddy comes home, to be release directly into the back yard. We'll put the cat carrier out back, till he wakes up enough to defend himself. Then I'll put on plate amour and open the cat carrier door.
Sat 2/4 - Elana, comes home and moves into the spare room with Miles and Cordy.
Ongoing we hope to convert Miles, Elana and Cordy into indoor cats. I expect success with Miles, high probably for Elana and a definite maybe for Cordy.
We will try to keep them in the spare room for a at least two weeks. So they can get the full run of drugs, then make a return trip to the vet for booster vaccination and deworming shots.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 03:14 am (UTC)Thank you for caring so much about spaying and neutering that you were willing to go to this effort. I hope Miles, Elana and Cordy will eventually be happy content purrbeasts in their new digs.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 03:16 am (UTC)I love cat people. Especially ones who go to such lengths to take care of kitties!
They are adorable and they will be happy at some point. I've had barn cats that have learned to love being indoors.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 04:34 am (UTC)Are you familiar with Feliway? It's the feline pheremone that is left on something when a cat rubs its chin against it. It tells cats that the territory marked with that pheremone is safe and their own, and tends to help them feel calmer.
Another thing that might help is Rescue Remedy, which you can put in their water. (Once the anesthetic has had a few days to work out of their systems, that is ...)
no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 09:31 am (UTC)Rusty, one of our current indoor cats, has been spraying since we returned from Scotland. We assumed he was mad at us.* We started using it and within week the daily spraying has stopped. I don't he has sprayed in nearly 2 weeks now.
Chris made sure to spray Feliway around when we brought Miles in the house and she's started spraying around the spare room as well.
*and now that we know Aunt Cat is really Big Daddy Cat...
no subject
Date: 2006-02-03 12:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 06:07 am (UTC)You guys rawk!
no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 10:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 03:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 04:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-03 02:06 am (UTC)