I Need Cat Advice From Our ATS Cat People

a reply to: IAMTAT

Pink rhinestone pussy bowls??? You are kidding,right? I thought that I
was a little strange buying fish-shaped bowls with pink ribbons...
I hope you still have the receipt if she doesn't come back.

originally posted by: mamabeth
a reply to: IAMTAT

Pink rhinestone pussy bowls??? You are kidding,right? I thought that I
was a little strange buying fish-shaped bowls with pink ribbons...
I hope you still have the receipt if she doesn't come back.

They're pretty....I like pretty things...and, no, I didn't take the receipt.

Just took a hike back in the woods to look for her about 1/2 hour ago and heard her meowing first. Then I saw her about 100 feet away in the underbrush. When I called to her, she ran away deeper into the woods...where I couldn't follow her.

She must've been really spooked.

She was like totally in love with me before this happened...and now, because of my two dumbass dogs...she's afraid of me.

a reply to: IAMTAT

So, I'm asking a lot but...could you perhaps just sit still in the woods and she may come to you?
Do the whole 'kitty kitty kitty' thing, high pitched sound.
If you have a can of tuna, maybe open it beside you.
I think you will want to regain trust.
Good luck!

a reply to: TNMockingbird

Tuna for sure. I had a cat once that had decided to go live in a hole in a tree. He was happy, we were okay with it. Til we moved. We weren't going to leave him there. So, a few tries and a few cans of tuna and we got him. A month after moving to our new house, he disappeared. I swear he went back to his tree.

a reply to: kosmicjack

Bahahaha!
It was the tuna, for sure!

He went back for tuna

a reply to: IAMTAT

Ahhh,haaa,why didn't I see this before...I forgot that YOU are one of the
3 idiots! Sir,I accuse you of using a story of a poor,pregnant cat needing
a home to lure us cat ladies into your trap! What is worse,I almost fell for it.

Remember this,my fellow feline lovers...Those 3 will use anything to lure us
into their lairs,free kitties,candy,flowers,booze,anything.We have to remain
strong and resist their temptations!

originally posted by: mamabeth
a reply to: IAMTAT

Ahhh,haaa,why didn't I see this before...I forgot that YOU are one of the
3 idiots! Sir,I accuse you of using a story of a poor,pregnant cat needing
a home to lure us cat ladies into your trap! What is worse,I almost fell for it.

Remember this,my fellow feline lovers...Those 3 will use anything to lure us
into their lairs,free kitties,candy,flowers,booze,anything.We have to remain
strong and resist their temptations!

Curses! Foiled Again!

originally posted by: IAMTAT
She might be gone for good.

I just came back from Pet Smart with a bunch of Cat stuff...and was sitting out back with Cleo, as she was eating out of her new pink rhinestone food and water dishes.

My stepson let the dogs out the side door upstairs...and the dogs ran around to the back and scared the beejeezus out of her.
She ran to a hole in the back fence and took off into the woods.

Dogs didn't hurt her, but she was so scared, I don't know if she'll ever come back.

so sad to hear. Hopefully she will come back.

a reply to: IAMTAT

She was like totally in love with me before this happened...and now, because of my two dumbass dogs

You were so hesitant about the cat, not quite sure what to do, a "dog person" at the beginning, and now you're already in love with her, too, and whipped, lol.

"damned dogs, *grumble grumble*"

That's cute, and hilarious.

I'm just glad you A) went looking for her, and B) found her.

You have to re-earn her trust, but I'm sure you can.

ETA:

If you can get her, you'll need to keep her confined (and safe), such as in the garage, until she has her kitties and feels safe.

a reply to: Liquesence

I know she's still out in the woods just beyond my fence. I hear her meowing...I keep putting food out at the fence and I think she's eating it.
I'm worried about the kittens and within the next week I will have to catch her and put her in the garage with a whelping box.
The vet said she's 10-14 days away from giving birth.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Keep trying, man.

She knows you're there, that's one reason why she's meowing for you.

Earn back her trust. Make her feel loved...and safe. You'll have a new best friend.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Yah.....cats normally are very, very slow to trust in any dog, no mater what it's size!

Keep trying to let her know you're there for her. Her need to find a good place to have her kits will keep her around as she's obviously decided that you and your home is pretty much "safe".

My dogs pretty much ignore the cats I have, and even after years of being together, once in a while the cats will test the dogs to see if they are anything to be concerned about........by reaching out and swiping at them.

Dumb, I know, but this is what cats do with each other some times. What normally happens is the dogs yelp or shy away, looking back at the cat like they are crazy. This seems to satisfy the cat that does it, and they'll then promptly ignore the dog and go back to grooming themselves.

Leaving the 100 pound dog to stand there looking back and forth between me and the cat, in real confusion.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Any updates?

originally posted by: Liquesence
a reply to: IAMTAT

Any updates?

Yes.
Sad updates, unfortunately.

Cleo came to the back door Tuesday night.

I heard her meowing oddly and loudly, so I went out on the porch with her and petted her a little...she kept going to the door, trying to go in,...so I let her in and brought down the whelping box I made for her.

She immediately climbed in, rolled over and began having contractions.
I laid down beside her box for about 30 minutes, until she began to give birth.
It took about 30 more minutes, but eventually a small stillborn kitten came out.
She ate the sac, licked it for a while, but it still wouldn't move.

She then looked up to me and then down to the stillborn kitten, moved away from it to the back of her box...and waited for me to remove it. Which I did.

She then cleaned herself up...and went to sleep.

I fell asleep on the floor next to her box.

I woke up a couple of hours later to her lying next to me, purring, cuddled against me and softly pushing her paws back and forth against my chest. She kept trying to nuzzle her head under my neck.

I fell back to sleep with her next to me...and woke later with her at the back door meowing to get out.

No more kittens in the box...She seems back to normal...and I think she must need to go out to go to the bathroom.

I let her out on to the back porch...and she took off into the night for the woods.
I put the whelping box outside for her just outside the door...in case she returned.

She didn't return

Yesterday, she returned in the morning and I fed her and petted her outside on the porch.
Her tummy was no longer as large as it had been (much smaller).
So I walked through the woods looking for where she may have birthed the kittens (dead or alive)...but to no avail.

She came back that evening for food and petting...even took a nap on my lap... then she left again for the woods.

This morning, she had returned for food and petting,...and I found another dead kitten in the whelping box.
I don't know if she put it there or birthed it there, but it wasn't there late last night.

This baby was a little black male, perfectly formed...and completely cleaned up. There were no stains in the box padding where she was laid.
(The first kitten looked well-formed too, but not completely cleaned of afterbirth....so I couldn't make out it's gender.)

This afternoon, I took another search out in the woods. She was watching me from a distance...but didn't lead me to a nest.
I found nothing after searching for an hour.

a reply to: IAMTAT

I'm so sorry.

originally posted by: Ameilia
a reply to: IAMTAT

I'm so sorry.

Thanks. I'm hoping that the other six kittens were born alive...somewhere...or that some have yet to be born, but I'm worried they were all stillborn.
I don't think she has any more inside of her.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Wow, that really sucks.

If she gave birth in the woods (and if they survived) I would suspect it would be difficult for them survive, unless she found a really safe place.

And a shame you had to witness the ones who didn't make it, and that she ran off before she had a safe place with you to give birth. I'm sorry.

It sounds like she loves and trusts you well enough, if she's coming inside, sitting with you, and falling asleep in your lap. That's a good thing. And the fact that you fell asleep on the floor net to the box is just...amazing and adorable.

More cats from the universe.

IAMTAT,

What is the status on Cleo?

So sorry about the wee kittens. Very sad.



You get a Medal of Awesomeness for doing as much as you have. Hoping there is a happy ending to the story even with all the stillbirth kittens.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Oh this brings back memories! I had a big black cat show up on my doorstep one day, and he was immediately affectionate, winning over all our hearts. We kept him, but he was my cat. He slept with me, he was always following me, I was very attatched to him. Had him for 12 years.

He was already an adult though, and we thought he was pregnant when he showed up.... no, he was a castrated male, who had gained a tummy because of the castration and following hormonal changes.

He was a gift. At a time I really needed a friend. I can only suggest you keep this cat. But obviously I am not being objective.

Mine died a few years ago, and I still cry sometimes thinking of him.

ETA _ I'm sorry, I responded spontaneously to the OP and hadn't follow the thread. I see things evolved a bit sadly. But maybe for the best? She is okay?