Looking for a fearless cat.......
Discussion
bearman68 said:
Who would call a cat chutney??.
A friend of mine had a cat called Chutney...bearman68 said:
The original one (Puss / Mort) has been released into the smallish shed, and straight away looked happier -left the cage, and bedded down under a glass window, where no-one could see her. (Not a bright cat this one) 
Can it get in and out at will?bearman68 said:
Apparently there is another coming Monday - not sure where this is going. Clearly at the moment I am THE place of choice for a refugee cat. Allegedly this one is going to be a Ginger tom with half a tale. Has to be Greebo surely?
I'm not sure of the strategy behind loading up with three misfitting cats in a few days. They're not machines with on/off buttons, they're personalities. The offloader may be more interested in offloading cats that are otherwise unhomeable...^^ I agree with that. Better than the poor thing spending years in a cattery or worse.
bearman68 said:
Apparently there is another coming Monday - not sure where this is going. Clearly at the moment I am THE place of choice for a refugee cat.
What is wrong with a British cat? I dunno coming over here...Edited by Morningside on Saturday 3rd October 14:09
bearman68 said:
Apparently there is another coming Monday - not sure where this is going. Clearly at the moment I am THE place of choice for a refugee cat. Allegedly this one is going to be a Ginger tom with half a tale. Has to be Greebo surely?
Definitely, although Greebo is black and blind in one eye. Nothing a can of spray paint and an apple corer couldn't sort 
TheAllSeeingPie said:
Definitely, although Greebo is black and blind in one eye. Nothing a can of spray paint and an apple corer couldn't sort
Greebo is definitely grey not blackhttp://discworld.wikia.com/wiki/Greebo
bearman68 said:
Well, I had the shock of my life today.
As suggested (thanks all), I phoned the local RSPCA cats home.
Me: I wonder if you have 2 or 3 semi feral cats, I live on a farm, and need a strong aggressive animal.
Her: Do you want any colour? / breed / age / sex / hair length / eye colour / size / length of tail / ear size etc etc (OK I may have made some of these up)
Me No : No NO: NO: NO: NO: ............ etc.
Her: Well, I could ask someone to call back in 72 Hours.
Me OK.
Her: and then we will ask the rehome people to come out and inspect your premises to see if you are a suitable person to own cats.
Me: thinks, funny no-one asked us that when we had the kids.... OK.
Her: We have some reservations that the cats will not mix with the children / dog / other cats, flowers, not like the look of the lawn or something. And has anyone explained the costs.
Me No.
Her: For a basic stray, we charge £50, neutered, and chipped, and I'm afraid we don't offer any multi buy discounts.
Me: Cough, splutter, sharp gasp for life giving air.
Is it me or the RSPCA that has missed the point? I understand I must not to be cruel to them, must feed them, and give them a nice shed to sleep in if they chose. But they are wildish animals, and their alternative is going to be pretty dodgy. Kept for a month, and then put down (? Is this still the case) rather than a fighting chance in a rural environment. I'm sure there will be (cat) casualties, but that's always going to be an inevitable risk of a wild life, and exactly what cats have always been breed for / expected / maybe even preferred (?)
So, a bit gobsmacked after this conversation to be honest, and I don't hold out too much hope. Certainly £50 a cat is a deal breaker. I don't want the cat chipped or neutered, and ironically, surely this is actually depriving stray cats of a perfectly good, though slightly wild, home. Just seems so counter productive, and somehow politically correct.
Grrrr.
Going to try the vets next, you never know.......
Well the dough goes to cover their costs of housing the things while they look after them. So no qualms there, they can't do it for free. But on the rest of the stuff I have found the RSPCA to be way OTT. We got turned down for re-homing a cat for some nonsense reason. Its like they don't want to re-home them.As suggested (thanks all), I phoned the local RSPCA cats home.
Me: I wonder if you have 2 or 3 semi feral cats, I live on a farm, and need a strong aggressive animal.
Her: Do you want any colour? / breed / age / sex / hair length / eye colour / size / length of tail / ear size etc etc (OK I may have made some of these up)
Me No : No NO: NO: NO: NO: ............ etc.
Her: Well, I could ask someone to call back in 72 Hours.
Me OK.
Her: and then we will ask the rehome people to come out and inspect your premises to see if you are a suitable person to own cats.
Me: thinks, funny no-one asked us that when we had the kids.... OK.
Her: We have some reservations that the cats will not mix with the children / dog / other cats, flowers, not like the look of the lawn or something. And has anyone explained the costs.
Me No.
Her: For a basic stray, we charge £50, neutered, and chipped, and I'm afraid we don't offer any multi buy discounts.
Me: Cough, splutter, sharp gasp for life giving air.
Is it me or the RSPCA that has missed the point? I understand I must not to be cruel to them, must feed them, and give them a nice shed to sleep in if they chose. But they are wildish animals, and their alternative is going to be pretty dodgy. Kept for a month, and then put down (? Is this still the case) rather than a fighting chance in a rural environment. I'm sure there will be (cat) casualties, but that's always going to be an inevitable risk of a wild life, and exactly what cats have always been breed for / expected / maybe even preferred (?)
So, a bit gobsmacked after this conversation to be honest, and I don't hold out too much hope. Certainly £50 a cat is a deal breaker. I don't want the cat chipped or neutered, and ironically, surely this is actually depriving stray cats of a perfectly good, though slightly wild, home. Just seems so counter productive, and somehow politically correct.
Grrrr.
Going to try the vets next, you never know.......
So try cats protection maybe? We got our cat from there, they had no issues with us re-homing a cat. They were very pleased!
Well life with cats is turning into quite an interesting experiment. (I am actually worried that I am becoming quite fond of them, and haven't even thought about kicking one for ages now. Someone is going to find me dead in my old age, my body gently rotting, being eaten by the 120 stray cats I have)
Anyway, the black (and orange) one, Chutney has been in the garage workshop for a week or so,and has adapted really well. Misses people when they are not around etc. I have let her out of the cage and she has been wandering about the workshop. Today, I accidentally left the door open, and she was off around the farm. I was worried she would not come back, but lo and behold,the power of a rattling food can brought her running.
Confident that she would now respond, the roller shutter doors have been open and closed, with ample opportunity for Chut to run off,but she has stayed around the workshop.
I forgot about our golden lab, and came back to find the dog cornered by the cat, and in fear of her life. Dog is woss mind.
Later I lost the cat again - no response to the shaking food can etc,and I was genuinely worried she had run off - only to later turn up asleep in the old car we use as a test rig.
I somehow think she has homed fine.....
Meanwhile Puss has not changed too much. Seems depressed and afraid in the small shed. So I'm going to leave the door ajar tomorrow, with some smelly food near the doorway, hidden around a corner. It could be make or break time for Puss. (I am not so confident). We will see.
Anyway, the black (and orange) one, Chutney has been in the garage workshop for a week or so,and has adapted really well. Misses people when they are not around etc. I have let her out of the cage and she has been wandering about the workshop. Today, I accidentally left the door open, and she was off around the farm. I was worried she would not come back, but lo and behold,the power of a rattling food can brought her running.
Confident that she would now respond, the roller shutter doors have been open and closed, with ample opportunity for Chut to run off,but she has stayed around the workshop.
I forgot about our golden lab, and came back to find the dog cornered by the cat, and in fear of her life. Dog is woss mind.
Later I lost the cat again - no response to the shaking food can etc,and I was genuinely worried she had run off - only to later turn up asleep in the old car we use as a test rig.
I somehow think she has homed fine.....
Meanwhile Puss has not changed too much. Seems depressed and afraid in the small shed. So I'm going to leave the door ajar tomorrow, with some smelly food near the doorway, hidden around a corner. It could be make or break time for Puss. (I am not so confident). We will see.
Poor Puss is probably overwhelmed. Not a good match with a more confident female.
Puss needs to find her way, and the introduction of another cat will not have helped.
I'd put one/other up for re-homing. The incomer, in preference. Puss needs a forever home where her needs are understood.
She will come out of her shell in time.
Puss needs to find her way, and the introduction of another cat will not have helped.
I'd put one/other up for re-homing. The incomer, in preference. Puss needs a forever home where her needs are understood.
She will come out of her shell in time.
Mobile Chicane said:
She will come out of her shell in time.
Yes - it sometimes takes a while. I took on a rescue Birman about 20 years back. She was in terrible condition and hid under the sofa for two full weeks before venturing out. Eventually turned into the most adorable and playful cat you could imagine.Mobile Chicane said:
Poor Puss is probably overwhelmed. Not a good match with a more confident female.
Puss needs to find her way, and the introduction of another cat will not have helped.
I'd put one/other up for re-homing. The incomer, in preference. Puss needs a forever home where her needs are understood.
She will come out of her shell in time.
I agree mostlyPuss needs to find her way, and the introduction of another cat will not have helped.
I'd put one/other up for re-homing. The incomer, in preference. Puss needs a forever home where her needs are understood.
She will come out of her shell in time.
Although the arrival of Chutny doesn't appear to have affected either of them from what he's said there has been little/no interaction?
But should it not be Puss that is rehomed? As this is not the furever home she deserves, unless the OP is prepared to let her live in the house as more of a pet?
I think you should have her
you're brilliant with stuff like this 
Edited by ali_kat on Friday 9th October 08:17
zygalski said:
I wouldn't touch the CPL with a bargepole because a few years ago my sister took 3 totally healthy, fully vaccinated kittens, 2 of which died of cat flu within a couple of months of getting them settled at home. The 3rd one survives to this day but has breathing problems.
Unfortunately vaccination does not offer 100% protection. Vaccinated cats can still get cat flu but the infection should be less severe.Puss and chutney are separated by distance of about 2 - 300 metres and they have not met, so the arrival of Chutney cannot have effected Puss, as far as I can see.
I left the garden shed door jammed ajar today, and the food by the door. The sun has been out here all day, and it's warm and pleasant, but Puss has stayed in one corner of the shed as far as I can see - eaten the food, but not done anything more.
Starting to loose patience a little with Puss - confidence breeds confidence and all that, so just get out there and do things.
Though I suspect that is my attitude being projected onto the cat.
Chutney meanwhile is a 'proper' cat.
Ho Hum. Do you think there is anything more I can do with Puss - would a bit of touchy feeling stuff help. Got the impression I was going to loose half my hand when I tried that last time). Would more contact with people help - she has been very isolated.
I left the garden shed door jammed ajar today, and the food by the door. The sun has been out here all day, and it's warm and pleasant, but Puss has stayed in one corner of the shed as far as I can see - eaten the food, but not done anything more.
Starting to loose patience a little with Puss - confidence breeds confidence and all that, so just get out there and do things.
Though I suspect that is my attitude being projected onto the cat.
Chutney meanwhile is a 'proper' cat.
Ho Hum. Do you think there is anything more I can do with Puss - would a bit of touchy feeling stuff help. Got the impression I was going to loose half my hand when I tried that last time). Would more contact with people help - she has been very isolated.
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