Could my cat have been abandoned?
“What could her former like have been like?” - Anything.I have four cats. All four were found on the street, all four were fairly sick when they were found. One is very, very shy, doesn’t like to play but loves to lay near-but-not-on you, loves being pet, but only if he comes to you, and is scared of you moving. One is a total jerk to everyone but me, HATES playing, scared of nothing but angry at everything, loves sleeping on his back or on me, watching TV, and eating. One is terrified of everything, but very playful, loves my husband, and refuses to let anyone else touch him. One loves people more than any other creature I’ve ever seen, loves being held like a baby and rubbed and is a total sweetheart.It’s almost all in the cats personality.
How do I get rid of an evil outdoor cat my ex-roommate abandoned?
A roommate lived here for about 2 months and then bailed suddenly a week ago and abandoned his cat that he kept strictly outdoors. It is really mean, it bit my friend and has tried to claw at me several times. We tried to catch it to leave on our now ex-roommate's girlfriend's porch but can't catch it and I'm scared to get near it now because I don't want to get hurt. What do I do? I just want it gone. We may be moving soon now too. I am definitely not taking her with me. She is not my cat. I know she is microchipped with the ex-roommates name (and likely either this address or his previous one)
Why do many people assume outdoor/indoor cats are abandoned and end up taking them as indoor cats?
Yes, back in, “the day” everyone including my family let their cats roam out of doors. Today, it drives me crazy when people do so because like in so many areas, we know better. In addition the threats have increased as kitty eating coyotes roam through and live in every state in the US.Just like it is no longer acceptable to ride in a car without your baby in a car seat when a generation ago they didn't even need seatbelts, to let your cat roam out of doors when in addition to coyotes all of the threats that always existed for outdoor cats like disease, parasites, being hit by cars, tortured by evil humans, pregnancy and other perils amounts to neglect or even abuse of a “pet” cat.If someone else is taking in and caring for your cats better than you are because you deny realitythen you have only yourself to blame.Other categories of cats including “barn cats��� should still be provided adequate personal shelter within the barn that is all weather and can be made with instructions from the humane society out of a Styrofoam cooler.They should also be provided with regular veterinary care and supplemental food besides the pests you want them to kill and if you have a barn cat don't use pesticides on the same animals you want to use as food for these barn cats.These are considered mimimum standards for caring for cats. Outdoor cats may initially fret about becoming indoors, but with proper care and attention they will get used to it and learn to enjoy it.
How to keep an outdoor cat warm in the winter?
I have a friend who lives in massachusetts and she has been a guardian angel for...well, I lost count...more than I can count on both hands and both feet. She traps feral cats and has them spayed and neutered through various organizations and then they get set up for adoption if young or they get released where they were found. She has been providing food and water daily for about 3 years and has made insulated shelters for them out of large plastic storage bins and some sort of pink insulation board that she cut to fit. She cut 2 holes for entrance and escape and attached the insulation sheets on the top, bottom and sides. She puts some straw for bedding material, puts the lid on and covers them with black landscape fabric to help keep them hidden under shrubs. More than a few cats have used these during the past 2 winters. You can see depressions in the straw. They have to be watched a bit to make sure the snow doesn't block the "doorways". Computer mouse pads make great door flaps, just make sure they flap easily in both directions. look up feral cat shelters on the web or check out - indyferal.org and the feral cat shelters page. there are links to sites with designs/ideas.
What are some signs that indicate a cat has been abandoned (as opposed to simply gotten lost)?
Ours were as follows: Molly: feral and yet friendly somewhat shy K.C. abandoned and heartbroken, defensive became super attached to Mom Tommy abandoned and heartbroken but friendly Rajah abandoned and terrified became super sweet Gypsy abandoned but friendly Snowball abandoned and terrified became friendly Misty Blue super sweet even though feral These are my brothers, mine and my Mom's cats and as you can see they all reacted similar yet differently. Caesar has obviously chosen you. Even if he had a life before he must not have liked it. By the way, don''t let him around ferals or outside because there are diseases and worms that ferals carry and that get into the ground where ferals wander. Now that Caesar is healthy, keep him that way! Good luck!
Are indoor cats happy?
Cats were domesticated THOUSANDS of years ago. So what's "wrong" with keeping one indoors? If you think cats should free roam outdoors - shouldn't we also just let our pet rats, guinea pigs, hamsters and birds outdoors as well? No - because they aren't wild animals. They're PET - just like cats. Read this and educate yourself about the dangers of letting cats free roam - http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/indoo... And to answer your question - yes, they're quite happy. And unlike cats that free roam they can live 15-20 years. Free roaming cats live 2-5 years.
How do feral or abandoned cats survive the winter cold?
However they can. If it’s not too cold, they are usually equipped to handle it. My parents have outside cats that are perfectly capable of spending a winter night outdoors, for instance, though they prefer not to. When this isn’t possible, they step up to make it so. We have a neighbour tomcat we assume is homeless from his shifty behaviour and generally unkept appearance (I mean, he’s not scabby, but he’s riddled with scars from countless battles). He was the arch enemy of my former cat, and they clashed regularly.One year was exceptionally cold. I’m talking water pipes exploding in old houses cold. That cat, always afraid of us and always picking a fight, came crawling to our doorstep begging to be let in. He was cozy and humble during our short acquaintance when he was allowed inside, fed, and taken care of. My old cat wasn’t too happy, but he allowed it (if begrudgingly). When the cold weather passed so did our familiarity. He stepped back outside, and we were once more enemies. While my old cat passed a few years thereafter, the same tomcat is still roaming the neighbourhood, ever weary of our presence even if we spent a few winter nights as friends.As for other cats, there are garages, dog-houses, areas below porches, and other places to hide and endure the cold when it gets a bit too nippy for comfort, if the stray can’t find temporary housing like our neighbour tomcat.