Pets - General

[Glenn]

If Aiken was my furbaby and acted like that after six years, I would do this:

1. Talk to my ex and ask if he's seen him.
2. I would not take him to a shelter. Our furkids are pretty smart at finding a shelter on their own. I would definitely feed him there regularly.
3. I do not know what kind of house you live in, but if it's an apartment forget taking him home with you. If you live in a house, maybe you can isolate him away from Katy in the night time and leave him out in the day where he can see the coyotes better? The coyotes around here only bother the kittens they never bother my older cats because I feed the coyotes too lol! They even eat together.
4. I'm not sure, but I think there are cat allergy meds out there.
5. If all of the above won't work for you, take him to a vet so they can treat the ear and give him a shot,then take him back to the daycare and hide some food for him nearby. I would visit my poor furbaby there and feed him as regularly as I could.

[Novelafemme]

Originally Posted by Glenn

If Aiken was my furbaby and acted like that after six years, I would do this:

1. Talk to my ex and ask if he's seen him.
2. I would not take him to a shelter. Our furkids are pretty smart at finding a shelter on their own. I would definitely feed him there regularly.
3. I do not know what kind of house you live in, but if it's an apartment forget taking him home with you. If you live in a house, maybe you can isolate him away from Katy in the night time and leave him out in the day where he can see the coyotes better? The coyotes around here only bother the kittens they never bother my older cats because I feed the coyotes too lol! They even eat together.
4. I'm not sure, but I think there are cat allergy meds out there.
5. If all of the above won't work for you, take him to a vet so they can treat the ear and give him a shot,then take him back to the daycare and hide some food for him nearby. I would visit my poor furbaby there and feed him as regularly as I could.

Hi Glenn.

I've been tossing around all of your suggestions, as well as many from other friends. I really appreciate the advice!

I have talked to my ex many, many times regarding the kitties. He leaves food out for the one remaining cat and so we are assuming that is where Aiken gets the bulk of his food from. When I was at Trader Joe's on Sunday I bought several cans of wet cat food and some nutritional supplements for him and then stopped by the day care and left the food with some powdered vitamins mixed in on the walk way for him. He didn't come around when I called for him, though.

I put our pet carrier in the back of my car so in the event I am able to catch him I can transport him to the vet safely. I called three vet offices yesterday and none of them will take him without an appointment already in place so I will have to bring him home to my house during the interim.

I'm working on finding him a home and hopefully that will come together quickly. It's not so much the coyotes here as it is the bobcats. I watched one make a meal for herself and two kitts out of a big fluffy white kitty and it wasn't pretty. At least down by my ex's house there aren't any bobcats.

I live in a big house but having Aiken here is not doable. It was an agreement I made with my partner when we moved in together and I need to honor her request to not have cats. We also have two dogs, a ferret, three rats, and four birds.

[Sachita]

Cats are very smart and survivors. Once a cat adapts to the wild its very hard to take them out of that environment. Although I am allergic to cats I have a few rescues that were once feral kittens. If kittens are found and the mother missing we will bring them in, however an adult cat is captured for spay or neutering then released back to the area they were captured. People do feed them but there is also a big rat/mouse/rabbit population here. It's far healthier for them to eat rodents then most of the cat foods available. Pet foods will harm animals quicker then anything else and in the shelters they feed really cheap food because its what they can afford.

The mites are a problem. He could have health issues which would make mites worse.

I wish I could be more helpful but the truth is he is probably better off where he is, just check on him and if possible take him to the vet or at the very least treat the mites. I would see if someone in the neighborhood would also help feed and check on him. There are lots of great herbs cats will eat that you can put in food to help build immunity.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Sachita

Cats are very smart and survivors. Once a cat adapts to the wild its very hard to take them out of that environment. Although I am allergic to cats I have a few rescues that were once feral kittens. If kittens are found and the mother missing we will bring them in, however an adult cat is captured for spay or neutering then released back to the area they were captured.

I knew a young couple whose cat somehow got out of their apartment. They went crazy looking for her, you have no idea the lengths they went to. Anyway, the girl finally came upon the cat about 3 weeks after the cat had left, in this field/wooded kind of area behind the couple's apartment complex. The cat came up to the girl, but wouldn't get too close. She then ran off. The next day the same thing happened. Day three, the cat got close enough that the girl was able to pick her up. The cat freaked out trying to get away from the girl. However, there was no way in hell the girl was going to let her cat go after losing her for 3 weeks, even though the cat started scratching the hell out of her. The boyfriend actually heard the girlfriend screaming for him and by the time he got to her, the girlfriend actually had to go to the hospital for stitches b/c the cat tore her up so bad.

The point is, the cat became feral within 3 weeks. She eventually got back to normal after they brought her back into the apartment, but hell. 3 weeks and this happens? Amazing.

[DapperButch]

I posted this in the petition thread:

Double decker horse transport was to be banned (horses cannot stand straight up in these, subsequently, they trip, fall and injure themselves), as part of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, but there is a last minute amendment put on the table to remove this part from the bill (a Republican, of course). Please act quickly.

http://capwiz.com/aspca/issues/alert/?alertid=60942061

[Martina]

i spend Monday through Thursday away from home and really miss my cats. They are clingy by the time i get home, but seem OK. This is not how i want to live, but it will only be for a few more months. Still, . . sniffle. i miss Zuzu catapulting off my bladder at the most inconvenient moments.

[Martina]

Whether you believe in dog breeding and/or dog shows or not, you gotta admit that this is one cute little dog. He got Best in Show at Westminster.

[LaneyDoll]

Originally Posted by Glenn

3. I do not know what kind of house you live in, but if it's an apartment forget taking him home with you. If you live in a house, maybe you can isolate him away from Katy in the night time and leave him out in the day where he can see the coyotes better? The coyotes around here only bother the kittens they never bother my older cats because I feed the coyotes too lol! They even eat together.

4. I'm not sure, but I think there are cat allergy meds out there.

To point number 3, isolation may not work. My son is horribly allergic to cats and if he touches what they have touched, then touches his face, he begins to react immediately.

To point number 4, yes there are allergy meds out there. But some allergy shots must be given 2-3 times weekly. If the patient cannot give themselves the shot, a doctor/nurse must. In time, this could be a huge commitment in time & money. And not all insurance plans cover these shots-especially if they view the situation as "elective."