For animal lovers

I have this bad habit of reading threads with full intention of going back and replying and never getting back to it. I was looking for my post and thought did I even write one?!? LOL

I love all the pictures and stories of everyone's babies!
Gut, I am beyond excited about Dexter. A Bengal is my dream cat. Another one of my dream cats is the kittens that never get big. I do not believe in messing around with nature too much so I would never buy one. I would gladly rescue though.

I have 2 Maine Coons. They both like water but do not obsess over it. Stigs used to be in the tub all the time, before he got too fat and lazy to jump in. I had to quit giving them baths unless an emergency because they bite worse than my 70 lb. dog. Ok, maybe not worse, my pinky was swollen 3 times it's normal size the last time Stigs got a bath. LOL Nala on the other hand LOVES water more than anything.
Do your cats copy things you do? (If I already mentioned this, sorry) Last Feb. I got contacts for the first time. After about 6 months of her watching me put them in and take them out she has a new thing. After I open the case she will, as lightly as possible, stick her paw in there and then take it out and look at it like I do. It is the funniest thing. I will try and catch her on video next time. She also jumps on the sink counter and taps the knob until you turn the water on. LOL
BTW, my kids say I never tell you guys about them so they are all funny too. :biglove They say...it's always Nala, Nala, Nala. I should rename her Marsha :)

Nala, Nala, Nala! :laugh
chrisg!!! Glad to know of another Bengal owner. Flynn sounds adorable. Before I went to see Dexter, I had looked on Google/images and looked at a lot of the typically leopard patterned ones and was a little disappointed that he looked more like a spotted tabby, but I'm ashamed of those feelings, now. He is the most loveable guy, but still very shy. He hangs back when I'm trying to get him to come to me, but once I start petting him, he just loves it. He'll even let me hold him on my lap as long as I'm rubbing his neck and chin. Last night I was sitting on the floor coaxing him toward me and the lighting was just right that his spots showed up as the leopard "florets" I had hoped for with distinct color differences. I smiled at myself because that didn't matter anymore.
Just curious: Is Flynn's meow more of a peep? I can easily tell which of my cats is talking.

Flynn's meow is kind of a peep, Gut. It's surprising because he is such a bold cat in so many ways but then when he meows it is just a little sound that comes out. :laugh Is Dexter always a little shy or is he bold when he plays at all?

It's so funny hearing about other cats and their reactions to water. And I love the name DesiLu, Shay, that is a great cat name. And Nala, too, BlondeOne. It's sophisticated but lends itself to the Nala, Nala, Nala. :D

And I was surprised Flynn was a Bengal cat, Gut, because he could almost pass for a regular short-haired tabby cat in some ways unless you look closely at his patterning and at his limbs. Does Dexter have very long limbs that make him look almost a little panther-like when he walks, Gut? That was the thing about Flynn that convinced me that he had to be some other breed of cat because I had never seen a regular short-haired cat with the long limbs Flynn has. :nod

I am having such a hard time figuring out WHEN the right time to bring in the feral kitties that I've been socializing with. I have brought in 3 feral cats before. However... they didn't seem feral. I was able to pet them and hold them. The 4 that I've been working with... and have mentioned of... I can only pet them. (And not all the time). Some days they are more hands on than other days. Especially the big fluffy orange one. Some days he won't even approach me.

Winter is here... the weather is getting colder (even though the kitty house has warmers in it)... and I thought by now that I would be able to handle them more.

I'm also torn... one of the kitties is overly friendly (though she doesn't like to be picked up)(but I can... if I had too). I'd like to bring her in... but feel bad to start separating the family... in fear they will forget each other... and will make it harder... for all... when bringing in the others.

The sooner the better. The longer you wait, the less chance there is that you'll really be able to socialize them. Ideally, it should be done before 8 weeks.

Dexter does have long legs relative to my other cat, but I didn't know if that was just a male characteristic. It's been a long time since I've had a male cat.
As far as bringing in feral cats, I'd start "trapping" them one at a time and reuniting them in your house. You might try feeding them inside a pet carrier and maybe even put one of your warmer beds in it and then when you catch one inside, gently close the door and bring them in.

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Originally Posted by Critical

The sooner the better. The longer you wait, the less chance there is that you'll really be able to socialize them. Ideally, it should be done before 8 weeks.

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8 weeks? I am way past the 8 week timeframe....

The 4 feral cats I speak of... are definitely a family. From the same litter. They used to live up the street at another person's house. But that person stopped feeding them. They found their way to my house. They are over 1 year old... maybe even 2 years old.

I suppose the real issue for me is... do I trap them.. bring them in my house... IN HOPES.. they will eventually act like a cat hand raised from a kitten?

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Originally Posted by Gutmutter

Dexter does have long legs relative to my other cat, but I didn't know if that was just a male characteristic. It's been a long time since I've had a male cat.
As far as bringing in feral cats, I'd start "trapping" them one at a time and reuniting them in your house. You might try feeding them inside a pet carrier and maybe even put one of your warmer beds in it and then when you catch one inside, gently close the door and bring them in.

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Thats where I'm a bit nervous about. Once they are in my house... I'm NOT sure what to do? All the rooms in my house are furnished. I am afraid once they are in my house... they will hide behind/underneath the furniture.

As mentioned... I have brought other ferals in.. but that was when I was able to completely handle them. They trusted me.

This bunch... while it seems they trust me... enough to feed them and pet some of them. I cannot pick them up.

While I am against caging an animal... I wonder if thats a good option? OR keep them in my bathroom? No place to hide there...

ALSO... I wonder IF they will use a litterbox?

Sooo hard dealing with ferals. SOOOOO rewarding once they adapt though.

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Originally Posted by I'm here

Thats where I'm a bit nervous about. Once they are in my house... I'm NOT sure what to do? All the rooms in my house are furnished. I am afraid once they are in my house... they will hide behind/underneath the furniture.

As mentioned... I have brought other ferals in.. but that was when I was able to completely handle them. They trusted me.

This bunch... while it seems they trust me... enough to feed them and pet some of them. I cannot pick them up.

While I am against caging an animal... I wonder if thats a good option? OR keep them in my bathroom? No place to hide there...

ALSO... I wonder IF they will use a litterbox?

Sooo hard dealing with ferals. SOOOOO rewarding once they adapt though.

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So true. :biglove
Oh no, you got hit with a double whammy on this group of ferals.:( They are still working through their previous owners abandoning them and working on trusting you. It is good that one in the group is warming up to you and with time maybe the others will come around. But, don't get discouraged if you can't socialize them. Some ferals just prefer to remain wild. If that is true with this group, you are providing them with warm dry shelter, safety, food, fresh water and dependable human contact. They should be fine.
As far as bringing them in, unless you have a small room where they can be confined and it can be dedicated to them while they continue with their socialization, I don't think I would try and bring them in. It might do more harm to split them up and change their environment.
After they have been there awhile and rebuilt their trust, it might be that all you have to do is just open your door and they will walk right in. :)

Yes, they will use a litter box. I keep several in the hay loft for the barn ferals. :nod I also have them a 'sand pit' in the side lot.

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Originally Posted by tango7

The vet tech looked in her mouth and said it would be a good idea to bring her in for a dental cleaning after the first of the year. The doctor gave me a printed estimate ($140, less if she doesn’t need any extractions). I hear that’s reasonable.

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Originally Posted by Brooks

A very common example of an appropriate drug given at far too high a dosage is methimazole for hyperthyroidism. It's the right drug for a very common condition in elderly cats but almost all vets start at a potentially lethal dose when the right way is to build up and keep rechecking. I know cats that have needlessly died from this as well.

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Y'all have convinced me I have the best vet practice group ever. I get my cats' teeth cleaned (when need) in October, when they have the discount month and the price is $65/cat. But in my area, there are tons of vets; my sister was aghast that when I had to have my oldest girl stay for treatment 2.5 years ago when she suddenly dropped weight, it was less than $300 for 2 nights plus treatment. Subsequently she (the cat, not my sister) has been on methimazole for and they actually started her on a too low dose and taught me how to calibrate it with her blood tests. (I use the twist a dose applicator, which is like a lip gloss...I can't pill her and expect to have skin on my hands/arms.)

Gut, Dexter is a great name. Go with it!

Crit, I've had cats "interested" in a fresh can of tuna but when I give them some, they turn their noses up. Meanwhile, the dog wants my hot & sour soup. :)