SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

[Thomo]

How nice it is to know that sometimes my posts get a view, thank you Wendy. It has been a manic day from a visiting cat aspect, both Izzy and Mabel turned up again together at 6.15 pm, both have had some tuna. This morning the front door was open and Izzy just wandered in, came up to our Ellie who was asleep and gave her a prod, she hissed and he retired at speed, we will get there, the trouble is now that when I cannot see them I worry, but it was ever thus. I always know where our cats are 24/7/365, what I would like to understand is just what brings these other cats here. Of the eight we came here with, all in their teens 4.5 years ago, only three remain, now we have three visitors and a possible four, maybe we should become a registered charity!!
This was Izzy yesterday afternoon:-

[Whyperion]

Will you live longer than your cat ( years adjusted )

[Thomo]

Good one that Ian, and just what I needed right now. I am consumed by a terrible anger caused by my concern for the cat Mabel, the problem, she doesn't get on well with other cats so we cannot just bring her in. She is plainly unhappy and needs company. So, we decided to have another go at her owner, I have just rung the contact No which gets me the owners daughter in law, I asked her for a phone No or the address of the owner, this was not forthcoming, she will ring the owner and get her to contact me, she was not sure if the owner would want the cat returned and could it not stay here with us!!!!!@**XZ. The owner has moved into Arthur St, just over the road and it wouldnt take me long to find out which house they are in. Doing that at the moment would not be a good idea as I am already well and truly "Fired up".

[Whyperion]

I dont think going home is a good idea for Mabel. If cat mistress of the house here was not so disliking of others she would be welcome here, as it is every cat along the back pathway thinks our place is feeding central at least once or twice a week if conditions are good for them to sneak in. Are there any older persons homes that could take her as sometimes they use cats as therapy ?

[Thomo]

I have as yet had no response from Mabel's owner or family. But I am having my midday tot and the red mist is clearing, I have looked at the "Argos" website and found a suitable cat flap. At present her home is the outside utility room, with bed,tray and food, the door is wedged open, but this is not an ideal situation for her or anything else, add to this, that I have another 1/2 lost cats to care for, Izzy and the latest arrival Monty, the large long haired black and white, so its a bit like juggling fog, There could be a second cat flap in the garage rear door yet. Last week we helped a colleague of the wifes, she lives in Nelson, the house next door is empty and the rear garden full of rubbish, in there is a cat with a litter of kittens, the locals are putting food out and doing what they can, we have pointed her to the Burnley Cats Protection League. Just down the road from here is another woman who is helping, running what she calls "Welfare Home 2" between us we can monitor what is going on catwise in our area. As for Mabels owner, if she does not come forward, she may receive an unwelcome visit from the authorites, abandonment of an animal is not to be taken lightly. My offer of help expires at 2000 today, after that Mabel stays, whatever it takes!

[Thomo]

A chain of events yesterday led to a result of a kind in respect of Mabel. At 0715 I fed our cats and took Mabel hers in the utility room, at 0730 Izzy was on the doorstep cold wet and hungry, he came into the kitchen and watched by two of our cats, Molly and Ellie got warm, dry and fed, he then went out again and was heading for the garden when he came up against Mabel and it got a bit noisy, he then left by the back gate. Having seen Mabel's attitude I waited until 1000 and rang the contact again, this time I got a number for the owner. At midday I finally got hold of her and explained the position, I was assured that they would collect Mabel later, at 1700 Izzy made another appearance sat meowing loudly outside the back door, we went into the garden with him and he got fed again staying for about thirty minutes, at 1900 Mabel was collected and a lecture given, the wife and I got a bit weepy. At 2200 Monty put in appearance followed soon after by Izzy again, neither of these two are upset by our own cats and neither they or ours are agressive towards each other, I also now have Mabels owners address, we will get there yet!

[Gloria]

Not been ignoring this Thomo, we have been away. I would like to bet that Mable will be back again.
Gloria

[Thomo]

Yes Gloria, and that is just what I thought, my money would have been on Mabel coming back today, she arrived back at 10.15 last night. Izzy came yesterday afternoon for food, but at 8.30 this morning he was here again and closely followed by Mabel. both have now had breakfast. All contact with Mabels owner has now been terminated.

[Whyperion]

Why tare he females more defensive ? Smaller territory and want to retain as much food source as possible , whereas male cats happy to have a larger area and pick up what comes up where-ever ?

[Gloria]

There was a program on tv many years ago about some cats on a Yorkshire farm. They were studying how far they roamed. The male cats went far and wide, the females stayed within a small circle of the farm and never went beyond it.

[Thomo]

Mabel is begining to settle down again now, this is good as we would like to get her in before the winter, she had company this morning, Izzy turned up again and as always, hungry, he had his food in the kitchen. He stayed awhile in the garden before vanishing again, a bit like the "Cheshire cat"!

[PanBiker]

Mille, our hunter killer cat never misses a trick. She is normally very elusive on grandchildren day, today being no exception. As is the norm Isla helps me fill up our bird feeding station in the front garden. Millie sat on next doors fence keeping her distance. Two feeders full of mixed seed, clean water in the tray and the remnants of Isla's sandwiches from dinnertime in the feeder tray. as we were walking away Millie launched herself up into the upper foliage of the pear tree in the garden. She is very well camouflaged and, you can see the cogs going round as she is thinking "come and get it birdies".

[Gloria]

We once watched a squirrel teasing our killing machine, later in the day we found a dead squirrel and a very smug looking cat.

[Whyperion]

Let the collared Sylvester in this morning , it had a leisurely breakfast saving me the bulk washing up of domestic madams bowl. Bit of a mistake , went out leaving all the washing up drying , and didnt top bowl up. Came back and cat had decided that the bathroom mat would make an excellent litter tray ( her own not appearing to be unclean or otherwise unavalible for use ). So , suitably admonished ( cat to me ) , I put the mat in the washer , at least it is whiter than ever now , and filled up wet food bowl with new food, totally left untouched. The dry food didnt need topping up at all. Finished pottering around and had own lunch , cat lying in the warm and sunny bit on the floor, go to 'work' on the wifes laptop , cat comes and sits part on laptop , me and sofa , demanding fuss and attention, I give in and start stroking , masses of hair comes off her , I go and get brush and spend 20mins giving good grooming. Cat jumps down , onto floor , looks at me then decides my combing not good enough and noisely gives herself a good wash.

[Thomo]

It has all been happening on the stray cat scene. A week ago a neighbour "kicked off" about my feeding stray animals. claiming that they were a danger to his grandchildren who sometimes play in his yard/tiny bit of garden, these kids are not babies, one of them bares his bum at passers by!! I tried to explain my concerns for these animals, he doesn't give a s**t, his words! I asked him if it was ok to feed the birds and hedgehogs. Nuff said!! . People can be like that when they have led a sheltered life. I have just fitted a cat flap to the outside utility room door so Mabel now has a safe self contained environment, she has the run of our yard and garden and does not often go out these now. Little Izzy has become a regular visitor, he was here just after eight this morning and wet through, he came into the house and I dried him and fed him, he left but returned soon after soaking again, dry once again he had a look around the house and met two of our cats before leaving. I have this morning rung "Eds Sheds" at Colne and asked for a price on a purpose built shelter for Izzy

[Gloria]

Thanks for the update Thomo. Keep up the good work.

[Thomo]

Izzy is coming here now on a regular basis, at 5 o,clock this afternoon he came in, had some food and then gave the house a thorough check out, when he went into the lounge where our cats were, there was no problem at all. The chap I asked for a price for a proper shelter for Izzy got back to me, "£135", I think not, for £35 I can get the materials and I am more than able to build one myself.

Here is Izzy at teatime:-

[Gloria]

He looks very well.

[Whyperion]

thomo , try Pendle freecycle ( Or skipton/craven - earby and barlick persons never know where to post) , you might get the materials for only the cost of collecting. One chap down near Thorton I think was offering cat post, bedding and litter trays

[Thomo]

Up until today, Mabels temporary bed was a spare washing basket lined with some of my old sweaters, and with a couple of cushions in the bottom. We have kept trying to improve it, but she refused any change and would not use it, she preferred it as it was. So in an effort to improve yet again her sleeping arrangement, today I bought her a proper cat bed, this is sat on a piece of board on top of 1.5" of insulation, below is the result:-



Happy Mabel, and happy me.

Izzy is still coming and getting braver, he has examined the house several times and our cats have ceased bothering about it, on Wednesday morning he was here just before seven, wet through again.

[Thomo]

At six last night Mabel was in the front garden and watching something very intently, thinking it may have been Izzy, I went out for a look, it was not Izzy but a small long haired mottled grey cat with a collar on. I picked it up and brought it in to get a look at the collar, attached to this was what appeared to be a magnetic cat flap device, and written in French! no clues to owner at all. I contacted a local friend who works with cat rescue, but she couldn't help with identification. The little cat had some food, used one of the trays and then checked out the house, much to the surprise of our own three cats. After a while the cat started getting upset so I made the decision to let it out, I can only hope it found its way home again, quite a few new people have moved into our area of late.

[Nolic]

Perhaps your love of them and your generous feeding of them has spread across the channel to "les chats". Nolic

[Gloria]

It's not a bed Thomo, it's a "den"---wonderful.

[PanBiker]

The way you are going Peter, you are going to need a chip reader! all our cats (present and past) have been chipped as well as having their ID and electronic cat flap keys on their collars. It's true what they say, cats do know "cat people".

[Thomo]

It doesn't take much to make me happy, but this has. Izzy fast asleep in the spare cat basket, I will explain what happened tomorrow.