Orange Tabby...He Stays and His Name is Finn (Update with Videos Dec 31)

[rancher hicks]

He's a doll, for sure. I want to make sure he's going to hang around and no one will claim him before I take him to be neutered. I'm pretty sure folks around here rarely microchip cats, but I'll ask when and if we get to that point.

Just checked and he came back to the pet carrier and his plush, warm bed for the night. It's going into the 20's tonight, but he'll be out of the wind and even I'd like a bed like this one:

We had a cat show up starving. We named him Skinny Pete. Short version? We have a Coalition that helps get cats spayed or neutered and they did it for us with Skinny Pete. He lived in the garage for a time but then disappeared. Last time I saw him he hissed at me and that was that.

The coalition works to trap, fix and release feral cats. They adopt any kitten if they can. It's a great organization and I do donate when I can even though we have no more cats. They have meetings once a month.

Point being maybe there is someone or something like that where you are that can help get your new charge fixed and vaccinated. He sounds very nice.

Did you know?

Perhaps this is carved on one of your trees. Hobos used to draw the cat on the front of curbs so they all could tell who would give them a hand out.

 

[speckledhen]

He's awesome. I may have found his owner, but waiting for her to get our message. One of her friends thinks it belongs to this person, disappeared two weeks ago, she said. So, we shall see. If not, there is another person whose mother wants a cat and already has a pet door for him to come and go. He'd be happier being able to come inside at night. If I had a laundry room or some vestibule, I would, but I just don't have it.

If he stayed, the Humane Society will help with neutering and shots, so that's covered, but I would be thrilled to find his real owner. I think that rarely happens with "lost" cats. I always wonder if they are really ever lost, cats. Dumped, yes, chased away from home by something, maybe. But, cats, being their independent and smart selves, surely don't just wander off and become lost.

 

[rancher hicks]

He's awesome. I may have found his owner, but waiting for her to get our message. One of her friends thinks it belongs to this person, disappeared two weeks ago, she said. So, we shall see. If not, there is another person whose mother wants a cat and already has a pet door for him to come and go. He'd be happier being able to come inside at night. If I had a laundry room or some vestibule, I would, but I just don't have it.

If he stayed, the Humane Society will help with neutering and shots, so that's covered, but I would be thrilled to find his real owner. I think that rarely happens with "lost" cats. I always wonder if they are really ever lost, cats. Dumped, yes, chased away from home by something, maybe. But, cats, being their independent and smart selves, surely don't just wander off and become lost.

I reckon you're right about that.

I had a stray about and my neighbor said it had shown up at his place. I noticed it while stopping by to see his chicken set up. He had built all these low tunnels for the guineas and chickens to run through.

Anyhow the cat, at least I think it was the same cat, black and white was there. He said he was waiting to see if it stayed and he would get it fixed. Fine by me of course.

Our cat coalition always has cats to adopt.

Recently some nut animal control lady got arrested for animal abuse. She had over 120 small dogs and Lord only knows how many cats. Our SPCA is over run now. Some of those dogs even had puppies.

IMO there is no excuse for such things.

While I'm glad you may have found the owner, I do hope they get him fixed.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: Agreed.

 

[speckledhen]

Finn's ears are fairly dirty. I poured some mineral oil in a Dixie cup, added a few drops of miticide, warmed it a bit, and used Qtips to try to clean out some of that nastiness, hopefully coating it so mites won't be happy living there. He didn't care for it much, LOL. So, they aren't super clean but hopefully, better than they were.

He wants to be inside or in someone's lap. I don't want him in the house with all my fabric and yarn, so feel a little bad about that, but he has a nice place to sleep at night, as you see in the pics below I took this morning. He's pretty safe from canine predators six feet or so up on the deck and further up on the table and it appears that unless he hears something during the night, he does stay in that bed once he comes in from whatever hunting he does because we do check on him periodically whenever we have to go out and get firewood for the woodburning stove. This side of the house gets the least amount of wind/weather as well. Someone on the local FB yard sale site asked about him this morning. We'll still rehome him in hopes he'll get a place he can go inside during the winter and someone will get a fabulous kitty, for sure.

 

[speckledhen]

Finn has an appt on Thursday to get "snipped". He will also receive his rabies and distemper shots as well. Thanks boatloads to the Humane Society of Blue Ridge! They are paying for the neuter and the rabies, though we intend to donate to them to make up for that cost and we will also get whatever other shots he needs. When I went today to speak to the same lady as before about setting up the appointment, someone else was there with a cat she was trying to leave with them and they're full up. The worker told us that almost every single day, someone comes in with a cat who they found hanging around their vacation cabin and want to leave it with the HS. So, poor Finn is one among hundreds in this area, not unexpected, really, and very sad. At least, this guy won't be contributing to the homeless cat problem in this county after Thursday.

I put up fliers at the local pet shop and at the county co-op looking for his owner, but don't expect to find it. If we do, they're getting back a neutered cat.

 

[rancher hicks]

Finn has an appt on Thursday to get "snipped". He will also receive his rabies and distemper shots as well. Thanks boatloads to the Humane Society of Blue Ridge! They are paying for the neuter and the rabies, though we intend to donate to them to make up for that cost and we will also get whatever other shots he needs. When I went today to speak to the same lady as before about setting up the appointment, someone else was there with a cat she was trying to leave with them and they're full up. The worker told us that almost every single day, someone comes in with a cat who they found hanging around their vacation cabin and want to leave it with the HS. So, poor Finn is one among hundreds in this area, not unexpected, really, and very sad. At least, this guy won't be contributing to the homeless cat problem in this county after Thursday.

I put up fliers at the local pet shop and at the county co-op looking for his owner, but don't expect to find it. If we do, they're getting back a neutered cat.

Well he is quite beautiful.

Unfortunately this is an all to common problem at HS's.

Here we recently had 226 small dogs and over 2 dozen cats. The ASPCA was closed for days to deal with this ladies mess.

This is why the Cat Coalition here is so helpful in spaying/neutering of feral cats. It cuts down the population eventually. Many folks spend their own money to try to alleviate cat and dog populations.

I'm sure whether you find his owner or not Finn will have a good life, with you and Tom.

Give him a pat for me.

 

[speckledhen]

Well he is quite beautiful.

Unfortunately this is an all to common problem at HS's.

Here we recently had 226 small dogs and over 2 dozen cats. The ASPCA was closed for days to deal with this ladies mess.

This is why the Cat Coalition here is so helpful in spaying/neutering of feral cats. It cuts down the population eventually. Many folks spend their own money to try to alleviate cat and dog populations.

I'm sure whether you find his owner or not Finn will have a good life, with you and Tom.

Give him a pat for me.

Thanks I also think he's a handsome cat. He was not here when we got back from town, probably out hunting somewhere. Tom is making him an little A-frame house with false floor which will house a heating pad that plugs up in the deck outlet so he will have a warm floor under his bed inside. I said something like wouldn't it be crazy if he disappeared just when we had made him an appt to be neutered and how could he have gotten wind of that. Tom said that's when he'd disappear.

I bet he'll be around come suppertime.

ETA: Yup, it's almost 5 p.m. and here he is. Now he has a flea collar with our phone number and his name on it and this house partially constructed:

Front



Back with "predator escape hatch", which will have a drape over it-we get coons and possums on the deck during the night sometimes and we don't want him trapped. It was Ladyhawk's suggestion. You see the compartment where the heating pad will go-found one at a thrift store for $3.50. There will be a door that closes to keep the heat in and going up toward his floor.

 

[N F C]

What a cool cat house (hey, you know what I mean)! Finn is one lucky guy to have found you & your husband.

 

[rancher hicks]

Nice Cat House. Hope you didn't tell the neighbors your husband was building a Cat House.

Finn's a lucky cat. Though he might not feel that way after his procedure.