She's beautiful isn't she? That's exactly what I thought too. This photos was taken with a 300mm zoom lens because this ginger kitty is possibly feral, possibly lost, possibly a runaway and highly skittish, but look at the cute little dots on her nose...you want to take her home with you don't you?
The Non-Smiling Cheshire
Over the last two weeks my neighbours and I have been dealing with a bit of a dilemma. This cat moved into the neighbourhood and we don't know where she came from. She doesn't have a collar and she tends to stick to the open green belt behind our apartments. The problem is that she's got this really sad "Meow" and she comes prowling at night. I think that she's hungry and looking for a home because up until the early hours of the morning she walks around the place meowling. It is such a pitiful little noise and tells of desperation and longing.
A few days ago my one neighbour and I were talking on the phone and she told me she planned to go to the animal welfare and ask what can be done or if the animal pound needs to be called, she asked if I wanted to go with her. An opportunity to see all the little cats and dogs at the welfare...I was in so a few minutes later we bundled into the car and drove there.
We explained the situation to them and while they seemed sympathetic, they told us that they didn't have any cat traps so they wouldn't be able to help us other than giving us some phone numbers of someone private who may be able to trap the cat. We were rather disheartened but we decided that we would take their advice and see what the phone contacts could do for us to help this painful sounding meowing furball.
I sent a message to the one number explaining that this cat seemed lost and hungry but very skittish and we need help in catching it so that it can be checked for a microchip, returned to it's owner or rehomed if not truly feral (I've seen even feral cats turn domestic if they are even remotely used to people which this one seems to be otherwise I doubt it would be hanging around the houses).
The response that came back was sympathetic but not entirely helpful. You see my two neighbours have made the mistake of making their houses accessible to the cat - they leave windows or cat flaps open and as a matter of course, this kitten goes inside and they don't really like that. The lady I was messaging is currently overseas and although she understood the situation and would help if she were here, all that she could do is to give advice to provide the cat with food away from the houses and keep the windows and catflaps closed at night. I left the texting conversation feeling empty-handed in terms of resources to actually deal with the situation.
I decided that I couldn't let a cat starve so the night before last I found a bowl and I put some food outside on the verandah in the hope that the cat would at least have a full tummy and therefore not sound so utterly sad.
It seemed to work as I didn't hear her all that much that night and during the day yesterday she was pretty absent so I was assuming she found a nice sunny spot to sleep and was having a good cat nap.
Last night just after dark I heard her meowing and I called her with the usual Pssshhh psshhh pshhh and she answered me. So I got out some food for her, filled up her bowl and left it out when I closed the door.
But I made one fatal error...
The Laughing Cheshire
I forgot to close my one window and this morning I walked into the kitchen and while looking down I was shocked.
What is it with ginger cats? Why do they have to be such little shits? I don't think I have ever encountered a ginger cat that was just an average, nice ginger cat, I was hoping this one was, but I was wrong. Are you expecting the kitten curled up in a chair all snug and safe? Hmmm that I wouldn't have minded so much, but that's not what I got.
A big steaming pile of cat shit waiting in my path to the kitchen is what greeted me first thing in the morning. Clearly the food was well liked and the cat decided that it was going to come poke around for more. It wasn't impressed when it couldn't find the cat food so it decided to have a nice big dump on my walkway into the kitchen. It's as if I can hear it laughing at me...as if to say thanks for the food Miss, leave me more of that tonight or I'll shit in your kitchen again.
I'm annoyed with the cat as cute as it is, I don't like cats that come into houses and shit in them. It's unbecoming and gross. I'm just fucking glad I didn't step in it.
So now I'm not so sure I should feed this little monster or if I should try dissuade it from here as I don't really like the gesture of appreciation it left for me.
What do you guys think I should do? Look at that picture again, it looks smug doesn't it?
When my best mate Merlin first came to my door, a very young and skinny little kitten, I already had a cat, Dixie. I gave my partner strict instructions, don't feed the stray.
She fed the stray.
When I realised this, I gave strict instructions, don't let the stray inside.
She let the stray inside.
I had Merlin for twenty two years from that point and was completely devastated when I had to put him down. His head went limp in my hands and I knew I'd lost a very special little mate; my best mate.
This ginger of yours is a rascal...But now the little bugger is in your house...you're fucked. Make up a name and accept the reality that you just got a new cat.
Now I'm sad, thinking about Merlin. I miss him so much. 😥
I'm so sorry Galen, I understand that Merlin meant the world to you and it must have been heartbreaking. I don't have words of comfort because I know how deep it goes. 😿
Sigh, I've never had a ginger cat for this very reason, they're rascals for sure. I have no idea what I'll call him...probably Cheshire because I don't think this will be the last time that he laughs at me, but hopefully I can teach the little shit to go in a litter tray. At least he now has and ally, my neighbours were like the queen singing off with his head and I took pity on him. I truly am fucked.
It's ok, I have his memories and that's something at least. All the best with the ginger cat, I hope you find a suitable name.
22 years is a long life and he no doubt had a good one with you, I know that it never really gets easier when we lose fur-family. He knows you're thinking of him and I'm sure he misses you too.
I'll see how it goes with the ginger fur-ball, I think he's really nervous of people so I don't know if he'll actually warm to me, but time will tell.
If the ginger takes to you and you keep him, don't call him ginger-dog or g-dog for short...or do because that'll be fucken hilarious.
I think this cat is very enigmatic, like the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.
Having a cat indoors is a commitment to take care of it and that includes picking up their litter very early in the morning if they don't find the litter they like to dig in and leave it there.
I'm sure he was looking for water, food or shelter (most of the time, all three), they are very smart, and they know when they are welcome as what happened to you with this experience.
Maybe if you call again to those who give this kind of help with the kittens they will support you to look for a good loving shelter for him @emma-h
It's definitely hungry and I felt really sorry for it, but I really wasn't expecting it to go to the loo in my path, that was just out of sorts for me - the window was still open it could have gone outside which is weird cat behaviour...I'm now thinking that it might very well be feral and looking to stake out territory which means that it's probably a male.
I'm definitely going to have to make a plan. The first part is to close the freaking windows at night and then I'll try get the animal welfare to help me again, see if they have ideas. I don't want the cat to starve but I'm not going to put up with it taking a dump wherever it chooses either, it makes me wonder if it will be rehomeable.
It is good to have patience in these cases for the feline's welfare, you are doing the right thing to help him, and it is even feasible that those who help the kittens will find him a home, so he can continue to be happy among us humans who love animals.
Good Friday @emma-h
LOL, that cat is quite fat for a feral, could be fooling you!
You think so? You think it's a marauding neighbourhood Tom? Could very well be fooling me with that cute meow and then depositing on the floor, little monster. The window is now closed. He can have some food but he ain't getting inside again.
😀
Feed it and move it for its catty ways!!
I love cats but I seyt your point in that I hate their dumps!
Hello Boomy
Gosh, you know what I mean then, I'm so torn. I like the cat but it's gotta change it's attitude if it wants to be friends. Maybe it'll behave itself more appropriately this morning than yesterday. It definitely liked the food.
They are funny buggers. Maybe he was trying in a cat daft way to make a positive impression!
"Look mom, look what I made" 😆 You never know, maybe it's the equivalent in cat lingo of bum sniffing in hounds.
Aaaawwww!!! The photo is really amazing 🤩 @emma-h I love that cat just looking at it 😻
It's strange that they poop inside houses, on the floor. They rather try to do it far away and bury it. Maybe because it's not domestic they do it. It's a good idea if you give him food outside. If that's the way you want it of course. But that naughty really makes anyone fall in love 💟
Hi Purple Glitter,
Thanks for coming by and looking at this cute little kitty, I think he is a little rascal but he has a very cute meow. I also found it so strange that he pooped on the floor, it's so unlike cat behaviour but maybe there's a reason for it like trying to mark territory or something.
I left food out for him last night which he ate again and I heard him calling at the door, but I didn't leave the window open. My neighbour will probably kill me if she finds out I'm feeding him, but I can't let him go hungry, it would just be wrong.
That naughty little face is so cute I agree
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