Damn cat

[Rorey]

I seriously don't think I'm a cat person. I guess I used to be, but one single cat has changed everything.

A few days ago there was the lizard thing. She brought in two lizards and I had to catch them and release them outside.

This morning was worse. I woke up super early because the cat in question decided she should sleep with me, and I just don't seem to be able to sleep well when she decides to join me. I guess I'm afraid I might roll on her or something.

So I got up at 2 a.m., had my coffee while I browsed the 'net, and then organized a few kitchen drawers and cabinets. By the time I finished that it was 5:30, and I decided to try to go back to sleep. I was sort of semi-conscious when I heard a cat meow. I tried to ignore it, but then opened my eyes for a second and caught a glimpse of a bird flying in my bathroom. Damn it, damn it, damn it. The bird was sitting on the back of the toilet, terrified of course, so I put a towel over it and gently took it out and put it on the deck. It flew away, which was a big relief.

So much for sleep. I had to clean up a few small feathers and sanitize the floors from the back door through the kitchen, down the hall, and my entire bedroom and bathroom.

Damn cat.

[jpak]

1. My feral indoor kitty girl brought me not one

But three live bats one night.

They were presents cuz she loves me...

[Rorey]

3. That would be terrifying

None of mine have done that yet. I used to sit out on my deck in the evening and watch the bats fly around, and I found a dead one in my yard years ago, but thankfully none have been in my house.

[tblue37]

2. One of mine brought me a live snake in the 1980s.

[Rorey]

4. Nope

If that happens, that cat will for sure have to become an outside-only cat.

[Maraya1969]

5. Wait till she brings in a snake. And birds that are so damaged that you take them

to the wildlife rehabilitator and sometimes they die anyway.

I had to find homes for my cats because I couldn't take the pillage and carnage anymore. And now with my foster cat (that I haven't been able to send back yet) I keep the dog door closed and only open it to let the dogs out. After they are back in the door gets shut.

[Rorey]

6. If there was a possibility of finding a good home, I'd do it in a second

I'm sure I'd miss the family of four, but constantly worrying about their evil shenanigans is getting old.

Really it's only the mom who brings in prey. Her adult kittens don't care about me enough to show off what they've got.

[Merlot]

7. Try giving her more attention, treats, and play time

I had house cats so never had to deal with "small animal rescue" until a stray small black panther decided to break into my house. She's tame to me but bolts when other humans are around. She's brought in countless birds, lizards, and baby mice. I noticed the wild life offerings were less when I played with her on an ongoing basis.

I also give here a small special crunchy treat when she comes in the house.

[Rorey]

9. I really think she's doing it for her "kittens"

Three years ago she had kittens on my back porch and then hid them. She didn't bring them around until they were a two months old, and by then they were very wild. I had to trap them to get them spayed and neutered, and of course I had her spayed too. She just never stopped treating her offspring like they were little kittens. Even now, when one of them comes in the house she'll come and nudge me for food for them. They always have their dry food, so it's not like anyone is ever starving. She wants them to have their canned food or their Lactaid. (They are REALLY spoiled.)

I just think she hasn't adjusted to the fact that her kittens are all grown up now. Maybe it's because they had to be weaned sooner than she wanted it to happen. They had been eating regular food for a while, and I was worried that she'd go into heat again if I waited too long to get her spayed, so I got it done and she could no longer nurse them.

I've noticed that the kittens are quite independent of each other, but very attached to the mom. They'll seek her out and let her give them baths, but they never snuggle with each other, and really don't even seem to like each other that much.

All four of mine are like your black panther. They'll hang out in the house, relatively close to me. But if anyone else comes in my house they'll dart outside and stay out for hours. I definitely don't have to worry about anyone stealing any of them.

[TexasBushwhacker]

8. A grain free, high meat diet

and 5 to 10 minutes of predatory play (like a feather lure) can cut predatory behavior in half. Of course, so can making them an indoor only cat.

[Rorey]

10. They're all way too accustomed to being outdoors

i shudder to think of the hell there would be to pay if I trapped them inside at this point. I don't know how old the mom is, but I know she's at least four years old. Her "kittens" are three years old. There were a couple of times when I kept them in overnight and one of them got to the point where she wouldn't come in at all. I guess she was afraid she'd be trapped inside.

My neighborhood is about as safe as a neighborhood could be for a cat. Of course there's always a danger of getting snatched up by an owl, and it wouldn't be extremely surprising if a coyote came into the neighborhood. But traffic isn't a problem, and neighborhood dogs haven't been either. The cats are mostly in my yard and my immediate neighbor's yard.

[TexasBushwhacker]

11. I know it's next to impossible with a cat that's used to the outdoors

I was adopted by a semi-feral cat. He would usually only come inside when the weather was bad.