I've been feeding a cat that's been hanging around my house...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

It's a tuxedo has no collar. I first saw it in my driveway, and called it Chaplin, because it has a funny little black mustache.
I'm wondering if it might be a refugee from one of the homes around here that was foreclosed in recent months. I saw him near my bird feeders one cold day, and it seemed like s/he was getting thinner; so I put a little food outside. I'd much rather feed him/her cat food than have my bird buddies get killed.

The cat is very shy, but will eat when I watch from the window. It won't let me get too close yet. If it's a feral, I'd really like to get it in for shots and get it fixed, even if it decides to remain wild.

I'm such a sucker.

[DainBramaged]

1. No you are not

there are strict rules here where I live against feeding the cats. But I put food out every night after the office closes.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

3. If I didn't know s/he'd eat it all, I wouldn't put it out...

I wouldn't want any wayward rats taking up residence in my yard.

[DainBramaged]

9. But that' s kitteh's job then? Not to worry.

:hug:

[emilyg]

11. For 35 years my homeowner's association

has been after me - I still put out dishes of food for the strays.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

12. They ought to be glad

they aren't overrun by rodents.

[Robeson]

2. Sounds like you're about to have a new kittie...

...We've gotten four out of our five from ferals who showed up. Yeah, I'm a sucker, too.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. S/he might decide to come in when the weather gets cold...

but I don't know. It could be that the dog is a turn-off. :D

[SPKrazy]

5. fattening it up

for some stew?


:rofl:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

6. Or so it'll be too big for the hawk to sink his claws into...

:hi:

[Robeson]

7. Funny you should say that. We brought one of ours in for exactly that reason...

...he was still a little booger, and a hawk came and sat on the fence post and was getting ready to pounce. I darted out the door to chase the hawk away, but it just went up into a tree, and was still looking to get supper. We brought our little boy in right then and there.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. Awww...

I'm guessing he didn't mind too much. :D

[Robeson]

10. He loves it. But...

...his brother and sisters didn't - at first - appreciate us bringing the little hellion in... ;-)

[applegrove]

13. Good for you. May good deeds come your way in return.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. The last time I fed a stray, I saw a painted bunting...

I think Bastet was watching.

[applegrove]

30. I don't understand your references. Please explain a little more...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

31. Sorry...

I was away from home for a week on business. There were a bunch of feral cats on the campus where I was staying. I felt sorry for them, so I kept some scraps from my meals to feed them. After I put the food down for them, I saw one of these in a nearby tree:


It's a very rare bird to find in the area where I was; and at first I didn't believe I'd actually seen one. Then I did a little online research and learned that one of these painted buntings had been seen about 10 miles to the north of where I was during the past winter (it's a tropical bird).

I wondered if the Egyptian cat goddess, Bastet, had decided to reward me for feeding the kitties...

[applegrove]

32. What a gorgeous bird the bunting is. Yes karma does owe you. I wish

I could help out the world more than I do. That will come in time though when I get more settled.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

33. You're here, and you care.

That helps! :hug:

[applegrove]

34. Yes I am a DUer and that is something.

[Iggo]

14. You mean you've been feeding YOUR cat.

You feed it, you bought it.

Everone knows that.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

20. Well I don't know if s/he's mine; but it would appear

that I belong to the cat. :D

[astral]

15. People just move away from their cats

He's feeling abandoned and mortified that the world isn't what he thought it was. He'll get over it. I got my cat that way -- neighbor where I was moving in to rent had moved and just left TWO cats behind! I came and fed and watered them for the 10 days before I was moving in, but when I got there only one cat remained. This was around 8 years ago and he's with me still. And I can't imagine abandoning a cat that has already been dumped and learned to trust again, in fact I always wonder if he thinks I will one day, or if he remembers.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

22. Poor kitties...

I can't imagine what people think sometimes. :(

[AmyDeLune]

16. Here's our stray tuxedo...

She's been with us almost a year now. :D

[GoddessOfGuinness]

23. Awww...

She's got a cute little mustache just like this one. :)

Looks like a comfy kitty bed for her, too!

[old mark]

17. We did the same thing for a tiny tortise shell kitten, until one day

at the start of a severe snowstorm,she was leaning against the window, meowing, and we just brought her in.

We have her over 14 years now - she still never leaves the house.


mark

[GoddessOfGuinness]

24. I have a feeling when the weather gets colder s/he may want to come inside.

I hope the little sweetie doesn't pick up any diseases in the meantime...

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. Doublecheck around the area for owners. My Goddessmother's beautiful old cat was

caught by neighbors and taken to be put down. They thought he was sick, but he was just very old. She was so heartbroken after that.

We've had a longhair tuxedo we nicknamed Tennessee who has been coming around for months and thought he was abandoned by some of the students who leave the trailer park every spring. One of our neighbors was going to call animal control. I asked around and it turned out he lives down the road and has a family, but being a rescued barn cat he isn't doing very well with staying at home. (No one can catch him long enough to get him fixed! LOL)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

25. I've been checking the lost and found ads

in papers and at the local vet's.

I haven't seen any signs posted either, and I always check them when I see them posted on telephone poles and such.

How sad for your Goddessmother... :cry:

[GreenPartyVoter]

28. Yeah. And to think that it happened because someone meant well. Hard all

around on everyone involved.

Keep us posted on how things work out for your little Chaplin. :)

[Xipe Totec]

21. We did that two years ago

Now he's ours.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

26. Awww...

I love tuxedos! :loveya:

[Roon]

27. I thought I was going to adopt a jet black kitty

He was dumped somewhere around here and was hungy so I fed him for about a week.He was so sweet, he would let me pick him up and give him some sugar. But my asshole cat would chase him away when he came inside.I fed him every day but he finally left :-( poor kitty.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

29. There's a fine art to introducing new kitties to the house...

...and I'm sure that sometimes it just doesn't work. :hug:

[Roon]

35. well

I couldn't afford a 4th cat anyway..but a part of me wanted to.i just hope he is somewhere safe.