My biggest issue with the possibility of moving is what to do with Cat. First, we’ve tried to catch her in a trap just to take her to get shots. We catch lots of cats but we have never caught Cat. Maybe she sees other cats go into the trap and she’s learned not to do it, although we always release the other cats.
This morning, I was thinking about Cat and thought . . this is exactly what happens when we, whether it’s parents of adult children, the government, co-workers . . I’m sure you’ll think of other examples, but when we do for others what they should be doing for themselves, we create dependency.
When Cat first came here, she was very apprehensive about eating the food we provided and often, she would go days without eating cat food. She would leave portions of snakes, mice and rabbits for us to see that she was doing her job and being a good cat. We thought we were being good “parents” and kept food out for her. Now, she sits on her cat tree Vince made for her and meows until we fill her food bowl. The rabbit population is growing and I’m sure so are the mice and snakes because Cat would rather wait for her food bowl to be filled than go out and catch her own meals.
There were times, before we learned her routine and she learned ours, that she would get closed up in the shop at night and there were accidents so I put a litter box in there. It’s been in there well over a year and I’d check it from time to time and she had never used it. I had kinda forgotten about it and walked by it yesterday – full! Now, she’s probably going into the shop even during the day to do her business. Why bother digging a hole in the hard, dry dirt when there’s a box of kitty litter waiting inside. This morning Vince took the box out, dumped it, scrubbed it and he wasn’t going to put it back but I told him now that she’s in the habit of going in there, no telling what she might do so we’d better put it back.
So, we’ve taken a cat that was feral and used to living on her own, taking care of herself, made her dependent on us for food, water, and even a heated cat house in the winter, we have no way of moving her and even if we did, she probably wouldn’t even be happy wherever we end up (and we don’t even know at this point). We thought we were being nice and helpful, and actually, I’m thinking we might have played a cruel trick on her. I look at her . . she loves us now . . Vince more than me. Every morning, she is waiting to be petted, but that’s the only time of day we can get close to her. I used to try picking her up just a little, leaving her back legs on the ground and hoping to work my way up to being able to pick her up completely, hoping to be able to some day get her in a carrier. I don’t see that ever happening without the use of drugs.
When I go back to the vet with Rita, I’ll ask and see if they have any suggestions but even if we could catch her, I don’t think moving her is an option.
It probably would have been better for all concerned if we had never started feeding her but, we thought we were being kind!
Kathleen says
Judy, you are such a kind soul. But I would like to give you more credit than you are giving yourselves. Cat would probably have died by now. The myth that a solo cat can live in the wild is just that. You saved her life probably. This may sound strange, but i am going to guess anyone who buys your property will like animals. What if you left a little support fund for her – and made her part of the property sale? You never know, the right buyer might say “sure”. Good luck finding a way through this.
Sandra says
Judy it took me over seven years to be able to pick up the feral cats that I had “adopted”. Keep petting and picking her up as you’re doing. Some cats take longer to tame. She had come a long way already.
Carolyn Sullivan says
She goes into a Heated box in the winter? maybe that could be your trap…..
Judy Laquidara says
We’ve tried. She can see outside through the “windows” in the heated house and she’s always listening for anyone or anything walking up. She doesn’t really like going in there but she does it to stay warm but she’s very cautious and always on the lookout and listening for someone.
Joyce says
I would think that anyone who buys the place would likely be happy to have a resident cat, especially if it is a good hunter. To get her to hunt again, you could slowly reduce the amount of food you leave out for her. There are likely some other critters eating some of it anyway. You don’t need to entirely cut off the food, just reduce the amount.
Judy in MO says
Don’t you imagine this is how cats were domesticated in the beginning? So we have been doing it for centuries, don’t be hard on yourself about it. She probably would not be alive now if you had not taken her in.
Robin Crittenden says
I know how you feel. I have outside ones that we feed and I worry about them. If you moved her you couldn’t let her out because she wouldn’t know what to do. The best hope would be someone who loves cats gets the house.
Susan says
What a social justice THAT parable is! I don’t think, back then, you imagined you’d be moving.
Donna in KS says
Indeed, a social parable!! But, Judy, we all do understand why you have accepted Cat! We understand you.
Donna in KS says
Well, for the most part we do!!! lol And love you!
Rebecca in SoCal says
I’ve been thinking about this problem, and the catch in every solution (can’t trap her, don’t want to drug her…). It seems the only thing to do, since she seems un-tameable, is to wean her off her dependence. I didn’t know she had adapted to a litter box…she’s more dependent than I realized!
Darn that Cat! She’s happy to have things on her terms, but won’t make anything easy on you!