He’s in the crate mostly to keep his little buddy from eating his food with gabapentin added; she’s medically fragile (and 20 years old), so that’s important. If he gets out of the crate, I’ll have to put her in it, and I’d rather not.
Wow, 20 years old?!?!
That’s impressive!
I hope he stays nice and calm for you.
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Jingles for a smooth recovery for him.
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Sam would not eat while in the crate so we let him out last night, made “mush” food for both cats, and planned to put Naku in the crate this morning so I could give Sam his medicated food. She freaked out, yowled and cried and finally I let her out; she went straight to his medicated food! She has had a little, and it’s not something that will hurt her (gabapentin), but still… BUT Sam ate some too; he’s much happier and more comfortable, and now back in one of his favorite spots, snoozing away.
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What a great photo and so glad to read the update.
Curious, how big is the crate? Could you make a larger set-up that might not cause whichever cat is in it to be upset while they are contained?
It’s a size XXL crate for a very large dog. Rough measurements 30 by 48 inches floor space and 32 inches tall. It has a “cave” made from a cat carrier, and room for a small litter box and food and water. Naku has been confined there twice in the past couple of weeks, and I guess she’s just done.
Sam is willing to sniff my fingers, and will let me rub his head a little, so I think he’s on his way to forgiving me.
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That does sound like it should work just fine.
You are probably right - Naku is saying ‘sorry, not thank you’ to the whole confinement thing.
Could you keep one of the cats in a room with the door shut? Even if you had to use a small room (like a bathroom) it’s only for a few days.
Naku, possibly, in my room, which is cold and not someplace we go too often (I get clothes out of my closet, or a couple other things I store in there.) But she gets upset and starts howling if she hears someone outside where she lives now. She is also very old, and possibly a bit senile.
Our house is an old farmhouse with a strange layout because it has been added onto so many times, and DH has certain “rules” about which rooms can have cats in them.
The easiest room to have a cat shut in is the kitchen, and there’s already a cat in there. That cat is in the kitchen at night because he’s a pest, and we can’t just give him food (which is what he is a pest about) because he’s pretty hefty. One of the things I like about cats is that they are pretty self-sufficient – no need to take them out every XX hours to do their business. And they sleep or snooze most of the time.
(Yes, 3 cats here if anyone is confused. Naku and Sam live in my office. Visitor has the kitchen, and other rooms during the day.)
Both cats are happily asleep in their favorite place, under the cat tree, where there is a heat mat.
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Update – I gave up on the meds as Sam wasn’t eating anything unless it had no meds in it. Luckily, the gabapentin was to keep him quiet, but he’s a pretty quiet cat. He has dropped a little weight, but he is not going to starve!
He’s actually being friendly, when he’s awake.
And the cats are both finicky. They were turning up their noses at their normal kibble made into a mush with water, but are fine if the kibble is wet enough to be soft, but still in its original kibble form. They also won’t eat the wet kibble if it’s been out for more than a few hours.
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Another thing that might help him be friendlier with you…is there any way you can completely remove his companion for awhile? I think if he loses her company and gets a little lonely, he might just come around.
A couple of times I turned young cats that appeared to be completely tamed out with the “herd” only to have them decide that I’m not necessary for anything but food and would stay out of my reach because they had their friends.
If I pulled them out of the group again and redid the taming ritual (which went much faster the 2nd time), they’d stay friendly and manageable.
Might be worth a shot. Also, if possible just keep the trap in his room wired open at all times. That way if you need to catch him again, he won’t be leery of it.
He’s doing reasonably well now – a bit more friendly, loves being petted (for short periods of time), and when I am working he is usually within 4 feet of me, asleep and snoring. He is definitely happier now that his teeth don’t hurt.
His little buddy is 20, and I wouldn’t want to stress her out by removing her. Presumably she will pass first, so Sam and I will have some time together “just the two of us.”
The trap was borrowed from the vet.
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Some bad news. Sam’s health is deteriorating, and I’m probably having him put down as soon as I can trap him (hopefully this week.)
He’s sleeping most of the time and drinking huge amounts of water. His kidneys are probably failing. He’s not going to be amenable to any regular treatment, because he can’t be handled. He is purring a lot while he sleeps – which I think for him is a sign of distress.
He has the feline equivalent of DSLD in his front legs. It’s getting painful for him to move around. Yes, there is a surgery, but he has proven himself to be a horrible patient, so I wouldn’t put him through it even if he was otherwise healthy.
I feel sad for him, as he is only 13. His little buddy, at 20 is healthier than he is.
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I’m so sorry for Sam and you. At least you know he won’t be suffering anymore.
Hugs for you, peaceful naps and maybe some tuna treats for Sam.
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Poor kitty. I’m very sorry to hear this. Kidney disease is awful. If he won’t let you treat him with fluids or other medications then there’s probably not much you can do. The pain in his legs makes things even more complicated. Thinking the best for both of you. 
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Thank you for giving Sam the best life possible. I learned a lot from this thread about handling ferals, if that is any consolation…
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So sorry. You have done as much as you can to make him comfortable within the parameters he has given you.
Thank you everyone for your kind words. The trick at this point is getting a cat who isn’t very hungry into a trap. (Squishy smelly wet food won’t work; he doesn’t do wet food at all.) He tends to eat in the evening, when it’s too late to take him to the vet.
Good luck? I’m so sorry about your sweet boy. What about chopped sardines ? Sending you much strength.
Oh, this is very sad to hear. But you know what - you gave him a chance he may never have gotten with anyone else or in a different situation. He was loved and treated well and in the end that is all that matters. Hugs to both you and him.
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