Remind me- where are you and the cats located?
Missouri.
OMG. Orphan cats in Missouri! My heart goes out. Anything I can do to help?
The cats are so lucky to have dressagetraks. But it seems to me that she’s the Pied Piper of cats… I hope that gig pays well.
Oh my. I just looked at this thread and saw the bad news. I am sorry for the loss of your friend, dressagetraks. You are a wonderful and thoughtful person for befriending Cat Lady and her cats.
[QUOTE=dressagetraks;8399000]
Here’s my own cats checking out the rug.
…
However, of course, it has been rolled on, kneaded on (it’s quite thick), played with, etc., by CL’s cats for a few months. Hence, upon setting it up in my living room today, it got an extra-intensity CAT scan.
I have to giggle at the two Siamese. I have a gray Oriental and he thinks he’s Master of the Universe. He’s the first one to scratch and roll all over any new rug / carpet. Possessive as all get out.
I picked up the first three cats today. And good news, my stepmother is borrowing all carriers she can get hands on, as well as a truck to haul all carriers, and is coming down tomorrow. It would be nice to do this in one more load instead of a bazillion. Of course, I doubt all will be present to be captured, so I’ll have to take a few more swings by just to make sure, though I really think that Mr. Man and Blackie might have given up on us. They were tough independent boys and will be fine, though I still worry.
I have interfaced with the family. All is peaceful. The only concern for cats is that they agreed she wouldn’t want them to go to a shelter. If they hear of homes available, they will contact me.
I’m really touched how many people are all pulling for us on this. Hopefully everything will work out well for all.
Jingles & AO for safe travels with cats ```` and FedEx alert for Saturday !
Sending safe travel Jingles for you & cats ~ AO !
** know you’re busy … SO ??
please leave the FedEx man a note indicating where to leave the ‘surprise’ package 
since you most likely will not be home !
[B]Saturday Sunshine Surprise for YOU ! for all you have done for CL and cats !
Saturday by the end of the day but estimated between 9-11:30 a.m.
ENJOY !!!
[/B]
All is well at morning feeding on my farm. We have nose sniffing and a few hisses among new arrivals and old but fairly peaceful.
I do not have the capacity to shut them up anywhere, but these cats have never been used to being shut up. CL had this thing about “confining” animals. All of hers were in/out, free will. So they are used to ranging around a home base. I fed them immediately upon arrival last night, and my car (which they know and have scented and walked over and pawprinted for months) is right here in the driveway. I also went out a few times through the evening to give scratches. It’s more contact already than these three have had from their one-visit-a-day recently. My place is quite similar to hers except that she was at the bottom of a hill while I am at the top, but there are woods, big fields, and outbuildings. This is very near what they were used to. I really think I need to get them out of her place, for their peace as well as my convenience. Being there when things start being hauled out by total strangers isn’t likely to be pleasant for them.
Will go after the others when my stepmother gets here later with carriers and the truck.
I am 85% decided on trying to bring Tina inside. We shall see. She’s such a “special” cat. She was never great friends with the others but is used to having other cats around, as all of these are. I’m hoping that Coda might sense that this is a special situation. But Tina especially seems lost right now, the way she almost winds around my feet at a short distance. Of all of them, CL worried most about Tina.
And maybe later, I’ll let Rascal in. But adding new cats one at a time is best indoors, where they don’t have the scope and ability to avoid each other that exists outside.
Zu zu, you’ve got my curiosity up now. I share a few qualities with cats. 
You’ll do exactly what they need ~ they just need YOU !
All the faith in you and your cat judgement !
You will do what is best for each and every cat - we ALL know that !
Breathe In.
Breathe Out.
Step by step … Day by day…
Yours is a big and stressful assignment …
All will come through just fine !
-
I’d keep Rascal with Tina wherever you think best - Tina will need a ‘buddy’ as did one of my rescued ferals who had a medical issue/ need.
-
follow your guts = you have good ‘cat guts’ :lol:
((hugs)) laced with extra patience and strength …
** not need to share surprise unless you want to
** DESIGNED JUST FOR YOU AND YOUR SANITY !
safe travels today and every day !
You’re GOLDEN IN COTHERS EYES !
Oh, I like your surprise, Zu Zu. :yes::):yes:
Great ! ENJOY ! You deserve that and so much more !
Great !
You deserve a treat !
ENJOY !
[QUOTE=dressagetraks;8401357]
Oh, I like your surprise, Zu Zu. :yes::):yes:[/QUOTE]
I am sorry to hear about Cat Lady. For some reason I missed the ongoing thread. Rest easy CL.
Home found for three! Off they go today. Not the three here already; will dip into those there, as it is closer.
Whoof! What a day.
Stepmother arrived with ample crates and truck. My dad stayed and worked on putting panels on my well house (like much else of the original project farm, it wasn’t built with great workmanship to begin with), and stepmom and I went off to collect cats.
The yellows and Stripes will be at their new home. As for the rest, I went inside first to feed cats. Then when cats were eating, I planned to slip out, come back with a few loads of carriers, and close the door.
All went well for the first few cats. I was especially glad to get Baby Cat, who is an intermittent. She is the one I personally think is the best looking cat on the place. Then when we took the first few loaded crates outside, Tina slipped out, and Rascal came in. I was glad to see Rascal, but Rascal wasn’t glad to see me. She took one look at the carriers, looked back at the closed door, and then jumped like a flash through the pass through from the living room into the dining room. There, she fished off the heat vent, same one Cotton jumped down the other day, jumped down it herself, and vanished. As I’ve said, there is NOTHING wrong with Rascal’s intelligence. I think I know how that vent got off in the first place before Cotton’s mishap; she has her own private exit, like a secret passageway.
We caught the other inside cats and then went outside. Sure enough, there was Rascal clear outside. Cotton apparently couldn’t find her exit from underneath the house. She was looking at the loaded carriers like, “No way.”
I started talking to Rascal but then spotted Tina, who was under a bush closer. I approached, talking all the while, first time I’ve tried to approach her outside instead of in the house. She listened, was rattled but was paying attention. Just as I started the grab, the people up the dirt drive a ways who lease the pasture for cattle and were working on the fence dropped a post whacker. The sound made Tina jump just enough that while I caught her, I missed the scruff slightly. She whipped around and bit me on the left hand. Absolutely nailed me.
I let go to avoid further bites; obviously, this handhold wasn’t going to work. Stepmother called, “Are you okay?” I looked at my hand, which had blood running off it and dripping on the ground, and said, “Fine.” She gave me a salute and held her distance. I had told her to stay back when I was working Tina.
I followed Tina’s flight line and found her on the porch. She was really upset now, but she was still listening. I put the smallest carrier on the top step and once again talked through the approach. Took a few minutes, but I made it up and landed a much better grab. Stuffed cat in carrier, closed it, and headed for the car - and the door popped halfway there. That particular carrier, not mine, had fasteners on each side, not just on one side with a hinge on the other. The side opposite the one I had opened to swing the door hadn’t been shut. Off went Tina like a rocket, and I was left holding the empty carrier.
Stepmother came up at that point, and we wiped off my hand and had a consultation. She nailed me, but it could be worse. Already was stopping bleeding. We alcohol wiped it and sprayed antiseptic, and then I took the carrier on, testing all attachments, and tracked Tina. She was down in the creek bed.
This cat was utterly terrified by now, but the people working on the fence were on the other side of the creek a ways up, so she had me on one side and banging strangers on the other. That time was a lot harder to talk my way to her. Two steps forward (mine), one step back (hers). Still, very slow progress. It took me 20 minutes, but I finally was right up to her. Good grab, and she was stuffed into the carrier, and you’d better believe I checked every latch on the thing.
So we had Tina. I took her back to the car, and then looked around. We still had missing cats, but the only uncaught cat I’d seen today was Rascal, and she was sitting about 100 yards away and had watched the whole Tina escapade.
It was a totally different confrontation. Rascal wasn’t scared; she was just determined. Nope, no carrier today, thank you, and she had a whole field to evade in, although she never ran, just stayed 10 feet away from me. I even went in for a can of wet food. I talked to her, trying to reason. Nothing doing.
Finally, I gave up on Rascal for today. I will let her chill a day or two and swing by again beginning of next week. Rascal is strong, independent, an excellent hunter, and could do fine on her own, but I really want her. Maybe with a little time alone and with me coming back alone instead of with a stranger, she’ll change her mind.
Everybody except for Elvis, Mr. Man, and Blackie (and Rascal) has been either caught and brought to my place or rehomed. We’re making progress.
Drove home, and on the way, in consultation with stepmom, I decided not to try to bring Tina inside tonight. This cat has simply had too traumatic of a day. She’s fragile anyway, and I don’t think she could take strange cats in a strange house. She was bound to launch like a rocket from that carrier, and I thought she’d either go through a window or knock herself out trying. She needed room to run for now. Hopefully in a few days, when she’s settled more, I can move her in.
Once home, we released the cats. Tina, as predicted, hit warp speed. Everybody went into the big field next door. I dispensed food and left them alone. On a check a little later, I got to pet and talk to Baby Cat and to Satin. Saw Tina; she was watching. I think things went pretty well all told. My existing barn cats continue to be more curious than aggressive. Wish I could have gotten Rascal, though.
I know about cat bites and will be all over watching this hand. Any question, and I’ll go for antibiotics.
Good job.
Sounds like Rascal is going to be quite the challenge. Guess Step 1 next time will be blocking that vent.
And congrats on placing three of them.
Wow, what a day for sure! Great stuff, CL would be so pleased with what you are doing for her tribe
Think about a drop trap…VERY useful for cats like Rascal. Leave it up for a couple of days and let him eat in it. Then get him.
Kim
Great idea on the trap! I would like to have a few more tries at the MIA cats before I give up, too, just to be sure they have moved on, although Mr. Man and Blackie she only saw 1-2 times a week herself. I will see about getting a trap Monday.
I am so glad I got Tina. CL was so concerned about her problem child; I feel like in her memory, I have to make an effort to keep this cat myself before deciding to have her PTS. A month ago, I wouldn’t have thought it was possible, but she is turning to me due to lack of anybody else lately. THREE TIMES today I managed to walk up to this “wild child” and scruff her, and she still wasn’t just running away that third time. She wants a chance.
Bless you for your love and concern for Cat Lady and her cats. The world needs more people like you!
[QUOTE=NoDQhere;8402230]
Bless you for your love and concern for Cat Lady and her cats. The world needs more people like you![/QUOTE]
Boy, you can say that again.
What escapades!! Great Job, DT!!!
We sure do enjoy hearing about your rescue, you are really good.
