For years I’ve been feeding numerous neighbor kitties who all originate from the hoarder’s house behind mine. It started when I had a cat who had eating issues and rather than waste food she wouldn’t eat (my others didn’t like wet food), I would put it out at the end of the driveway under cover of darkness. Well, they all figured out where it was coming from pretty quickly so now I just feed them. Somehow, there are always just three at a time. Some disappear. Others show up. Anyway, I brought in one a couple years ago on a freezing night when she was on the porch getting snowed on. And I may be at that place again.
Of the three around now, two I believe are still “living” at the hoarder house. But one female hangs around my house all the time. Tonight the temp is going down to around 18. It’s raining now and may snow later. She is sitting in front of my door right now. I’m hoping she has somewhere to go but it’s not looking so good. This is the first time she has ever stayed around after dark even when it’s raining. I think she knows it’s going to be cold. I really, really don’t need another cat inside - I have three. But I fixed up the spare room and sprayed it with flea killer at lunch. I have some Capstar I can give her to kill the fleas on her. (I had a flea invasion several years ago from another rescue and I’m terrified of them.) I’m making this plan I don’t want to do. But I can’t let her freeze. It’s 36 degrees now. I’m going to give it another hour or so but I think I’m doomed. Damn.
The hoarder house has a sheltered junkfilled carport where I believe the cats stay. Some I think stay in the house but I’m not sure.
I had a shelter on my porch for a couple years. That’s where the one I took in 2 years ago was staying with her sister. The day I took her in, some dogs had scared them out of the shelter and killed her sister. That night when it was snowing she refused to get in the shelter and I had to bring her in. I got rid of the shelter last year so I wouldn’t end up in that position again. And here I am anyway.
I went out and fed her again thinking maybe she was just hanging around for some more food. She ate and ran off. Then she came back. Guess she had to pee.
It’s 34 degrees now and about to transition to snow. I’m going to bring her in. She’s going to freak out, my cats are going to freak out and I’m going to freak out. Wish me luck.
That wouldn’t work. The wind chill is going to be around 6 degrees by morning.
Anyway, it’s done. She’s crying. Yep, inside is not what she has seen from looking through the window. I wish I could explain to her that at least she’s warm.
My cats are standing in the hallway wondering what the hell. They know her from the other side of the window and are confused.
She quieted down so I went in to check on her. She was up in the pappasan chair. Going for comfort right off the bat so good for her. I gave her some wet food and snuck the Capstar in it so at least that will kill any fleas on her. That’s one of my biggest issues with having her in here. My oldest cat is very, very allergic to flea bites and had a terrible time when we had the invasion. I don’t want to put him through that again.
The temps won’t be above freezing until Wednesday and then will still drop below it at night for the rest of the week. I guess I’ll let her back out Wednesday and then bring her in at night. I really, really, really can’t have another one permanently inside. I just can’t. For now the spare room will just have to be kitty hotel for the rest of the winter.
I don’t think a carport constitutes ownership, let alone adequate care. Bless you for taking in that kitty. If you can’t keep her, hopefully you can find another home for her.
I hear you on the fleas. Having had them (from cleaning out a vacant apartment infested with the critters), I share your aversion. I was covered in godawful itchy bites and have been flea-phobic ever since.
Unfortunately, the “owners” have been hoarding cats for years. When I first moved here 16 years ago, the problem was much worse. For a while all the neighborhood cats were black. They were breeding constantly. Several years ago, after I found a mom and her newborns in my backyard, I gave them some names of rescue groups and they did get most of the cats fixed. I’ve seen 3 or 4 others around besides the 3 I’m feeding and that’s the fewest I’ve known them to have. The ones I’m feeding are fixed. I’m pretty sure the rescue group is keeping tabs on them so they’ve had some basic medical care.
Like I said, I think the other 2 still “live” back there. For some reason, the one in my spare room doesn’t. I’ve noticed that she is always nearby when I come or go, so that’s why I was worried that she didn’t have some warm place to stay. The other two aren’t always around and almost never when it is raining. I know she is from the hoarder house because my neighbor saw me feeding them one day and said she and one of the others are brother and sister. So she may have an issue with one of the other cats and doesn’t want to go there. For all I know the other cats may be inside. They used to keep a window open all the time for them to come and go. I know they actually love cats but just aren’t really responsible owners. I wish I had never started putting food out but I thought I was doing a good thing at the time. Yeah, good deeds and all that.
She’s been very quiet for the last couple hours so I hope she is sleeping. I’ll check on her before I go to bed.
She’s awake and very unhappy. I checked on her and gave her more food (not the best idea to comfort with food but there’s nothing else I can do). I looked at the white towel she’s been laying on on the chair and there were black spots on it. I looked closer to see if they were dead fleas and one jumped on me! I hope it was in its death throes. Arrggghhh! Anyway, she is crying and my youngest cat is whining and wanting attention and taking advantage of the situation - “I’m upset - give me more treats!”. I had an apple pastry. I’m comforting everyone with food. I should go to sleep but I’m too keyed up. I’m questioning leaving her locked up until Wednesday. I guess I could let her out tomorrow afternoon when I come home for lunch but the wind chills are going to be in the teens all day. I hope she doesn’t cry all night. I just keep telling myself I’d feel really, really bad if I thought she was outside freezing right now.
You’ve taken her in tonight and that’s a good thing.
Maybe tomorrow you could ask the neighbor if this cat is able to go into their house? See if you can encourage them to take her back. Otherwise, she may have to go to a rescue. Maybe the rescue that has already helped them could help her find a warm place for now. I’m trying to say that there may be other options for her.
At the library the other day Mrs. FtG saw a small cat trying to figure out how to get into a garbage can. It was a pathetic little thing. Managed to avoid her trying to pick it up.
For now.
She’s said that if the cat is still there next week “We’ll have to do something.”
Uh-oh. We already have a cat who has issues. Bringing another around is a no-no.
I’m also handling a group of abandoned cats, gradually getting them trapped and taken to the Humane Society, locally, here in Myrtle Beach. I think the best objective for outside strays is to get them to the Humane Society for spay/neutering. Over time, this will help reduce the numbers . The common reality, as you well know, is that most outside strays suffer an unpleasant existence.
As others have said here - you clearly have a good heart and you’ve done your best in the hard weather you have in your location.
Last night was really tough. She cried almost non-stop for hours. My cats and I were nervous wrecks. I put her back out at lunch today when the temps got above freezing. She seemed a little confused but enjoyed lunch with her two buddies. They all got fed again after work and dispersed. I haven’t seen her since. It’s only going to be around 30 tonight with no wind chill. It’s been right at freezing a couple times in the past few weeks so I’m hoping she does have somewhere sheltered where she sleeps. I’m keeping an eye out so if she does show up, I’ll bring her back in. Hopefully, we won’t have such drastic cold again until January (the normal time when that can happen) and maybe I can come up with a permanent solution by then. I talked to someone at work who has a sister who is thinking about getting some barn cats. She doesn’t want to do it yet but maybe later she can take this one and her brother. I think that would be ideal for them but I’m keeping my options open.
What’s your location? I could use a couple barn cats. My guy is getting a little old and slow. My barn cats get daily food, annual vacs and a barn to sleep in.
If you guys need help with transporting kitties from one of you to the other let us know. We can probably help. I think that little kitty needs to be a barn cat!
I’m in M’boro, just east of Nashville. Sometimes I drive dog rescue transports - not usually to the west side of the state. If I had a reason to come halfway, would you meet me with the cat(s)?
