# No, you can't live here.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 15, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875 "2017-02-15T03:01:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/1 "2017-02-15T03:01:33Z")

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A young feral kitty has set up housekeeping under the back yard shed. Since I don’t want to encourage him to stay, I am only feeding him the least desirable pieces of leftover chicken. I trudge out there and back through the snow and leave it on the shed step, and he comes out to eat it when he hears the back door shut when I come back in.  
He’s orange. I am not going to name him. Donald.

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/2 "2017-02-15T03:21:49Z")

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Any piece of chicken is desirable to a feral kitty if he doesn’t have to catch it himself.

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**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/3 "2017-02-15T03:34:54Z")

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Good on you. Any chance you can also dole out the least desirable pieces of leftover liver and Chilean sea bass?

When I discovered a very hungry feral kitten living in the scrap pile at work, I undertook to feed her every evening. But living in a scrap pile is no kind of life, so to collect her victuals, I insisted she come a little closer every day to her provider, until the day I lay down with the plate of tuna on my chest. A few days of this, and I was able to stroke her while she ate.

It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

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**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/4 "2017-02-15T03:53:07Z")

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And, while we’re not naming him Donald, which really what has he done to deserve, can you also not take pictures and then post them? 😃

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**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/5 "2017-02-15T04:55:42Z")

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> [@Sunny\_Daze](#):
>
> And, while we’re not naming him Donald, which really what has he done to deserve, can you also not take pictures and then post them? 😃

I think it will be awhile before I’ll be able to get close enough to him to get pictures. (Calling him a “him” is very much wishful thinking. I’m hoping he isn’t a “Donna.”)

It’s promising that he’s spending a lot more time out from under the shed.

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**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/6 "2017-02-15T04:57:53Z")

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You shouldn’t at all post pictures.

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**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/7 "2017-02-15T05:24:48Z")

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Congratulations on your new kitty! 😉

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/8 "2017-02-15T05:39:27Z")

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> [@pohjonen](#):
>
> I think it will be awhile before I’ll be able to get close enough to him to get pictures. (Calling him a “him” is very much wishful thinking. I’m hoping he isn’t a “Donna.”)

If he’s orange, the betting money is on him being a he. [Everything you need to know about your cat... from Dr. Justine Lee: Why are orange tabbies almost always male while calicos and tortoiseshells always female?](http://questionsaboutcats.blogspot.com/2010/12/why-are-orange-tabbies-almost-always.html)

Glad you’ve not got a new cat.

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**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/9 "2017-02-15T05:57:54Z")

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What do you have against cats ?? I rescue two cats and they were taken to a no kill cat shelter . They both been adopted , I would kept them if pets were allowed at my condo. I hope a coyote doesn’t get the poor kitty . ☹

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/10 "2017-02-15T06:07:25Z")

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> [@purplehearingaid](#):
>
> What do you have against cats ?? I rescue two cats and they were taken to a no kill cat shelter . They both been adopted , I would kept them if pets were allowed at my condo. I hope a coyote doesn’t get the poor kitty . ☹

(You’ve been whooshed, dear. He’s caring for the cat. He’s pretending to be in denial that he is adopting a feral cat and slowly taming it, as one does.)

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**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/11 "2017-02-15T13:40:56Z")

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Yeah, that’s what we said to that scruffy little dog. Her name was Scruffy. She lived her last 4 years with us…

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**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/12 "2017-02-15T14:06:41Z")

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Do not name Orange Kitteh Donald. We will not be happy. Thank you for providing him food, water, and shelter. Is it possible for you to do a TNR? That way he won’t be spreading his joy.

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**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/13 "2017-02-15T14:10:37Z")

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Vaati was the cute hungry kitten in the yard my husband told me about one night as he left to go play at his shop.

2 hours later I called and told him how much the other cats and dogs liked the little grey ghost.

He loved to sleep curled around my head purring full steam when I had a migraine.

I miss the lil guy. He went to the rainbow bridge 2 years ago.

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**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/14 "2017-02-15T15:14:43Z")

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Did you read the OP? He said “I am not going to name him Donald.” That leaves a much of other names available.

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**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/15 "2017-02-15T15:21:42Z")

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… and everybody laughed at me when I said tin-foil helmets don’t work unless they’re grounded … [sigh] … welcome Donald to the family … litter box to the left, linen closet to the right … please help us keep everything fuzzy …

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**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/16 "2017-02-15T15:43:39Z")

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\*Sakes! You Tattled and Told!  
Sakes! You Tattled and Told!  
You won’t be rid o’ that cat now  
to save your Gosh Darned Soul!!!

You gotta one eye’d cat,  
Pohjohnen, and you fed it more…?

You gotta one eye’d cat,  
Pohjohnen, and you fed it more…?

Well, One Look and I can tell you,  
He ain’t no one elses pet no more…

He thinks you’re doing him wrong  
(and he rubs your leg to show!)  
He thinks you’re doing him wrong  
(and he rubs your leg to show!)  
And the more you feed him,  
The Louder his Purring Grows…!\*

Don’t call him ‘Bill Haley’ or ‘Comet’…

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**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/17 "2017-02-15T16:13:27Z")

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Maybe don’t name him “Pumpkin” or something instead?

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**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/18 "2017-02-15T18:45:00Z")

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My sister says no feral cats are allowed to live here. She pulled an old cornish game hen out of of the bottom of the freezer and boiled it up for him. In a few days, as soon as he finishes that, he absolutely has to go.

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**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/19 "2017-02-15T19:26:28Z")

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Hmmm. I can see that.

Technically, though, if he eats the game hen, will he still **be** feral? Maybe then he will be the cat that lives under the garden shed. Not feral.

Also not Donald. 😃

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-you-cant-live-here/779875/20 "2017-02-15T19:52:00Z")

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> [@pohjonen](#):
>
> My sister says no feral cats are allowed to live here. She pulled an old cornish game hen out of of the bottom of the freezer and boiled it up for him. In a few days, as soon as he finishes that, he absolutely has to go.

Just don’t feed him the cooked bones.

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