Rescue Feral Cats – For The Joy Of It

Feral Cat
Norbu

Feral cat rescue is our cat lover’s way of saving a life, helping the environment plus ensuring there will be less unwanted kittens. There is definitely a joy in rescuing a feral cat even though it may not be much fun at times. So we rescue feral cats for the joy of it.

Meet Norbu

This kitty had been coming around the yard several times and we decided to trap him. I used a live trap that we used to catch other cats and it is safe and effective. Traps have to be monitored regularly so the what ever gets trapped does not get stressed due to weather or panic. Remember that when you set out a trap you might not catch your intended target. Have a plan so that if you catch a skunk or other wild life so you don’t get hurt.

Norbu (The name means Jewel) was captured on June 09,2018. I heard the trap rattling outside and sure enough we caught the kitty. This cat is a real feral cat and did not want to be handled. The adventure begins with getting him out of the cage. Actually when I opened the cage Norbu bolted and now he was impossible to catch. He was now loose in my garage and it took six days to finally catch him again. During this time I made sure the were no garage hazards for this wild cat to get into and he was fed regularly.

Feral Cat in Carrier
Norbu

The interesting event was that he used the litter box right from the start. Cats are so polite. I caught him on June 15th and took him to the vet immediately. On the 16th of June he was neutered and I brought him home and he was isolated in a separate room. While he was at the vet he was tattooed, dewormed and vaccinated. Shortly after the neuter Norbu developed diarrhea. After 24 hours of watching this I took him back to the vet and it was discovered that he had bacteria imbalance in his gut, plus the surgery and the stress of being rescued all contributed to his diarrhea.

He was then placed on an antibiotic plus a probiotic. This will continue for a week. During this visit the vet and I concluded that Norbu is going to be officially listed as three years old. In another three weeks he will be going back to the vet for his booster shots.

During the last two days Norbu has been letting me pet him. This is the best part of socializing a feral cat. He is still defensive, but there is progress and I am sure he will learn to enjoy his rescue. I am sure that he does not see his captivity as a rescue or even much fun. He does like feeding time though. My friend rescued a feral cat and it took three months for him to socialize and now he does not want to even go outside. We must be Patient.
Patience must be practiced in many forms, bites, scratches and messes need to be handled with love.

What I Have Learned

I have rescued seven cats to date and Norbu has been the most feral cat I have handled. The first lesson for me is that I would not of let him loose in the garage. The garage is a dangerous place and I had to cat proof the building to eliminate the chemical hazards. When I caught Norbu to take him to the vet it was a wild cat tooth and claw experience to put him in the carrier.

I live in a small house and I do not have a quiet room for the kitty to hide in. This would probably be the best way to reduce the stress of a captured cat is to give him a quiet spot. Poor Norbu has to deal with continual noise and people presence.

The importance of the open litter box can not be underrated. The litter box is the key to your cats health and with a new cat with an unknown history this regular monitoring of the litter box keeps you informed of your cats health.

Bringing a cat with an unknown medical history in the clowder makes a period of isolation mandatory until you can be comfortable as to the health of your cat.

Trap Spay/Neuter Release

Vet and KittenA person probably adds ten years life to a kitty taken out of the environment. I personally do not agree with free roaming cats, however cat overpopulation is an ongoing problem. This where Trap Spay/Neuter and Release programs come into effect.

If cat owners sterilized their cats there would be less unwanted kittens and less stress on the environment and human temperament. Then there would be less of the inhumane methods of cat control.

I have had two cats now that developed post surgery complications. My little girl Roxanne developed and infection and needed antibiotics. Norbu developed diarrhea and required medical assistance. Sterilized cats require at least three weeks of monitoring before being released into the wild again in my opinion. They probably would have died without monitoring.

In Norbu’s case it has yet to be determined if he is going to be released outside. Manitoba winters are very harsh and I would rather see him in the house. If he will not get along with the other cats he will be put up for adoption.

I have invested $300.00 CDN into this feral cat with no regrets. His booster shots will add another expense. This is the cost of rescuing cats. When a person goes to the shelter and gets a cat for $100.00 or less you are getting a deal.

Should you decide to rescue feral cats be sure to protect your self. Norbu has bitten and scratched me. Handling a cat with an unknown medical history puts you at risk medically. Any loose animal carries the risk of rabies. When I first handle a wild cat I wear a heavy jacket and gloves and I am prepared for a fight. Be careful.

In Closing

Norbu is not that hard to work with. He is scared and needs a loving touch. My hat goes off to those that service feral colonies and rescue cats that need serious medical attention. We can’t save everybody but it sure means a lot to the ones we save.

That’s my story for today. If you can, adopt a cat. If you can’t adopt foster. If you can’t foster volunteer and if that’s not an option donate to a shelter. We have to protect those that can not protect themselves.

Now hug a kitty and do something green for the environment. Have a look at my Cat Care Products Page for all your cat needs. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below and I will respond as soon as possible.

Trevor

A Reminder

It is summer in North America. I would like to leave you with this temperature chart and remind everyone about the dangers of leaving cats, dogs and babies in a hot car.

Temperature Chart

 

 

 

 

 

Pet Estate Planning – A Necessary Task

Tabby Cat
Rufus

Pet estate planning is as necessary a task as preparing your own will. If you are like me my cats, dogs and horses are family. Because of that, should they find themselves without the required care and attention they would find it devastating.

In 2015 approximately 82,000 cats were taken to shelters in Canada. Of this number, only 57% of these kitties were adopted. If you leave your cat with no provisions for their care after your death it is quite likely they will not be looked after properly.

You Need a Will

Will

Every living adult needs a will. A will is a direction you want your estate to take after you have passed on. Estate planning does not have to be complicated and a short afternoon with a lawyer will leave you with a document that is legal and trustable. The last time we had our will updated it took about an hour of our time and cost less than $100.00 CDN. I am sure prices will vary depending on where you live. There are Will Kits available, however, my lawyer advised against them. I am recommending getting professional legal advice when dealing with this important document.

Pet Trust

Within your will, you can set up a Pet Trust Clause. The Pet Trust will include the name and what kind of pet it is. The description should be good enough so that there is no confusion as to who we are talking about. Include tattoos or chip information.

Next, provide a date of birth so that an age expectancy can be calculated. The next step would be to determine the yearly estimated financial care the pet would require. It would be wise to consider that in the later years there would be additional medical care. It would be nice if you provided a biography of each cat describing personalities and anything noteworthy.  As we speak I am considering $100.00/month per cat for food and maintenance. When you are calculating your costs consider food, vet fees, grooming, treats and toys. With this calculation then you could decide how much of your estate would go to your pet.

Select A Guardian

Angel

The next step is to select a guardian. I really believe that the sooner you find a trustable person the better. Finding someone when you are desperate might not give you the desired results. Just as considering your own estate it is better to get this work done while you can still joke about it.

I personally would not trust an informal pet care agreement. Someone might just take your money and not look after your cat. This is where a legal will with a properly formatted Pet Trust Fund will take the worry out of what should happen to our beloved kitties.

I have seven cats. Finding someone to take all seven could be difficult. Fortunately, I have someone who will do that. In this situation, if the family has to be split up I would try to keep the bonded kitties together. I have a couple of cats that would not mind being alone. When selecting a guardian it might be a good idea to select an alternate name in case something happens and your first pick can’t comply with your wishes.

My lawyer advised against the home will kits. It is possible that someone may probate the will to prove that it is in fact a legal document. This could end up depriving your cat of their trust.

This Is Important

To me, this is an important task that needs to be completed without stress. I was at the local shelter today and I had the privilege of meeting several great cats. They all wanted to be handled and rubbed. It was like they were saying – Take Me Home. I can not see my cats going to a shelter. They would not enjoy missing their home and attention. By the time this becomes a serious factor in my life most of my cats will be seniors and we all know that senior cats are not the first to be taken home from the shelter. Fortunately, the shelter I visited today is a No-Kill shelter so these cats will be looked after until they are homed.

When You Go To The Shelter

Shelter Cat

When you are ready to adopt please consider the seniors, handicapped or black cats. They will love you as much as any other cat. Every cat that is adopted is a life saved. At some shelters as soon as a cat enters the facility they are put on the clock and if they do not get adopted they will be put to sleep. Please adopt.

In Closing

Planning for our family members is necessary. Depending on where you live there will be different factors to consider, especially costs, i.e. vet fees or legal counsel. This advice applies to any pet we consider family. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

A Reminder

Temperature Chart

It is summer in North America. I would like to leave you with this handy poster from the Ontario Provincial Police about leaving cats, dogs or babies in a hot car. To experience the effect go to the parking lot and roll up the windows shut off the car and see how long you will last.

That’s my story for today. Don’t forget to go to my Cat Care Products page to help with your Cat Care needs. Now hug a kitty and do something green for the environment. If you have any questions or comments please do so below.

Trevor