Is frugal the new normal?

candlelight_2013

We had never owned a cat before, always dogs, until this little black and white one adopted us and was "with child", She was brought to us by a ferel tom cat who I had started to feed.

Well Flora, as she became known, had 5 kittens, we don't know where she had them, but about a week after they were born she brought each one in her mouth to our back door. We were about to go on holiday so DD2 took them all (she has 2 cats of her own) and found homes for all 5 when they were weaned. We then had Flora speyed and chipped and then she came back to us. This little miss will eat nothing but Whiskas in jelly, I bought it in gravy once and she refused to eat it.

Now the ferel Tom, I have called him Pilchard, now lives in a little house we bought for him in our garden and he has an igloo inside to keep warm. He is a gentleman of the road, seems to be blind in one eye and stares through the kitchen window until we notice him. We can't have him in the house because he sprays, and to be honest I don't think he would like being indoors. He has been in a few fights over the years by the look of him and he will eat almost anything, but he has the same as Flora.

So from never having had cats we are responsible for 2, but I will tell you Flora has brought so much love into our home, we love her and the DGC adore her, if only she wouldn't scratch the carpet:):)

Candlelightx

thriftwizard

That's a lovely story, candlelight2013! An ex-feral cat has gradually moved in with us, too; she first appeared in the garden around Christmas one year, very thin & bedraggled & limping heavily. She seemed to be sleeping rough under my shed, and was extremely shy; I'd just catch sight of her out of the corner of my eye & she'd vanish, but never by jumping up. On Christmas Day itself, I left a little plate of giblets & skin out for her... gradually she came to trust us, although the first time I tried to stroke her, she jumped out of her skin & didn't come near me again for days. It took two years before she finally set a paw on the threshold of the house. Now, nearly two years further on, she's relaxed enough to sit on laps and to yell for food at mealtimes.

She still doesn't jump much, only onto the sofa. But she's so soft & fluffy & shiny now, you'd never guess she was the same as that matted little ragamuffin who was skulking under my shed. So to those who say feral cats will never adjust to life in a human home - clearly some can.

armyknife

Lovely cat stories; I ended up taking custody of two ex-feral cats, sisters/half-sisters, they became pets but you couldn't take the outdoors out of them, still spent most of the non-winter months living outside*.





* And that was just me. :rotfl:

candlelight_2013

thriftwizard, Flora was so nervous to start with, she wouldn't eat if I was there, so I used to go back into the kitchen. I used to talk softly to her telling her I wouldn't hurt her, but it took a long time for her to trust us. Even now she will sit on my lap if I pick her up but there is no way she will jump onto my lap of her own accord.

We found out later that both cats were "owned" by the same family, who upped and left them and I believe they were not treated well. Of course I now know that you never "own" a cat, they own you

Candlelightx

lessonlearned

Our cat was a stray too, abandoned by his owners. He was bedraggled and half starved. He came into our lives the week my husband died. I'd never had a furry pet before because ive always been allergic, but My allergy seems to have disappeared now.

He always knows when I'm missing my husband and struggling he just follows me around and gives me extra cuddles to comfort me.

I never thought I would get attached to a cat but he's family now and like Candlelight says he has just brought so much love and fun back into the house.

Justamum

Cats are wonderful aren't they?

dragonette

I've taken in a stray in my new flat - he gets on really well with the cat I already had. He clearly was stray rather than feral, and there was a small thing that really help him to settle. I'd heard that if 2 cats are staring at each other, they show they are not feeling aggressive by slowly blinking. Wasn't too sure about that, but it worked really well and now he is a complete sook.

Lynplatinum

Evening all

You are just such lovely folks :A taking on unloved and badly treated animals with kindness and care - or just spoiling the net door's one!!

My beautiful and much missed Alsatian cross ate Pedigree chum - not that she would not eat anything else but mince or this kept her tummy OK. Since all my dogs have been rescues they would all eat absolutely anything you fed em! They were just glad to be fed and loved. One thing I am looking forward to when I move is getting another woof. I miss furyness in my life - even tho I borrow my son's dog (my grand puppy) occasionally! We have the rugby World Cup coming near to me later this week so I am going to borrow him as he is a good woofer and will put off anyone who may not be entirely in a state to consider their actions. (I am not having a go at Rugby Fans BTW but in any group there will always be those who dont consider their actions when excited - rock fans footie fans - girlies at a boy band gig etc etc :-)) So am excited to be having him around! Loads of nannie cuddles coming up! :j
Nite all you kind folks.:A

ivyleaf

We've just had a new mattress delivered. When he got up this morning, OH took the old one off the bed and brought it downstairs.

When the cat went up for his daily snooze on our bed he was of course appalled to find nothing but slats!

He went out in a huff. I've now shown him that's the bed's all made up as usual but he declined and has gone out again

The delivery men were lovely, and we were impressed that they took their shoes off before taking the mattress upstairs!

lessonlearned

We had some new sofas last week. The cat was not impressed at first but now deigns to sit smack bang in the middle of the largest sofa, soaking up the morning sun.....