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  #101  
Old 08-06-2017, 12:32 PM
Skeet 028 Skeet 028 is offline
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We have had many feral cats here i Wild Wonderful Wyoming. They lived in an outbuilding (since torn down) And the coyotes just loved the place. I thinned the yotes a bit and my wife used the havaheart trap to catch the kitties. Took 'em to the vet and had 'em spayed/neutered and rabies worm shots etc.. We have two cats now..one was an uncatchable feral that we fed. he came up after fighting with a coon. Saw the fight. It was a draw I think. Skinny little 6 pound cat agains a very large coon.. Wife fixed him up...took him to the vet...and eventually he was neutered cause he didn't leave. He now weighs 16 lbs and is still a great critter getter when outside. The other one is a much smaller cat that lives inside and kills anything it sees in the house...from bugs to mice. I went outside the other evening and the cat was out there. Yowling at me to pick him up or something. A very large coyote came running to exploit the cat and ran right into me. He stopped at about 3 ft,,snarled,,,cat was already up a tree. The yote didn't make it past the ol Wilson Combat. BTW..this cat will not allow any other cats on the place. Really unusual as he was the only uncatchable one of 14 wild ones. Wife used left over chicken salad as bait in the trap. He still won't eat it. Raw chicken and raw beef...oh yeah. He is now approx 12 years old or so.
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  #102  
Old 08-06-2017, 03:32 PM
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boy oh boy, did i screw up.
i went out with a perfectly reasonable training plan n wrecked it.
see, the idea was to wait til she was comfy, then walk out the shooting gate at the far end, then fire three shots.
i usually shoot from my bench inside the garden but the walls magnify the sound.
when i had fired 3 shots i had a sudden attack of stupid n emptied the mag.
so, of course, she split.
i have no idea if she'll come back.
not only has she not learned anything, but this has probably made the fear worse.
i need her to get used to gunfire but have no idea how to do that.
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Old 08-06-2017, 04:50 PM
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We don't leave food out as it does attract other animals, especially raccoons. We put food out at about the same times every morning and evening and pick it up when the cats are done eating. The cats soon learn when feeding time is.
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  #104  
Old 08-06-2017, 10:04 PM
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well, i still have a kitty.
i have no clue how to train her for gunfire, tho.
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  #105  
Old 08-07-2017, 12:55 AM
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Quote:
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We don't leave food out as it does attract other animals, especially raccoons.
Yep, I found that out too!

Once he brought his girlfriend with him & that was the end of that. (...but they're so cute. )

.

Racoon eating the outside cat's food


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  #106  
Old 08-07-2017, 10:13 AM
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Quote:
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well, i still have a kitty.
i have no clue how to train her for gunfire, tho.
HPK came back after you did a mag dump, so it seems you've already trained her.

I've seen friend's long-term house cats run for cover when the vacuum starts. Maybe it's self-defense instinct or maybe the noise hurts their ears.

A friend made an effort to modify her home for her house cats. They added a couple of small empty shelves that allowed the cats access to the top of the tallest furniture. Maybe your hunter would like access to a high place in your yard.

Last edited by bigwheelzip; 08-07-2017 at 10:54 AM.
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  #107  
Old 08-07-2017, 12:48 PM
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Never seen a cat that would put up with loud noises but none that left permanently because of them.
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  #108  
Old 08-07-2017, 05:20 PM
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well, i got some pics. i put them in the comp but they can't be found
they are in some file, someplace.
cat is currently up on the roof. she found a ladder i had leaning up against the house n climbed it.
she better be able to get herself down.
i don't have the equipment to rescue her.
the minimum would be heavy leather elbow length gloves n a
helmet with face shield.
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  #109  
Old 08-07-2017, 05:32 PM
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Quote:
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Maybe your hunter would like access to a high place in your yard.
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cat is currently up on the roof. she found a ladder i had leaning up against the house n climbed it.
I scare myself sometimes!!
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  #110  
Old 08-08-2017, 08:40 PM
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rained all night n most of the morn.
weather broke around noon.
i saw i could go out if i put a tarp on the wet deck.
i opened the door n asked if there was a kitty out there. she said ''yes''. then i asked if she wanted company. another yes.
so i got my stuff n went out to read.
once i was there, she was nagging for food.
i ended up getting her a handful of friskies but i decided if she was gonna eat between meals, she could darn well eat where i wanted her to eat.
so, i put her dish 18'' from me.
she wanted those friskies so she came with no hesitation.
i had been moving the bowl closer to me every day, but i was only up to 3'.
i could have reached out n grabbed her, if i didn't mind a visit to the ER.
after she ate she was bubbling over with affection, so she moved 10' away to hang out.
that's her idea of cuddling.
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  #111  
Old 08-09-2017, 01:33 PM
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Usually, there are shelter cats available for adoption. Lots are tame and would like an inside home.
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  #112  
Old 08-09-2017, 02:30 PM
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thanks, dix, but the closest shelter i'm aware of is 90 miles away. same as the closest gun shop.
since driving hurts, that's out.
but you have me wondering if there is some small shelter around.
i'll look.
i don't much like bringing an adult cat into the house, but if drifter wants to come in, i'll welcome her.
she is now taking breakfast within arm's reach of me, but when finished, she retreats to 10'.
part of that is geography.
there is good overhead cover there.
this critter never ever lies down in the open. she is never visable from the air.
i don't know if she's been attacked from the sky or if this is normal feral cat behavior.
other cats i've known would bask in the sun, but not her.
she is a big fraud. anytime i get up she leaves, but when i'm bringing food she tolerates me upright just fine.
she is now fully comfy in the garden. she is there when i come out in the morn.
i hadn't intended to feed twice/day, as i don't think it necessary for a working cat, but she spends more time in safety because of it.
she does have a safe place somewhere. i now realize she has been here for months, judging by bunny body count.
by this time of year i should have shot 8 bunnies. i only got 2 so far, so she is thinning the herd.
i prefer to shoot them myself, but dead is good.
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  #113  
Old 08-09-2017, 04:12 PM
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Glad things are working out Sue. You are doing exactly what you should about moving food bowl closer and letting the cat have her own comfort zone. You do not need to train her to get used to gun fire. She will on her own with time from your use see that it brings no harm to her. I have never known a cat that didn't run and hide from a vacuum. Mine even run when I use a broom or mop. Many cats do like to climb up high and usually can find their way down even if they whine and cry. It is amazing how far they can jump too without injury. They always land on all fours and their bodies are designed for it.

Keep up the good work! :-)
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  #114  
Old 08-09-2017, 04:25 PM
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I have never known a cat that didn't run and hide from a vacuum.

Many cats do like to climb up high and usually can find their way down even if they whine and cry.
Keep up the good work! :-)
That's been my usual vacuum experience with our ~dozen cats over the years, but our current kitty, the mighty Webster, broke tradition. He's so mellow, he lies there and watches the beater head get closer and closer and only moves a couple feet when it's upon him, then gives me a dirty look like "That's my spot."

As to getting down, have you ever seen a cat skeleton in a tree?**
**HT to Gallagher or George Carlin

Suzie, you're doing just fine, keep it up.
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  #115  
Old 08-09-2017, 10:49 PM
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I am starting to think this is a one sided relationship
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Old 08-09-2017, 10:58 PM
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Well, les, we don't know what kitty has been through, so I don't think it is unreasonable for her to be skittish, I think that susie has made tremendous strides in building trust and developing a relationship with the cat. I have to admit that I get a sort of vicarious pleasure from "watching" a frightened and very cautious feline's response to susie's slow and deliberate effort to bridge the gap between them. I predict that a strong bond is developing which will be mutually beneficial!!

Keep up the routine, susie!!!

Best Regards, Les
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Old 08-09-2017, 11:18 PM
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oh, not one sided at all.
she hired on as a killer, to eliminate vermin for me.
before she came, i was catching several mice every week.
i have not trapped one for over a month.
i stopped catching them even before i knew she was here.
i'm very happy with the quality of her work.

on saturday, i'll be smoking a nice beef roast. that will get her attention
then, i bet i can feed her the fat cap from my hand.

when i took her supper out today, i did something different. i sat next to the bowl. i did not lie down.
not standing, but errect.
she ate happily.
not bad for a wild animal.
do not think of her as a normal cat. when a cat has never met a human, she thinks more like a bobcat than housecat.
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Old 08-09-2017, 11:35 PM
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Well, sort of a wild animal. felis catus, sometimes refered to as felis domesticus, has been domesticated for thousands of years. When cats revert to the wild, most still have the heritage of those thousands of years of partnership with humankind, and gentle, patient trust building routine such as susie's, will most often be rewarded by a renewal of the bond that has existed over those thousands of years.

Definitely a symbiotic relationship, vermin control is an obvious reward for the human, and a source of high protein diet for the cat, but the caring bond is perhaps even more rewarding for both parties.

Keep up the good work, susie!!

Best Regards, Les
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Old 08-09-2017, 11:42 PM
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I am not a cat lover, but have always tolerated "barn" cats that did not desire any personal contact from me since they paid their own way for the most part. But I am beginning to think that this cat is smart enough to recognize the high quality of the lady whose yard she found shelter in. And she definitely is not so high toned that (the cat, I mean!) as to disregard good chow that is available regularly. That cat ain't allowing this close proximity to happen without having determined that suzieqz can be trusted. The cat may never be a housecat or one that wishes to be touched, but methinks this cat has found a home, at least until something happens to disabuse it of that notion. And I seriously doubt that suszieqz is gonna let that happen! I am amazed at the short period of time it has taken to make this much progress with the cat. Suzie, you are definitely doing a lot of things right!!!
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Old 08-10-2017, 12:01 AM
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thank you.
i'm determined to keep her alive.
the cooler has just been delivered. i'll cut a cat door tomorrow. if she moves in, i believe she can live a long life.
i admit i'm oddly developing a lot of affection for an animal i've never touched.
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Old 08-10-2017, 12:43 AM
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anybody got any idea about the proper size for a cat door?
gotta be big enow so she'll use it but small enow to retain her body heat for winter.
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Old 08-10-2017, 10:03 AM
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suzieqz.

What we did here was kinda easy. We have a couple of cat carriers made of wood nd screen. We put a piece of foil bubble foil insulation we had in the garage over the top and a piece in the bottom a small throw rug inside and one over the top. under the rug we put an old but working heating pad. We keep it on low heat all winter. No door necessary. It's on the porch and that ol black cat goes in and keeps an eye on his domain from his nice warm little house. We put food in it for a while to get him used to the darn thing. Total cost was 2 bucks for the carrier. a dollar or so for the rugs and fifty cents for the heating pad..all bought at yard sales and the thrift store. Cat was comfortable even at 35 below!!

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Old 08-10-2017, 11:44 AM
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anybody got any idea about the proper size for a cat door?
gotta be big enough so she'll use it but small enough to retain her body heat for winter.
I am almost certain that she can get in through a 4 inch opening.
A piece of 4 inch PVC can be used to line the hole you cut in the cooler.
My suggestion is to use cooler upright. Easy to open lid to install carpet/rug/pad/etc.
Place the opening at bottom and end of the longest dimension - gives a sleeping area farthest from opening.
Try to orient the opening away from the prevailing wind.

A piece of carpet on the bottom would be nice for traction.

I suggest a padded ELEVATED sleeping/resting area at the end farthest from the opening.
Not a fan of heating pad in such a small enclosed volume.

I have no experience in this matter - just hoping common sense helps.

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Old 08-10-2017, 03:21 PM
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Don't know if shelter placement matters, but they always seem to prefer hard to get at, high places. Maybe it makes them feel safe and provides a stalking opportunity.

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Old 08-10-2017, 06:04 PM
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thanks, guys.
the high idea is good but i can't do it.
i cut the hole in one end of the front side, so she can get in n hide from me.
i forgot to do drainage holes by the door, so i'll have to do that.
right now i just got an old sheet in there, but i like the idea of something raised, so i'll cut some styrofoam n put it at the sleeping end. i have time to mess with it because she's ignoring it.
in a few days, i'll lre her in there with friskies, but i'm not sure that's necessary.
she is very snoopy.
i think knowledge of terrain may be a survival tactic.

you know, i thot when she started taking all her meals within arm's reach she crossed a thresh hold.
not so, when i'm walking around she still runs.
except of course, when food will be forthcoming.
she knows that before breakfast, i bring out my padding. n set it up.
then i go back to get my book, cocoa, garden tools etc.
only then do i get her food.
so, she ignores all the bustle n walking about because food is soon coming.
but any other time, if she sees me upright she runs.
it's like, she has a rule where she must run from fearsome susie when standing, but forgets the rule when she wants something.
there are people like that.
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Old 08-10-2017, 07:42 PM
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Sue, you have made remarkable progress in such a short time. She will run less with time but will probably never completely stop. My feral inside kitty still runs from me sometimes and I have had him 9 months and began taming when he was 3 months old. I think he does that he when wants to be alone as he usually runs and jumps on something so he can get pets. Even the stray cat we adopted was skittish for about 6 months until he calmed down.

I think a 6" x 6" hole should be big enough for a small cat to squeeze through. If it needs to be a little bigger you can always make bigger. You can maybe hang a clear plastic flap that will keep wind and cold out but allow the cat to pass through. Sometimes cutting the flap into strips helps. I just looked and you can get a cat door on amazon for as little as $6.00. Maybe you can screw into the cooler? Not sure if you are using a plastic one.

Keep up the great work. I think many of us enjoy reading your posts. :-)
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Old 08-10-2017, 08:34 PM
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i just looked at those cat doors. if she demands entry, i won't be able to say no, so i'll probably have to install it on a house door.
i see they sell dewormer.
is that something i need to do?
on her current diet, she looks the picture of health.
when i first saw her she was so emaciated i thot she was dying, but
after a few weeks of good food she looks fine.
how do i tell if she has worms?
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Old 08-10-2017, 08:53 PM
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A couple of things. Cats do not like loud noises and I doubt you will ever get a cat, especially a true feral cat, used to gunfire. On the other hand, as someone else stated, I doubt that gunfire will cause the cat to leave, either. The cat will eventually learn that gunfire is a 'normal' noise at your place. The feral cats that lived at our place also heard gunfire but learned there was no threat. They might take off and hide but returned.

I will be surprised if your feral cat will take up living in any type of enclosure where there isn't more than one escape route. I say this only because it has been my experience with them. Our feral cats preferred an old, no longer used, dog house on our property that was falling down and had holes in several places. I put straw in it for them. The cats also liked big brush piles we had made for wildlife habitat. I would guess that old out buildings like barns. corn cribs, machine sheds will also serve as preferred housing for your feral cat.

Lastly, I liked the suggestion that someone else made about contacting a shelter for a companion cat that you can love and enjoy inside your home. I don't know if you will ever be able to coax a feral cat inside and even if you could, it might not be a good idea. Feral cats always (in my experience) retain some wild and will never be as tame as a regular cat that has grown up around people.

I hope this helps and good luck!

PS. You are correct that all cats like Friskies.
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Old 08-10-2017, 09:03 PM
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The only way to tell for certain if they have worms is to look at its stool and see if you see them. If you see where she goes potty you can look as they usually don't bury it very deeply. You can check for pinworms and tapeworms which are the most common. Sometimes you can see worm eggs (tapeworm segments) that look like rice stuck around their rear end or on the ground where they go potty. If you get fleas around your property you might want to spray for those since ingesting fleas is how the tapeworms get in.

The deworming medicine will not harm them if they do not have worms so it is fine to add to wet food if you are concerned. I have also been told by vets to not worry about ferals having them because they will not affect their lifespan. Still, I would think it would be uncomfortable for them and kind of icky.
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Old 08-10-2017, 09:17 PM
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ok, good, thanks. i have seen her stool because the lazy thing doesn't bury it.
all normal.
so, i won't push any drugs right now.

i won't let her in the house unless she's standing in the snow, pleading.
i really prefer pups n kittens to come in before 12 weeks.
i judge this wild animal at over a year.
i can teach little ones not to mess with my food n other house rules.
i don't think i could do that with her.
no, not completely sure i have a she, but i think so.
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Old 08-10-2017, 09:17 PM
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I was thinking of the cat door to put on her cooler house not on yours though you might be able to train her to go into the garage for shelter. Coons and other critters can use them too though you said you don't have to worry about those. Luckily you have time to see what she likes before it gets too cold.
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Old 08-10-2017, 09:42 PM
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oh, i'll make the cooler as cozy as i possibly can
the question is, can i get her to use it.
if she does n a coyote breeches my defenses , he couldn't get at her without lots of noise.
that would bring me out.
at that range, i couldn't miss even a moving coyote.
i got guns everywhere.
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Old 08-10-2017, 09:51 PM
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suzie,
A suggestion. If your cat ever decides to use your cat house, then I'd be very careful when I approached it if you suspect it may be inside. Probably the best bet would be to locate it some distance from your door and then make some noise when you go outside. That would give the cat an opportunity to vacate the box without going all spastic if you should surprise it inside. Your cat may well treat your accomodation like a trap, which it very well could be with only a small door one way in and out!

When you get finished with it, place it and just let it sit for a while. Occasionally put a bit of favorite food inside if you wish, but I'd guess you'll have good luck continuing to feed your cat in the same place it's used to eating. Just try not to create any bad experiences for the cat in it's house. It may very well have little use for the house until such time as it needs protection from the cold/snow/wet, etc. That's when you need to be careful not to accidently spook it unintentionally. If you do that, stop and be still immediately and speak to the cat in a calm voice and then gently move away and perhaps go inside or someplace else, especially if the cat stops inside the fence. Otherwise, continue your routine as normal and be patient and I think your cat will come back!

Animals are notional creatures, but they figure out pretty quick what they can expect from you. When we moved here to the big city a couple years ago, we regularly saw cotton tail rabbits grazing in our front yard. In the beginning, the minute the door opened, they were gone in a flash. Over time, I can now walk out in the yard slowly and as long as I do not walk toward them, they may move slightly away, but they won't leave. This arrangement is OK with us since we don't have a garden for them to desecrate. They can help me with mowing the yard all they want! As long as I can avoid the temptation to collect three or four during the winter months so we could have fried rabbit with biskits and gravy, they are pretty safe. I doubt seriously if the neighbors would tolerate the gunfire anyway, and I don't care to get really closely acquainted with the local constabulary unless I am the one who calls them here!

Just keep on being friendly and patient and give that cat plenty of time to investigate that cat house. It knows when you go to bed and when it can safely check it out. It'll get used to it in time and will make up it's own mind when it feels it needs to use it. Starting at this time of year, the cat will be completely used to the house and have figured out it's probably not a trap! I'd continue to feed the cat outside the house even in really bad weather.
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Old 08-11-2017, 10:38 AM
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Cat will make the decision on occupancy of the cooler/shelter.
I have visions of Snoopy sleeping on top of the dog house.

Suggest that you NOT use straw. Hay is better choice.
Remember reading that dogs could chew straw and it could perforate intestines.

Intelligent Donkey comment - (using synonyms to avoid infraction) :
One large round hay bale - reach in and pull out some of the center - leave a perch out front about half way up for cat to use for access. (five gallon bucket with lid comes to mind) well sheltered and well insulated.

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Old 08-11-2017, 06:42 PM
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DAY 31:
i'm well into phase 2.
phase 1 was getting her to depend on me for feed
no big deal for me because i give handouts to any wandering critter, mostly dogs.
didn't take long because she was literally starving.
but getting her to come to mooch a meal is not the objective.
food is a great training aid to get her to like me.
that's done. she eats right next to me.
when i set up my nest in the morn, she knows food is coming so she acts for all the world like a house cat.
but the strategic aim is to get her to live in my garden.
phase 2 is convincing her that i do not intend to interfere with her movements.
the garden is a nice place.
i think, as long as she can leave when she wants, she'll think about it n say to herself, ''why bother?''.
i already know that when i go out at 7 to hang laundry, she complains that i work her up, from her end of the garden. she isn't there for food at that hour. she knows breakfast is at 10, n she knows when 10 is.
so, she spends most of the night in the garden, just because she wants to.
today was a real nice cloudy day, n my back hurt.
so, i spent 5 hours out there, observing.
she had her friskies no more than 12'' from me. that's no longer an issue as long as i don't touch her.
then she kept me company for a while, until it was time for her to patrol the garden, which she did.
when she got back, she had a drink n sat down only 2' from me.
that's a first, since no food was involved.
of course, she moved off but stuck around until she had enow of this mad social whirl.
here's the big thing. when she wanted to be alone, she just moved to the far end of the garden n probably took a nap. but she stayed.
after a bit she jumped to the top of a 4x4. zip is right, drifter like being high.
she spent some time checking to see if anything interesting was happening outside of the garden.when she saw nothing interesting she hopped back in.
sounds to me like she thinks this is home.
after that she made her rounds again, checking to see if any food had magically appeared.
she even complained when i went in the house.
if i'm right n she has decided this is home, all i gotta do is get her to accept me moving about.

she does leave the garden, but i tnink she has a certain area staked out that she thinks is hers, so of course she has to patrol it.
i doubt she goes very far.
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Old 08-11-2017, 07:27 PM
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I have been following this thread for a bit

My sister had a Feral Cat that adopted them in TN
and it eventually decided being inside was not a bad idea
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Old 08-11-2017, 08:48 PM
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i can't say, jeff.
something strange happened.
drifter is no longer a wandering feral animal.
somehow, she is now MY KITTY !!
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Old 08-11-2017, 08:52 PM
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susie::

I think that we are all happy for the both of you!! Sounds to me like you two are going to be friends as well as business partners!! Good for you, and good for kitty as well. I know that there are a bunch of us out here who have been, and will continue to wish you both well.

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Old 08-11-2017, 08:53 PM
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... she is now MY KITTY !!
Nope, your her human.
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Old 08-11-2017, 09:18 PM
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If it ever gets this far:

Scratching Chart

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Old 08-11-2017, 10:07 PM
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Great Progress.....a photo would be awesome!
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Old 08-11-2017, 10:09 PM
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is that chart actually true?
i mostly just scratch behind the ears.
mind you, i don't know if she will ever want to be touched.
she still prefers a distance of 8' or so, plus,
if i'm walking upright with no food in the offing, she will flee the garden.
she has adjusted to the garden.
she has not adjusted to me.
i'm fine with this, tho i hope for more.
if the garden is her primary residence, she can live for a normal life span.
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Old 08-11-2017, 10:09 PM
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Yup not Surprised and Your Kitty is Smart
Probably Smart enough to avoid High Plains Winter Outside


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i can't say, jeff.
something strange happened.
drifter is no longer a wandering feral animal.
somehow, she is now MY KITTY !!
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Old 08-11-2017, 10:18 PM
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i have ordered a new memory card for the camera.
pics will be hard. the stupid cam chimes when you turn it on n when you take a pic.
this sound bothers her lots.
guys, don't expect any cute pics.
she doesn't do ''cute''.
i think she has a certain wild beauty that screams competence tho.
i'll try to show that in a pic.
i guess i wanna show her off.
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Old 08-11-2017, 11:20 PM
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Well, susie, I'm living at my cabin in the woods right now, and I may have told you about the little kitten that showed up one night. I may have posted this before, but all my PB photos vanished, so until you get your camera in action, and we get a pic or two of "drifter", here's one of my cabin kitty, "Bella", AKA "Bella Boo Boo".

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Old 08-11-2017, 11:31 PM
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there are similarities in color, but bella has more black n is more relaxed.
not sure why i named my kitty.
if you only have one, why bother with names/
plus, i just call her ''kitty'' when i talk to her.
habit.
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Old 08-11-2017, 11:58 PM
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Well, she looks relaxed in that picture, but when she is on "Mouse Patrol", she is all business. I like to say that she is my "Heart Breaker, and Mouse Taker"!!! She can be pretty skittish, and patrols the cabin at night. This morning she woke me up at 5:10AM, with a big hissing and merowing from the back of the living room couch, which is in front of a window looking out onto the porch. She was warning something, I don't know what to clear out!! By the time I got there and looked out, whatever it was had ran off. So she is part watchcat as well as mouser!! She is just about a year old now, and is a little petite at only 10 pounds. She's taking a cat nap near the foot of my bed right now, as I am typing this on my iPad.

I beiieve that you and your kitty are going to be pretty happy together.

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Old 08-13-2017, 11:46 PM
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well, since it is possible that gunfire hurts her, i was driven from my range. i shot on my driveway.
she heard the shots but the house wa between us, so it couldn't have hurt.
idid this before breakfast, thinking hunger would tie her to the garden.
she split for the coast.
wouldn't come when i did the dinner call. she was gone for 5 hours.
i was worried.
usually., she leaves for a half hour, so she doesn't go far.
but, in 5 hours she could get into coyote trouble.
what in the world does she do in our frequent thunderstorms?

on the plus side, i was right about the allure of prime beef.
i removed the fat cap n cut it into strips, 1/2'' by 1 1/2'', so i wouldn't get bit.
then, i went out n sat in her view.
i said, ''ooooh, look what i got''
then i made yummy noises.
she wanted it bad, so she came over n took it from my hand.
cool.
don't think i have her eating out of my hand tho.
if i stand up, i'm still a scary monster n off she goes.
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Old 08-15-2017, 11:38 PM
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oh, dear, i've forgotten how to play.
things have gotten pretty relaxed around here, now that all meals are served within 2-3'' of me.
plus, she gets a piece of beef fat from my hand daily.

so, after dinner, she plopped down a couple of feet away, on her side.
she stretched her front paws as far forward as they could go, then the back legs followed.
she was stretched like a bow.
this looked like an invitation to play, but i didn't know what to do.
i never used to mind getting scratched, playing with a kitty, but now i know about cat scratch fever, so, i'm wary.
as it turned out, i didn't have to make a decision. this big old tarantula came up.
cat sniffed it, but didnt know what to do. i did, i whacked it, wrecking the mood.
yeah, i know they are harmless, but spiders that measure 4'' across scare me, so i kill.
i was more hoping for some cuddling, but if she wants to play, i wanna play to, but i don't know how.
ideas?
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Old 08-16-2017, 12:10 AM
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Maybe a back scratcher held with a leather gauntlet?
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