MY GARDEN IS PROTECTED !

[susieqz]

i have a high risk garden. in addition to the regular stuff, i have 7 fig trees out there.
most everything that walks or flies loves figs.
you can't even use a dog to guard fig trees, because the dog will get the figs before you do.
now, i built a 6' high wood fence to stop the cattle. buried chicken wire to stop the evil bunnies.
i'm good with my side arm, so i can protect my trees in daytime, but mice n rats move at night. they dig, they climb.
so, i've been using poison, but i hate that.

so, anyway, monday last, i decided to take a walk in my garden in the evening cool.
as soon as i opened the door, i saw an ACTUAL CAT!!
soon as she saw me, she fled in panic. she was over the fence quicker than you can blink.
so, a feral cat. lost strayed or abandoned cats don't act like that. she thot i was gonna eat her.
well, i left out a bowl of milk as a thank you for hunting my garden.
in the morn, it was gone.
that night, i left out milk, a piece of pork n water.
in the morn, that was gone.
so, i ordered 16 pounds of friskies, because all cats like friskies.
she won't show herself, but comes every night to eat.
i was worried i might be feeding something else, but it's not full dark when she comes.
i saw her eating thru the window. maybe calico, therefore female, taller than average but the skinniest cat i've ever seen.
she must be a great hunter to be alive at all, but she's just getting by.
i'm still amazed by all this. i call her feral cat, but a better name would be impossible cat.
there is no way she can be here, but she is.
see, i'm 3 miles from pavement n there are ravenous coyotes all over the place. they are so bold they have come up onto my porch at night.
can't shoot them. this is cattle country n everyone shoots them on sight, so they know about guns n don't move in the daylight.
for you city folks, the rule is a cat can't move thru coyote country without getting dead, fast. coyotes think cats are yummy.
so, i got me a guard cat. more expensive to feed her than use poison, but a cat is a far more elegant solution to my problems.
i'll try to keep her alive.
she will never be a pet that you can pick up n cuddle, but she's very valuable like she is.

 

[mtgianni]

What growing zone are you in to grow figs?

 

[Rustyt1953]

You just made an old cat guy feel good.

 

[susieqz]

i'm zone 7, but you can grow them inground in 6 too. you just have to wrap them for winter protection.

 

[susieqz]

rusty, any ideas how i can doctor her without getting my hands on her?
she probably has every disease known to cats.

 

[mtgianni]

i'm zone 7, but you can grow them inground in 6 too. you just have to wrap them for winter protection.

Thanks, I vary between 4 and 5 so out of luck.

 

[JSR III]

What kind of doctoring are you proposing to do??? I would check with the area vet or animal care center. A good dose of antibiotics probably wouldn't hurt but not sure they will give it to you without seeing her first.

Probably the best that you can do is to feed her and give her good clean fresh water. I see a lot of healthy coyotes and none of them get vet care.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Diagnosing a cat is difficult without contact. Friskies has vitamins and nutrients specific to a cat's needs. Good food and clean water are not only a kindness but a must if you wish to keep it around. (I don't even want to think about the pathogens in standing water)

Who knows, given time, as it becomes acclimated to you, it may let you approach it.

Hope it works out.

Loves me some figgy pudding.

 

[nachogrande]

NOW THAT'S ORGANIC GARDENING.

Sick and tired of shelling out $ for weed & insect killer that seems to work like a weed & insect booster. A group of sand hill cranes now come by almost daily to eat grubs, mole crickets, etc and kill moles. I haven't seen them eat the moles, just kill them very dead, so far.

 

[bigwheelzip]

When I moved to the burbs, the little old Italian man next door brought over a fig tree and planted it in my backyard. Said it brought luck.

I've certainly had my share of luck since then. Maybe fig tree luck extends to high-plains kitty also?

 

[ditrina]

When I moved to the burbs, the little old Italian man next door brought over a fig tree and planted it in my backyard. Said it brought luck.

I've certainly had my share of luck since then. Maybe fig tree luck extends to high-plains kitty also?

Ya gotta love those little old Italian men

 

[BigBill]

My three tamed feral cats keep my land clear of rodents, snakes, crows, but I haven't had chipmunks in a decade at my bird feeder, One I call Forest Gump, he showed up with his brother this weekend, I holler out run forest run. He flies away. Boy can he run. But my cats are red dot lazer trained, story to continue.

My 400lb blackbear is no match. He's shaking my pear trees already.

 

[susieqz]

bill, i need to know everything about how you tamed them. i assumed it was impossible to tame an adult.
i know if you get a baby , just handling it lots will turn it into a normal kitty.
i checked online n no one else seems to be able to do it after 8-12 weeks old.
it is important that she tolerates me.
see, if she hangs out in the garden in daylight, she can eliminate birds. no bird id fast enow to escape her climb.
also, i could then build her a cat house. the more time she spends within my walls, the longer she will live.
coyotes might dig under my walls but sure can't jump them.

 

[Watchdog]

rusty, any ideas how i can doctor her without getting my hands on her?
she probably has every disease known to cats.

Well, I'm not Rusty

, but...

You might try a Havahart trap. If you nab her, then you could take her to a vet for an exam. You're already spending money on food for her, so why not a bit more to trap her and get her checked out, possibly even spayed. I mean, if you're gonna do something, why not do it right?

If I were in your situation, that's what I would do. You're apparently up there in the plains...winter's coming up there when?...maybe another month or two?

 

[JSR III]

it is important that she tolerates me

I hear that medium rare steak tips work well...........

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

she will never be a pet that you can pick up n cuddle, but she's very valuable like she is.

A feral cat adopted us in 2007. We named him Sam. When he came to us he was almost starved to death and his ears were full of mites, and someone had shot him with a BB gun...had a pellet in his hind quarters. He became one of the best cats we ever had, he passed away last year. It took almost 6 months of coaxing before he finally let us touch him. Once we made contact he never left us again.

Give your cat some time and maybe go sit a short distance away from her when she eats. Sooner or later she will probably get close enough to make contact.

Here is Sam, we still miss him.

 

[vonn]

I just feed them and keep water and let Mother Nature take care of the rest. Might try low dose of cat wormer you can get over the counter. Stool sample could be checked by a vet if you wanted to spend the money. The ones around my shop keep the mice and rat population in check. Have one I tamed young but she doesn't have anything to do with any people but me. A good hiding spot for it will help keep it around.

 

[rct269]

You're halfway to taming your cat with the food and water----maybe a third. If it's at all possible, bring the food and water about the time she shows up to eat--and let her see you do it. Once you've laid out dinner retire to a point where you can still be seen, but not close enough to be a threat. If she doesn't approach dinner, you're too close. If she comes and eats, but watches you like a hawk, back off some. After maybe 4-5 days of this, start talking to her------slow, soft, and easy, Given that she tolerates this, keep talking; and move a little closer. She'll let you know when you're too close.

Bottom Line: Get acquainted----slow and easy. We have all sorts of critters. All of them respond----often without the food. They've been getting their own food forever. After not too long, you belong on their turf---and their turf is wherever they happen to be at the time.

Ralph Tremaine

 

[susieqz]

i have a haveahart her size, tho i use it to trap animals i kill.
but, i'm afraid if i trap her, she will hate me n leave.
it is important that she stay here.
once the canal dries up, i'm the only water she will find.
we need each other.
lee, i can't sit near her, because if she sees me she flees
i do not believe sam was feral.
he was a stray that you rescued.

 

[susieqz]

thanks, vonn, rtc.
i wish i could be closer when she eats but this is a wild animal. i don't believe she has ever been in a house or had any truck with humans.
no way will she come into the garden if i'm there.
my scent is all over. i feed where i lie to read every day.
i'm hoping she decides i'm the source of good things.
i just wanna keep her safe. i just need to convince her of that.
you know, beside protecting my garden she can easily pay for her feed. every winter, when it gets cold, mice get right into my house.even now, i got traps n poison all over because they freek me out.