Aunty e Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 Rapidly coming to the conclusion I shouldn't be allowed to keep cats. Friday night we went off to bed, leaving puss cats and new kitten curled up together in the living room. When I woke up the next day (at midday ) I couldn't see nero, but didn't really worry until I realised I had been in every room in the house and still couldn't see him. Kittens do have a nasty habit of falling asleep in out of the way places (normally when someone is coming to collect them) so I marshalled the troups to look for him. An hour later, and we had to come to the conclusion he wasn't in the house. I looked all in the garden, figuring he must have followed a big cat out of the cat flap, and not been able to get back in again as he hasn't got a key on his collar yet. No kitten. Flatmates and huband running round streets calling for kitten, looking under cars and in gardens, desperately hoping not to find a sad little body. I sprinted up to the top floor of our block, intending to start knocking on every door, shouting 'kitty, kitty' when some nice chap asks if I've lost my kitten. I restrained myself from pinning him down and beating him until he gave me my kitten back and said yes, at which point he told me that 'Angie's got it'. Who the heck is Angie? So he takes me to this front door, and knocks and a scrawny kid opens it and the chap says that he's found the home of the kitten. Well then this kid says 'We're keeping it'. I was gobsmacked. 'You can't, he's mine!" I say rather indignantly. Then Angie and her sister come home. With bags of kitten stuff. Turns out they found Nero outside my front door this morning, and he was still there an hour later so they picked him up and went round all the people they knew had cats (not me. I have five, but apparently they haven't noticed). Then they called their vet who said to bring him in and they would find a home for him but they decided to keep him instead. Now he hasn't got a collar on, but he is chipped and it's really really obvious, because he's got thin skin and it's in a stupid place. I was trying not to be cross, because they'd obviously looked after him, but if he was sat by my front door, why didn't they knock on it? And how could they decide to keep him without at least checking with ALL their neighbours, and sticking a poster up or something. Or having him checked for a chip. The only reason I knew they had him was because I bumped into that guy and they were about to take him away to the isle of dogs where Angie's sister lives. Anyway, poor little mite was in shock (it was a very cold night) and it's taken me til today to actually feel happy about his condition. He was shaking and sleeping all the time and walking like a little old man. I nipped to pets at home and got some kitten milk, which I warmed up for him and seemed to help, then fed him lots and lots of food. He spent last night under the duvet with us, and seems really perky this morning. The cat flap, needless to say, is locked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Good lord! What a cheek thinking they could still keep him, even though you had turned up to claim him! Their vet can't be much cop if he didn't think to see if Nero was chipped! All's well that ends well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Awww, bless him Eirian, he was lucky to survive in that cold. And how idiotic of that family Is he warm enough now? Poor little s"Ooops, word censored!". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 He's been superglued to me or to OH (who luckily is working at home for this week) since we got him back. He seems happiest that way, and it probably keeps him warm. Duncan was doing a recording session at home yesterday and Nero spent all of it snuggled up, trying to get under his jumper! Cleo has still got loads of milk, and I was hoping she might take charge of him, but she's still a bit stand offish (which is fine, normally she tries to kill strange cats, so this is a vast improvement). He's so much brighter today, I'm really pleased. He needs a kitten check anyway, so I'll probably stop by the vets tonight or tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 ... so they found him outside your front door and he was still there an hour later ... it didn't occur to them to knock on your door and ask if he was yours? Sounds a bit dodgy to me - is he the pedigree kitten you've just bought? Thank goodness you found him, it's such a fright when they go missing, although in the past I have usually found the 'missing' kitten has secreted itself in a very small place inside the house. They probably didn't get as far as taking him to the vet, because they would certainly have checked for a chip. When I took my cat for his first check-up after adopting him, he was scanned and it revealed that he had a chip (I didn't know that a previous adopter had had him chipped, before sadly having to return him to the sanctuary). The vet would not let me leave the consulting-room until they'd phoned the chip people, and found that he was actually re-registered to the sanctuary, and luckily I had the 'adoption papers' with me. I had some heart-stopping moments thinking that he was going to be taken away from me! What a nasty experience, glad to hear that Cleo is back to normal though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 How awful for you and Nero Glad he is home I cannot tell you how shocked I am at the attitude of those people and that they did not think to knock on your door Will he wear a collar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Aww, what a little sweetie - do you have a sweatshirt with a pouch that you can pop him into? I just can't believe those neighbours of yours, but one thing I've learned is never to underestimate some people's stupidity and deviousness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Just remembered, OH had a cat stolen when a neighbor moved It was before we met. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 He is the horribly expensive pedigree kitten, yes. We didn't mention how much he cost when we were collecting him, just in case. Apparently they didn't knock on our door because they didn't know we had cats. Well, apart from the fact that one of ours is the size of the beast of bodmin moor, and pretty much lives on the fence of our garden surveying the estate, even if we didn't have cats, we could have just got one. I think these people were genuine, if stupid, but I don't want the word to get around our estate that Cleo and Nero are worth something. It's bad enough that they both look so beautiful. I will collar him, with a tag, but not until he's a little steadier on his feet. I hate having them collared, but we have to have a locking catflap to keep out the strays. I'm saving for a micro chip one! I'm thinking of having the cat flap locked at night permanently. I'm not a fan of the litter tray, but if it's only out at night, it won't be too bad, and I'd feel a lot safer knowing they weren't wandering around in the dark. Does anyone else keep their cats in at night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Most cat rescue places are a bit precious about letting cats out at night. My two would drive me mad if they couldn't go out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Our neighbor locks the flap at night and puts out a tray. However her cat never uses it and just holds on to go outside. Having said that they leave it next to the food bowl which i would have thought was a no no I have always left ours open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 We have a magnetic flap too otherwise we get all the neighbourhood cats coming in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 We have a magnetic flap too otherwise we get all the neighbourhood cats coming in We have one of those also but so do the neighbourhood cats However we also have a dog in place as a deterrent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellekatz Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I'm thinking of having the cat flap locked at night permanently. I'm not a fan of the litter tray, but if it's only out at night, it won't be too bad, and I'd feel a lot safer knowing they weren't wandering around in the dark. Does anyone else keep their cats in at night? I have always kept mine in at night having lost too many on the roads at night over the years. We also had one disappear many years ago, a lilac birman but to be honest , if anyone wanted him they were welcome to him - he was a nightmare.!! These days we decided to put our bengal out at night. She doesnt go far but doesnt get on with our other cats. They all sleep in the conservatory with a litter tray which they use. She wont - we tried leaving the cat flap open for her in the kitchen, but she would come in and wee in the sink so now she is locked out completely. Drives us mad as soon as she hears someone up and about becasue she is so vocal but I'm not having her mess round the house any more I wouldnt put any of the others out at night as they are all happy to use a tray and I knwow they are safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 When I had the dog, I never bothered with a magnetic flap - if strange cats tried to get in, that was their look out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 We have ours locked at night at the moment but will probably leave it open in the summer. I came downstairs and opened the kitchen door a few weeks ago and there was a white cat comeing in through the flap which I had never seen before or since . It is just as well that it had only just come in because the flap was locked for going out so that our cats can come back in on their own but I have some control over when they go out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 piper stays in at night (if she goes out she usually sits outside our bedroom window and squeaks at about 4am ) she has a litter tray and will actually come in from outside to use it glad you found Nero, I think that cats can get themselves into interesting s"Ooops, word censored!"es if they want to, you need to keep an eye on this little monkey to the nasty neighbours, they probably saw him and thought they would get away with taking him if you hadnt been around for a certain amount of time. anyway, happy ending cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Mine refuses to use a litter tray, and he likes to go out during the night so I let him have free access. I know what you mean about the magnetic flaps, but I had one at the last house - it was essential to stop other cats coming in. Not only would they eat all the food, but one of them took to spraying around the house I know a lot of cat rescue places insist on them being kept in at night when you adopt them. It's just never worked for me, all my cats have been far too independent and feisty to obey! I don't think it does any harm, if the cat will accept it, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 My two are in and out like yoyos all night, especially in the summer when they bring mousey presents in for me!!!!! Biscuit seems to have forgotten that he has to put his face into the flap first, and has taken to batting it with his paws Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnrob Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Aww, what a little sweetie - do you have a sweatshirt with a pouch that you can pop him into? One of the vet nurses at our local vet once found three kittens that had fallen into a water butt overnight. Sadly, two had already died and the third was very weak. She kept him warm until she could get him to the surgery by popping him down her ample bosom Biscuit seems to have forgotten that he has to put his face into the flap first, and has taken to batting it with his paws Trumpet does that sometimes. He bats pathetically at it with his paw waiting for it to open before finally realising that he has to push it with his head - silly boy! Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 A friend of mine works at an animal sanctuary - she brooded an abandoned duckling in her bra - he loved it there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 It does take them a while to get the hang of the thing. All of mine bat with their paws to get in, apart from Arthur. He was so huge, we had to buy the dog collar fob as the cat one wasn't strong enough and his head was too big to get the lock to click off. A bra is an exceedingly handy place for things. That's where I tuck cash if I'm carting largish amounts about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Biscuit seems to have forgotten that he has to put his face into the flap first, and has taken to batting it with his paws All my cats tend to do that... I think it's their way to find out whether it's opened or locked... they must have tried to come in a few times when it had been locked and got a squashed nose... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 The strange thing is that I never lock it! He used to use it fine too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I can easily tell my three apart from the noise they make coming in through the cat flap my dad is amazed I can be sat in the lounge hear it go and call the correct name every time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
