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There is a cat living in my garage!
And he/she hasn't paid the rent!
Well, seriously, there IS a cat living in my garage. I haven't seen it, but I know it's there. On Saturday, I got my car out of my garage, and it was COVERED in paw prints, and cat hair. (mostly white, with some buff/light orange; maybe a male?) I thought one of my neighbors 4 cats had gotten in the garage. They are outdoors almost all of the time, and I've seen them running out of my garage when I close the door, if I've left it open for awhile. BTW: I live right in the city. I keep my precious Kenzie indoors, where it's safe. My neighbor often leaves her cats out all night long, even in the winter. I see them huddled together, very, very late at night. Idiot. The cats don't have licenses (required by the city). They don't even have rabies tags (required by the state). I'm assuming no rabies tags means no vaccinations, or any real vet care at all. But I digress. And she's not missing a cat. So on Saturday, I washed my car, and went over to my elderly mother's house, to help her with the things she can't do any more for herself. I got home after dark, and put my car in the garage. Sunday, I didn't use my car. On Monday morning when I got my car to go to work, it had paw prints on it again! The garage had been closed from Saturday night, until Monday morning. It's been HOT here. And it gets REALLY hot in the garage. There's no way in or out, except by the main door, or the service door, which I rarely use. I figured that the cat, having been locked in for 36 hours, would have run out as soon as I opened the door. That I didn't see him (I think I'll call it a him, although of course I don't know for sure) means nothing. Cats can be FAST, and silent. Tuesday morning, when I got my car to go to work, there were fresh paw prints on the windshield. The cat was still in the garage, all night Monday. So I went and got some tuna, and a bowl of water. I figured the cat would probably run away while I was in the house, and the garage door was open, but then I was wrong before about that. Tuesday, I get home from work, and the tuna and water were undisturbed. OK, the cat had left. At least he had not died of heat stroke in my garage. I threw the tuna away; it had been HOT in the garage all day. The water was in a plastic container that margarine had come in. I left it there; I didn't want to bring it back into my house. Wednesday morning: all the water is gone. I'm beginning to think the cat can walk through walls. I even walked all around the garage. No holes. My brother and I built the garage in 1984; it took almost the whole summer. It's 576 square feet. My house is 650 square feet, not including the front and back porch. The garage is huge. And in the 24 years since it was built, is has come to be completely full of STUFF. My brother's 1974 MGB, which hasn't run in 3 years. Two motorcycles, that also don't run. In one corner is a big pile of lumber, left from building the garage. The joists have plywood over them, making a low ceiling 'attic'. It full of car tires, rims, car and motorcycle parts. And more STUFF. I tried looking for the cat, but we all know how a cat can hide in a tiny space, remain silent, and reappear only when they WANT to. They can do this inside an orderly, clean and neat apartment. My garage must have a hundred hiding places I can't get to; or even see. There are a lot of heavy or bulky things I can't move. I'm disabled. There are heavy boxes, crates, car and motorcycle parts, and other heavy things, everywhere. So now it's Wednesday night. I bought a can of cat food. I put fresh water in the bowl. I left the big garage door open 3 or 4 inches; plenty of room for a cat to escape. I've been home for 6 hours; there is no sign the food or water has been touched. But I think he's still in my garage. And now I don't know what to do. I could try to trap the cat, if I had a trap. But even if I catch him, I don't have the money to have him treated properly by a vet. He would need tests for FeLeuk, FIV, FIP, and whatever else he might have caught living on the street. He'll need to be neutered, and get vaccinations,. That's hundreds of dollars. I just had Kenzie's annual exam, vaccinations, and labs, and her teeth cleaned. Tomorrow, I take her to the veterinary ophthalmologist, to have the melanoma in her left eye checked. It's very expensive. I checked the local no kill shelters. They are packed to the rafters with tame kittens and cats, all of whom have been checked, vaccinated, neutered, etc. and are waiting for homes. The shelters are full. The people who foster cats and kittens can't take any more. Taking him to the Humane Society is a one way trip to a 30 gallon steel drum. I haven't even SEEN this poor cat, but I feel responsible for him. I just can't see the way to a happy ending for him. Ideas? I need help. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ "Life without cats would be only marginally worth living." -TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie. Every day is a treasure with Kenzie; I try to treat them that way. There will only be so many, and then there will never, ever, be any more. How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven. - Robert Heinlein |
#2
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There is a cat living in my garage!
"Gandalf" wrote in message ... And he/she hasn't paid the rent! I just had Kenzie's annual exam, vaccinations, and labs, and her teeth cleaned. Tomorrow, I take her to the veterinary ophthalmologist, to have the melanoma in her left eye checked. It's very expensive. I checked the local no kill shelters. They are packed to the rafters with tame kittens and cats, all of whom have been checked, vaccinated, neutered, etc. and are waiting for homes. The shelters are full. The people who foster cats and kittens can't take any more. Taking him to the Humane Society is a one way trip to a 30 gallon steel drum. I haven't even SEEN this poor cat, but I feel responsible for him. I just can't see the way to a happy ending for him. Ideas? I need help. If ever there was a reason for an emergency fund through this group, I'd say this is it. Can you get your paws on/borrow a have a heart trap? If you can catch it, I suspect that some of us will be willing to donate to get it vetted and taken care of. Would you be willing to accept another owner if Kenzie agrees? Pam S. |
#3
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There is a cat living in my garage!
On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:40:52 -0400, "tanadashoes"
wrote: "Gandalf" wrote in message ... And he/she hasn't paid the rent! I just had Kenzie's annual exam, vaccinations, and labs, and her teeth cleaned. Tomorrow, I take her to the veterinary ophthalmologist, to have the melanoma in her left eye checked. It's very expensive. I checked the local no kill shelters. They are packed to the rafters with tame kittens and cats, all of whom have been checked, vaccinated, neutered, etc. and are waiting for homes. The shelters are full. The people who foster cats and kittens can't take any more. Taking him to the Humane Society is a one way trip to a 30 gallon steel drum. I haven't even SEEN this poor cat, but I feel responsible for him. I just can't see the way to a happy ending for him. Ideas? I need help. If ever there was a reason for an emergency fund through this group, I'd say this is it. Can you get your paws on/borrow a have a heart trap? If you can catch it, I suspect that some of us will be willing to donate to get it vetted and taken care of. Would you be willing to accept another owner if Kenzie agrees? Pam S. Kenzie WILL NOT accept another cat. She was an only cat when I got her. I still had my very elderly Blizzard, but they NEVER even accepted each other. Kenzie would always hiss at Blizzard, who was deaf by then. Blizzard would try to approach Kenzie, but Kenzie would bap her, and run away. Blizzard was 16 years old, and the sweetest, most gentle cat you could imagine. She walked slowly. Not a threat to Kenzie in any way. When Blizzard went to the Bridge, Kenzie wa a MUCH happier cat. Unfortunately. I tried to introduce 2 other young adult cats; both males, at different times. It didn't work, and I had to return the wonderful cats (both of whom I had become VERY attached to) to their no kill shelter :-( ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^ "Life without cats would be only marginally worth living." -TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie. Every day is a treasure with Kenzie; I try to treat them that way. There will only be so many, and then there will never, ever, be any more. How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven. - Robert Heinlein |
#4
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There is a cat living in my garage!
Gandalf wrote:
And he/she hasn't paid the rent! snip I haven't even SEEN this poor cat, but I feel responsible for him. I just can't see the way to a happy ending for him. Ideas? I need help. I hope you can get to know the kitty and that someone will be able to give her/him a home. Best wishes, Polonca and Soncek |
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