Breaking news: Update on Buffy the Garage Cat

I am so STUPID!

I have been keeping Buffy in a small cage, and carefully letting him out
to use the litter box, as often as I can. Buffy's been VERY unhappy in
there, but I was afraid Buffy would escape, and I would have a very hard
time (again) making a capture.

So, very late tonight, I came up with the idea of using a harness and
leash! DUH!!

How come nobody in the group who is more experienced and smarter than I
am, suggested this to me before???

So I made a harness for Buffy.

Then I realized that a normal leash of light rope could easily be chewed
through by a cat who has a lot of free time. And is not all that happy
about being tied up.

So, I made a 'leash' out of #12 insulated copper wire. It's not my first
choice, because it's pretty stiff, but it's what I had at 2:30 AM in the
morning. And I don't have much of a budget.

So now Buffy has some room to move around. The litter box is within easy
reach, a rough board for claw sharpening and stretching, a double layer
of nice soft carpet to sleep on, and of course food and water. Beats
starving on the street! And soon, Buffy will be moving into a good sized
walk in closet; about 4 feet by 8 feet, ( 1.2 x 2.5 meters) WITH a
window, and a ledge to sit on.

Buffy loves being out of the cage. Just wants to stay wrapped around me,
or lay down for belly rubs. TOTAL sweetheart!

Then I decided to clip Buffy's claws, since I've been scratched a few
times.

There's not enough light in my garage, so I brought out my desk lamp, so
I could see what I was doing.

HELLO!!!!! Buffy isn't a girl kitty: HE is a neutered male!

I just didn't get a good enough look at HIM, before I put HIM in his
kitty prison!

How stupid can I possibly get?

So I haven't decided whether to change his name, or call him 'Buffy
Boy'.

Buffy Boy sounds kind of stupid, but HE responded to Buffy right
away.....

I'm open to suggestions. Really. Help me out here.

He really should have a manly name. Like Caliban. (One of my very
favorite male cat names, BTW).

I still CAN'T BELIVEVE I made that mistake. The rescue people are going
to thing I'm an IDIOT, or worse. But then: he IS neutered..., and that's
a GOOD thing; it will save on the vet bill. Plus, now there is
absolutely NO DOUBT that he's been somebody's pet.

Somebody's DUMPED pet :-(

So: should HE get a new name? I am leaning in that direction.

He is SUCH a love bug. He just want's to be petted, and scritched. And
he LOVES tummy rubs.

OK, so I'm stupid.

But he is the fourth cat I have rescued, including the beautiful all
black, long hair girl kitty that I stole from a research facility, in
the middle of the night. (The statute of limitations has run out on that
crime, long ago). I found homes myself for the other 3 cats, even though
only 1 was altered.

So, despite my stupidity, things continue to improve for Buffy Boy. And
I almost forgot: I got a small fan to help keep Buffy Boy cool. I sort
of 'borrowed' it from work. I'm going to use it to help provide fresh
air while he is in his closet, too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^

"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

Gandalf wrote:
snip
There's not enough light in my garage, so I brought out my desk lamp,
so I could see what I was doing.

HELLO!!!!! Buffy isn't a girl kitty: HE is a neutered male!

I just didn't get a good enough look at HIM, before I put HIM in his
kitty prison!
snip

If *he's* a neutered male then it is still possible that someone is looking
for him, could you get him scanned for a microchip?
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy, Bagheera & Shadow)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk

On Sat, 2 Aug 2008 11:48:46 +0100, "Adrian" wrote:

Gandalf wrote:
snip
There's not enough light in my garage, so I brought out my desk lamp,
so I could see what I was doing.

HELLO!!!!! Buffy isn't a girl kitty: HE is a neutered male!

I just didn't get a good enough look at HIM, before I put HIM in his
kitty prison!
snip

If *he's* a neutered male then it is still possible that someone is looking
for him, could you get him scanned for a microchip?

Yes, that will be done on Monday when I take him to the vet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^

"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

(Gandalf) wrote in news:48951b6f.14012984
@news.iphouse.com:

I am so STUPID!

I have been keeping Buffy in a small cage, and carefully letting him out


1. Leave his name alone is my vote.

2. Do not be so sure he was dumped, many things could have happened. If he
is such a love bug he may have been treated well and gotten lost somehow.
I would rather think good of his humans at any rate.

3. He is _still_ beautiful!

(Gandalf) wrote in
:

On Sat, 2 Aug 2008 11:48:46 +0100, "Adrian" wrote:


If *he's* a neutered male then it is still possible that someone is
looking for him, could you get him scanned for a microchip?

Yes, that will be done on Monday when I take him to the vet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^


I am sure it is a reach (him being microchipped) but wouldn't it be great
if he has a loving family who is looking for him.

"Gandalf" wrote in message
...
I am so STUPID!

I have been keeping Buffy in a small cage, and carefully letting him out
to use the litter box, as often as I can. Buffy's been VERY unhappy in
there, but I was afraid Buffy would escape, and I would have a very hard
time (again) making a capture.

So, very late tonight, I came up with the idea of using a harness and
leash! DUH!!

How come nobody in the group who is more experienced and smarter than I
am, suggested this to me before???

So I made a harness for Buffy.

Then I realized that a normal leash of light rope could easily be chewed
through by a cat who has a lot of free time. And is not all that happy
about being tied up.

So, I made a 'leash' out of #12 insulated copper wire. It's not my first
choice, because it's pretty stiff, but it's what I had at 2:30 AM in the
morning. And I don't have much of a budget.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^



Be *very* careful if you leave Buffy unattended on a leash. I assume you
have already done this, but it's important to make sure that there is no way
for him to get caught or tangled on something else in the garage -- and,
obviously, that there is no way for anything else to get in the garage and
attack Buffy. He would be helpless when he is tied in that manner.

I vote to just keep the name Buffy and forget about "Buffy Boy." Buffy
seems like a unisex name to me.

MaryL

PLEASE stop calling yourself STUPID. I don't want to have to be included in
that title group. I had a rescued cat in my garage and, thought it was a
male, as did everyone that came around. When I finally got HIM to the vet,
With all the matting of hair, He was a SHE. Yeah someone may get a good
laugh but that will be all.

About the least thing, None of my 3 will tolerate it. They just lay down
and turn to jell. My thought was if a domesticated friendly cat won't put
up with it, why would one right off the street?
"Gandalf" wrote in message
...
I am so STUPID!

I have been keeping Buffy in a small cage, and carefully letting him out
to use the litter box, as often as I can. Buffy's been VERY unhappy in
there, but I was afraid Buffy would escape, and I would have a very hard
time (again) making a capture.

So, very late tonight, I came up with the idea of using a harness and
leash! DUH!!

How come nobody in the group who is more experienced and smarter than I
am, suggested this to me before???

So I made a harness for Buffy.

Then I realized that a normal leash of light rope could easily be chewed
through by a cat who has a lot of free time. And is not all that happy
about being tied up.

So, I made a 'leash' out of #12 insulated copper wire. It's not my first
choice, because it's pretty stiff, but it's what I had at 2:30 AM in the
morning. And I don't have much of a budget.

So now Buffy has some room to move around. The litter box is within easy
reach, a rough board for claw sharpening and stretching, a double layer
of nice soft carpet to sleep on, and of course food and water. Beats
starving on the street! And soon, Buffy will be moving into a good sized
walk in closet; about 4 feet by 8 feet, ( 1.2 x 2.5 meters) WITH a
window, and a ledge to sit on.

Buffy loves being out of the cage. Just wants to stay wrapped around me,
or lay down for belly rubs. TOTAL sweetheart!

Then I decided to clip Buffy's claws, since I've been scratched a few
times.

There's not enough light in my garage, so I brought out my desk lamp, so
I could see what I was doing.

HELLO!!!!! Buffy isn't a girl kitty: HE is a neutered male!

I just didn't get a good enough look at HIM, before I put HIM in his
kitty prison!

How stupid can I possibly get?

So I haven't decided whether to change his name, or call him 'Buffy
Boy'.

Buffy Boy sounds kind of stupid, but HE responded to Buffy right
away.....

I'm open to suggestions. Really. Help me out here.

He really should have a manly name. Like Caliban. (One of my very
favorite male cat names, BTW).

I still CAN'T BELIVEVE I made that mistake. The rescue people are going
to thing I'm an IDIOT, or worse. But then: he IS neutered..., and that's
a GOOD thing; it will save on the vet bill. Plus, now there is
absolutely NO DOUBT that he's been somebody's pet.

Somebody's DUMPED pet :-(

So: should HE get a new name? I am leaning in that direction.

He is SUCH a love bug. He just want's to be petted, and scritched. And
he LOVES tummy rubs.

OK, so I'm stupid.

But he is the fourth cat I have rescued, including the beautiful all
black, long hair girl kitty that I stole from a research facility, in
the middle of the night. (The statute of limitations has run out on that
crime, long ago). I found homes myself for the other 3 cats, even though
only 1 was altered.

So, despite my stupidity, things continue to improve for Buffy Boy. And
I almost forgot: I got a small fan to help keep Buffy Boy cool. I sort
of 'borrowed' it from work. I'm going to use it to help provide fresh
air while he is in his closet, too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^

"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

The Buff-man is incredibly handsome, and incredibly fortunate to have
found you to help him find a Forever Home.

When our Sam was hit by a car and taken to the vet, he was listed on
the intake form as a grey female cat. By a vet. He was a lilac point
meezer. With color points. Don't beat yourself up.

Change name from Buffy to Buff and you will be OK.

Jo
"Gandalf" wrote in message
...
I am so STUPID!

I have been keeping Buffy in a small cage, and carefully letting him
out
to use the litter box, as often as I can. Buffy's been VERY unhappy
in
there, but I was afraid Buffy would escape, and I would have a very
hard
time (again) making a capture.

So, very late tonight, I came up with the idea of using a harness
and
leash! DUH!!

How come nobody in the group who is more experienced and smarter
than I
am, suggested this to me before???

So I made a harness for Buffy.

Then I realized that a normal leash of light rope could easily be
chewed
through by a cat who has a lot of free time. And is not all that
happy
about being tied up.

So, I made a 'leash' out of #12 insulated copper wire. It's not my
first
choice, because it's pretty stiff, but it's what I had at 2:30 AM in
the
morning. And I don't have much of a budget.

So now Buffy has some room to move around. The litter box is within
easy
reach, a rough board for claw sharpening and stretching, a double
layer
of nice soft carpet to sleep on, and of course food and water. Beats
starving on the street! And soon, Buffy will be moving into a good
sized
walk in closet; about 4 feet by 8 feet, ( 1.2 x 2.5 meters) WITH a
window, and a ledge to sit on.

Buffy loves being out of the cage. Just wants to stay wrapped around
me,
or lay down for belly rubs. TOTAL sweetheart!

Then I decided to clip Buffy's claws, since I've been scratched a
few
times.

There's not enough light in my garage, so I brought out my desk
lamp, so
I could see what I was doing.

HELLO!!!!! Buffy isn't a girl kitty: HE is a neutered male!

I just didn't get a good enough look at HIM, before I put HIM in his
kitty prison!

How stupid can I possibly get?

So I haven't decided whether to change his name, or call him 'Buffy
Boy'.

Buffy Boy sounds kind of stupid, but HE responded to Buffy right
away.....

I'm open to suggestions. Really. Help me out here.

He really should have a manly name. Like Caliban. (One of my very
favorite male cat names, BTW).

I still CAN'T BELIVEVE I made that mistake. The rescue people are
going
to thing I'm an IDIOT, or worse. But then: he IS neutered..., and
that's
a GOOD thing; it will save on the vet bill. Plus, now there is
absolutely NO DOUBT that he's been somebody's pet.

Somebody's DUMPED pet :-(

So: should HE get a new name? I am leaning in that direction.

He is SUCH a love bug. He just want's to be petted, and scritched.
And
he LOVES tummy rubs.

OK, so I'm stupid.

But he is the fourth cat I have rescued, including the beautiful all
black, long hair girl kitty that I stole from a research facility,
in
the middle of the night. (The statute of limitations has run out on
that
crime, long ago). I found homes myself for the other 3 cats, even
though
only 1 was altered.

So, despite my stupidity, things continue to improve for Buffy Boy.
And
I almost forgot: I got a small fan to help keep Buffy Boy cool. I
sort
of 'borrowed' it from work. I'm going to use it to help provide
fresh
air while he is in his closet, too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^..^

"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

Jofirey wrote:
When our Sam was hit by a car and taken to the vet, he was listed on
the intake form as a grey female cat. By a vet. He was a lilac point
meezer. With color points. Don't beat yourself up.

Change name from Buffy to Buff and you will be OK.

There was a story on this group a few years ago about a 'female' cat taken
to the vet to be spayed. The vet had opened up the cat before it was relised
she was a he.
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy, Bagheera & Shadow)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk