Our Feral Kitten Update
 

Many of you know that several weeks ago DD18 rescued a feral kitten from her work. The kitten was about 4 weeks old at the time and was so scared!

Since that time, it had a great check up with the vet. It is scheduled to go back next week for another check and shots. At the 1st check they were unable to determine if it was a male or female. But, with the help of my NT friends and a little time, DD18 and I really believe it is a male - certainly looks that way. DD18 named him Tux.

Tux has now made his presence in the house known. He is all over the place playing like crazy. Naturally, strings are his favorite toy, thus, I have all different kinds of string all around the place. He thinks he is some sort of body builder cat as we had a furry kind of blanket tucked under the couch for him to sleep on. Well, the little guy decided one evening that he wanted to pull the blanket out. Too funny! Of course, he didn't get very far and gave up.

Within the past couple of days, he has actually jumped up on the couch to cuddle with one of DDs or myself. He will just purr and purr and then fall asleep. This was a major step for him as we had to "catch" him before in order to get this type of socialization in. DD16 laughs as when she would go to pick him up he would hiss and purr at the same time.

He is eating like crazy!!!! As a result, he is putting on weight and we can no longer feel all the bones in his body. This is such a relief as he was such a skinny little thing and was probably starving.

All in all things are going very well and we feel so fortunate to have saved this little kitten.

(((Thrik))) Tux sounds like an absolutely adorable little boy. I'm glad he had a good checkup, and I can just hear his purrrrrrrrring! Strong and loud, right? Lordy, I love loud kitten purrs! :D

I'm wondering if getting to work with him as a kitten will be easier than a young feral adult. I hope so! My feral, Annie, was more of a teenager/young adult, plus pregnant, when I took her in. It took weeks of enticing her with food to my home before I could even get close enough to touch her. Weeks! The winter was settling in and I hated thinking of her outside in that cold with new babies coming.

She was a challenge and still can be, but she has done pretty well. She likes to be the alpha cat in the house, however. She's a jealous little beauty!

Have fun with that baby. :hug:

Thanks for giving this little kitty a home, Tricia. :hug: Both of my cats were homeless strays who we adopted and they have turned out to be the best cats. If your cat is indeed a male he'll be more affectionate than a female would be. I have one of both - and Tigger (the male) is definitely more affectionate than Gracie is. She'll cuddle up but it's only when she is ready to...and not a moment sooner!

I know Tux is grateful for the loving home and will continue to become more tame and loving as he gets older. I love the name!

Cats are just the best pets. I've always had a cat as long as I can remember and cannot imagine life without a pet.

Thanks for the update!

It is very exciting to see those
 

homeless cats rescued! My son's rescue Tima is very clever, and playful too. She opens the drawers of his desk and pulls stuff out to play with. She especially likes the Croakie (eye glass strap he uses sometimes for his glasses).

Her big no no is going thru the trash can. My son has to lock it in a closet! Also this cat goes nuts if he brings home chicken
(like KFC)...she must have lived on scraps from the dumpsters.
He calls her the "fast food maven".

Our middle kitty Tippy was a feral family rescue, and she is a lovely cat. But I would caution you... Tippy has very weak teeth, and we just found out, her enamel is eroding away. We think her mother just didn't have the nutrition to give the kittens. (none of our other cats from the past 30 yrs had this problem). So make sure Tux is getting the calcium in his food that he needs. And as he grows, get the teeth checked regularly.

Sounds like fun. A cute kitten is just so much fun.

[QUOTE=tkrik;317695] DD16 laughs as when she would go to pick him up he would hiss and purr at the same time./QUOTE]

Lol, he momentarily forgot that he is a fierce wild cat! One of my TNR ferals will meow at me and then hiss as I bring his dinner out and it always makes me laugh too.

Bless you for opening your home and heart to this little guy. He hit the kitty jackpot. Hugs, Jules

A
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that's so fun! Where's the pics? We want pics!!!

Just one question: Why would you name a kitty after a hemorrhoid product? :D

Yeah.. I'd like a pic too...
 

We are leaving soon for vacation.

My son's cat tends to want to bite...when playing, but she doesn't break the skin.

She also did very objectionable things when she came into heat... he was unprepared for poop in the bed ! I wonder why? LOL

anyway, that seems to be fading away, with time.

So please get Tux neutered before those male spraying behaviors start. With feral/wild cats, that is a huge downside.

The upside is that they are very clever, smarter and in general very interesting!

[QUOTE=Jules A;317944]LOL. When DD18 was trying to pick out names we decided to check out some names on the web for ideas. We cracked up at the name Terminator as here was this little tiny innocent kitten that ran if you walked in the room and hide under the couch.

She came up with Tux on her own but had he been a she DD18 would have named her Basil.

Twink, that comment coming from one who named a bird Maxie! LOL.

I'll post some pictures once I find them. DD18 and her camera. Sheeze. My computer is loaded with them. LOL

[QUOTE=tkrik;317983]
Touché!
:ROTFLMAO:
:ROTFLMAO:
:ROTFLMAO:

Here is Tux on his 1st night with us and then about a week later. The one where he is on the white blank is his 1st night with us. Again, once he is awake. I take some pics.

Mrsd - He will be neutered! No question about that. The story behind this rescue mission of DD18 . . .She works at a restaurant that has a patio. Underneath the patio there were 2 mama cats and 15 kittens. Overnight about 1/2 the kittens disappeared. The workers, of course, thought the worst as there had been some "teens" in the area throwing things at the kittens when they would come out. So, DD18's co-workers all started rescuing these kittens. DD18 got brave and took a chance and now we have Tux. So far 3 of the kittens have been rescued.

To catch the mama cats would be impossible. The employees did not touch any of the youngest kittens. Apparently there were a few that were really tiny and the workers wouldn't take those. They, in the meantime, have been feeding the mama cats leftover Italian food as it is an Italian restaurant (authentic).

There are far too many situations similar to this that I certainly wouldn't want to contribute and therefore, Tux will have the responsible thing done.:)

Oh, he is really cute!
 

This is my son's rescue. She scoped out his apartment, and when he opened the door last Nov she ran in and claimed his home. He has two other cats. She smelled like dryer sheets, so he thinks she was getting warmth from dryer vents in the complex. He is next to a stream and woods/park, and he says he had seen her there before.

She has filled out since this photo... but remains very pretty and still clever. She is not trying to go back out, but requires alot of attention compared to the other two.

Thanks for the pics mrsd. It is so funny how animals will do that. It's like they have been observing you for a while and then all of a sudden, they claim you. DBF's stray dog did that to us. Of course DD18, then younger, encouraged the dog by petting it and sneaking it leftover food. lol

I showed the picture of your son's cat to DD16 and her eyes got big and said, "Where does he live?" Meaning, it looks very similar to Tux, is it a sibling. LOL.

Thanks for sharing the picture and big hugs to your son as well for taking her in.

Tux is so cute! Your DS's kitty is pretty too, mrsd. You all did a good thing by adopting these poor lil feral cats. I had two outside, as I'm allergic and remember how long it took me to get them to come to me. I would sit for an hour w/food coaxing them. DH even made beds for them in the garage.

One even bit me, as I don't think it was ready for hugs at the time. So I had to have it quarantined at the vet for 10 days and I had to have shots and antibiotics. I had them neutered and all their shots, etc. I loved those cats, but one day, they were just gone. I cried and cried and think the neighbor down the road did something to them, as they told me a long time ago that they hated cats.

I still wonder about them... Keep the pics coming; I love to see them.

(sorry about the downer story; it just made me think of them >>>> Inky and Tippy.)

He's just gorgeous Tkrik!! :) He looks like he might have part Maine Coon lineage by his color and fur? Oh, what a cuddlebug!

We got our cat Rocky from the local TAILS shelter. He'd been a kitten from a hoarding situation, and he was six months old when I brought him home. Now he's our substitute grandchild. ;) :D

As promised, here are some updated pictures of Tux. I took these this morning with lots of waiting and patience as he is so playful this morning. It is hard to get those action shot.

He loves to play by the drop leaf table as you can see in the pictures.

DM - I will ask DD18 if she can give Tux a middle name in honor of your cats. Maybe Tinky or Ippy? What do you think? I am sure she would do that as that is the kind of girl she is.

Wiz - I am so glad you rescued Rocky. I didn't know what a Maine Coon looked like so I had to google it. :eek::eek::eek:They are huge!!! If he has some Maine Coon in him I hope it is only a tiny bit as in just his coat. LOL.

DD16 swears he is part bobcat because of his ears and his stomach being a cream color with spots. Living in the desert that is quite a possibility. :eek: Maybe DD18 should ask the vet about it at his next check.

He's adorable! And yes, he looks like he's part Maine Coon. I know ya'll are enjoying him. They're so much fun when they're playful kittens. My Tigger is still very playful even though he's not a kitten any longer.

I agree with Kelly..
 

If this doll has Maine Coon traits, he will be very loving.
They have the nicest temperment!

I think he will be a longhair...but not a full one.

He is very cute... ;)

I might end up with this?!?!:eek:


.


These are pixie bobs (bobcat mix).


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I need to check this little guys ears, eyes, and facial features. That Maine Coon is huge, huge, huge!

Tux is gorgeous!!!

yes...
 

I saw a Maine Coon in a show.... he was like a small lion!

Huge! is an understatement.

A vet told me once that a kitten grows into his/her whiskers and feet. Cats with BIG feet become BIG! Same with the whiskers...really long whiskers suggest a very wide cat!

I love this thread

my two ferals in my siggie pic, Shadow and Twilight, have brought more joy into our family than I can possibly describe. I have had many cats in my life but these two are unique :)

they were 8 weeks when we got them and had been living with the foster family linked to the cat rescue, so were used to people. Their feral mom had them behind someone's shed.rescued when tiny

lol mrsD I think Twisp is going to be very wide then as she has the longest white whiskers with a pointy little face right now at around 1yo I estimate.

tkrik I am so delighted to read your updates on the feral kitty:hug:

I showed DD18 the picture of the Maine Coon and we just cracked up as we look down at little Tux. It is hard to even imagine this little guy getting that big. LOL. I don't think he will. His whisker are wide though and he has pretty big paws so you never know.

We did some checking on the internet about both the Maine Coons and Pixie Bobs. I really have no idea. Being that he is a mix of who knows what it is possible that he is both as well as other breeds. His stomach definitely resembles a pixie bob. It almost looks like a white leopard. We looked at pictures of these bobcat mixes and they do have that sort of stomach. I could find any pics of a Maine Coon's stomach. Are they the same?

Chemar, I agree about the uniqueness of feral cats. DBF has one and she is not like any other cat I have been around. Her will to survive is incredible as she proved after being hit by a car fracturing her skull, jaw, and her eye coming out of its socket. Truly amazing!

Dang it~ Wish I wasn't allergic to kitty's. Looking at all these adorable pics makes me so jealous. My Sis used to have a kitty that was bigger than my dogs. HE was so BIG, but he lived to 17.

Kittens are so much fun to watch. I'm smiling just thinking of Tux playing.

((DM)) Actually, I am allergic to cats too. In order for this to work for us, I bust my butt everyday to eleminate all other allergens. I know I can't get them all but DDs and I dust everyday and vacuum everyday. It has really helped.

Remember Twink, this is why I do it! LOL. Twink thought I was OCD when I told her this on the phone. I then had to describe to her what was on my floor, what dishes I had on the counter, etc. LOL.

When he 1st came here I did ok for the first few days. Then I started worrying as there was no way I could give this very frightened kitten away. So I started our new daily routine. So far it is working and my allergies have improved. But, to be honest, I cannot hold Tux close to my face or have him just rest on my chest like he does DDs or my eyes will start watering and I'll start sneezing.

The air is so dry here that there is tons of dust. So what I have been doing before vacuuming is spraying a light mist of water on the carpet, let it sit for a minute, and then vacuum. That too has helped.

Sometimes you, as I am sure I have, get accustomed to the cats dander and start doing better. I have read that male cats are better for allergy sufferers as the enzyme is not as strong in males as females. It makes sense as the females need the extra enzymes to clean their babies.

Check online about ways that you can have a cat even though you have an allergy to them.

DM,

I'm also allergic but try to minimize the problems from Rocky's fur. I read somewhere that if you get them as a kitten, when they don't have much dander, then you can build up a natural immunity to them as they grow. I've been doing ok with Rocky and heaven knows we aren't spotless in this house. But my allergies are doing ok. I take Claritin all the time and Nasonex for seasonal allergies though. I'm sure that helps somewhat too. I wish you could have a little kitty, I know you'd love it lots! :hug:

OK, this kitten is insane! lol. DBF was supposed to come over on Sunday and pick up DD18's old twin bed. We had it stored in DDs closet (big walk in) but DD18 pulled it out on Sunday morning and we put it in the dining area. It is still there leaning up with all its "beauty and glory" against the wall.

I repurposed my drafting table to a drafting/painting/kitchen table depending on the need. Today I used the drafting table as a painting area. It is right next to the mattress.

A little bit ago, I went in to my room to do my shot. I came back out and there was this little furry thing all the way on the top of the mattress.:eek: It saw me, jumped down on to my painting area making only a small mess, then down to the floor and under the couch. LOL.

I do wish I had the camera ready. It was too funny.

New adventures for Tux. He has learned the art of batting at things as well as our hands. Although DD16 gets mad when he does this, I remind her that he is just playing as well as showing affection towards her. She does not see how his "biting" is affectionate. LOL She has decided to "train" him by being firm and telling him no when he bites her. It is working. Last night he stopped and started licking her as well.

Additionally, he has learned new pouncing techniques. Jumping and turning around as he jumps as well as that sideways jump kittens do. It just cracks me up. This morning he has spent about an hour on the couch practicing his new techniques, sometimes rolling over in the process, getting distracted by his tail and playing with that as well.

He loves to play a cat's version of peek-a-boo. He has also been sitting on the couch ducking his head down so I can't see him (so he thinks. LOL) and popping his head up to peek at me. LOL.

Oh, the life of a kitten. :p He is turning in to quite the happy cat and is getting quite comfortable here.

Tux is such a cutie! I have a cat that's part Maine Coon..He's big, but nowhere near as big as the cat in the picture you posted (thankfully). He's one of the sweetest cats, too. He's never bitten anyone, and loves to cuddle. His brother's the goofy one. He likes to have his "armpits" scratched. If you go near him when he's laying down, he'll roll over on his back and stick his arms straight out so you can scratch 'em..:rolleyes: