Feral Fables

Tonight I found a small crusty "thing" on the tip of "Braveheart's" ear.

It is no surprise that I have not been able to keep up with blogging with all that has happened around here in the last month. In early November "Hunter" came home with an injury to his front right paw. I wasn't sure what it was as I saw no bleeding or scratches, but upon examination at the emergency vet service (the receptionist knows me by name now when I come in the door) it was found that he had a bite wound. As always with bite wounds, there is a very high risk of abscess with any bite. His was infected and required a cleaning and the placement of a drain for three days. He had to be crated during this time, but took it in stride pretty much. He was allowed out in the house when supervised, but not outside until fully healed.

On the day he was being taken in for stitches to be removed, I decided to remove his "e-collar" so it would be easier to get him in the carrier. Unfortunately the collar was not easy to un-hook and Hunter got freaked out by all the movement around his face. When I finally removed the collar and went to pet him, he reacted with a bite to my hand. OK....... I probably deserved that (from his standpoint) but it made me feel dejected for a while.

I have been bitten before........it is part of dealing with animals in the wild....... so I knew to wash it right away and apply antibiotic salve. Unfortunately, I could tell within minutes that I needed to go to the doctor for antibiotic medication. The clinic got me in right away because they know cat bites can get nasty fast. So the doctor prescribed the pills and I  was on my way to the drug store. Then I took Hunter to the vet to have the stitches removed. Driving home with him, I noticed that my hand was hurting more and more and was getting redder and more swollen by the minute. I marked my hand with a marker so I could see how fast the red area was spreading. To make an already long story short, after three calls to the Doctor and a visit to an Urgent Care, I was driven (quite madly) by my friend Heidi to St. Mary's ER where I was admitted and remained for 4 days on IV antibiotics.

What basically happened was I developed cellulitis from the bite which spread across my hand and halfway up my forearm before receding completely. It was a little un-nerving to say the least, but it kind of goes with the territory. Since I was bitten before I already have had the rabies series and tents shots. (Rabies shots are not all that bad any longer.) I should have used more caution. Cats that have come from off the street have an unknown history. We do not know what may have happened to them and so they can sometimes behave unpredictably. I had previously noticed that Hunter is uncomfortable with motion around his head or body. If I walk past him, he may perceive that as threatening. So it is no surprise really to me in hind site that he bit me. What I learned----------never remove an e-collar again-------use sturdy gloves when interacting with cats who are injured and hurting.

Now if this was not enough, two days after I got home poor "Jingle" was bit AGAIN in his neck and shoulder. Worse bit than Hunter-------there was already a small abscess that had formed.

He required surgery also and is now recovering. It has been very difficult because he is so vocal. I can not walk away from him or he just howls and howls! I am at my wits end! Thank God I have a great vet who understands this predicament and will prescribe something to settle him down, especially at night just for the next few days when the stitches come out. Wonder if she can prescribe something for ME??? I need it too!   :-)

Things have been quiet around here for the most part. No ER trips recently------We have been having very mild, dry weather for this time of year and I think all of us Wisconsinites have been enjoying it as much as possible as we know what winter tends to have in store for us. Today there is very high wind so all the leaves and garden debris is being whipped around all over the neighborhood.

The other evening I had a moment or two of worry, looking for Kibble. Kibble is always around.......she stays either in the house or very near by so that when I call she comes running. Well after returning home from a small shopping trip, I left both of the garage doors open as I brought in a couple of light bags of groceries. Usually we try to keep the cats out of the garage for various reasons, but that night I didn't bother. Awhile later, I found myself noticing that I hadn't seen Kibble in over an hour. I hunted around the house, hitting all of her sleeping spots, but she was not in any of them. Then I called for her repeatedly outside, but she did not come running. I had a sick moment of panic---------I looked out to the street-----thank God, there was nothing there. I was worried because about this time last year she was actually trapped by a neighbor down the block and I found her at Animal Control, quite by luck.

About the time I was really beginning to panic, I looked out to the yard again and happened to glance at the  small door of the garage. It has a window about 4 feet off the ground. Well-----there, in the window, I saw a little head peeking out! Kibble had been closed in the garage and now she was literally hanging on the trim around the window so I would see her face in the window! It was the funniest sight (not to her I'm sure.....). She has been locked in the garage before, so you'd think she'd learn. Ha!! You'd think I'd learn!

That's all for today!

When Blossom passed away the potential owner who had been waiting all this time for her cat, was still interested in having a cat. Well, it just so happens that I came across another potential cat. My neighbor down the block has a new cat that has come around. He was named "Baby"by the family. Actually we did not know if he was a male or female until we took him to the vet. He is so beautiful and FRIENDLY that I couldn't believe he did not have an owner. We took him Baby since he is so friendly and really should not be outside because of that. We took him to her house over the weekend and so far, all is well. Seems it is a good match. If not though, Baby will come right back to my neighbors who will continue to watch over him.

We have spent time winterizing the porch for the cats. All is ready for the colder weather and even though the weather is still pleasant some nights, some of them do choose to sleep on the porch in a heated bed. The cats are really enjoying the daytime weather in the 50's and 60's with sun. They have been lying about the yard and keeping me company as I cut back some of the garden and take the last of the flowers before our first frost which should be any day now.

This week I helped a friend with a kitten who needed to be trapped and neutered. Her work schedule doesn't allow her to get the cat to the Humane Society for the surgery in the morning so we have worked out a plan. We keep the cat overnight at our house. Then in the morning, Marty loaded up the kitten and I drove it over. The kitten is a female and so tiny------her name is "Itty-Bitty." Now my friend has just two more cats to get, so that is the goal for the next couple of weeks.

This week that same friend also lost a cat she was trying to place in a home. This cat just showed up one day in her yard, but was clearly not a feral--------she was just way too friendly. She was all white with a long coat, but she had not been cared for in awhile. We named her "Blossom" for a lotus blossom which is pure white. We took her to the vet as we thought she may be pregnant. It was not possible to tell yet about a pregnancy, but we did find that she had a mammary tumor. These can form in female cats when they have not been spayed and in fact is one good reason why you should spay your female cats. Anyway, we found a foster for her to have her kittens if she was indeed pregnant. Well the time passed and there were no kittens so we made the spay appointment with the vet who was to remove the tumor at the same time. She came to our house on Wednesday night. She looked so beautiful------her fur had filled in so nicely and was soft, pure white. My friend came to see her and we were so happy she was to go to her new home soon.

The next day I drove her for the surgery and acted as a contact for my friend who's job kept her from being available for this. About 10 a.m. I received a call to tell me that Blossom was not doing well with the anesthesia...... a minute later we lost her. Blossom was not pregnant, but her cancer had spread to 7 or 8 mammary glands, and her respiratory system-------her heart could not tolerate the anesthesia. The vet said even if we had not brought her in for the procedure, she only had 7-10 days to live. The saddest part of all was the vet said one of her mammary glands had already been surgically removed in the past. This means that she belonged to someone at one point (which we already knew) and that owner basically turned her out when she became sick and the costs were probably too much. How sad....... I have a very difficult time understanding why someone would do this. It seems so intentionally cruel. Poor Blossom------all she wanted was to be loved.......

I apologize profusely for all 5 of my dedicated followers that I have been off line for so long. It has been a hectic 10 days! Before everything with Jingle settled, I had to rush him to the vet once again. Tuesday morning after Labor Day, the slight scab that had formed on his forehead had been most likely scratched off, and now it was open and oozing again.So back to the vet he went for clean-up, re-check and new recommendations. He again had to be crated for the evening which of course provoked another night of vocalizing every time he heard me or Marty. I finally gave-up what I was working on that evening and joined him in the family room so I could keep him company until bedtime. The wound was closed the following morning and even slightly smaller in size so I released him back into the yard. He was and is so happy! Jingle is just not an indoor cat. Even in the cold of winter, when he is given the option of coming into the house for periods of time, he chooses not to. I am happy to say that the wound is now only a small dried scab that will fall off naturally any day now. Even the hair that was shaved is growing in and he is looking like his old self. There have been no fights to my knowledge since that night.

About 9:00 on Saturday night I noticed Jingle did not seem to be himself. He appeared lethargic and disinterested in playing. That is not usual for him, especially at that hour of night. I quickly went online to look for information on "bite wounds" and found a site with such info that scared me to death. cat bite wounds) What I was seeing in Jingle was exactly what was described in the article. For a couple of days the cat feels and acts normal. Then a fever begins to develop as the bacteria moves in and begins forming an abscess, an accumulation of pus under the skin. If not caught and treated it can lead to a very serious situation requiring surgery and or death. I have had experience with an abscess in a cat before when drainage tubes have to be inserted at the wound site. Believe me--------it is not pretty. And, it is very difficult for the cat who has to wear a collar until healed.
(This is "Hope" a cat we rescued off the street from a neighbor's yard. He required three drainage tubes in his hind quarters for several days from a bite wound abscess. I am Happy to say he recovered completely and awaits adoption at "The Cat Network" rescue. ("The Cat Network")

Anyway-----I rushed Jingle to the Emergency Room (The Animal Emergency Center). He does not like riding in a car and is very vocal about it, however on Saturday night his protestations did not have usual vigor. When we arrived, the clerk behind the counter looked at me and heard the meows and said, "Your Debra, right? With Jingle?" That shows you how many times I have been there before with my daring little boy. They are great at this Center. Very friendly, thorough, understanding......three of my cats have been treated there over the years. Jingle had a slight fever and what we originally thought (and prayed) were scratches, did turn out to be a bite. An abscess was starting to form over his left eye, as I suspected when I saw him at 9 pm. The Vets sedated him slightly and drained the abscess, gave him an anti-biotic and some pain medication and released him home with me. We had to set-up the crates at home as he had to stay confined until I could get him to another vet for an injection of "Convenia", a long-acting antibiotic that some centers and vets don't carry due to the cost. Of course this meant a night of howling, crying, and trying to get out of the crate before settling in to sleep. I went to bed about 1:45 a.m., definitely not typical for me.

Yesterday (Sunday before a holiday)-------I had to find a vet who carried the medication. Luckily I found an ER in Waukesha (a good 45 minute drive from my house) who had it. We loaded up Jingle and got going. Now Waukesha is the kind of place no one wants to drive in-------one way streets that are twisty-whindy, streets that have multiple names....... once you get into Waukesha, it is kind of like the twilight zone------you don't know how to get out. So of course, we get lost on the way, called the center numerous times for more directions, back-tracked and started again, got stopped by a train------------all the while Jingle is crying and crying in his carrier like he was being tortured! Finally-------we got there, they took Jingle, did a quick exam, gave him the injection and sent him home. The vets said the wounds looked good and he should be able to got out when we got home. Jingle was delighted of course, but he still had to cry and howl all the way home!

When we got home and I released him from the carrier on the deck, you'd think he would run as far from me as he could, but he didn't. He just wanted to swish against me and rub his cheek on me for reassurance. Then he walked around the yard, doing the same thing on his favorite plants and bushes. Then he settled in to rest.......finally! And me.......???? First I went to get an ice cream sundae, which I totally deserved and then------I did the same thing (the resting, that is)       :-)

That's life with my feral colony!

We watched Jingle throughout the day yesterday and he seems to be OK-------maybe a little beat-up and sore, but OK. Actually, I do think Jingle inflicted more harm than he received, but I'll let the other cat be the judge of that. The puncture on his forehead appears dry and scabbed over and there does not seem to be any sign of a wound on the cheek, other than he does not want to be touched there right now. That's understandable. He's eating and drinking fine and was even somewhat playful last evening. It cooled down significantly yesterday and actually the cats love this 60 degree weather, especially Jingle. With his coat, anything warmer is just not that comfy I imagine.

So Jingle dodged a bullet this time-------again! He has had several emergency room visits in the past and over the course of the past couple of years has been to the vet more than any other cat. Part of this is because he is fully vaccinated-------the other part is because he does seem to be somewhat-------shall we say----------daring??? He walks across the top of the 6 foot fence, climbs half way up the large box-elder tree in back, crawls up onto the roof of the garage.......and so on. You get the picture. A year ago Marty and I visited family in NY city. We had a great nephew we had not met yet. We arranged for the neighbor girls Tess and Janey to take care of the cats which they have done before. (They have watched the cats grow-up through their windows and over the fence.) I came home after a week because I did not feel I could leave the cats for longer------too much can happen. And after all------if something did happen, I am the only one who can get the cats into a carrier.

Getting out of NY was a hassle and I was delayed several hours (of course). When I got home it was 9:30 at night. I was excited to see the cats. I began calling them and within minutes they all started showing up, but when I saw Jingle, I knew immediately that something was wrong. He had some sort of wound above and very close to his left eye. I absolutely panicked! I called Marty and started loosing it over the phone------hysteria, big time! Marty finally said, "Debra! If you don't calm down you are not going to be able to help him!" Of course he was right. I did calm down. I got the carrier and somehow, I think with God's help, I managed to get him in it.

Now, no cat likes a carrier, but you'd think I was killing Jingle the way he howls from the carrier. So---picture this------I was driving down the street as fast as legally possible, at 10 at night with a howling, injured cat in the front seat next to me. Thank God (once again, that night)------that the ER was quiet. No other pet was there that night at that time. They took Jingle for an assessment right away. The wound was a couple of days old the vet thought and infection was beginning to set in. (Unfortunately, since Jingle does not get very close to the girls when they come to feed the cats, they were not able to see the injury.)The vet also said, "This cat is extraordinarily lucky. First----he has you for an owner. Second-------his eye is not injured." She went on to say that it was difficult to tell what caused the laceration on the eyelid above the eye, but she did not think it was a bite because there was no other wound representing the other "half" of the bite wound pattern.

The good news was of course that his eye was not affected. The bad news was he needed surgery, stitches, pain medication and antibiotics. Oh-------and he would have to wear a color for 10 days. And, also, forget about him going outside for those 10 days of course. So I had to ready a room at my house for Jingle to recover in. I could not give him free range in the house (unfortunately) because he has "marked" in the house on occasion. So he was confined to the laundry room for 10 days. I think that was one of the worst 10 days of my life and probably his too! Jingle is such an outdoor cat, that it was very hard for him to be inside during that time. Of course the first few days he was medicated for pain, but he cried at night. I would wake and hear him and go down to comfort him. Then when he started to feel better, he was so crazy to get out of the laundry room that I thought he would injure something else. I was emotionally drained and exhausted after those ten days. But, in the end when the stitches were removed, Jingle healed and he healed well. The vet was very proud of the job she did and I was so glad I had come home when I did.

Tonight is one of those times you don't like being a community cat caregiver-------Jingle was in a fight tonight. Even though he is neutered and really is a sweet cat overall, he is fiercely territorial and will readily clash with any intruder. There is a cat in the neighborhood named "Blackie"-----yes, of course he is black! He technically belongs to my friend and neighbor's colony down the block, but he was trapped and neutered by us before we even knew that. We had given him the name of "Bits"------you know----that way we would have a "Kibble" and "Bits" like the food.(ha, ha) Anyway, for some reason this cat brings out the worst in Jingle and they have gotten into many conflicts.

Tonight I heard this terrible howling from the front of the house. When I went out to investigate, I saw Jingle but could not see the other cat who was under a fir tree on the corner of the house. I was clapping my hands and yelling, to try to break-up what was going on to no avail. Suddenly, Jingle dove under the tree and a moment later he and the other cat were howling, clawing and rolling around in the plants and mud out front. I could not really see the other cat well because it was so dark, but I think it was Blackie. Normally, I would try to intervene physically myself, but they were going at it fiercely and I was afraid of getting in their way. (I have been bitten before and gone through the whole rabies thing------that's another story.)

Finally, the other cat took off and Jingle went reeling after him-----around the corner of the block. I was petrified that this chase would lead them out into the street and there were cars coming in both directions. For a moment my heart sank as the ramifications of that hit me, but thank God both cats careened around the corner and down the block into a neighbor's yard. I looked for Jingle and called him, but got no response. About 10 minutes later, I saw him in the yard. He was wet and muddy because it has been raining tonight, but he seemed OK. He was agitated------didn't want to be touched and parked himself right in front of the porch door as if to convey, "Nobody comes into my space without tangling with me."

I went about my normal clean-up on the porch and in the house, putting the food dishes up, picking-up cat toys and so on. When I finally went over to Jingle to calm and reassure him, I found he was bleeding on his left cheek. Now I do have a tendency to over-react where the cats are concerned (as my husband will tell you) so I stayed calm and tried to get a look at it. Jingle was not cooperative at all. A few minutes later, he had blood on his ruff under his neck as well. I think (I hope) that is from the same spot on the cheek and most likely got there just from him moving around and perhaps trying to groom himself. I am not sure if it is a scratch or a bite. Of course, a bite is far worse-------infection can set in and the wound can abcess leading sometimes to surgery and drain tubes being placed--------I have been through that with several other cats and it is not pretty so I am truly praying that he has just been scratched. Thank goodness he is fully vaccinated against FIV (cat HIV), leukemia and rabies. All out door cats really should be, but especially males as they are more likely to fight. We are watching him tonight. So far Jingle seems OK------he was on the porch resting, but now has actively joined the other cats in pursuit ANOTHER mouse that Hunter brought home---------this is the third one in 24 hours!!!( I saved the other two, but I'm afraid this one is one his own!) So maybe he will be all right. Please say a prayer for him.........Thanks!

It is hard to believe the summer is coming to a close. It is always this way in Wisconsin------just seems like summer arrived and then it is already over. It has been very hot this July and August. The cats continue to laze around the yard and garden in the heat. They are quite content to lie in the grass at night when it cools a bit. I am already thinking of when and how we will "winterize" the porch. It changes a little every year. The two-story heated house is loaned out to a neighbor who has a few cats that we have worked together to TNR (trap-neuter-return) so this gives us more space to configure the beds for the winter. I recently bought a new one I think they will like. I make sure every cat has a heated bed and also provide a couple that aren't heated for the cats who are warm enough with their coats. It is good to have enough "space" for them to walk around to prevent any tiffs. We won't close-up the porch until then end of September, so for now-----I guess I should just enjoy what's left of the nice weather. Winter will be here soon enough!

As I was sitting in the yard tonight, after feeding the cats their "dinner", I observed Snow and Braveheart together as usual, nudging and grooming each other. Braveheart walked away to lie under one of the huge hosta plants in the garden. Then Snow walked up to Hunter and actually head-butted him and then touched noses with him! These are both good things in the world of cats------and it shows that after 8+ months, Hunter is finally beginning to be accepted by her. That is also a good thing because as we all know, Snow "rules the roost" so to speak. So if she accepts him, the others eventually will too. Now breaking through to the two boys in the group is still another matter. Most of the time, they tread lightly with Hunter-------they all try to stay out of each others' way.

For the first time Snow actually touched noses with me. This is a big deal! It requires a lot of trust.  Cats touch noses with each other as a sign of affection, acknowledgement and bonding. It has taken almost 5 years for this to happen so it feels very special.

The group has dragged home all types of "things" this week------the usual cicadas (yuk!), a dragonfly (I managed to rescue him) a and last night-----a mouse that was no bigger than the tip of my thumb. Hunter brought the mouse in his mouth. Just the tail hanging out (OMG), but of course the mouse was not dead. Hunter released the mouse and all the cats were chasing it around the porch. I usually try to intervene, but Hunter picked the mouse up in his mouth again and I thought, "OK, he's a gonner." Well, he wasn't. The cats continued this "activity" out on the front lawn for about an hour. (I know, I know-----the poor mouse.) Then I noticed they were back on the porch chasing something again. I could not believe it was still the same mouse and he was still alive! He was backed into a corner behind the floor lamp where the cats couldn't get him and appeared in tack. So, I went to work----I managed to capture the mouse in a towel and deposited him in some bushes in the yard. I figured I give him another chance. I did not find any "surprises" this morning, so maybe he made it!

Today as I was preparing the dinner for the cats, Kibble and Hunter were in the kitchen with me. Usually there is animosity between these two as Kibble wants to be the only cat in the house. But today, she went over to Hunter while he was lying on the kitchen floor and began smelling him. I have seen this before, but then------- she began grooming him on the head! I almost fell over. She licked him and licked him, and he moved his head closer and squinted his eyes------a true sign of relaxation. So I have hope that these two will maybe eventually form somewhat of a bond. That would be nice for both of them.

Jingle is my Tuxedo boy. He is from the second litter that Snow had. He has a beautiful, soft, silky coat, with a beautiful, furry tail, that somehow stays untangled, and-------he has big round eyes. He is my most photo-genic cat. For some reason, he just knows how to strike a pose-----don't you agree? He is truly an outdoor cat. Not that he isn't interested in the house-----he does like to come in for short explorations, but he definitely prefers to be outdoors, even in the cold weather. It is not unusual to see him out in the sun on a cold winter day. Of course, he also enjoys having a warm porch and heated bed to sleep in. He is a loving cat and often vocalizes to me. He also really enjoys playing in the yard when I bring out any of the "wand" toys that I have for them.

He is very close to Snow and Braveheart, constantly swishing and head-butting them. He will also do this with me, especially when I am out in the yard. He will follow me all around sometimes and meow and swish against me. He loves having his head and neck scratched. Jingle was very close to "Fuzzywig" as well. When I was trapping the second litter, two of the kittens were suitable for adoption, so when I brought Jingle home......the only family he had left was his mother, Snow. Snow was beginning to separate from him as he was getting older and it was time for him to go off on his own in her mind. I remember looking out the window at him, all alone once, and being struck with profound sadness that I had taken away his family. It was at this time that Fuzzywig came to our yard. He and Jingle were about the same age and so they bonded immediately. I was so happy about that. I know he is feeling a bit lost now without Fuzzywig, so I have been trying to give him extra attention.

Of all the cats he also has been the most "vetted" cat. Lucky him. There are several stories to tell about that-------but those are for another day.

It happens every year-----in July and August we get these large, black bugs in and around the yard. We have always called them "heat bugs" because you hear their buzzing during the heat of the day. They are God awful, ugly! Think of a fly that is 2 inches long----yuck. Anyway, Kibble, the "princess diva" is a master bug catcher. She stalks them, watches them, catches them and of course----brings them home to me. Sometimes they are dead, and sometimes they are not. The fun is in playing with them-----batting them around and jumping at them if they fly. All the cats will gather around the bug for the entertainment. It is the one time I don't see any conflict among them. They are all focused on the bug! The heat bugs are the sloths of the bug world------very slow moving. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if they are even alive or not because they are so inactive. I have observed Kibble sit under a tree watching a bug until she finds an opportunity to nab it. This morning when I went out to the porch------there were three of these bugs. Two dead, one alive. I do the right thing and herd the living ones off the porch (even though they give me the creeps!). The smart ones fly away. The other ones------well, they just may find themselves back on the porch for another round of play.

Kibble was the boldest cat of all Snow's kittens. She showed interest in me and bravery in approaching me from the start. She is very clever and smart and figured out quickly that the click of the porch door meant food. She would pop-up from under the deck (alone) and peer at me placing the food on the porch. Then she'd wait for me to go back inside before coming on the porch to eat. Little by little she gained trust with me and came closer during feeding times as well. She was a model for all of the other cats, who kind of hung back and watched what was happening. She was the first cat I could touch, the first cat to come in the house, the first cat for a lot of things. She has become my little companion around the house and the yard. She follows me around when I go out to cut or dead-head flowers, always near, watching me and relaxing. She's also very possessive of me-----does not get along too well with the other cats, really. She tolerates them-----barely.

She has many nicknames (all the cats have at least one). She's the "Princess", the "Princess-diva", "Spunkin-punkin", "The Kibbler" and many more. (I don't really have a process for the nicknames other than they have to descriptively fit the cat in some way. I know it's a little crazy, but admit it------you have nicknames for you pets too!)

An interesting story about Kibble.......the first winter the cats were with us, it was just Snow and the 5 kittens. We really had no appropriate shelter for them. We didn't quite know how to provide shelter. I remember our first attempt was to put a box under the deck with some blankets in it. What a laugh! That was destroyed with the first snow. Then we rigged up a spot on the porch in the corner that is protected by the house on 2 sides. We put the frame from a stool down, put a glass top on it, filled it with blankets and draped a blanket over part of the opening to keep out as much wind as possible. The porch was just screened-in, so the wind and snow could come in if blowing the right way. However, most of the time it was dry and the cats curled up together and slept the winter away.

By the next winter, there were cats from a second litter and Kibble was even less enthusiastic about them than her own siblings. So around November she decided to take off on her own. I was really disheartened because I had become so attached to her, but she was and is free to make up her own mind about these things and clearly wanted to go. She did come around to eat from time to time so I knew she was OK, but I did miss her. In the meantime, I had found a fantastic website that advertised outdoor cathouses. Outdoor Cathouses . Some of them were heated. I ordered one immediately. When I received it and the cats used it, I ordered another one that was two stories high (cat stories, that is).

Tuffy in Two-Story House

(Sorry I can't figure out how to orient the picture correctly) Anyway-----Kibble came for a visit in early March, which is still cold, crappy weather here. She took one look around at the accommodations and hasn't left since. The next winter we had a storm door and storm windows made for the porch so the cats really have it good. Then Kibble decided last November that she would be a "housecat." She stayed in the house all winter, sleeping inside and using a litterbox as well (no training needed). I wondered if she would stay "indoors" when the nice weather came, but as I said, she is smart......she of course wants to go out! But, she never goes too far and I'm certain come the cold days of November, she'll be my little "housecat" for the winter. That's all right with me.

Well------I have been off-line for several days again due to the catastrophic (ha, ha, no pun intended!) weather we have had here in Milwaukee in the past couple of days. Thursday night the sky got that funny looking color that always signals severe weather. Within a half hour tornado warnings were posted and severe downpours hit my area. We have never seen anything like this........the TV channel office not too far from our home reported 5 1/2 inches of rain in 45 minutes! Total rainfall for the day----8 inches-----if you can imagine that! The neighborhood had water rushing down the street like it was a river. Concrete from the street was just flipped up in the air by the force of the water. Cars and people were stranded all over the place.

The cats behavior during these types of storms is always interesting. Several of them will seek dryness and safety on the covered porch. A couple of them will come in the house. One of them----that crazy Braveheart-----runs for cover under the deck only to emerge hours later after the storm has passed, safe but a little wet! Thursday night we actually had Kibble, Hunter and Snow in the house with us. Jingle was on the porch and Braveheart, of course---under the deck. We were trying to herd the inside cats downstairs in the basement family room because of the tornado warning. Marty was glued to the TV as I tried to entertain the cats. With the amount of rain that was coming down, we were hoping we wouldn't get any perimeter leaking. A few times in 20 some years this has happened with extremely high amounts of rain. It has never been anything that couldn't be dealt with by using a few old towels.

All of a sudden on we noticed water coming in. We jumped up------chased the cats back upstairs-----started grabbing towels and rugs and blankets to try and stop the water. Where was it coming from? It was coming in so fast!! Which wall---------Holy Smokes!!! The sewer drain was backing up!! OMG. I have never seen anything like it. Marty was trying, without success to bail water down the washtub drain, but the water came out so fast their wasn't anything that could be done. Within a few minutes, our entire basement family room, laundry and storage areas were full of raw sewage water. I tried to grab what I could to save. Yuck----walking around in that water to grab stuff was disgusting. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.

Our neighbors are in the same situation we found as we were all comparing notes later that evening. Finally, during a lull in the weather, Braveheart came out from under the deck. He ran over to me mewing softly as he does and just waited for me to start rubbing him dry with a towel. He tolerates this well as I think he knows what I am trying to do.

We had to cutoff many of the breakers because we now had electrical under water. We sure didn't want a fire. So, no lights, no computer. We started making calls to the insurance company and got emergency workers lined up to deal with the removal and cleaning. People have been in and out of the house all day long. The cats are generally affected by this kind of activity. They become tense and more reclusive until things quiet down. More to come tomorrow-----.

                                                                      Braveheart

He is a most spectacularly handsome cat-------don't you agree? He is from the first litter and the lead male cat now. He did not always have that position. When "Tuffy" was living, Tuffy was the lead cat. But after his death (another story for another day) Braveheart took over that role. Of course, "Snow" is the top, top cat-------no doubt about that-----------but Braveheart is certainly next in line. He was given his name by my father when he was still alive. Upon seeing how shy and reticent he was as a kitten, my dad remarked in his gruff, humorous, tongue-in-cheek manner------"a real Braveheart, hey???" and the name stuck. It is appropriate though, as he is regal and very protective of his clan, like his namesake. He is the lookout of the group, and quick to challenge any intruder to the yard (cat intruder, that is.......). He is also very gentle, skittish and most loving. He is very close with Snow and Jingle, but especially with Snow. He follows her just about everywhere. They swish and headbutt a lot. It took longer for me to get close to him than it did to get close to his mom, but he is very loving with me now. He loves to have the side of his face scratched or brushed and will lean into any strokes with my hand or a brush. Sometimes he lies down exposing his belly to me while I continue to brush and massage him. He purrs and even drools------for a few minutes. Then he'll get up quickly and look around as if to say----"did anyone see that?" He is very playful with toys and can get pretty spunky in the evening, running around the yard. In the winter he is very funny with snow when it falls. He goes out to the deck and runs through the new snow using his paws as shovels to scoop the snow up in the air. Then he jumps at it as if it's a mouse he's caught! He does come indoors, but usually doesn't want to stay for too long. He's mostly an outdoor cat. In spite of his short coat, he is well equipped as he has an extremely dense coat with a heavy, downy under coat. This summer with the hot humid weather, he has been spending time under the papasan chair on the porch where the floor is cool and protected from the sun.

Everything went fine with Snow's spay and she was back with her two litters in no time. Over the course of the next 6 months while the cats settled in on the back porch for the fall and winter, I would go out to the porch throughout the day and take toys and treats with me. While it is innate for cats to hunt and play, playing with "man-made" toys, is something they have to learn. I noticed that during these "play" sessions, Snow was very interested in the "toys." This became our key to connecting to each other. She desperately wanted to play and I desperately wanted her to become less afraid of me. I tried a variety of toys and found that she was very playful indeed with all of them. Little by little I just moved the playing closer to me. When possible, I would put my hand down and gently touch her. She would be surprised and then move away, but only for a moment. We did this little dance over and over again.

Then, one day, it all changed. It is a quite remarkable thing when it happens. All of a sudden it clicked in her head-----"that touch feels good,"-----------and she leaned into me momentarily. It happened in an instant, like turning on a light. That was the beginning of our love affair. It turns out that the most wild, most feral, most fierce cat who stood down a raccoon once--------is very loving and affectionate with me. She will come running when she hears toys being pulled out or even when she hears my voice call or my car arrive home. But she frequently comes in during the day when the porch doors are open just to see me, get head rubs,  and to "head butt" with me (this is a form of affection between cats and serves the purpose of strengthening the familial bonds).

Snow is the undeniable leader of Feral Fables as she is the oldest female. She has many ways she asserts her authority with the other cats. An unexpected bop, a hiss, a loud cranky "meow", the refusal to swish or head-butt with another member-----when I am playing with another cat, she will walk right in the middle of the whole interaction as if to say----"this is my turf, my toy and I want to play NOW!" When I talk on the phone or even have a normal conversation with my husband, Snow gets all upset and starts meowing at me loudly. If this has no effect, she will actually come and take my hand (or my foot) in her mouth as if to say, "stop or I will have to bite you!" (even though she never has). I have realized she does this because she does not really like my "normal" voice, only my high-pitched, baby-talking voice that I use with her and the other cats. Recently, my favorite thing with Snow is she jumps up and over the couch, and demands a head rub, drooling the entire time I am giving it to her. Wild, indeed!!

Snow is the mother cat pictured in the header bar. We had seen her around the neighborhood every now and then the spring and summer of 2005. I called her the "cow cat" because her markings remind me of the Guernsey cows we see here in Wisconsin so often. (I'm sure she would be mortified to know she was referred to in that manner.) Once she settled here with the kittens I knew we needed a proper name for her. One day as I was trying to think of a good name I looked out at her sitting in the yard when snow was on the ground and "Snow" seemed to fit. She was a very feral cat. I am sure born outside (not kicked out or thrown out as many neighborhood cats are). She would immediately hide when she saw my face even through the window. As the kittens began to trust me, her fear of me began to subside. But this took an extremely long time. Well over a year.

She was an excellent mother to both of her litters------yes, she got pregnant again before we could trap her-------she never ate before them. She always waited until they were done and then approached the bowl. She was cautious, loving, tolerant of their pawing and play and very fierce when needed. One summer evening in 2006 when she had returned to the yard with the second litter, Snow was on the deck with her kittens as the neighborhood raccoon came under the fence from the next yard over. She ran right up to that raccoon (at least twice her size) with her teeth barred, claws out and howling. That raccoon took one look at her and took off like a shot!! I was shocked, particularly because I have seen raccoons raise themselves up on their hind legs and they are menacing looking when they do this. But this raccoon knew better than to mess with this mama cat.

As far as trapping her to spay her---------she was pretty clever. Marty and I repeatedly set the trap only to have no luck. We were getting frantic as we knew as the second litter matured, that she would separate from them and go off and get PG again. I could not handle that. We were getting desperate. One of the Humane Society workers shared a way to set the trap that used one of the kittens sort of as a lure without harming the kitten. We already had trapped "Jingle" and he was set to be released. The suggestion was to put the traps back to back so mom would be fooled into going into the trap to get her kitten. OMG! First-------Jingle, cried and cried to be released. That is awful to listen to------heartbreaking! But we had to be tough to get this mama cat for her own good! Next thing I knew, Snow had laid down next to the trap and was nursing Jingle through the bars of the trap! That broke my heart right there. I said to Marty, "I cannot do this anymore!", and went out and released Jingle.

One night, we decided to set the trap because we were going to be home and the weather was good. But I had just fed the cats so I really did not think we would have any luck getting Snow. We were sitting at the kitchen table looking out at the yard, watching the kittens and the trap. All of a sudden we noticed Snow was walking around the trap smelling the food. I thought-----she'll never go in. She just ate! But she kept smelling. Marty and I were in the house repeating the mantra, "Go in the trap.... go int the trap." Much to our surprise-----she went in. OMG! You would think the Packers had won another Super Bowl the way we jumped up, yelled, high-fived each other and danced around the kitchen! Finally we had gotten our mama cat.

One week ago I buried my baby boy, Fuzzywig. He was the cutest, fuzzy-ist, ball of fur you ever did see. I would like to share the letter I sent to friends and family about him:


It is with profound sadness in my heart that I write to tell you, last Monday morning I found my beloved cat “ Fuzzywig” lying dead at the side of the road just a half block from the only home he ever knew. He had been hit by a car---a speeding one no doubt. People drive way to fast on this street. They don’t look for cats, or dogs or even kids.

It is hotter than hell here in Wisconsin today. One of those humid summer days we get because of our proximity to Lake Michigan. One of those days I wish we had central air.....yeah, we are living in the dark ages here with only a window air conditioner for the bedroom. We live  in a house with radiator heat so the installation of central air would be big bucks. It is interesting now that I have cats that everything gets turned into what I call "cat value." For instance-----central air......the cat value of that could be 10 emergency room trips......for the cats that is. Or central air could be a lifetime supply of flea medication, vet trips or so many toys I wouldn't be able to keep track, and so on. I never thought I would see things in this way, but the cats have become very close to my heart and I basically would do and have done anything for them. They are miserable in this heat today as well-------they are slow, lazy, lethargic. Not even too hungry. They deal with the heat by finding the large hosta plants and other bushes in my yard and curling up under them for the afternoon until the heat of the day passes (that is Jingle in the photo). They are so well hidden that even I can't always find them when I want to.

The first time we trapped, we had no idea what we were doing. My husband, Marty, handled the traps, putting them on the porch or deck in the position we wanted. I prepared the food and set the traps. We had to be a team because I could not handle the traps myself. (It is important to note that we only used humane traps that do not harm the cats in any way.) That Sunday afternoon we had three traps (that's all we could get). We set them on the porch and waited quietly. We spied through the glass and silently encouraged the cats, "go in the trap, go in the trap," laughing and praying at the same time. Snow (the mom)  would not even come on the porch with the traps----she was too smart for that. But the kittens, now about 6 months old were not so wary.

It wasn't long.....Boom--boom--boom!! The three traps snapped closed and we had trapped our first cats. We were shocked that it happened so easily. (It is not always the case). We quickly covered them with towels as we had learned to do (it calms them) and took them to the prepared area in the basement. They would spend the night there. In the morning, Marty loaded up my car and I drove them to the humane society for their surgeries. The humane society workers unloaded the cats for me (they are saints!), I registered them and went home to wait. Everything went well and I picked them up that night. Once again Marty took them to the basement area to recover and at the designated time, we released them into our yard. They all bolted out of the traps, but they returned the next day, hungry as usual. That was in February of 2006. Since then we have TNR'ed over 40 cats.

As the winter progressed we had so many absolutely hesterical moments watching the kittens in the yard. Everything was new of course. I remember the first snow....... they jumped at the flakes, pawed them, tried to catch them in their mouths.....there were little kitten paw prints all over the deck! Snow, the mother, had her moments of spunkiness as well. But-----one thing we worried about---------when is a kitten ready to mate? (5-6 months of age) and do they mate with each other? (they sure do) and how many cats could that potentially be? (thousands, literally thousands within a couple of years). So we began to panic. How are we going to get these cats neutered? I made some phone calls thinking I could find a vet with reduced rates with no success. I also called the Wisconsin Humane Society thinking they could give me some vet referrals. I was so surprised when I described my situation and WHS worker told me, "why, we do that here." The next thing we needed to know was how? That is when we learned all about Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). Our humane society had a TNR program. We could rent traps from them for a small amount. They would neuter the cats, vaccinate them, micro-chip them and return them to us to be released back into our yard as long as we agreed to care for them by providing food and water. I went through the short training and we enthusiastically began.

You may wonder why we didn't trap the cats and then take them to a shelter for adoption. The fact is most feral cats are afraid of humans and so they do not make suitable pets. Some of them can be socialized, but it takes an extremely long time and a lot of dedication on the part of the caretaker. The cats are actually happier outside, even in the middle of the Wisconsin winter. Even being enclosed inside a warm house, with no way out, will panic a feral cat. That doesn't mean they don't want our help in the form of a shelter and food and water. Over time, if you are lucky-------they will let you into their world, not the other way around. To learn more about feral cats and TNR you can go to:

•  www.alleycat.org         
•  www.bestfriends.org
•  www.wihumane.org                  

The kittens, all 5 of them, were not born at our house. They were born a few houses down on the other side of the alley, under a garage which is somewhat elevated. Snow (the mother cat) brought them down here to our house, under the deck when they were about 6 weeks old. They nestled under the deck, close to the house near where the dryer vents for warmth. I remember that winter during the really cold days I would intentionally do laundry to keep the dryer going, imagining that this would help them keep warm. Another thing we did after a snow storm, was we tried to fashion a box with a blanket and a cover. We shoved it under the deck thinking this would help, but it was never used. It was pretty pathetic looking I admit in retrospect.

By January, the cats all knew the sound of the screen door opening when I came out to feed them. They would climb out from under the deck and wait for me to come out. We had started to prop the screen door open so they could come into the screen porch that is off the back of the house. We started feeding there because of rain initially and then due to the snow. At least it was protected, even though it was just a screen porch. Eventually, the kittens would actually come onto the porch while I was putting the food out, never getting too close though. The mother-----well, she was a different story. She never came onto the porch with me present and she never ate before her kittens. She waited outside the porch door. When I went back into the house and her kittens were done eating, she would slowly enter the porch and eat. This took an extreme amount of trust on her part. Feral cats are very wary of any place with only one entrance. They are extremely afraid of being cornered. An ideal place for them to live has several ways to enter and leave. But this mother cat had not brought her kittens to just anybody------she had brought them to me, and I think she knew I would not hurt them. I think at some level it was instinctual-------the understanding we had.

Anyway----the back porch does have a corner which is protected by the brick house on to sides and this is where we set-up the next make-shift shelter, which did survive the winter. We took the stool part of one of those "papasan" chairs that you buy from Pier 1. We put a blanket down then the stool on top. We covered it with a bunch more blankets then topped it with a piece of beveled glass we had from a table. We made the entrance somewhat covered to protect them from any wind. That worked!! The cats spent the rest of the winter nestled in that little house on the porch.

It is strange to me that as I begin telling the story of "Feral Fables" which is so interconnected with hurricane Katrina, that another disaster in the Gulf has hit and with far more ferocity. I am sickened by the fall-out from this oil spill. I am moved to tears watching the pictures on the news showing the state of the wildlife or the devastating losses of the people who live there. It is a disaster of global proportion. My heart-felt prayers are offered to all.

So over the next few months as I healed, alone at home (my husband at work), I cared for the cats the best I could. Right after back surgery------I didn't even want to get out of bed, (even though I was supposed to get up and move around) but now I did have the cats to look after. In the beginning this was basically just putting out food for them. Sometimes this was quite humorous. Picture not being able to bend over or stoop down much (because of the stupid brace) and trying to feed a cat a bowl of kibble. There were times I literally just had to pour the kibble on the deck. The cats didn't mind though. But I got better at devising means of dispensing the food properly and over time my movement improved too. That winter, watching the cats was my (our) pastime. It became a habit-----always walking by the window or porch door to see "what's going on." I heard another writer coin this action as "cat patrol" which fits perfectly. One of the things you do to recover from the type of back surgery I had, is to walk. Well, in Wisconsin, in the middle of winter, nobody walks outside anywhere if they don't have to. So I used to do laps around the house and as I did them, I'd watch outside for any "cat action." I must have spent hundreds of hours that first winter on "cat patrol." The kittens had been born about Sept. 1 so that winter, they were learning about the world------which was my backyard. All the world unfolded to them with their mother, Snow, close by their sides and their other mother, me, never too far behind---always watching from the window, slowly healing with each day.

In August of 2005, when Katrina was destroying the entire Gulf Coast, I was flat on my back awaiting yet another back surgery. I was horrified by what I saw and yet felt so helpless. I could not jump in a car and drive down there to lend support. I could not go to my local church or shelter and pack-up boxes and load them on trucks. I could not stand on my feet all day and serve food to those doing heavy labor. I could give some money, but not a lot in the over all picture of things. I felt pretty helpless. I had my surgery which then involved wearing a hard brace for 3 months and then going through 3 or more months of therapy. One day, not long after I came home from the hospital, when my cleaning lady was at the house (something I have had to have for many years due to my back problems-not because I'm rich!) she called upstairs to me, "Debra----did you know you have a family of cats out here on your deck?" I certainly did not!! I slowly came downstairs to investigate this situation. There on the deck was a beautiful black and snowy white mother cat with her 5 kittens. It was starting to get really cold here in Wisconsin and I knew then......this was something I could do. I could feed and care for these cats. I could not save the Gulf Coast, but I could maybe save the lives in my backyard........That was the beginning of Feral Fables.