Cat Tale

This past weekend we had a new visitor to our backyard... a little black kitten. Both Angie and I happened to notice it on Saturday afternoon at different times. How cute but also how odd. Did a neighbour lose it? Or?

My trail cam picked up this image, which I then shared on our community Facebook page, asking if anyone was missing a kitten.

I got a few comments but no one claimed it to be theirs.

About 2 minutes after that cam capture, I got this one.

Our neighbourhood really isn't the best location for a little feral cat all out on his own.

I then posted about the cat to a Toronto Lost and Found pet page. That got shared from there to other pages. I never got anyone missing a cat but I got a lot of hands up to take him in. I'm sure there were some people with good intentions for the cat but how could I be sure? I thanked a few and said I would keep them in mind while we got a better handle on the situation, if the cat continued to come around, if no one claimed it.

The cat was back on Sunday. I went out and got some kitten food.

I should mention the cat took to hiding under our shed a lot. He would peek out at us but quickly hide again. He was food driven but preferred to eat as close to being under the shed as possible.

We estimate he was maybe 3 months old tops.

A couple more cam captures.

I wonder what he thought about this crew being so close to his hiding spot?

And then a couple opossums that come around.

He would appear when the coast was clear. Funny about the ring like appearance on his tail, eh?

He found the squirrels rather interesting.

We wound up feeding him at 8 am, noon and then around 6 pm. He quickly figured out the white dish we used meant food was coming. He would come out from under the shed in 20 - 30 seconds.

On Monday I tested the waters with him again, sitting on an old wooden bench nearby. He tolerated my closer presence while he ate.

On Tuesday I again moved his dish a little bit so I could see him better from the bench. He was okay with me sitting and watching him.

About 45 minutes after breakfast, Angie and I watched him playing in the grass near the shed. We think he was chasing a moth. It gave me the idea to bring out one of Merry and Molly's bazillion cat toys and see what would happen.

I brought out one of those those plastic balls with a bell inside. It didn't take long for the kitten to react and start batting the ball around on the ground. I texted Angie who was inside working to let her know what was happening. She came out to join me for a bit and we watched him have a really good time with this ball.

At lunch time, I went out again with the camera. I was happy to see him not run and hide under the shed. I still couldn't get close to him but this was a big step between us.

During these couple days, I was sharing on social media about the goings on with this cat with those on my page. It certainly got a lot of attention. A few people put their hands up to take him. A few were talking to me privately on rescue places who could help him. In such a short span of time, there was a lot of discussion with a few about the kitten.

Angie and I talked about taking him in. We knew it wasn't a great idea, mainly because of our budgie Moonie.

Merry and Molly have that cat vs bird instinct on occasion and we are managing that. Neither of us wanted to chance it further with a 3rd cat in the house. Secondly, we didn't feel that either Merry or Molly would approve. Merry acted out when I was outside with the kitten even though Merry and I were 100 ft apart she sensed something was up. When I came back inside, she was ridiculously clingy and vocal with me, following me all over the house. Now with Molly, she gets jealous if Angie gives Merry too much attention. What would Molly do if Angie gave the kitten attention over Molly? Merry and Molly are only 5 but we don't think throwing a kitten at any older cat is a good idea.

It was kinda fun having this cute little cat to look after out back, but we knew it had to be dealt with. A life outdoors is no life for any cat, especially a kitten. We were willing to work through the week with him but no longer than that.

It was difficult getting through to cat rescues. I've experienced this in the past. A couple never got back to me just like years ago with another cat. I was in shock when the Toronto Cat Rescue did reply to my plea for help. There was a lot of back and forth emailing with one volunteer. It looked promising that they could help us help the kitten. Then later Tuesday evening it was not looking like it so much. They recently stepped in to help with yet another ridiculous cat hoarding situation in Toronto. Who the hell could possibly be able to take care of 150 cats? I was thinking about the next rescue centre to try and contact or give the cat up to one of the people offering to take him although none of the situations were the most ideal for the kitten. I mean, all were better than life on the street, but all involved homes with other cats already present.

Taking in a feral cat, no matter the age, there should be a quarantine period for starts. Having cats in the house already makes this a difficult thing to do. It could make the other cats sick if the feral is carrying anything. Deworming is something that needs to be done as well as most likely a flea and tick treatment. Again, not things you want to bring into the house with one's other cats already there. Never mind vaccines and eventually a spay or neuter.

A feral would need a quiet home with people who have patience and understanding to the cat's needs. A feral kitten would adjust much faster than an adult but still, that adjustment period is there. A lot of people don't do any of this. Sometimes it works out. More often it doesn't. I hear a lot of stories where it isn't a happy household and they just live through it. If we could avoid this, we would.

Anyway, about 10:15 pm on Tuesday night I got the green light from Toronto Cat Rescue that they would take him in. Can I get a hell yeah?

I have a live squirrel trap at home. It's helped me with a number of injured wildlife situations the last few years. This cat wasn't bigger than a squirrel so it should do fine. Wednesday morning I set the trap with breakfast inside. The kitten was not there and I found that unsettling. He did show up about 15 minutes later than usual. I wonder if he was watching me from under the shed and wasn't sure about this weird thing out there with his food inside? His hunger got the best of him and in he went. He set the trap off in seconds which probably startled him but he devoured the big helping of wet kitten food anyway.

I let the TCR volunteer know I had the kitten. I called the vet clinic who was to take him in for the rescue. There was a delay here because the clinic did not get the notice about this cat yet and would not accept him until they got proper notice from someone in charge at Toronto Cat Rescue. Argh!

I was stressing because the clinic is in Scarborough. We live on the border to Etobicoke. The drive there is easily 45 minutes. How long would this all take? I have to work in the afternoon!

I started contacting some friends who might be able to step in if things were going to happen later. I was about to email our vet about fostering the kitten for the night if need be. Then my phone rang. It was TCR. The clinic was now informed about me bringing the cat in and I could head over.

It was a bit of an adventure getting the cat out of the trap and into my rescue carrier. He's tiny and young but he knew that his teeth and claws plus a lot of hissing were his defences. He had a bit of a freak out on me but I wasn't going to be intimidated. I firmly grabbed him with my gloved hand and put him in the carrier. Once inside, with the door shut, he quickly submitted. He had a bed of old work shirts of mine to lay on.

The drive to the clinic took about 45 minutes. Kitty just chilled out in the carrier and looked at me the whole way. Well maybe not in this photo but he did.

That little face. Those eyes! *sigh*

I gently talked to him here and there on the drive. I told him he was going to be okay, that I wouldn't let anything bad happen to him. I hoped my calm soft voice would put him at ease.

He cried his head off in the trap but not a peep out of him in the carrier. Hmmmm?

We got to the clinic and it was a very quick stop for me. I told them my wife named the cat Sinatra because his eyes often looked more blue than yellow over the couple days we watched him. You know Sinatra, old blue eyes, right? They thought that was great.

I never released his name during my posts those couple days. Personalizing an animal like that, especially in the situation we had going on, I didn't think was right to do. I didn't want anyone getting too emotionally involved like that. We all fall into this at the peregrine nest site, naming them, individualizing them, suddenly having a favourite. Then if something bad happens it seems to hurt a lot more. Having Sinatra here still living outside with so many dangers and a busy main road just over the back fence where we too often see dead animals... know what I mean?

But now Sinatra is safe and on the road to hopefully landing in a great loving home that every cat deserves. We hope to get some updates in the coming weeks but aren't sure if that will be possible once he gets moved out of the clinic. TCR has so many cats to try and help. I did get one update already and that is they have a foster family reserved for him once he gets cleared at the animal clinic. How awesome is that?

2020 has been one really whacky messed up year with so many strange and terrible things happening because of the pandemic. Helping Sinatra here like we have hopefully has given some a break from all the negativity, it has for Angie and I.

Toronto Cat Rescue is a registered charity, they rely heavily on donations. Angie and I are making a donation for Sinatra. I learned a few of our friends have done the same thing. Perhaps if you're feeling all warm and fuzzy after this blog, that you might consider contributing to TCR helping Sinatra and so many other cats? I will make it easy for you, here is the link to the donate page. There is a comments section at the bottom where you could put a little note about for Sinatra and The Muellers or something. If nothing else, please send your best wishes to Sinatra here.