The Tale of Fluffster: an ongoing adventure
For the last few weeks, I noticed a kitty hanging out outside a house on my block. It's not super near my house, but it's a place I walk by daily, and nine out of ten times, this cat was outside. Black with white chin, belly, and paws, long fur, super cute.
Saturday, while walking by, I saw it outside again. I bent down to reach out to it, and it walked right up to my hand, meowing a little. It gave me a facerub with its cheek. I was smitten, but had to leave because the group I was with was moving on.
Sunday, I got a can of Riker's food and left it out for the kitty. I talked to a neighbor who is frequently outside and asked what he knew. He called the cat "Fluffster," and said it had been left by the people who lived at the apartment it sat outside of.
I did some research and found that the "apartment" was actually a condo that was foreclosed upon in late August.
Yesterday, I made some phone calls and learned what I had to do. Among other things, I had to capture the cat. I walked by on the way home, and sure enough, Fluffster was there. I reached out and again was approached immediately. I gave the kitty some pets, and promised to come back. I returned, armed with a can of cat food, a bottle of treats, and Riker's cat carrier with a neutral-scented towel inside.
Fluffster came right up to me again, especially at the food. She didn't eat it right away, though, probably because I was hovering. She nom-ed the treats pretty hard. People walking by kept asking "oh, is that your cat?" since it had obviously been around for so long. I said no, but that I was trying to get it to save its life. Some neighborhood kids, aged around 12 or so, came by and helped me try to capture her. It ended up being a cycle of acts:
I put out the food, she came up. I pet her, she purred. The kids picked her up, using rather bad form (even though I told them how to do it), and she curled up in a ball, meowed sadly, and refused to cooperate with the carrier. I told the kids to put her down, they did. She backed off about 5-10 feet, then came right back and the cycle began again.
I gave up after a while, kind of just wanting the kids to go away. I left the can of food (mm, tuna and sardines). As I walked away, carrier in hand, she started grooming herself, washing her face with her paw. It was adorable and heartbreaking at the same time.
Tonight, I go back, this time armed with all the same stuff, some water, and a laser pointer to try to get her to "play" in. Tips on capturing a cat in a carrier are appreciated.
Saturday, while walking by, I saw it outside again. I bent down to reach out to it, and it walked right up to my hand, meowing a little. It gave me a facerub with its cheek. I was smitten, but had to leave because the group I was with was moving on.
Sunday, I got a can of Riker's food and left it out for the kitty. I talked to a neighbor who is frequently outside and asked what he knew. He called the cat "Fluffster," and said it had been left by the people who lived at the apartment it sat outside of.
I did some research and found that the "apartment" was actually a condo that was foreclosed upon in late August.
Yesterday, I made some phone calls and learned what I had to do. Among other things, I had to capture the cat. I walked by on the way home, and sure enough, Fluffster was there. I reached out and again was approached immediately. I gave the kitty some pets, and promised to come back. I returned, armed with a can of cat food, a bottle of treats, and Riker's cat carrier with a neutral-scented towel inside.
Fluffster came right up to me again, especially at the food. She didn't eat it right away, though, probably because I was hovering. She nom-ed the treats pretty hard. People walking by kept asking "oh, is that your cat?" since it had obviously been around for so long. I said no, but that I was trying to get it to save its life. Some neighborhood kids, aged around 12 or so, came by and helped me try to capture her. It ended up being a cycle of acts:
I put out the food, she came up. I pet her, she purred. The kids picked her up, using rather bad form (even though I told them how to do it), and she curled up in a ball, meowed sadly, and refused to cooperate with the carrier. I told the kids to put her down, they did. She backed off about 5-10 feet, then came right back and the cycle began again.
I gave up after a while, kind of just wanting the kids to go away. I left the can of food (mm, tuna and sardines). As I walked away, carrier in hand, she started grooming herself, washing her face with her paw. It was adorable and heartbreaking at the same time.
Tonight, I go back, this time armed with all the same stuff, some water, and a laser pointer to try to get her to "play" in. Tips on capturing a cat in a carrier are appreciated.