Orange Tabby...He Stays and His Name is Finn (Update with Videos Dec 31)

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Haven't had a cat since I was a kid and I never took care of those back then, really. This cat showed up, obviously having been a house cat somewhere-he showed instant recognition of a bag of cat food, curls up willingly in your lap, follows us everywhere like a dog at heel, takes direction very well (point where he should jump to and he does), etc. He is not neutered, but hasn't been spraying around. Seems young but not less than a year old, I'm betting. I got some flea & tick powder and dusted him, put ear mite drops in his ears since he's been out in the woods and was shaking his head and I've fed him for two days now, got him a plush bed and he slept in it last night inside a pet carrier outside (door open for him to come and go). He keeps asking to come in, waiting by the door. You can see if we give him half a chance, he'll be inside and I'm betting he's litter box trained, though I do not want in indoor pet again.

This morning, he was gone when we went out, but he showed up about an hour later and came up to eat. He's a super personable and intelligent cat, even my DH, who claims he hates cats, likes him. The chickens are freaking out over the roaming predator but he doesn't give them a second glance so I'd say unless I had little chicks or bantams roaming, he's probably pretty chicken-safe. If he sticks around and I can't find him another home, other than getting him the regular shots and neutering, anything else I should do for him? I can't spend any real money on him until it's apparent he will be staying. The Humane Society told me they would neuter him for me if he stays-they are at capacity already so can't take him. And I'd never take him to Animal Control here, not a cat.

Here is the sweet boy. Maybe someone on BYC close to me would like a nice barn cat? I did put a free rehoming ad here on BYC, but if there is something else to do for him other than flea and ear mite treatment, short of shots and neutering right now, let me know. Thanks!

ETA: no neighbors know anything about him, I asked.

 

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Finn was fascinated with the likeness of my late rooster, Isaac, on this bag, a gift from a friend a few years ago. The bag had been stored in my closet with my vehicle winter emergency gear and we have it ready to go in one of the SUVs. Finn should remember Isaac-he almost incurred the Wrath of Ike not long before Isaac passed away. I grabbed my camera so here is your dose of Finn!

 

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Finn on his Finn-pad. Can't remove that slab because the cat loves it. I wanted to put something there like a fire pit, but no, that's Finn's special pad.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Finn reminds me of my Mandy (RIP). I had a husband years ago who was a yeller, everytime he yelled at me, Mandy would sneak into the bedroom and poo on his pillow, then he would yell more. Mandy hated him. After I divorced him and began dating again, my current husband began to spend some time at the house. Mandy usually hid from most people, but she would sit in my husband's lap. The cat was a better judge of men than I was. She looked just like Finn.

 

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He still likes his couch.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Finn is a wonderful friend. I'm glad he found you.
I have a sight impared cat due to a head injury before we found him as a young kitten. He does pretty good, inside a little more than his fellows. He finds his way with his whiskers and relies on his smell a lot. He still climbs trees (slowly), (tries to) hunt for bugs and even makes it up to our ramp access shop roof. We have a fenced yard so he gets to be inside/outside but we do keep an extra eye out on him and make accommodations- like keeping favorite sleeping spots clutter free and giving him ramps so he can still adventure. He, Mochi, is the grey tabby in the middle.

I'm sure your boy will go through some depression but he has people who he loves and care for him so he should be fine after his adjustment.
Bless you for taking care of that sweet soul. I wish you many more happy years.

 

[speckledhen]

Finn reminds me of my Mandy (RIP). I had a husband years ago who was a yeller, everytime he yelled at me, Mandy would sneak into the bedroom and poo on his pillow, then he would yell more. Mandy hated him. After I divorced him and began dating again, my current husband began to spend some time at the house. Mandy usually hid from most people, but she would sit in my husband's lap. The cat was a better judge of men than I was. She looked just like Finn.

Smart cat! LOL. If an orange tabby doesn't like someone, they must be bad news! Animals are usually good judges of people, I've found, including dogs and horses. Even roosters can be like that. My friend's rooster popped up beside a man who drove into their driveway and got out of the car. I can't recall the entire story, but she was having a bad feeling about him while he was talking to her and when big old Lancelot walked up to him and stared him down, the guy began to get nervous and left. Lance is about 14 lbs of big blue Orpington rooster who has battled foxes, coyotes and invading dogs, even once killed a stray cat, so he's not afraid of anything. Her Arabian mare once literally spit on a creepy neighbor, left a wad of blech in his hair and he didn't even know it. Good for her, I said. He was disgusting, that guy.

 

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He actually understands how this kitty couch thing works. We weren't sure when we got it.

 

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I have some bad news. Dr. McLaren says that Finn is blind. He does not react to sudden movement toward either eye. He has glaucoma in both eyes and gave us drops to relieve the pressure. He'd been getting drops for awhile already, doing all the things the other vet was trying, including getting lysine supplement every day, but then we were abandoned by that one. I wish these people would just say they didn't know what the problem was and not leave their patients hanging, not that it would have ended any differently, I guess.

Dr. McLaren is much more experienced, apparently has seen everything under the sun, owns that feed store that is next door to his vet's office. He asked if Finn got in a cat fight at any point in time. And years ago, he did have a tussle with a local cat a couple of times-Finn was very territorial- did battle, got the backs of his front legs shredded, went to the vet for antibiotics at the time. The vet said the eye issue could have started there, maybe he caught some virus from that cat. That cat was never seen again so it may have succumbed to its wounds later as cat scratch wounds are very likely to become infected, as you know.

It's amazing that Finn manages to get around as much as he does so I think he must see some light and shadow and be going on muscle memory and feeling with his whiskers at times. They could take both eyes out, but I don't want to take away any light that might get in there. That would also be very, very expensive. I think he may be a bit depressed as it is. Poor, sweet cat. At least we took him in 8 years ago and maybe gave him more of a life than he would have had otherwise. I was hoping he'd be with us much longer. My husband is already devastated, knowing his best friend is suffering this way, such a vital cat brought to this. We want him to be comfortable and not in pain. We have drops to relieve the pressure in his eyes, Dorzolamide/Timolol drops. Pressure in the cataract eye measured 34, in the other one was 80.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you for that. Your guy is so handsome and he has some good friends, looks like.