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

[speckledhen]

Today's Finn pictures, which started when cat hater hubby tells me to bring my camera to catch him doing his "cute sleeping thing" in hubby's chair. Then, later Finn was coming back from his afternoon walk out to the back forty and the hens were at the bottom of the steps he wanted to go up so he scooted up fast, as you can tell. Deacon is getting very used to Finn now and just stands still as the cat walks by rather than freaking out as he used to do.





He sees me on the deck and seems to be complaining that there are chickens at the bottom of the steps blocking his way.

Then, he approaches as close to the side of the stairs as possible-you can see him on the right.

And WHOOSH! up the steps he comes, hens scatter.

 

[ChickenWolf126]

I would suggest take him to a animal shelter. I don't know about any animal shelter around you, but the Bloomington Animal Shelter around where I live has a certain system they use for things like this. They'll make the animal unadoptable for about five days in hopes that the owner will come and claim him, then if the owner doesn't claim him they'll put him up for adoption. I'm sure that if you want to keep him if they can't find the original owner, you need to just ask if they can "reserve" him for you. Personally if I was in your situation I would kind of hope that I couldn't find the original owner, so that I could keep him.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

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.

That looks a lot like the Tom we rescued and brought back to health when he was abandoned. I can't free range the chickens when he is loose. However, he keeps down the mole and mice population which keeps the snakes from having a food source, which in turn keeps my chickens safer. The two can't meet, because he is a born hunter, and when my wife made the mistake of letting him out of the garage when I was free ranging the chickens I had to run him off, because he was making a b-line for one of the hens. So, I always make sure I knew where he is when they are out. They are mutual enemies, but when he is doing his job, ironically it keeps my chickens safer.

 

[speckledhen]

I would suggest take him to a animal shelter. I don't know about any animal shelter around you, but the Bloomington Animal Shelter around where I live has a certain system they use for things like this. They'll make the animal unadoptable for about five days in hopes that the owner will come and claim him, then if the owner doesn't claim him they'll put him up for adoption. I'm sure that if you want to keep him if they can't find the original owner, you need to just ask if they can "reserve" him for you. Personally if I was in your situation I would kind of hope that I couldn't find the original owner, so that I could keep him.

The animal shelters were full up with cats, including the county's animal control. I asked the local Humane Society, established and run by one of my realtor friends in the next town, and they couldn't take him, but they paid for us to neuter him and get his rabies. We paid for his distemper/feline4 vaccination and some Revolution drops. No shelter here wants cats--this has been a bad year for loose/dumped and reproducing cats in this county, my vet told me. She said it's been absolutely crazy. We did advertise on two local Facebook yard sale groups and three different people asked about him, two came and looked at him and he was just a lookalike to their missing cats, unfortunately. I called all the neighbors and not one person knew him so he's not from this neighborhood. I think he was dumped, sadly. I'm betting the folks looking for their cats won't find them-we have a huge coyote problem in the county this year. If it's not them, it's foxes and roaming dogs killing local cats.

I wonder how many cats owned by recently deceased folks end up dumped by relatives when the humane society won't take them.

He's been here over a month now and seems content to stay put. Now that we've spent some $$ on him, getting his feline 4 booster and other things, I guess he's our cat. His flea collar has his name and our phone number on it in case he does leave and end up at someone else's house, but so far, he's not gone far away. Naturally, if someone could reasonably prove he was their cat, he could go with them, but I have serious doubts about it happening at this point.

That looks a lot like the Tom we rescued and brought back to health when he was abandoned. I can't free range the chickens when he is loose. However, he keeps down the mole and mice population which keeps the snakes from having a food source, which in turn keeps my chickens safer. The two can't meet, because he is a born hunter, and when my wife made the mistake of letting him out of the garage when I was free ranging the chickens I had to run him off, because he was making a b-line for one of the hens. So, I always make sure I knew where he is when they are out. They are mutual enemies, but when he is doing his job, ironically it keeps my chickens safer.

Finn doesn't bother the chickens at all. In fact, he avoids them as best he can. Today, he was on top of the main coop, LOL. The chickens were having a fit about it, for sure, first time I've seen him up there. There is a tree next to it he shimmied up to get there and he got down the same way. He goes under the coops, which I'm sure is where mice/rats cruise through looking for leftover scratch grains. If he can keep them on the run, he's doing a great job for us here.

 

[N F C]

LOL, you (and cat-hater) were adopted by Finn! So technically, he doesn't belong to you...you (and cat hater) belong to Finn!

You can tell he loves being with your two and living with you.

 

[speckledhen]

LOL, you (and cat-hater) were adopted by Finn! So technically, he doesn't belong to you...you (and cat hater) belong to Finn!

You can tell he loves being with your two and living with you.

Very true. We did not adopt a cat, he adopted us. He was just in the house batting his mouse (with electronic squeak sounds) all over the floor. When we first got that mouse, he just looked at it. Now, he finally is playing with it, throwing it in the air, showing it who's boss, LOL. He tangled the blinds cord behind DH's computer and husband was complaining that he couldn't work with Finn in his lap. Well, guess who let him in?

 

[N F C]

Go Finn, go!

 

[speckledhen]

When he found Finn on top of the coop, he was trying to help him down. I told him to back up and let the cat get down on his own, since he obviously knew how he got up there in the first place. Sure enough, Finn went down the tree head first and jumped easily onto the ground then ran up the steps and sat at the back door.

 

[speckledhen]

Finn fascinated by the screensaver on DH's computer:

And being mischievous.

 

[Cetawin]

You two are such cat haters. LOL