Shelter me!

The Ahaaa! Moment

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Containment

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Checking the Kittens

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Cleaning the Cage (while cats are in it)

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Dutchess was only about 9 months old herself when she and her kitten were found in a shed.

Yesterday morning during cat volunteerism, I had an incident with a cat named Alfredo. I had literally just come in and was unlocking all of the cages and when I got to Alfredo’s cage and opened it a crack to pet him, all I saw was a black blur as he shot out of the cage like a cannon and started running wildly across Petco.

I high-tailed it after him and noticed that, in mid-flight, he had managed to spot a dead mouse laying on the floor between two aisles and picked it up in his mouth and kept running. As you can imagine, this gave me a few seconds edge on him and I managed to corner the intrepid feline in the dog food aisle. But then he ran deep under some shelves. Flinging myself to the floor, I saw him pawing at the mouse and realized that there were only seconds before he ingested the mouse which was probably poisoned to death, and I would be indirectly responsible for a feline casualty.

While I could not reach Alfredo no matter how hard I strained to reach him under the shelf, I could in fact reach the deceased rodent. Glancing desperately around the floor, I spotted a stray piece of discarded plastic wrap and grabbed hold of the debris. I then reached under the shelves and extracted the mouse by its tail using the plastic wrap as a makeshift antibacterial shield. Realizing that if I dragged the rodent across the floor, simulating a lifelike rodent’s movements, I could possibly draw the crouching Alfredo from his lair; I did so.

Seeing the mouse magically come to life, Alfredo was duped and he crept out to reclaim his stolen prize. I then grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and was met with outraged pandemonium of growls, yowls, hisses, claws and teeth. Despairing, I was about to admit defeat when Alfredo, my arch nemesis, grabbed hold of the deceased mouse again in vengeful teeth. I carried cat, mouse, and all to the cage and had a somewhat disgruntled Petco employee extract the offensive corpse. One thing is for certain: neither Alfredo nor I will ever be the same.

Tuesday was the day slotted to catch Jane and take her to the Vet for her spaying.

Oh, more than just that; we had scheduled shots and all that stuff you have to do to make sure your pets stay alive in this harsh world. I carefully planned how I would catch her and confided this to Morene.

“I think it should be easy. Jane loves treats, so I will take a cat carrier and line up a path of cat treats leading into the carrier. I’ll put that carrier on my desk and not pay much attention to her as she follows the treat trail into the carrier. And, when she has walked all the way to the back of the carrier, I will close the door and, voila, I’ll have her!”“Brilliant, huh?”

“What about Wolfie and Nina?” Morene said. Inferring that if I cleverly laid out this trail of treats, these two, not Jane, would wind up in the carrier.

“I’ll put Nina and Wolfie out on the screen porch.” I said, somewhat smugly. Hey, I had a plan. Morene continued her cross-examination of my plan and mostly focused on her concern for how Nina and Wolfie would face the harsh cold of winter while on the screen porch.

“Morene, don’t worry … it’s actually quite mild outside and they will only be out there for a few minutes.” I said, quite confidently. Jane loves treats

.So, I picked up Wolfie and put him out on the porch. Closed the door and got Nina – put her on the porch floor and slammed the door before both cats could sneak back in. Immediately, Wolfie started going insane and repeatedly threw himself at the outside of the cat door. He started climbing up the people door and scratching at the window. He growled and cried.

Nina calmly sat in front of the door looking at me looking at them, and watched Wolfie’s meltdown. She was like Big Nurse in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest.Jane loves Wolfie passionately. This thought bombarded me while witnessing Wolfie’s insanity.

OK, I went back to my desk and arranged the cat carrier and trail of treats. I shook the treat can to lure Jane on to my desk. She jumped up and I tossed a treat to the start of the trail. She started eating the trail, all according to plan.I stealthily watched while pecking at my keyboard.Jane had her front paws in the crate.She raised her head and listened.She heard her lover outside in the midst of his meltdown, a never ending groaning and throwing himself against the door. She jumped off my desk and ran to the other side of the door and started meowing to Wolfie.This was not in the plan.But, I had “Plan-B” – smelly, irresistible, treats. I replaced the trail with smelly treats, shook the treat can, and Jane ran back to my desk. I held a smelly treat in my fingers and waved it under Jane’s nose. Threw that treat to the start of the treat-trail and she followed as if in a hypnotic daze. Steadily she ate the trail and steadily moved into the crate.

OK, I forgot to tell you one thing. Jane is the fastest cat alive. When she moves, it is a blur. She reminds me of those Verizon commercials about fiber optics … you know where the guy runs to Peru and brings back a Peruvian over his shoulder in about a second. Jane could do that even without fiber optics. I forgot all this and did not have it in the plan.

Jane was now fully into the crate and I could see this out of corner of my eye. I concentrated on what I had to do –  it was in the plan. I had to turn 75 degrees to my right, reach out 2 feet, and close the crate door. I had to do this in a flash. I concentrated and willed myself into a Zen state. In a blinding flash I turned, reached, and closed. Jane was out of the crate before I turned and ran to hide behind my credenza.I was stunned. It was like she had been to Peru and back.

I needed “Plan C.”I called Morene and was somewhat belligerent in my stupefaction and anger at having been foiled by a little kitty. She asked some questions and I was quite short with her.

While I was on the phone, Wolfie was still throwing himself against the door and meowing pitifully.

Plan C was quickly formulated and involved setting up a Havaheart trap in my office with a whole can of wet kitty food as bait. Irresistible. Perfect. Foolproof.I went back to the house and got the Havaheart trap and the wet kitty food. I set the trap up with the irresistible wet kitty food in my office near the stairs, quite confident that Jane would come out from behind the credenza and visit Wolfie (on the other side of the porch door) to console him in his anguish. All the time Wolfie is throwing himself against the door, clawing away at the locked cat door, and mournfully meowing.

 As I left I looked out on to the porch to watch all this. Nina had not yet moved and looked up at me as if she were Siddhartha. I went over to the house and told Morene that it should not take any more than 30 minutes to trap Jane. I read the NY Times and calmed down. I was confident. I had a plan.After 30 minutes, I got up and announced to Morene that I would immediately take Jane to the Vet in the trap. I kissed her with confidence.So, I walked over to my barn office, opened the door, and walked up the steps.

The trap was empty, still un-sprung, with the wet kitty food still in it. Sitting next to the trap, inside my office, were Wolfie and Nina, calmly looking at me with Cat-smiles. I looked to the cat door – indeed, Wolfie had busted through the locking mechanism with some super-human effort. A lock that is supposed to stop a Raccoon or a Fisher Cat.Foiled.I called Morene and said that it was a “no go” for the spaying that day. I took out the kitty food can and put it on the floor; put the trap on the deck, and left feeling incredibly defeated.Next day, the kitty food was gone, and Jane came up to me as if nothing had ever happened.

DAVID C.

This past summer, I was dropping my cousin off at the local auto shop and saw a worn out and dirty looking black and white cat. I got out of my car and the cat came up to me and rubbed against my outstretched hand. I asked the owner about her, found out her name was Bootsy, that she had a bed and food inside the auto shop, but was in essence a stray. The owner also informed me that she was having three or four litters every year, and when I asked why he didn’t spay her he said it was too much money. I braced myself for a full fledged debate on why he should let me spay Bootsy- the rampant overpopulation, the dangers of uterine cancer - and found myself surprised when he quickly agreed to let me take Bootsy to get spayed.

 

Three days later, I brought Bootsy to the vet. (In the waiting room I discovered that Bootsy HATES dogs. A cute little terrier came up and tried to sniff Bootsy’s cage, and she almost knocked her carrier over trying to get to the dog.) When I brought her in to see the vet, he told me that she was pregnant. I asked if he was sure, and the vet told me that he could feel four kittens.

 

In the world of shelters and rescue operations the normal thing to do would be to abort the kittens. With anywhere from 4-6 million healthy cats and kittens being euthanized each year because there are not enough homes for them; it is almost selfish to bring more into existence. But my vet was not comfortable doing this; the kittens were too far along. So, I left the clinic, brought Bootsy back to the auto shop, and tried to figure out who I could cajole into fostering her.

 

The next day, I somehow managed to convince my friend, Lucy and her mother Barbara, to foster Bootsy (and her not yet born kittens). Triumphantly, I called up the owner of the auto shop and informed him that I was going pick up Bootsy. As a side note, he mentioned that Bootsy had a huge bump on her side. I rushed over to see how bad it was and discovered an abscess the size of a fist violently protruding from her shoulder. I brought her to the vet and was informed that if she had gone much longer with this wound, she would have died. Boosty had to undergo a tricky surgery and I kept her at the vet for 10 days since she had to have a tube inserted into her to drain the wound.

 

Unfortunately, when an unvaccinated animal gets any kind of wound, it is labeled a wound of unknown origin. The string of logic then goes that this wound could have been inflicted by the bite of another animal and thus, the attacking animal could have transmitted rabies to Bootsy. Because of this, Massachusetts state protocol demands that any unvaccinated animal with a wound of unknown origin go into quarantine for 6 months. The first thing on the list of what the state thinks you should do in this situation is to euthanize the animal. Seeing as how this was not an option in my mindset, I managed to convince Lucy and Barbara to keep Bootsy for the quarantine.

This past August 5th (2007), Bootsy gave birth to three black and white kittens and one orange and white kitten that we named Banana. She is one of the best mothers I have ever seen. She would come out of her birthing box to eat, accept a few pats and then go back and nurse her young.

 

 

The black and white kittens are Huckleberry (also known as Mr. Moustache), Blackberry (Bootsy the sequel), and Blueberry. The odd kitten out is Banana (or Creamsicle depending on whom you ask) and is a kittenwar.com champion for her pretty looks.

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Click the box above to see a short video of Bootsy with her newborn kittens.

Here’s Bootsy watching over them. The picture below is our favorite and appears on the home page of this website.

The following emails came from owners of the barn cats

 

Inky & Daisy’s Caretaker

 

July 30, 2008 Hi Sandy;  I let Inky and Daisy out of the condo Tues AM. They disappear during the day but come into the barn in the early evening where their supper is in the crate. The litterbox was used sometime today. Daisy seems very relaxed about the whole thing but Inky keeps hidden. How long do you think I should keep the crate available to them? 

The guineas are tolerating them nicely. I’m guessing I should keep the crate another week or 2. So far so good. Talk with you soon.

 

Note: Shelter Me lets barn owners use the acclimation cage for as long as the cats  want it. This ranges from 5-6 weeks to 4-5 months. We think it is more important for the cats to settle in than rush to get our crates back. The crates cost about $140 apiece, which we think is a fairly reasonable price considering how useful they are. But if anyone would like to donate  funds for us to purchase more acclimation cages, we would love it.

 

 

July 2^nd

 

Daisy is getting quite relaxed in her new situation. I have been able to pat her lightly when she eats. Inky will come out now when I’m in the barn as long as I don’t approach the cage. He runs into the house and hisses when I feed or clean. Thanks again

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Aug 18, 2008 Hi Sandy -Mr. Kitty is beyond fabulous. He is now out of his cage and not wandering far from the barn at all - in fact often I find him napping in the cage although it is open. :)When I or my husband take a walk out back he follows like a dog! Healso is fine with the pups, does little “mock” attacks on them but all in fun and no agressiveness at all. I think he might still be trying to find out what they are!No signs of a cold at all and eating like a pig I might add…He has for sureput on a few pounds!

Aug 4, 2008

Hi Sandy, He’s doing fabulous; great appetite and no diarrhea. WE JUST LOVE HIM! He is hands down the sweetest cat ever. When I do my AM and PM chores he is allowed to explore the barn and he chooses to stay right with me. He thinks he owns the place – I love it! J

 

July 30, 2008. Mr. Kitty is settling so surprisingly well it’s almost frightening! He watched me give the horses their nightly grooming and seemed so content on his perch with his eyes half closed. I gave him a good long petting before I closed up for the night and he was a doll. I love him already! He’s my new little barn buddy!

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 Jewel and Clementine

Note: These were the first barn cats we knew that ignored rodents in their own barn. The owner kindly offered to take in more cats and we brought three kittens that had nowhere else to go.Someone at Shelter Me (not clear who) originally named the kittens, Omelet, Pancake & Granola.  Omelette, the littlest one had been adopted out but after spending a week under his owner’s bed, we took him back. The other two had been placed in Foster Care with one of Morene’s business associates, who shared this backgrounder with us.. 

Omlette is the smaller orange kitten with a white face.  He is the most skittish of the three and was away from me for a week.  During that time, he was given free run of the house but would not interact with people independently.  He is still very nervous and has resumed his role with the others as low man on the totem pole, the last to eat, etc.  Before he left, he too hissed quite a bit, but once held, was fine in your arms.  He was very frightened when he came back to me and of the three, I would expect him to need the most attention to come around.I still use gloves with all of them (Stripe left quite an impression on me) but none of them have made any attempt to bite or scratch me in my handling of them.  I also pat them quite a but while they are in the crate.  Granola will settle right down after initially hissing, Pancake will try to run away at first, but then allow me to pat him.

Stripe is the calico kitten you have.  She was originally called Callie but after having bitten me, my daughter and my neighbor, we renamed her after the ring leader and first Mogwai born to Gizmo in the movie Gremlins.

Sending them to a barn, (not with Stripe), especially Clementine and Jewel’s barn turned out really well.  This September  email arrived a couple months after we set the little guys up in an acclimation cage…(which you can see briefly in the Barn Cat Journeys video.)

 

 September 2008. Hi Sandy,Our kitties are doing wonderfully! “The Boys” are a riot! They chase me all around the farm from the lower pastures to the goat pen. Cheddar is very special, he loves the kids and being cuddled. He sits on the front porch waiting for someone to come out and pet him. The kids bring him in and watch TV all snuggled up.

Colby and Blue love the barn life but are very social. We built them a ladder to the hay loft and they have rid the barn of those annoying sparrows and mice. Clemintine is in love with the boys and she even comes up for scratches from me now! I found them this AM all piled up in a little nest I made them. She is very talkative and sweet.

Jewel is still pretty much the same, she stays out in the machine shed and won’t let you even look at her. This AM, she came into the barn for breakfast and that was a first! As long as I didn’t look at her she was ok! Colby came up to eat out of her bowl and she told him that was unexceptable. She looks fabulous and is never far from the barn. We love them all!!! My only observation is that it might be best when possible to place a scarety cat (like Clem) with a more social one. I know you can’t always do that!! She was aloof with just Jewel but has come alive with the boys. She sees me petting Cheddar and wants in! Thanks so much and hope all is well with you!!! Come by anytime to get the cage and to visit.

The following advice came in earlier  from Margaret Brender, who has been placing barn cats for a couple decades. She is responding to a query we shared with her (see below) from the owner of Jewel and Clementine. Margaret is really wise. July 24, 2008 I don’t think another calmer cat will change the situation. I would suggest being on time with food, making no attempts to approach, stop and maybe look away when you run into the cat, maybe keeping up a soft line of banter (Hi pitch considered by some to be better than regular talking pitch), and doing anything you can to make the cats feel safe. Over time, they will most likely come to trust you more. Often the most fearful cats in a cat colony will eventually let the caretaker get close and sometimes even touch them while eaating. Time to develop trust is probably what’s needed here. 

July 24, 2008 I’m trying so hard to acclimate Jewel, she’s been so skiddish. She comes in the barn to eat and that’s about it these days! However she has taken a special liking to my boarders horse, she has set up shop in the area just next to her.. very silly but I do hope that she plans on coming indoors when it gets cold… I was hoping she would be better by now but I can’t even look at her without her running away fear and I don’t want to frighten her. Can you recommend anything for these little skiddish gals? Would an unskidish cat help them? Clem and Jewel seem to feed off each others skidishness…I don’t want Clem to be taking cues from Jewel in this area. I was just thinking if Clem/Jewel see another cat that isn’t paniced by humans they might be more apt to settle in.Let me know what you think.

June 21, 2008 Of course you can video my girls but good luck finding them!!  Clem bounds through the barn full speed looking like she has very important things to do but we might get lucky with Jewell!!  Just let me know what works for you, thanks!!June 14 2008 - The girls are doing wonderfully!  Clementine is the sweet heart of the barn, NEVER out of sight!  She loves pets and smoked salmon my father brings out each morning.  She has been sunning herself by the barn door.  Jewell is still very much the same.  She spent all of her time inside the carrier, only to come out during the evening.  This past week she dared to actually stick her foot outside the box and purr VERY LOUDLY.  It was a signal to me that everything was going to be alright with her.  She prefers to be just left alone and has found a beautiful spot in the loft to sleep her days away.  Jewell is very much a night creature and she watches over me as I do my evening rounds.

 Thank you so much for everything you are doing, my new girls are so special to us!!  The video is wonderful, wow what lucky cats!!!!!!!!!

 

May 20, 2008 Both Jewel and Clementine are doing great! Clem’s eye seems to be draining out fine and clearing up a bit. She is very sweet and sniffs my hand when I put their food in. Jewel will just need time and the kids understand she cannot be approached. She only leaves her box when no one is around but Clem sits on the ledges to longe in the sun in the afternoon. She reminds me of a lion… I’ll put a towel over a section of the cage to see if that will help Jewel. They are eating well and look like they are settling in a bit. I took some nice pictures, I’ll download them and send them along!Thanks again!!!

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Greta

June 12 2008 - The kitties are doing wonderful.  It seems Miss Greta is quite the little princess….okay let me rephrase that….how about “tigress”….LOL.  Although she doesn’t have an issue with Elle she does show a little bit if “tude” with Opal.  She is out of the cage during the day but I have still been putting her in at night but I was planning on letting her stay out this weekend.  I think she’ll be fine.By the way, Amanda had her puppies Monday night and the baby ducks are popping out all over!!!!  Greta kind of eyed the babies the first time she saw them but I haven’t noticed her do anymore than look twice at them.  I think she knows that mama duck will kick her butt. I’ll let you know if she stays out of the cage this weekend and you can make plans to come pick it up.donna

5/13/08

Greta and Elle’s Caretaker

They get along wonderful together.  Greta has been coaxing Elle to venture out a little.  I actually caught her exploring the barn today.  Greta is VERY BRAVE!!!!  She goes off exploring all around outside.  All I have to do is shake the little bottle of treats and she comes running…..LOL.  They are actually both pretty lovable.  Still nervous if they are on the ground but if they are higher or in comfort zones they will roll over and purr and purr AND PURR!!They are both eating from the same dish now so I’m able to keep one dish with dry food and put can food in the other.  I don’t think Greta spends much time in the cage anymore but that is still kind of her safe zone so I really don’t want to remove it just yet.  The other cage is all set and you can come by anytime to pick it up.

 

 

     I’m thinking this weekend I might have my son help me move the dog house if no baby ducks have hatched yet.  It’s kind of a sloppy nest and most of the eggs have fallen out anyway so I don’t know if any will hatch.  I didn’t mark the date on the calendar but seems to me she has been on those eggs for awhile.  I know that once I get the dog house moved and put a nice bed in it our girl Greta will be checking it out (she’s pretty nosey!!!).  And where we are planning on putting it, the roof of the dog house will make a great stepping stone to the barn windows and she LUVS going in and out the windows.  I already have it planned to put a paint job on the old dog house and put on the front of it “THE RAT PATROL”  hehehe

5/01

Elle still will not leave the stall….lol. She has taken up hanging around in the hay feeder. She is alot less timid of me and will actually come down when it’s time to eat. Loves to be pet but still gets nervous and hisses at me and then will settle right down.Sammie has ventured out of the barn. She no longer wants me to touch her. Makes me a little nervous because sometimes I can’t find her. I know that’s what they are suppose to do and she is only doing what is natural for her but I thought that she would be a little more friendly.

Then there is Greta…..LOL!!!! She is a character. Talk, talk,talk, talk, TALK!!!! She has let herself out a couple of times. Iopen the door to get her dish and she is out. She scooted out of the barn yesterday and actually went quite a ways from the bar n before she decided that she wasns’t too happy with that whole scene and came running back!!! And EAT….that girl is a bottomless pit.

Greta & Elle (photo taken by their owner)

 

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Taz & SalemNov 13, 2008The babies are doing very well and are growing like weeds.  Conner named then Gidget & Gadget but they’re commonly refered to as “The Babies” or “The Sisters”.  They’re always snuggled sweet together but they are without a doubt WILD.  They hiss & spit at us if we get too close, but I do believe they trust us (if that makes any sense).  We can reach thru the cage and feed them treats (onto their top perch), but they DO NOT want to be touched.  They will make excellent barn keepers for sure.

I made a trip to Pet Smart the day after you left  and bought them warm snuggly cushions for their perches & cage (along with some new toys)  They are rambunctious and re-decorate the crates regularly.  I also made a “birdhouse” out of a small size Rubbermaid tote which they like to hide in.  I made two additional “birdhouses” out of the extra-large size Rubbermaid totes and put them in the loft for Taz and for the girls when they’re released.  They’re filled with hay, blankets & a self-heating (non-electric) thermal pads.

Sadly though we have still not seen Salem and our fear is that she was taken by a critter (perhaps an owl or a fox?).  She was happy with us and had a regular routine so I don’t think she roamed away.  We checked with the town authorities and there were no reports of a cat hit near us (it’s a small town where everyone knows everyone) nor did  the animal control officer (another friend) have any reports and I checked with all the local shelters and there were no reports of her there either.  We walked the property for quite some time last weekend (thru the swamp and all) and found no sign of her.

Odly, since Salem has been missing, Taz has stayed very close to the barn.  He doesn’t wander as much as he used to.  Perhaps it’s because the weather is cooler and he’s warm in the barn or perhaps he saw something grab Salem and now he stays close.  We put up a child proof gate at the bottom of the loft to deter anything like a fox from entering the loft and we now close all the doors at night just in case.  (Taz has a new cat door, we removed the flap until he gets used to it)It bothers me terribly to have the thoughts of Salem being taken and I often feel guilty for taking her.  She was so sweet, I can’t bear to think she’s gone.  My son however is still holding out hope.  He thinks maybe there was a mix-up and she was pregnant somehow and is just hiding in the loft with her new babies.  He thinks maybe she’ll surface for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Maybe?

It’s so ironic because we actually thought Taz would be gone long before Salem.  We thought he hated us.  He would never never come out, we barely knew what he looked like until the last month or so.  My in-laws would see them playing in the field together, but you could never get close to Taz.  Now everyday we come to the barn he’s either sitting there on top of the hay or standing at the top of the loft peeking his head down the stairs waiting for his canned food (he has dry food 24/7, but he likes his wet food too).He doesn’t run away from us anymore and he sits nice and lets us talk to him.  Just no touching yet.  Our most exciting news was that we found for the very first time a dead rodent that Taz killed & left for us!  We were so happy, it’s the first one he actually left for us.  I think we’ve finally bonded.Anyways, that’s the long and short of it.

We’re planning on keeping the babies in their crate for 2 more weekends.  They’re growing fast but I would like to see them a little bigger before we let them loose.  I’ll keep you posted….

Oct 27, 2008Hi Sandy cc:Cindy (Note:Cindy from KittyKats rescued the twin black kittens that we placed in Taz’s barn; it appeared at this point that Salem had been lost, perhaps to prey. It made us very sad, but the black kittens had been rescued from the streets of Brighton; they could not be returned to the streets and they were not friendly enough to humans to adopt them out. We were thrilled to place the kittens here.)Just wanted to let you know that after 2 days of adjusting the kitties (Doodle & Kaboodle a.k.a. Gidget and Gadget) are doing very very well.  We gave them nice warm wool blankets to cuddle in their crate and I cover their playpen with a larger wool horse blanket at night.  (They are inside with the doors closed but it’s just an added measure to keep them warm and cozy).  The first day they didn’t seem to eat very much, they ate a little more yesterday and much more last night.  They’re using their litter box regularly and enjoy curling up on the perch with their stuffed teddy bear.

I added a little cod liver oil (for pets) to their wet food and sprinkle a dash of the L-Lysine powder on their dry food as I do with the other ferrals.  Taz seems to be fine having them in the barn so there’s nothing to worry about there.  Thank you again for bringing us these lovely babies.  Will keep you updated.

Oct 27, 2008My son fully believes that Salem is still there in the loft.  He thinks he hears her scurrying around every now & then.  We’re hoping.  My in-laws were away most of the summer so Salem & Taz only knew us.  Now that my in-laws are around more often (my father-in-law does a.m. chores) perhaps she’s become “shy”.  She disappeared for the last time about 2 weeks ago when we LOADED the loft with hay.  We used the hay elevator to do so (which makes noise) and had 3&4 people in the loft at that time.  I worried that the noise may have scared them off but if anyone was to leave it would have been TAZ.  We were going to put a hunters camera in the loft but I don’t want the flash to scare them from their food.  Will keep watching.  Perhaps her maternal instinct will kick in and she’ll come around to sniff the babies.  Will keep you updated….Oct 24, 2008 Hi Sandy,I just saw your posting on the Equinesite regarding twin barn cats. I would LOVE to have to more barn cats! Taz has become more confident and seems very happy. My in-laws watch him everyday chasing critters thru the field and sunning himself on the hay.

Sadly we haven’t seen Salem lately. She was always in the barn with us and I haven’t seen her lately. Their food is still being eaten consistently and she never ventured much outside the barn so I can’t belive she’s missing but it got me to thinking that if something happened to one of them then the other would be alone for the winter. If you have more available, we would love to give them a good home! I would start them in the acclimation cage downstairs with a heated pad and release them into the loft after that. (Taz and Salem have a self-heating pad up there along with 250 bales of hay)Please let me know.Thanks,

Subject: Taz & SalemFrom: Jen Date: Fri, September 19, 2008 10:48 am

To: “Sandy@sheltermeinc.org” <Sandy@sheltermeinc.org>

Hi Sandy,Just thought I would drop you a line and let you know that Taz & Salem are doing very well at our Upton farm.They both live together in our hay loft and although they still have “personal space” issues they are very sweet animals. Most days my in-laws notice Salem & Taz just outside the confines of the barn sunning themselves or running around chasing one another.

I have cardboard boxes filled with hay and topped with blankets at the top of the loft and I often see Salem sitting there watching out over the activities in the field. She also makes her “rounds” downstairs in the barn. She seems to have a routine of resting on the feed hay and then when we come in the barn she takes the “high road” above the stalls and rests herself from a perch and watches us.They have a self-feeder which I keep filled with dry cat food (still sprinkled with the L-Lysine powder) but at night I feed them a can of wet cat food and they both (usually) come to the top of the stairs in the loft and wait for me to feed them.

They watch and sit and wait and groom one another during our “visit” but they don’t want us to invade any closer than 3 feet or so. Perhaps that will change as well, but we are thrilled to see that Taz has become almost as social as Salem.Despite living in a barn they both are very very clean, shiny and healthy looking. I’ve left their “cages” upstairs in the back of the loft which they seem to use less frequently for sleeping but they’re there just in case they need to snuggle down in the colder months. We have noticed however that they seem to have already found their “winter nesting” spot. There is a crawl space (maybe a 1½foot gap) between the floor of the loft and the ceiling of the tack room below. The space consists of about a 12×5 insulated area with about a foot and a half of head room for the cats. We’ve noticed recently the two of them coming from that space through the eaves of the barn and back under again. That space will certainly keep them warm and dry.

During the latest “hurricane threat” of bad weather when we closed up the barn I put their litter box back upstairs and they used it until the rain/winds passed. We usually don’t lock up the barn ’til winter, but we’re going to install a cat entrance hole behind the back barn door where they usually enter/exit so they start getting used to it.Well that’s our story. Both are fine and fat and happy!Regards,

 

July 2008 We left their cage door open overnight a week or so ago and when we returned in the morning they were no where to be found.  Over the next couple days my husband noticed Salem peeking down from the hayloft.  I moved their “bed” up there and started feeding them in both places.  I started going up to the loft and sitting everyday and Salem would come out shyly and purr and eat while I’m there but won’t let me pet her (I had gained her trust up to brushing her previously so I’m sure she’ll warm up to me again). 

 

We hadn’t seen Taz and wasn’t positive that he was still around ’til yesterday afternoon.  My son & I were sitting in the loft visiting Salem and Taz came out from behind some storage boxes.  He wouldn’t come near us, but he and Salem rubbed up against each other and groomed one another a little and went and set and watched out the loft doorway at the activities in the horse field.  So all in all I think we’re still in the “making progress” stages.  Every day, little by little they get more & more comfortable. 

 

My in-laws have seen Salem in the field during the day, but if they call her or approach she runs back to the barn.  She is venturing out and I’m sure Taz does as well (probably under the cover of night).  As our “relationship” with the cats progresses I’ll try to take some digital photos and forward them to you.  Meanwhile, know all is well.  Both are happy and healthy including Salem’s eyes.  I was worried when we let her out that she would stress and have another flare up, but that hasn’t happened.  She looks well groomed, well fed and has clear eyes.

Thanks for everything, Talk soon…..

 

 

August. Yes, both are doing well.  Salem’s eyes are clear and she has become very social.  She jumps up on her perch to greet us (and is now used to receiving treats for doing so).  Taz still won’t come out if we’re around and hisses & charges if I lean in too close to the crate while cleaning.  He is so sweet looking otherwise and I’m perfectly happy to have him.  I’m sure he’ll be happier once he’s free but if I were to do that now I’m sure he’d run away.  They do play nicely together though, especially at night.  The silly chipmunks even try to squeeze thru the bars to steal their food and boy do they come charging.  It’s really funny….

Thanks for checking!

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Email from Molly & George’s Caretaker

November 14 Oh George has moved on somewhere-sightings of him are getting less and less-Molly tends to stay in the woods despite my best efforts to entice her into the barn or the house-she’s a true hunter.  I leave her food bowl full daily as well as her water bowl-she in turn leaves me on the front step no less….lovely mouse and mole carcasses complete with the head still intact for me to easily indentify the kill.  Isn’t she sweet! J  LOL!  Somehow along the way she must have thought I needed the woodlands ridded of vermin not the barn.  Oh well, as long as she’s happy.  My son sees her at night, he’s working on coaxing her into the house as well-don’t know why she’s all of sudden shy of us since she was such a lap cat; its like a switch just got switched.  She has a bed and food in the barn as well so maybe when the cold gets to her she’ll come in.

I still have one of your kennels; I have kept it intact in the barn hoping it might home one of them back in-but still nothing.  We should set something up to meet-I can drive out that way you won’t have to come out so far.

 

August 2008.  So far George being the shy one, wouldn’t come out of his crate for days at a time now stays away days at time, it upsets me to no end but I couldn’t keep him crated forever.  My son sees him for a second here and there and the neighbor says she puts out food for him as well so I just don’t know.  His crate stays open with food and water and his litter box.  He was the last one I expected to wander, he’s such a scaredy cat, and he’d hang out either inside his crate or on top of it never far from it at all. 

Molly, now she’s become out all time sweetheart.  She’s the brave one.  I don’t know how someone gave her up all because of her potty habits, which is pretty funny because the first couple of weeks that they were allowed out, I kept the crates open and she with acres on acres of potty places went back into the crate and used her litter box!!  Now she did like to go into George’s litter box and turn it upside down and leave it like that.  Not sure what the game was she was playing. 

Anyhow, with George being such a loner, we bring Molly in the house when I get home around 6ish, just because my nerves can’t handle it she decides to wander.  She’s such a sweetheart, everyone loves her to pieces.  She’s adapted to our inside kitty and big old boxer like she’s been with us for years.  She’s such a doll.  She even likes to ride on the quad when I go to the barn in the mornings, she hitches a ride!  She’s just super special! 

Let me know if you need me to meet ya somewhere with the crates if that saves ya some fuel, I work in Shrewsbury so not sure if that’s on your route or not.

 

Note: We placed Molly and George, a cat with a similar litter box problem in a lovely barn in Sturbridge…They share it with a horse and donkey that you can see in the video.

May 29, 2008 - Request we received from the MSPCA to find a a barn home for a cat named Molly…

Hi Sandy,We had spoke earlier this month about a possible barn placement through you. I was wondering if you still have any barns that you know of looking for cats. We have an 11 month old cat here at the shelter who was surrendered because she doesn’t use the litterbox all the time. She was well cared for in her previous home and her owners did everything that we suggested with no success. She has only ever been an indoor cat, and she has a great personality and is very people orriented. Her owners had so many great things to say about her although they had no success with getting her to use the litterbox. Because of this behavior we are unable to put her up for general adoption. Let me know as soon as possible if you think you might have an option for her as it is summer time and we are full here at the shelter.Thanks,

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This video is about saving the Gardner cats, our very first foray into finding barn homes for cats that were considered ‘unadoptable.’ It was an eye-opening experience. Check out this video series and please tell us what you think.

We try very hard to match-up the needs of the barn, the personalities of the cats and the preferences of the owners. It has worked out well so far and we are in process of posting updates from the owners about their experiences assuming responsibility for ‘unadoptable’ cats.

If you have a barn and are seeking cats, the best way to reach us is via email: sandy@sheltermeinc.org. Click any of the following titles to learn more about our barn cat program:

Acclimating barn cats  - How to apply for a Shelter Me barn cat - Keeping cats warm in winter - Providing raccoon proof feeding

Meanwhile, here are some updates from the owners of the Gardner cats:

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5/16

from Mushy’s caretaker

Hi Sandy

Mushy is doing very well and has not been using the crate-she likes to sleep in the hay loft at night these days. She is becoming a lot more social and seems very happy!

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5/07 From Tiny & Felix’s caretaker

Tiny and Felix are getting along great with one & other.  I keep finding them sleeping together on hay bales

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From Sketter and Mittens’ caretaker

5/08

Hi Sandy

the cats are doing great! Sketter loves to be petted and mittens will rub against you when she thinks you’re not paying attention but still won’t be touched.

they have free roam of the barn at night and are waiting by their cages every morning for their breakfast. they still sleep in their cages during the day. I may be brave enough to let them out of thebarn in a few more weeks…. I’m getting attached and don’t want anything to happen to them. they are both very sweet.

I’ll keep you posted

Aug 19, 2008 - How are the kitties? the girls have turned out awesome! both have become very friendly and mittens likes nothing better that a good cuddle on our lap. Kim   Kim later sent us these great pics - Sketter and Mittens really came around amazingly well for ’scaredy cats.’ But it took over four months for them to get to the point where they were comfortable in their new home and bonded with their new caretakers…

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Max

Nov 26, 2008 Hi Sandy, Just an update on Max- he is spending more time out of the loft and we are making progress on friendship.  Tonight he jumped up on the bench next to me then let me hold him in my lap for quite awhile.  He is still very wary of people but he has become much more comfortable with me.  He will let me hold him if I am sitting close to the floor, if I stand up he gets very nervous.  Max is so soft, has a beautiful coat and seems happy-constantly purrs when I rub his head and pat him.  It is a very long process, but he is a sweetheart.  Still very elusive when I have the camera but one of these days I will surprise him and send you his picture.

Have a happy Thanksgiving

 

Sept 2008 Max is a tough cat, he may not socialize well with any others.  I think he is keeping my other cat away from the barn-the bolder he gets the less I see of her.  I actually held him for the first time this week.  It is just going to take a long time for him to trust me-but he is a great cat and I am very patient!  So I don’t really need another, but if you ever are in need of a home for a cat in need, please let me know!

 

5/18/08 – Missive from Max’s care taker

Hi Sandy

 

I have been trying to get a photo to send to you, but since Max is not co-operating, thought I would just send you a note to let you know he is doing well.  He has begun to venture out of the barn.  However only when he thinks no one is looking! 

 

One day he was in my backyard sitting on the window sill of the shed, I was so surprised to see that he had ventured into dog territory!  Mostly I see him running from the barn to hide under the dumpster, also my other cats favorite spot to hide. 

 

He does feel very comfortable in the hayloft, sleeps on a big dog bed I keep up there when he is not hiding under the floor.  He does come to me to eat and lets me pat his head, but only if I keep my distance. 

 

I am going to keep my camera handy and surprise you with a photo asap, but he is very elusive. Maybe the warm weather will draw him outside more.

 

I will keep in touch,

 

August 2008

 

Hi Sandy

 

I have been meaning to get in touch and update you on how Max is doing.  He is just beginning to be more interested in me.  He comes out of hiding for me to feed him and has even sat in the barn watching me from a distance!  I am able to pat him when he is eating, but he still does not want too much contact.  We are taking it slow but definately making progress.