I Finally Caught Her, and she came with gifts!
By minx267
@minx267 (15527)
Hartford, Connecticut
August 19, 2010 10:25am CST
So one of my cats, Shetana, took off last year in NOVEMBER (3 days before her scheduled spay surgery..)and has never come back home. And up until last month, when I caught her crossing the street in front of my house... I thought she had died.
Well, I have seen her 3 times since last month and gotten fairly close to her each time- but not close enough.
Today, I was out in the front yard watching her 15 month old kittens wrestle in my freshly weeded and very barren garden, when something told me to look for Shetana.
I no sooner glanced up... and I saw her disappearing under a truck a cross the street in the neighbors yard. I followed her.
She let me get about 2-3 feet away and talked to me the whole time. But didn't really want me closer. Then she jumped up and into the back of this pick up loaded with all kinds of debris. Hmmm.. I cleared away the yucky spider web blocking my way (what I won't do for my cats.. ugh) And I peeked in and what do I see?
A little face and 1 eye winking at me! (a kitten about 4 weeks of age with one eye stuck shut) and then I notice another little ear...
After about 10-15 minutes of running to get the carrier, running to get my hat so I could see (damn sun in my eyes) and running back for a coaxing can of food -THAT DID THE TRICK! Out comes a starving Shetana- while she's eating A grab the kittens put them in the carrier and then grab the can food -that follows the kittens.. And shove momma into the carrier.. and off we go.
She is now residing in a cage in the house.. kitten #1's eye has been cleaned and medicated and nest up is some Frontline! Momma has got a full belly and doesn't even care about the dogs sticking their noses in the cage to check out the newcomers.
Little does she know- she is not getting out of that cage until she is fixed! Then, if she really wants to run away and be a wild cat instead of living at home with her family where she is loved.. so be it! But she is not bringing more kittens in the world to become wild cats too! AND Now I have 2 new babies to play with!!!
So how was your day?!
4 people like this
12 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
19 Aug 10
Whoa, what a naughty kitty..lol I was for sure it was going to be a mouse or something, the typical cat gift..I am glad you are taking responsibility for Shetana and getting her spayed before you allow her to make her choice of staying with you or not..
I hope she does stay, however, because a cat needs a good home, not be running around wild. They can easily get hurt or killed that way..:(
I hope she does stay, however, because a cat needs a good home, not be running around wild. They can easily get hurt or killed that way..:(1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
19 Aug 10
Wow, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were talking about teenagers and how they fight and bully and want attention..
That is so cool, and I hope they don't give you problems over the winter for having to stay at home..lol1 person likes this
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
19 Aug 10
I agree. Her brother Saffron, LOVES ME- but lives at the neighbors.. my other boys tend to pick on him and he had enough.. but He's coming back before winter sets in whether he like it or not! And her sister Sahara, also got picked on a lot by my bully convert Brandis -(before he was fixed). so she doesn't come in the house a whole lot. But she does STAY in the back yard, hanging out near the shed. And she comes to me every time we bring the dogs out and begs for me to pick her up- she likes to be held like a baby!
So I guess they all like the outdoors a bit more than being inside. But I usually lock them up for the winter.
2 people like this
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
19 Aug 10
I had to laugh when you said that she'd vanished 3 days before she was due to go in to be speyed 
I think that she must have got wind of the impending vet visit and decided to do a runner!
Pretty good job rescuing her and her kittens though! 
I think that she must have got wind of the impending vet visit and decided to do a runner!
Pretty good job rescuing her and her kittens though! 1 person likes this
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
20 Aug 10
thanks.. You know what's weird .for a cat that has had no human contact in 10 months. She's just laying here. I've even opened the cage and she will come out and lay down inches in front of it on the tile floor. She hasn't tried to even leave the room let alone the house. She's a better mother now than she was with her first litter which she shared with her sister in the care of.
They took turns nursing and she only had to be with the kittens half the day...
Elic, I can't tell you how cute and healthy looking these kittens are.. I am totally amazed at how good they look for being born and raised outside in the back of a pick up truck. :-)
1 person likes this
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
20 Aug 10
I'm sure sh had more than 2 in this litter. but I didn't see any others. And I haven't noticed any young kittens anywhere around here.. But then if she had a previous litter who know where she may have had them.. Another block over? They may not come around here. I am keeping an eye out. Since I have an extended family of 3 generations, I probably would recognize a kitten if they had their relatives similarities.
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
19 Aug 10
Aww! Good for you! I hope she wants to stay with you now. Good luck with all the little ones!
A stray we had named "Ninja Cat" because he was so sneaky, seems to have adopted our next door neighbours. Little does he know he'll be visiting a vet for the snip soon. Not only will it stop unwanted kittens, it'll hopefully calm him down enough to stop picking on the other neighbourhood cats. He's so affectionate to humans (especially when you feed him!), but he's a bit of a terror with other cats.
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
19 Aug 10
I bet after his snip you'll be able to keep him in and he will be a changed boy.
My Brandis was like that.. got into fights like crazy, but I knew he was a love bug before his hormones kicked in. So I wasn't surprised to see that he is such a homebody now- he barely ever leaves. Like's to sleep with me and rub his face all over mine..
thanks for the response, here's a pic of the kittens.
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
19 Aug 10
Aww! I'm loving these pictures!
My friend recently adopted a 4-5 week old kitten that had been abandoned in a box outside our local animal charity. He was named Nigel and he's such a little terror! He climbed my friend's dragon plant and fell off, taking a branch with him! He's fine of course. The plant isn't looking so good though. He's black and tiny and so, so cute. 
He's black and tiny and so, so cute. 
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
19 Aug 10
Hi, Minx!
That cat certainly does not want to be spayed! Maybe, though, spaying would keep her around. If not, enjoy those adorable kittens!
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
19 Aug 10
Good luck with that. They're so cute, I wish I weren't allergic to cats!
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
19 Aug 10
Aw, I actually am too. But I started taking allergy shots when I was a teenager.. My mother thank god realized how obsessed I was with animals and that she had to do something to help me with those darn allergies..
And I have asthma which isn't always fun either..
Mainly I am sure my allergies have dissipated due to my constant exposure to my animals.. And I really did have bad allergies and breathing when I started.
But it's better now..
And even if it wasn't- I never cared.. I am going to have animals if it kills me.. lol
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
19 Aug 10
NO - I don't think she does.. but, she isn't fighting me now that she is in the house. She is calm, taking the dogs in stride. Amazing really, considering how long she has been out living like a wild cat.
Keeping fingers crossed that she stays at home after I get her fixed.
1 person likes this
@msinfo79 (324)
• United States
19 Aug 10
Wow my grandmas cat sam used to do that lol. she did that for about a year off and on. then one day she never came back 
. I like your story it has a better ending so my day is good so far can't complain i'm living thank God I guess that's all that matters. so how was your day?
. I like your story it has a better ending so my day is good so far can't complain i'm living thank God I guess that's all that matters. so how was your day? 
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
23 Aug 10
Ha - gotcha! lol
I'm glad you got her. I remember seeing a chart on how many cats one female could produce in 5 years (including her offspring's offspring). Pretty scary.
After she's spayed, she's much more likely to want to stay home and be spoiled...
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
24 Aug 10
I HOPE SO! she's enjoying it now.. although after the 4th day she wants to go out..
I left a window open by accident and she got out- so I had to open another one when I went to work that night and was happily surprised when I got home that she was back in the room nursing the kittens...
I guess you can't cure 10 months of wander lust in a few days.... :-)
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
20 Aug 10
Well now glad to hear that you caught her!! Hopefully you get her to the vet and she recoops some, she will never think about leaving again! I am very glad you got her back!!
@jugsjugs (12967)
•
28 Aug 10
I am soo pleased that you found your cat after such a long time of her going away.At least you know that she never came to any harm while she was away.I think with you being with her now aswell as her not being able to get out to run off you can now build up the friendship again.Also i think that you are doing the right thing in getting her spade before she is allowed to go outside again.
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
29 Aug 10
Thank you. Yes, she seems to like having a home and not worrying about where her next meal is coming from. And she does seem to have lost a bit off the end of her tail... it's shorter.. but feeling it- It seems to have healed okay... Not long after she left- I saw her running around and her tail looked odd, but she would never come to me back then. I feel a little something on er side too- maybe an old injury healed funny. I'm hoping the vet doesn't find anything wrong, other than that she seems fine and normal. And she has gone out recently, but she is coming right back so to keep her happy -I am letting her for now.. But in another couple of weeks I'm bringing her in- then I am going to have to keep her in for 10 days until her stitches come out- then I know she wont be happy with me.. LOL
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
21 Aug 10
I can be honest with you that this is the reason that I don't want to let either of our cats out of our house. We never had pet cats until February when my daughter brought home a stray, Cornbread. Then in June we adopted a five week old kitten, Buttercup. Well, Cornbread has already been fixed and only recently has my husband decided that it is okay to let him out here and there. It really bothers me because I've gotten attached to him and I really don't think that I could stand the thought of something happening to him. Every time that I see him outside the house I coax him back in.
@minx267 (15527)
• Hartford, Connecticut
22 Aug 10
I agree. If I didn't have so many and a lot of them love the outdoors. I would keep them in.
I used to have 17 that I forced to keep indoors for most of their life,through 3 different apartments I lived in.. I lived on busy streets with no yard -so there was no way I was letting them out.
But here we have a huge back yard and still there are a few who prefer not to go out. Some are big homebodies. I leave open windows at the front and back of the house so they can come in and out.
There are dangers outside though- I agree with you. If I had the means I'd have a big cat/walk cage built so they can go out but be enclosed. Maybe someday I will have enough money to undertake building something like that.
@gerylm (1)
•
20 Aug 10
I'm a cat person and I love reading stories about pet cats. I used to have a white kitten with one blue eyes and the other is green I just miss her.
Her name was kitty and I dont know where she is... I'm happy for you. =)
