Tortoiseshell cats are named for their distinctive coloring – a combination of patches of black, brown, amber, red, cinnamon and chocolate. The size of the patches varies from a fine speckled pattern to large areas of color. The term “tortoiseshell” is used for cats with brindled coats that have few or no white markings. Cats of this coloring with larger areas of white fur are called calicos. Sometimes, these colors present in lighter versions such as lilac or cream. Torties with this lighter coloring are called dilute torties. Occasionally, the typical tortoiseshell colors are also seen in a tabby (striped) pattern, and these cats are sometimes referred to as “torbies.”
Tortoiseshell cats are almost exclusively female. Tortoiseshell and calico coats are the result of the interaction between genetic and developmental factors. The occasional and very rare male tortoiseshell cat is the result of a genetic mutation.
In addition to their distinctive coloring, torties also have a reputation for unique personalities, sometimes referred to as “tortitude.” They tend to be strong-willed, a bit hot-tempered, and they can be very possessive of their human. Other words used to describe torties are fiercely independent, feisty and unpredictable. They’re usually very talkative and make their presence and needs known with anything from a hiss to a meow to a strong purr. These traits are stronger in tortoiseshell cats than in calicos – it seems as though these traits are somewhat diluted with the addition of more white to the color scheme.
As of the writing of this post, I share my life with Amber*, and those of you who’ve followed this blog for a while have gotten to know her in her Amber’s Mewsings posts. You will soon be able to read all about Buckley in Buckley’s Story – Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher. The photo above shows Buckley in the front, Amber behind her.
Prior to Amber and Buckley, there was another tortie in my life. Virginia was the first office cat at the animal hospital I managed. She was my introduction to torties, and my love affair with this particular type of cat began with her. She, too, had the “tortitude” I so love about these particular cats.
Do you have a tortie or calico in your life? Does she have “tortitude?”
*Sadly, Amber passed away on May 13, 2010, after a sudden, brief illness. I now share my life with Allegra and Ruby, two tortoiseshell cats who have their own columns here on The Conscious Cat, titled Allegra’s World and Ruby’s Reflections.
Photo ©Ingrid King, all rights reserved
Happy Hanukkah and Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends.
I am Thankful to Ingrid for starting this Blog and bringing us all together.
I have met wonderful people, some VERY famous cats and learned so much about the health and caring of our furry friends.
To all our Tortie family and all fur babies, I wish you a Happy, Blessed Thanksgiving.
Glen, you may not celebrate our Holiday, but have a blessed day also.
Happy Thanksgiving, tortie family! I’m thankful for all of you!
Hi everyone – Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Gigi has fit in so well here and is such a good cat, I am very pleased we took a chance on taking her in; she has been a great addition.
Taz had to go to the vet, a routine check up and all was well for the 15 year old “Orange Boy”.
However, he doesn’t like it and it brought a strong reaction from Gigi.
I put Taz in the big carrier and got ready to head out; he started up with very worried and mournful sounds.
Gigi was quite concerned and upset and followed me closely close to the carrier, all the time looking very worried.
She almost got out the door, not because she wanted to get out, she just wanted to keep checking on Taz.
The vet is close to home, here, and I was back in just over 1/2 an hour. Apparently, Gigi fussed all the time we were away. She has really fit in and has become very social.
I’d say Gigi has more than fit in, Glen–she’s really become central to your household. She was truly meant to be with you!
Glen, Frank and Arian are the same way. If Frank is in a room and let out a cry Arian jump up and rushes out to check on him. Arian is Frankie kitten and she loves him. Gigi is Taz’s kitten (even though Taz is a big kitten himself)
That is a great story of how they have bonded.
Harry that news could not be better. Esterbrooke Shubin held the Tortie reputation up and above all others ” before Brooke bit her.” That a good girl Brooke. Now you can all take a big deep breath. The kittens that are over the bridge are watching out for Brooke.
Harry, I hope it’s nothing, I hope it’s just not there tomorrow! You’ve had enough this year.
We could use some positive energy sent Brooke’s way. We noticed a fairly significant lump on her side. She goes to the vet in the morning. Having lost a cat a dozen years ago to a vaccine sarcoma, I am fairly frantic, even though I don’t think this is in a shot area.
So sorry to hear that Brooke may have a health issue. Sending all the positive thoughts I can….
Oh no! Sending lots of good thoughts her way and hoping that it’s nothing serious. You’ve had more than enough to deal with this year.
Fingers crossed Harry. I can understand how frantic you must be feeling.
Harry I am sending all the positive thoughts and energy for Brooke. My prayers and hope for her to be well is all I can do. Having said that, give her a hug and kisses from me and mine. Sending my love to you all. You are all precious to me and that includes the fur babies. Maybe, if the kitten gods are listening all will be well. Your family has been through so very much. love
I can’t even begin to tell you how relieved we are. The lump is a lipoma – a fatty tumor – that is benign and needs no intervention. She does need her teeth cleaned – at least, the side the vet saw before Brooke bit her. (This was after three aspirations of the lump, and after a full body exam, and after the tech and vet said she was such a good girl 🙂
That’s what I was hoping for yesterday, and it happened!
“That’s what I was hoping for yesterday, and it happened!”
Biting the Vet ???
I would have expected no less from Brooke. Of all the Torties, Brooke, Stirfry, Steeler and Kasey brought fear into the hearts of caretakers and Vets. They know what these cats are capable of.
1st thing the Vets who saw Stirfry ask was is she up on her Rabies shots. They did not ask that of Frankie, Tabatha or even Styx. Guess they can tell.
That is wonderful news Harry!!
What a relief! Poor Brooke – all that poking and prodding would turn the most mild-mannered kitty into a cranky puss – let alone a tortie!
I think it was less the poking, and more the insult – they called her a “good girl.”
EXCELLENT news!!!
Harry, such good news. I thought about you all weekend and was hoping for the best!
Saw this on the news today.
World’s oldest ‘big cat’ fossils unearthed in Tibet
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Image: Panthera blytheae
Mauricio Anton
Panthera blytheae is an ancient species of “big cat” that was found in Tibet. These renderings show schematics of the creature’s skull and a reconstruction of how it might have looked in life.
The earliest known big cat lived in what is now China between 5.9 million and 4.1 million years ago, newfound fossils of the ancient prowler suggest.
The fossils, which were discovered on the Tibetan plateau, belong to a sister species of the snow leopard that prowls the Himalayan region today, said study co-author Zhijie Jack Tseng, a paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
The new study also reveals that all cats diverged about 16 million years ago, about 5 million years earlier than was previously thought. [See Images of the Oldest Big Cat Fossils]
How cats evolved
The group of felines known as “big cats” includes tigers, leopards, lions and jaguars, as well as snow leopards and clouded leopards. But exactly where and when they evolved hasn’t been clear.
Tseng and his colleagues were excavating a rocky region of badlands in the Tibetan plateau in 2010 when they uncovered a fossil skull and one other bone that seemed to belong to a big cat. On return trips, they excavated five more specimens of the cat.
The team didn’t know how old the fossils were, so the researchers looked at the orientation of magnetic minerals in the rock layers around the fossils. Because Earth’s magnetic poles have flipped at known points in geologic time, counting the number of times magnetic particles switch orientation in nearby rocks can reveal the approximate age of a fossil.
The team concluded the big cat was at least 4 million years old — a few million years older than some other ancient tiger fossils.
16 million-year-old cat tale
A detailed look at the anatomy in comparison with other living and extinct cats revealed that the primeval cat didn’t look too different from a modern snow leopard.
But this cat is by no means the first feline from which all other cats evolved. After combining an analysis of the fossil cat’s physical features with genetic data — including some from a fossil cave lion — the team puts the origin of all cats (including house cats) somewhere around 16 million years ago.
“These fossils are the oldest, but they’re by no means the most primitive,” Tseng told LiveScience. “There is some big cat out there that has yet to be described.”
The findings are exciting because they corroborate genetic estimates of when cats first emerged, and because the fossils were found near Central Asia, the area where most scientists believe cats first evolved, said Julie Meachen, a paleontologist at Des Moines University in Iowa, who was not involved in the study.
Where mega-creatures hung out
In addition, the cat skull came from a region where other fossils of mega-creatures have been found, suggesting perhaps this is the region where Pleistocene megafauna, including “big furry guys” such as woolly mammoths and rhinos, evolved, Meachen said. (Megafauna are large or giant animals.)
It’s also fascinating to see how little cats have changed over the past several million years, she said.
“The reason they don’t change is that they are so good at what they do that they don’t need to change,” Meachen told LiveScience. “They’re just really effective killers of prey right from the get-go.”
The food dishes were empty and I put food in Stir’s dish and then in the other double bowl. Stir decided that she would rather eat out of that one. Styx and Arian ran away but Frankie doesn’t give up food that easily. But Stir does not share.
I put a video up on FB.
That sounds like what used to go on with Taz and Kasey.
Taz is a big happy, slow moving happy thing, and a food motivated orange boy, so the good judgement trait is not there when food is involved.
It never ended well when the Warrior Queen decided it would please her to eat, sharing was not even a trace of a hint of an option.
Ingrid and Harry. I agree with the allergy influence. I explained this to the two vets treating Freedom. Freedom was an outside feral for at least 3 years that I know of, because I kept feeding her out there while Steeler would watch. I never seen and lesions or wounds on her all that time. It was after she became an indoor only cat, that this appeared. So it has to be something in her diet. Forget chicken, she won’t eat that anyway. The specialist will be the next step for her. Right now, she is comfortable with the shot. So when it shows signs of coming back onto her, I will try to find a specialist to see what is causing her allergy. I came to that conclusion my self, because I know she was ok when she was outside and when she came in. So I have to go with that. In the meantime, I will purchase some of the raw food to try to get her to eat that and see if anything changes. If I had to guess her age, I would put her between 5 and 7 years. She was outdoors for some time around her e before I took her in. This is the kind of helpless feeling to know she will start again and finding a solution to held control this. It is going to be bathroom feeding for her away from the hungry hunters here.
Hi Bernie. My cousin in NZ has a female cat, also around 5 years old, who has an ongoing battle with an itch. She has been to the vet a few times, but they have not been able to work out what is causing it. The latest theory has been that it could be hormonal(!). The temporary solution is that she wears a “vest” to stop her getting to the itchy spot, at least until it heals. It does flare up pretty regularly though. I think they have used a pair of children’s lycra leggings and just cut one of the legs off. It’s fluro pink and she looks very cute. I agree that going to a specialist will be a good move. Poor Freedom. It must be awful to be so itchy that you are tearing your skin out.
Marg, thanks for the advice. Freedom’s behavior does not include scratching. She uses her teeth to pull the different areas of her coast out. I have watched her closely and scratching is not part of her actions. It is almost like she has a pain in different spots, then she starts going from one to the other to bite it. So whatever it is, it is worrisome to me.
Bernie, I would not wait to consult with a dermatologist. Ask your vet for a referral now, before she has another flare up.
While the raw diet may help, I’d be a little hesitant to start her on it if she just had the steroid injection, as that suppressed her immune system. Chances are she’d handle the raw food just fine, but I would wait at least a couple of weeks before trying it.
Putting a t- shirt or vest on her, as Marg suggested, is not a longterm solution. While it may stop her from mutilating herself, she’s still going to feel pretty miserable.
Allergies can be frustrating to treat, and it can take time to find the right solution. A derm referral is your first step.
I agree completely about the t-shirt not being a long term solution (and it’s a good job Freedom isn’t a tortie … imagine trying to put a t-shirt on a tortie!). That should be a phrase we use when something is going to be really difficult “it would be like putting a t-shirt on a tortie”, but only tortie people would get it. Anyways, Bernie, it sounds like a visit to a dermatologist is on the cards.
Ha! “It’s like putting a t-shirt on a tortie” – I love it! That’s way better than the commonly used “it’s like herding cats” expression!
I sure would get it.
Can’t even pill Stir.
Ingrid, I have read your response to the vaccines. I totally agree with the one year vaccinations. As of now all 4 have already had the 3 year vaccines. I was very frightened about Dajudge getting the 3 year rabies vaccine. I watched her very closely for any signs of reactions.
Freedom is my beauty. She was the feral and now she is so loving with me and all the kittens. She only smacks them upside the head when they keep agitating her. Never any anger issues.
Now for those steroid shots, I don’t know what other avenues we can take for her. If you would see her during an outbreak. she is tearing her coat off with attached skin, so she creates a wound on her body. I tried different creams and but nothing stops her. I did discuss her having to have these shots to stop the outbreak and asked if they could find another medically safe treatment for her. The answers are not really. Whatever is causing her to tear her coat+skin off is not a surface cause. It is coming from under her skin. So they don’t know what else could be done. There is no pre warning for this. One day she is fine. Then within a day she can have torn a wound the size of a quarter off her body, and this is not only on one spot. So they don’t know how else to treat this and I really don’t know what else to do. I did switch her to wet food only, but it made no difference. I thought maybe dry food was causing it. However it is not that. I am open to suggestions, but I have to keep in mind that this tearing off of her coat needs treated immediately. Or she will be one big open wound.
I would recommend taking her to a veterinary dermatologist. I’m sure it’s awful to watch her like this. She’ll probably need advanced diagnostics such as allergy testing, and/or a food elimination trial. Here’s more information on feline allergies: https://ingridking.com/2013/08/26/feline-allergies/
Hey Bernie – that really sounds like allergies, maybe a food allergy. Getting off dry food is a start, but some cats are allergic to chicken which is the protein in most cat foods. I know that a lot of folks have had huge success with allergies in switching to a raw diet, but even short of that, it’s worth trying some single source protein foods to see if a novel protein source would help. (I just saw Ingrid recommended a dermatology consult – I agree!)
I “third” that emotion! The steroid helps with the symptoms–temporarily–but not the cause. She is young, and long-term use of steroids in a cat has pretty serious consequences such as diabetes and persistent urinary tract infections, along with a greatly reduced immunity, and it can even turn around and make the skin condition worse. A trip to a veterinary dermatologist, a specialist who sees these cases all the time, is your best way to narrow down the possible cause and find a treatment that will work consistently. They may seem expensive, but without their expertise you and your veterinarian are just taking guesses and hoping for the best, and that can turn out to be more expensive and fruitless.
About ten years ago my niece’s cat suddenly started up with what was obviously an allergic reaction and started in with the steroid shots, but kept on going. Through food ingredient eliminations and a trip to a veterinary dermatologist for some clues about the specific rash–belly and inner thighs–they determined she was allergic to fish, and nearly all cat foods had fish in them at the time, dry and wet. She found foods that had no fish and it stopped. If a food had some fish in it, they knew right away.
And it may not even be food, it could be something else environmental. Freedom has a long life ahead of her.
HEY TORTIE FAMILY ALERT JAY has a birthday tomorrow the 4th. I think he is 70 or so.
So you all may want to flood his Facebook with HB’s. 😛
Hey, my IQ is higher than that. I am smarter than Frankie.
I think. We both have William and Mary Diplomas. 🙂
“Because that’s what they do in the wild”
That is an “in”, ironic joke a guy at work and I have regarding cat behavior, that I am sure others here can relate to.
It is a measure of the personalities of cats and how adaptable they are to their surroundings and how unique they are.
If they were wild, you would rarely even see them and at best they would sometimes be fearful or hostile.
But living with people, in a secure setting, we know it is a different story.
One example was Gigi, this morning.
She was meowing and fussing at the top of the basement stairs. When I went back to see her, she “lead” me downstairs.
Once downstairs, she went to the cat tree that is there and began playing on it.
I was supposed to provide and audience for her antics.
Because, after all, “that’s what they do in the wild”; i.e., find a person to watch them play on a tree or log. 😉
Yup. Sounds like “wild” cat behavior to me, Glen. 😉 I think the definition of “wild” shifts in our domestic tigers. Ruby’s version of wild is to race through the house like a crazy monkey. I call it “the zoomies.”
The guy at work has a 9 pound long haired female and a 20+ pound male Maine Coon.
Both will stare at full bowls of dry food until he rearranges it in the bowl, then they will eat.
He says, “of course, that’s how it happens in the wild”.
Frankie has stalked the “wild kibble: all his life.
But remember how I said I saw him staring at the ground across the street when he was still a wild kitten” Even when it started raining I saw him out there for at least 30 minutes before I had to do things. I still think he was staring at a rock waiting for it to move. Not too smart but cuteness got him a forever home.
Stir will go over to her food bowl which is still full. But if I empty it back into the bag and refill it she is happy and will eat.
Frank will look at the bowl and tell me it is empty. It usually is because he was the one that finished it.
Glen ““that’s what they do in the wild”; i.e., find a person to watch them play on a tree or log. ;)”. Oh yes uh uh. My wild ones show their wildness a little like Ingrid’s Ruby. Mine will decide to race throughout the whole house. Sometimes I refer to the noise as “the thundering herd”. They run from room to room on the second floor and those are all oak wooden floors. Truly wild.
I’ve heard sitting in boxes and thinking you’re invisible is a wild activity too.
Bernadette don’t forget “hiding their head under a cover with their back side out, thinking you can’t see them?
Bernie, both are sure to keep them safe from predators, especially when they twitch their tail enticingly.
We just had a “wild” catnip party too with toys from the Cat Writers’ conference, all six in the bathroom where I’d been hiding things. Even Lady Emeraude, who is like the old woman who will wear purple and who shamelessly indulges, but they’re all in a stupor now, surely an attitude that would benefit them in the wild.
I would love to see that on a video. 7 fur babies on nip and all at the same time. Fun time at your house.
It’s amazing what you find at flea markets these days! This afternoon, my husband wanted to go to a large indoor flea market that we had never been to before that is in another town about 15 miles away.
Parking was at a premium, so we had a ways to walk to get to the entrance. As I was walking past some of the other cars parked on the side, a family was getting into their car and a small black cat ran out from where she had been hiding.
As usual, I called to her, and she came right over. Initially, I thought she was probably owned by someone in the neighborhood, but when I petted her, I realized that she was extremely thin. Her eyes absolutely begged me to take her, and she stood up and put her paws on my leg, asking me to pick her up.
There was no way I could leave her there. She followed me as I walked back to my car, and didn’t object when I picked her up and put her in the back seat. Since it was rather cool today, I knew she would be fine being in there for an hour or so, and I was just hoping that my husband wouldn’t object.
Fortunately, he had started to walk back to find out why I was so slow and saw me tucking kitty into the car. When I told him how thin she was and how I couldn’t just walk away, he agreed that we definitely had to take her.
She’s not a tortie, but she’s really sweet, and kissed our hands constantly all the way home. Thankfully, she was perfectly fine with riding in the car, since I didn’t have a carrier with me and I was hoping that she wouldn’t be freaked out on the long ride home.
She’s now safely ensconced in my office with food and water and a litter box.
Gail – I was at a flea market today also (you weren’t in Virginia, were you?) but didn’t see any cats. If I’d found a black kitten there no question I’d have packed her up! (Really, we weren’t at the same flea market, were we?)
If Virgina is another word for Rhode Island, then, yes, we could have been at the same flea market. I tend to doubt that, though. LOL
Phew! I’m glad I didn’t miss her in the parking lot then! Having just lost a black cat that was very special to me, I’m sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop – because you know they send others your way 😉
Oh, yes, they certainly do! Now I have two black kitties, and, except for size they are just about identical. I “think” that Misha (flea market kitty) has some white on her belly, but I haven’t checked that far yet. Willow, the other black kitty, is totally black with no white whatsoever.
So, I guess that if Misha grows to be about Willow’s size, I’ll have to flip them over to tell them apart?
I just got back from visiting my mom in Virginia but didn’t go to a flea market or see a little black kitty.
That was a very good thing to do, sounds like she was very happy to find someone that was friendly.
It certainly seems that way. It’s been rather warm for the last few days here, but tonight is supposed to get very cold and it’s supposed to be cold all next week. Considering how thin she is, I doubt that she would have made it through the week.
Oh, bless you for taking this little girl in, Gail! She sure knew how to pick the right person, didn’t she? 🙂
See, another kitten looks for the right human and picks them out. Enjoy your new member of the family Gail. Send pics on Ingrid’s FB if you can.
It certainly looks that way. I keep thinking that it was quite serendipitous in the way it worked out. When we first got there, we weren’t sure which side of the building to go to. On one side is the flea market, and on the other side are some discount outlet stores (which we didn’t realize at the time.)
We went to the outlet store side first, and then had to circle back. If we had gone straight to the flea market after parking the car, I doubt that our paths would have crossed.
One question now that I’m thinking about it. Initially, I was thinking I should set up a vet appointment for spaying and shots and check-up for next weekend. I’m a bit worried, though, because she’s so thin. Would it be best to give her a few weeks to gain some strength and weight before bringing her in?
Any thoughts, anyone?
Gail, I’d go to the vet sooner rather than later. You want to get a FeLV/FIV (leukemia, AIDS) test before you let her meet your other cats, get her checked for fleas, and most likely get her dewormed. It’s very possible the reason she’s so thin is that she has parasites, and you don’t want to spread that around. Put off spaying, and possibly shots, until you know she’s strong enough, but get the initial check/deflea-ing/deworming done as soon as possible. My $0.02.
Thanks, Harry. The FELV/FIV doesn’t really worry me too much. I’ve had cats before that have been positive, and they co-existed peacefully with the other cats with no problems. As long as there is no fighting, there really wasn’t much to worry about. The only bad thing I’ve found is that the positive cats simply leave too soon, and that hurts…a lot.
Parasites are something I hadn’t thought about, though, and that could be a possibility, although I know that she was extremely hungry when she got home. She initially ate about a half-cup of kibble at one sitting, but since then, when I gave her another small portion about an hour or so later, she has eaten just small amounts, which seems to me that her stomach simply can’t hold much at a time because she hasn’t had much to eat for awhile. I could be wrong, though.
FIV, yes – I wouldn’t hesitate to have an FIV cat. Feline leukemia though is more contageous. I don’t think we’ve ever taken in a stray kitten that *didn’t* have worms!
Careful Gail, Harry is a great person, poor foster parent but also a(dare I say it in mixed company ?? A LAWYER !!!!!). So when he says 2 cents make sure there is not an extra charge added on. He can be bribed with soft fuzzy toys, nip and old pens.
Don’t listen to him. He’s just annoyed that I haven’t made good on a debt I owe one of his “associates”… a couple pounds of nip and a crate of cat toys in exchange for some fountain pens. Call off your goon, Jay, I’m good for it, I swear.
So I won’t be sending Stir to VA to collect ???
She was looking to stop at the Stray Cat for a Neuter Shooter and Feral Hiss before stopping at your house. Can you imaging her as a mean drunk ? Probably take on a few police dogs just for fun.
Either the Neuter Shooter or the Feral Hiss and there’s no chance I’d be seeing Stir. There’s a good reason those drinks haven’t returned to the menu since the last time you were here!
Harry, Stirfry eats hot wings that Bernie could not handle, a killer drink probably would not faze her. The Neuter Shooter was awful, I can see why they dropped it. I’ll stick to Tequila shots. So will Bernie 🙂
Folks, Jay is being devilish. Jay drinks an occasional shot of tequila, I would throw the tequila in the air as a target!!!!
Must have been Stir and me trading shots. I knew it was a girl with Attitude and thought it was Bernie. 🙂
Gail, Harry is right on with his advice. Shots and tests etc first and foremost. Harry and his family have fostered a number of kittens and he does know his stuff about what priorities are with new kittens.
I second Harry’s advice. Anytime you take in a new kitten or cat with an unknown health history, it’s always a good idea to get them seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. While they may want to hold off on spaying and vaccinating her until she’s regained some strength, it’s definitely a good idea to get her a thorough check up.
See, that’s why we keep him around. Knowledge about cat care and willingness to foster (then keep) a needy kitten. Plus we need some one to say “I told you so” when we do something stupid like trying to pill a cat without bandages standing by. Especially a Tortie.
Ingrid, I was trying to find the AAFP information to add the link and here it was on your site! I didn’t want to state three years unless I had the actual reference, and I know I’d bookmarked it but couldn’t find it.
I hope veterinarians get on the schedule with this–most are still recommending annual vaccinations, and the issues with the one- and three-year rabies vaccines is still confusing, even for officials who enforce the laws let alone the general public.
I seem to disagree, but only partly! I always keep new cats isolated when they first arrive, even if I know where they came from and they come with vet records, and we don’t visit the vet right away unless there’s an obvious need. With cats who I’ve taken from the street as you did, they are isolated from my other cats for four full weeks. Many viruses can develop that aren’t apparent at first that are contagious even before the cat shows any symptoms, and tests for the two most important, FIV and FeLV can take four to eight weeks for accurate tests. I don’t take any chances, and in 30 years I have never had anything carried by a rescue infect the rest of my household–except fleas, darn it.
Unless I see an injury or there’s an obvious virus or parasites that need to be treated, I let my vet know I have a new cat in case something comes up, but I hold them until that four-week period is over, let them get accustomed to their surroundings, eat lots of food and relax. There’s no benefit in taking them to more vet visits than they need. As the days pass you’ll get to know the cat better and when you do visit the vet you’ll be much better informed as to habits and personality, and they’ll often tolerate the visit to the vet and the exams and treatment much better after they’ve had time to adjust, which makes their introduction to veterinary care much more successful for a lifetime of care.
Of course, it’s up to you to be scrupulously careful in handling your rescue and your other cats and food, water, bedding and toys, but you seem to be experienced with handling these situations, though if you weren’t careful, even a visit to a vet wouldn’t help.
When vaccinations come up, if your vet can do titers you can determine if the cat needs the FVRCP protocol or already has an immunity, meaning it had some vaccinations, but I usually act as if a new cat has never had any vaccines and get the set done, regardless of their age, but I don’t vaccinate again after that, so ensuring that initial immunity is important. Rabies is another story, in most states it’s mandatory and the law states what is required, but with very ill and obviously geriatric cats I’ll sneak under the wire.
My main veterinarian is a house-call only vet and I work with a number of other veterinarians for other services. All know me as a rescuer so I do have their support in phone consultations and easily getting a quick visit if some emergency does arise. It’s not a bad thing if you take the kitten to the vet now, but I would not get the FIV/FeLV tests done right away. You can do those later when they would be more accurate.
Bernadette, tell me if I’m wrong but I don’t get any further shots after they have been in my house.
Frankie had all the shots when he was fixed as a feral (TNR) but has never had any since. Stir was required to be up to date on her Rabies shots as no vet would work with her fearing they would be bit or scratched (don’t know where they got that idea). But I have not followed up with any other cats as they are indoor only and will not contact other cats or critters.
And Bernie had that bad scare with Justice after getting the multi dose shots.
Around here (Lancaster Pa) the Rabies shot it is required for house cats but not barn cats who are way more susceptible to get in contact with an infected animal. I don’t get flu shots and can’t see giving anything to my cats that might harm more than help. Just my opinion though and everyone has to make their own decision.
Jay, an up-to-date rabies shot is the law in all of Pennsylvania and in most other states and that includes barn cats. Even if a cat is kept outdoors in a barn or simply fed every day by someone, and that could also include the cats you feed outdoors, that person is considered responsible for that cat and is responsible for rabies vaccinations. PA is often the state with the most reported rabies cases in the country, and while those are 99% wildlife it’s still a danger–and if by chance a cat, or dog, bites someone, including a veterinarian, and they don’t have a valid rabies certificate they can be taken away for testing, and that test is an autopsy. Don’t want to scare you, but it’s serious business, especially in Pennsylvania. All your cats should be up to date on their rabies vaccines.
For other vaccines, you are recommended to get boosters each year. I don’t get a flu shot either for the same reason, but the flu we get isn’t anywhere near as deadly as the flu cats get, and the other illnesses included in the vaccine package. The immunity doesn’t last forever, and I know I’m taking chances, and so are you–there are certain viruses you can spread on your hands after petting an infected cat and even track in on your shoes. Even when they stay indoors and don’t come in contact with other animals, they have less protection–when you took in Frankie and Arian, did you keep them confined? They could have been carrying something and you wouldn’t know until after a period of time had passed. Face to face contact is one of the biggest risks.
I had a cat who had a nearly fatal reaction to them as well, and for a few years we dosed her with prednisone before the vaccines, but that was when I stopped the annual vaccines. But aside from this rare reaction, the vaccines are far less harmful than the illnesses they prevent.
Actually, annual boosters are no longer recommended. The new vaccine guidelines from the AAFP recommend boosters every three years for most vaccines: https://ingridking.com/2013/09/23/aafp-releases-new-feline-vaccination-guidelines/ However, studies have shown that immunity in some cases goes far beyond three years.
Rabies vaccines are legally required in most municipalities in the US. amd the frequency depends on the vaccine used. The only adjuvant free vaccine currently available in the US is only licensed for one year. There are three year rabies vaccines available, and some vets will give them to cats, but I do not recommend this practice. The risk of vaccine induced sarcomas is much higher with adjuvanted vaccines like the three year rabies vaccines.
While I agree that in general, the vaccines are less harmful than the illnesses they prevent, I think annual boosters are overkill. Unfortunately, not all vets are on board with the new guidelines. I recommend vaccine titers (a blood test) every three years. While they’re not 100% accurate, they give a pretty good indication of whether protection is still present. These titer tests are not recognized for rabies vaccines, though.
Regardless of how often you decide to vaccinate, cats should never receive multiple vaccines at the same visit.
Bernadette, I’m inclined to agree with your protocol on this. As I mentioned, I had initially thought to get her straight to the vet, but after considering things, I got those second thoughts. I don’t want to tax her system by rushing things, and I don’t want to put her under a lot of stress right off the bat.
I do intend to keep her isolated from the others. I do this with any new cat, even if it’s one from the shelter. I’m just hoping that my husband doesn’t jump the gun and let her out too soon. He’s home during the day, and I’m not, so that is a concern.
At this point in time, I don’t know much about her other than that she obviously is not feral and had been socialized with people before being tossed out to fend for herself. She appears to be in good shape other than being thin. Her fur is still shiny (no dull coat) and I couldn’t see any wounds or any discharge from her eyes.
Gail, the only other thing I would suggest since she’s so friendly and looks so healthy is that you find a shelter or vet clinic that can scan her for a microchip. Someone may be frantically looking for her and really grieving her loss. Not too many cats actually have chips but some shelters chip all animals now as part of their adoption procedure so there’s a chance she has one. It only takes a few seconds, it’s non-invasive and if someone tries to charge you for it, go somewhere else–it’s a courtesy act.
That’s a good reminder, Bernadette. I’ll have them scan her when I take her in, although I think it’s doubtful that there will be a microchip or that anyone is looking for her. In that area of RI, people don’t tend to value animals very much, and most of that area is made up of old mill complexes and small storefronts.
It’s definitely worthwhile to have her checked, though.
Gail–it’s the same here with those ex-industrial areas and really impoverished river towns, and I have to admit that while we have found chipped cats, it’s frightening who they belong to sometimes.
Bernadette, Ingrid, Gail and Jay. I took Dajudge (baby Tortie) to her vet today. I would only allow the 3 year rabies vaccine for her. I will get her the 3 year distemper vaccine at a later date, maybe. After the terrible scare of almost losing Justice to multiple vaccine reaction, I would not get multiple anything for my kittens again. Even tonight, I am watching Dajudge closely for any sign of a reaction. Freedom was also at the vet today. She had to have her shot for her dermatitis condition. While I don’t like doing this, it is necessary, or she will actually tear her fur out and she will appear to have wounds on her. So I do have her treated. Shots and meds for cats really have me on alert and makes me hesitant for anything they get. So I don’t recommend and multiple shots or vaccines at the same time. Not based on scientific results, just based on almost losing Justice. Never again. By the way, the baby, Dajudge is a big girl. She weighs in at 14.7#. She is not heavy, but a very long, tall kitten. She looks more slim than any of them.
Bernie, next time you take one of your cats for a rabies vaccine, insist on the one year vaccine. They may have to special order it for you, but they can’t decide for you which vaccine your cats get. You are your cats’ advocate when it comes to their health. If your vet won’t agree to switch to the one year vaccine, I’d find another vet. I would also encourage you to pursue alternate treatment for Freedom’s dermatitis. She’s awfully young to be getting steroid injections on an ongoing basis.
Gail what a great story. What a lucky kitten. She picked you very quickly. Loving and kissing your hands immediately, sounds like she had this all planned out for you. Lots of kitty hugs for her and you.
Gail, I would say she was waiting for you! I’m so glad for her sake you were in the right place at the right time, and I’m sure she’ll end up being very special to you. Nothing wrong with black cats–I have six right now, and no other flavors!
Bernadette, you have 6 – now. But we know one has been watching you and will show herself to you when the time is right. And you, like all of us, always have room in our heart for another.
Misha makes seven. I keep saying that I’m not going to replace cats when they go to the Bridge, but it looks as if THEY have other plans.
Hey, I started with 1 dog, added a cat, then Stirfry who is not just a cat and then things took off.
Now 5 cats, 2 mini horses and a mini donkey. Hopefully will have another Tortie or 2, a gray tiger and Russian blue with Tortie tendencies.
Jay “Hopefully will have another Tortie or 2, a gray tiger and Russian blue with Tortie tendencies”.
Folks Jay has been eating some of that nip Bernadette and Harry have. 🙂
)
I still have you beat. Seven cats, two dogs, three horses, thirteen chinchillas, a bunch of finches (can’t really count them because they move too fast) and two aquariums of fish.
Gail 7 kittens. Now she has really found the best blog on the www. Multiple cat families is the norm here. So glad you found us.
What did Harry say – “7 cats is a good start”.
Hi there. We just acquired a new kitten on Halloween night. She was abandoned in our neighborhood. We named her Boo. She is 8 weeks old and we think may have had some human contact as she is not feral. She’s a Tortie, and adorable. She eats well and uses her box and loves to play. However, she is very aggressive in her play and likes to bite hands and fingers and I’m concerned about this. We distract her with toys but she comes back to hands and wants to bite. I think she is just playing, but we don’t want to encourage this type of play. It’s been awhile since we had a kitten and we forgot how energetic they are!! We have one other cat, she is a black and white tuxedo cat, 13 years old with asthma. We have kept them separated and will until the vet says it’s ok to let them meet. So far the vet says Boo is negative for FIV and feline leukemia and we’ve given her a de-wormer. She has one bad toe on her back right paw, the nail was pulled out and it got infected but seems to be healing well. She is on antibiotic for that. I did not plan on having any more cats, she just kinda needed help and we were the ones to find her. If she does not get along with our Stella, we will find her a good home cuz Stella is the Queen here. I guess I’m just concerned about Boo being so aggressive. Is that normal for this age? And will it calm down? Any advice is appreciated!
Annie, please read my reply to Sean’s question in the comments on November 1. Your kitty is play and/or petting aggressive, and the link to the article I posted in the comment will provide solutions.
Thanks, Ingrid! That was very helpful. Love this blog!
Welcome Annie and from all of us on here a thank you for rescuing Boo. Some times we pick the cat. And other times – the cat picks you. You were chosen. Lucky you.
Good for you Annie. You truly have given her all the vetting needed. Sounds like your little one is still learning to adjust. I don’t think she will continue, if you keep letting her know softly No and pull away, “safely”. I have rescued 3 kittens (2 forties and a gray tiger tabby) and an adult russian blue who is the mom to 2 of the kittens and grand mom to the other. I went thru the bite and snarl with them. I bought them kitty trees, scratching posts, catnip toys and just about anything else a cat could want. They learned to stop biting and clawing after a while. My adult took a little longer than the kittens to accept love and trust in me. We all have come to a good outcome. So based on what I have experienced in the past 15 months, I would think the little one will learn not to be so aggressive in playing. Interactive toys are good. I especially liked the ball in the groove and the Meow toy. I now enjoy their antics without to much concern.
” We all have come to a good outcome”.
If I remember right, I was woken up by a Tortie who put her claws on my chest and wanted treats – and right away !!!!!
Well Jay, when someone is sleeping on your food and you want a treat, is there any other way to get their attention, really quick? 😛
“Allow her to get the feral cat out of her and that only comes in time” I have waited 12 years and Stirfry still has not gotten The Feral out yet. How much longer do I have to wait ???
Jay, I do believe that I said, “please be patient “. 🙂
With Stirfry I am usually the patient – at the emergency room.
Hi Sean and welcome to the best Tortie (all kitten blog ever). I am not surprised that you have an aggressive Tortie. Rescued Torties at that age have had to fend for themselves. She will most likely become a loving Tortie once she is sure she has a forever home. Be patient and give her time. She will return that with loads of love. I had Steeler (otherwise known as my little Terrorist). I rescued her at about 5 to 7 years or age. She was a one cat family only. No other cat could get near the door. She became my very best buddy. She was loving and gentle toward me. Others kept they hands in their pockets. She never just bit or attacked anyone. On the other hand you would not dare to reach for her. I lost her on April 30, 2012 after a series of illnesses. She had a great and loving home until the day she went to the heavens. I now have 2 rescued Torties, a tiger tabby ( a big lug of love) and the Mom of Justice (Tortie and Liberty) and grandma to Dajudge (the sweetest Tortie ever). Now Freedom is a russian blue, in her case she is a Tortie in disquise. She keeps all the kittens in tow. She was rescued a day or so after her kittens Justice and Liberty. Now she is loving, on her on timetable and a “don’t pick me up girl”. All the kittens have different personalities and quirks. None of my present fur babies behave aggressively toward me or to each other. They are the complete opposite of my wonderful Steeler. So, please be patient with you little Aries and you will find the rewards of loving her will be returned. Allow her to get the feral cat out of her and that only comes in time. Let us know how things are going. Do read Ingrid’s sites for understanding Torties and Harry’s for play aggression. Whatever you do, don’t give up on her. Her life has been a fight to survive. You can make the rest of her life, a life of love and giving.
My name is Sean and my precious girl is named Aries… Yes, Aries as in the greek god of war. My mom discovered her July 3, 20013 while on break at work and called me to come pick up the kitten and take her home so that she would not get hurt or killed at the factory my mom works at. I gladly ran out the door to go pick her up and bring Aries to her new home. I left her in the bathroom while I ran to the store to pick up the basics for kitty care. Once I got home I set everything up for Aries then brought her out to my personal living space to let her explore and such. We are unsure of her exact age since she seems to have been a stray but I believe she is currently close to 6 months old and weighs in at around 7 pounds. She is very strong and not at all fat. Aries does seem to be living up to her name though. She is very rough when she plays and has been known to leave scratches not with her claws but more so with her teeth. Yes, she does bite hard. My mom often wonders if she may be part wild cat because of how rough she can get when she plays. Aries tends to chew on things more like a dog would. Over all I honestly don’t know what to make of her odd and rough behavior because I have never had a feline friend who was so rough. Her ears go back and her posture is that of attack and kill. Aries will attack and wrap herself around my arm to bite and claw at me while I am at the computer sometimes. I asked the vet about her odd biting and chewing habits but he just pointed out that she was losing her baby teeth and her adult teeth were growing in. I do love Aries dearly and she is a blast to play with, I just wonder if this sort of aggression is normal in a torti her age. I have tried a spray bottle but she is almost like that defiant teen who will do it just because you tell her no. But when she wants attention she demands it my laying on my hands and rubbing herself on my face while I am doing my work.
It sounds like Aries is play aggressive, Sean. This is not a trait unique to torties, it happens when kittens are separated from their litter mates at too young an age. In an normal litter, cats learn from their siblings what’s play and what’s too rough. Since you don’t know Aries’ background, it’s possible that she was separated from her siblings at a young age. The good news is that this is something you can correct. Here’s more detail on how to deal with this: https://ingridking.com/2012/02/23/play-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-teases/
Never use a spray bottle to discourage unwanted behavior. They’re not effective, and they can ruin the bond between cat and human: https://ingridking.com/2012/03/29/squirt-bottles-punishment-and-cat-behavior/
I hope this helps!
Welcome Sean, And a huge WELCOME to Aries. And that is a Purrfect name for a Tortie. If you stay on here (and I hope you will) you will learn of a very select group of Tortie and how Tortitude got it’s name.
There are 4 Torties that have earned the title of cats that are the head of the house and all animals be it dog, cat, goat or donkey leave them alone or suffer the consequences. There was 2 that just crossed the bridge in the last year Kasey and Steeler and 2 still with us – Harry’s Brooke and my Stirfry. Ingrid stated “This is not a trait unique to Torties” and that is true for 99%. But the article she gave you the link to – “Play aggression in cats: biting the hand that teases” was written by our friend Harry, but he also wrote and article
Petting aggression in cats: biting the hand that loves”
https://ingridking.com/2012/02/08/petting-aggression-in-cats-biting-the-hand-that-loves/
and you will notice the picture of THAT cat is a Tortie.
But all kittens play and my legs and toes were bitten by my latest rescue – Arianrhod.
Her name means “Goddess of the Silver Wheel” and my other Tortie is Styx – Goddess over the river Styx. Arian learned within a month to not bite and she is only 11 months old now. So give Aries time to learn.
I would like to emphasize, especially for our new readers, that aggression is not something that is unique to torties. I know a lot of you are proud of your fierce torties, as you should be. It’s what makes them special and unique! However, please keep in mind that on average, more than 200 people read this post every day, and while not every new reader may read all the comments, I want to be mindful that we don’t inadvertently give the completely false impression that aggression is a characteristic of torties in general.
Aggression is not something to take lightly. Biting as part of play should be discouraged at an early age. Good for you, Jay, for teaching Arian to stop, no matter how cute it may have been when she played with your feet.
Yeah, my tortie experience is an illistration of how they can be different.
Kasey was my “Warrior Queen”, I brought her home from a harsh environment when she was 8 or 9 years old. IMHO, her make up was partly nature, partly early environment. She was a fierce, fearless and very skilled fighter. There were many times I would have to step in and “rescue” one of the other animals from her; including a 50 pound dod.
Kasey, however, showed people affection with the same intensity and she was devoted to me they way people expect dogs to be. I lost her last May and that was very hard.
Gigi Was adopted in February, at approx. 5 years of age from a man whose wife had passed away and he could not keep her where he was moving to. She is a “tortie with white”, she isn’t one but she is like a Maine Coon Cat, long haired and 14 pounds (big, not overweight).
Gigi is easy going and likes the other two cats and the two dogs. She loves to play with 1 year old Tim, a little orange guy, her behavior with him is like a kitten. This big girl does not display any aggression what so ever to the other animals. She is very affectionate with people. Her title would be “Serene Empress of the House” except she has become quite playful and is not too worried about dignified behavior.
Two, very different torties.
“…she has become quite playful and is not too worried about dignified behavior” – I love that, Glen! It’s so rewarding when these rescued cats come out of their shell and relax enough so that the kitten inside can come out again.
Glen, Kasey was OUR Warrior Queen, We miss her deeply too. Thru Ingrid’s blog we learned of her (and Bernie’s Steeler) and they will live on forever. Like you I took in another Tortie – Styx, and she has some Tortitude but does not stand a chance against Stir. We are so lucky to have given our hearts to the Special girls. And they chose us to be their friend and family. I think the “Male Tortie” and “Fierce Tortie” are the 1 in 3000 scarcity. People hear of them but so few are ever seen. Some day I hope to get a Male Tortie. I want the complete set. 🙂
Only 200? It should be way more than that. We will have to get the word out about how special Torties are. I tell everyone at work that has a Tortie about this blog and have given money at the shelter to go towards a Tortie along with a note to be given to their new family to check out this site to learn more about them. Gave a Terrible Towel ( for those new ones on here that is the flag to wave when watching the Steelers football team that chose Black and Gold as their colors (after the Tortie color I’m sure). Also the color of the Saints team ( which is doing way better this season). I will do what ever it takes to give the kitties a forever home.
Welcome Sean to the world of “tortitude” !! My precious one is named Columbia and has several of the traits you describe about Aries. My arms and legs are never without scratches and claw marks. In fact this morning I was sitting on the couch and she was in my lap and apparently started to fall off. In order to avoid a sudden fall the the floor she used my leg as something she could embed her claws in to ease her fall. I have never seen such a bloody mess she left behind on my legs. I bled for a long time even after elevating my leg. She just carried on normally as if nothing had happened. I am left with about 5 deep scratches from just above my knee down to the calf of my leg.
Another trait she is known for is if she feels that she has had enough scutchies in a place she will nip my hand to stop it. If I give her a gentle tap on her nose after she nips she slaps me back in her own defiant way.
So enjoy your new furry baby and at her age she needs to be spayed as soon as possible. The vet I used to have when I got my two girls wouldn’t spay until they were 5 months old and the night before her appointment Columbia began her first heat. Fortunately the vet spayed her anyway since it was just beginning.
Today I took Arian and Styx to the Vet. Both checked out ok.
Was worried that Styx was losing weight but she was exactly the same as last time. Has flea dirt but no fleas so they gave me drops for her – Vectra.
Arianrhod had a red spot above her left eye. They thought fungal infection but since she does not go outside they thought not. Gave me drops Synotic 8ml/Banamine/Baytril.
She was exactly 10 lbs. They said that is the “Perfect” weight. And when they took her out of the carrier and back to the office to weigh her I could hear quite a few people saying how pretty she was and gorgeous her fur looked. Cat is going to have a swelled head now.
Both had their nails clipped – wish Arian had that done before as I gave blood grabbing her to put her in the bathroom and into a carrier. Styx was perfect to pick up and put in a carrier.
Bernie said she will take Frank and Tabby to the Vet for their 1st visit in her Jeep.
Great news on Arian and Sty. As for Frankie and Tabby, you will have to rent a jeep to take them to the vet. I am considering putting my Jeep up for a year> !!! 🙂
Gigi, as I have previously mentioned, has surprised us by how playful she has become.
This is at odds with her appearance; 14 pounds (big not over weight), short legs, long fur and classic markings, not to mention being 5+ years old.
She loves her cat trees and she lays on her side and uses her claws to propel herself around a cat tree post.
When she does this when I am around, she looks to make sure I am watching her, when she sees that I am, it makes her play the game even harder. Its like, lets put on a show.
Glen, Gigi sounds like she has really come into herself. She is scratching her kitty trees so you will pay attention to her. Yes, she knows what she is doing. She sounds like after being with an older family she now is enjoying being with a younger family (both pets and folks) and the kitten years she may not have known before is coming out now. I, too, have watched Freedom, about 5 or 6 years old start acting more like the kittens. So I would say your Gigi is a very happy kitten. Enjoy every minute of her. They are all so amazing. They teach us a lot.
I think that’s one of the most rewarding things about rescuing/giving a cat a new home: watching her come out of her shell, and really coming into her own. Gigi sounds like she’s loving life!
So love hearing the stories of how our furry friends play with each other and entertain themselves. Gigi is being a kitten and loves showing off to you. Your laugh encourages her even more.
I see the same thing in my household. But with 2 Torties the others always play mindful that play can change to fight in an instant. Last night Stir chased Stir into the bedroom and stir turned around a smacked him 3 times. Later I saw Stir and Styx meet in the hallway. Stir’s paw was up and 6 lightning quick jabs caused Styx to head into the bathroom. Shortly afterwards I saw Styx walk up to Frank and sniff his tail and back leg. Frank didn’t move but the look in his eye and his body tensing up showed he didn’t quite trust her. This happened between 1 and 1:30 this morning. Just as I was going to bed Stir was at my feet, Styx was 2 feet to her left and Frank jumped onto the bed to come to me. He is not smart enough to go around so her so her gently put 1 paw forward to walk between them. Stir hissed and Styx put a paw up. Frank looked at me, whined and jumper off the bed. 5 minutes later Tabatha jumped up to the same spot and ran between them to lay next to me. Shows that with age comes experience.
A new addition to the family on Friday. A mini mare who in in my empty stall. Buell and Harley chased her around the pasture when I let them all out on Sat morning. I finally caught her and put her in the barn and tied Buell and Harley out front and let her have the pasture to herself. Yesterday I put Buell out front and let Harley and her together. They got along great.
Folks, Jay says “let Harley and her together. They got along great.” Now Harley is a very stunning mini stallion. I have not yet seen the new addition, however, it is a pretty mare (as seen on Jay’s FB page). May I just ask of you folks. “If you had a male pet. and it is not neutered or spayed, you then bring in a playmate of the opposite gender, would your pet not be delighted?”
An update.
Stir is back to normal. Styx was on my lap yesterday and Stir who had gone out to eat came in and onto the bed She looked at Styx who was watching her. No growls or hisses but Styx decided she needed to get off my lap and leave the room. Stir came over and laid on top of my legs.
She has backed Frankie, Styx and Arian away from the food bowl just by going there to eat.
So happy to hear that Stir is back to normal 🙂
I’m so glad to hear Stir is feeling better!
She’s back, that’s great.
Nothing like a fierce tortie to back other animals away from the food or water 😉
“She has backed Frankie, Styx and Arian away from the food bowl just by going there to eat.”
I used to see that type of activity, frequently,
Kasey had the ability to clear the room of cats, just by getting up from lying around on the floor.
Hey gang, what’s happening???
You folks know how often Tortie talk or any other kitten talk soon turns to litter box habits. Well yes we all do. So now I have officially found that female Torties don’t like it when the male tiger Tabby here, namely Liberty wets in the litter box. A while back I mentioned how Dajudge (Tortie) went by the litter box and found something that should have been covered so she covered it herself. Well I thought that was just a one time thing. I am telling you today that is not the case. Today, again, Liberty wet in the litter box. This time Justice (Tortie) looked in at the spot, and sure enough she started and covered it up. So now, there is only one reasonable conclusion to this. That is male cats, in a sense leave the seat up, similar to male humans, and female cats, like female humans, have to close the lid so to speak. Now we know. It is inherent to the male species to leave things undone!!! 🙂
I feel like you are trying to say something but am not sure what. Are you saying Liberty has trained the girls ? Good Boy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s the opposite here Bernie. My Rocky gets in the litter box and digs and covers and digs more all the time kicking litter out of the box..lol
Also when I go to scoop it he lays on the floor close to me and “supervises” then when I’m done he makes sure he is the first one in.
Jay, so glad to hear that Stir is doing better. Such a relief.
Stirfry update: 1 week later.
Stir was let out of the bathroom Sat night and slept with me on the bed. Still getting antibiotics and her cold sounds better. She has hissed and smacked at Frankie and Styx. A good sign for her.
I have to give her another 1/4 pill so bandages are ready.
I’m so glad to hear she’s doing better.
Good news, very encouraging.
Tortie family, we are 160 posts away from 13,000. Let’s make it happen!!!!
A Stirfry update:
Stir had a bad cold and was at the Vet on Monday. She was given an antibiotic and a gel (Viralys) to boost her immune system. She was in the cage downstairs so I could watch her and keep the other cats away from her food (Arian, Styx and especially Frank. She ate some dry food and some wet that night. On Tuesday she had only eaten a little dry and wet and even less on Wed. Thursday she had not eaten at all. I called the Vet and mad an appointment for Friday at 9:30am.
Harry was talking to Bernie and suggested moist air and Stir was in the basement with a dehumidifier running near her. I put a litter box, food (wet and dry) and water in the upstairs bathroom along with a humidifier I found upstairs in the closet. Last time it was used was 22 years ago. Friday Stir still had not eaten.
She was weighed and had gone down to 8.8 lbs. where on Monday she was 9.6 lbs. They checked her temp and it was normal. She didn’t sound as congested and was breathing better. They were really worried about he weight loss. Stir is a small cat but very muscular. To pick up her appetite the gate me pills (Mirtazapine) A 1/4 pill every 3 days. The gave her the first one there by using a pill shooter. At first the thought she got it but the 1/4 pill was small and stuck in the shooter. Trying again was not ok with Stir and the assistant almost dropped her when Stirfry turned around and showed them why she is considered one of the Dangerous Torties. She grabbed her by the back of the neck and it took 3 tries till they got the pill in her. I took her home and put her back in the bathroom. Within a hour she had eaten 1/2 can of wet cat food and a plate of ham. They want me to keep a close eye on her and make sure she is eating and using the litter box.
Jay, as we spoke today. The most important blessing you have right now is Stirfry. So I know you will take the very best of care of her.
Nothing comes before the health of the kittens. Jay has his priorities straight. Our kittens are our
blessings to us and it is our place to protect them.
Folks Jay had planned to come here for Fort Ligonier Days to watch the battle re-anactment . We both said NO, the same thing will go on next year. So Jay is definitely going to stay at his home and watch over Stirfry.
Hi Tortie family. Things are a little quiet here.
First the important item. Everyone think and sent lots of get wells to Stirfry, Jay’s baby. He is taking her back to the vet tomorrow at 9:30. So far she has shown little interest in food. So let’s all hope she kicks her illness. Jay is truly worried and doesn’t say much, so I am letting you all know that he is truly concerned for Stirfry.
Now for the next, but after Stirfry’s update, my update on my “gentle” Tortie Dajudtge. Well my little girl seems to be coming of age. My sweet, gentle Dajudge has learned that she outweighs Justice, my other Tortie, and is much bigger too. Well she has started standing her ground, putting her ears back and saying no, not this time to my other kittens, namely Justice and Liberty. She has not stood up to Freedom, and frankly I don’t expect her to. She seems to know where to stop.
I am sending all the positive thoughts I can muster up to Stirfry. Hopefully it is just an icky bug passing through and she will be better soon.
Please keep us updated on her progress.
Betty, Thanks. We will keep our Tortie updated.
Willow, Kai, Tawny, Max, Bailey and Nicky are sending a Kitty Cone of Power to help Stirfry recover quickly.
I’m sorry to hear about Stirfry. Sending lots of good wishes for a quick recovery her way!
“I’m sorry to hear about Stirfry. Sending lots of good wishes for a quick recovery her way!”
Me, too.
I thought I recognized Viralys gel, Tim is on it due to his rough early start.
He actually likes it, as if it is a treat, he asks for it.
Maybe you’ll have the same luck with administering it 🙂
I took Stirfry to the vet this morning. She was wheezing and had runny eyes on Sat & Sunday and last night slept under the bed as opposed to the pillow or top of the headboard as she normally does.
They said she was congested and gave me Orbax (oral suspension Antimicrobial) that I give her once a day and Viralys gel I give 1/4 teaspoon every 12 hours for the rest of her life. This should get her better.
Right now Stir is in the cage downstairs with food, water , litterbox and bedding to rest and stay away from the others. I put some soft cat food in also. I am waiting to see if Arian or Frank try to break back into prison. We know Arian knows how to get out.
Best wishes for her, I hope she gets better, soon.
She will get better. You are the best at taking care of your kittens. But you do have to treat Stirfry!!!
Well you do love a challenge.
I hope she feels better quickly!
Gail, what type of horses do you have ?
I have a mini horse (Harley) and mini donkey (Buell). When my Tortie/Calico cat 1st met Buell she rubbed up against his feet. A few days later Buell met Stirfry. He put his head down and got smacked in his nose. He learned that though Tortie look alike, the have very different personalities.
Tabby is a loveable cat, Stirfry like Steeler and Kasey is a take no prisoners cat.
I have three–a Peruvian Paso (Hablador) Tennessee Walker (Cheyenne) and Quarter Horse (Eve.) One of my cats, Bella, used to go out in the horse pasture all the time, and Habi decided it would be great fun to chase and try to catch her.
Most of the time, Bella would run, and Habi would trot around after her. Once, however, Bella decided not to run, and she just sat there until Habi came up to her. He looked quite perplexed for a moment because she didn’t run, but then put his head down and started pushing her around the pasture with his nose.
Do your equines play games? I’ve gotten a lot of enjoyment watching mine have mock “stallion” fights, and playing tug-of-war with sticks and feed pans.
Gail, go to my FB page
[email protected]
Check out my Albums and you will see video’s of Harley and Buell along with my present cats along with critters that passed on (Pumpkin my gentle orange cat and Nutmeg my Boer goat) and are waiting for me on the other side of the bridge.
Harley and Buell will chase each other and play fight. Trying to grab each others halter and rear up and drop down with hooves clattering. But separate them for 30 minutes to each grass out front and when they come together it’s like long lost friends greeting each other. I have been knocked over and bowled down the hill when one would come up behind me and give a nudge. And I know they were laughing at me.
Oh, yes…grabbing halters. LOL Most of the time, mine are out without halters, but they do make great attachments for prank-loving horses. One time, my husband’s horse, Bingo (now gone to the Bridge) decided to “play” with Hablador by sneaking up behind him, grabbing his tail, and pulling him backwards around the pasture.
Bingo also thought it quite the trick to come up behind me once when I was carrying a 50-lb bag of pasture grass seed so that I could reseed bare patches, grabbing the bag and running off with it. Great fun (for him…not so much for me!)
There was one time when Bella was still here that our mare at the time went into alert mode, snorting and looking towards the woods in the back. I wasn’t sure what was out there, but figured it was probably a coyote, so I decided to walk back there and scare it away. Bella decided that she would go with me to “help” get rid of the intruder. I couldn’t dissuade her, and all I could think of was that here I was, going back to most likely confront a coyote, with a “coyote snack” walking beside me. Fortunately, whatever it was decided that it was best to just vacate the area, what with a loud human, a fearless cat, and a pissed-off mare confronting them.
I have a tortie (her name is Callie and when I tell people how I got her they all ask, oh, so you named her that because you got her in California, which I didn’t even think about, but as she will tell you her full name is Calliope Leandra – she knows she is in trouble when that is said). Callie is ten and I really don’t know what I would do without a cat who basically thinks she is having a conversation with me every day. But, I am, to her, definitely her cat mommy. She won’t stop kneading me and as soon as she sees me, starts rattling on about what I can only assume is her day. Random question to other tortie moms and dads, do you ever suspect she can’t see super well? Callie will silently come out of wherever when I come home she was until about two feet from me and if I don’t say anything, she won’t start talking until I pass her.
I doubt that Callie has a vision problem, Kate – if she did, you’d notice that in other ways, too. I’m guessing she just wants to make sure she has your undivided attention before she starts “talking!”
Kate, your Callie is just being herself. Talkative and silence are the theme for cats. The best times of having furbabies is when they knead on you or when they just go on talking. I had Steeler, who would talk all the time. I would just say she had imaginary friends that she was talking to. I loved her and miss her walking around talking to herself or her imaginary friends. She went to the heavens in April 2012. To this day, I think how quiet it seems, without her talking. I have 4 other little ones, since she left. So far only Dajudge is starting to talk. I am hoping the others pick up on that and all start talking. I won’t care who or what they are talking to.
Today is the birthday of Steelers, Liberty’s, Justice and DJ’s Mom.
Happy Birthday Bernie
Sorry forgot Freedom.
Happy Birthday Bernie!! I hope Jay spoils you when he see you next time. I won’t pry as to what he’s going to give you as a gift 😉
enjoy!
Betty, thank you. As far as what Jay would give me, let me put it this way. After reading his posts taking jabs at me, he should be more concerned as to what he is in form. 🙂
The things you can’t say in a G rated forum….lol
Enjoy anyway 😉
Bernie, wishing you the happiest of birthdays. Have a great day!
Marg, thank you. It has been a good day,
Not “lig” home, but log home! Sorry, it’s autocorrect,which drives me nuts.
Found this site and love the tender posts about losing their “found” cats.
I have been keeping my Grandcat this week, adainty tortie. She is the fastest cat I have ever seen! My 3 cats are huge compared to her. One of them, my most tempermental one, has been chasing her and hissing if she gets close. The tortie always outruns her, as she is a third the size of the hissy cat. The tortie is very affectionate once she’s comfortable with us. Not a lap cat, but cats this young usually aren’t in many cases. Much more particular about her food than my three. Loves to climb to tallest place in room. Her regular home is a lig home and she loves to lie on the beams! Scary as far as I am concerned.
Your Grandcat does sound like she’s got quite a bit of tortitude, Bev!
Welcome Bev.
Enjoy our family and as you have noticed, a loss of one kitty is a loss for us all.
I would say my Tortie is probably the fastest on here. She can go from calm cat to crazy vicious terror in milliseconds.
GO STEELERS GO STEELERS GO STEELERS GO STEELERS GO STREELERS SO STEELERS GO STEELERS GO STEELERS ENOUGH SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
STEELERS GONE STEELERS GONE STEELERS GONE. OH well maybe I will just enjoy the games with not great anticipation of them repeating as champs.
What other team is Black and Gold ?
Styx keeps changing channels to The Saints.
Now Stirfry is a die hard Steelers fan and wants to get into that huddle.
Gigi has not only settled in to her new home, here in the last 6 months, but she has become quite attached.
We have a window in the walk-through door to the attached garage.
I had to go out for just over an hour.
When I left, I could see Gigi hunkered down where she could watch for me from a few feet from the door.
When I came back an hour or so later, she was there, apparently waiting.
I say that because this is not a favorite resting place and unlike when I come home from work, the time was unpredictable, so I assume she waited for me there.
Glen, I remember that Kasey used to wait for you too. That’s very sweet.
Yes, it was what Kasey used to do.
It is nice she has started to do that, it was not expected.
That is very sweet. Perhaps she’s receiving direction. Sabrina used to tap my leg and ask to come up on my lap when I was at the computer; Piper never did – until Sabrina was gone, now she does occasionally repeat the exact same behavior.
PS – we blew through 12,000 comments without even a mention. We’ll hit 13,000 before the end of the year.
Ha! I guess we’re getting jaded about the comment count! I’m pretty sure we acknowledged 12,000, but it would take too long to scroll back through more than 700 comments – what a nice problem to have. Thanks for keeping this thread so active. It has become the “go to” site on the web for information on tortoiseshell cats. It now comes up second only to the Wikipedia entry in a Google search.
Yeah, she is doing a few Kasey things, the other one is “guarding” the basement stairs.
However, due to her nature, this is passive and non-aggressive, as is her nature.
I think it is seen as just a nice vantage point so as not to miss anything that might be going on.
The passive part is nice, I don’t have to go and “rescue” anyone from her. 😉
She has also taken to following me, if I go downstairs to do something, she follows soon after and “dens up” close to where I am.
Now you dudes just slow down here. We did hit the 12000 mark and Ingrid, and myself mentioned we were nearing that point. Then you dudes went to sleep. I was on the phone when we busted the 12,000 posts. Yep, I researched it. It comes from my working background, where before I put pen to paper I knew I had all my ducks in a row. So her is. Now hit that 13,000 posts. No problem.
Jay
March 3, 2013 at 9:00 pm
Welcome to 12,000 posts on the greatest cat blog in the world.
REPLY
Ingrid
March 4, 2013 at 6:31 am
Wow – you guys did it again! I think one of these days I have to look into how to submit this post to Guiness World Records! Thanks to all of you for making this such a fun place to discuss our torties, and other things!
REPLY
It is possible I may be more “mature” than most of you folks. However, I have added more memory space as time goes by, and I don’t mean computer space. 🙂
Dudes, ducks… not sure what’s going on in Bernie’s corner of Pennsylvania. But apparently it’s lined up in rows. Ok, you’re right – we did notice 12,000. Now let’s all apologize to Glen for hijacking his thread 😛
Awe geez Glen, I am truly sorry that Harry and Ingrid hijacked your thread. Sometimes those kids just get so out of hand.
Ok Harry I apologized to Glen for you. 😛
Hey Harry, you do know we do have a really bid yellow ducky at the Point on the 3 rivers in Pittsburgh. So yep, there is a big big Duck on the Rivers Point. 🙂 🙂 😛 😛
“Yep, I researched it. It comes from my working background, where before I put pen to paper I knew I had all my ducks in a row.”
Apparently some people have way to much leisure time. Others on here have better things to do – such as empting kitty litter boxes, filling food and water dishes and breaking up cat fights – Stir vs. Styx, Stir vs. Frankie, Stir vs. Arianrhod and Stir vs. Tabatha.
Just saying 🙂
Jay will have some explaining to do about this post he put up. I am reposting it, for all to make sure you see and then just use your imagination as to what this kitten mom will have for him!!!!!!
Apparently some people have way to much leisure time. Others on here have better things to do – such as empting kitty litter boxes, filling food and water dishes and breaking up cat fights – Stir vs. Styx, Stir vs. Frankie, Stir vs. Arianrhod and Stir vs. Tabatha.
Just saying
Get my Drift my friends!!!! Hey Jay 😛 😛
I fear nothing – I deal with Stirfry every day.
Can’t show fear. 🙂
Gigi has some amusing traits.
My long hair, “tortie with white” is like a Maine Coon, long haired, 14 pounds (big, not over weight).
She is very stock and solid, with short, sturdy legs and large feet.
She loves the cat tree and climbs it.
The difficulty is, she is not very agile or well balanced.
She was on the second level from the top and was playing there, rather clumsily and fell.
She compensates her poor agility with strength, she latched on to the shelf on the cat tree that she fell from with he front claws. I was on my way to rescue her but she just pulled herself back up, like person doing chin ups and climbed back on to the shelf.
Betty, I fully agree with Ingrid, nightmare is my first thought. That chasm is always open and you have no way to fill it with an ending of any sort to celebrate or grieve. I can’t imagine the pain for you.
I’ll add a “me too.” I think the uncertainty and imagining what might have happened is far worse than even certain loss. I’ve been through that 3 times as a child back in the day when everyone let their cats out, and it’s the main reason that we’re so crazy about doors and windows. As Ingrid can verify, we don’t use our front door but go in and out through the garage to prevent a jail break. When May was alive, she was able to open the pocket door that separated the kitchen from the laundry room (which is the access to the garage). She had a few garage tours, and is the reason the exterior laundry room door has a big sign still: “PUT GARAGE DOOR DOWN FIRST!”
I hate to start a new thread for an ongoing subject but I just couldn’t find the right spot to reply, so please excuse the new thread.
The posts over the last week have been quite emotional as the loss of a loved furry baby is an emotional issue. I just want to add that it is also just as hard to lose a furry baby that sneaks out of the house and is never to be seen again. The not knowing what happened to them, are hey safe and happy in another forever home, did they not find a home and become feral, always seeking food and a dry place to sleep, did they get sick and pass away, and any number of other scenarios.
Every time I drive down the street in the neighborhood regardless of how long it has been I still drive slowly, looking out the windows wondering if I will see her. Dreams and nightmares of her finding a happy place to live or the worse side of it all.
Anyway, the non-stop deep feelings of loss is not isolated to the loss of life. The fear of the unknown can cut just as deep.
My heart goes out to all that have lost their beloved kitties, I am in no way trying to belittle the sadness and deep feelings of loss. I am just mentioning another way that can also bring out those same feelings.
I’ve always felt that what you’re going through may actually be worse than a cat dying, Betty. To me, it’s the ultimate nightmare any cat parent would face, and you’re living it. My heart goes out to you. Not knowing, to me, would be far worse than dealing with death. I wish I had words of wisdom for you, but I’m not sure how one ever finds peace with the uncertainty. Just know you’re in my thoughts and prayers.
Betty, I have those same feelings when I see a cat in the road. Was it a barn cat hunting mice or someone’s pet that got out with them never to know what happened. 2 days ago I moved a cat off the road to the side so if it was a pet the owner would find it. I will never let mine outside with out supervision. Bernie almost lost her 2 kittens a month after she had them but was luckily able to spot them down the road huddled on a porch under a light. I had an outside cat I fed and was going to keep her in my barn. She was pregnant and I built her a shelter and had a name plate for her above it. B.K. for Barn Kat. Unfortunately I did not see her for a month and then when I went into my garage I found her dead. She had got in from a whole in the rafters and being pregnant was not able to get out. I buried her out front next to my dog. I feel so sorry for the one you lost. Hopefully she has a forever home with a family that took her in as a stray.
Thank you all for understanding and sympathizing about my little Angelika. I can’t really write more right now as the posts this past week along with my own post today have rubbed my wound to the surface again.
Please don’t think I am blaming anyone for my emotions. I am not wrapped real tight when it comes to being emotional 🙂
Yes, not knowing would be very upsetting, Ingrid summed it up better than I could.
Betty, I fully empathize with you, since this exact scenario is being played out for me right now.
Charley was one of those cats that absolutely insisted on going outside for at least a short while every day. It wasn’t my preference, but he would bolt out every chance he got. He would almost always stick very close to home and I’d generally find him napping on one of the chairs on the front porch.
About a month ago, however, he went out as usual, but didn’t come home. I, too, drive slowly down the street and regularly check to see if he is in one of his favorite spots, but, so far, with no results.
I keep hoping that he’ll return, but I fear that he won’t.
I sincerely hope that Charley decides to come home soon.
My Angelika snuck out of the house as until then she was a totally indoor kitty. The fact she wasn’t used to being outdoors is what scared me the most.
You may want to put a few flyers up in your neighborhood with a picture of him if you have one and who to call if anyone has him or has seen him.
best of luck!!
Thank you, Betty. I keep hoping that he will return, but I’m afraid that he won’t. Fortunately, my other cats have shown no inclination to go outside, and I much prefer it that way.
Hi Gang. I have been reading the posts on here but did not say anything. Betty, I am sorry your pain is so intense, to this day. However, I can understand the uncertainty of never knowing.
Gail, I truly hope you have Charley come home.
I, unfortunately about a year ago, had 2 inmates escape. Liberty and Justice took on adventure. I was frantic. I went looking for them immediately. Luckily I found both of them huddled about 500 to 600 feet away. They were frightened. I can tell you that the family member that did not close the door properly, to this day, after I truly ripped into him, up one side and down the other, has learned when he is here, he will know how to enter and leave the house.
Now having said that, I realize many people allow their little ones to stroll outside on a nice day. This is so dangerous. Even if your kitten never left before, there is that first and horrific day they may just go off. I have 4 indoor only furbabies. I don’t allow, or even consider letting any one of them out that door. If I had a kitten that insisted on going out, it would be with a harness and leash. I live in the country and leashing a kitten is the only safe way to protect a little one outdoors.
I, am by no means, judging anyone. I am only saying better to be safe than sorry. Harness and leash for kittens outside is a must if you have to take your little one out for a walk in the grass.
Bernie, I agree that letting them out is certainly not the best idea. Unfortunately, my husband, who is retired and home all day, while I am not, doesn’t feel the same way. No matter how many times I tell him not to leave the garage door open and not to let any of the cats out, he feels that, if they ask, they should be allowed outside.
Therefore, I’ve had to learn to deal with the situation as best I can by making sure that they are in at night. Right now, the remaining cats haven’t shown any interest in the outdoors, and I’m hoping I can keep it that way.
Maybe I should try the collar and leash on my husband? Tie him to the bedpost or something during the day? That just might work.
Gail, please don’t put your husband in bondage!!!!! 🙂 Although it might help, just kidding. I guess you are not in a position to make any changes. They are many people who feel the way your husband does about letting the pets go outdoors.
I live in the country here and small animals, have a time trying to survive the outdoors. There are many hawks, raccoons, and foxes that grab small animals and they are gone forever. That is only one of the reasons I would not allow my little ones out. I would not allow them out no matter where I lived. Each of my furbabies are rescued from outside and each came to my home and I rescued what had survived the litter. Dajudge was the only survivor of the litter she came from. There is kitten fur and rabbit fur in the yard and driveway more often than not. So I take a very hard line on outdoor pets, unless they are leashed.
I am truly sorry your Charley has not returned and I sincerely hope he does come back. So in the words of some wise person, “the best advice is to give no advise”. Please let us know how things go with you and your little ones. Best of luck and please don’t tie up the hubby!!!! 🙂
We live in the country as well, and have lots of hawks, owls, coyotes, fisher cats, foxes and recently a black bear roaming around. We live fairly close to the reservoir for the state (although we have a well) and there are hundreds of acres of woods nearby. That is one of the main reasons why I didn’t want any of the cats to go out.
During the day there generally isn’t a problem, since our dogs and horses tend to keep the wildlife at a good distance, but at night, all bets are off.
The rabbits around here have discovered a way to avoid problems. They gnawed a hole in the base of my greenhouse, and I have, several times, found baby bunnies stashed in the raised herb beds. I have to be careful when watering the plants that I don’t also water a bunny by mistake. I did that not too long ago and ended up wrapping the baby in my shirt to dry it off while I finished my watering.
As long as the cats stay close to the house during the day, they are okay, but I still don’t like the idea of them being out at all.
Putting the husband in bondage did seem like a viable idea, though. (sigh)
Gail, if you haven’t already you may want to do something I did when looking for Angelika. I went to both local shelters to look at the kitties there. Our local animal control drops off stray kitties they find or that people phone in for them to pick up at both shelters.
I didn’t find her but I think it is a step someone missing a furry baby should take.
Just an idea….
Definitely a great suggestions, Betty. This website has lots of resources on how to find missing pets: http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/
Betty, I’ve already done that. They know me there, since that’s where I go whenever I have room for another. In fact, they usually ask me to take the “hard cases” that nobody wants (too old, thought to be mean, too shy, etc.) and I keep checking their Petfinder page. They know Charley, since I adopted him from them, but, so far…nothing.
I’m so sorry about Charley, Gail. As I told Betty before, to me, this would be the ultimate nightmare. The not knowing must be horrible. My heart goes out to you.
Thank you, Ingrid. I’ve had cats before that insisted on going outside despite my protests to the contrary, and I found that if I tried to keep them in, they would always manage, somehow, to sneak out, and, if they had to sneak to do it, they would often go on “adventures” for several days.
If I allowed them to go out when they insisted, however, they would always stick close to home and always come in at suppertime. They were never allowed out at night. One cat that I had adopted that had been abandoned by his previous owners did stay away for two weeks before he came home, but he was the exception. I think that, with Rynn, he had probably come to the door to be let in and we didn’t see him right away, so he thought he had been abandoned again. After he finally came home, he realized that we were not going to abandon him, and he would (like Charley) settle in for a nap on the front porch if we didn’t immediately notice him.
Charley is the first one that left and hasn’t returned. Hope dims a bit more every day, but you are SO correct…it is the ultimate nightmare–not knowing.
Kasey was an exception, in many ways, she beat the odds and survived 8 to 9 years at one our company facilities in a rural area. She ran the full inventory or threats from our adverse winter weather, all types of rural wild and domestic predators, as well as poor care and treatment.
She survived on a combination of being a smart cat, very skilled and capable fighter and being the meanest thing around (to other animals).
She came home with me in May 2008 and I made sure the last 5 years of her life were very good.
She did have an injury at some point (from another animal or mistreatment) that left her unable to jump. I think she knew she was safe in the house.
She had no wish to go outside but would fuss at the door when I was out doing something and she knew I was there.
This area has the dangers of roads, coyotes and other things and everyone here is an indoor. From experience, I know enough about the bush to know how things work and it is not Disneyland out there, so the cats stay inside.
Glen , as dangerous as Kasey was (no one mess with Full blown Tortie) we are so glad you rescued her and gave her a wonderful home. We know she appreciated being able to live out her life in luxury and rule with an iron paw in a comfortable setting. It is a risky life for outdoor cats and I wish we could help them all. Harry and Bernadette do so much with their rescue groups and others on here have given a new lease on life for some outdoor cats (BERNIE !!!! ).
Gail, Glen and I both rescued our fearless Torties. As with Glen’s, Kasey, my Tortie Steeler, had been injured and could not jump. Glen gave Kasey all the love and then some that he could, and Kasey returned his love tenfold. Glen’s Kasey was referred to by him as his “Warrior Queen” and she lived up to that. My Steeler, I often referred to as my Little Terrorist, but for what she brought into my live can never be measured. Kasey and Steeler each had a miserable before life. Today Glen’s Warrior Queen, Kasey and my Little Terrorist, Steeler each have crossed over the bridge. I know my Steeler was a blessing bestowed on me, and somehow I believe Kasey too, was a blessing bestowed on Glen. We each have added new furbabies, but we know in our hearts, we had the very best, now we have the most loving and sometimes tempermental furbabies. Not one of which would he or I let go of.
Now let me get to Jay. Jay, rescued his little dynamite package as a Tortie. She became Stirfry, who puts terror in a whole new realm. I truly believe no other person, other than Jay, would ever have been able to take care and understand her as Jay does. She is truly all Tortie and with Jay, all his. Sharing is not a part of her life, although Jay has other little furbabies, not one will ever measure up to Stirfry.
Now Jay, for that poke at me and about the outside cats. Folks I am currently feeding 3 outside feral cats and one City Kitty otherwise known as a skunk. I already have 4 indoor only furbabies and I cannot see myself bringing in any more. I can only be sure there is shelter and food for them. We do not have any rescue group or org to take them. Our humane society is anything but humane. The are a kill shelter if the animal is not taken quickly. So I will continue to provide food and outdoor shelter for ferals hoping someone will take them.
So Jay, quit your chirping:!!!!!!! You know 4 is enough in my home. I like you and so many others would like to take in all the ferals and protect them, but we know that is just wishful thinking. OK JAY-bird!!!! 😛
Bernie, I was not implying that you should take in any more “poor defenseless starving kitties”, just giving you credit for taking in the ones you did. Now if your conscious is bothering you there is nothing I can do. I just remember the orange and white and that B&W cats looking at me with those big pleading eyes.
It’s not venting, Glen. It’s expressing a sadness that everyone here knows all too well. You’re miles (well, I guess since you’re in Canada, km) ahead of me. Since Sabrina died in June, I’ve been trying to compose the letter of thanks that I owe this family, but am not quite there yet.
I need to vent a bit, it was a tough day.
Kasey has been gone for about 4 months now, but there’s things that can bring the loss of a special cat right back to “square one”.
Today I had some things to do at the facility where she lived, where I took her from in May, 2008.
Work at our sites, for me, seems to go in cycles and I have not been there much this summer, so it is a tough place to visit, right now; too many memories, good and bad.
The on the way home, the local, easy listening FM station played a song I had never heard before;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg4zxY1vF1w
It made me think of her last weeks when I knew she was slipping away from me, slowly.
Taz, Tim and Gigi got some extra attention tonight.
Glen, that’s what we’re here for just as much as sharing the funny things and sweet things.
Just the other night as I gathered my five black cats for dinner, I felt the presence of another black cat, the one who’d rescued me in 1981 and who I lost in 1996, and who is the reason I’ve rescued all the cats I’ve rescued. Though I welcome his visits and was glad to feel him here with my current feline family, it was bittersweet, as I had also watched this gregarious, social and wildly affectionate cat who’d been my partner for years slowly fade.
Cookie took over with me after him, and though it’s been a year and a half and I smile and laugh at 20 years of photos, I still cry when something caches me off guard.
It takes time for us to adjust to the change, it’s been all these years and I still have those moments. It means you love her, and she loves you.
What a beautiful song. It’s so hard to loose these heart cats, Glen, and sadly, all of us here have been there, and, since we open our hearts to new love even after loss, will be there again some day. It’s important to honor the grief for the cats who have gone, and the memories, but at the same time, to be grateful for every day with the ones who are still with us today. And now I have to go hug my girls extra hard.
Thanks, most days are good, now; but sometimes have an experience like last Friday.
At least we were able to take Gigi in, last Feb., which meant she did not have to go to a shelter. We have dealt with a few minor medical problems she had, successfully and she is quite settled, healthy and happy, now.
She is getting very used to her new home and is becoming quite attentive, so I still have a tortie companion who fusses when I am not here and waits for me when I come home.
But it’s not the same, I know and understand.
No, it’s never the same, nothing is the same, and it took a lot of losses for me to accept that I was never going to “get back to the way things were”. It’s an extra point of sadness to resolve, but I used to wonder when I was going to stop feeling incomplete; once I realized I was waiting for something that wasn’t going to happen, I realized why.
Glen, sometimes when those moments come, especially when they’re accented by music that enhances how you’re feeling, I often think it’s because Kublai or Cookie or any one of the many others wants to connect with me, and I often feel a deeper connection than usual in that moment. Perhaps you did too.
It would be tough to duplicate the Warrior Queen, and the process has some aspects I would not want a cat to go through.
Take a cat with a certain, natural disposition.
Put her in a hostile environment where her strong character was enhanced, not a nice process.
Have her where she would get to know me, pre-rescue.
I have absolutely no doubt she knew and appreciated how good things were in her new home.
She was aggressive with the other animals at a level that I often wished was toned down a bit. However, she was just as aggressive in asking for attention and being friendly with people, and that would be hard to duplicate.
Glen, she knew when she picked you that things would get better. As Steeler , Kasey and Stirfry had a hard life before they became forever kitties they gave their whole hearts to us as they knew we loved them just as much. Their Tortitude set them apart and they definitely are not cats that share. We are so lucky to have these special friends.
” Steeler , Kasey and Stirfry had a hard life before they became forever kitties they gave their whole hearts to us as they knew we loved them just as much. Their Tortitude set them apart and they definitely are not cats that share.”
Yes, that’s the thing about these cats, they don’t do things in half measures, they are pretty much fearless, aggressive (sometimes we wish they could try to get along a bit better with the other animals), BUT they also show friendship and love in the same intense, fierce manner.
Glen, you have written that so well. You and Kasey, Steeler and me, Jay and Stirfry, are a mix that most would not have understood. I know Ingrid, Harry and Bernadette understood our deep love and devotion to these kittens. When you and I lost our precious girls, they also knew how much we were hurting and still do. Harry, is trying to come to terms with the loss of his beloved little one. He needs to take all the time he needs to write about her. Jay has become ever more atuned to Stirfry’s needs. He and Stirfry have that special bond. Now he takes her to the vet when he sees a different attitude or change in her.
I had written before that we have lost so many of our loved fur babies this past 1 1/2 year and each time we all are torn apart for that loss, and it does not matter who has lost the baby, we all know how very badly it hurts and that the mourning of our little ones is deep and intense in each of us. The grief rises its head often to tear at our hearts again and again. Having said that, I would still not have given one day of having Steeler with me, just because I would lose her and grieve so much.
“I would still not have given one day of having Steeler with me, just because I would lose her and grieve so much.” That is so true, Bernie. I feel the same way about all of the cats I’ve lost. It always makes me so sad when someone says “I’ll never get another one” after losing a pet, because they don’t think they can handle the pain of loss again. I totally understand that they feel that way, especially in the early throes of grief, but I also feel so sad for them because they’re missing out on so much love by not opening their hearts again.
Glen, I listened to this song over and over. I just could not reply to you any sooner. I had so many emotions come back to the surface, that I just cried. I know how you and everyone else feels about losing our loved ones. This song brought so much more than my precious Steeler to my mind, but my very much missed and beloved son Eric. I have a difficult time with dealing with these losses every day. Some days are easier, but no day is ever easy. Watching those we love slipping away and we are powerless to stop it, is the worst emotion ever to be felt. Tears flow as I write this. I can only tell you Kasey will not be forgotten.
I hesitated to put that song link on here because I was concerned it would upset people.
I had never heard it before and it “blind sided” me when it came across the radio when I was on my way home from working out of town.
It is a beautiful song but does stir up feelings, it sure did for me.
I still have my bad days about Kasey, as others have said, it is tough to lose a “soul cat” or “heart cat”.
Kasey was strong willed, aggressive and fearless, but she showed that same intensity in her friendships and that unique.
I guess we have to take comfort from who we have around us and those who need us now; this evening, when I came home from work, Gigi was waiting for me at the back door and insisted on being greeted.
Glen, “I guess we have to take comfort from who we have around us and those who need us now”. I agree with part of that, but, I believe the comfort comes from those we need now. Without them, we would have very little comfort, happiness or laughter. Now having said that, I know no kitten can ever be another Steeler for me, as no other kitten can ever be another Kasey to you. However, we love these little ones with all our hearts. We do move on, but we always hold close, those we lost.
There will never be another Kasey, or Steeler, or Sabrina, or any of the other far too many heart cats we have all lost. Having had one of these cats in your life changes you forever. They open our hearts in a big way – and open hearts feel deeper, which is why the pain of losing these cats is so devastating. But what better way to honor the joy these cats have brought into our lives than by opening our hearts to yet another cat. I’d like to think that all of our lost loved ones are smiling when they see that we are still able to love, even after profound loss.
Ingrid, that is is really well said. Thanks for summing up those remarks we were all trying to say.
Hi everyone. My elderly aunt and uncle in NZ have a 16 year old cat with kidney disease. They noticed recently that Minstrel was having difficulty eating, and booked her in (with some trepidation) to have her teeth cleaned. This was quite a prolonged procedure because they had to make sure Minstrel was up to the operation and also get her fluid levels back to a good level before they could release her from the clinic. Unfortunately while cleaning her teeth they discovered she has two secondary cancer tumours – one on her lip and one on her tongue. My aunt doesn’t want to put Minstrel through any unnecessary tests to find out where the primary tumour is given her advanced years. She is concerned, though, that she might not know when the right time is to “let her go”. I am sure that our cats give us signs at these times, but are there any more obvious physical signs she should look for apart from loss of appetite? My heart really goes out to them – they dote on their cat and this will be a really trying time for them. Any suggestions would be gratefully received. Thanks, Marg.
I’m sorry about your aunt’s cat, Marg. maybe this article will help: https://ingridking.com/2010/08/04/euthanasia-how-to-know-when-its-time/
Ingrid, thank you so much. This article is just the right thing to help them.
Minstrel was put to sleep yesterday. She deteriorated very quickly. I haven’t spoken to my aunt yet to see how she is doing, but we have all been through it. Ingrid, the thing that will stay with me from this article is how we need to look at our animals with our hearts, not our heads.
Marg, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of you Aunt & Uncle’s Minstrel. They no doubt feel like any one os us who have seen our little ones cross over that Rainbow Bridge.
I believe our hearts always lead our heads when it comes to our fur babies. <3
Thanks Bernie. Yes, those of us who have been through it understand only too well. My former boss (who was not an animal owner) was quite perplexed at how upset I was when Buddie went to the rainbow bridge. She now has a dog who she adores and has told me that she “gets it” now. It’s funny how our perspective changes. Even though we know that it’s more than likely we will outlive our pets, it’s very hard when we lose them. They leave their pawprints on our hearts.
Marg, sometimes when we least expect them, they come to us in our dreams. When that happens I awake and think of what the dream was about. But as so many of us that dream, we can never know exactly how the dream ended. But we are left with a sense that our loved one or ones were here to sa “it’s OK”.
Sorry to hear about this, I can relate, it is never easy.
Glen, you need not be sorry. What we all feel is the same. Those emotions of love and loss will surface with a song or a thought. We just never know when, we only know it will happen. I think if we did not feel this way, than our love for our loved ones would not have been real. But we are real and we all have the times just like you. Your song was so beautiful and like you, it was one that brought memories to the surface. Thank you.
I’m so sorry, Marg. I’m glad my article helped.
Just sending this as test. Hopefully I will begin to receive post after this.
Gigi had a routine vet visit today, shots and a check up.
She was diagnosed with a tape worm, she had stuff on her butt that looked like titter, which I thought it was. They checked and it was tape worm.
She was medicated, there for it, and they said she will be fine. Likely had it from before we took her in, they figure.
They were impressed by her colors/markings, size and solid build; she is 14 pounds and she is not fat, just big.
She was very well behaved and got over the visit quickly, she is “business as usual”, tonight.
Glad she will be ok
Glen, so good to hear that Gigi checked out well. She is truly a beautiful kitten. The meds will take care of the tapeworm. Is it true, the old saying, “that kid eats so much, he must have a tapeworm?”
She has a good appetite, not surprising at 14 pounds and very active (playful).
She is none the worse for her vet visit, or med.’s/vaccinations, yesterday.
She has been wanting a lot of attention, she is doing very well in her home of 6 months and has really settled in.
Just watched the weather and saw tropical storm Ingrid is in the gulf. Hope it doesn’t turn into a Tortie of a storm 🙂
It would be a real problem if the storm had a name like Steeler, Kasey, Stir………..etc.
CATegory 5 hurricane at least.
Glen, you know using those names would be Cat “off the scales”. I think we should just let well enough alone.
That can’t be right. The National Weather Service did not get my permission to name a storm after me… 😉
I wonder if the NWS knows something about you that we don’t? 🙂
Well, I am a force of nature sometimes… 😉
Today I took Stirfry to the vet. She has a skin condition (bumps/scabs) on her back and neck. Bernie and I checked and saw no fleas and she had been given drops in the last month.
The vet said it was the signs of a flea bite allergy and gave her a shot of Depo Medrol. For the other cats I have pills – Vectra. I will either wait till Bernie comes down to pill Frank or give it to them in liverwurst. Lynn wrote on her FB about liverwurst and I bought some for sandwiches. Found out that all the cats love it – especially Styx and Arianrhod.
Sorry, the Vectra is a liquid for Stir. The pills are Chlorpheniramine Maleate with 1 pill every 12 hours for the big cats and 1/2 for Arian. They haven’t seen Frank so maybe he needs 6 pills every 12 hours if they are going by size.
Stir got her shot and as there was a needle I had my eyes closed but I heard growling hissing and spitting. Don’t think that was the vet or assistant so it must have been Stir. They cut her back nails before the shot so even though this was her 1st time there her reputation must be well known.
Stir’s reputation precedes her!!! Everyone knows Stirfry is all TORTIE and Attitude all rolled up in one kitten!!! The oyher aspect is that Stirfry is a one man Tortie. Only Jay can shake her up like a bottle of pop, and she will not hurt him, but if someone else is within her range —–run. 🙂
If I may ask Jay, how much was the Depo Medrol injection? I’m asking as what you described may be the same issue with my Columbia. Despite doing the flea treatment every month she has lots of what feel like to be small scabs all around her neck and under her chin. I have been thinking that it is her scratching with her claws which really need to be cut back as they are like little fish hooks. We can’t cut them, a vet would need to do it.
I have a small battery operated flea comb that I use to comb all around her neck and it never finds any fleas yet she continues to scratch.
None of my other cats have the issue, just Columbia.
Please steer clear of Depo-Medrol injections unless they’re absolutely needed. While it works quickly to clear up itching, there are serious longterm side effects with steroids. The less you use them, the better off your cats will be. Talk to your vets about alternatives. Too many vets reach for steroids too quickly in my opinion.
Betty, the cost was$32.30. But like Ingrid said, there are long term side effects. Stir was well covered and scratching a lot. The pills were given for the other cats
ok, thank you both for the info
Cat video;
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151441996209515
That pattycake video just never gets old, does it!
Loved the video.
My cats DO NOT play that way. Chasing each other and wrestling for the most part is what they do. Stirfry plays with me but no one else. She does like teasing Bernie by putting her tail on her head.
My kittens wrestle each other, by hugging style. Then they run like crazy throughout the house.
I was thinking about how Gigi came to us and thought sometimes when you help someone out, it may be unexpected, but sometimes you help yourself out.
Someone sent me an email in February of this year about a “ginger faced tortie”
I have told her story before;
Rescued at approx. 8 months of age, in Feb. 2009, outside after having a litter of kittens that froze to death.
Lived with a couple who pampered her for almost 4 years.
The wife died and the husband needed to move out of the house, he could not take Gigi and he was desperate not to have to put her in a shelter.
We met him, and her, and we had seen enough, she was a beautiful cat with an amazingly good nature.
We were concerned about bringing in a 4th, adult cat into the mix but thought we should take the chance.
At the time, we had no idea Kasey would be leaving us within three months,
I knew Kasey would not be here for a long time, due to her age and history, but I was not prepared to lose my “Warrior Queen” and it hit me hard.
Gigi took a while to completely settle in and get to know us, this was to be expected, her stable world of 4 years had been turned upside down but she fit in well and has been an amazing cat.
She is not Kasey, but once again I have a tortie that waits for me by the back door when it is time for me to come home from work, one that seeks me out for attention and looks for me when I leave the house.
We may have helped her out, but she has returned the favor and has been a great help to me.
Glen, sometimes the universe works in ways that surprise us all. My female cat prior to Miss Gracie was the most gentle natured, loving tabbie I have ever come across. Mind you, when I say “my” I really should be saying “my Dad’s”. She was definitely a cat that loved men the best of all (and particularly men to may have been doing a bit of physical work and worked up a sweat – then she was their best friend and used to like to nuzzle armpits!). Anyway, when my Dad was sick Missie was his constant shadow. I think she had decided that human nursing was OK, but feline nursing was better. On the morning of my Dad’s passing, Missie lay by his side for hours, just watching him. As he took his last breath, she stood up, stretched, looked at him one last time, and jumped down from the bed as if to say “my job is done”. We had her for 12 months after that, and even though we were really sad at her passing, we felt that she was going “home” to Dad. Gigi has probably received instructions from Kasey about looking after you … and isn’t it comforting?
Glen, the cat gods work in mysterious ways. They know when we need another addition to our family. Gigi was meant to come to you. She is no Kasey ( but we know how rare those Torties are) but she has taken over Kasey’s job of keeping you in line. Making sure you get home safe and then spending you time feeding and playing with your cat family first.
Congrats Ingrid on winning The Petties Best Pet Blog.
And Bernadette, even thought you did not win on the Petties – you are a winner with us on here and we will make sure you get it next year.
Keep up the good work both of you.
Congrats Ingrid!!
Thanks, everyone!
I second what Jay has written!!!!
HEY MOST IMPORTANTLY, now, I finally received an email that let me know a new post was put on this site. And guess who posted my first email in ages from here, you got it, Jay. Now I will “hopefully get the notices regularly like I had in the past.” I did not do a thing to change anything. 🙂
Yes, congrats Ingrid – well deserved!