Messages

151

Chit Chat / Re: Cat Pics

« on: April 19, 2010, 06:15:48 PM »

Julles, I hope so!

This evening after dinner I had my daughter distract the mom with lots of food, while Kevin took the window out for me. At first the kittens hissed and spit, they were terrified. Then I put my hand in there for a while so they could smell it. Then I pet them.

Wow. 

152

Pond Chat / Re: the pond today

« on: April 19, 2010, 08:41:58 AM »

The cat is adorable- love the name, and the lilies are stunning.

Ahhh, Mexico. 

153

Pond Chat / Re: Oh Happy Day!

« on: April 19, 2010, 08:39:56 AM »

This is the warmest April I remember here in Illinois. You are in Rockland county NY- that's upstate, isn't it? Amazing to see buds in April!

154

Pond Chat / Re: pond pics if they work

« on: April 19, 2010, 08:36:54 AM »

Pretty pics! You southerners are lucky!

155

Chit Chat / Re: Cat Pics

« on: April 19, 2010, 08:32:42 AM »

Length of day- that is so interesting. I think we don't realize it a lot of the time that so very many things are triggered by sunlight. We use the power of sunlight to create protein. It's really amazing how everything is reborn in the spring.

I empathize where you're coming from- our town is really the last suburban town before things start getting rural. I suspect that a lot of people drop off unwanted pets in our neighborhood because of that.

I was able to pet the mommy last night. I pet her on the back three times, then gave her food.

156

Chit Chat / Re: Roark---How is your Dad doing?

« on: April 18, 2010, 07:30:40 PM »

Wow, that is amazing! Hope he continues to hear "maybe a month or so". How cool is that?!

157

Chit Chat / Re: Cat Pics

« on: April 18, 2010, 07:24:40 PM »

Esther, I don't know if it's early or not. The mom was born in the spring of last year, they popped their little heads from under the deck in May.
When these kittens were born the temps were still really cold, we had some snow that weekend.

All I know for a fact is that there was some hanky panky going on at the end of winter. 

Is it possible that cat siblings can produce viable offspring? There were/are other feral cats in the area... but they look so much like each other. Breaking out the old Punnet Squares.

158

Chit Chat / Re: Cat Pics

« on: April 18, 2010, 11:35:47 AM »

Sorry about the ugly window well. I don't know how she does it, but the cat jumps up and grabs the edge of the window well cover and pulls herself out of a 5" gap between the window well and the wall of the house.

159

Chit Chat / Re: Cat Pics

« on: April 18, 2010, 11:33:58 AM »

Ahhhhh it worked.

The kittens:



Edit: in that photo, their eyes were still closed. This must have been within the first week of birth.

The kittens today:



Edit: Their eyes are open and they're more mobile. We stuffed newspaper into the drainage pipe so they wouldn't fall in and get stuck.

160

Chit Chat / Cat Pics

« on: April 18, 2010, 11:31:47 AM »

I'm having a really hard time getting these pics right. My PC is misbehaving, the server is slow, and I can't get the right format so they'll show up here. Now, the feral cat thread won't even let me view it. A perfect storm.


So lets try a new thread. Wish me luck!

The mom:

161

Chit Chat / Re: Feral Cats = New Kittens!?

« on: April 18, 2010, 10:34:16 AM »

Here are the pics. First is the mommy (she was born under our deck last spring, so she is one).
http://<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20472935@N03/4531244321/" title="x 005 by karensfrogpond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4531244321_29807466a9.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="x 005" />[/url]

Kittens-
 http://<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20472935@N03/4531244317/" title="kittens 007 by karensfrogpond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2452/4531244317_1d8acccf6b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="kittens 007" />[/url]

Today-

http://<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20472935@N03/4531244309/" title="4_18_10 106 by karensfrogpond, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4531244309_c9950f5bc5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="4_18_10 106" />[/url]

162

Chit Chat / Re: Feral Cats = New Kittens!?

« on: April 18, 2010, 09:02:41 AM »

BTW, how do you think that cat made it 1,300 miles all the way to Chicago from New Mexico?

I don't know! Actually, I don't know how, but I think I may know why. Maybe the cat was originally from Chicago and was trying to get home. Maybe it was simply chasing a mouse and ended up in the back of a truck.

The domesticated cats are descendants of Asian cats whose diet consists of small animals and birds, so I do understand that they're hard-wired for hunting that prey. I am very much against feeding them cans of wheat, soy, corn, vegetables, and rice mixed with a little tuna...

There is an interesting you-tube video that shows wild cats hunting down a wild boar. They start chowing down on the poor thing before it has 'expired'. Nature is definitely cruel.

163

Chit Chat / Re: Feral Cats = New Kittens!?

« on: April 17, 2010, 06:08:22 PM »

Wow, I didn't think my post would well up such strong opinions- but that does happen. Sorry for that.

I didn't get pictures today because of a sleepover, a farmers market, birthday money (kids), and a bunch of other stuff. Plus, every time I looked in on the kitties they were asleep in a bundle of fur. But they are definitely getting bigger. I promise pics tomorrow.

The mother is a non stop eating machine. She's at our door several times a day begging for food. Last night she let me pet her, today she would not. You'd think she would trust me by now- I've been feeding her for a year.

Johns, I understand your opinion but I'm an anthropologist/historian/evolutionist at heart. It doesn't matter if it's feral kittens, Dodo birds, purple Loosestrife, or Kudzu- nothing will change the fact of existence in any particular area at any particular time, caused by humans or not. The whole point of my caring about this is to remove these kittens from the local feral populations and get them adopted as pets.

Edit: They do have a few predators to worry about here, namely coyotes, hawks, raccoons, and Great Horned Owls. And Andy my neighbor's dogs.

I have already turned the mom into a dependent. She has no desire to hunt my songbirds because she gets free food from me. Yes, she takes care of the mice. but that's worth the price. I'm like the government! Here to help... 

164

Chit Chat / Re: Wild Flowers

« on: April 15, 2010, 05:51:58 PM »

No Indiana Karen... they will bury you under the Lupines. 

165

Chit Chat / Re: Feral Cats = New Kittens!?

« on: April 15, 2010, 05:50:00 PM »

Thank you all so much! Believe me, I will be referring to your advice often.

They were born the morning of March 28, and opened their eyes Wed, Apr 7. So that makes them 2 weeks and 4 days old. They are really starting to look adorable and my kids have become "Awwe!" machines.

I will definitely see if there are any TNR organizations by me... that would be great. It was the gal at animal control who told me about the "Spay and Stay", but I also know that there is an extensive network of animal rehabbers around here, I just need to find the right contact.

They're sooo cute. Will try and get some pix tomorrow or Saturday.

166

Chit Chat / Re: Wild Flowers

« on: April 15, 2010, 08:43:39 AM »

Beautiful!

I really love the dark blue ones... is that Lupine?

167

Chit Chat / Re: Feral Cats = New Kittens!?

« on: April 15, 2010, 08:41:25 AM »

Thanks Kat & Kittyzee. I'll have to brainstorm with Kevin about how and when we can do this. I called animal control this morning, and the gal said we could borrow a trap with 50$ deposit.

The kittens are hard to reach in the window well. Kevin will have to take the window out. Maybe we'll play with the kittens while the mom is distracted by food. The mom is neglecting her hunting duties because of us, so I'm wondering if she'll be able to teach the kittens. The mom may know that the kittens will also have to rely on us.

Should we wait til the mom is done nursing before we get her spayed?

168

Chit Chat / Re: Steal my drink, will ya??

« on: April 14, 2010, 08:15:39 PM »

Cute cat... nice wallpaper... fresh milk. Life is good!

169

Chit Chat / Feral Cats = New Kittens!?

« on: April 14, 2010, 08:12:39 PM »

We have a ton of feral cats in our neighborhood. Last year (winter) there were a pair that took up residence under out deck. I suspect they ousted the resident groundhog.

Come May, and one has gone away and the other showed up with two little kittens.

Here we are in April, the mother has gone and the one kitten (we call her "pink nose"), now one year old, had 4 babies in our window well on Palm Sunday.

I've been feeding the mom (all meat scraps, raw meat, bones, liver ). We still feed the other one ("dirty nose"), but that one doesn't come around as much.
Pink Nose has 4 mouths to feed.

So what I want to do is bring the mother in to the "spay and stay" program; ie we pay for the spay and shots, then the cat gets to come back to our property to live out her life (kitten free). She's very skittish and wont let us pet her. However, we haven't had any mice in the house... none! 

The kittens are adoptable and socializable (is that a word?). We would have to handle them enough as kittens, then they'd be relinquished to Save-A-Pet to be cared for and adopted.

My kids want to adopt them ALL. Four cats is too many cats! But my kids are totally smitten... What to do? They are really cute kittens! They opened their eyes a week ago today.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

170

Chit Chat / Re: Not Facebook too......

« on: April 14, 2010, 07:56:52 PM »

Facebook doesn't allow spamming members and that's why I reported it.  I don't want to mention the name of the business that spammed me......but if we were playing "hot/cold", you would be pretty hot..... 

Ventura Koi Farm..... even warmer? 

171

Chit Chat / Re: Not Facebook too......

« on: April 14, 2010, 08:25:31 AM »

I wonder how "FB" feels about it?

I'm not sure. I know that you aren't allowed to actively sell stuff on FB, they didn't want it becoming another Craigslist. However, you can become a fan of businesses.

I fell for that one... I think it's Ventura Koi?

172

Chit Chat / Re: Times are changing.......an interesting read!

« on: April 14, 2010, 08:20:41 AM »

I was a passenger in a friend's car recently, and this experience really brought it all home for me. She was so distracted with her gadgets! She was steering with her knee- looking at the GPS- and surfing the web on the Iphone all at the same time. Even had time to file her nails and talk on the phone.

I thought I was going to die!


I'll never give up my books... no way no how.

173

Chit Chat / Re: Remember Petey the abandoned kitty?

« on: April 08, 2010, 01:11:36 PM »

Love the pose... sooo cute!

174

Chit Chat / Re: Visitor

« on: April 08, 2010, 01:10:41 PM »

What a cute bird. I have a whole chapter in my bird book about "confusing fall warblers". I've never really been able to identify any.

Nice camera work.

175

Chit Chat / Re: ReBirth

« on: April 08, 2010, 01:07:14 PM »

Beautiful! Nice pictures, too.

I'm also curious about the time span. Had no idea it took that long! We have monarchs here in Illinois, I grow plants for them but for the life of me can't remember the names. 

176

Pond Chat / Re: Pics of my fish

« on: April 06, 2010, 07:43:54 AM »

Very nice, I love those midnight shubbies!

177

Pond Chat / Re: The Gunnera

« on: March 28, 2010, 06:45:47 PM »

Wow, I'm so jealous. I tried for years to grow them and they always died. I can't believe nobody wants your roots? That's crazy!

178

Pond Chat / Re: What to do...what to do.....about the fish....

« on: March 28, 2010, 06:40:27 PM »

BTW, this calculator has been on line since February, 1999, and I've never received any negative feedback on it.
It would be interesting if some of you would post the results for your ponds, wouldn't it????

Sounds like an interesting experiment. I would really like to do this. I know my filtration is oversized for the poundage of fish in the pond, but I've never calculated poundage in relation to surface area.

179

Pond Chat / Re: Encouraging Ducks

« on: March 27, 2010, 09:56:13 AM »

I have had a pair visit my pond also- they stay for a couple weeks in spring and then they leave. I enjoy that, because I think the extra poop helps to jump start my filters. By the time they leave, everything is cycled.
I don't know if it's the same pair of mallards, but they've been visiting for probably 7 or 8 years going.

Now that I have feral cats living here, I doubt they'll visit.

180

Pond Chat / Re: You know your a ponder when...

« on: March 27, 2010, 09:46:58 AM »

Your hands have "that smell" 

And your fingernails have "that look"...