cat pictures (dial-up warning)

[bertha katzenengel]

Head shots from the Waldorf Cat Haven. Litter mates are pictured together - the non-litter mates go first!

Cocoa (aka Wenchzilla)


Daddy


Big Charley (semi-feral)


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Harry and Richard


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Petey and Toby


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Skittles, Charley Girl, and Moose
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


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Clearly, I need to start taking more pictures of my Charley Girl!

[mike_c]

1. daddy looks just like a feral that I take care of....

He pretty much lives in my backyard now, which is cool-- it's safe for him, and he doesn't fight with any of the resident furballs. Actually, I'm not really certain he's a "him"-- he's never let me approach closely enough. The latest win is that he now stays on the porch if I SLOWLY slip the food bowl out through the open sliding glass door, and this after nearly six months of feeding him. Still, he's waiting by the door every morning.

[bertha katzenengel]

2. s/he's yours, mike

:hug: thanks for caring for the kittle :bounce:

[mike_c]

3. if you're talking about the feral I'm caring for, yeah...

...I figured out a while back that once I start taking care of them, I can't abandon them like someone else likely did, even if that someone was several steps down the reproductive chain. I have so much contempt for anyone who would do that to an animal they're responsible for, that the ferals I take care of do in fact become "mine." I couldn't look at myself in the mirror if I stopped doing what I can to take care of them.

[Flaxbee]

6. It is really hard, though, if you move...

my husband and I were taking care of a feral, caught her (took us three days to get her into a havahart cage after we'd managed to close her into the garage - found out at the vet's she was preggers, which is why she might have put up such a HUGE fight when we tried to catch her), had her spayed, built a little bed in the garage for her and a kitty door so she could come and go at her pleasure, etc... cared for her for a year and a half (never got to hold her for more than 10 seconds, tho, and she'd bolt at the slightest fast movement... I think our 'catching' her made her wary of us for life).

Anyway, we sold the house, had to move for various reasons, work, weather, etc. (we were on a mountain and would get stuck b/c of snow and ice for 2-3 weeks sometimes, makes it hard to make a living in the winter). It was my fault, instead of catching her first and then starting to clean out the garage, we started on the garage first and I was never able to get close to her again. I'd sit in the driveway, crying like a baby, worrying about her, trying to get her to come to me to no avail.

I was DEVASTATED b/c she depended on my for her food, morning and night. We had a very nice arm's-length relationship and I was so worried she'd be lonely, and afraid, and just confused as to why we left her (even though she wouldn't come to us).

It had a happy ending, though - the people who bought our house were TOTAL cat people, and our feral babe bonded with one of their cats and totally mellowed out and became part of their family (none of my cats were friendly to her when we lived there - I think it was good for new cats to come in and see the territory as "shared" instead of my cats who viewed her as an impostor).

The new owners and I stay in touch about kittygirl, too -- so I didn't have to commit hari-kari over guilt in leaving a feral baby behind.

Though now I only will put out food sporadically for any passersby, unless I am convinced I can catch them and incorporate them into our family - we're only renting now, so I don't want any creature to become too dependent unless I know they can join the family. When we settle into a home of our own, though, I'm sure there will be extended-family-ferals galore.

[Cobalt Violet]

4. That's a great bunch o' cats.

Are Petey and Toby really litter mates?

[bertha katzenengel]

14. They are indeed. Amazing, isn't it?

They were born in our basement on 9/11/01. Their mom was completely feral. We got home that day, as destroyed as everyone else. I decided to go downstairs just before going to bed, to see if the kittens had been born, and they had! Mrs. V. came down to help me move them - they'd been born in a spot where if they fell they could've been hurt. The first one I handed down was Petey, and he was pure white. He was the first newborn kitten she'd ever held. The other three kittens were tuxies like Toby.

Just before she fell asleep, Mrs. V. asked me, "can we keep the white one?" :7

[samplegirl]

5. My puddy

Silas aka. "suggie"

[mike_c]

7. maine coon?

Looks like one-- beautiful cat.

[Ladyhawk]

8. I was going to ask that. I love the look of Maine coon kitties. :) n/t

[samplegirl]

18. Yes

and he is one loveable, huggable, kissable
kitty. Hes super smart and loves to be on
my lap as much as possible.

[barb162]

9. that is a gorgeous cat

[samplegirl]

19. Thank you

I think hes pretty handsome myself. I spoil him
rotten.

[bertha katzenengel]

15. Suggie is beautiful!

I like the throw... ;)

[samplegirl]

20. thats his kitty

blankey in his bed. He has one in just about every room. His favorite one is on my bed his
"faux fur"

[Blue-Jay]

10. One more and you'll have a football team.

[bertha katzenengel]

16. LOL Nope. This is a baseball team with subs.

:bounce:

[barb162]

11. Are you trying to get Big Charlie in? Your cats are all so pretty

I am taking care of a feral now and he has a heating pad under the table along with towels. Still it gets so damned cold here. He comes in and out of the house now. I have to make the decision to get him in permanently or not. My fearr is that he beats up my extremely tame cats.

[bertha katzenengel]

17. No. I need to get him neutered, but Big Charley will always stay out.

Is your feral neutered?

As soon as we get our last semi-feral indoor girl spayed, we're installing a cat door so everyone can go in and out at will. I am a big advocate of keeping cats IN. But we went overboard with The Welcoming of The Homeless Cats, and our house isn't quite big enough for everyone. If all can go in and out now and then, live at WCH will be happier.

[barb162]

22. He's not neutered yet. Once he is neutered he will become an

indoor cat, whether he likes it or not. I am working with him to get him tamer as I don't want him beating up on my cats. I'd say he's about 1 to 2 yrs. old. Yeah I have 4 indoor right now and the vet bills with a large number of cats can kill you. My oldest who is 17 has chronic renal failure and you know how just the blood tests alone and the special vet only food can knock one for a loop.

[Heidi]

12. Petey Fan Club President, reporting in:

They're _all_ beauties, bertha, but Ginger and I are especially partial to Petey. :hug:

[bertha katzenengel]

25. Heidi!

I know you are, and hopefully before too long I'll have a web page up where you can browse all Petey, all the time. ;)

:hug:

[huskerlaw]

13. Awww, sooo cute!

I'm headed to the animal shelter tomorrow in search of a friend for Riley. Poor thing is SO bored.

[bertha katzenengel]

26. husker - did you find one?

:bounce:

[samplegirl]

21. I love them all

thanks for sharing. Makes me want another one.

[lizziegrace]

23. Widget and Gracie

[crispini]

24. Awwwwwwww.

Adorable!

[bertha katzenengel]

27. what a sweet picture

:grouphug:

[jus_the_facts]

28. Awww...sweet babies....

:hi: :loveya: