Charlotte the Harlot (stray kitty in heat)

[demnan]

You might remember my post on Charley aka Charlemagne:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=243x10321

Well, this nice quiet little kitty went into heat on Friday and our life has become very vocal kitty-wise all weekend. She seemed to have developed an infactuation with Pad Thai. (Can' fault her taste, had he not been fixed he would have provided some beautiful kitten genes). I've tried to corner her but have had a game knee this weekend due to an accidental fall. I did manage to pet her and see her rear end which she freely raised up for all to see, poor little thing. She's in surprisingly good shape and good health with bright eyes and a clean coat and may not be a stray after all. Maybe she just had a liking for the bread I put out for the birds. She has turned down cat chow lately.

She has been calling at the windows all weekend. Pad Thai gets up in the window and stares out.

My cats have been trying to chase her away all weekend. I got scratches on my arm and a couple of deep puncture wounds from Pad Thai when I took him out for a walk and restrained him from chasing her. Lily ran after her a few times. I know she is about 3 times faster than Lily so all that amounted to was to give Lily a little exercise! When I thought she was gone tonight I put Paddy in his KittyWalk and he bolted for the woods. I had to limp out there to get him and luckily he let me pick him up.

It seems now he has convinced her that she is not his fancy. I haven't seen her tonight and I've kept my cats in. The windows will be closed until further notice. I can't not put out food if I think she needs it.

I'm not sure now whether she's a stray or what. She doesn't act that feral. Have I been duped because I have a handsome male cat?

Is Charlotte a harlot?

[IndyOp]

1. Charlotte is a harlot -

Any chance you can live-trap her and take her to your local humane society for a free or low-cost spay? Or keep her shut in a warm, dry outdoor enclosure until the 'heat' is gone? Anything to keep her from giving birth to a load of kittens that will wind up in trouble, too.

:)

[demnan]

3. A guy on my van pool suggested I call Animal Control

and ask for a trap. I'm going to call them today. I wouldn't mind paying for spay and shots, and medical treatment for her, not sure I have room though in my condo to keep her, what with the other cats chasing her and all.

[AirmensMom]

5. That's a great idea.

Spayed or not, she's out there ... at least if you get her spayed, it will keep more homeless kitties from being born. Please keep us updated.

:)

[AirmensMom]

2. Oh, my.

Harlot or not, I wish she could be caught and spayed. :( She's very pretty.

I hope your knee gets better! :hug:

[demnan]

4. I called Animal Control

The Animal Shelter has traps but they're closed today. They are open tomorrow. I'll get a trap tomorrow and bait it with tuna and catnip and hopefully get Charlotte to the vet soon after.

[AirmensMom]

6. Good plan!

:bounce:

[friesianrider]

9. You're a gem demnan!

I would also recommend humane traps baited with some yummy kitty food. A suggestion though is to cover it well with a waterproof something (like a small tarp) to protect her in case of bad weather or even just an old towel or blanket - the main thing isn't the weather but kitties when confined like that can get really freaked out and being "covered" calms them down a lot. I've trapped 8 neighborhood ferals this way and taken them to the vets for neutering or spaying.

So it sounds like Miss Charlotte definitely needs a trip to the vet to get herself spayed! If you do this for her, you're my hero of the month! :)

[Beaverhausen]

7. Too bad Pad Thai isn't interested

Maybe you could just let them go at it...after all he is shooting blanks and maybe it would stop her heat?

When Geneva was a kitten and went into heat, Carmine, my male who was fixed, just couldn't take it anymore and had a go at her. It did seem to satiate her for a while at least.

:evilgrin:

[superconnected]

8. good, she needs that spay.

I'm trying to catch a ferral mother right now to spay, too.

two days ago she started yelling, yes yelling at me for food , on my porch. I'm making progress. Normally she sneaks up, eats and runs. I'm so hoping to catch her and get her spayed before she get pregnant again. She had her last litter outside and one of my neighbors apparently took them - I hope. I was trying to tame them myself and grab them but they wouldn't let me catch them and my neigbor beat me to them.

[friesianrider]

10. Have you tried a humane trap?

Sometimes local cat rescues will have them for loan, too. As I suggested to the OP, it's usually a good idea to first check them at least twice a day and also cover them with something as kitties tend to freak out when trapped all of a sudden like that and being "sheltered" keeps them a little calmer.

I'm so happy to see so many people on here willing to fix feral kitties in their neighborhood! I've had 8 now I've successfully trapped and fixed too...glad so many others are helping to end pet overpopulation :)

[superconnected]

11. Good for you!

If I wait a little longer I think I can make her willingly my cat. I've had big progress with her since last firday. Right now shes got her trust up enough to be within 2 feet of me and demand food.

Last week I was no where near this far. Before she had kittens feeding off her so she wasn't going into heat. Her kittens have been gone almost 2 weeks though so I need to tame her or trap her now. I'd prefer tame though. If I can get her inside with my fixed cats she'll be fine to wait a few days, get used to the home and be fixed herself. I think she's ripe for a home.

Hopefully I can get her in the next few days. She's not acting in heat yet.

btw, I don't think she was always ferral. She's an apartment complex throw out who has been outside at least a year if not a few years. She' very small though and possibly very young.



The grey cat in the pic is the momma cat I'm taming. The kittens have been caught - likely by another animal lover in my apt complex. There's 3 of us working to help cats in the place :).

[demnan]

12. Good News! An update on Charlotte

Charlotte has become so tame that she walked into the condo tonight. She didn't even resist being picked up. She is safely in the den now (escaped once by pushing out the screen, then came right back onto the patio to come in. (Go Figure!) I closed the window afterward and she is happily sleeping on the foton. Full of Fancy Feast wet and dry. Pad Thai seems curious on his side of the door. I'm going to take her to the vet before introducing her to the other cats, there are illnesses but she seems very healthy, bright eyed and happy to be safe indoors.

This morning she did something so cute outside the door, she yawned and meowed at the same time. The only other cat I know who does that is Pad Thai. Soul mate?

[AirmensMom]

13. Soul mate!

I think you have a new kitty. :loveya:

[superconnected]

14. Yipee!

Good! That is wonderful news. You built up the trust.

Most cats do want homes.

Congratulations! And btw, you're awesome!