Our favorite feral cat Boy is dying

[malaise]

He was hit by an SUV this morning and he's in very bad shape. He's barely breathing. It's hard to watch but as poorly as he is, he won't let us put him in the cat box and take him to a vet. If he makes it until morning, a vet will come and euthanize him.

Poor Boy - he literally cried when I rubbed his head earlier. I got some warm water and wiped him down - several bones are broken and he has lots of cuts and bruises. He's about seven years old and as tough as they come - the quintessential alpha male.

I was in tears earlier and then I went for my walk and thought about it - he has had a great life for a feral - a warm patio with a bed and two great meals every day. He loved when I'd brush him with the patio broom. Got his last brush on Saturday morning. Ferals rarely last this long, but it's hard watching his shallow breaths. He's

Boy and his brother decided early that they liked the good life. Unlike most of the kittens who take ages to tame, they jumped all over us and ignored their mother's cautious approach. It was hard not to like them. The brother left one day - he was the better looking of the pair but big cat was the dominant one - and he remained dominant until this morning.

I should have known something had happened - one of the other males looked too happy for his own good. He jumped straight into Boy's chair this morning. They are all Boy's kids - he is leaving a legacy of ginger cats with one black one -a throw back - and he looks ready to take charge. Sadly he'll be fighting for power with a ginger Tom who looks exactly like Boy.

Ah cats!!!

[MADem]

1. Can you give him anything for the pain?

http://cats.lovetoknow.com/Illness_In_Older_Cats_Symptoms_Of_Dying

[malaise]

4. We want to give him an injection - he can't swallow anything

One of our medical neighbors says he's coming over in a few minutes. We can't find a vet who'll come before tomorrow morning and the only vet in the family (my cousin's nephew) is off the island until tomorrow.
I think Boy's unconscious - he's not responding to me rubbing his head...and he's barely breathing now.

[MADem]

9. Good. Perhaps the neighbor can do what is needed. So sorry for your distress. I

understand how you feel. Poor cat.

[MADem]

9. DU is stuttering tonight, sorry for the double post.

[Lizzie Poppet]

2. Oh, no!

So very sorry to hear this...but so much respect for what you've done for these ferals. Looks like Boy had a pretty darn good life.

[malaise]

8. You know ferals come and go - few become attached in a meaningful

way - that's what made Boy so special. His mom is still alive.

I tell you what - there isn't a mouse or a rat near this property - thanks to the ferals - it's a relationship that has worked out well for all of us.

[mike_c]

3. so sorry to hear this....

Thank you for taking care of him.

[WillowTree]

5. Poor baby. Pass peacefully, Boy.

And tender hugs to you, malaise.

[Cleita]

6. So sorry for boy and for you.

[malaise]

12. The doc said he was comatose and not in pain but

he gave him a permanent sleeping pill. Bye Bye Boy.
Sis he left three kittens to feed - no time to mourn. It's the life of ferals.

[Voice for Peace]

62. ...

I have a note to myself on the wall, in gold letters, it says 'take care of the living.' in the middle of losing my own two cats last year, there were the ferals -- caring for them kept me together. Now I am so attached to them all. And one stray just came to my porch to end her days. So much richness of life knowing these guys. Us mortals, all in it together.

[malaise]

63. I like that maxim

Losing one pet is not easy let alone two

[uppityperson]

7. i am so sorry, be in peace, Boy.

[Kalidurga]

11. So sorry for your loss

In my life I have had 4 feral cats that adopted me oops make that 5 I almost forgot Saber who let me carry him around. I was told he was too old a feral and he wouldn't let anyone pet him or what not, but he let me be his bestie human friend, that was decades ago.

[malaise]

13. Ferals are amazing

Tame today and wild tomorrow - I always know when they're hurt. They find you.

[Kalidurga]

49. The ones that hung around my place found me when they were hungry

or they at least figured out I would feed them.

[malaise]

50. They show up for food between five and six in the morning and

evening. They are so smart

[Kalidurga]

52. Yeah they knew when I would be getting ready for work and coming home

just like the kids.

[restorefreedom]

14. so sorry

easy journey, little boy

[malaise]

15. It was easy

and he's huge

[restorefreedom]

16. peace to both of you ..

[napkinz]

17. so sorry malaise

[LiberalArkie]

18. I am sorry. I lost my oldest and the youngest this summer. They just wanted outside

and would not come back in. I knew Moma (oldest) was sick, she let me know all the time, but the vet said she was alright. Whiner (the boy) was active running around, but wanted outside a week or so later. I still have 2 females that will go out and lay in the sun but come back in when it gets dark.

My black lab was hit by a truck tire that tore the skin off his hind part. He is doing alright after $4000 in vet bills. That was about 2 years ago. Thank goodness they retired me and gave me severance pay, it paid the vet bill.

Take care

[malaise]

21. You made me laugh

...after the $4,000 in vet bills.
Losing pets is very hard -they are part of the family

[LiberalArkie]

23. I always liked Whiner a lot, the only boy that survived living out here in the country.

Named Whiner because he was born talking, I think before his eyes were open. I could understand when he said outside. And he was the only cat that knew how the doggy door worked.

I had an old yellow lab that raised all the kittens, and when he died I got a beagle really for Whiner. Whiner raised Buster the beagle until Buster got tick fever and did not make it. The vets gave me a black lab that I named Sam, that Whiner started raised from a pup and were best friends. Whiner had no use for cats, he just liked dogs.

So I guess he is up there in doggy heaven.

[malaise]

39. After my beloved Roots died

Last edited Tue Dec 8, 2015, 07:41 AM - Edit history (1)

and I cried for a week I made a vow that I would never again be that attached to a dog - Roots and the rest of that litter had mumps and I fed them with glucose dipped in cotton wool then slowly added milk. Her mother was my aunt's dog and she gave me the pick of the litter. I adored that dog and that dog adored me. I could not face a loss like that one again - she was 12 years old so I feed the birds and the feral cats with this view that I am detached. Of course that's not true

Sound like you're having a good time on that farm.

[LiberalArkie]

44. Not a farm just a little 600sqft house I built when I became homeless after breaking my leg.

My first dog as an adult was Velcro. He walked in my front door, when I was working on my car, and set down in my recliner and stayed and raised all the kittens. He came down with sinus tumor and had to be put to sleep. He always liked the vet, but when the vet was taking him back he started whimpering for the first time and that started everyone else in the office crying. Very hard day. Whiner took it hard and that was why I let the vet talk me into the stray beagle.

I just live here with the varmints, they are the bosses. As it should be.

[malaise]

51. Sounds like a good life

[LiberalArkie]

54. It really isn't bad. I am just glad I bought a couple of areas away from city codes and could do it.

The varmints have a place to roam. My lab gets handouts from the neighbors and they know where to come and find things that he takes for playthings. And I guess when you have to call in and say your dog ate your pager, life is alright.

[Person 2713]

19. Take care and RIP Boy . You were there for him at the end with comfort and found help for him

It's hard that I know
I recently lost a tough old girl.

[grntuscarora]

20. I am so, so sorry.

Sometimes I have nightmares of losing one of my furballs to a vehicle.
Cars and animals do not mix well.
I hope he is not in too much pain. Thank goodness he has loving people with him.



I brake for animals.

[pipoman]

22. We have ferals and I grew up with them

They are just a fact of life on a farmstead. If they make it a year, they usually make it for a long while. We have a feral tom cat, yellow kitty, who has been here for around 5 years. He's the alfa male too.

Always a bummer to lose one. We find them by the road occasionally, usually the younger ones

[malaise]

40. I've learned so much from ferals

There are rules among these animals. Alphas are cruel, but they have so much personality. Love how you call him yellow kitty - first it was Mommy Cat, Boy and Pretty Boy. We give them similar names - white tail, scar face, skinny minnie

[Pakhet]

59. we put collars on our trap and release kitties

out of the 12 we've had spayed/neutered, only blue, red, purple and turquoise have stayed with us (sorta). they don't all like to be touched but they sorta respond to their names (collar colors) and can come in and out at will. we recently found 3 kittens on the roof and brought them in and socialized them...they have real names but can come and go too if they want.

[Voice for Peace]

66. lol i have scarface but now he is Buddy, and his ex Mohma and his kid, Oliver, who lives between

two worlds.. The human house and the feral homeplaces.

Then ms. Blackie who came to lay down at the end. And scruffy did too, and Little Gray, Buddy"s other kid is :gone, too... Mohma lost most of her babies in the wild, now she and Oliver come every night for dinner and time with Buddy aka dad, who lives on my lap or would if he could. He comes and gets me to be sure they have food. It is a marvel.( Not more adopting for me... They find us.

Now there is little black Himz who always has tricks to play on everyone.

One night I was weeping on my porch. It was grief from a loss. And Mohma usually runs away from me and everyone. But she sat with me, I knew she knew what I was feeling and she was sharing it with me, it was a true kindred communion of feeling.
I'm weeeping again, remembering. They are profound creatures.

[malaise]

67. They find us is right

and they know who will love them while allowing them to be themselves.
It's amazing that all our stories are so similar.
On Saturday one of the kittens jumped into a hanging plant box and was so delighted that he was playing with his tail. It was hilarious.

[Voice for Peace]

73. was so happy to find this thread even though it is

So sad to say goodbye. r.I.p.Boy

[pipoman]

71. We have 2 former ferals as our house cats

Cali, a calico whose mother was killed before she could survive and Gray Cat a gray and white neutered male that was left at my neighbors house by one of his friends. When he came he was afraid and hiding under our porch. We took him in and I called my neighbor to see if it was his. He told me that the cat "got in some trouble at his friends house", and his friend left him at their house...he would have never made it as an outdoor cat....now he won't even go outside...

I haven't met too many feral cats I can't lure in over a couple of days. I was berated here a while back by a couple of people who don't get the role of feral cats on a farm...they are working animals who earn their keep hunting. We feed them enough to keep them healthy but not so much they just lay around. We feed them in the morning so by evening they are hungry and go hunting. We do feed them more in the winter....always make sure they have water, and treat the ones we can catch with dewormer and Frontline in the summer...

[malaise]

76. They know you care

I have long been convinced that animals and babies know who like them.
Great work.

[Liberal_in_LA]

24. ..

[HeartlandDem]

25. 'Know how you feel...

we lost our baby girl earlier this month. Your Boy will come back to you in your dreams after he crosses the rainbow bridge just to let you know he is okay. Peace and love to you.

[Tess49]

34. Your post has brought tears. Losing my 14 year old, love of my life cat, a ginger, a year ago was

almost unbearable. I've had two very vivid dreams about him. Both times I woke up surprised that he was not really here. In those dreams he was whole again and purring.

[HeartlandDem]

82. My dreams are so vivid as well...

when I wake up I can't believe she's not there, whole again and purring. Makes me believe in parallel universes.

[Tess49]

86. Sorry for your loss --- She will be with you forever, or so I've learned. n/t

[malaise]

68. Thanks

Sorry for your loss

[Daemonaquila]

26. Hugs, and thank you.

So sad for Boy and for you. Cats were created to break our hearts. It's not fair.

Thank you for teaming up with the local ferals and giving them love and support. There are a lot of great cats out there who don't want to be house cats, but do love having a human around when THEY want them. Good humans are in short supply.

[malaise]

41. Those ferals keep the rats and mice away

They're great animals and it really is when THEY want a human around

[JonathanRackham]

27. So sorry. Pets are a window to our souls.

[malaise]

42. I abhor cruelty to animals

Well I also hate cruelty to humans :hi;

[2naSalit]

28. ...

[vt_native]

29. So sorry to hear

Bless you for caring for Boy. May he not suffer.

[roguevalley]

30. bless all of you

[MoreGOPoop]

31. So sorry, Malaise!

[Solly Mack]

32. ...

[navarth]

33. awful

It's so sad. Sorry for your loss. You did right by Boy. I am all too familiar with this type of heartbreak. I wish I could say I wasn't.

Peace and strength to you. Cross peacefully, Boy. You are loved.

[Omaha Steve]

35. .

K&R!

OS

[ronnykmarshall]

36. I am so sorry

[magical thyme]

37. I'm so sorry...poor Boy

may he pass quickly then, and easily...

[MH1]

38. Awww, kitty ...

Very sorry for your loss. It is so hard to lose a pet.

[malaise]

43. Thanks everyone

[mountain grammy]

45. So sorry for your loss. Good you were there for him at the end.

That's the least and best we can do for them.

[kydo]

46. All animals go to heaven ....

Not just dogs. I never bought that "dog is god and cat is tac." And I do love dogs, got one, big white dog. The one before was a big black dog. Got cats too. One is a stray, not a feral cat but she is a very shy and picky stray. And she adopted us. Oddly that cat saved my life about a year and a half ago. I was very depressed, wanted to die ... the usual low self esteem, I don't matter thing. So one day I was thinking about ... ok if I am gone, no worries about the dog, my family loves him he will be taken care of. Same with our indoor cat. But then my stray cat, Little Girl, walks over to me, and suddenly I realized there would be no one to take care of her. My husband doesn't really consider her family cause she is a stray. I couldn't leave her. So here I still am thanks to her.


I am so sorry for your loss but it sounds like Boy lived a good life, the way he wanted, outside and completely free.

[malaise]

56. That's an amazing story

That cat, Little Girl, saved your life.

[shenmue]

47. Sweet kisses

[Hestia]

48. A ray of hope - my m-i-l's feral cat (Sarah) was hit on a highway by someone going 50 +/- mph and

drug her down the highway. Barb ran out and got her and she was the same way, too much pain to move, has never been in a car. Half of her face is missing - you can see her teeth. This happened 3 years ago and she is doing fine. Barb fed Sarah baby cereal and other warm foods until she got better. Barb had to feed her in the shed because the kitty refused to come into the house.

You never know. And you can still see her teeth where her face is no longer on that side where she was drug ...

[malaise]

53. Boy had about eight lives before

This was his ninth - he had a good life

[oldandhappy]

57. Hugs. You loved him.

[kiva]

58. R.I.P. Boy

This is my fear with my feral colony...if anything happens, it will be impossible to get them to the vet. But for now, they play.

[malaise]

65. True but we can take care of most things

until something like this happens. Once years ago one of the females was having a horrific delivery but I managed to get her in the cat box and take her to a vet not far from here. Of course that was her last litter. She did bite the vet.

[virgdem]

60. So very sorry to hear this...

May boy RIP. I've lost 7 kitties, so I know the heartbreak of loss and it is never easy. You had good years with him and treated him well. Take care of yourself and know that you did a good thing in taking care of him.

[malaise]

64. You lost seven kitties?

Damn. We sure had good years with boy - he was funny and lovable.

[U4ikLefty]

61. WTF!!! Why was post #55 hidden?

I know many people are not logical about feral cats, but 6-1?

[shanti]

88. Seriously??

[Are_grits_groceries]

69. I'm so sorry.

He did have a good life and you helped him along at the end.
Sigh........
I miss Mouse and Scat.

[malaise]

70. I remember your pain when Mouse and Scat died

We replace them but miss their individual personalities.
We'll be watching the power struggle with the two biggest males.
One of the kittens came running in my direction for the first time this morning. Life goes on

[TuxedoKat]

72. I'm so sorry

It hurts so much when any pet passes. I'm glad your beloved Boy had a long enjoyable life with you. (((HUGS))).

[closeupready]

74. I had a ginger tom who died quite suddenly one day, age two years.

I was so upset, I had to call in sick to work the next day. Was so sad.

But glad to see his offspring are taking after his ways. In that way, they live on. Even without offspring, they live on in our memories.

[malaise]

75. You know I don't know which is worse

Watching them fade away (like my beloved dog Roots) or the sudden deaths.
Both hurt bad.

[CrispyQ]

77. Heartbreaking.

I'm so sorry.

[pansypoo53219]

78. sucks.my big boy basil is ailing. the next few days. if he does not eat. he is letting us know to

go. shitty when it happens suddenly. merry fucking christmas.

[malaise]

81. Yep it sucks and it hurts but it's part of the package

of life. I miss him but his kittens still have to be fed

[GoneOffShore]

79. So sorry to hear.

Safe passage to Boy.

I'm sure you told him every day that he was a good cat and you'd miss him when he was gone.

[suffragette]

80. Hey sis

Big, big

[malaise]

83. Thanks

It's rough but it's life

[Eleanors38]

84. I understand. I had to euthanize my kit after kidney failure. Let your guy go...

...to the Endless Savannah.

[malaise]

85. He died Monday night

[Eleanors38]

87. I'm so sorry.