The rescue lady who picked Buddy up came back over today to drop off a humane trap for the other cat. After showing me how to use it she told me what had happened to him after she picked him up.
He got an immediate vet check and was determined to be about 5 years old, definitely intact male (as I knew he was). It meant sadly though that there was a possibility that he’d been out for almost that long since he hadn’t been fixed but I’m kind of doubting that. A lot of people just don’t get their animals fixed. But he settled in quite fast and they got to see that sweet cuddly side I did which made me super happy. Sometimes fear can get the best of an animal, and I knew once he had gotten comfortable with me that if he didn’t have a family missing him, he’d easily find one. He was just too sweet. So he got his shots and got fixed and was settling well, and they are going to continue to see if he does have a family missing him somewhere, and if not he’ll go up for adoption. I keep checking the site and facebook page to see if/when he comes up on their social media. If we didn’t have so many animals, and if Zachary wasn’t such a territorial butt, I’d have kept him. Or at least fostered him.
We also have a set plan for the grey missy. I have to let her know when I’m planning to trap her so that the cat can be picked up immediately since you don’t leave a cat in those traps too long. She’ll get seen by a vet and from there we’re going to see what to do with her. She offered some measure of assistance if it’s determined the cat is truly feral and will be returned outside in which I’ll be acting as her caretaker (I already am, to a degree). But I think the more promising plan is for me to foster her. Since she’s so skittish the lady is going to get me a large dog crate, one that will be big enough for a small litter box and food and water bowl and have kitty stay in that for a bit. Then hopefully she’ll get comfortable that I can then let her out in a room, and go from there. The hope is that she’s not so feral or skittish that she can’t adapt to a home environment and I truly believe she can, she just needs time. At least with me working with the rescue as opposed to trying on my own I have more support and guidance. Plus I think the readiness in which they’re willing to get her in for a vet checkup and possibly a spay surgery if she needs it is because she has a foster to go to. So as much as I absolutely hate that she’s outside in this damn cold and snow despite clearly wanting to be inside, she won’t be outside for much longer. She’s hunkering down somewhere close, I give her plenty to eat and a blanket so her little paws get a break from the snow while she eats and the shed is open to her. It’s the best I can do for now and that has to be enough.
Lairë 