Found One Pound Bengal - Maine Coon Kitten

On a cool day in November I was working in my yard and though I heard a kitten meow.  Upon investigation of the bamboo and not seeing anything I decided that I must have mistook what I had heard.  Know that nestled among the bamboo shoots I have a feral cat shelter that is stuffed with straw to keep the cats warm. One of the spayed feral cats had been sleeping in this shelter and both my husband and I thought it was odd, since this cat sleeps in a large thicket den in my neighbors yard.

We watched this adult feral cat and her behavior was odd.  She  has been seen going in and out of this shelter which is my old work shed.  I keep food , water and cat beds in this shed.  Know her behavior was odd because she doe s not eat at the feeding station, my neighbor feeds her or she hunts in the woods.

 I made a point to watch her and glad that I did.  The feral cat that we call Lucy ate at my food station, then went back to where the cat house was and regurgitated her food.  This spayed feral cat had found a kitten and was trying to care for it as best as she could.

There was no way to get close to the kitten that appeared to be very small.  If I attempted to take the kitten and failed then the feral cat  would take the kitten to the woods and we would never see it again.  So husband and I watched Lucy the kitten and cat house.

The weather forecast was calling for colder weather throughout the night and I worried about the little kitten. We h ad our dinner, watched a movie and went to bed.  Then for some reason I got up at 5 AM, put on my slippers and fleece robe and went outside.  I walked 30 feet to the front of the house and the first thing that I saw was the leaves moving on the lawn.

I thought perhaps a field mouse was coming toward me or other forest animal, I soon learned it was the one pound Bengal and Maine Coon Kitten.  When the kitten reached me it was meowing loudly and I recall hearing leaf movement coming from my side yard.  I suspect coyote were coming for a snack or maybe it was Lucy the feral cat?

No time was wasted I picked up the kitten, and put it in the pocket of my fleece robe and hurried to go back indoors.   Once inside I felt the kittens ear, nose and paws; they were cold as ice.  I took steps to warm the the kitten and then followed that with bottle feeding.  The kitten is not feral which means that a human had to have abandoned the baby cat.

.

Interview Process for Rescue Kitten Begins

The rescue kitten that I found a few weeks back has put on weight, was weaned to eat Royal Canin baby cat food and has improved greatly in coordination. We had to take her to the veterinarian to get rid of the fleas and while kitten was there we learned that she was a Bengal Maine Coon mix, in good health and approximately four weeks old. Okay that was then and now; baby cat is six weeks old and we have started interviewing adopters for her forever home.

Learn more about found baby kitten here 

We had one adopter that we thought was a perfect match but after the interview process my husband said no. The women was a cat lover, but through the interview questions  I learned that all of her cats were kept outdoors, with under the deck as the shelter and that they were not current with veterinarian shots, spays or neuters. Husband crossed her off the list.

The other family that showed interest in rescue kitten would be a good fit if they agreed to keep cat indoors. In the past they let their other declawed cat outside  and it was killed by the neighbors two dogs. The women who wanted the kitten  had no problem keeping kitten indoors but she said she had no control over others in the house and suspected that they would leave the cat outdoors. 

Other than that we have one other person who has bonded with the kitten and has stated that they love her.   We feel it would be a perfect match, however at the present time this adopter cannot take in the kitten, but has stated they would help me to find her a home.

Purl goes in for grooming the first week of December, a bow will be put in her hair, there will be photographs taken and we will then put her up for adoption.  We are hoping that the person that bonded with her and said she loved her will take her.  But if not we must find a suitable home for her.

So the interview process has begun, we are weeding through the emails asking questions and are trying our best to find the right forever home for rescue kitten Purl.

Are You a Cat in Human Form?

Recently a friend asked me if I was a cat in a human form and I responded by laughing but later I thought about it and well I am very much like a cat. In fact, I think my husband could be a cat in human form also.

What is a Cat in Human Form?

Know that I am unable to give you a factual answer to this question but can give you my opinion and if you are interested then continue reading.



For all accounts, I think a person who is really a cat would have characteristics and mannerisms that are cat-like. As an example cats are not crazy about new people, new pets, or anything new or out of place. Move a chair to vacuum under and it is like you turned their happy home upside down. Cats are creatures of habit and do not like change, new people or new pets...same ole same ole is music to their ears. Like my cats, I do not like new people, crowded room of people and it annoys when my husband moves a chair and does not put it back or puts the TV remote in the drawer and does not tell me where it is.  Its sorta like me moving the cats scratching post and not showing him where it is.  My cat gets confused and will show me that my actions are not cool and will scratch on the sofa.

Another characteristic that I have that is catlike is that I take naps, I do not sleep as much as my cats but if I am tired in the afternoon I will take a nap. Plus I rather enjoy sleeping. I sleep late and take my time at my morning routine. I will do my yoga and then file my nails and when that is done I may take a nap.

I am curious like a cat and just like a cat if I cannot figure out the solution to whatever intrigues me I will study and stare at the object of my affection and if I cannot solve the problem or the puzzle I will move onto something else. Know this is sorta like my cats watching a fly buzzing around the room. They will pursue it for a while because it is entertaining, but they quickly get bored and will walk away from the fly. They will move on to other things, like the scratching post or the sun porch to take a nap.

Know that one of my pastimes is watching the wild birds that come to my yard, wild turkey, woodpeckers, crow, red tail hawk and find the birds to be fascinating. I will watch the wild birds through the lens of my camera and the cats will sit next to me watching the birds also.



So there you have it, I am a cat lover and could very well be a cat in human form.

The photos shown on this post are all rescue cats that I have cared for until they were adopted into their forever homes.

Ways to Keep Garage Cats Warm in Winter

Today I received a message from a follower at my Cat Adoption Guide and they told me that they have cats that live outdoors.  They went on to say that they allow the cats to go into their garage but feel that they need to do something to keep the cats warm.



K&H makes a soft-sided insulated outdoor cat house that comes with a heated pad that is covered with a soft Sherpa pad.  The heating element on this pad does not generate heat until your cat lies on it and then it will keep your cat warm.  I own this cat house and recommend it for garage use because the product needs protection from rain, wind, ice, and snow.

Here is cat K&H cat house and it is showing wear from being outdoors on a covered porch.  Note it is elevated off the ground to prevent rain or water runoff from penetrating.  This cat house is very lightweight and can be lifted by the wind.

I find that this particular cat house is good for a porch or garage that does not have heat.  Shown is my cat Sam lying on the pad.  Know that it is helpful to spray the heated pad covering lightly with catnip to attract cats to the shelter cavity.  Feral and stray cats are hesitant to enter through the clear plastic door flap.

Now if you are on a budget but still want to provide your outdoor cat warmth in the garage then you can always get a heavy cardboard box and fill it with straw.

Here is a photo of the dish pack size box that I set on its side and started with layers of carpet on the bottom then topped that with a fleece blanket that was folded to provide additional insulation.  On the walls and the ceiling of the box, I cut and then glued a Mylar reflective blanket that I bought at Amazon.  A foot (12 inches of straw) was added to the interior of the box. 

The straw is a natural way to provide the cat with a cozy and comfortable resting area.  Straw is natural insulation.  I set this box with the cat bed under my workbench in my heated garage. The area was away from the door opening and excess drafts.

Here are photographs of the box and the feral cat in the box below.

Know that K&H also makes a self-warming bed (see my photo below)   These beds are great for cold rooms however if your garage gets bitter cold then  I  recommend that you put these beds in an insulated cat house.

Also if your garage is not heated then it does get cold and while the cat's internal body temperature may be warm from the self-heated bed its ears and nose will be cold.  It is wise to invest in an insulated cat house or make your own especially if you keep your cats outdoors or in your garage during the winter months.

Here is a photo of my garage shelter, we have a window heater, outdoor carpet on the floor, self-warming beds, and insulated cat houses. We have also added the heat lightbulbs like the ones they use in the hen house.  My garage is open to all cats that need a warm shelter.  

Here is a video that will show you how to make an outdoor shelter for your cat.