I left food overnight for Kelly, but both bowls were uneaten this morning when I checked at 3.30am.
I got up at 3am, unable to sleep.
Since then, I’ve offered various types of food, but she doesn’t want to eat. So, the only time she ate was at around 7pm yesterday where she ate kibble and some canned food, but it was only a small amount for both.
However, she is very alert and has begun hissing whenever any of our cats go near her cage.
She also allows me to carry her. There is no resistance or struggle on her part. So I finally ended up force feeding her some baby food (Cindy’s blended food for special needs). It wasn’t exactly difficult to force feed her too, it was more of rubbing the food onto her mouth and she licks it all up.
My guess is either she’s stressed being in a new environment, uncomfortable with the presence of our cats or she prefers her old food at the guardhouse?
I know she’s a lone cat at the guardhouse, as she has no other cat-friends (except for a tomcat who goes after her, according to the guard), always preferring to be alone, hiding in the bushes. She’s warm and friendly to the guard and the gardener. In fact, the gardener came to visit her yesterday evening, but I did not notice any reaction from her. Cats are normally not emotionally expressive. They show very little physical or facial expression. It’s a “muka selamba”; they hide their emotions.
Indra and Akira, as usual, always sneaks out to the Safehouse, so I’ve let them remain here with Riley and Juno. Tabs is upstairs and not involved.
So this leaves only Samantha (who keeps to herself) and Kai. I managed to get them into the room and closed the door so that it’s only Kelly alone in the pantry. Then I let Kelly explore the garden, but she wasn’t interested. She went back to her cage, into the safety of the carrier. I used a brand new carrier so that there is no smell of other cats too.
There is also no pee or poop in the litter box. That is why I let her out to the garden, thinking she might prefer grass and soil, but no, she went back to the cage.
I was wrong about her size, though. She’s bigger than Juno. And she isn’t thin at all. I wonder why the vet said she was under-nourished. I checked and she isn’t dehydrated and her eyes look very bright.
She prefers to go back to the carrier.
She’s very human-friendly, at least with me.
Let’s hope she won’t be so stressed in time. I’ve covered the cage with a thin sarong, hopefully that gives her more privacy and shields her off from Kai and Samantha. She hisses when she sees them.
At other times, I see Kelly sleeping peacefully, so that’s good. I don’t think she’s in pain. It’s more of being unfamiliar in this new environment and probably not comfortable with other cats around her. None of our cats has hissed at her at all. In fact, Juno wanted to accompany her, but she hissed at Juno. So I took Juno out.
I’ve checked her wound and it’s nice and dry, healing very well.
I didn’t think I’d be doing another cat neutering after Juno, but then, life happens, doesn’t it? After knowing that Kelly had lost her first litter to the thunderstorm and she had to bring her second litter to the VIP’s house where they were not welcome, how could I know this and still not do anything about it, right? If she’s not neutered, she will just keep getting pregnant four times a year and what will happen to all her kittens?
When one street animal is neutered, whether male or female, hundreds and thousands are prevented from being born to suffer on the street.
It was our ancestors who domesticated the wild cats and wolves as companion animals. Either they wanted companion animals or they left food scraps behind and this attracted the animals to follow the trail into human civilisation. The wild cats and wolves eventually evolved to become our cats and dogs now.
Both cats and dogs have no menopause. They will continue to breed as long as they live.
Knowing the above fact, the best way to help street animals is the get them neutered and continue looking after them to ensure they have food to eat. Better still, if we can provide shelter, safety and veterinary care.
Street dogs and cats are already part and parcel of our lives and our community. Their presence are, unfortunately not well accepted by the majority of humans. Hence, they need even more help from those of us who understand why they live amongst us and why they deserve to be helped.
Next up: My chance encounter with a rescuer and what I learnt.
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