Homeless Cat -- Now Spotacus' Legacy

[Wanderlost]

On 18 Dec, a very large cat showed up at our house. It was late and cold, and he looked in the door and made it clear he wanted inside. Well, since we have two cats already and he was a stranger, we could not let him in the house. WLToo walked out and the cat ran to him, so he walked the cat into the garage and into the climate controlled room out there.

He was extremely hungry and thirsty, but in otherwise good condition and very clean. We fixed up a bed for him, set up the feeding and elimination stations, and went to bed.

Next day, we worked in the garage all day, while the big guy slept or supervised. We found him to be an intact male, no sign he's ever worn a collar, and he has a strong need to be in the general vicinity of humans. For an intact male, he's remarkably mellow - I don't think he was the alpha cat in his previous home.

Have had zero responses to the "found cat" notices around the area and online, so we'll be working with the local rescues to get him neutered and all his shots, then find him a home. We can't keep him because he's just too big for our two cats to share our small house. Alex would have another emotional meltdown, and I don't want to go through that mess again (long, ugly story).

For now, we're calling him Spot, not that he answers to it (does answer to "Kitty, Kitty"). No idea how he travels; we'll find out when we take him to the vet on Tuesday.

If anyone knows of someone who would like a large (about 15-18 pounds) cat who needs to be with people, please let me know. No cat novices, please; this cat needs someone who knows exactly how to handle an adult cat of this size, especially when he's feeling frisky.





We're at Canyon Lake, TX, so if there are any Winter Texans nearby who would like to meet him and maybe give him a home, that would be great.

[Wanderlost]

Got everything done. Turns out we had no brandy, so the carrots got doused with Drambuie. Tastes great.

Just sittin' here with Alex on my lap and Spot on my head (top of recliner), waiting for my feet to stop calling me names.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

[Wanderlost]

Spot celebrated his three-year rescuing himself anniversary by running in and out of the house in a panic. When we looked outside, a turkey vulture was swooping down nearly to our swimming pool.

The vulture plainly smelled dinner, although we could not smell a thing. But his huge presence right at Spot level was enough to convince Spot he needed to stay inside that day and run from window to window.

Was nice to see a turkey vulture. The black-headed vultures are so aggressive that they've run most of the more passive turkey vultures out of the area. Both, though, are so graceful in flight. We enjoy watching them catch air currents and just glide.

We were kind of concerned, since Mama Doe Lassie hadn't been around for a number of days. Luckily, she showed up this afternoon, looking just fine. I gave her a couple of corn tortillas as a treat -- she loves those.

Did the last minute Christmas shopping on Thursday, and found an extremely soft and fluffy throw for the cats. Right. Make that for the cat. Spot claimed it, and I don't think Alex has even walked across it. I guess I'll head back and get one for him after Christmas.

Tomorrow is cooking day. Onion pie, pumpkin mousse, brandied carrots, and sauteed brussel sprouts with onions and balsamic reduction. Then off to sister's for the Christmas Eve feast of tamales, posole, borracho beans, salad, guacamole, flan, and brandy-soaked cake.

Wednesday, we continue the feasting at our place, with what I cooked Tuesday, roasted sweet potatoes, fried goose, cornbread dressing, and chocolate cake.

Thursday, I'll be back in the gym with a vengeance...

Have to go slice onions. Later, y'all.

[Sue_Bee]

Hey, whaddya know, tomorrow will be the 2 year mark for Spot.

🙂

[Wanderlost]

Here 'tis. WLToo got a great photo of his work. Behold the windmill lights. That's our old grain wagon in the left front:

[Wanderlost]

Cleaned the muzzle prints off the door again. Sigh. Think I'll wait until just before the party starts to bother again.

Beautiful sunny day today. Makes it much easier to clean up, as we haul various things out to the garage or garage office. Finally dragged the Christmas tree box into the house, so in a few minutes we'll put up the tree.

Just a few more clean up things to do, and we'll have room for all those people. The weather's even going to cooperate, with highs in the upper 60s, so during the party hours, folks can sit outside, too.

Spot's been kind of klutzy today. He jumped up on top of the fridge, and started wallowing around on his back, like he sometimes wallows in the dirt or grass. Well, he managed to throw a plastic tea pitcher off the fridge. Scared him; he flew off the fridge and ran outside. The pitcher cracked its entire length. Oh, well, one less thing in the house...

He's taking a nap in the sun now.

Alex got a new scratcher. Took a while to find something that had no catnip, so Spot won't feel he has to pee on it. Alex avoided it all day yesterday, then early this morning, we heard him use it. There's hope now that the area rug will not die an ugly claw marked death...

Time to turn the volume up on Pandora (got my Christmas Radio up) and finish pickup up. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

We're housecleaning, getting ready for a Christmas party. I steam mopped several rooms with distilled water and white vinegar, and found a couple of old kitty spray sites. Sigh. Used the Wee Cleaner and will go back later with the steam to make sure it's clean.

Meanwhile, I cleaned the north door glass twice. Deer muzzle prints both times. Mama Doe Lassie is determined to get our attention. It's pretty funny, really.

The cold nights did not get our hummingbird. It's still here, dropping by the feeder only a few times a day.

WLToo did something different this year. He hung lights from the windmill platform, under the blades, down to the ground, and tried to make a star shape at the bottom with the extra lights. It looks pretty cool. I'll get him to take a photo. Spot "helped" him stretch out the lights along the ground.

It's late, I'm tired, and Alex just leaked on my lap. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Thank you, Sheryl.

Well, the cold front hit us with a vengeance (by Hill Country standards). No snow, but icy drizzle caused a lot of wreaks (silly people should have stayed home). Today is sunny, after a windy low of 28, still windy and won't get out of the 40s today, but the warmup starts tomorrow. Good. I'm tired of pants and shoes already...I definitely prefer shorts and flip flops.

Thanks to the 11" of insulation we added to our attic on top of what was there and all new doors, the heat pump didn't work too hard. The fireplace is blowing nice, hot air to add to the great room's warmth. This is all very nice, because it means I'm not buried under two cats.

Alex has become an indoor cat again. He did demand to go outside a little while ago, but he ran out, peed, and ran back to the door as fast as he could. Spot has more staying power, but is only outside about 10-15 minutes before he comes back and tries to find the fireplace blower vents. They're above the firebox. He can see the holes, but can't actually reach them. He hasn't yet discovered that they blow at the level of my recliner's back. Alex has, so he's laying above my head.

Mama Doe Lassie has been kind of hit and miss in her visits. I guess she's doing herd things right now.

On Edit: MDL just came up and ate her corn. She looks marvelous. I think the whole street is feeding the herd this year.

Our tiny hummingbird is still here. Haven't seen it this morning, but it spent a lot of time at the feeder yesterday. I'll keep the feeder up as long as it's around. Hope it survived last night, which was the coldest night thus far.

I see WLToo has the enchiladas ready. Later, y'all.

[AppleValley]

I have just discovered this post and have read every one! I started at the very beginning a few days ago and have been sitting, reading here and there since, whenever I have time. It's a great story and would make a good book! I have two cats also, so can relate and I love the stories about the hummers and the deer! I will be keeping up with the reading as you write 🙂

[Wanderlost]

We left the cats alone overnight while we visited the Texas Renaissance Faire. Great fair, but we came home early, when WLToo developed a huge blister on the bottom of one foot. We were both getting over colds, so we did tire out, but I still would have liked to stay longer.

Anyway, when we got home, nothing was destroyed, Alex wasn't damaged, and Spot seemed rather calm, until we opened the door beside the bench he was tucked up on. He shot out the door and stayed outside for a good long while. When we heard snorting noises, we knew someone was bothering the herd. A flashlight pinpointed Black Kitty under the grain wagon. As soon as the light shone on him, he started back to his yard, with two does watching him closely. Luckily, Spot was elsewhere and didn't know about the incursion.

Alex has been very clingy since we got back, to the point that he peed on both of us in his sleep. Wouldn't leave us long enough to potty. He's much better today; left me alone most of the afternoon, so Spot and I could share quality kitty time on the porch. Nothing like December in the Hill Country, where we sit on the porch wearing shorts...

Mama Doe Lassie is back to her normal self. She comes up for a little corn and conversation about the same time each afternoon.

The hummingbird appeared at the feeder, and chased a wasp away from it. I think this one is definitely planning to overwinter here, so the feeder stays up.

Not much else going on, so I'll just say later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Last night Spot got up on the back of my recliner, while Alex slept in my lap. He seems to seek out everywhere Alex likes to sleep, and take it over -- except on the bed. They both have favorite spots on the bed, and don't cross the invisible boundary there.

Anyway, Spot gradually slipped off, while sleeping deeply, and eventually he had his hind feet on my shoulder and rested his torso on top of my head. He was very warm...

Haven't seen Mama Doe Lassie for several days, but that's not unusual. WLToo had tossed some old bread out near where we give her corn, and it was gone. No way to know if she ate it or some other critter.

Hmmm, the antihistamine is kicking me to sleep. Nap time, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Much to my surprise, we have two hummingbirds still living here. They survived our cold snap, and now that we're back in the 70s and 80s, with lows in the 50s, there are lots of bugs to eat. So we'll keep the feeder going for them.

Spot's almost out of the joint compound, so I called the vet to see if we needed a refill. Yep. Sigh, Spot's proving to be an expensive kitty.

He's totally forsaken the Litter Robot, and doesn't want to use Alex' box, either, so we have to take him walkies at night, so he can potty outside before bed. I didn't want to have a dog to take walkies -- but we have a cat who needs it. Sheesh. Well, he does like to walk with us to the mailbox and back, so he gets in 1/3 mile walk most days -- and he does need it.

Alex is suffering from bullied syndrome. Spot both wants to play and also wants to dominate, so we can't leave them together unattended. Alex' safe spot was up on the kitchen cabinets, but Spot learned to get up there. The only true safety he has now is sitting on the back of our recliners, which Spot avoids for some reason. So far. When we have to go somewhere, Spot has to go outside, which he doesn't mind. I'm not exactly sanguine about it, but he's big enough to take care of himself for the most part. I prefer Alex remain inside in safety at his age.

Mama Doe Lassie is back to normal, although she does appear a bit jumpy still. She doesn't eat much corn right now -- lots of good stuff out there, like the acorns falling everywhere. She just loves them. I even asked my sister to bag up all her acorns when she's yard cleaning, and give them to us for MDL. We dump them around the meadow, so MDL doesn't think we're feeding her. If other deer get them, fine.

Well, the pool's warmed up to 75, so I'm going swimming. Later, y'all.

[Dashonthedash]

Maybe it's a young one, and it figures, as long as there's food, why migrate? Remove the feeder to give it a hint that it's time to move on.

[CA_POPPY]

Poor little hummingbird is saying, "Which way did they go???"

[Wanderlost]

The morning after the rescue, we saw the buck limping in the next pasture. He saw us, stopped and looked at us a while, then strolled on. I think he was saying thank you in his own deer way. We still have a lot of bucks in the meadow, but things are calming down. I guess all the does have been bred.

Mama Doe Lassie is back to normal. She appears at the north porch about the same time each day and gets her corn and some cheery dinner conversation. She sleeps on our grass on the north side of the barn. I guess she feels safer around our house.

The seal point Siamese mix showed up last night, so it took until midnight to get Spot back inside. They don't fight anymore, just stare at each other and occasionally chase.

Spot, meanwhile, is in a bit of trouble. Between chasing and attacking Alex, who's way too old for that nonsense, Spot announces he wants to go outside by clawing a leather bench. So the water bottle is back out. Stubborn cat: he'd been meowing to be let out, and we always responded, so why he's back to silently clawing that bench, we don't know.

We still have one tiny hummingbird, so the feeder's still out there. I do hope it migrates today, because there's a cold front on the way that will put some frost on the pumpkins. Can't be good for a tiny little bird.

The autumn wildflowers are still in full bloom, the volunteer broccoli and cilantro are thriving, and what WLToo planted is doing ok, but not great. So when the front gets here Tuesday morning, the tarps will go over the garden for the night. We'd like to eat some of that food at Thanksgiving and Christmas...

Time to go weed whack. Later, ya'll.

[Wanderlost]

This is a beautiful buck. We'd like him to sire some beautiful fawns, not be mere sausage.