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.

[dogcomestoo]

We'll miss you while you're gone, but I guess you Mom does have priority over us 8^D I hope her surgery goes smoothly and her recovery is quick and uncomplicated.

[WandaLust2]

Wanderlost wrote:
Will be offline for a while. Gotta go take care of Mom, who's having surgery. Her internet connection is really, truly sad.

Spot and Alex will be home with WLToo. I'll interrogate him for some good stories when I get back.

Later, y'all.

You gotta get your own WiFi.. we have Verizon. 🙂

[Wanderlost]

Will be offline for a while. Gotta go take care of Mom, who's having surgery. Her internet connection is really, truly sad.

Spot and Alex will be home with WLToo. I'll interrogate him for some good stories when I get back.

Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Back to sunshine, a soft breeze, and 68 degrees. I do love "winter" around here.

Yesterday was interesting. Spot and Alex were outside on patrol, when suddenly the doe and fawn herd stampeded from west to east outside our south fence. Right after that, Spot and Alex came charging back to the house, both tails in full bottle brush mode. Then two bucks came running east to west, jumped our fence, did the Tennessee trotter gait across our drive and down into the rocks, and appeared shortly after on the other side of the north fence.

No idea what got everyone running, but Alex hasn't gone outside since. Spot's been on several patrols and came home undisturbed, so I guess it will remain a mystery.

A seal point long-haired Siamese mix strolled up to our north porch this morning, plainly simply exploring. It's very well fed, even fat, although it sure could disappear quickly the second it heard the door latch release. I think I've seen it on a property downhill. Black kitty from next door still comes by occasionally, but not like it used to -- perhaps he and Spot have finally come to an agreement...

Enough of the inside stuff -- I'm going outside. Later, y'all.

[Wanderlost]

Thanks, pookiebear. If you haven't already done so, please write reviews for WLToo's books. The more reviews, the better the sales.

Vickie, except for the cat's coloring, that could be an exact photo of Spot or Alex and me. Well, 'cept my hair's not quite so dark anymore -- the chrome part of my Harley hair (black and chrome) is more prominent now.

It rained this morning, just for a little bit, and now the fog is so thick we can barely see the fence line about 800 feet away. I was hoping for more rain, but fog is moist, and every tiny bit of moist is good.

That bit of rain did settle the dust around where the septic pump out guy had to dig. Routine pump out, no issues. He did say that with the size of the septic and only two of us, we'll probably not need another pump out for 10-15 years. Good.

So that's it with all the deferred maintenance we had to do on this old place. Now it's time to get estimates and save up the pennies for the necessary upgrades, like re-wiring all the RV hookups. Only one outlet works, and it's 30 amp, which is just fine for L'Andante, but our RVing relatives and friends have 50 amp. We'd like all three hookups to work, since they're already in place, with dump outs (we tested those, and they're fine).

Spot's asleep in his chair, after his morning patrol and dampening, and Alex is in his "don't bother me" bed. He and Alex were both outside when the rain began. We were watching the rain when we realized Spot was laying in a porch chair and Alex was laying on the porch love seat, seemingly enjoying the moist air. Alex came right back in when we opened the door, but Spot had to walk around the pool deck and get moistened before he came back inside. Then he jumped into his fabric covered chair to clean up. Good thing he's the only one who wants to sit in it for now...

Just heard a funny noise. It's Spot snoring. Great. Alex is the only non-snorer in the house. No wonder he goes to the music room and his "don't bother me" bed -- he needs the extra sleep from where we're all keeping him up with the snoring.

It's either a heavy mist or sprinkling again, so I'm going outside to enjoy it. Later, y'all.

[vickiebec]

I also love hearing your stories espeially when Spot is laying on your chest. Here is 18 pound Eddy sitting where he loves to sit.

[pookiebear38]

I don't post a whole lot, but I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your posts. I feel like I know Spot and Alex, I cried when Bobbi didn't come home, worried for you during the wildfires, and I laugh at your deer and the roadrunner. I love WLToo's books (was glad he made it a series). You bring a smile to my face some days when I really need it. So, just saying thanks and I hope that you keep this post going for a long time.

[Wanderlost]

I know the feeling. When we lose Alex, he'll be the last connection to a whole series of very special cats.

Spot is special in his own way, as he found and adopted us, but he's a new line, so to speak.

Spot played try to trip the human all the way back from the gate this morning, then demanded to be held until he saw something that he had to go investigate. Makes the trip back from the gate much more strenuous then going to it, so I do get my exercise...

Then Alex wanted company while he did a short morning patrol around the north porch and pool deck, so I read out there a while.

It's fairly warm at 59 degrees, but the fog is still so thick we can't see the lake. We're just happy for the moist air. Now if it would only rain...

[Dashonthedash]

Wanderlost wrote:
That's so sweet, Dash. Has your current gang shown any similar tendencies?

They get along, but I have never seen the type of relationship that Max and Willow had. It grew continuously in the almost 10 years they spent together, until they were completely inseparable. I saw Max grieve noticeably when Willow was gone, and saw him perk up when I adopted Dot 3 months later. He definitely had mixed feelings, though, when 10-week-old Dash joined the household and immediately attached himself to old Max. The 3 months they spent together, though, were enough to put his imprint on the young pup. When Dash is gone, it will be like losing the last vestige of Max as well.

[Wanderlost]

That's so sweet, Dash. Has your current gang shown any similar tendencies?

We had two gloriously warm days in a row, in the high 70s, so Spot and Alex spent most of the time running in and out. Spot got in a couple of very long patrols, covering the entire fence line, so he's been more into napping today, now that it's only in the 60s and a mite breezy.

He seems to have decided that getting human affection in regular doses is a good idea. Unfortunately, his timing is a bit off on when he decides to demand that affection. This morning was as I was cooking lunch. I petted him as much as I could, but he really wanted to be picked up. WLToo coming over and doing just that wasn't quite what he wanted, though. Wrong human this time -- he chooses the human for affection, not the other way around.

Just watched a blue jay drink out of the pool. Sip, run to the pool deck edge, run back, sip, repeat. Haven't seen a jay in a while, so it was a pleasant surprise.

Dropped a new mineral rock next to the remnants of the old one. Last year's fawn has discovered it, but we've not noticed the others licking it yet. Mama Doe is now appearing at the door twice a day, so we started watering the grass. The next 60 days are the sparse times for deer grazing, so we'll give them something to graze on -- and lessen the fire hazard around the house. Today is a fire hazard warning day. Again.

Heard a banging on the door -- the roadrunner was knocking on the glass again. He must really hate his reflection...

Alex woke up, wants me to pay attention, so later, y'all.

[Dashonthedash]

Wanderlost wrote:
Right now, Alex is draped over my shoulder and down my chest, but he's not in the way of typing. So nice to be the preferred pillow...

Brings back another Max and Willow story. Willow the greyhound loved to lay her head on Max to sleep, and Max seemed quite content to have it there. In fact, I used to refer to Max as "Willow's pillow". Those two were quite the pair; I really miss them.

[Wanderlost]

Thanks, kokosfriend.

It's been fairly quiet around here the last few days. No sign of the reported hummingbirds yet.

Spot decided he needed some love this morning. He plopped his 14 pounds on my chest and lap and stayed there for about 20 minutes, then moved over to his glider. My arm went to sleep supporting him, but he was very happy.

Right now, Alex is draped over my shoulder and down my chest, but he's not in the way of typing. So nice to be the preferred pillow...

We're making progress in the garage. We now have walking around space, where we don't have to turn sideways and hope we don't hit a protrusion as we slither by. Still way too much stuff in there, but it's down to hard decisions time. I figure if we don't remember why we bought it, it's a great candidate for departing. If we hadn't used it in a couple years before we packed it up, it's an even better candidate for departure. That ought to clear some space.

Lunchtime. Later, y'all.

[kokosfriend]

I read you stories about ev ery day and also enjoy them!! 🙂

Barb

[Wanderlost]

Thanks, dogcomestoo (great screen name).

Today is moist for a change. It's not raining, but the humidity is high enough that everything's wet. Spot is sooooo relieved. I can pet him without a static shock, and his skin isn't crawling. Still no clue as to how I can help relieve his crawly skin.

It's also quite warm, in the 60s already, so Spot did a long, leisurely morning patrol, before parking in a porch chair and cleaning his feet. Alex did a short patrol, then came back inside, wiped his wet feet on me, and headed off for a nap.

This year's fawn saw me standing on the porch and came marching right up. He's much smarter about humans and food than are his twin brothers of last year. So I brought out the apple cores from yesterday's putting apple slices in the food dehydrator, and he and Mama Doe were happy to get them.

A local forum announced that hummingbirds were in one lady's yard, which is unusual for January around here. But it's been quite mild, so they could be the locals coming home, and there are a few bugs for them to eat. So we'll put up the feeder as soon as the sugar water cools. If no one shows up in a few days, we'll just freeze the remaining sugar water until next month, when they normally appear. Good, I miss watching them.

Time to go to the hardware store...later, y'all.

[dogcomestoo]

Thanks so much for the updates. It is always fun to hear about you, WLToo, your cats and all your wild visitors. It sounds so cozy around your fireplace.