Bringing our porch cat inside
The snowstorm on Friday kept the kids home from school and prompted me to make the decision to take our porch cat inside. I was successful in catching the poor kitty since the negative temperatures made it huddle up in the heated igloo on the porch. The heating pad was not working that great anymore since it was way way too cold.
I managed to make a shelter for the kitty in our spare bathroom with a hideout in the linen closet.
The first evening I spent watching a Netflix movie on the bathroom floor and it only took 5 minutes for kitty to crawl out of her box and curl up by my stomach which melted my heart.
The trust and love they can put into a human after being so hugely disappointed for the majority of their lives are amazing.
My hubby wasn’t so kind and asked me ‘what the hell I was doing’? Well, I didn’t stop there and ended up sleeping in the bathtub with the kitty for 2 hours in the early morning hours because I heard her crying.
On Saturday morning I took it to the vet since I had a free first exam coupon. I was dying to know what gender it was and if it was healthy besides the blind eye.
Well, it’s a little girl who is guessed to be around 5 years old and she is healthy. No leukemia or aids. So glad! And after doing some shaving we discovered her scar that proves that she was spayed. But which also means that she was discarded like a piece of trash several years ago. Remember that she has been around my house for around 4 years but has always been too scared to come close until this summer. She is pretty much blind in her one eye.
You can see her bad eye in this photo where she is keeping me company while blogging. And yes I’m sitting on the bathroom floor.
And she looks very similar to our 18-year-old Manx cat Heidi, don’t you think so?
My husband and I have been arguing about her ever since. I totally understand that he says we can’t afford another cat but I told him that I have tried to find her another home and have failed. It doesn’t matter if she is inside or outside. If she’d be sick, I would take her to the vet no matter where she is. If I notice that I have a sick animal in my yard or front porch, I will take it. Don’t even think about dumping your animals on my property y’all 😉 But on top of all that arguing, my other cats aren’t happy at all either.
I really wish I could find her a great home where she isn’t getting stressed out by other cats. It would break my heart though but it would make things easier with my husband and other furry children.But our daughter is thrilled with her.
And speaking of finding cats a home…do you remember the little cat I found on my front porch a couple of weeks ago? She was so skinny and hungry!
A couple had picked her up an hour after posting her photo on my Facebook page! Well, I finally received some updates and she is doing great in her new home with her new family.
Here is a photo of her in her new home. I received some more photos but they were too personal to share 😉 :
To me, it was a successful cat rescue weekend 🙂 Sorry for all the blurry iPhone photos, it’s all I got.
Besides that, we had friends over for dinner and watched our son wrestle again.
I have another chiropractor appointment today and am trying to get well. So bare with me! I will hopefully be back to my DIYing self soon. I’m planning on sharing the instructions to our basement bar this or next week. I have been talking about it for almost 2 years. Sorry!
I’m hopefully finally getting some skiing in this afternoon. I have been looking forward to this for a while now and I’m glad I don’t need my arm or shoulder!
Hope you had a great weekend.
Tschüß
(Youleeya)
good luck with the chiropractor and the skiing!!! and i am so happy for you and your big cat loving heart- these cats are, too! you are the cat hero! 🙂
Wish we could take another cat in 🙁 We will be on the road within a year and three animals is already going to be super hard to juggle. That’s one lucky kitty though!
You already know that I think you are totally awesome for doing this and have been following the entire thing on facebook. I totally do not understand how people can just dump their pet off. It was a similar situation with our cat. He was found (although very sick) already neutered. How does someone make an investment in a animal and just let them go? He is constantly next to me now and his ability to just accept another family is amazing.
Have a great week!
Angela @ Number Fifty-Three
I am so praying you find a great home for her. I found it impossible to find homes for any of mine. That is why I had five till Sugar died, now four and there is a gold and white one that comes in our yard, but I think it travels the neighborhood. A lot of folks put food and water out for any that might want some. It is supposed to get very cold (for us anyway) here Tuesday and Wednesday and I worry about the little one. It can always come inside my laundry room, but I don’t think it will.
You did the right thing. She is socialized, spayed and basically healthy. Not to be harsh but with an 18 yr old cat we know she/he is very senior. And we know the likelyhood that kidney disease looms for all our cats, more so as they age. If you house is big enough maybe she will find an area to make her own and they will settle in with time when the existing two realize she belongs indoors. Mine always needed a period to adjust to a new cat family member.
Sorry, I didn’t intend to be ‘unknown’.
Dee
That’s ok.
The fighter is my youngest one though not the 18 year old and my husband doesn’t want her at all. I’m so upset about all of this.
Don’t you love using the internet to prove points with your husband? I am behind on blog reading so let’s add another “no mustache” vote on up there. 🙂
Ha we need an instagram update when he gives up and shaves! Have fun skiing.
You have a heart of gold. I hope you find a good home for this new cat 🙂
Your mustache post cracked me up, there was a reason you won btw!!! (: I’m so happy your kitty is going good and that you brought him inside, there should be more people like you in the world!
I just knew the ladies would come through for you on the mustache thing. 🙂
You are an angel! Stray animals are so lucky to have you!
Julia, you are the sweetest! I’m so glad the porch kitty has you to look after her, and I hope you can find her a loving home soon!
P.S. I tried to send an email reply to your comment on my blog this morning, but it’s listing you as a “no-reply” blogger for the first time ever. Weird!
Good for you taking in kitty! That’s so sweet that you slept with her in the bathtub! I hope you ca find the right home for her!
Julia, I would love to give that precious little girl a home. I live very far away, though and could not afford to fetch her. My heart is so full of care and love for creatures…
Oh how I wish you could take her and I would even drive her to you if you wouldn’t live so far away. Well I actually don’t know how far you away you live.
We just had a huge fight again over her. My husband could care less about any creatures. And it’s not working out so far with our cats either. She is used to fight with other strays and fight for food and it’s such a stressful situation for everyone involved.
Sorry to hear that you’re arguing with your hubby but you did the right thing by taking the stray inside and to the vet. I’ll never understand how or why people abandon their animals! Thank goodness there’s people like you to lend a helping hand to animals in need 🙂
Maybe a deal with your husband–he keeps the mustache and you keep the cat? ;). Sweet kitty! people are so unbelievable, aren’t they? Our newest dog, Rory, was dumped off in the parking lot of the animal shelter. They couldn’t even bother to take him inside to abandon him. And he is the sweetest, easiest dog in the world. I just don’t get it.
I live I in IL Have 2 westies and 2 kitties. Don’t know where you are (?)
You are the sweetest thing! Keep posting her story on FB and on here and maybe you’ll get someone who will adopt her? She’s so cute! I just showed her to my husband and he said she looks like Barbara Streisand:) Ha!
first who are these women that like mustaches? i have yet to meet them.
and #2, so glad you saved the kitty! I know you will get her to the right home.
Julia, you have the biggest heart! I love that and that little kitty is so lucky to have found you. I love that you sat in that bathroom until she warmed up to you and then slept in the bathtub with her because she was scared…I love that about you! I hope it all works out…hope your hubby and other cats have a change of heart, because she does look at home with you and your daughter! Heart breaking that someone would just toss her aside. 🙁
I’m glad the poll went your way! I read and loved the post but forgot to vote — I would’ve said no too. 🙂
You are so sweet to take such good care of that little kitty!! The world needs more people like you!
Oh is die süß!!! Ich kann dich so gut verstehn, ich könnt die Kleine auch nicht draußen lassen, zumal es bei euch ja momentan so extrem kalt ist. Vielleicht gewöhnen sich eure anderen Katzen ja an den Mitbewohner oder können sich zumindest miteinander arrangieren. Dein Mann gewöhnt sich bestimmt auch bald daran, in ein paar Tagen hat er vielleicht vergessen, dass er die Katze nicht wollte 🙂
Ich hoffe ihr findet ansonsten noch ein gutes zu Hause für sie, wo sie ein glückliches Leben führen kann. Habt ihr keine älteren alleinlebenden Menschen in eurer Nachbarschaft? Die freuen sich doch bestimmt über ein bisschen Gesellschaft und dort würde es ihr bestimmt auch gut gehen.
Hallo Christine, die älteren Leute in meiner Nachbarschaft habe ich alle schon gefragt! Keiner will sie.
Es hat bei und im Haus alles nicht so gut geklappt mit der kleinen. Sie will einfach nicht im Haus sein. Nach einer Woche in unserem Haus konnte ich es nicht mehr aushalten. Sie hat jede Nacht geweint und an der Türe gekratzt. Die schlimme Kälte ist vorbei und sie ist wieder auf unserer Poch mit ihrer geheizten Kiste. Wenn es wieder schlechtes Wetter ist kann sie wieder rein. Unsere Katzen und sie haben sich überhaupt nicht verstanden. Sie hat immer um Essen und Schlafplatz gekämpft und das kann man nicht so schnell oder überhaupt nicht ändern.
Aber es geht ihr bei uns draussen trotzdem gut.
You do great work and seem to have such a huge heart, especially for these animals and I don’t mean to sound critical or negative…but you shouldn’t give cats milk. I’m sure you know this and it might be something else but just putting it out there for others as well.
Thanks and yes I know about the milk 😉
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Where do you live? I want to be your BFF.
😉 haha 😉
Hi Julia, I just discovered your blog, I’m from France. I’m also a cat lover, DIY lover. I ‘m glad to see on your FB page that you kept the kitty! Your story reminds me so much of mine. I have been having the same issues with my husband regarding a stray that lives on our porch (unfortunately he has aids, was never neutered and is half blind, the vet gave him 8 months to live but it has been over 2 years with its ups and downs), we always argue about all the things I’ll do for him. He has a heated box on the porch bench but spends a lot of time on our couch when we are around. Can’t wait to read more things on your blog.
Hi and so nice to meet you. It’s such a tough situation. We still fight about her all the time, even tough I have been feeding her for 4 years now. I have found homes for other cats that showed up at our house. While I love them all, I have a special spot in my heart for her. I’m so amazed with the love and trust she has learned to put in me. It’s like an amazing friendship that I can’t disappoint no matter what my husband says. I want to pass this on to my kids and not my husband’s annoying and grumpy behavior. It’s usually my daughter that can change his mind. I hope she can work her magic.
Good luck with you poor little fella and bless your heart for taking care of him.
Thanks for your reply! It breaks my heart but it is for the good of our other cat… I guess you can imagine the joy I get whenever I see his little face in our window or when I wake up in the morning and see him sound asleep in his shelter 😉 Good luck to you too
I feel the same way. Love seeing her little face with her crossed eyes. So cute!
You are a sweet, lovely soul! I am a single mom, with five (yes… FIVE) rescue cats, because I can’t turn them away, particularly with cold Canadian winters. Two of them also started as porch kitties 😉
Thanks for this post… it makes my heart smile that there are so many of us out there, looking out for those beings who can’t always help themselves. <3
Thank you Barbara. I’m so happy too that there are people like you out there!
My husband and I adopted a stray cat too, in November. He had been living in our back yard for three years but he really didn’t trust us. We were told by a neighbor that his previous owners just left and abandoned him. I don’t know how someone could do that to him. He is the most lovable kitty ever. We already had three cats and we didn’t know if they would get along, but they did and now they’re all best friends. I am so happy he chose our back yard, and so happy he is in our lives. 🙂
Oh, I have so many more outside. We have a farm down the road. People dump their cats and that farm doesn’t neuter and spay. I hate it and humans make me so angry.
Our little Monkey is such a sweetheart too and she didn’t trust anyone for 4 years!
You can read more about her here:
https://cuckoo4design.com/2014/04/on-my-mind-monday-overwhelmed.html
and here:
https://cuckoo4design.com/2014/05/small-pet-door-search-and-reviews-part-1.html
I have a cat who showed up on my porch one day she was a stray so we started feeding her (she was killing birds) slowly I got to know her and pet her, we spayed her and took in her kittens, which now have a happy home with the inside cats. That cat is the most social cat I’ve ever met and lets you hold her and cuddle her, even though she was a stray and is and outdoor cat she is the best behaved cat I own. She still wants to come inside so she runs through the house to play with her kittens. She ( and the porch kitty) proves that just because a cat is stray doesn’t mean it’s not tame.
It’s is awesome that you are helping cats keep up the good work.
Thanks so much Claire and keep up the good work yourself 😉 Have a great Sunday.
Kudos to you for your kindness, I hope Porch Kitty is doing well. I’ve had a cat or 2 most of my life and we rescued several when our kids were young. Several were great fits, one was not. We rescued our current furry guy after hurricane Ike hit Houston in 2008. No one claimed him. We figured he was lost when so many evacuated through our area. Poor thing survived the hurricane with 110 mph winds !! We named him Ike of course, and he’s been the most affectionate sweet cat I’ve ever had! He won over my DH pretty quickly. Good luck with your good work!
How cute and how fitting the name is. Love it
Hi Julia,
the heated cat box brought me to your site. We have had a stray cat for years and, despite having had to keep him in a spare room for 6 months last year, when he injured his left leg, he never learned to use the litter box nor does he get along with our 6 cats. So he is our outside cat now. I built him a house years ago and decided to heat it last winter. I built the heater myself , which didn’t work too well. I just checked your heating pad on amazon.de, 155€ vs. 57 in the US!!! So I’ll rather redo my design :-). Like you we have a constant stream of sick or injured cats come to our house. We started with two, had 10 a while ago and are down to 6+1 now. I’m glad to see that we are not the only crazy people, but at least my American wife and I agree on keeping an open door for cats :-).
Machs gut!
Wolf
Awe, bless your heart. One day, I would like to build an outdoor enclosure like your’s. Thanks ever so much for sharing.
Best Wishes
Thanks Doreen
You are so kind for helping stray cats. Tell your husband we need more people in this world like you when he disagrees. I have helped rehome many stray cats through the years myself and it also caused arguments with my husband. When something is in need we should all help (human or animal), often it does not take money, just compassion and tenderness. How is blind in one eye kitty doing? I hope you were able to keep her.
Hi Rachel, she will be spending her second winter inside as our family member. She has recently fallen very ill though. Bladder infection, kidney disease and pancreatitis which makes me so sad.
And I agree when there is someone/something in need we should help.