From “mostly lurker” Big R:
I am currently in the process of rescuing a stray cat that has taken to coming around my apartment. I would rather he go to a home where we know he will be loved, but will take him to a reputable rescue if needed.
If the jackals can crowd-fund to pay for caring for him until he’s socialized and for transport, I’ll do a BJ rescue (and do the driving myself). If nobody’s interested or we can’t raise the scratch, I’ll find him a place at a good rescue. Either way, I’ll keep feeding him and trying to gain his trust until I have his destination sorted out…
With those preliminaries said, meet Strayertes. Available to a good home upon request and approval of BJ staff. He’s located in West Alabama (I’m in Tuscaloosa.)
ETA: This whole thing just became newly urgent. He came inside, so I really need to move him along before my current cats kill him.
If you have any suggestions, for re-homing or fostering or trustworthy shelters in the area, leave a comment. If you want to donate towards Strayerte’s vet checkup / transport, email me; I’ll send you Big R’s PayPal addy. (Any leftover funds will be donated to the West Alabama Humane Society.)
And, since I know you’re all curious… Shakespeare *may* have a new home waiting; the prospective adopter has contacted Deb S. I’ll update as things develop.
satby
A beautiful blue boy! Just keep him isolated in a room of his own if you can Big R, that’s what rescue fosters have to do anyway. I’ll chip in a bit AL! Poor baby was probably a house cat that someone left behind.
schrodingers_cat
He is adorable, I am keeping my paws crossed for him.
MazeDancer
Big R – if you set up an Amazon wish list, we can send food,etc. Don’t forget to include a Have -a-heart trap in case someone can pay the 50 bucks.
Or if you give us a GoFundMe/PayPal we can send money in whatever increments until you can afford trap.
Get kitty inside/to vet sooner. Blue cats are more likely to be lost and microchipped than entirely feral. But all cats can be skittish after they have been on the streets awhile.
Or maybe you have no trouble getting kitty inside?
Mike in Oly
If he needs to go to a shelter, Forgotten Felines in Huntsville is a good organization. I follow a foster mom who works with them and they do good work finding homes for stray kitties.
Amir Khalid
@MazeDancer:
It appears Strayertes has already come inside, perhaps of his own free will.
Avalune
Awe! I always wish I could do these but my dog has been called a “cat terrorist” by friends who have dog-sat. I hope kitty finds a home.
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
I’d be up for care and transport costs, in memory of my lovely kitty Peter, who looked just like Strayertes. I wish I could take him myself but we already have two orange bois who don’t get along.
laura
That’s a pretty samwise-looking kiki. I’m in for some rescue cash as soon as a method is announced. Let’s home him with a humin!
TomatoQueen
In for costs as and when, so glad he’s decided to throw in with the people.
satby
@MazeDancer: that’s a great idea!
cain
I’m in for any costs. Set up a gofundme, and I’ll be happy to donate! Thank you for doing this.
Big R
Kitdate (like a pupdate but more disdainful):
After the initial panic of last night, Stray darted under my bed and hid there basically all night. I would like to have him in his own room, but none of the doors in my apartment latch due to it being older construction. If people would prefer to make in-kind donations to avoid the sketchiness of giving a random dude cash, I can make an Amazon wish list and share it with Anne. The greyfurs were furious, and Albie wanted to make friends. I slept on the couch with the greyfurs and when I got up in the morning, Stray was on my bed.
Today I had to go teach, so as much as I didn’t want to, I left the four of them alone. Just came in from campus, and Stray is out and about and my three are agitated over it.
Fundraising estimates (I have not checked my Paypal to see what’s up):
Vet check: $100
Neuter: $150
If his forever home wants him chipped before I bring him, we’ll sort out that cost.
Flea treatments for my three after he goes: $100 (this is a nice-to-have, but if we come up short I’ll eat it).
I’ll manage kibble and litter. Transport we can estimate when we know where he’s going.
Big R
@MazeDancer: This is a great point, and obviously if he is microchipped we’ll have that conversation. Frankly, if he’s microchipped and they’re letting him roam around, I don’t know how I feel about that.
geg6
Happy to chip in to whatever fund is set up.
I’m very emotional about pets right now. My poor Lovey was diagnosed with diabetes last week and I’ve been giving her the shots twice a day. It just about kills me to do it because I am a wimp when confronted with medical things and this is almost beyond my limit. Thankfully, the needle is very small and fine and Lovey has been an absolute champ about it. So I’m happy to help out with other animals needing less scary types of care, like cash. ;-)
Amir Khalid
@geg6:
Sorry to hear about Lovey.
LuciaMia
@geg6: But it sounds like youre handling it well and doing what needs for Lovey.
CarolPW
@geg6: It eventually gets to the point where it’s just part of the day, like brushing your teeth. I really understand your distress in these early days. I hate when I have to get injections, and really doubted I could manage when my cat Tweezer was diagnosed as diabetic when she was eight. I only made her say ouch a few times (and I stuck my own finger more than that), and she lived until she was 21. Keep a small bottle of Karo syrup and a needle-less plastic syringe around in case she goes into insulin shock and read up on the symptoms. Insulin shock only happened to us three times, and that was due to her developing a hyperactive thyroid several years into her diabetes. Good luck!
Laura Too
I’m in for donation as well. Good luck!
eclare
I am in for a donation/transport costs.
Big R
Kitdate 2.0:
We have pets! Repeat, we have pets!
I reached out very, very slowly and touched his cheek and he flopped over into my hand and started purring. This was somebody’s pet, y’all, and given how hungry he was out in The World, my guess is (since this is a college town full of dipshits) that he was abandoned when somebody moved. I will check him for a chip but my guess is that if he has one it won’t be active. (I would send pictures for an update, but my phone was charging in the other room, so it’ll have to wait until next time.)
I’m also pretty sure he’s unaltered, which also doesn’t speak well of his former family, whoever they are. Once there’s enough scratch in the fundraiser for the vet trip I’ll take him in for a check-up. Reminder that this works like other BJ fundraisers: you email Anne, she sends the Paypal.
You guys are great and I love you all.
TomatoQueen
@Big R: Huzzah! If Stray is a he, and not neutered, there will be danglers, and either the telltale fat boy cheeks (age 6 months approx is when they appear) or a habit of spraying/marking or possibly both. Of course, Merlin had danglers and nothing else, but he is exceptional (doesn’t vomit or have hairballs, not once, not one time, since he arrived). Since Stray acts like a pet, checking for a microchip would be worth doing, but he’s got to have a full health check anyway soonest. Will chip in for whatever’s needed.
Major Major Major Major
Ohmigosh, so pretty and familiar-looking and yeah, sounds like an abandoned or lost pet ?