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Heidi
Mar 20, 2014 19:22:14 GMT
Post by diamondgirl on Mar 20, 2014 19:22:14 GMT
I didn't want to step on Lipizzans thread, but I did want to answer Terry's question about Heidi. Terry, I have been noticing Heidi's bulging belly. She is not comfortable enough to get up and walk around with me in her room, but even with her crouched down, I can see, her belly is huge. Per the directions on the bag I have been feeding her 1 cup of dry cat food daily. Plus she gets a few treats and a table spoon of canned food. I don't know if I have been feeding her to much, and she is just fat, or she has something else going on. Another thing is.... as soon as I brought Heidi inside the house, the male cat, Dash, left. I am working more with her so hopefully we can get to the bottom of her bulging belly pretty soon.  |
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Heidi
Mar 20, 2014 23:37:28 GMT
Post by horselady on Mar 20, 2014 23:37:28 GMT
one cup of cat food a day sounds like a lot. but are you sure she is not already pregnant,? you have done so much with her in these past few months so hopefully you will get her to really trust you , seems like it takes forever.
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Post by diamondgirl on Mar 21, 2014 1:58:33 GMT
I am probably feeding her too much. Our other cats have an automatic feeder, and we haven't ever had a problem with them over eating. One of the things I was reading about taming feral cats said to not feed them to much, so that they were hungry, and they would befriend you sooner, just to get food. I thought that sounded like a really bad way to go about befriending a cat, so maybe I went to overboard the other direction. I just figured if she was out of food, than she needed a little more. I want her to know I bring the food, but I didn't want her to be hungry.
I did see her and Dash together, the day before I brought her in the house. They weren't doing anything, but they were together.
I am probably just worrying over nothing. It's just that I have strong feelings about not adding to the surplus pet population. A cats gestation is about 65 days. I brought her in the house Feb 2nd. She would be at least 47 days along. I don't know.
What I do know is I will continue to care for her, and keep a closer eye on her. She still lets me pet her with the stick. She will even close her eyes, while I am petting her, but when I switch to my hand she will only let me get in a few strokes before she hisses at me. Silly girl.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466 
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Heidi
Mar 21, 2014 2:32:37 GMT
Post by Terry on Mar 21, 2014 2:32:37 GMT
Thanks for starting a thread for Heidi here. 
If you are feeding her 1 cup of dry food per day, plus canned food each day, then yes, I'd say that may be a bit much  (especially since she isn't outside anymore where she can run around and burn off calories more easily). I do wonder, though, if she isn't already pregnant. It's certainly a possibility. Even if you didn't see Heidi and Dash "doing the deed", it doesn't mean they didn't. Kitties are sneaky!  At least if she is pregnant, since she's inside now, you can prevent her from getting pregnant again afterwards.
Keep being patient but persistent with her. She lets you pet her with the stick and a few strokes by hand now. That's more than she allowed when you first brought her inside. It's progress! Some cats take longer than others, but I'd say she's definitely coming around, so don't lose hope. You're doing a great job! 
By the way, I'm not saying that I hope she's pregnant (like you, I don't like to add to the surplus pet population either), but if she is, that may be the break you need to really get through to her. She's already learning to trust you more and more, and if she has babies (and she's confined to a room where she can't really go hide them), then she'll be busy taking care of them and you may be able to get in there and really start petting her then (and loving on those little kittens too, of course!  ).
Keep up the good work, and please keep us posted. |
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Post by diamondgirl on Mar 21, 2014 3:17:02 GMT
I think I will get her one of those cat hidey boxes just in case. If she is with kitty, she would want a hiding place to have her babies. Maybe a better idea might be, to get her a basket and slip that under the dresser. That way she would have secluded place, but not one, with only a small access hole, for easier peeking. I see you
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Post by diamondgirl on Mar 25, 2014 1:40:56 GMT
I have been working a little more with Heidi. I have been using the Clinton Anderson method on her, except for the round pen part. LOL . Ok, what I have been doing is approach and retreat. I will rub her softly with the stick, and as soon as she relaxes I retreat. It seems to be working, because after awhile I can rub her face with my finger. She does not allow two fingers, or for me to touch her anywhere else, but I think this is progress. Anyway today while I was touching her, and talking to her, I saw a large lump appear on the side of her belly, then disappear. Hmmmm. I am going to go out on a limb here and say I think she is pregnant, and from the size of that lump, I'm going to guess she is pretty close. I don't know if I should Keep checking on her, or stay away so I don't over stress her. I can't be positive, but I think she is Lillie's Mom, so she may be an experienced mommy. I don't know. I just want everything to be ok. |
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Heidi
Mar 25, 2014 1:44:58 GMT
Post by horselady on Mar 25, 2014 1:44:58 GMT
Keep doing what you are doing. you need to gain her trust. and perhaps use food as incentive, small pieces of liver perhaps
that way if you have to touch her babies she knows you are friend not the enemy.
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Heidi
Mar 25, 2014 1:47:03 GMT
Post by diamondgirl on Mar 25, 2014 1:47:03 GMT
Oh I guess I should put in a picture of Lilly. She was a very tiny, sick little kitten when we found her under the wood pile  Here is a picture of Heidi, sitting on the wood pile.  |
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Post by diamondgirl on Mar 25, 2014 1:56:18 GMT
Horselady I have been giving her cat treats. Do you think liver would be more of an incentive? I haven't gotten her to actually take a treat out of my hand yet, but she will smell them in my hand, then eat them off her plate while I stroke her head. Even though she will allow me to get near her I don't think we have established a lot of trust yet. I must sit very still for a while for her to relax enough for me to even try to get a hand near her. Usually by the time I am allowed to actually touch her my butt has gone to sleep from sitting on the floor.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Heidi
Mar 25, 2014 12:09:59 GMT
Post by Terry on Mar 25, 2014 12:09:59 GMT
Keep up the good work! From what you described about the mysterious lump on her side, I'd say you probably should go ahead and get a box set up with some old towels in it and put it in her room so she can start investigating it, nesting in it, and know that she has a safe, warm, comfy place to have her kittens.
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Post by diamondgirl on Mar 25, 2014 17:04:26 GMT
Terry got her a cat play cube, and a pet bed. In her room, I have an old coffee table and a dresser that I put in an L shape in the corner, making something for her to hide under. She hides in that corner some of the time so I out the pet bed there. I will get her a box too so she will have a choice. Years ago a friend of mine had a cat who had kittens in a dresser drawer. The dresser is old and unused so I thought about pulling out the bottom drawer to see if she might want to explore there.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Heidi
Mar 25, 2014 23:04:08 GMT
Post by Terry on Mar 25, 2014 23:04:08 GMT
Sounds like you've got a nice set up for her.
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Heidi
Mar 26, 2014 19:29:54 GMT
Post by diamondgirl on Mar 26, 2014 19:29:54 GMT
I put some pictures up on the other place, and I thought I would also put some here if that is ok. I have tried to give Heidi a choice of nesting options. She can choose a pink kitty cube filled with shredded news paper , a blue pet bed hidden in the corner, an open dresser drawer with a soft warm blanket, or a small pet kennel with a warm towel in the bottom.  She had been letting me pet her a little more with my bare hand, but this afternoon she has been pretty cranky. She even swatted at me. Here is a picture of her letting me pet her with the stick, I took over a week ago.  Can you see her belly is bigger in the first picture that was taken yesterday. |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Heidi
Mar 28, 2014 14:52:15 GMT
Post by Terry on Mar 28, 2014 14:52:15 GMT
She's a lucky kitty; so many choices of places to sleep and/or have her babies!
I'm guessing that, if she is getting cranky and swatting at you, it may mean that she's just uncomfortable and getting close to time to pop those babies out. (Or she might just be having a bad day. )
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Heidi
Mar 28, 2014 15:19:53 GMT
Post by mistersmom on Mar 28, 2014 15:19:53 GMT
She looks almost happy in that last picture! I hope she will have her babies with no problems and we will get to see them (once she's ok with it of course).
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Post by diamondgirl on Mar 28, 2014 15:53:01 GMT
No babies yet, but she is eating more, and I read that is one of the signs it's is close to time. She has been in the house for 55 days, so should have her kitties within the next 10 days. I am getting excited. I didn't want kittens, but if it's going to happen I might as well be excited. |
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Heidi
Mar 28, 2014 18:46:16 GMT
Post by horselady on Mar 28, 2014 18:46:16 GMT
She looks great and she is starting to trust. but does not know what to do to show that trust in return.
you have a great set up there for her so she is definitely comfortable.
in fact if i need a place to live i think i will come to your house. ?? smileys-coffee-876033
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Heidi
Mar 28, 2014 22:37:54 GMT
Post by diamondgirl on Mar 28, 2014 22:37:54 GMT
Even now with all the cat and dog hair floating in the air. Oh and the bird is bolting too. HL, I'm not sure I want to stay here. Just kidding. You would be welcome any time.
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Heidi
Apr 9, 2014 4:12:36 GMT
Post by hugs on Apr 9, 2014 4:12:36 GMT
I don't know if it works with cats but when I befriend our calves I stand sideways, look at them kinda down and from the corner of my eye. Facing an animal full foward is pretty confronting. I dunno, maybe the concept is what you're doing with the stick rather than your hand?
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Post by diamondgirl on Apr 9, 2014 4:20:54 GMT
I never thought about it before, but I do sit sideways to her. BUT, now I have started to sit sideways, stroke her with the stick, and snitch a kitten to cuddle for a second. |
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(especially since she isn't outside anymore where she can run around and burn off calories more easily). I do wonder, though, if she isn't already pregnant. It's certainly a possibility. Even if you didn't see Heidi and Dash "doing the deed", it doesn't mean they didn't. Kitties are sneaky! 
At least if she is pregnant, since she's inside now, you can prevent her from getting pregnant again afterwards.
).
