The rehabilitation of Tonto..

Graces7

I know you have " met" him over the last whiles, this little cat who Oliver brought home for food and love. rescuing him from neglect.

But such an interesting stage now...

I have not allowed him the freedom of the house yet. He races in every time he can, "frisking" the place for food and scattering the other cats with his passing.

He "talks" non stop always and the others are wary of him, Bella now nose rubs with him!

Watching him earlier and with this being a sunny still day I decided to leave the door open to see what he would do.

In he raced; kitchen ? food? bedroom? food? I had deliberately removed it until later. He was copiously fed earlier.

Then when he saw the door was still open! I am atop the bed; he has never left the floor! We chatted.... Bella greeted him and finally he jumped up on the bed. WOW! Not sure about this he wasn't .. not sure at all. But he did come up and not for food.. We conversed.,He stayed a while but has since left the premises...

It tugs at my heart that any critter could have been so deprived of food over his life that this is, even after so many months of regular, reliable feeding all that is in his mind is finding food.

But we have started the real rehabilitation! With no food reward. He is so loving, He blesses me mightily.

Onwards..

Graces7

Apologies; not doing well NOT COVID! All is well here

Just an update though... As the weather allowed I left the door open. Usually Tonto has not been inside more than to race from one food dish to another at a speed that scares the cats.

Then he goes out and wails and wails and wails. If I open the door, in he races etc etc etc.

Food is all he has? Except that he adores to be petted now and a thunderous purr! A new element in his life.

So! Logically food has become everything? And he cannot be fed every time he howls. Somehow affection etc has to supplant that desperation?

I left the door open ( to the consternation of the other residents)

The first time he ventured in! NO food left down. So he came to my bed, chatted to me. Then up he came! HISSES from the others...Purrs! Such a purr this lad has.

The new pattern is that he eats twice a day like the others, then has freedom to come and go in and out. . And after a while: he realises there is no food to be had, goes and the howling stops. Until feeding time nears. The first time that happened I thought he had left home as it was so quiet!
But no; he was happy.

I never could bear the thought of any cat not ever lying by a fireside. Maybe it will be the next step! Wonderful thought.

He is the friendliest of cats; no aggression ever. And such a purr for any affection.... A real beauty! When I sit out, he lies by me.

Many ways, like us, to be " fed".

Long ways to go yet. But a promising start.. And I still have no idea how old he is. All I know is that he is younger than his dad Stinkertom!

Graces7

Just a cheering update!

Tonto is a star! I feed him outside as I already have two feeding stations in the house for my lot.

During the day he is allowed in and out of the house when he likes. This has had a dramatic and unexpectedly swift effect.

He now comes up on my bed ( am abed much of each day still) , pads around. makes a nest, washes from top to toe, keeps looking at me and purring, then curls up and goes to sleep !

Then he vanishes outside for a few hours before coming in to eat after afternoon.

The constant howling has stopped unless it is near feeding time. Which is quite legitimate.

All this has happened within a week. I worked out that the only gratification he had was food and that if I substituted close contact, affection, time close to me? The timing was perfect
And I remove food at these times.

Delighted with him; he has such a loving nature. Astounded at the swiftness though.

aonb

Im very interested to read the saga of Tonto
I have an ex-feral - arrived in a horrendous condition - half dead - took 6 months to get to the stage where I could touch her. She moved into the house over 2 years ago, sleeps anywhere she likes, but still, even though shes quite fat, demands FOOD FOOD FOOD all day long - eats maybe 5 or 6 times/day - voracious, and will eat anything pretty much

A neighbour went to a nursing home. Had a cat who was a yard cat - never touched/tamed, half feral, but well fed - in fact very fat, but on that horrible GO CAT tinned food all her life. Horrible mats on her coat and her back legs are 'bent' She has moved over to me now - and like Tonto, howling for food, will howl howl howl if either of my 2 cats approach her, very odd - one chases her away every time. And suddenly she lets me touch/pet her. Recently I started picking her up for a cuddle - she puts her head under my elbow and purrs. Lovely

Keep us posted on Tonto, and how he gets on with the other residents - Im hoping my more aggressive cat will accept her eventually.

Lovely to have cat company when you're 'abed' - take care

Graces7

All mine live on Supervalu tinned food AND raw chicken, and thrive on it. I will not have kibble where there are neutered males. Go cat tinned is beyond my budget!

Yes, the same syndrome; their only fulfilment when neglected IS food. As I am here all the time I added up that he was eating a huge amount and seeking more. But I am amazed at how swiftly he is adjusting . Has been a long while though; I Lose track of time these days.

There was never any issue re touching him! He attached to my ankles from the start and my words are, " CAREFUL! You will have me over!" And that purr! He is not fat but has filled out nicely. Seeing him on my bed is a wonder I never thought would be so easy! Delighted. Utterly delighted.

The others are not sure; he scared them with his racing up and down the corridor and of course they are territorial. Selkie was growling at him yesterday. This will ease in time. Bella goes nose to nose with him.

Cats!

s1ippy

Graces7 wrote: »

All mine live on Supervalu tinned food AND raw chicken, and thrive on it. I will not have kibble where there are neutered males. Go cat tinned is beyond my budget!

Yes, the same syndrome; their only fulfilment when neglected IS food. As I am here all the time I added up that he was eating a huge amount and seeking more. But I am amazed at how swiftly he is adjusting . Has been a long while though; I Lose track of time these days.

There was never any issue re touching him! He attached to my ankles from the start and my words are, " CAREFUL! You will have me over!" And that purr! He is not fat but has filled out nicely. Seeing him on my bed is a wonder I never thought would be so easy! Delighted. Utterly delighted.

The others are not sure; he scared them with his racing up and down the corridor and of course they are territorial. Selkie was growling at him yesterday. This will ease in time. Bella goes nose to nose with him.

Cats!

Why no kibble for neutered males, Graces?

New Home

Presumably for the problems it can cause kidneys. I'm pretty sure nearly all tinned food is almost as bad as the dry food, it's something to do with the quantity and type of minerals it contains. If your read the labels of the kidney cat food (prescription diet you can only get at the vets), it's much different to that of the supermarket food.

Graces7

Sorry to take so long answering; not doing well these days

And no, not tinned food to blame, and the kidney diet from the vet is for cats who already have serious kidney issues so yes is very different,

it is simply that unlike dogs, cats are obligate carnivores and not used to drinking as they get most of their fluid needs from their food. Which of course dried food lacks.

So the kidneys cannot cope with the intense and concentrated fluid free dried foods in some cases. And it seems to affect neutered males more

Many years ago I was showing at Olympia when the dried foods were really taking off. The trade stand, I think it was Whiskas, were all but mobbed. So many had changed to dry food and lost cats, especially neutered males, to kidney failure.

Dried is cheaper, which matters to so many of us, and more convenient, and has all the right things in it, but no fluids.
So it is more concentrated and some cats may get issues long term because of that.

The makers stress that water must always be available for the cats, but they are not used to drinking enough.

I lost two neutered males and a wee girl over the while and would never ever again feed dried food exclusively. I keep it in as an emergency supply being so far out.
But never ever would I again rely on dried cat food.

It is at base unnatural as it would be for us and for any critter. FLuids are vital especially to kidneys,

My cats get raw chicken and Supervalu tinned. They are fit and well, and at 16 Boycat is amazing,

My smallest cat, a street stray, is clearly a large part Oriental. And dangerously faddy. She was bone thin when she came and refuses any tinned food, Raw chicken she loves and I supplement with a little dried food, the only brand she will eat. As I am abed so much I watch and it takes her a while to come to drink. Not the way cats eat as a rule. Usually they get most of their fluid needs from their food,

Supermarket tinned is fine. Absolutely fine LIDL etc know what they are at. I cannot and would not afford "brand loyalty" for the cat food or mine. And after over 40 years of breeding, showing and rescuing I am satisfied I an doing the very best for my beloved cats and know what I am at.

Raw chicken , bones and all, is paramount in this house. And I have seen an increase in vitality since feeding it and their teeth are excellent. Tinned supermarket as second base.

We al make choices for our cats and we all have our own ideas, Mine are based on long experience and I am happy with them. These cats of my old age are the healthiest and happiest of all my years! And being happy with how you care and feed is what matters.

s1ippy

Thanks for the advice.

We used to give our lad bones until he nearly died choking on one.

He doesn't eat as hastily as Tonto but he's a bit of a fiend alright.

Graces7

Just popped back to say I am not around the next while. really very, very unwell now with various things - old age as they say is not for cissies! Just too much is all. All is well here. My cats and I are survivors. But need to disconnect a while; will try to keep the weblog going and be back here etc. Blessings and peace and purrs.

Graces7

It was humbling a couple of days ago to realise that I am as important as or even more important than food to Tonto.

I was abed and it was too cold to leave the door open and he howled and howled outside. Feeding him extra did not help.

Today I spent a while outside with him, then left the door open and he has been with me since. He has even developed a quieter " talking " voice now. And is snoozing on my bed

Also, I was eating something he would have enjoyed but when I said NO he backed off...

And he has had one meal today, same as the others,

He is a star!

Graces7

So I brought my meal to bed with me; not too well.

Scrambled eggs with cheese..

Tonto was on the bed and of course raced up..,,,eyes devouring.

I said, quietly , "no" and tapped him so gently on the nose with one finger.

Immediately he backed off, turned his back and went to sleep..

Such good manners!

Graces7

And we are in the next phase..

Getting my five home cats to accept Tonto indoors AND ON MY BED...

Just heard a growl from Selkie so loud I wondered who it was!

Tonto vacated the bed instantly and is now howling on the floor.....Poor wee lad and he is so good
Never challenges them.

All takes time...

Dubl07

He's inside, full tummy, warm, loved. That has to be good.

I hope you feel better soon, Grace.

Graces7

Dubl07 wrote: »

He's inside, full tummy, warm, loved. That has to be good.

I hope you feel better soon, Grace.

Thanks. I will be fine; old age! I have never met a cat like Tonto before. So much love in him! Most ferals I know have been wary, even almost aggressive. This lad purrs is you even look at him! Runs to see me if he hears me outside. Just a word is al it takes to start the purring.

Just is the relationships between the group now! He races in and they stand there bewildered! Like outraged middle aged folk.

All takes time and we have plenty of that here.

fritzelly

Hope you are doing great Graces and Tonto (doing well to stay away from the covid threads)

Graces7

fritzelly wrote: »

Hope you are doing great Graces and Tont o (doing well to stay away from the covid threads)

I had a quick blast early today then logged out. They are so repetitious ..…Had a peaceful !" busy " !day with the cats etc.

Tonto today actually asked to go back outside! Another first. A quick learner that one. he now has several different " calls" rather than just the mournful KOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWL