All About the Chase

[Cha Cha]

There has been a critter under my deck for the last couple of days and my dogs have been going nuts over it. I thought it was a mouse or a bird. Today I get a flashlight and look. It's a cat. And, until today, my dogs couldn't get under the deck but persistence paid off and they figured out a way. I just so happened to be looking when Moka found a way and I never laughed so hard. My girls have NO experience with cats.

She walked up to it and they just stared at each other. Moka was like "hey, you're supposed to run." The cat didn't budge an inch and was like all attitude... "yeah, so what I'm under your deck." No hiss, no meow, no distressing body language, just so what. I can tell it's not afraid of dogs at all. It had to be the biggest let down of Moka's life. I could see how proud she was that she got through, and then there was no chase. LOL. Now, she's all proud that she found something and keeps coming to me all prancing and happy and trying to get my attention to take me to it. Mylee's attention span is so short she forgot about it a long time ago.

So, I am guessing this is a ferrel cat looking for a place to have kittens. It is impossible to get under my deck without dismantling it. I know it's a female because it's a tortoise shell color, and I can tell she's not in any distress or hurt. I'll tighten up security around the parameter and give her some privacy and food and see if I can figure out why she's there or a way to catch her.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Poor kitty. She may be sick, injured so that she can't run or pregnant and needing a place to hide out. I'll bet she's feeling pretty desperate and I'm glad you will help her.

When you are ready to try to catch her, your local animal control may have those free humane cat-trap or catch cages that you can sign out to use, set the cage to trap her inside when she goes in for the food and then you can transport her out of there without anyone getting hurt, take her where you intend and return their cage.

[Verbena]

She might be someone's cat. Especially if they did not hiss or growl at your girls. The cat is used to dogs. They have have a heart traps at the local shelter. Just put a can of cat food in it. But put it in the daytime . . .you don't want to catch anything else. . .or If she is used to people you just put out a can of cat food.She might come out on her own.

[CouversMom]

Oh no... She's probably someone's pet. I am glad you are going to feed her. I know my two kitties aren't scared of dogs. The one scared a pit bull puppy from our front yard once (before it was fenced).

[gracielove]

I agree, she could be someone's pet that got lost or chased under your deck. You may want to get her out of there, check her out (minus your dog's attention) and call the local shelter to see if someone has reported her missing.

If she is a young pregnant female than she has been on her own for a while. If you are not up to taking care of her then take her to a no kill shelter where she can get proper care.

You don't want a pregnant cat going into labor under your deck. If there are complications (yes, cats have as many as dogs do) you would not be able to get to her to help her.

[Lil Sis]

aww... that is funny about your pups not getting a chase.

I too would be worried about the cat's behavior. We have several cats in our neighborhood that play with my "pack" and some who run. The cats who "play" with our pack also come to us for a ear scratch. I am just wondering if she is hurt.

[pstinard]

I would be cautious about trapping the cat and turning it over to animal control. I found a sweet feral cat out in the country in the middle of a daisy patch, so I named her "Daisy." I took her to animal control just in case she had an owner, and told them I wanted to adopt her if the owner didn't come forward. They told me to come back the next Monday to get her and when I did, they said, "Oh, we put her to sleep." I was so angry!

[yorkietalkjilly]

If she's still there, the way she is behaving is far from normal for a cat so she's probably got some trauma, has been kicked hard or hurt somehow or is ill or pregnant. To have her stay under there and maybe suffer seems a fate worse than death to me. I'd rather see a an animal who is behaving abnormally assessed for possible help and, if necessary, if the poor thing is bleeding internally, has a joint or limb dislocated or an infection or very ill with a tumor or heart block or something like that, just humanely allowed to go to sleep and then die rather than continue to live in its pain, fear and self-imposed isolation. Poor kitty - hopefully she's okay and gone by now.

[Cha Cha]

Thanks everyone. She is fine. I literally grew up in a barn with barn cats and strays and know cats very well. She picked a good place here with me.. That said, I got her to come out to me today. She is beautiful and friendly and has literally "chosen" our place to stay. She is only under the deck because she is cautious, but not concerned about the dogs. She must have an owner because she is de-clawed and I am assuming spayed because she is not pregnant or nursing. She is not skittish nor afraid and that is why I say she has chosen this place. She could easily go home but doesn't. So I will begin the task of trying to find an owner, but I am not aware of any of my neighbors who have cats. Wherever she came from she left on her own free will because she is not lost. She acts like she has lived here forever and treats Moka and Mylee like "deal girls, I ain't leaving." Moka is so confused by her. I'll post pics so you all can see how pretty she is.

[Verbena]

That is terrible that she is declawed and outside. . . She does not have a way to defend herself from wild animals . . . I really hope she just got out and she is not a dump . . .i hope you find her owner soon . .. Good thoughts

[JuanRamos]

Chances are that she's a pet that lives inside 24/7 and this is the first tme she went outside because someone in her house forgot to close a door or shut down a window.

[Cha Cha]

Update: Well, my resident kitty found her way home. New residents on the street over from us. They do let her out occasionally but she usually doesn't wander off. The move and new area likely startled her. I could tell she was a very nice kitty. I enjoyed her visit and hated to see her go, but I don't do litter boxes.

That said, my poor Moka still thinks she's under my deck and she is so consumed with it I am beginning to get worried about her. When she is inside, she constantly wants out and she sits here constantly waiting for the kitty to come out, (in a motherly fashion as if she's worried about babies, not aggressive) but it's not there. The kitty left Saturday evening and Moka is still preoccupied with this. It's been cool the last two mornings and I look out and Moka is just shivering in her skin while she sits like this. Any suggestions?

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by pstinard

I would be cautious about trapping the cat and turning it over to animal control. I found a sweet feral cat out in the country in the middle of a daisy patch, so I named her "Daisy." I took her to animal control just in case she had an owner, and told them I wanted to adopt her if the owner didn't come forward. They told me to come back the next Monday to get her and when I did, they said, "Oh, we put her to sleep." I was so angry!

I'm so sorry.

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

Update: Well, my resident kitty found her way home. New residents on the street over from us. They do let her out occasionally but she usually doesn't wander off. The move and new area likely startled her. I could tell she was a very nice kitty. I enjoyed her visit and hated to see her go, but I don't do litter boxes.

That said, my poor Moka still thinks she's under my deck and she is so consumed with it I am beginning to get worried about her. When she is inside, she constantly wants out and she sits here constantly waiting for the kitty to come out, (in a motherly fashion as if she's worried about babies, not aggressive) but it's not there. The kitty left Saturday evening and Moka is still preoccupied with this. It's been cool the last two mornings and I look out and Moka is just shivering in her skin while she sits like this. Any suggestions?

Oh Moka......the kitty went home to her family.


I think you need to explain to Moka the kitty missed her mommy and needed to go home. Maybe she will come back soon for another visit

[Cha Cha]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

Oh Moka......the kitty went home to her family.


I think you need to explain to Moka the kitty missed her mommy and needed to go home. Maybe she will come back soon for another visit

We've had that talk. She's behaving more like the stubborn kid who doesn't believe what her parents are telling her. So I'm going to have to remove a board so she can go under there and see for herself there IS NO KITTY!