My first day at the homestead was eventful, but I didn't expect this. A limping, skinny cat meowed at me all day and wouldn't let me leave it's sights. I tried to approach it a couple times to see why it was limping, but it quickly darted under my truck. I didn't have any food to share with it, only water. After it got a good drink, it finally let me touch it and take a look at that paw.
There was an open wound on top of it's left front paw, and it avoided putting any weight on it. With a wet rag I tried to clean it up some and it didn't look like there was an infection. No puss oozing out or anything like that.
That first night I had to leave it there. Maybe it belonged to a neighbor and had just got injured and would go home that night. With how skinny it was, I doubted that was true, but you never know.
I came back the next day, and so did the cat. This time I was prepared with some cat food. Yep, gobbled it up like it hadn't eaten in a while. Again, the cat would not let me out of it's sight and followed me around as best as it could on three legs. When I was working inside the home, the cat sat right in the doorway to make sure I didn't leave without it seeing me.
I had planned on leaving the cat there that second night and bringing a cat carrier the next day if it was still around. When I went to leave I sat down in my truck and it followed me, meowing and looking up at me with longing wanting to hop up in the truck with me. Darnit, I'm a sucker.
Without permission from my relative where I'm staying, I decided to snatch it up and take it home that night. I'd let it spend the night in the cab on my truck if I had to. That was a Sunday night and I figured I'd get it checked out on Monday at a shelter or vet. Luckily the relative didn't mind me turning it loose in the garage. I put out bowls of food and water and some cat litter in a box hoping it would use that instead of making a mess in their garage. It chowed down and slept a lot that night, I took that as a good sign.
Here's my YouTube video of the cat from the two days I've spent at the homestead thus far. 6+ minutes of the cat saga, if you're a sucker like me. I'll certainly do updates on the cat as the story unfolds.
I noticed that I've used some of the exact same photos in my last two posts. I'll have to start paying better attention to that and not repeat myself. As @themerrylotus astutely noticed a couple days ago in comments, I'm mostly just running on adrenaline right now.
Honestly, I've lived a mostly sedentary lifestyle the last several years because physical activity often causes me pain and I'm wired to avoid to pain. That is all changing right now, and I'll have to remind myself regularly not to overdo it. I don't have to cross this ocean all in one day, I've got the rest of my life to clean up that property and leave it in better shape than I found it.
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Cool story about the cat. I remember when I first moved into a new house in Kentucky we had a stray cat show up. I'm a sucker for cats just like you were so I automatically adopted this cat and nicknamed him Gypsy. The following day I went down and bought two different kinds of food + cat litter and toys everything that cat needs. That cat stayed with me for about two years until circumstances happened and I had to sell the house. The day after the house was sold the cat disappeared. I guess it was living up to its name
Wow, it was like, nope, I'm staying right here. There seems to always be something strange happening when it comes to cats. They know things we don't, perhaps. If it keeps coming back, I'll keep enjoying it I figure.
And if times get really tough I heard they taste like chicken LOL
LOL. And in just 7 short years I can turn two of those cats into 420,000 more. Win-Win scenario.
My best mouser was a stray that appeared one day out of the woods. He was tore up, skinny, full of parasites. He turned out to be the best cat I've ever had. What a nice welcome to Arkansas present.
Takes a tough cat to survive out there, makes sense they'd turn out great when they find us. I hope this one can get back on all legs soon.
I'll be looking forward to some future cat posts ;)
Well, you got your first friend on your homestead. Make sure to stretch a lot!! And yes, take it easy.
That is a good reminder to stretch, it would probably help and I don't do that enough. Thanks, remind me again sometime, please :)
Okay. I will!! So important. i actually set my timer on the phone for 1 hour. Then, no matter what I am doing, I stop for a bit and stretch - even just 1/2 a minute makes a difference
Thats actually adorable. I'm not the fondest of cats because of the damage feral and irresponsibly owned cats have done to the wildlife and one of my quail here. So maybe it's more the irresponsible cat owners I'm not fond of. 🤔 It sounds like this puss may very well have had some experience of that. I hope it gets a better experience from you.
Have you looked into whether any of the local weeds might help your pain? I was recently surprised to find out that wild lettuce here has pain relief qualities. A little gem I picked up from Malcolm @ligayagardener. It would be good if something on your new property could help you through the day!
I can see where cats can be a nuisance, probably just like any creature roaming around out there. I don't know much at all about plants like that, but I'm willing to learn. I still have a lot to learn about identifying plants before learning about their qualities. Thanks
check the Internets .... there's some sort of parasite that bores like that into cats. So far we've avoided it!
Our Tom is named Whiner cause he literally cannot walk from one place to another without meowing the whole time. Sounds like he's not the only one :)
Every homestead needs a few cats.
Wow, that's scary. This looks like a wound to me, maybe from a rat trap or something that it got it's paw stuck in. She's been less talkative now that's she's got food. :) Thanks
Pet ownership in the country is challenging! I'm glad you rescued her! You know there's also a certain thorn than will tear like that ... anyway! They usually can heal themselves if it's a only a wound. I hope she's mending awesomely :)
Is the cat a boy or girl...looks like either way it has bonded and so have you. Looks like a sweetie! Congratulations on your progress!
Happy Day
Melis
That cat is cool, I'll do a full update soon. Thanks, I'm pleased with myself so far if nothing else. :)
You should be ...sweet of you to look after the little critter!
A friend for life. :-) Animals instinctively know a good soul.
That could be, and I won't complain. :)
Poor kitty! I hope its paw heals quickly. Congrats on your new friend. You are keeping it right? : )
Thank you. I'm not exactly sure yet, but if it sticks around after I take it back out to my place, it's welcome to stay.
Nice work your new friend. A good sign :)
Thanks
In just 7 years, one un-spayed female cat and one un-neutered male cat and their offspring can result in 420,000 kittens.
My cat adopted me too. They seem to know who will be an easy mark. ;-) I'm glad you saved this little guy. It's sad that he was out on his own and injured.
If that paw still needs attention, Neosporin with Pain Relief is safe to use. It won't hurt the cat if s/he licks it off, but if they leave it on, so much the better.