Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Gail Bengal Slave on June 04, 2010, 12:39:54 PM
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OK here goes...
I have a stray cat (I have called him sid as he hisses at me), been feeding him properly for two weeks, on and off for several others. Deffo a stray as his white is dirty rather than sparkling, he is white & Grey.
I SO feel for him, last night he was lying on the drive waiting for me, to feed him. OK I dont mind feeding him but, it is the best felix food and i cannot afford to keep it up. SO, I have contacted Cramar to see if they have room in the paddock for him (Paddocks is where the un-homable Feral cats live), here he will be fed and watered and have somewhere to sleep safely. I have said I will sponser him £5 a month if they can take him (I already sponser 2, Safie & Tabbitha £15 a month ). Janet at Cramar has said to call tomorrow after she has spoken with the trustees to see if they can take him, if yes I will have to borrow a trap, and get him there. Now comes the BUT..........
He will have blood tests for Lukeimeia and Fleline Adis, if Pos, they wont bring him round :-(. If it is pos, I will feel like I have killed him, when he has quite happily been fed by me. I have also phoned CPL for a neutering voucher, so it doesnt cost Cramar anything, he would have his op done onsite at Cramar as they have a vets there.
2. - MrTabbs - Mr Tabbs is a young tabby boy, with very large nuts, that need whipping off ASAP, for his sake. I think he does have a home, as he miows at me and I can stroke his head, but why has he still got his nuts if he does ????? , I am fearing the worst for him, I think he belongs to a scruffy home (you know the sort I mean) and they wont get him done and a lovely boy will be spoilt, so I have asked for a second voucher for him. I can just pick him up & pop in the basket. do you think I am doing right. If he goes home nut-less, will they notice??? . CPL havent got any vouchers in till next week. so they have a week grace.
I took some piic the other day so will get them posted over the weekend.
HELP, I am worrying now if I am doing right, part says yes the other, feeling what if anything happens, i will be gutted.
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Will cp be neutering them but not testing or will both be done at the same time? The reason i ask is i have no problem neutering someones cat :innocent: but you cant really shave its neck and put it back or put it to sleep... that they will notice!
This same dilema came up with tans stray, he was neutered and tested by herself i believe so that if he came up positive she had control over what happens ie he isnt for the chop.
Why will sid need to live in the paddocks? He doesnt sound feral just been living on his wits so very likely to be domestic after neutering ;D
If having sid tested privately is a problem money wise im sure it can be sorted out, btw im sure he wont mind eating cheaper pouches! :hug:
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Why on earth will they PTS if positive .....it does :censored: annoy me
To be honest Gail, if they PTS he won't know anything about it :hug:
Having said that, If you are happy to sponser him £5 a month surely it would only cost about the same to carry on feeding him ? (by changing to tinned food)
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I would probably keep feeding stray puss or get him another rescue tbh or do they all check?
Regarding the other puss Mr Tabbs I'd just get him done - I did with a puss round our way and I didn't know if he had a home I'd paper collared him but nothing came back so I got him nueutered but he was so friendly I tried with paper collar again and I did get a response that time and found out he lived with an elderly lady and her son but they just didn't get him seen to but they were fine about it when I spoke to them And - he doesn't stray now since neutering so you may find that happens, we rarely see him in fact I ring the lady up to ask about him.
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The paddocks is where the feral cats live - may be they could tame him I dont know????? - I cant take him in as I have my 3. His op would be done at Cramar, they would test him before he could go in the Paddocks due to the 100 feral cats they already have living in there, it truely is a lovely place for them to go about their business doing as they wish, safely and loved. If he is Flv + , as he is Feral (due to be alone for so long), what can be done for him??? - they cant put him with the other ferals as he would infect them. Just keep everythig crossed that he will be neg. If he could be domesticated that would be wonderful, I am sure they will know once he is there, just got to find out if there is a place for him, the capture the little tinker, without loosing an arm. I want him to trust me and know that what I am doing is for his benifit, not to get rid of him or harm him. Just a total mad cat woman. Like all of us here, apart form the males, who are mad cat men :Luv:
Thing about changing his food, cheaper yes, I will be buying morrisons own to keep him going, but it is long term, what happens when the weather changes?, i have bought him a little house but he hasnt even looked at it. I really feel for him, even my hubby has said awwww, he'd of made a lovey cat :shocked: will get his pic posted over the weekend. He's grey & white.
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Is there no one else to take him , so if he is tested positive he won''t be put to sleep - he may not be very old and it would be awful for that to happen - i hate they put to sleep just for that when there are homes and places available for them -its just a life lost for nothing , one that could have 10+ happy years .
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If he was a purry, rub round your legs cat, then yes. I would get him in a rescue some how, someone would want him as he is lovely looking, but he is hissy, maybe they could tame him, I honestly dont know. I am thinking long term for him.
Mr Tabbs - I'll just whip him off and bring him back nutless, i am sure his owners if he has any wont notice, as if they really cared they would get him done themselves.
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Mr Tabbs - I'll just whip him off and bring him back nutless, i am sure his owners if he has any wont notice, as if they really cared they would get him done themselves.
What if he is positive too? Will they pts someones pet? Abit of a sticky situation to get in to :scared:
If he was a purry, rub round your legs cat, then yes. I would get him in a rescue some how, someone would want him as he is lovely looking, but he is hissy, maybe they could tame him, I honestly dont know. I am thinking long term for him.
Most domestic toms that stray take on some degree of "feral" behaviour. They arent feral just suspicious. I'd put my money on him being someones once loved family pet, he just needs to be neutered to remember that time :( have you seen rons post of a very angry cat? he was done and returned and the lady can now fuss him, his behaviour at rons was that of a feral cat! :Luv2:
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Gail
I would cancel his place at the center
Get a CP voucher to neuter him
and keep doing what you are doing.
My feral, Skaggy cat, lived in a house (a covered littertray lol) in my garden for years. In the winter I put a heatmat in there (using an extention lead) and then covered the house with layers of towels and black binliners
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Mr Tabbs - I'll just whip him off and bring him back nutless, i am sure his owners if he has any wont notice, as if they really cared they would get him done themselves.
Quote: What if he is positive too? Will they pts someones pet? Abit of a sticky situation to get in to :scared:
If I'm reading Gail's plan correctly, Mr Tabbs won't be going to Cramar so FIV status is not an issue. Presumably the vet will ask if Gail wants bloodtests for him prior to neutering, which she can decline.
Gail, in your position I would have another chat with the Cramar people and see what the options are for Sid. I understand from Shirley's experiences with Cramar that they have a 'halfway house' (and individual pens to allow him to recover from his operation), and with their great knowledge of feral cats they will be able to assess him to see if he needs to remain as a cared-for feral in the paddocks or if he can be brought round with some time and care. I wouldn't let his unknown FIV status put you off doing this for him.
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Some pics of the Paddocks cats that we are delighted to support :Luv:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=163210&id=303771486830&ref=mf
http://www.cramarcats.org.uk/images/r-rescue_text.png
I can't say for certain (perhaps you could ask Gail) but I would guess that does not involve a PTS policy for cats with FLV but do understand why sadly they cannot risk infecting the feral enclosure
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I am afraid that I so do not agree with pts on positive cats and could not go that way myself.
I believe that Cp do not test, please cotrrect me if I am wrong, except at their rehoming centres which also pts.
I would go with what Michelle said...........it always worries me when peeps are going to test without having any plans what will happen to the cat if possitive.
I dont know if your cats gp outside Gail, if they do this could be a problem though.
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I guess the real problem, with regard to FIV, is his (possible?) feral status: Is there anywhere that takes FIV+ ferals? I wouldn't personally see it as acceptable to leave an FIV+ feral cat to potentially fight with and infect my own cats or others in the neighbourhood, neutered or otherwise. The other option is to avoid the dilemma by not testing, but that depends on Gail continuing to feed and care for Sid rather than getting him a place at Cramar - I have three cats and absolutely could not afford to support a fourth, so I can understand that this simply may not be possible.
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I think you are doing right, whilst both cats are entire they are potentially causing lots of stray or unwanted domestic kittens to be born. Also if your stray is FIV or FelV, he is already infecting other cats as he mates or fights. Sid either is already infected or is not, a test won't change that fact unfortunately: if he could be returned to your area without his bits he would be much less likely to infect other cats. You may find out once he is done that he can be tamed and homed, that would be wonderful. :wish:
I definitely agree that switching to the cheapest tinned food you can source is a good short term solution, if it is complete and meaty then it has to be healthier than him scavenging cooked bones and the remnants of a takeaway. :( Butchers Classic is very well thought of and the same price as any supermarket own brand tinned (~£1 a kilo), wouldn't mind betting Sid will wolf down any raw offcuts you can get from a butcher (several on MSE get these free :wow:).
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Yaaah! Some Cramar fans! Thought there was only me that knew about Cramar on here! ;D
The Paddocks is a wonderful place where, as Gail said, the cats can do as they please, hide or come for fuss! They are all given a name and the girls know them all! :rofl:
The 'half way house' that Sweepster mentioned, is a large pen, with cat trees, where they are kept for a few days for them to get used to the sights and smells of the other ferals, as it is inside the Paddocks. If everything is ok, they join the others and have a fantastic life. In all the times i've been there, i've never seen ONE nasty cat, a lot of them come for fuss as they're so used to humans, others just follow you around. One of my favourites has been rehomed from there!
My mommy cat was PTS as she tested positive for leukemia and had a stomach tumour. I was really upset cos it had taken SO long to catch her, but i knew she would have had a long painful death if i hadn't finally caught her. I'd been helping to look after her for about 9 YEARS! It had taken a few YEARS to catch her to get her spayed, so i think you're doing the right thing, Gail. Suppose he WAS ill and he just disappeared? You would be forever wondering what had happened to him. Hopefully the blood tests will be ok and he can have a happy, safe life at Cramar.
(BTW Charlie's (Gb's) dad was a white and grey, who we called 'hissing Sid' :rofl: but, sadly, he disappeared one day :( )
I'm helping out at the Open Day again this year-i'll have my home made name badge on, so come and say hello! :rofl: (When you speak to Janet, say hello from me!)
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OH my Lord Shirley - you are not the only Cramar fan -I am a HUGE fan, my babies are boarded there when we go on holiday. I also sponser two ferals, Safie & Tabbitha, I used to have Bunty but sadly she had kidney failiure and lost her two years ago. If Sid is ok then I will sponser him to, but with TLC he may come round and be homable, I dont know. Just uploading pics of Sid & Mr Tabbs.
Also going to the Cramar Open Day 22nd August :Luv: Have been supporting them for the last 5 years
Milly's Mum - Mr Tabbs yes - just whipp of those googles and send him home - :innocent:
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I dont know if your cats gp outside Gail, if they do this could be a problem though.
Gill My garden is cat proofed. - :)
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Ok here goes
Sid - (yes hissing - not visious :Luv:)
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b7/bengal007/IMG_2453.jpg)
Mr Tabbs
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b7/bengal007/IMG_2451.jpg)
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Sid is just gorgeous - as for the hissing -i feed a few pet cats round here with my cats leftovers and one black and white one stands back away from me and hisses -but she is someones pet -maybe she she doesn''t like strangers but is hungry !? I have been feeding her for a while now ,but i only see her at weekends .
2 others i feed when the owners go away also hiss occasionally at me -maybe they can smell my cats on me !?
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Gail, 'your' hissing Sid is beautiful-lovely colouring! :Luv2: Did you speak to Janet today?
See you at the Open Day! ;D
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Hi Shirley - NO :( I called and left a message, then tried later but go the answer machine. will try again tomorrow.
What stall will you be on?
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No idea until the day before, or even the day! :evillaugh:
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No idea until the day before, or even the day! :evillaugh:
Wear a big badge -with your name & PURRS :) - you never know Sid may be there in the paddocks, they may even be able to tame him and re-home him, now that would be wonderful. I dont want rid of him, just want him to be safe,and have somewhere warm and dry and secure to sleep, and be loved and know that he exists. Mine are spoilt rotten and I feel he should be too.
He is on my drive now :'( - he has had his Tea, fresh water and I will give him some biscuits when we go out.
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Gail he is beautiful and it wouldnt suprise me if he turns out to be a domestic thats been living out for some time rather than a true feral.
With regards to what action to take,its always easy for an outsider to find the solution is written in black and white; sadly we know its not quite that simple.
The important decision to help him has already been made so take things one step at a time and because you are such a wonderful caring cat person whatever decision you make will be the right one should the worst happen.
Those who know me know that I fight for every life but I am fortunate in having the facilities to do so; this week I sadly rescued a poor girl who was in a terrible state, had I known this cat a year ago and known that this was the only outcome to her, I would have spared her the pain.
Good Luck and thank you for being there for Sid. :hug:
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Gail
I would cancel his place at the center
Get a CP voucher to neuter him
and keep doing what you are doing.
My feral, Skaggy cat, lived in a house (a covered littertray lol) in my garden for years. In the winter I put a heatmat in there (using an extention lead) and then covered the house with layers of towels and black binliners
That's what I'd do, too. Just IMHO of course, and I appreciate the extra cost isn't so good. I'm not a massive fan of dry food generally, but could you give him dry food which would be considerably cheaper? I do feed dry to my yard cats sometimes and have fed yard cats on only dry in the past - it's been that or they wouldn't have been fed when I've been the only one feeding 10+ cats!
As for the shelter you've got for him, he probably isn't bothered at this time of year while the weather is OK but I bet come winter he'll appreciate it. Put blankets, pillows etc in there and I bet he'll love it when the weather is bad :)
The hissing - well, he sounds like he's been stray for a while, he probably just doesn't trust people yet. When I had Crouton - ex farm cat - neutered 18 months ago he didn't forgive me for weeks..... I got a voucher from CP to get him done, but didn't have him tested for FIV etc. If he's positive, well he's living in a stable (! sorry about the pun!) group at my horses' yard with 2 other cats and as far as I'm concerned can live his life out there. There are only yard cats around near there anyway so it's not the same as him living in a town with a high cat population around him though.
I'd personally be happy to take on an FIV pos cat if I was looking for another cat (we already have 4 at home so it won't be until they're all no longer with us) - of course it would need to be an indoor cat but I've tamed some pretty wild feral cats in the past. But of course, it's not always that easy to find people who are happy to tame a feral and have it as an indoor cat! And like me, many people who can take on ferals have enough cats as it is.
I know it's not an easy decision to take, whether to have him tested and possibly PTS if he tests positive. I've just read through the rest of the replies and seen his photo - he is gorgeous :Luv2:
As for Mr Tabbs, I'd get the voucher, get him in, get his bits whipped off and let him loose again and see if anyone notices..... Again just IMHO ;)
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He a hunk gail and certainly doesnt have a wild look in his eyes or face.
It looks like you can get quite close (or you have a v.good zoom!) so he cant dislike you that much :Luv2:
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Gail, do Cramar test every stray, or is it just cos you thought he would go into the Paddock? I personlly wouldn't count him as a feral yet, but it is vital he gets neutered. I took in a male last year that people had been feeding but not wanting to do anymore for 3 months cos he hissed so much they thought he was vicious - he was rehomed 10 days later (and that was only cos we had to wait for his ab's to finish), he never once hissed at me, he wasn't a fully confident cat and loves his hiding places, but isn't an aggressive cat.
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I believe he is not total Feral, just very wary, as he has been on the streets for quite a while. Maybe he can be tamed and re-homed that would be wonderful. The main reason for the FIV testing is because I was asking for him to go in the Paddocks. They will know once he is there if they can bring him round. Havent been able to speak with Janet at Cramar yet to see if they could squeeze him in. As all rescues at this time of year, they too are full to burtsting.
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Cramar believed our Billy Whiz to be homeable :shify: :evillaugh:. If you met him Gail, I think you would be more hopeful for Sid's chances of being judged suitable for a "proper" home :)
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He's lovely, looks like Frosty, my feral :Luv:
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Cramar CAN TAKE SID :Luv:.
Today is such a horrid day, cold, rain a real crap day and Sid is out in in somewhere, having to find his own shelter it breaks my heart. Wish me luck in trapping him, and him when he is loosing his bobbles *ouchy*
I am feeling better - but once I know he is safe I will be even happier.
In the Cramer news letter, they had a little female cat in the Paddocks, an after some time, 2 years , she started rubbing round the carers legs and allowed them to pick her up, she is now up for -re-homing :Luv: :Luv:, hopefully this could happen for Sid. I know he isn't total Feral, just a little lost soul, who has been alone and unloved for too long and needs TLC. But I love him even though he isnt mine.
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Cramar CAN TAKE SID :Luv:.
Is this as long as he doesn't prove positive for FIV ?
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Great news Gail! :hug: Hopefully the blood test will be ok and he can have a good life there. I know they PTS for Felv but not sure about FIV :-:
Are you talking about the current Mewsletter? I haven't had one yet and Charlie's story is in it! Should be getting one in the next couple of days! ;D
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Great news Gail! :hug: Hopefully the blood test will be ok and he can have a good life there. I know they PTS for Felv but not sure about FIV :-:
Are you talking about the current Mewsletter? I haven't had one yet and Charlie's story is in it! Should be getting one in the next couple of days! ;D
Yes read Charile's story :Luv: :Luv: :Luv:
I loved it :hug:
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Awww thanks! :hug: Obviously i had to leave a lot out cos of lack of space-would've needed an encyclopedia (sp) to get it all in! :rofl:
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Aww, Sid looks gorgeous.
Now tell me.....How would one go about getting a CPL neutering voucher if perhaps one knew of a neighbourhood cat that was pretty poorly cared for and definitely NOT neutered. Also...if one WERE to go ahead and plan a surprise neuter, how would one go about it?
Just asking for a friend. :innocent:
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Hi Gail, any news on catching Sid? I've been to Cramar today-wonderful as usual! Didn't get a lot of time to speak to Janet tho, ahe was soooo busy! Someone came to collect 2 kittens they were adopting! OMG, fluffballs, 9 weeks old! Had a walk round the Paddocks-just beautiful! Here's some pics of 2 of the ferals and how they eventually get used to humans!
This is Ben, on my lap! Next, Jill with Ben and a gorgeous tabby, then one of the Sanctuary cats who paws you if you stop fussing him-awww!
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Not got Sid yet :'( - just had the rain storm from hell. I havnt seen him today :'(, so really worried about him.
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He'll be fine - just holed up somewhere until the rain passes. "My" local stray was very similar....but without the hissing. Managed to catch him for treatment for an ulcer on his eye, got him neutered whilst in captivity. When he came "home" and was released he has barely left the garden and now comes running to you for a fuss and a cuddle. Previously he could barely be touched without being in a panic. Having his bits taken off him certainly tamed him!
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I'm sure he'll be fine Gail you'd be surprised, he may even have other people seeing to him too :hug:
good luck catching the lovely boy x
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Haven't seen Sid since Saturday lunch time :-( I am really worried, please pray he shows up again.
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OH NO! Everything crossed he shows up today! :hug: :hug:
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Sid is fab and hope he turns up :hug:
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Ginger would sometimes be gone for days at a time and I was always worried about him.
Is it possible he is coming back when you aren't around and looking for him? I know Ginger would turn up during the day when I was out at work - he didn't hang around as he had better things to be doing and wild oats to be sewing!
Hopefully he'll show up soon.
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Has Sid turned up, Gail? :hug:
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Has Sid turned up, Gail? :hug:
No :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
I have booked Monday & Tuesday off next week just in case he comes round during the day. But he would normally wait for me to come home - and be waiting on the drive for me. :'( :'(
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Oh dear :(
Try not to worry too much (easy to say!) It could be he's being fed somewhere else. When my Charlie was in the factory he started disappearing for 2 weeks at a time, even tho he was being fed regularly and his mom and sister were there. The first time i was a complete wreck-but he always came back looking in great condition, so we assumed he was being looked after. We didn't worry so much after that. :hug: :hug:
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Any news, Gail? :hug:
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He's still walking free the little :censored: :Luv:.
Almost had him - the door wnet down on his bum and he back out - but I will get him - he so needs sorting poor little man. He looks so sad and I can now see how slim he is :'( . but all that will be over once I have him, and he will be a happy kitty :Luv:
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Fingers crossed, Gail! :hug: