Monday, October 1, 2018

Beulah in Recovery



Beulah’s surgery went well today. Because it was a spay – quite an intrusive procedure – she will be spending at least one night at the cosy apartment. The weather has turned chilly and she will rest – if rest she can in such strange and probably frightening surroundings – and receive plenty of food while she is here. I haven’t fed her much yet, as I didn’t want it to react adversely with her post-operative condition, but she will receive a large helping to eat through the night, if she likes.

She is about two years old, the doctor estimates, and weighs a mere 2.7 kilograms (six pounds) but, while slender, she isn’t thin. In other words, it is not an unhealthy weight for her. She wasn’t pregnant. How a feral girlcat avoided that, I don’t know, but I have seen her interact with other felines, and she stands up for herself pretty well.

Beulah is definitely feral and, though she could likely be tamed with time and patience, there is no where for her to go. It’s the same old story. Raleigh presented a different situation, as he required little more than a few days to remember his past with people. I suspect that Beulah was born in a feral state, or began living in one as a kitten; she is not entirely shy with people, living in proximity to them and receiving their food. But she has certainly never been an indoor cat, as Raleigh had obviously been. Beulah’s nature would demand a much more protracted programme of socialisation, and that is simply not available.

For now, she is in a large kennel, with room to stand and stretch, with a little litter-box and a towel to soften the floor. Tomorrow, or the next day, she will be released back into the only life she has known. But she will be have a better capacity to withstand its dangers, and will never have to worry about providing for little ones. She need take care of only herself – with a little help from her human friends.

10 comments:

  1. I am glad her spay went well and she is making a good recovery. She is a pretty girl and it's a pity there aren't the facilities to handle and tame her, but her life will be so much better now, still living feral but knowing there is a good supply of food and not adding to the kitten population.

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  2. I'm so glad to hear Beulah's surgery went well, and that she will be taken care of once she is returned to her feral colony. If she is truly feral, as you suspect, I'm not sure that she can be socialized at this point in her life. Since feral cats really don't adjust well to being indoor pets, I'm sure she will be much happier living the outdoor life she is used to.

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  3. Bless her. She will be happy to "go home".

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  4. She may enjoy having her cage covered. For a few days or a week, a cat can live in a covered humane trap quite nicely. They like hidey holes! Yay for Beulah!

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  5. the hardest part of TNR is the "R"...but at least no more kittens

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  6. I wish I lived near you so I could adopt her.

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  7. Thank goodness for your organization and the volunteers that make life better for these strays. So happy Beulah is done having babies!

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  8. Beulah is considered a community cat by the standards here in this city; they are well looked after, taken to the vet if needed { and can be caught} and cared for by the community care givers. while she might always be an outdoor gal, she's already 2 steps ahead of the game and we wish her the very best in all circumstances ♥♥♥

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  9. This is wonderful news John. I hope she is able to live a long and happy feral life.

    Eileen

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