Cat Tales

Another cat has moved into the house. “Smokey” started visiting, then wandered inside and moved right in. Yes, this makes number nine.

Smokey, a blue-eyed tabby, is a friendly boy who has no qualms with other cats. He even wandered into another neighbor’s house, much to the protest of their cats. He just wants to lay on your lap. He is definitely one of the cuddliest in the house. 

Being an intact male, he liked to spray, so he couldn’t move in completely until that was fixed (pun intended). Previously, someone had tried banding him. Yes, the same thing that’s done to cattle; someone tried that procedure on this poor boy. By the time it was noticed, it had grown infected. The band was cut off, and the dead skin fell off. How he survived that is beyond me. It irritates me that someone would do that without making sure it was a safe and complete procedure. 

After that incident and also getting stuck in a tree, he visited Mom whenever she went outside for a smoke. It developed into Smokey crying and scratching at the front door to be let in. He’d come in and take a nap. He never showed any signs of aggression toward the other cats. The other boys in the house, King and Salem, were more hesitant and defensive. They’d try to antagonize Smokey, but he just backed down.

Another issue with Smokey was that he smelled so bad. Like he’d sprayed and rolled in it. This cat received frequent baths, and we used pet wipes and sprays. I’ve never encountered a cat so smelly. The other boys did not appreciate the smell either. 

It came time for his appointment to get fixed, and we joked that I should get 50% off after presumably losing a testicle to the banding incident. To my shock and the vet’s, he still had both. The one had sucked back up inside his body after the banding incident. So, both were removed. Smokey looks so funny with a shaved butt.

He is now a fully indoor cat.  He still wants outside and has tried bolting a few times but doesn’t go far. The spraying is finally slowing down. I check the house regularly with a black light and I noticed he likes to spray windows. He loves the outdoor kennel and hopefully that should help with the transition, as he still has an outdoor area he can spray in.

The best part is that he doesn’t smell like pee anymore. His last bath was before his appointment and he still smells good. 

He is starting to loosen up around the other cats. Pumpkin, the orange tabby, loves him. Latte, the calico, has started playing with him. King and Salem now mostly tolerate his presence. Just like every cat in the house, he loves Pepper the dog. He enjoys napping on my chair and with Mom in her room. He loves catnip and kick toys. He’s a very good boy and is settling in nicely.