Rescue Journal

Introducing....Des.

Carol  ·  May 24, 2018

Des was a stray cat roaming around our neighborhood for the past few months. We occasionally caught glimpses of him as he scurried out of sight. The staff set a trap for him without success, there is a bit of an art to capturing wary, sketchy cats. He had taken up residence in an unused motor home across the street that suffered some significant damage during that horrendous ice storm last winter. Luckily the owner of said motorhome was our own dear friend and volunteer Michelle! When she told me the insurance company would be towing the motorhome away, I decided we better get serious about trapping that cat before he became homeless again! Michelle was a rock star, she came over and got the trap and set it up exactly how I said but Des wouldn't have anything to do with it. I suggested she add some catnip and voila! Des was trapped and Michelle became a cat trapping rockstar!
I was hoping that he was a stray cat who just went a bit wild while out on his own. But I am realizing maybe we are not so lucky, I am increasingly sure that Des is a true feral. I don't think this lightly, it can take a long time for a tame turned wild to learn to trust again. It is not just the narrowed eyes nor the hissing at our every approach. It is that combination plus his smell...a wild unneutered male has an overpowering odor. Right now Des is in control..we trapped him but now we are waiting for some cooperation on his part. He is stubbornly waiting us out. We have a crate in his cage with an open door that we need him to go into so we can take him to the vet for testing, tattoo, vaccines and a neuter.
Des is having nothing to do with it. He is constantly perched up on top of that crate spewing his frequent "F" you's. The good news is...he really likes our food so at least I don't have to worry about him starving to death!
I tell him every night as I go in to feed him AGAIN..just go into the crate, one more really bad day at the vets but then I promise to let you loose in here. We won't bug you, we will let you wander around inside and outside in the cat run..doing your own thing, but at least doing it safe AND you will be happier to have some freedom again.
All I get back is the slitty, pissed off eyes and the big screw you.

I named him Des after the eagles song Desperado.
Maybe I should try singing it to him.
Could music tame the angry beast?
(probably not with my singing!)

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow
Don't you draw the Queen of Diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet
Now, it seems to me some fine things
Have been laid upon your table,
But you only want the ones that you can't get
Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom, well that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone
Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You're losin' all your highs and lows;
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences; open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you, before it's too late

Comments

Curt

Off topic. New shelter challenge on Animal Rescue web site. Time to vote again