A cat is more intelligent than people believe, and can be taught any crime. Mark Twain[1895]
From the same Mark Twain Notebook[1894]:
Of all God’s creatures there is only one that cannot be made slave of the lash. That is the cat.
If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat.
Can anybody give me some tips about feeding cats.
Next to having a stray cat that come to live permenantly with me, I also have ferral cats that depend on my feeding them. Sorry to say, the cost in doing that is becoming a burden and I can live on oats for long periods, but I am wondering what to give my wandering pets in this difficult time for humans and animals alike!
Any tips are welcome.
I’ve known many kitties during my lifetime. They are all special. But a few stand out. Like the old Tom who only wanted food and medicine if needed, from me. He saw a place where community cats were feed regularly twice daily and decided it was a good place to rest. One cold, cold January when he was getting old and tired, he ran into the house when I opened the door to put their food out. On the third try he ran under a piece of furniture and his look said, “Not coming out.” He stayed inside where he was warm and cozy. He begged for food in his own ways learned quietly from the streets. He got into our hearts. We couldn’t pet him too often. I’d catch him and treat him for pests. But he lived his life and did his own thing inside with our own kitties. He’d go out and rest in the sun in the warmer weather. And he passed inside, on his own terms. We all miss that cat. He taught us much about life and how to live it to the fullest even in the most desparate of times.
Tinned fish is a winner although I know everything is getting more expensive but here in UK I can find tins of pilchards for around 50p if I look for deals.
My cat is very fussy about wet cat food and will just refuse to eat certain brands. Dry food is a non starter most of the time for her.
Each cat so different of course, I wish there was a healthy cheap source of food that she would go for but for now that’s all I’ve tried her on.
@neru
I worked for a veterinarian who treated cats exclusively so what I say comes from that particular experience.
Cats are obligate carnivores & must have meat, unlike dogs who can subsist on veggies & other things for a while, cats don’t do well for long with that. Unfortunately, it is expensive caring for cats; I am on my last cat & know how tough it is.
If you feed them strictly dry food, they will get what meat they need from the wildlife around you, esp. birds & mice. The wildlife around you will start to disappear, as it did in the Outback, because so many cats were dumped there, they destroyed the natural fauna. Bounty money was finally placed on cats due to this.
All you can do is whatever you can do. If it’s dry food, so be it. Feral cats live 3 to 5 years, sometimes less. Due to the vermin they eat, Toxoplasmosis is a risk so please don’t handle them. I’ve had Toxo & it’s ugly.
Check to see if there’s a service that will neuter the male cats to be released back into the wild if you trap them.
There’s not much more I can tell you, except that cat bites & scratches are very dangerous, more so than dogs because of the number & type of pathogens they carry. Cats also present Rabies symptoms twice as fast as dogs because of the higher body temp.
It’s a sad situation and I feel your pain. Unfortunately, as economies falter, there’s likely more to come. Do what you can & that’s it. So sad, I know…
Thank you for not sugarcoating. Have connections to butchers so I will ask them if cheap scraps are an option.
You’re most welcome for the info & glad I could contribute some sort of assistance.
Be sure to boil the meat & let it cool first before feeding. Break it into smaller pieces.
If you have specific questions, let me know. I will try to find answers for you.
Like me, you’re probably now a “cat magnet”. Sigh… What to do…
a cat is just another way to say topological metaphor.
when she gets away from persecution of looking into the eyes, she mostly just sleeps by.
All cats are different, the one who lives with me usually just eats whatever she likes right of my dinner plate and she doesn’t need that much food to be full.
a cat at a friend of mine degustastes every piece of food my friend takes. well, that is a well-versed parasite! they eat meat! LOL!
I think my backyard is part of a neighborhood cat’s shopping mall. Sometimes late at night while I’m sitting outside, the cat comes in the yard looking for any dog treats my dog hasn’t consumed during the day. When the cat sees me it doesn’t run away, just causally looks and leaves. The morning ritual for the dog is to check out the yard to see if any thing is missing and who or has been in it overnight.
That’s a cool story, one of my neighbor’s cats named Romeo snuck into my house once and hid somewhere for hours I couldn’t even find where he hid.
Cool thing about my cat is that when she’s hungry she doesn’t meow at me for food unless I’ve stood up first.
Our barn cats started out as feral cats so we supplement what they catch (they have a job) with dry kibble that gives them the nutrition that humans think they need. A good diet of mice is actually the best- assuming the mice aren’t POISONED (like the REST OF US)!
I am feeding 5 feral cats. I buy big bags of dry food and cheap chicken. $2.58 for 4 fatty chicken thighs. The fat fills them up and will give them a fatty layer for the coming snow. Also shared with the house cat. Wish I could house them. They are remarkable, polite and well mannered. Super inteligent and know the word NO. Any takers? 
“No” is a difficult concept with cats. I may say, no, please don’t sit on my lap right now, I put you back down on the floor, but cat will still jump right back on lap at least two or three times before accepting a no.
Story about Tom the Cat reminds of Harvey the Hurricane Hawk:
