New Camper

[Gina D.]

It's been a lot of years since I have had one of these in the house..

I didn't go shopping for a new camper, but, as with most, they find you.

Having been at my vets everyday last week to drop off and pick up my Beagles for day care while living in the Burro during the evac, this little guy was in the "Adopt Me" kennel on the floor.

Every day when I would go in, the girls at the office would tease me and take him out so I could see how cute he was. "Yeah, he'll be cute til he eats my furniture"

Well, he seemed to have glommed onto me, following me and jumping onto my shoulder when ever I went in...and to boot, Sticky and Kitty were not aggressive to him at all.. they played with him.

So... They made me an offer I couldn't refuse (Well, I could, but I didn't) and they gave him to me for no adoption fee.

He got into his harness with no fuss, doesn't seem to mind the leash, but he doesn't follow it yet, and he is comfortable around all animals, and in the car. He is already crate trained and box trained, he just sort of goes where you do, whether you are carrying him (He likes to be held and carried) or in his crate.

Sticky seems to think he is his private puppy.. he cleans him and plays with him when I can supervise, but look at the look on the dogs face. It's pure puppy love.

I am not letting them be loose and alone together, as Sticky plays very rough, but I will slowly allow interaction outside the crate at times until I am comfortable the cat can defend himself properly. He is just a baby, maybe 8 weeks old at best. Kitty, the dog, doesn't show much interest, but she was raised with a cat, so she knows better

I named him Wilson.. cause someone cast him away and he will join the ranks with Jerry and Dallas.. and be a Kamper Kat. He seems to be the type.. and I will keep working with him by taking him places where he is allowed and socializing him, getting him used to different places and not being a fraidy cat.. he doesn't seem to be now..

I sure hope he stays a short hair!

[Alf S.]

Hi: Who owns Whom???
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Bobbie Mayer]

Awww.... that Beagle sure wants to cuddle up with that kitty!

Bobbie

[Dave and Kathie]

Wow Gina, he's beautiful! I don't know which one of you is luckier. Wish our's was a camper kitty, she rules the house, but howls in the car. Rescued pets are the best!
Kathie

[Camilla]

I had one that looks identical to your new kitty! He was a real good kitty and I know your new Wilson is going to be a good boy too. Congratulations on your good find!

Camilla

[Gina D.]

It is becoming painfully apparent that this is not MY cat, but I am allowed to handle him when his Daddy isn't doting over him.

This is too weird... the cat is allowed to play with the dogs toys, and sleep in his chair. The ktten was crying in the night (His first nite alone, no doubt) and Sticky would get up and lick him through the kennel wire.. and soon as the kitten got quiet, Sticky would return to his spot on my bed.. or I should say, his bed that he allows me to sleep in.

The kitten is out and about now and play attacking Sticky, and he shows no interest in the female dog.

[Lizbeth]

Ha, HA, HA, HA!!!!!!

Miss "I'll never hava a cat again."

http://www.metpet.com/

Carol says Jerry can back out of his walking jacket but I've never had one do it. Wilson will have to grow a little before one fits him.

Redette thinks Wilson is a very handsome kid.

[CarolnJim]

Congratulations Gina.. Another Camping Cat... Super!

More fun now for you... Wilson is so cute. Taking him everywhere will definitely help. Jerry isn't afraid of people or dogs.. (unless the dogs come on real aggressive).. We have had him with us between camping trips - taking him for rides and into places like Home Depot or Big Lots...

Jerry does wear his walking jacket and I use it often - however if he gets tangled up around chairs, posts, etc outside, he will back up- pulling and out he comes. It's only happened a couple of times - it's not a problem for us because we watch him closely.. He has also backed out of his regular harness too. He's an escape artist..

I'm looking forward to seeing your new Wilson. Jerry is fun to take camping and very easy .. Starting him around 10 weeks old was the clue. He loves riding in the van, and camping in the trailer. Wilson will too.

I agree .. Rescue cats are the best. Jerry was rescued from the Castaic Animal Shelter by our daughter .. she gave him to us as a surprise for our birthdays June 2006. She said when she picked him up at 6 weeks old.. he purred and she just couldn't leave him. We're glad she brought him to us.

We're so happy that you rescued Wilson - he will have the best home now.

[Gina D.]

Lizbeth, like I say.. they pick you.

He DOES know how to use the main reason I have not had a cat in the house for so long.. PU! He is a healthy boy and knows how to make LOTS of noise scratching in his box :-P

With the doggie door, I am afraid I can not keep him from going outside, but in the big scheme of things, the Coyote risk vs. certain demise via animal control seems the lesser of two evils. Hopefully, he will make his deposits mostly out doors.

His harness is so tiny, I can see how a walking jacket would not work for him yet, but I will look at getting him one. I am going to try a short camping trip this weekend to get him introduced.

[Linda R002]

Congratulations on the new addition. While Dallas doesn't want a harness or to go outside. We have traveled with several cats and they all could get out of a regular harness. We discovered that a figure eight harness is the best. Because of the way it is designed, it can't chock them like a collar, or let them slip out like a regular harness as it will tighten or loosen in sections. I think you can get one at Wal-mart. We have used them on four different cats and it worked fine on all of them.

Dallas says he looks forward to meeting your spoiled cat. He would never admit to being spoiled. Right now he is bent out of shape as the grandson is visiting and taking attention away from him that he thinks he deserves.

[BOBSMITH]

I love cats. Not fond of dogs, but I love cats. We just adopted a stray recently. He turned up at our door very dirty and hungry so we fed him, cleaned him up, took him to the vet for shots, and have adopted him. At first we thought he was a girl (he'd been neutered), so we named (her) Molly. When the vet told us he was a boy, our son renamed him Marley, after the reggae musician, Bob Marley. Our other cat, Sophie, does not care for him, at all, and doesn't seem inclined to "get used to him". Alas, though, it's her problem, since Marley's here to stay.

[Frederick L. Simson]

I named him Wilson.. cause someone cast him away

So, shall I bring over a volleyball when you call the cat?

[Gina D.]

You could possibly play with him with it.

Now that he has had a few days to settle in, the dogs suddenly seem more mature, and the kitten has become.. SATANS SPAWN!

"Sticky, where is Wilson?"

"I dunno Mom, last time I saw him, he was riding the ceiling fan".

What have I done????????

[Susan Tiller]

Congrats! Gina. He is so pretty. Shelia says she is glad another camping kitty has joined the ranks. Good luck on your first outing and enjoy him.

Susan

[CharlynnT]

Now that he has had a few days to settle in, the kitten has become.. SATANS SPAWN!

What have I done????????

Gina,
We named our cast-away Kitten til we were sure was really abandoned, not just lost. Then we took her for shots, etc and named her Katie, as she was such a demure young lady.

As soon as she was comfortable with us, she began leaping four feet in the air in surprise attacks. So her alternate name is Kato, as in "Not now, Kato!"

How's the cat?
It's Kato, and she's in Attack Mode!
Who, Katie? She's practicing her Yoga right now.

[james kent]

Good for you but...OH GAWD!
Here come the kitty jokes.
Seriously though.Mabee you didn't know it yet but that cat had you nailed down the FIRST time you walked in the door. EVERYTHING they do has a reason. It's for us mortals to figure it out. THAT"S why I have a jack. Too much energy even for a cat.

[Gina D.]

The Spawn has discovered the doggie door. I was hoping he would get his outdoor feet on a leash, but any noise sends him scurying back in, so thats OK, I guess. It was bound to happen eventually. Sticky follows him and attempts to keep him in line.. familiarity with the territory gives him an advantage.... for now.

He has taken over the dog toys and they don't dare try to object. I suppose the 100 bucks I spent in cat toys and supplies was meager and offensive to his standards.

I have purchased a spray bottle. I suppose that will be a temporary defense. He has figured out I won't use it if he is sitting on my head.

I must go.. he is trying to eat my bicycle.

[Mike Watters]

Can't have cats myself - VERY allergic. Love the little things though.

When we went to the pound to pick up dog #2 (I'm sure I've shared the long version of that story before) I learned a valuable lesson about myself:

I CAN'T GO TO THE POUND!!! If I hadn't forced myself out of there I'd have probably come home with half a dozen dogs.

I'm a total soft touch in that regard.

mkw

[Ian-Vicki]

Ah, so much fun eh? We fell for two, yes two, homeless waifs so Luther and Martha, brother and sister, now rule. We took them to the North Oregon gathering a few weeks ago, when they were about eight weeks old, and they had a good time being the belles of the ball. Even snuggled up in the cat cage in the truck, making sure they ate, drank and did the other thing every time we let them out. Made it through a 10-hour driving day! The walls of the Burro delighted them no end. "You carpeted this for us?" they howled in delight as they hung halfway up. So far, they haven't gone outside. We'll wait until the harnesses have a better chance of fitting them.
At home, they terrorize all 800 square feet of our house, and the houseplants now reside on top of the fridge in relative safety, for now anyway. But since Ian is about to use a reciprocating saw on one of our million ongoing renovation projects, this is going to get really interesting ...
Vicki

[Frederick L. Simson]

I have purchased a spray bottle. I suppose that will be a temporary defense. [b]He has figured out I won't use it if he is sitting on my head.

Oh, go ahead and use it. It's only water, isn't it?