Lucas

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sandy
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Re: Lucas

Post by sandy »

OMG LL, have you considered a professional rat catcher? We had them in the garage and the attic and couldnt get rid of them
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Gwenoakes
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Re: Lucas

Post by Gwenoakes »

You have my total sympathy, LL and what's more I have no suggestions to make either other than closing the cat flap up.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Lucas

Post by lancashire lass »

Touch wood, Lucas has recently not been actively bringing live animals into the house that I am aware of >fi< (or he drops them off in the dining room before greeting me in the living room because he might anticipate my reaction ... and who knows what he brings in after I've gone to bed!) Earlier this week I did a supermarket shop at Aldis and they had other pouch food which I'd never seen before, one of which were in gravy (something like Whiskas but Aldi brand) He REALLY likes those but as I'd only got one box, I have been alternating with the other new box with different poultry flavours in jelly which are also going down well. It does make me wonder if presenting me with live rodents was his way of saying "hey, can we have something different for dinner tonight? How about fresh mice for supper?"

Closing the cat flap isn't really an option I'd like to take if I can - Lucas is surprisingly not as independent as his RSPCA description made him out to be as he seems to need to come indoors often just to assure himself that I'm still around before going back out again. His affection has definitely grown in recent weeks and he often invites me to pick him up to put him on my lap (he positions himself against my legs in such a way that he doesn't just want to be stroked at floor level but makes it easier for me to bend over and lift him up) Once on my lap, he has a deep purr and if he could, would want to rub his face against mine ... not something I really want to encourage because I can feel cat hair (whether real or imaginary) round my nose (I have allergies but so far am tolerating Lucas) ... and then relaxes before leaning into me. So very different from a year ago when just having him on my lap for a few short seconds before he decided to jump off was considered a success.

My neighbour is currently having their tall ash tree chopped down (it's still there but all the top branches have been cut down) The work has been done by hand but still, with several ladders and workmen around plus a shredder in use for the twiggy stuff, Lucas has decided to spend the day indoors despite the lovely dry sunny weather.
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Mo
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Re: Lucas

Post by Mo »

Sounds as if he has really decided to trust you.
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Spreckly
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Re: Lucas

Post by Spreckly »

I hope you have found the rat/s LL. Bad enough when you know there is a mouse around. I always know if I have a mouse in the airing cupboard, as I have a humane trap in there, and the stink is unbelievable for such a tiny creature.

Years ago when we lived next door to a working farm, with the fold yard a stones throw away from our back door, we had several rats, and a really brilliant ratting cat, who left them on the path, and on occasion chased them into the front hedge, which was hawthorne. I used to send them packing with a broom handle.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Lucas

Post by lancashire lass »

I spent a small fortune and bought new rat and mouse traps with supposed attractant but none have been triggered. The other day I could hear the rat that ran into the understairs cupboard so its still around but I haven't seen or heard (or smelled) any others.
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Re: Lucas

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A bit of warm weather and my cat quickly decides he prefers sleeping outdoors during the day now - very much what he did all last summer so I don't see him as much these days. I know where he spends the day because come feeding time (and I tap the bowl on the edge of the kitchen work top which he obviously hears and knows it is dinner time), I'll see him pop his head out from the unfinished "quail house" over the White House chicken coop where there is still a lot of clutter but he clearly likes being able to hide from view. This change in behaviour started up about the same time I had recently started going to work (slowly re-introducing myself back to the work place by going in early for about 3 hours about 2-3x a week and then leaving when others start arriving in earnest and would come home to carrying on working on the laptop) At first he would keep a close eye on me as the "normal" (lock down) pattern changed when I started to get ready to go - one day he even plonked himself on my foot which is something he'd never done before, as if he knew I was going out and was leaving him behind. When I got home (about 11 am), he'd be on his bed with his front paws tucked underneath and totally ignoring me, but this has since changed to now going to his hiding place instead.

Thankfully Lucas has stopped bringing any more live wildlife into the house - I think partly because he has got his appetite back and is eating whatever I put down for him (and some) Being able to get hold of the gravy flavoured pouch food has definitely helped. The other day I decided to try him with one of the other jelly pouch flavours he had gone off, and bless him, he ate the lot. For a rescued cat, he seems to like variety at meal times.

Most evenings Lucas will approach me when I'm settled down on the settee to watch tv and by the way he stands slightly away from me where I have to stretch over, he clearly wants me to pick him up and he'll snuggle down on my lap and purr his little heart out. I think it's not so much wanting to settle down but just have reassuring loving strokes (or he thinks I need it) before he shifts on my lap indicating he wants to get off (unlike the early days when he didn't want to be on my lap and try to leap off, this way is more subtle) and then he goes out for the night.

Talking of the tv, last night he did the funniest thing. As my television is on most of the time (not necessarily watching it but as a background noise especially when I'm working on the computer - I can't abide listening to radio chatter), Lucas should be well used to it by now. I was watching a documentary (about feathered dinosaurs) when he suddenly stopped what he was doing and started staring intensely at the tv, then quickly ran up to it and tried to swipe one of "dinosaurs" on the screen. The funniest part is that he then jumped up on to the tv stand and walked round the back and looked puzzled when he finally reappeared and then totally ignored the tv altogether and went outside.

The other thing I've noticed is that Lucas likes it when I spend time in the garden. I'm not sure why because it's not as though we've ever "played" outside (except for "fist bumps" when I've seen him on the shed roof as I've walked by) but as soon as I appear, he jumps on top of the chicken run roof and makes playful swipes at my head and then crouches down with his head low looking at me as if anticipating something when I see him. This soon follows into a mad dash round the pond, up onto the shed roof, across to the chicken run roof, back and forth a couple of times. Normally he'll then settle down but yesterday I couldn't believe my eyes when he went charging off the shed roof at speed (easily an 8 foot drop on the garden side), enough for me to quickly jump up and make sure he wasn't hurt but he was nowhere to be seen. I then noticed that when I had built the roof extension over the second chicken run from the shed that it stops at the apex of the glass greenhouse and on the other side it slopes down so it's likely he had landed on that before jumping off it. What a crazy cat.

I know Lucas goes to the gardens across the street at the front of my house as I've often seen him. I would rather he didn't venture too far as the next road up is a busy road, and is especially popular for cars speeding down the hill. I can't stop him from going out now that he has enjoyed his freedoms. The other day while on the patio repotting some plants, I heard him jump up on to the side gate, look unsteady on his feet trying to balance on top of the fence before dropping down heavily on to the paving. Clearly the route he takes regularly so today I moved one of the garden bins (used for bin collection which I have since stopped using) and parked it behind the gate - at least it'll not be such a big drop on to the paving now.

It seems strange to still have this topic open as I thought Lucas had settled in but just occasionally he surprises me with some of the antics he gets up to. He certainly keeps me entertained and been a loving companion.
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sandy
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Re: Lucas

Post by sandy »

Glad your rat problem seems to have settled down )t'
My cats have always loved it when i was in the garden, infact the only way i could catch them to take them up the vets was to sit on the lawn knowing full well they would slink upto me.
Oh dont stop writing about Lucas, he is such a character
The Pink Ladies..Audrey,Ingrid-Bergman,Madeleline,Norma-Jean,Dora,Janice,Jo,Robyn,Chrissy and Joyce
The Peds…Mork,Mindy,Bell,Saphire &
Vorky ,Blueped,Ginger,Ninger &Linky

Sunny Clucker was ere July 12-21 2012
Sunny Clucker was ere July 6 2016 to Sept 9th 2017
Sunny Clucker is here , rehomed Aug 18th 2018/
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lancashire lass
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Re: Lucas

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Lucas has discovered a new hiding place. With the soaring temperatures recently, I try to cool the house down in the early morning by leaving the back door and the door in the living room to the stairs wide open, and partially open the front door (with the curtain drawn across so that people walking in the street don't look directly into my house) At the top of the stairs, I have the top window wide open - heat in the living room rises up the stairs while at the same time, cooler air from both the front and back of the house are drawn in. By mid-morning or when temperatures have warmed up, I then shut the front and back door but leave the living room door open. Of course, the stairs have to be investigated and it should be no surprise to learn that Lucas has made his way up and found himself a new bed on the landing.

The first time I found him on the landing, I had gone to the bathroom (the door is at the top of the stairs and overlooks the landing) With the bedroom doors closed, the landing was in darkness and I wasn't aware that Lucas was upstairs. Having a black cat unknowingly staring at you from the shadow and all you see is the reflective glint of his eyes can be quite startling. Now as I go up the stairs, I glance across to the landing to check whether he is there or not.

And he loves having the front door partially open and gets most upset when I close it (sorry Lucas, I'm not getting up to open the door for you when there's a perfectly good cat flap on the back door!) Yesterday he decided to have a mad dash barrelling his way through the partial open front door, through the living room / dining room / kitchen (there is a beaded curtain between the dining room and kitchen which goes flying in all directions) and straight out the back door at speed, then another mad dash back the other way and straight up the stairs, followed by another mad dash back downstairs before slamming the side of his body against my legs to stop. Then he looked up at me as if to say, "hello" {rofwl}

This morning he was a lot quieter but he got spooked by the postman - as before, the front door was partially opened so Lucas was in and out the house when I heard the quiet crunch of footsteps as the postman went to the house next door. I saw Lucas just as he quickly slunk into the house through the door and turn to face the outside while hiding behind the curtain. The postman cut across the driveway towards my door and Lucas quickly ran inside and hid behind me as I sat on the office chair (working from home on the computer) I think the icing on the cake was when a hand appeared from behind the curtain to drop an envelope rather than use the letter box ... it was just too much for Lucas as he went scrambling towards the open back door. On the one hand it was really quite funny from start to finish, and yet sweet to think he thought I would protect him from this stranger.

There was another television incident the other week. I really can't remember what programme I was watching (maybe local news?) but I do remember there was a fox and cubs. Lucas must have recognised that it was a fox because once again, he went charging up to the tv and started to pat at the image of the cubs. And as before, he went round to the back of the tv before losing interest.

And oh yes, Lucas still brings me gifts ... this time a bird which was inconveniently placed on the carpet where I walk. I didn't see it when I went into the kitchen to make my coffee after getting up but as I started to walk back, saw the poor wee thing. He really wants to prove to me that he is a good hunter but I really would rather he either didn't or left them outside.
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Spreckly
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Re: Lucas

Post by Spreckly »

My previous sheltie brought "offerings" into the house on odd occasions! You have to treat very carefully. Lucas sounds a real character LL.
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Mo
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Re: Lucas

Post by Mo »

Tabitha too. This morning I was talking to my grandson and saw & removed a vole, then later was on the phone and and looked down at a mole. Wouldn't have thought they were that easy to catch.
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Spreckly
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Re: Lucas

Post by Spreckly »

My post should have read "you have to tread very carefully" - not treat!
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lancashire lass
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Re: Lucas

Post by lancashire lass »

I'm still on sick leave and have spent the past 6 weeks more or less housebound, much to Lucas's delight. Normally he spends his day lying on a bed (an old pillow with an old T-shirt for added comfort) right in front of the oil radiator but now and again, he will get up to say hello and pester me to pick him up and put him on my lap. Two years ago when he first came to live with me, the idea of trying to have him on my lap for more than a few seconds was a blessing but nowadays, he'll even turn round to make it easier for me to lift him up.

And he is such a loving gentle little boy - I thought about Blackie the cat I had before, and there really is no comparison now other than they were both black cats (Blackie was much bigger (size, not fat) than the average cat with a long slender tail, Lucas is a standard size cat with a short bushy tail. Blackie also had only short friendly moments and when he'd had enough and without warning for no reason, would bite or scratch to get away. But when it came to feeding times, Blackie was extraordinary vocal and loud whereas Lucas is a little more patient and rarely meows for his food, except when it comes to his chicken treat ....)

I sometimes offer Lucas a tasty morsel when I've been preparing my own food but these have often been ignored until one day I put some ready cooked chicken (from supermarket chillers) with his dinner. He loved it so much that he now knows when there is going to be a chicken treat (he has obviously associated the crackle of the plastic bag as I take it out of the fridge with the possibility of a treat) and will come running into the kitchen, make polite meows (he doesn't get under my feet like Blackie would) and even when I've told him to wait, he'll stand up on his back legs next to me and stretch so that his front paws are just touching the worktop while looking at me in great anticipation. Well, I've been unable to get to the supermarket to do any shopping recently and have just used the local shop to pick up the essentials as and when needed. On Tuesday, I urgently needed to fill up the car with petrol so I also called in at the supermarket with intentions of a quick small shop to pick up a few things from the chiller / freezer units and of course, a cooked chicken ended up in the trolley. I'd say my position has been elevated to being the bestest friend ever as he is even more loving. I couldn't ask for more {hug}
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Mo
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Re: Lucas

Post by Mo »

I've taken to being more strict with myself about feeding cats 'my' food. Used to occasionally offer Socks bits off my plate, but he got used to the smell of Marmite and would mug me for it. So decided I wouldn't make that mistake with Pat. But he could still smell it and still wouldn't let me eat it in peace. Socks would come running at the sound of a plate scraping, he knew left-overs were going onto his plate, Pat wasn't interested in left-overs or wet food, only dry. Tabitha likes the dry food that I give her twice a day (just a little as a treat), asks for it whenever I go into the kitchen, but will eat dry if I tell her it's not time. She hates being picked up, and rarely sits on my lap, but does come to bed with me. Last night she stayed on the sofa ad wouldn't come till I'd put out the light, I suppose she's decided that she'll be disturbed when I put down my book and get out to go to the bathroom.
Most cats I've had have been kittens, but Pat was a almost full-grown when he adopted a friend who passed him on, Tabitha was 6 when I got her. Neither liked knee sitting at first. I suppose kittens get used to things quicker.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Lucas

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It's been so long since I updated this thread. There have been changes to Lucas's behaviour all through this summer that I began to wonder if history was repeating itself and I'd end up footing the bill to feed a cat that I never see like what happened with Blackie (the cat I had before). When I got Blackie, he started off as a lovely, friendly cat (until he'd had enough ...) and always greeted me when I got home from work (there was no road in front of the house and I had to park on the street at the end of the row of terraced houses where he'd be waiting for me, even running under the car when I was trying to park which used to freak me out) The day I fitted a cat flap to the back door, that all changed when he could come and go as he pleased.

It's never bothered me when Lucas spent his time outdoors - he gets to do all the cat things that come naturally. And when I was at work all day, I knew he'd be fine. Even the unexpected / unplanned 3 days in hospital in May this year did not phase him too much - after greeting me when I got home and a few days of staying indoors keeping an eye on me (will I disappear again?), feeding him some treats as my way of apology for "abandoning him" and a bit of loving, he was soon back to his "normal" self.

But then things started to change. Since 2020, I have been aware that every summer he spends a lot more time outdoor and prefers to sleep all day on the shelf over the chicken run butted up to the shed. It gets warm in the sun, its in the shade, he is well sheltered from rain and with all the rubbish piled around him, he must feel safe hidden from everyone and anything (I only spotted him the first time when he lifted his head up and I caught sight of him) Even so, meal times were precious - he would come in straight away when he heard me preparing food and wait patiently (except if I had some cooked chicken and he could see me take it out of the fridge ... then he'd let me know in a polite way, that he so wanted his dinner or rather the treat that came with it)

The first thing I noticed is that he didn't even bother coming in when I was preparing food. Sometimes I didn't see him at all - with having limited mobility these past few months, I sometimes struggled to get up, so when I was up getting my own breakfast or dinner, I would put his down ready at the same time for when he eventually came inside. When he did, it would be about 2 or 4 o clock in a morning .... and then he'd disappear again. If I hadn't been awake at the time, I would never have known except for the empty bowl.

Before his all day and all night absence, he used to come and "talk" to me after he'd had his breakfast and ask me (by approaching me with lots of meows and then turning his back on me so it was easier for me bend over to lift him) to pick him up and put him on my lap where he'd snuggle up for about an hour (longer if I let him) and purr his little heart out. It was so lovely. But then that stopped suddenly. At first I thought it was when I was ill - sometimes I was in a lot of pain and a bit agitated and not really up to putting him on my lap - but the weather was hot and sunny and more likely he would rather be outdoors. But it got to the point when he would crash through the cat flap at break neck speed and run to his bowls, then dash out at speed (I have a beaded curtain between the kitchen and dining room where his bowls are, and they would go flying in all directions) as though his tail was on fire. I've never hit or hurt him (even accidentally) so it was very strange, and if I was honest, I was a little upset.

During the record heatwave, I was very worried. As I was often awake early (pre-dawn), I opened the front and back doors to get cool air through the house. Lucas liked it when the front door was open (I propped a container to stop the door closing which he would jump over) but still avoided the living room and instead dash through into the dining room and out the back door. He would get upset when I had to close the doors to keep the house cool - but he wouldn't come back inside. I was so concerned about his welfare, I eventually left his bowl of water just outside the front door in the porch.

Then one day it rained and it got a bit cool - that day he quietly snuck inside the house and hid behind the door which is always open between the living room and dining room. I was only aware he was there when I heard a contended sigh and found him asleep in the corner. More recently he has been coming indoors more often. I was surprised to find him balancing on the kitchen sink and another time on the dining room table (he never used to do that) At meal times, he perches himself on the old electric fire (I never use it but conveniently use it to put stuff on the top of the wooden frame) which is right next to the dining room chair where I sit at the table when I need to chop vegetables (I can't stand for any length of time) and where I also get his dinner ready. He is now within paw's reach of touching my leg to let me know he's there. He is also a lot more vocal about it - no more polite meows but rather more persistent. And happy for me to stroke him and in return, he purrs. The other day he decided to spend a morning on the back of the old armchair where he used to sleep. So I think the weather has a lot to do with his outdoor disappearances - when it is dry and sunny, he'd rather be out but when it is cold and wet, indoors is better. He even begged for me to pick him up like before but as he hasn't been around for his flea treatments, I'm a bit reluctant at the moment until they kick in.

Food-wise, he was never that fussy. Despite the animal shelter telling me he only ate biscuits, he ate the wet food I put down for him. He adapted to the Aldi brand ones when I had to change my supermarket during the lockdowns but when I re-introduced the other brands, suddenly he decided he only liked Whiskas wet food. As for biscuits, he seemed to prefer Iams or Purrfect (would not touch any other brands I got) which I was able to get at the local Coop mini supermarket. However, the cost of cat food has shot up. Iams was always a bit expensive but I think it is almost twice the price these days and beyond my budget. The Coop had a special offer on Purrfect so I bought 3 bags which should keep him going. And as for Whiskas, the price kept going up nearly every time I needed to get another box - when the Coop had them priced at £4.90p, that's when I decided it was too much. When I thought I was mobile enough to try shopping at Aldi's again, I bought a box of their brand for £2.43p ...

As expected, Lucas turned his nose up and ran out of the house. I was a bit disappointed because I'd made an extra special effort knowing he might be fussy by adding a little of his favourite treat - some cooked chicken. I still had some Whiskas wet pouches left but decided he needed to learn that it was either Aldi's or nothing. The next morning, I cleaned his bowl and gave him another Aldi's brand (no chicken this time) and he ate it. Since then he hasn't been fussy and even wolfed down the cooked chicken whenever I've got any.

This morning I've been on the computer (my current sick note ended on Wednesday 14th September and officially I'm "back at work" even though I have taken 2 days leave. With the Queen's funeral on Monday, my first day actually at work will be Tuesday 20th September - that works quite well for me as it means a shorter working week. It is a phased return to work so for the first few weeks I am only working 4 hours in the morning) and catching up on emails and trying to suss out the HR page to update the absence record. It was chilly this morning and who should be sleeping right next to my feet as I sat by the computer workstation ... he was there until about 12.00 pm then he must have noticed it was sunny outside and decided to go.

When it gets colder and I need to put the oil radiator on, I wonder if Lucas will return to his favourite spot again?
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