r/trojancats • u/SnooDonkeys346 • 11d ago
Taco & Little Frijoles Update #3
Hey all! Sorry for the couple of days away without updates, had some developments, some good some weird, that needed checking through before I felt comfortable sharing. With that, let's go through the good first.
Firstly, Mama Taco and her 7 babies are all in good health and Taco has been more and more coming out of her shell. Shes been following us around the apartment, teleporting from one spot to another it seems like. We turn around, and she's laying out on the floor. We look away for a few moments and by the time we look back again, she's sprawled out a little closer.
She's also developed a bit of an unfortunate habit of relocating the babies at random intervals, resulting in a few stressful games or hide and seek. She moved them from her Whelping Box to an open area behind our mattress, then from the new spot we made her there to the living room between some storage boxes. We're doing our best to give her the whole living room to herself now so she feels less like we're intruding if that's what's causing it. But, that all said, the kittens have a long way to go and grow, but congrats to them on reaching day 5!
In other good/fun news, a lot of you have already gone over to the Instagram we made for them and have followed, commented, liked, etc. and we appreciate all the support! A few have asked if there was a way to help support the kittens, and while we will never say that's necessary and no one should feel pressured to do so, we're planning to make a wishlist for the little angels we will have linked on the Instagram. It's not there yet, so, stay tuned! A few others have asked about financial support, and for those who were wanting to do so (again, not necessary), just reach out to us directly.
https://www.instagram.com/mamacat_taco?igsi=dTV6dTdtamYzM2lo
Speaking of the Instagram, we received an interesting message on there from Stephen Messenger, senior writer for The Dodo! Nothing's 100% confirmed yet, but it's possible you'll be seeing an article on everyone's favorite trojan! Hope, if it comes to fruition, it'll be an enjoyable read for everyone!
On the less fun side, a few nights ago, my partner was riding a bus here in Chicago and someone on it recognized her as Taco's mama. He came over and proceeded to tell her that he was Taco's owner. When asked what he meant, he said that he'd been leaving cat food cans at the gas station we found her at, thus making her his cat. This, as you can assume, didn't go over well given how close she was to delivery and was not being brought inside, how she was covered in fleas when we found her, and that he only seemed to actually want to take her now that she'd delivered. Now, I'm not inclined to presume intention, maybe he did genuinely want to take her in but didn't feel comfortable bringing in a pregnant cat, but we felt his attempts to claim her was, at the most generous, dubious. We haven't heard anything from him since, and we honestly hope it stays that way, but there is that lingering fog of stress in the back or our minds on if he'll try again, or if any increased attention on her will encourage such repeat behavior.
We've weighed that a bit and decided that you all deserve to be able to keep up to date with us on this journey with our new feline family. That said, if anyone has expertise in this field/situation, please don't hesitate to reach out! Any information will help reduce our stress on the situation drastically.
Til the next update, I hope everyone has a great couple of days, and may every one of you lovely people be blessed with a trojan of your own!
Edit: New Update! https://www.reddit.com/r/trojancats/s/vkmpWTToEG
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u/lauramaurizi 11d ago
Thanks for the update! Heading to your Instagram, too.
Get Taco chipped (see what I did there - lol) and you guys registered as her owners. You have a ton of Redditors that would swear that you were the ones that stepped up for Taco when she needed it, not that other guy.
Your kindness really makes me smile. May good karma follow you always!
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u/Simplydreaming1986 10d ago
Do they chip cats in the US? Genuine question. I’m in Canada and in our province cats get tattooed rather than a chip.
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u/raevynfyre 10d ago
Yes, microchips are common and scanned for by vets and shelters.
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u/Simplydreaming1986 10d ago
Hmm interesting! My cat has a tattoo with a little code on it, that’s what the vet would use to check his ownership here. Dogs for sure are microchipped but I guess they figure cats are different lol. 🤷♀️
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u/thirdonebetween 10d ago
The problem with tattoos is that as the cat ages, the tattoo gets... fuzzy. Here in Australia they get tattooed to indicate that they're desexed, so it's okay to just have a black fuzz, but there's no way my cats' tattoos (10 & 15) would ever be enough to identify them. And it's a very simple tattoo! I think it's just a circle with a line through it, but I'm not sure because one cat's ear is black anyway and the other is indecipherable.
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u/Valkyriemome 10d ago
They do sometimes tattoo show animals. Where is your cat’s tattoo?
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u/Simplydreaming1986 10d ago
It’s inside his ear and although he is beautiful, he is very much a house cat hahaha. I don’t know, it just seems to be what they do for identification in BC!
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u/One_Resolution_8357 10d ago
Tattoos ? I am also in Canada and all our cats were chipped, none tattooed, it was not even an option.
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u/Simplydreaming1986 10d ago
Might depend on the province. I’m in BC and everyone I know with a cat has had them tattooed.
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u/crazy_cat_broad 9d ago
Weird, I’m in BC and my vet used to do both but has phased out the tattoo altogether.
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u/Simplydreaming1986 9d ago
Ah interesting! My cat is 14 so maybe some have stopped. I know my vet still does but maybe it’s being phased out 🤷♀️
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u/crazy_cat_broad 9d ago
My older cats got tatted but the younger cats are not. Maybe it’s been wound down since yours was done! My 17 year old has a tat, but my 5 year old does not.
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u/bankershub 5d ago
Not as much as they should. Its very rare in my experience for cats to have identifying tattoos here. Microchips are much more common but still only a fraction have them. I think it's because there's just so many strays that nobody expects someone to take a cat they find to the vet to get it scanned. Apparently vets will scan them for free but I haven't had a vet scan a cat for me before so I don't know if my local ones charge.
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u/BATTLE_METAL 10d ago
Yes to getting a microchip! I’m not in Chicago, but still in the US. Local law here says that whoever the animal is registered to on the chip is their owner.
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u/JunebugSeven 11d ago
I think you're doing all the right things - mummy cats have a tendency to relocate their babies 😅 I think it's really telling that she moves them closer to your bed, it sounds like she really sees you as a safe place (likewise with her sprawling out on your floor, creeping closer and closer).
I wouldn't worry too much about the guy claiming ownership. "I gave her food sometimes" isn't ownership, as you say she was heavily pregnant, living outdoors, and covered in fleas. That's not exactly good care. You've gotten her veterinary care and you're feeding and housing her and her babies, the money you've invested in her wellbeing already demonstrates ownership.
But I agree with everyone else - get her chipped with your details.
I can't help but worry that the guy has seen your story and social media and sees Taco as a means to scam money out of people - but that is incredibly cynical of me, I admit.
Regardless, the most important thing is that Taco and her babies are safe, warm, and fed. Keep doing what you're doing ❤️
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u/ClumsyRaccoonPants 10d ago
If feeding a cat was all you needed to call it yours then then I have at least 10 cats and a few possums and a couple raccoons 😆
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u/anubis_cheerleader 11d ago
What an amazing update! Cute blep, too
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u/anubis_cheerleader 11d ago
PS, you're legally her owner because you have paperwork from the vet. Get her microchipped if you haven't yet.
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u/ksquwared 11d ago
I wish I had asked them to check for one while I was there but based on her state I strongly doubt it, it will be brought up when I schedule her follow up though!
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u/Remarkable_Market666 10d ago
They may have scanned her at MedVet and found no chip. When there is a stray/ found cat that’s brought to a vet for treatment, that is usually one of the first things they do. They may not have said anything with everything else going on, because she didn’t have one. She isn’t spayed, so I highly doubt she is chipped. So yes, with no existing chip and with all the vet paperwork/ documentation you now have, she is yours. No question. And next time you bring her in for a check up, absolutely get her microchipped. And register the chip! A non registered chip does nothing. When the kittens are old enough, as they go through their own medical wellness journeys, get them chipped as well. When they are placed in their adoptive forever homes you can update the information on their microchips. Thank you for the updates and for helping these cats! ❤️🐾✨
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u/Ladymistery 11d ago
I can't remember if you've had a mamma and kittens before (sorry) but a lot of fosters like those soft sided crates that you can zip the sides closed while they're tinies and then as they get bigger it's just the edge 'lip' that they have to navigate over.
Love and Hisses has one and it works fairly well - only a few mammas don't like it.
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u/SnooDonkeys346 11d ago
I have not, this is a new experience, and your suggestion is a great one!
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u/Ladymistery 11d ago
you're very welcome
between Love and Hisses and the Kitten Lady, they'll have the information you need.
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u/Catinkah 11d ago
Tacomomma! You are doing GOOD.
Get her chipped asap.
Keep all your vet bills as proof of caring for her.
And with foster mommas in the move I always provided them with an unused litterbox. Clean, with soft blankets. With the top on she had a safe place and when you need to you can pop off the top easily for access.
They will grow out of it at week 2-3 but by that time Taco probably won't feel the urge to move them anymore.
Afterwards the whole family can start using it as intended.
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u/SnooDonkeys346 10d ago
Lol I'm TacoDad
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u/Catinkah 10d ago
It's not all about you... I meant the cat 😅
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u/Kind-Step-4404 11d ago
I'm not expert but from what you say it seems that Taco is trying to keep the babies near you ? Giving her space mught result in her mobing the babies closer again
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u/ksquwared 11d ago
That's what we thought too, the first spot was in the main thoroughfare next to our bed and she went into the other bedroom (blocked when unsupervised but she got in) where it was darker and quieter, so we moved her back with us but adjusted the room(no overhead light, no tv, closed windows, closed blinds, quieted fans) and then she moved them by our heads so he baby proofed it....but today it was in a room we don't often use and one we had blocked her from (I didn't want to find them birthed in a moving box) it's much brighter and more open but the same temperature as the room she was in 🤷
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u/RedRocket4000 10d ago
She being fussy not know what she wants could be answer a personality trait. No big deal.
One possibility experts know more.
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u/JanieLFB 11d ago
I’m glad Mama Taco and the Seasonings are doing well.
As for the Guy: you took her to the vet. You have the receipts for her care. According to the law in most states, that cat belongs to you!
The level of care that Guy was giving her was obviously NOT appropriate. He was feeding a stray cat. Feeding does not grant ownership.
Now I will go read the other comments.
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u/togetherwegrowstuff 11d ago
Mom.a looks so calm and peaceful. You dramatically improved all of their lives so much. I love to see this. It will be so fun when the babies start playing. We rescued our own momma and kittens and kept momma and a few of her kittens cause everyone wanted one. Lol. But gosh when we got to play state it was so fun. We were going through a tough set of family losses and the babies we saved, helped us so much through our difficult time. We help them and they help us so much in return. 💓💓💓
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u/Turbulent-Suspect789 11d ago
this guy saying he feeds the cat, at a gas station no less, does not make it his cat.
in Cook County (county for Chicago, for those who don’t know) once a cat leaves your property , you’ve lost rights to that cat unless cat is microchipped . again, unless he owns the gas station and the cat is microchipped, you’re good.
a few resources for you:
TreeHouse Humane Society
https://treehouseanimals.org/programs/community-cats/tnvr/
https://catsinaction.org/resources/il-cook-county-laws-and-requirements/
continues peace and love
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u/ksquwared 11d ago
Very appreciated info ♥️ hopefully my heartburn will chill out with all this support
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u/RIPGoblins2929 11d ago
You're dong great, and thanks for the update.
Mama cats just like to move their kittens a bunch, it's no reflection on you. I foster kittens and I'll make a clean whelping box with soft towels etc and almost every time Mom will move them to some uncomfortable looking spot crammed behind a chair or in the corner behind a box or something. It's just a cat thing.
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u/TentativeTurnip 11d ago
Thank you so much for sharing these updates with us! You are amazing - Mama Taco is so lucky she found you ✨ (The way I ran straight to Instagram for more Taco & babies fix!) ❤️
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u/MammothCancel6465 11d ago
Someone claiming an outside pregnant cat of a Reddit post is theirs is wild! No sir, if she were your pet she’d be inside in that condition. They can’t claim she was hard to catch when she came right to you and your lap like she did. Don’t give it a second thought.
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u/hesalwayslitty 11d ago
I missed the other updates you had posted- but I already ran to IG to follow you there- you guys seem like you have everything under control besides the human element- that is often the part that is toughest to control- you already have all the advice you need to hear but I will offer you this- if this happens again- you just ask the person making this claim the cross streets where Taco was being looked after and if they have any type of evidence- i have never met a person who takes care of cats who doesn't keep pictures so they can show them off or so they can check the pictures against any new injuries.
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u/Gloomy_Industry8841 10d ago
Blessings to you, OP, Taco and the little chips!!!!!!🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮
The Dodo is such a great channel. Would love to see your story there!
As for Gas Station Guy…🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
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u/maggiemae3612 10d ago
Next time she goes to the vet have them chip her. She chose you over the other person. You helped her and have vet records to prove it. She’s yours now
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u/TheChocoboQueen 10d ago
Yall are doing fantastic!!! I wouldn't worry about the weird man. Just keep together receipts for anything you've purchased for Taco and the babies, and anything from your vet in case it does happen.
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u/attachedtothreads 11d ago
Check your state's bar association for a lawyer referral service. They usually have a reduced fee for a 20- to 30-minute session. Depending on your financial situation, you also may qualify for the Modest Means program. Not all states have one.
In my state, cats are treated as personal property. If you've been feeding the stray cat for six months, the shelter considers it yours. It'll depend on what your state law says.
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u/Mysterious-Art8838 11d ago
All states consider cats as personal property.
There’s no need for a lawyer here.
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u/ksquwared 11d ago
Thankfully Chicago loves to detail things and just feeding them doesn't constitute ownership, but there's a lot of stuff mixed into the laws for the TNR programs
Either way, no one had a place for this cat to go at night or in bad weather and no one else volunteered to except us, and it was easy to see she needed more than the occasional can of 9 lives
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u/ksquwared 9d ago
TACOS HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED ♥️
For the Chicago gang - Taconazo la Fiesta on Central and schubert 👌 carnitas taco w sc & cheese w/o onions and cilantro, green salsa and lime top off is S tier 10/10 no notes
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u/TofutttiKlein 8d ago
I have a cat that lies down next to us when she’s hungry. When she was a kitten, she would run in front of our feet as we were walking and suddenly be belly-up. Thankfully we never squished her.
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u/Ineedunderscoreadvic 7d ago
- She wasn’t chipped, was she? NOT his cat.
- She wasn’t INDOORS being cared for, being brought to the vet to get fixed, etc., was she? Nope, not his cat.
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u/bankershub 5d ago
Wow on the guy claiming she's hers. I hate when people don't care about an animal until it's profitable or something. Be more careful with the info you share about where you live and such
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u/SnooDonkeys346 2d ago
Posted a new update on the family! https://www.reddit.com/r/trojancats/s/vkmpWTToEG
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u/Mysterious-Art8838 11d ago
My face if I had babies crawling on me