Bruiser update

Well Bruiser came back to the deck this evening. The good news is he didn't look any worse and really didn't look in pain. The bad news is I figured I'd be smart and called my brother (who's just in the other side of the duplex) to come help me catch him and put him in the cat carrier. My brother came out to help, but when he got outside his phone rang and he answered that damned thing and started talking! The cat decides he's had enough and starts to leave. My brother, instead of telling the person on the phone "I have to go" and hanging up keeps talking and tries to "herd" the cat back towards me. That, obviously, doesn't work -- instead Bruiser gets kind of wigged out and takes off. On the plus side -- he's moving well. But yet another failed attempt to catch him.

I'll go back to plan A -- catch him myself. He mostly trusts me, so I'm hoping that will help. At least he doesn't seem to be in acute misery, but he does really need to go to the vet -- and soon.

My goal with the strays/ferals (all my current cats are former strays/ferals) is to provide them with as decent a life as they will allow, and if possible to catch them and blend them into the household. I've never had high hopes for Bruiser to be an indoor cat since he seems too set in his ways, but I want him to be as happy and comfortable as possible. I have had some in the past where when I do get them to the vet we find out they have problems we can't help and the only thing left to do is put them to sleep. It always hurts. But I can't not feed them when they are hungry in order to spare me pain if I get attached. Sucks sometimes.