TNR feral not feral - what do I do??

I know this should probably go into the Stray and Rescue area, but I need help ASAP.

I caught a kitty for my TNR program tonight, and have him downstairs in the bathroom, and he's been mewing pitifully, and not at all aggressive like all my other ferals have.

He's not a kitten, so he has to have been owned previously. I don't know if he's been neutered (I'm about to go and try to get a look), but in any case, if he's not microchipped and has no owner, what should I do?

Should I try to convince the shelter to evaluate him for adoption? If they say no, should I ring around other shelters? Should I just assume he'll be fine living where he is (it's fairly safe as far as feral colonies go), and just get him neutered, vaccinated and release him?

I have to ring at 6am tomorrow to get him into the clinic for surgery, and it's too late now to ring my other TNR contact for her opinion...

If he is that friendly, then he probably isn't a true feral. Did you catch him in the woods where a neighborhood is nearby? I would guess if he isn't afraid of you, he probably was owned/is owned by someone. I would check around where you found him to see if he does have an owner. He may have been dropped off to fend for himself, or he may have snuck out the door and gotten lost. I would call the other shelters to see if anyone has reported a missing cat that fits that description.

I'm 100% sure he's not a true feral. I just went to see if I could get a look at his rear end to tell if he was neutered, and he was just lying in the trap with his paws curled around. I was talking to him and he didn't seem at all stressed, he was just watching me with interest with his ears up.

I trap at work, and there's nothing but buildings for a good few miles - no residential areas nearby at all. And right behind where I trap is a large baylands area - I think people dump cats there because they figure there's a food source there, and almost no car traffic.

The shelter I go to which has the low cost clinic, and feral TNR program is the local county shelter, so anyone in the surrounding area who lost a cat would really only go to this shelter, as all found stray cats get taken there.

I'll certainly check the lost cat records while I'm there.

I just hope they'll give him a chance

If they can't take him, could you foster him until he was adopted?? Surely if he's healthy and not agressive they wouldn't insist he be put down.

They wouldn't put him down, they'd just give him back to me to release him back where I found him.

Unfortunately I can't foster him - not more than a few days anyway. The few fosters I've had I've put in our spare room, and I have a friend arriving next week who'll be staying in that room...

I just emailed a lady who's helped me get my colony organised who runs a local rescue organisation to see if she has any ideas.

I daresay I won't hear back from her until after I have to take him in though.

Sending tons of vibes your way! I hope you can figure something out, I know you'd hate to release him if he's tame.

Any updates Sarah??

I'd make sure to take pics of him. That way, if the shelter won't help, you can at least get him neutered (if he's not). If worse comes to worse, you can release him again. At least you know he's got access to food and water with the rest of the colony.

But you could consider keeping him the few days you can while you try to find a foster or alternative to the shelter if they won't take him.

But - like I said - if worse comes to worse, you'd have to release him where you trapped him. But he'd be neutered - and you could put up/pass around "posters" of the kitty, increasing the odds that if his family is around and they just somehow got separated that he gets back home.....



Laurie

Whew, what a day! Ok, so he's already been neutered, and probably not much more than a year old, and overall in pretty good health. He got vaccinated and had Advantage applied, and they gave him a neuter certificate as well as his vacc. certificates which will help for finding a new home.

He had no microchip or ID and I went through all the lost cat reports, and nobody has reported him missing.

I spoke to the lady from the rescue group I work with, and she was at the shelter this morning with some foster kittens, so checked in on my boy, and she said she opened the trap door slightly, and put a gloved hand in, and let her pat him- so he's definitely not feral. He didn't exactly purr and rub against her hand, but I think he's pretty scared so I'm not surprised

So I'm going to keep him for a few days (I have a large feral recovery cage he can hang in and I can set up with a litter tray and food and water) and temperament test him, if he seems completely fine I'll see if I can find a home for him, otherwise I'll take him back to the shelter and they'll put him up for adoption.

The rescue group will see if they can find a foster family as well - he'll be happier with them and find a home faster through them, but at least he'll find a home one way or another.

It sounds like he was probably abandoned Poor boy.

I'm so glad that the shelter isn't just going to turn him loose and will help find a foster home and a forever home for him. He sounds like a great kitty

I always feel so bad for homeless animals. Poor innocent little things. I'll pray and send positive vibes for the little guy.