Help with the feral/stray cat.

Hello everyone.

I am new here and I have a problem. The thing is I was trying to find solution to my problem for a while and now I found this forum so hope you guys can help me out.

I live in new york city. I have a feral cat living outside my building I am not really sure if she is feral or stray. Well she lets me pet her when I feed her she is scared when I don't feed her. She knows me already and stuff. The thing I feel sorry for the kitty and I want to take her home. She is an adult cat and she is three to four years of age. Here is a problem I have cat at home also a girl and she is three years old the thing is she is declawed. So i don't know what will happened if i bring the outside cat in my house. I will get her to the vet first to check she has nothing to spread to my other cat i don't want to risk my other cat. My husband tells me that the cat probably can't be inside because she has been her whole life outside its like putting a tiger to the cage. So i am kind of lost in what to do. Should i leave the cat outside and just feed her and stuff or should i try to bring her home. The winter is coming and its getting cold and i don't want her to freeze. There is another lady who feeds her also and i talked to her and she told me that if i want to bring her home she has to be the only cat in the house. Thats impossible as i told you i have another cat at home. Please anybody help me what can i do to help the kitty.

If you want to take this to email, I will be happy to help you with this issue. It is not true that a stray or feral can't be happy indoors regardless of age, most of the time, it can be accomplished safely. You can PM through this board and we can go from there.

(I have been socializing strays for over twenty years now)

I think it it worth a try.

Shy semiferals are usually submissive to the homecats, and it is more often then not there are no real problems between them.
In fact, this is usually easier then bringing home a new bought homecat... These can fight or be jelaous...

(The exception are not shy semiferals, especielly uncut males. They are often easy to get friendly with people, but they may be nasty to the resident cats beating them up. Thus it is necessary to spay them before you even try to let them meet your residents....And begin with the most docile resident. But this is not in your story...

)

If they get pals - they will surely do it if your homecat wants it! - Will make it easier to foster the shy newcomer.

You are also doing quite right taking her first to the vet for check up, shots, deworming. Preferably have her the first two-three weeks in a quarantene, till the shots and deworming are fully working...

Many cat rescuers use their bathroom for quarantene. A big dog crate standing in a suitable place is another alternative.



Good luck and much pleasure with your new little furry friend!




I cut in an answer I wrote earlier. It applies partly to you too.

"Yes. I agree to say the least.
It is astonishing how many semiferals, and even ferals, can be fostered, and also become beloved home pets.

We in Sweden have very little TNR. Thus, if the rescuers and cat shelters want to do something with the ferales and semiferales, the practically only option is to take in them and foster, for later adoption.

Of course, the really aggressive arent taken in... Defensive aggressiveness just when catched is something differently and something the rescuers can copy with.

They can usually become stricktly indoors cats, as the fosters must kept them inside... Thus, during the fostering time they are inside.


The result?? almost all do get tame and usually good pets too.
Kittens and the sociale are of course easiest.

And the ex-homeless are often quite happy to be purely indoor cats.
For a outgoing homecat the outside is a lot of fun and joy. If it gets scary or unpleasant - the cat can always run home. For the homeless it is survival of the fittest. The choice between the terrible world outside to the cosy world inside is usually quite easy. Much more easy compared with a outsidegoing homecat who must become strictly indoors cat.

Our cat forums in Sweden are full of members who witness about their ex homeless, or even ex-ferals, beloved pets. Usually being good friends with the other pets, cats and dogs.


Older very shy ferales are of course more difficult, and take much more time and effort.
I have read an example: the older female cat did get somewhat tame, and could live in the house the live of a shy semiferal. Not aggresive to the other cats or humans, but avoiding most contact. But the live WAS saved, the cat was acceptable happy, and the owner had a couple of other cats to pet. So the woman did gladely accepted her extra protegé.
SIX years did it take. Six years. But in the autumn of her live, also she did become a pet-cat sleeping in the bed with her Mother.


So. As I understand. It isnt that difficult to get the ferales tame. The difficulty is they dont always become loving pets. And it usually takes time.

If you dont have the time and arent willing to make the effort, it may be wise to put the limited resources on easier cats, instead of a ferale. The sorrowly thruth is there are always cats easier to foster and adopt...
"

Hello,
I can share my own experience in response to your need. We fed a "feral" cat for 7 years who once in a while would let me pet her for just a moment and then she would run. One of her ear's was tagged so we knew someone had her fixed.We knew we could not bring her indoors. About 5 years ago another cat showed up for food & we fed him for several years outside. We had about 6 cats in the house & felt we could not take in any more, and he seemed okay outside. He did let us pet him & we could connect with him. We moved 2 years ago & did not want to leave him on his own, so brought him with us to our new home. We moved to a house that we knew was in coyote territory so a couple of months before we moved, we started bringing him into the house occasionally to get to know our other guys as we knew he could no longer live outside in our new house. He has integrated very well with our other cats and loves living inside and is very happy. He is a great cat. We figure he must have been an indoor cat at some time because he let us pet & hold him right when we met him.

hey hissy. I wouldn't mind talking on the email if you would help me with this issue. how do you want me to do this. give you my email or something let me know. i need to solve this problem before it gets too cold outside and the winter comes.