there is a cat living in my basement

Today while I was in the basement, I saw what I now know is a cat dart underneath the house. I put the cat a bowl of food out and tried calling it but it wouldn't come out. If I could ever get it to come out I would let it live in my house with Max. Anybody got any suggestions? I want to be careful not to scare it to much because it's much safer in the basement than being out where some of these neighbor dogs may get the cat.

Slow and easy does it. Don't force the issue. It may take months to win his (her?) trust, but it will be worth it in the end.

Keep feeding the kitty. Let him show trust in his own time. Sit down there on a daily basis and talk softly, or read aloud, so he can get used to your presence and smell.

When you do win him over, be sure to have him to the vet, and tested, before integrating him with Max.

Please do keep us updated!

Congratulations on being Chosen!

Thanks! Sounds like a good plan. I really hope I can get the kitty to trust me. I didn't get a good look at him/her because it was to far back in the basement, but I did see a beautiful pair of green eyes starring at me when I shined the flash light towards him/her. Even if does take months I'm willing to put the time in, but I hope it doesn't take that long because I'm worried about the kitty being out there all alone. Thanks again for the advice

You might also want to leave out something cozy and warm for it to sleep on as well as fresh water daily.

That's a good idea, especially considering we are gonna be having winter weather soon. Thanks!

Leave two cozy warm things - one a regular bed or blanket and nearby, a stinked up old sweatshirt or t-shirt. The idea is to get the cat used to your scent.

The regular bed/blanket is to give him a cozy sleeping place before he learns to love your smell. Tuck it out of the way - hidden, so to speak, so he can feel safe while sleeping.

Even better, put his food or treats on your shirt, so he learns to associate that smell with good stuff.

Once he learns that, he will probably sleep on your shirt (and eventually) every piece of clothing you own! Good luck and thanks for helping htis kitty!

Time and patience hun! Don't force it, let the kitty come to you. How exciting though! I can't wait to hear how it turns out.

good advice here. where's he/she doing "potty"? good luck with everything

Originally Posted by sandy2u1

much safer in the basement than being out where some of these neighbor dogs may get the cat.

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bless you for caring

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I'm stinking up a sweatshirt for the kitty now I'm not sure where kitty is going to the potty at, but I don't see any in the basement. The basement door is open slightly so that he/she can come and gone when necessary, but it's shut enough so that a big dog can't get in. This morning I went to check on her/him and the kitty was asleep right beside the empty food dish . She ran off as soon as I started walking into the basement though, but I'm glad kitty ate the food I left. I did catch a glimpse though (it was a very quick one) and the kitty looks like it may be calico . I can't be sure yet. The kitty is very very elusive though...she looked as if she were thinking of bolting out the door...so I just replaced the food and put out fresh water and backed away. Later on today when I bring him/her more food and water I will take a comforter or blanket down there and my sweat shirt. I was thinking of taking the kids elmo couch down there (a foam couch)....would she sleep on that or would that be to much?

start with the comforter and sweat shirt. Wait a while before bringing the couch down, though it's a good idea, it will add more smells of your home.

good point about the toilet facilities cat1atsite.

I recommend putting a litter box down there too, maybe near the door. That way, if the weather is too bad to go out and potty, she'll have the litter box right there.

keep us posted!

I suggest that you don't wait. Get a humane trap and while she's still very hungry (and less likely to pass up any food) trap her. If you choose to take things slow you could be waiting 2-3 months and kitten season is right around the corner. You do not want kittens - not when you could easily stop things with a spaying now.

After a vet check for FeLV/FIV and at least rabies vac you could even move her to a room in the house or keep her in the basement but block off her exits to outside.

I have seriously considered that strange_wings, but I'm afraid if I do that the kitty will NEVER trust me. What I would like to have happen in this situation is work towards making this kitty a part of the family. I would be afraid she'd never come out again if I did that.

You know, Strange Wings has a point. I was thinking the cat wasn't going outside. If she is (and she's a she if she's calico!!!), you will have kittens soon GUARANTEED.

A humane trap frightens them some but honestly, it does not alienate them. The opposite usually happens. Once they are spayed and you release them, they are so relieved (and calmed down by the spaying), they become even easier to befriend.

I'd get the litter box in there ASAP and close off her escape route. Then set the trap for a week before you can take her for surgery so that it doesn't spring. Place her food inside it, so she gets used to the idea of the food in the trap.

Will you take her to your vet or is there a low cost s/n program near you? Getting her used to eating in the trap is a good way to ensure you can keep you appointment.

Are you saying that all calico's are all female? I could probably trap her in the basement where she can't get out, I will have to take a better look in there in the daylight. If she is a female, though, she may already be pregnant, so maybe I should trap her. IDK!!!! What do you guys think? If I trap her, I'm taking her straight to the vet and then when that is done bringing her back here and letting her live in my house. If I trap her in the basement I'm going to keep trying to work with her slowly. As far as her spaying goes I will probably take her to my vet (if he will even work with this kind of situation) since she would also need all of her vaccinations. He will let me make payments to him...which I will need since I just paid a vet bill for my horse and dog this very week!! Finding a spay/neuter clinic would be nice, but before I can let her hang with Max she needs her vaccinations so may as well get it all over with at once.

I am in NC too, where in NC are you? I can help you find a low cost spay/neuter clinic if you want.

I live in asheboro, NC. Will a clinic even take her without her shots though? Will clinics vaccinate? If she did turn out to be pregnant, can she still have vaccinations?

This link has several low cost spay/neuter programs in NC http://www.operationcatnip.org/Low-c...ups,%20etc.htm

I am not familiar with that area, please let me know if none of these are close to you and I will look for more. Most likely if the cat in not social, you may need to carry the cat to a Clinic that does feral cats.

The socialization of a stray/feral/stray-acting-feral is something that works totally on the cat's clock - but being confined to one room of a home where you spend as much time as possible definitely speeds up the process.

Please read these 3 threads - one is a stray that appeared to be feral, but as soon as he was kept inside "socialization" took only a few days. One is a stray that acted feral, and while comfortable in his room, he's slowly coming around to his new people - the third is a true older feral - but she is not unhappy in her situation, just taking her own sweet time. Each thread has many recommendations on how best to socialize the scared kitty.

Horatio's story: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=210430
Sweet Pea's story: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=210849
Patches' story: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=206271

I recommend trapping this kitty, taking her to be spayed, getting her vaccinations, tested for FeLV and FIV, and releasing her into a spare room - a guest bedroom, your bedroom, the computer room.

Cats are all about territory, and being confined to one room for weeks or months - however long it takes is not cruel! When they make that territory theirs and are comfortable in it, the socialization process can progress. The older the feral - especially if a true feral and not a kitty that was a pet that's been on its own for a while - the longer that process of coming to trust humans takes. But being regularly provided food and water and having all of its needs met with nothing further asked of kitty goes a long way to earning their trust.

And yes, all calicos are female. It has to do with colors and X and Y chromosomes, but I have no idea what. I know that it is very, very, very rare that a male will have three colors, and if he does, he's sterile.

But to befriend a kitty that is truly feral that lives outside is a project that can take years - not weeks, not months.

for wanting to rescue/adopt this kitty!

Originally Posted by sandy2u1

I live in asheboro, NC. Will a clinic even take her without her shots though? Will clinics vaccinate? If she did turn out to be pregnant, can she still have vaccinations?

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Hi there! I'm the poster with the older feral cat that I am socializing. I wanted to give you my experience regarding the vetting.

If you use a Havahart to trap the kitty, keep the kitty in the trap and bring to vet that way - don't let out of trap and try to get in a car carrier. (Put a towel over the trap so kitty feels safe - including in car to vet, at vet waiting room, etc.)

When I trapped Patches, I made sure my vet was comfortable with ferals before deciding on a vet. The cat may or may not be an aggressive cat - but when stressed, you don't know what will happen - so you want to be sure the vet office is comfortable with any situation. They will wear gloves and have 2+ people. Make sure your vet is not scared of the cat - that is very important. Because the label "feral" can scare people, I referred to Patches as a "shy stray that I haven't touched" - just to not make her seem too scary so they would look at her. But you want to be honest though at the same time.

It helps to tell them the situation on the phone so they can either have you able to come in when you trap her without an appointment - or (more likely if you are a new client) have an appointment set up that you just cancel and reschedule if you can't bring her in.

Hope this helps in some way!

Really good points, all of them. Also, if you're going with the trap, put a tarp or plastic sheet or something down on the car seat where you'll be placing the trap. Scared kitties often pee or poop or vomit when you start driving out of fear, poor babies.

With our vet, we just drop the cat off in the trap whenever the cat is trapped (or when the vet opens in the morning if trapped at night), and they do their thing and call us to let us know when we can pick up the kitty. Many vets will sedate the kitty in the trap or release kitty into a chamber where they can be sedated with a gas and just avoid all the handling hassle.