So Upset

I am new to this forum but have seen some very useful advice so I am hoping someone can put my mind at rest. About a month ago I noticed a lovely ginger tom who appeared to be very frightened and distressed. Every time I tried to get close to him he ran away so I decided I would get him some cat food and leave it outside my door for him to eat. Long story short, he has been coming every night to eat and if I open the door and then go on my knees to be the same height as him he will stay although not get close enough to pet him but he will eat while i am sitting there and he even ventured into the apartment. Last night after he ate his food and smelt the catnip toy I got for him he ventured in to the apartment but the door started to close in the wind and he freaked out and ran. I am continuing to leave food and water out but am so concerned that now I have lost his trust and that he will not return I felt that I was making such progress with him and now I think all that is lost. Does anybody have any advice for a very tearful person

The only advice I can give you is time. Feral cats take time to adjust. Don't worry, you keep feeding him, you'll keep his trust. Keep doing what you are doing... stay there while he eats so he knows you won't hurt him; he'll eventually trust you. It's worked for me many times. Just keep doing what you're doing...

Good luck!

Okie

Thank you Okie, you have put my mind at rest I am going to do the best I can by that boy he is such a lovely cat and I want to give him a nice, comfortable home no matter how long it takes. Thank you for letting me know I have not blown things with my new little friend.

He very well may not associate something in the apartment with the food. In other words, he came, he got food, and in some subsequent exploring he got scared, but he managed to escape safely, so maybe it wasn't so bad. At least, that's how their thinking seems to run.

Don't be surprised if he's there ready to be fed as usual.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

He very well may not associate something in the apartment with the food. In other words, he came, he got food, and in some subsequent exploring he got scared, but he managed to escape safely, so maybe it wasn't so bad. At least, that's how their thinking seems to run.

Don't be surprised if he's there ready to be fed as usual.

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My thinking exactly! You may want to look up diggerled's threads in this forum (that's the username on TSC. In advanced search settings you can search for threads by specific users in specific forums) .... he and his wife have quit a bit of experience befriending a ferally stray (and if this kitty ventured inside, that's what you've got) and those threads I think you'll find invaluable with your kitty.

Are you just offering dry food, or wet, too? I have one that acted very skittish and un-trusting until I opened a can of cat food in front of her one day. After that she came to me and even asked for petting.

I always suggest wet food because if a cat isn't used to getting it (strays aren't) that's a real treat to them, and makes a great bribe.

I am so happy to hear that you are willing to rescue this boy and give him a home. Just keep offering him food, and wet food is a great treat for him. If he already has ventured into your apartment, you should be able to gain his trust in no time. It just takes patience on your part, you have to sort of let him lead the way.

Don't give up on him and you will gain such reward for helping him.

Thank you all so much for your replies. LDG I am going to search diggerleads thread and find out all I can. Strange_wings and KRZ I am feeding him both wet and dry food and I also gave him a bit of tuna which he seemed to like a lot more than tilapia which he didn't like at all. If he comes back I am going to try and leave a few chicken flavored treats later on tonight and see if I can entice him some more. Hopefully he will come around.Will keep everybody informed of what happens. Thanks again

Originally Posted by walter

Thank you all so much for your replies. LDG I am going to search diggerleads thread and find out all I can. Strange_wings and KRZ I am feeding him both wet and dry food and I also gave him a bit of tuna which he seemed to like a lot more than tilapia which he didn't like at all. If he comes back I am going to try and leave a few chicken flavored treats later on tonight and see if I can entice him some more. Hopefully he will come around.Will keep everybody informed of what happens. Thanks again

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So nice of you to take care of him! Definitely stick around!! Maybe get some pics of him for us!!

kscatlady I definitely will get pics asap. I am very happy I just saw him now so at least he is still coming to eat, but then the neighbors came out and he ran away but hopefully he will come back to finish his supper.

Oh good, he came back! I figured he would. Do you feed him at the same time every night? My outside strays and ferals know exactly when breakfast time and dinner time is.

Kscatlady I am SO relieved he came back. I feed him the same times throughout the day as well as the night. I am so pathetic I stay up till the early hours to make sure he has a full tummy. I am just so attached to him and I haven't even got to stroke him yet, hopefully I will soon though.

Originally Posted by walter

Kscatlady I am SO relieved he came back. I feed him the same times throughout the day as well as the night. I am so pathetic I stay up till the early hours to make sure he has a full tummy. I am just so attached to him and I haven't even got to stroke him yet, hopefully I will soon though.

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It'll happen. Sit on your porch when he's eating and try and do it while he's chowing down. That's how I got most of mine to let me pet them. Don't know what it is about eating. If it doesn't work then just be patient. Let him get used to your presence. Try getting him to take food from your hand. (if he's food aggressive though, growls when he eats, then that tactic won't work) You could also spoon feed him baby food (meat, and check ingredients to make sure there is no garlic or onion of any kind). You'll get there.

Thank you Kscatlady for all your advice. He never growls when he eats he is a little sweety. I am going to take your advice and go out to walmart when my husband gets back from work and go and look for more things for him,things you do for love at least I know when I get back he might come around.

Hi Walter, I'm new here too. My thread is 'assimilating a stray'.

Mine (Little One) started coming around about 11 years ago. She was very mistrustful but hungry, so I started to feed her. I'd sit with her and talk to her while she ate. Eventually I was able to pet her while she was eating (but only then). It progressed from there to total trust and tummy rubs. So just be patient and consistent - I agree with the same feeding time, kitties like rituals - and you'll be eating out of her/his paw in no time.

Hi orpheygene, its a great site here isn't it. It has put my mind at rest and I am hoping that with all the advice and help on here this gorgeous cat will soon be comfortable enough to set up home with me. One thing he is teaching me is patience.

Hi Walter,
You have a soft heart like I do for kitties especially for the lost and hungry. Once you start feeding the kittie you will have a friend for life. A food source is a powerful thing and once established the bond is hard to break on both parties.

If you live in an appartment complex it's highly likely someone has moved and left their pet. It happens especially when money is tight.

If the cat is comming inside already just open your door and call for him and he should come inside to eat it might take time though. A cat in an strange place will usually keep one eye on the exit to safety. If you have a screen door just shut that at first, the air will still come in the screen and that should keep him calmer. In time he will just stay inside with you. Don't keep him inside for the first few times for he will only tolerate the door closed for a short time until he feels safe in your appt.

Don't leave food out over night. You will attract other wild animals such as raccoon.

Good for you for having a soft heart and making this guy your friend, he will pay you back 100 fold.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kitty came back! Boy do we know that feeling of relief!

You've already gotten all kinds of advice. If you need any help searching, I can post links to diggerled's threads for you - just let me know.

Do you already have an indoor kitty? diggerled and his wife did, so that may help you with that too. But if you don't, then that makes the process of bringing kitty inside a LOT easier.

One thing to put in the back of your mind.... don't know where you live, but it's getting warm around here, so mating season can start any time now - and probably has. This little guy or girl may not already be spayed or neutered.

There are ways to trap him/her and get kitty to the vet..... from there, it's up to you, but you may just want to bring kitty inside. There are a lot of reasons to make cats indoors only, but it really depends upon your feelings about it (hopefully well informed about what a happy life even kitties that were only outdoor can have inside) - and the kitty. Some just won't settle for it. But this sounds like a scared stray, and may have lived only indoors before.

Anyway.... if you want help on how to get kitty to vet to get flea/internal parasite treatment and to be spayed/neutered.... and then you want to release kitty indoors instead of outdoors, we have LOTS of help to walk you through that.

Hi LDG no other cats living with me at the moment this is my first time living without one, at least I will not have the introduction problem which should make the process a bit easier. I do want him to be an indoor cat but I am not sure how to go about it, I know I can get a trap but I want to leave that until I have no other options. Tigerclaw I am hoping he will do what you think and end up just staying by choice. Any more ideas on how to get him inside permanently are welcome from everyone on this site who have given excellent advice,thank you all so much.

Well, when they're friendly to us, we place a crate outside and have them eat near it and us for a few days. Then we get a strong smelling wet cat food, and place it in the crate. Kitty goes in to eat - shut the door, take kitty to vet. It helps to have a vet lined up first - ours lets us drop the kitty in the crate off, and they see kitty when they can fit him/her in, and call us to let us know what kind of shape the cat is in, what needs to be done &etc.

The vet needs to know you want to adopt the cat - so it needs to be treated for fleas and parasites. Our vet uses Revolution. It is a topical treatment that kills parasites, inside and out. If it's a male, they can tell whether he's been neutered or not. If it's a female, they can shave her belly to see if there's a spay scar (this usually works. We had one with a scar that was so jagged, the vet was sure it wasn't a spay scar - they went ahead with the spay, only to find out it WAS, in fact, a spay scar. She must have run away while healing up after the surgery. ).

Then it's best just to have a room ready for kitty! Here's a good article on it: http://www.thecatsite.com/Care/18/Br...New-Cat/1.html

....and this article is located where there are a lot more articles of interest! Here:

http://www.thecatsite.com/Cats/Cat_Care.html