Help with Stray

I recently took in a stray cat who was abandoned and ill. He lived on the street for three years that I know of, scrounging food from neighbors. He is neutered and very gentle and people friendly. The vet says he is about 5 or 6. He uses his cat box.
When I first brought him in I confined him to a room and he went crazy. Hyterically howling and crying, running around and tearing at doors and windows to get out. (I only did this one night)
I contacted a stray agency and they recommended that I get a cage and put him and everything he needs in the cage. I bought a cage, put him in it and we survived the night with relative quiet.
This morning he has been hysterical crying, howling, standing on his head, tearing him cage apart trying to get out. This is followed by periods of cleaning himself and quiet. But then the chaos starts again.

I am hoping that someone can help me with a couple questions:
1) Am I doing this right by confining him to a cage after he has had so much freedom for so long? Do you think this will work and he will learn to enjoy the house?
2) Should I ignore him when he is howling or try to sooth him by talking to him?
3) How often should he come out of his cage? I let him out (confined to his room) this AM so I could clean the cage and he resumed his hysterical behavior trying to get out. I am not sure if that is ok and he will wear out or if I should confine him to the cage most of the time for a while. I tried to play with him while he was out but he was so hysterical I couldn't divert his attention.
Even when he is mad he is still kind and gentle to me. Nicest cat I've ever met so I want to make sure that I do right by him. If I can settle him down he will have a great life with us.
Thank you very much for your help with this - Sue

I'm no expert. Others who know more will have plenty of advice for you very soon. In my experience the cage is a bad idea. He needs a place to feel safe (hide). When I trapped a stray/feral cat and had him neutered, I confined him to a cage and it was a catastrophy. He injured himself trying to get out. (he's okay and living happiliy indoors now).

Provide him a place to hide. A cardboard box or drape a sheet over a chair while you wait for better plan.

More help is on the way.

Thank you for your input. that is helpful information. I think that the reason that she suggested the cage is that I tried to leave him in his safe room with a box to hide and high up shelves and so on. he was extremely upset, howling and screaming and basically tore the room to shreds, including the door and the screens.

he was basically trying to dig his way out of his room and wasn't the slightest bit interested in hiding. i don't find this unusual given that he's been on the run so long but it was terrible to watch and caused alot of damage to our house.

she felt that the cage would limit the damage but he behaves the same way in the cage so now i am worried that he will hurt himself like you say.

one important note is that it's only been two days. the first in his safe room and the second in his cage in his safe room. so i am hoping things will calm down some as time goes by.

but i figure there are probably lots who have been through this before, like yourself and can tell me if i am doing the right things.....

Taking this cat into your home is the right thing to do. I'm sorry he tore up his room. I'm sure he will accept his new situation sooner rather than later. He will realize shortly how good he has it now compared to being out on his own. He's overreacting now but he's not stupid.

yup you are right on that one. he is an extremely smart fellow. alot smarter than me!!!

Hi there! First, you are doing a wonderful thing!!!!!!!! How so kind of you to take in this stray.

Take a look at this thread - http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=210849

You'll see it's actually a bit similar to what you're dealing with (except in this situation there is no destroying of the room).

You will want to buy a Feliway diffuser (much cheaper on Amazon) and possibly Bach's Rescue Remedy (drops you put in water). These will help give those feelings of 'calm' and 'happy' to help calm the kitty down.

Routine is key, and it'll take time to adjust to the new surroundings. I would remove anything from the room that you really care about and make sure there is no where the kitty can crawl into (like ductwork, etc.)

Hopefully this thread helps. And the experts will be able to give you advice as well.

Thank you for rescuing this kitty! And yup, Killerapple posted the perfect thread - and diggerled's right - he needs a place (or places) within the room to hide.

I'd give you the "being transplanted to China" analogy, but I'm pretty sure I explained it in the thread to which Killerapple provided a link.

All that's happening is he doesn't understand what's happening to him and he's terrified. Sounds like he's been out on his own for some time - and cats are all about territory, and he is in a REALLY strange one right now. Being people friendly and probably having lived in a home at some point in his past, he'll come around - and probably sooner rather than later. But right now he's freaking out.

Set him up some hidey places, let him out of the cage, and give him a few days. If you need to buy ear plugs, do so, because that cry can be so heart wrenching!

But do as much as you can at as close to possible at the same time every day for the next few days... and then start spending time in the room, just reading out loud. Sit on the floor - sew, sing, put a towel down and iron - whatever - just let him observe how much of a threat you aren't. Don't try to interact with him - just give him time to take it all in, and time to figure out that you don't want ANYTHING from him. Don't look him directly in the eyes - this is a sign of aggression. In fact, the more you're able to (appear to) completely ignore him, the better.

And remember - food is your friend. Toss a treat his way, or leave a little baby food out for him when you leave... and get a couple of t-shirts REALLY good and sweaty. Put one under his dry food dish. Leave treats down for him on another every time you leave the room..... this will help him associate you with good things he loves.

Just - let him come around in his own time, and don't force yourself on him.

Thank you so much for all the great information. It has really helped to read that what he is going through is normal for his situation. You are right, the crying makes me feel so bad. I was really worried that I was harming him somehow from the pitiful way he went on.
I read the thread that was sent and it had great information. I went out and got some more boxes and draped a sheet over the table so that he has lots of hiding places and took up a few other things that were suggested.
Then I let him out of his cage. I also ignored him as you suggested.
He was much calmer, a little whining but then he climbed into my lap for a while for petting and even played a little bit. Right now he is sleeping on top of his cage on a bed I put up there.


Unbelievable. I am so surprised that things are so different. This is so great. I will be so thankful to have this cat in our household and hope I can make it work for him.


Thanks again. All the information really helps me understand what to do- Sue

It's so great of you to take in this kitty. I just took in a stray who'd been living on my property for eleven years after rescuing her from a coyote. She's settling into her new life very nicely as I'm sure yours will to once she/he gets used to the new way. Good luck!

Oh wow! That was fast!

He IS a lover, isn't he?

Well, with this new development happening so quickly, I don't think you're going to have to listen to that crying much. You may have to sleep in there - now that he already knows he's safe, he may just cry for company.

...if you have other cats, you may want to start reading up on cat introductions!

These threads may be helpful:

Orpheygene (http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=213171)
Killerapple (the last number of pages of this long thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=206271),
and m95 in this thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=213751

all have kitty intros going on.

In your lap already? Your kitty will be easier than most.

As for his howling for something he is not going to get...Our Marlow decided on his own to come inside. We let him go in and out for a few weeks. He would howl at the door when he wanted to come in or go out. One night he came in "wounded". We never let him out again. He still goes to that door and howls sometimes. It's fewer and further between as time goes by.

that is good info on how to introduce him to my other cat. i have been keeping them apart because funny face, the stray is still sick and i don't want to expose my resident cat until we figure out what is going on.
but this info will come in useful when we are ready.
yes, he is quite the friendly guy. i was able to feed him while he was on the street so he is familiar with me. i even taught him to come to a whistle for his food. i would whistle when i came to his neighborhood and he would tear down the street cause he knew it was dinnertime. he is really smart.
the only real problem i have is the hysteria of being in a house after all the freedom. but he's getting much better. the cage really calmed him down over the last two days and now i am starting to let him out into his safe room. he gets agitated but then eventually tuckers out and plops down and is quiet.
i really feel like we are making progress. and all the info here has really helped me to understand that we are going through a normal process and that most likely we will both live through it....ha ha......

Sounds like things are going great! The/a key is being patient and letting things happen according to the kitty's own time line, not rushing things. I think you'll want the kitty to get used to this room and feel very comfortable in it - as it will be the new 'safe territory' - before he gets to see the rest of the house anyways - even if he wasn't sick. I hope he gets better soon!

Please keep us all updated.

Hi Everyone,

Things aren't going so well now and I'm hoping that I can get some input from you. Funny Face the stray is having a very hard time. He is still in his safe room but is crying and howling non-stop. He spends the day running from window to door, trying to figure out how to get out. He will do this until he completely wears himself out and then crashes for a while.

Basically he is very stressed and really unhappy. The nonstop howling and crying is very painful to hear. He has stopped digging though.

He does have periods of quiet and likes to sit on my lap and is still very affectionate with me but I can tell that he is very agitated and is constantly thinking about how to get outside.

I feel very badly and really wonder if I am doing the right thing by him.

Is this normal behavior for day 4 of confinement? If it is normal then I will feel better. I am so worried that I am ruining his spirit.

He seems to calm down when my husband or I go in his room. He will go in his cave and go to sleep. Does this mean he would be happier if he was out and about in the house when we are home? He seems to like company. Unfortunately I can't sit in his room all day.

As you can see I am not very good at this animal training thing so any help you could provide would help me. He is such a sweet character.

one other thing i should probably add is that funny face had a very active social life on the street both with a group of cats and with alot of people. he lived on a busy corner and was apparently friends with everyone who passed by.
went to the vet and two people knew him and said they were friends with him and someone stopped by my house to check on him the other day. (they all agree he needed to come off the street because he was sick and not being fed and they all are happy he has a family.)
i mention this because it might factor in to how i should care for him. i used the term 'wild' before but he isn't feral, he seems to be a domesticated cat who was very 'free' and his own boss of his own kingdom for many years. now he has lost the activity of his corner and the interactions with his 'friends'.

do you think this impacts how i should handle him?

I was really doubting myself when I took Patches in, really worrying she was depressed so I can relate to that feeling of 'did I do the right thing'. I will say that Patches is SOOO much happier now that she gets some interaction with Batman. That said...

What is Funny Face's sickness? How long do they have to be separated? I am thinking Funny Face will really perk up when he gets company - the other kitty.

Have you bought a Feliway diffuser or Bach's Rescue Remedy? I think Feliway is a critical tool to help the kitty feel relaxed and start adjusting well.

Are there windows in his new room? Can he look outside and watch birds? Can you put a bird feeder near the window?

Does he have toys (if he understand them)? Cat towers to climb?

Is he eating/drinking?

Can you turn a radio on for him so he hears people voices during the day when you're not in there?

Just some thoughts. Hang in there!

your response gave me an idea. i had been keeping the room he is in closed up so that he could relax. the room has alot of windows so after i read about batman, i opened all of them so that the breeze blew through which seemed to make him happier. Maybe not happier but more relaxed. at least he is looking out and observing rather than pacing. i guess that would make alot of sense given that he is used to sitting on the sidewalk watching the traffic go by and visiting with people who pass.
went to the vet and he said he is starting to look much better. still not perfect but making progress so hopefully it won't be long before he can meet the other cat and maybe come into the kitchen with me.
he does like my big lab benny so i brought him in the room and he also seemed to like that. he was rubbing on him and forgot the escape plan for a while.
so while the day started out very badly it seems like again there is peace in the valley for now.
my tranquilizers are working, i am taking up meditation and my psychiatrist says he has alot of appointments available later in the week so maybe we are ok..........also got the ear plugs that someone mentioned.....ha ha
thank you for responding.
oh and ps....he eats like a horse. eating me out of house and home. he needed it though cause he was emaciated..... so that is good.

That's great!! Just make sure the windows are totally secure and that he can't get out by clawing through the screen..

Eating is a good thing. I'd think if he was super upset about being inside, he would not be eating.

Originally Posted by killerapple

That's great!! Just make sure the windows are totally secure and that he can't get out by clawing through the screen..

Eating is a good thing. I'd think if he was super upset about being inside, he would not be eating.

Click to expand...

If he wants out, he'll get out through the screen, so make sure to keep it too small for him to squeeze through or be certain it is REALLY secure.

It sounds to me like he's lonely. He's obviously very friendly and used to a lot of interaction.

We had two older ferals that were friendly. They'd never been anyone's pets, but it was just so clear they'd do well once they adjusted to being inside. But they were almost two years old. We tried to adopt them out together, but after about 5 months, winter was bearing down on us, and we had one possibility for ONE of them. She had great references, so we decided we had to do it - we had to separate them. I mean - they were almost always together. It just about broke our hearts. And since we hadn't found a home for Bill, we had to adopt him ourselves.

We live in an RV, so couldn't separate him. So he had to stay at the vet until he got the all clear - and he had giardia. So he was there almost two weeks before we brought him home.

Things went real well - sort of. He didn't freak to get out - he was happy enough to be inside and be with us. But he was used to friendly cats - and he kept trying to headbump all our kitties and be friendly with them - and they're all kind of loners. They looked at him like he was some kind of nut. He cried a lot - he was really missing his brother. He also talked ALL THE TIME. It was driving us crazy.

It's 1 1/2 years later... and I'm really not sure when it changed. I just know that over time, three of our kitties got friendly with him. Two or three will groom him for a teeney little while - but it makes him purr up a storm. Two of them play chase with him. And he slowly stopped crying for his brother - and he slowly stopped talking all the time. Now he just walks around and kneads whenever he jump up on something "soft" - like the bed or couch or something. And he kind of trills when he moves around. So - he's still letting us know he's doing something, but it's in the sweetest way. He loves being cuddled and sleeping with me - and he's really happy.

He missed his brother for a looooooong time though.

Hopefully introductions will go well when it's time - and in the meantime, let Benny hang out with him as much as Benny can stand it.

...and I'd start scent swapping so your kitty begins associating Funny Face with "good things."