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My feral WONT leave!!!

post #1 of 12
6/9/11 at 11:10am
Thread Starter 
Hi everyone, Im really upset b/c my favorite feral Howly will not leave my yard.....this would not normally be an issue but its 110 outside!!! She lives in the woods down the street from me where its nice and cool, but she's been here for 3 days now and wont leave. She has plenty of food and water (i've been changing it every hour) My issue is, she's been sleeping under the neighbors car out front and it has to be 120 under that darn car! She'll come out to see me and lay in the grass in the hot sun. I cant even get her in my shady backyard b/c "its not her territory''. She's meowing at me like crazy (which is why her name's Howly) but I dont know what i can do. I've left the side door open with food and she's just too sacred. Anyone with any ideas would be much appreciated!
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post #2 of 12
6/9/11 at 11:34am
I think Howly is trying to tell you something . Either something has frightened her from her spot in the woods and she won't go back to that or she is ill and needs attention. I would keep a close eye on her that she is eating and drinking. Put the food/water in your shady backyard and hopefully when she is hungry she will go and eat/drink. They are pretty savvy and know how to take care of themselves. I just think she is afraid to go back to her favorite safe area in those woods for some reason. If she keeps this up, you might have to trap her and take her to a vet. Good luck and I hope she will retreat to your backyard soon
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post #3 of 12
6/9/11 at 12:35pm
Thread Starter 
I was wondering the same thing about the woods! There is a small colony back there and maybe someone upset her. She's quite itchy and im hoping not anemic. I wont have the money to trap her and vet her until next week. I have to get some Frontline or Advantage on her asap! My husband is convinced she's gotten too attached to me to leave. In any case, I hope I can make her comfortable enough until the weather breaks. P.S. she's eatting and drinking normally.
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post #4 of 12
6/9/11 at 2:07pm
That is very good she is eating/drinking. And I really don't think she is staying around because she is too attached to you, no offense. After hearing you say there is a colony of cats living in those woods, then some kind of dispute went on in there and she is to scared to go back. You are the next safest place other than those woods, so she might be in your yard to stay for awhile .
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post #5 of 12
6/9/11 at 11:17pm
Good luck! I have no experience with ferals but I'm sending all my
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post #6 of 12
6/10/11 at 6:02am
I think that design in this link could be possible to make with two boxes, so that there would be cool interior.

There would be inner and outer boxes, between them should be insulation material and water, so it requires some manufacturing or finding box that has double walls and space between them.

In my mind at least it should be cooler than shade side of the house, even with large openings as feral is not very easily going to box with just one small opening.

Problem is that is takes quite bit of building because of exits need to be at sides, lot of gluing and quite bit of challenge to get it hold that water. It would be quite nice eco friendly air conditioned pet house for yard if some company would make such things.
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post #7 of 12
6/10/11 at 6:35am
Thread Starter 
Thanks everyone! Im starting to wonder if there is an aggressive female with kittens back there or an aggressive Tom. Last night she explored the back yard a bit where its nice and shady. She moves around from the neighbors abandoned car out front to a shady spot we made for her by our grill. She has a house my husband made with some ventalation. Her food is in there and her water is staying cool. We had a passing storm last night and I thought for sure she would retreat to the woods but she stayed under the car! She's rubbing her sent all over the yard so I assume she's comfy. Im doing everything I can to make sure she stays that way. Im very attached to her!
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post #8 of 12
6/10/11 at 7:40am
Can you actually apply advantage/frontline to this cat?

I am in NJ and my ex feral was just laying in one spot the entire time of that heat. much happier today.
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post #9 of 12
6/10/11 at 1:18pm
YAY, glad she is coming into the back yard to shade and feeling more comfortable. Yes, I am sure you are attached to her . Howly sounds very sweet and I am glad she is doing well. She is definitely not sick since she is eating/drinking and making her "rubs" around your yard , I think she is just to scared to go back to the woods and your place suits her just fine now.
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post #10 of 12
6/13/11 at 2:09pm
Thread Starter 
We're going on week 2 and she still wont leave. Im glad b/c I can keep an eye on her. Funny, She'll cry for me and I rush out there to see what she needs and I'll sit in the grass and talk to her and she rolls around and shows me her belly. When I leave she rushes over to my spot and rolls in my sent!!! She tries so hard to get close to me but at the last second gets scared. I sit outside with her so much Im getting nothing done! LOL!!!! Im just thrilled I have really great neighbors who are all used to the small colony we have. They all call me "cat lady" but of coarse Im used to that!!! HEHE!
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post #11 of 12
6/13/11 at 8:13pm
I know what you mean about spending way too much time with the cats. I never get anything done either. I bet very soon now she will be rubbing up against you and then might allow you to pet her after she starts to do that. Howly does love you!!!!!!!
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post #12 of 12
6/20/11 at 1:42pm
I feel that I spend most of my day working with my feral cat. People think I am absolutely crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Have you tried any interactive toys with Howly? Shadow loves the laser light, feather wands and Da Bird. I began first with the laser light. He went crazy for it. Next was the feather wand which he just loved. It allowed me to be somewhat close to him. I also was able to begin "touching" him with the feather wand. He began to enjoy the feeling of begin touched when the wand would brush over his head or even under his chin. After a few weeks of this, I would move the wand over the top of his head so that my hand was now on his head. He had no idea at first. He so loved the touch that after a week or so, he would come right over to my open hand. I have now been touching Shadow since late March. He can't get enough of it! He is one cat that would want you to pet him all day long. I am now working on picking him up. Everything is so slowwwwww, but so worth it.
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