Another unplanned cat skittish how to get her to relax

Last night as sat at Starbucks on the patio discussing my past experiences rescue cats with friend a cat suddenly appeared in the parking lot. Go figure! I called her she came right up to me and began rubbing on me wanting to be petted. She is large and well fed. She had scratches on her nose and some sores on the top of her head under her fur which I assume are also from the cat fight.

The area is surrounded by several stores and traffic is a little busy. We ended up going home and getting carrier. When we found her again we also saw another well fed cat that was a Grouch Marx looking cat but he won't come close to you he keeps his distance. We fed him. He only came running over after we caught the other cat. He looked concerned and upset. The cat I caught had previously been growling at him. The parking lot was for a church and daycare. Someone might be feeding them.

We left the presumably feral cat and took the friendlier one. I felt bad about it. The cat is in my Garage now. I have 3 other cats and a dog ( I used to have 7) She definitely has a respiratory infection.

With the exception of a course feeling coat she seems to be in good health. Now that we are home. She is really skittish about noises, she growls if she hears or smells my other animals and she isn't very relaxed. She will get into my lap to make "biscuits" but she won't lay down. She has not used the litter box and it's been 24 hours. What can I do to get her to relax? How can I help her get used a litter box?

I agree with KRZ, it will be better with time. Many newbe cats are nervous a couple of days, not eating nor relieving themselves. Even some bough cats.

You can try with soft calming relaxing music. Almost any will do, but classical harp music is best, our experienced LDG says.

Tx for caring!

Good luck!

I am uncertain about keeping her. I have tiny 6 lb cat 12 year old with health problems already, one 13 year old, on one chubby munchkin looking cat. Plus a dog border collie lab mix.

Her form but not her color reminds me of an Abyssinian cat.A large (tall, long, muscular at least 10 lbs) cat is not really in my other cats best interest.  She has light green eyes, she's white with brown and black tiger stripes on her face and tail with about 5 tiger stripe spot that form a perfect circle when she sits down.

  I was looking to adopt medium sized, long hair that likes dogs and cats from a rescue. I wish a rescue with experience with rehabilitating a cat like her would take her and let me get a cat better suited to my household. They probably would think I was jerk if I asked. I am a little worn out and not sure I can do this. I had 4 very sick cats that I loved ( most I had since babies) that had a medicine line up each night. I lost them all in about a year. I'm kind of burned out from grief and the intense care they needed ( I would not have trade them for the world though)

From where I sit now it looks like it could take several months if ever for her to be a house cat. She growls and hisses at the scent of another cat on anything in the garage. She acts skittish. She jumps and listens and freezes at any noise. She will however, get in my lap and make biscuits. That is all she does she likes me to scratch her head and let her make biscuits. (You need a blanket in your lap her claws are sharp)

She won't lay down in my lap. I don't feel I can hold her without fear of being bit or scratched. I inform her verbally if I want to get up to leave. When I get up she continues to try get my attention by pawing at my leg and if I try to move away she gets aggressive hisses and needle nips me. It's happened 3-4 times with each time with increasing aggression. I don't know how to handle this. I coat my nips in rubbing alcohol and I leave. Today I told her No! bad kitty!. Every cat I've rescued I've always been able to physically pick up and handle. I am kind of afraid of this cat.

It is possible she is someone's outdoor cat she is not skinny at all aside from her URI she looks good.  I think she has peed but not in the litterbox I intended for her to use. She has not had a bowel movement yet. At least not that I have seen. I have newspaper pellet litter and a little Tidy cat mixed together. If she stays with me our litter boxes are Breeze litter boxes with clay pellets at this point due to the need to monitor our cats litter box habits and our back problems we are very committed to using this type of litter,

I was going to take her to the vet tonight but I went with my sick cat first (they can't ride in the same car due to the stray cats respiratory infection) and it was crazy busy I decided to try tomorrow.

My plan so far is this: FIV/Felv testing, rabies shot, a shot of Convenia (antibiotic) to address her respiratory infection, claw trimming,deworming, flea protection, I'd really like for her to have a bath (I think I am little allergic to her or whatever is in her fur, plus she just feels a looks dirty) but this will be pretty traumatizing. Should I just do it and get it all over with at once? If go ahead give her the rest of her shots which she won't be able to get until she is well from her respiratory infection. She will have to come back to the vet should I put off the bath? I am afraid she will come back from the vet with a worse attitude.

I found this site looking up for feral cat information. I've read some of the posts and I see some of you are really, really dedicated. I used to more like this but I just don't think I have this in me anymore. Spending several months trying to domesticate a cat would be draining to me. I've considered fixing her and releasing her back where I found her but that feels really wrong.

 I emailed the church where I found them together at no one there is caring for them. Since both cats are nicely filled out I feel someone is feeding them somewhere. There are restaurants, an open field,a marsh and a Walmart in the area. Just short distance away is residential neighborhood.The cat I took home seems really comfortable outside. She came when I called her.

The black and white one is adorable looking, fat and has a Groucho Marx mustache. I worry perhaps it's not a male but a pregnant female. However, I am normally really good at guessing the sex of a cat just by looking at it's body and face and demeanor. He won't within five feet of me. I emailed the church to see if they would permit a humane trap on their property I explained the concept of trap and release. I have not been back there yet to check on him. It rained tonight. I am going to try to find him tommorow night. The church has not see either of them during the day.

Successful ferales do often see well fed. Or the other way around, being somewhat "thick" and with good fur helps them to be successfull.

Releasing them is of course an option if fostering is not suitable or possible for you.

It would be a terrible crime to dump a home cat, especielly if inside only.

But these are used to manage themselves outside, homeless.  With somebodys help or on their own hand.  As long as they are neutered they will manage OK.

So do as it appropriate and possible for you.

One option may perhaps be if you find someone else who want to try to foster; a rescue group nearby or some private person who want to do her quest, her deed?

Good luck!

The one I took home  went to the vet she is FIV/FELV negative they don't think she is pregnant or spayed. No microchip. She has her 1st shots and is dewormed. She was pretty good overall just slightly irate. The bill was really expensive. She didn't get bathed as they wanted nearly $40.00 to do it. They scared the you know what out of her so she finally pooped while at the vet. She has not had a bowel movement since I picked her up ( 3 days) She has peed in the litterbox provided as of today. Unfortunately, she peed all over herself on the way home so she is now soaked in pee. I may have to attempt the bath myself. I am not looking forward that.

Still feeling very apprehensive about her since she is such a large strong cat who is tempermental. Will post more questions later. Probably will start some new threads.