Infiltrator causing big problems

I've been caring for three 1/2 (and a half because one comes for food only) cats outside for three years. All four were neutered and we've set up shelter in our garage. In addition, I have four cats inside. There have been cats that occasionally stop by, but none have remained. Earlier this summer, a big male cat began coming around. He started spraying in and around the shelter area and chased my sweet outdoor male cat (who is best buddies with the other two females) away. Now PJ, the male, hardly comes home. This new infiltrator is trying to move in. I tried preventing him (Mr. Gray after Stephen King's character) from eating their food by standing there while they eat and taking away their bowls afterward, but this cat just won't move on. He (Mr. Gray) is getting thinner and it's upsetting since I feel for any cat and he seems nice to me and is very handsome. Last week as he walked past our door, one of my inside cats (female) burst through the screen in attack mode. Thankfully, she just chased him away and we were able to get her back inside. Now I'm nervous about having the doors and windows open. I really don't know what to do. I'm at my wits end. I haven't seen PJ for two days and I'm worried about him. Also, I'm off for the summer and can more easily deal with the problem, but I won't be able to stand guard once school starts. Ideas?

Why not just feed Mr. Gray? Can't you just offer him food along with the others? He's not trying to be an "infiltrator". He's just hungry. You said he's getting thinner too. He's coming there because he's hungry and needs food.

Well, as I've said, he is aggressive toward the male in the group and the other cats run when he shows up. My inside cat Cleo displayed what the vet said was "misplaced aggression and Isis ended up with a torn ear (after the screen door incident) If I don't police it, Mr. Gray would gobble up the food while the others run for the hills. Someone told me to have him neutered and I wonder if he would then get along with the others, especially the other male. The four cats outside have always gotten along with other "visitors." Mr. Gray got into a terrific fight with one of the visitors and that cat never returned.

I did feed him yesterday and today. He can't be too starving though because he turned his nose up at the dry and only licked the gravy from the Wellness cubed turkey dinner I gave him first. He ate all the pate' I put out for him (what is it about cubed food? None of my inside or outside will eat it.)

Will neutering make cats calmer?

This is such a typical issue when caring for a colony of feral cat's. New cat's seem to show up. Some stay and others move on. We have absolutely no control over their social hierarchy and with every new cat, the dynamics change, unfortunately. Neutering this new Tom will help for sure. Poor PJ and I hope he can figure out a way to manage the new addition. It is also hard for our inside kitties and misplaced aggression is also very, very common as they need to release the tension of seeing new cat's outside. You sound like a great mediator and I hope that things will work out for all of your cat's. Good luck with trapping Mr. Gray

P.S. I do know of some people who will relocate a feral cat to another colony with great success if that particular cat is causing so much tension in the colony. That would only work though if you know of other caretakers and could work that out somehow.

Thank you for your words of advice. I've been feeding Mr. Gray and was so surprised to find that he seeks affection and loves to be petted. He now runs up to me and meows when I come outside. I get the feeling that he was someone's pet because he is communicative and loves petting. He's also fussy in what he'll eat. I feed him separately and then feed and stand with the others so they can eat. If I don't, MG will send them running. I'm relieved that PJ has been back at least once a day, but he doesn't hang out & runs when he spots MG. I can see he's lost weight but he was a bit chunky anyway. The two girls feel comfortable enough to stay in the vicinity at a "safe" distance. Maybe this will work out after all. I'm going to try to get Mr. Gray to the vet before school starts. I hope they do settle down and get along eventually. As for the inside residents, we are putting up heavy duty screening tomorrow. It's been in the 90s here and too hot not to keep the doors open. Hopefully, they'll get used to Mr. Gray the way they got used to the other guys outside.
 

Dorymb said:

 

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• dorymb
• Jul 27, 2012

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OH HE is SO good looking and handsome, your MG. :love: AND that is just incredible news - He is NOT feral!!! But someone's abandoned/lost stray cat. AWWWW I think you will be so surprised how much he will calm and settle once neutered. :nod: For sure. I always tell my cats all the time.... "you MUST all get along, because you all were once lost/stray or feral cats and everyone deserves a home and a safe place to live.... SO just GET ALONG!!!" :rofl: I don't know if they listen or not, but it makes me feel good to say that to them. I think things will work out for your kitties. Glad that PJ has been back, even if for only short periods. That is a good sign.

OK It's now been a few months. Freddy (formerly Mr. Grey) has been to the doctor. He was neutered, checked for felv and fiv, given a rabies shot. This, with a spay/neuter program coupon, cost me $75. He is a sweetheart and really wants an indoor home. He has stopped spraying, but has not made any friends. The original gang now sleeps and spends their time in the neighbors empty barn and only visits for food. They won't eat if Freddy is in the vicinity. I've been trying to get him a home since he so obviously wants one.

I do have another problem with him. He started licking his butt and stomach raw. I gave him a bath even though I didn't see any fleas and I'm convinced that isn't it. What else could it possibly be? I've waited several weeks thinking it might go away but it hasn't. I honestly can't afford another vet visit (one income, 4 inside, 5 outside) and I'm trying to avoid it if possible. Ideas?
 

Wow do I know the issue with these feral dynamics. I'm sorry the other kitties are living in the neighbor's barn and only coming for food, but at least they've worked things out so they have shelter and no one's hungry. :heart2:

As to Mr. Grey.... the butt licking makes me think parasites. Is he treated with Revolution monthly? And it's VERY likely he needs some Droncit for tapeworm. You should be able to give the vet a call, tell them you need to get the parasite meds in/on a feral cat, so you can't retrap him for an appointment, but he lets you approach when he eats, so you would be able to get the Revolution on him and if you put the drontcit in a treat, you're sure he'll gobble it up (make it sound like you can treat him, but not get him to the vet). This shouldn't cost much. I buy packets of Revolution at a time, so I have no idea how much an individual one would cost.

Now, as to the stomach mowing... unfortunately, that's most likely allergies. Our Chumley had this. We tried a hypoallergenic diet, and THAT didn't work. We took him to a holistic vet. He was diagnosed with an "extreme spleen Qi deficiency," and the stomach mowing is "always" an indication of this condition. Our vet prescribed these pills: http://www.easyhealthzone.com/prosperous-farmer-60-p/ka0162.htm Chum weighed about 12 pounds at the time, his dose was one pill 2x a day. They are LARGE pills. I cut them in half and smooshed something around them, and he just ate them. They MUST not be bitter, because once he did eat the stuff off around one of the halves, and our cat that will NOT eat meds thought it was a treat and ran over and ate it. :lol3: They take a while to work: and when the abdomen is bare, even when they stop itching it takes MONTHS to grow back in. Within a few days we THOUGHT he was itching less. Within a few weeks we were sure of it. And sure enough, over a period of several months, he stopped itching altogether, and the hair all grew back in.

The alternative is to buy a novel protein, single protein food. Natural Balance makes food with single proteins out of stuff like duck or venison I think. And EVO now has a single-protein dry food, Turkey. If it's an allergy, you can eliminate the proteins that are problems by feeding a single source protein food.

Thanks for the quick response. It makes sense that it's a parasite. I may try the pills because my Isis mows her fur. Our vet calls her a "fastidious groomer." I think she has OCD. She doesn't irritate her skin though.

I've been feeding Freddy 9 Lives. I get discount cans of food. Some high end that I can try feeding him. I just checked, and I have several large cans of Wellness chicken. Unfortunately, I doubt that my vet would be agreeable to a phone diagnosis---they used to be more flexible but since they expanded 5 years ago things have really changed.

I just got a call from Peaceable Kingdom shelter. I left them a message a few days ago. They told me their medical coordinator will call me about low cost care. Yay!  (They also will put Freddy on a waiting list. I would love to find him a home.)

I really do hope that the shelter will get an opening for Freddie, that is good news!! And then the other cat's in the colony will be more at peace. :cross: I agree with Laurie, that it might be parasites and the Revolution is what I would suggest too. And for the fur munching, it could be a diet related allergy. I hope you can find something that will work for everyone and not break the bank :lol3: That is just GREAT news that the shelter will help with low cost care!!! Take advantage of that for sure. Keep us posted!! Freddie

Update on Freddy (f. Mr. Grey):

First of all, his grooming/licking issue has stopped. I did change his food, but we also put him in the garage at night to sleep on straw and a sleeping bag instead of the ground. His fur is growing back nicely.

Secondly, we may have located his former owner. About 2 weeks ago, I updated the "Lost" post on Craigslist. Yesterday, at 3 AM someone sent us a email thinking it might be her cat "Harley" who went missing a year ago! I spoke to the woman on the phone and she is coming to see him today. It is sad for me. Over the last months, We've grown very fond of Freddy, but we know he needs an indoor home. Her description of his appearance and behaviors fit and I think it is her cat.

Several other things bother me: She has several cats and three kids. Freddy is one of two that went missing a year ago. She lets her cats out. Freddy was not neutered. And the most amazing thing: he had to cross the river to get to us. We live near her (1.5 miles), but on the other side of the river!

AWWWW Freddie is VERY VERY handsome!!! Great news about his hair growing back. Bet he is comfortable in the garage too which helps with any stress. Sad about his possible owners not neutering him and letting him roam. I hope that it is Harley's owners..... but, yes sad at the same time. for Freddie...

Thanks for your post. The plot thickens. The woman and her 14 year old daughter did come by and recognized Freddy. I do believe it's her cat, but Freddy refused to let her pick him up or go with her. He started peeing all over the nearby bushes as if to say "This is my home" After 1/2 an hour, he just took off. When they left, Freddy came back. He just bounded up to me. Now I'm really confused. Is he just forgetting for the moment and will settle back in with them? Or did he run away for a reason? I told her I would bring him over on Saturday, but I have to tell you I do not feel good about this.

They did not take very good care of him before, I would doubt they would now.  Anyone who lets their cats outside should be responsible and have them spayed/neutered.

It is up to you.  Personally, I would try to find a better home for him, or keep him myself.  If he can find a way to get along with your other kitties, that would make it so much easier.

tjcarst said:

They did not take very good care of him before, I would doubt they would now.  Anyone who lets their cats outside should be responsible and have them spayed/neutered.

It is up to you.  Personally, I would try to find a better home for him, or keep him myself.  If he can find a way to get along with your other kitties, that would make it so much easier.

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I strongly second all of what tjcarst just said.  

I feel like he was making a statement by not letting them pick him up and then leaving while they were there.

Yes, the bizarre spraying display also. I rarely see him spray now that he's neutered and then only when another cat is near. After much discussion, my husband had to agree with my assessment. We've decided to see if she calls us and then tell her we feel it was obvious Freddy didn't want to go with her. I think he probably ran away from their home for a reason. Since she didn't share her cell phone or address with us, she may not really be serious about wanting him back anyway. Still.....he does need a home. Thanks for the input.
 

Well, our boy is gone. His owner called and we took him over. We are so sad, but I couldn't offer him a warm home and that seemed worse. Hope we did the right thing.

You did what you thought best.  If he finds his way back to your  home, you'll have your answer.  I'd keep checking around for a better home, just in case.  ;-)

Dorymb said:

Well, our boy is gone. His owner called and we took him over.

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Is that the same "Owner" who came to your house before?

How did he react at their house - did he seem glad to be there?