Need some advice on a feral cat.

At the end of December I trapped a pregnant kitty that I have been feeding every night outside my shop and I moved her into the office of the shop so she could have the kittens in safety and so I could get them adopted out to save them from a life of living in the wild.  She had 3 of them and I was able to get all 3 adopted through a local rescue group.   That makes me very happy that they now have good, loving homes.

My dilemma is what to do with Mama Kitty now.   I have 2 cats already at home and simply can't take another one in because of the rules where I live.    My original plan for her was to have her spayed and then release her back into the outdoors.  She is at the Humane Society today being spayed.   I had held out hope that she would become tame enough that maybe I could find her a good home too, but it has become apparent she is just never going to lose that feral side of her.   I have been feeding and caring for her for 5 months now and she still won't let me touch her or come near her.

My fear about releasing her outdoors is that all the cats she hung around with, including her boyfriend, have either moved on or have disappeared, so she would be out there on her own.  Plus, she has been indoors for so long now that maybe she has lost her ability to survive outdoors.   I am not opposed to letting her live in the office indefinitely, at least she is safe and has all the food, water, and toys she can play with, plus my companionship when I am there, but a lady friend says she feels Mama is in "Kitty Jail" because the office has no windows to the outdoors and is cut off from the life she knew.  That makes me feel really bad.

So my question is, do you think it is better that she is in a protected, yet cooped up environment, or would she be better off having a normal life outdoors ?   She really wants out the door and looks out every time I open it.   I am sure she would bolt for it if she had the chance.

Help !!!!!!

Don

Except for there being no window, I'm for keeping her inside. We have two former feral's who won't let us pet them and they've been inside for five plus years. But they do act like inside kitties now and actually run the other way when I open the door. Is there any way you can get her near a window, so she can have a view? Between the other kitties disappearing and her having been inside for five months, I'd lean toward keeping the status qou. When she heals from spaying, she might surprise you and get a little more tame.

Thank you for helping her and for finding homes for her kittens. Bravo!

Thank you for the reply.   I picked her up from the spaying and she is resting in the office again.    I am so torn.   On one hand, I know she really loved it outdoors and wants out badly.  But I know she will die if I do that.  I am basing that on the fact that of the maybe 20 or 30 cats I have been feeding at my shop every night for the past 2-3 years only one is left, and he is a tough old guy.   I have seen adult and kitten cats suddenly start not showing up at night to be fed, and I know something bad has happened to them.

On the other hand, in my office she is safe, has more food and water than she can consume, has a soft bed, and toys she plays with.   The main drawback is that my shop office has no window and I can't add one since I rent the shop.   She does have a window that goes out into the shop so she can watch us work, but that isn't like a true outdoor view.

On the plus side, she is totally housebroken and has used the litter box religiously since day one, and she has started to play with me using a toy on a string, so she is getting SLIGHTLY less afraid of me, but only SLIGHTLY.  She is a cute, smallish cat and it would take the right kind of person to adopt her because they would have to understand that she might never be a lap cat or even be able to be petted.

Here is a picture of her with one of her kittens that I got adopted out.

Don

Oh my stars - they are sweet! That kitten is gorgeous! Mommy IS small - do you know how old she is? She will have a lot easier time adjusting if she's young and she looks young. I think you're doing the right thing keeping her inside.

Do you have any idea what's happening with the other cats? Your description is a little disturbing. I hope someone isn't harming them. Maybe your rescue group can nose around and get some info.

Thanks again for helping them all. She is going to be a happy kitty, even thou it may take some time.

I agree with Ondine, I think keeping her with you inside your office is the better choice, to keep her safe. She does look young, and I actually think things are coming along quite nicely. I think the playing interaction is great progress. Just keep bonding with her and give her as much attention as you can, I bet she will come around eventually. It does take alot of time and patience, but every little bit of progress is so rewarding.

This is probably a silly idea, but maybe you could put a little television in there with her, with some nature programs on it or something. I know its not the same as sunshine and outside smells, but maybe it will give her a little stimulation.

At least she is safe, has a warm bed, food in her belly, and someone who cares. She no longer has to go hungry or watch over her shoulder for fear of her life, and she feels safe and comfortable enough to play in the environment that you have provided for her. She is a lucky kitty to have you. Thank you for your kindness and caring.

Thanks to both of you for your replies and suggestions.  Yes, I know she is only about 2 years old because I first saw her as a kitten when her Mom and Dad started bringing her around to eat at night with them.  She was one of 3 kittens and the other two disappeared , first one then the other, as they got a little bigger.  Then the Mom and Dad disappeared too.

I have several thoughts on what is happening to the cats that used to come around.  We have large hawks that circle over our area constantly and they are big enough to carry off a cat.  We also have Florida bobcats, I saw one just a few weeks ago and I never knew they were so large, it was like a German Shepard in size.   Traffic is another thing, I think some of them are getting hit by cars.  Finally,, I think the males move off to other areas in search of female cats.   I just saw one male cat that I have been feeding for a while, and who hasn't been around for months, at another spot about a half mile from the shop.

If I keep her in my office I might add a screen door to the solid door which would let her look outside.   Even my two at home sit on our lanai most of the day and watch birds and people walking around, so it wouldn't be much different than that.  The office is pretty large and has furniture and things for her to climb up on, so she has some variation in her routine.

I wish we had farms around here, she would be perfect for that kind of outdoor life.  She is a hunter and a tough little cat.   I saw her chase a raccoon that was as big as a dog one time and the raccoon was running for his life.  She thought he got too close to her first litter of kittens and she took off after it with a vengeance.

I have resigned myself to the fact I can't save the world, just a few of these once in a while.  So far I trapped a kitten from Mama's first litter and got it a great home, and now I have gotten 3 from this time adopted.   It saddens me to see so many of them living this kind of life, but you can only do what you can do.

Don

Remember that it may not mean a lot to the world when you save one cat but it means the world to that cat! Never feel badly about helping - think of her life without you.

I think the screen door is an excellent idea but I would reinforce it with fine gauge wire or another layer of screen. If she's determined, she can rip the screen.

Thank you again. You are doing a fantastic job!

You are doing such a wonderful thing for this cat.  I would definitely keep her inside.  She has been there for 5 months now and is adjusting to her indoor life.  A screen door to let in some fresh air and allow her to see out is a good idea.  Just be sure that she doesn't try to escape. 

A few tricks for helping her to adjust to being socialized.  Have you tried any feliway plug ins.  I also have used a product from Jackson Galaxy's Spirit Essence line called Feral Cat Rebab.  You just place a few drops into their wet food a few times each day.  I have used it on 3 ferals and had very good luck.  Another tip, is baby food.  I use stage 1 Gerber's Chicken or Turkey.  Cats just love it.  You can put some on a paper plate to give a quick taste, then try moving to putting some on our fingers.  I also used a long handled feather toy for interactions.  After a few weeks, I would pull the handle in closer and closer to me.  I would rub the feather on my feral almost as though I was petting him.  Eventually I pulled the wand all the way towards me and it was just my hand that was petting.  It took time and patience, but it did work.  My feral also really likes the laser toy. 

Good luck!  You are doing the right thing for her.  I think if you put her out, you will constantly be worrying about her safety.