My Feral Cat

Hi, I have been feeding a feral cat for over 14 months. He is NOT a kitten. He has been very afraid of me. I really believe he has been abused. When I first saw him on my property he was sooooo thin. He was out back hunting. I saw him every day. At first I thought he belonged to someone because he would be at the back of my property. I live on farm land and the people around here do not take care of their cats. They don't feed them because they think they won' t mouse for them.
I got off track. I feed my feral cat who I call "Babee Cakes". He is male. He is HUGE!!!
He gets fed wet food twice a day and dry food whenever he wants it. I have a cat house that I have a front and back door in it.
It also has plastic see thru doors on the front. For about the first six months I could not get him to use it. He slept in a cat bed that I put on my porch with a heating pad in it. It was winter, snowing and icing. He would eat his food right in the rain and snow.
I would feel sooo bad for him. I couldn't get near him. I told him I wouldn't touch him until he said it was alright. It took me 14 months to gain a little trust. He now walks between my legs and lets me pet his head, bac, tail and belly as long as he doesn't see my hands. He rubs his head against my leg when he wants lovin's and keeps looking up at me. The only time I can pet him is when he is between my legs. He knows his name and comes when I call him. I go out with.him several times a day to walk with him. He sits and waits for me. I even got him to walk in my back door and up one step tothe kitchen and then went back out the door. He didthis twice so far. I tell him all the time how much mommy loves him and what a good boy he is and how handsome he is.
It took alot of time to get this far but I' m happy that I did as I have to move in four months and do not want to leave him here. I have five other kids. One was diagnosed with

Your post seemed to stop before you finished.  If you are moving and taking him with you, you will need to have a place to confine him for a few weeks at the new place.  Otherwise he will try to find his way "back home" (where you are now).

Taking his house with you will help him get used to the new area.  Also, once you catch him to bring him with you, make sure you have him neutered (if not done already) and vetted.  The neutering will help keep him from wandering and the vetting will just make sure he's healthy.

Thank you for helping him!

Yes, my post submitted on me. One of my kids has been diagnosed with diabetes. I have another cat that has to be put in the hospital tomorrow for a feeding tube and I.V.'s. She is 12 years old she has not eaten for 12 days. I've had her to the Vet twice. She has gingivitis and bad teeth. Tje Vet

The vet doesn't think it is her teeth. She ran all kinds of blood work and it was all good. Kidneys, liver, pancreas however her exray showed cardiomyaphathy which both her blonde brothers had too. I've been trying to force feed her gave her appetite pills which did nothing. The Vet wanted me to give her Baytril (I'm a nurse) you normally do not give an antibiotic on an empty stomach. I caved and gave her one and she urinated blood. So of course I stopped them.
I have my girl who will be 18 April 01, she is a very smart tuxedo cat. She was the only cat I ever had.
My feral cat respects them if they are outside. He will not go near them he is sooo good. They tell you not to look them in the eyes. When we are walking he always looks up at me right in my eyes. Yes, his house will definitely go with us and he WILL seenthe Vet For a check up and get neutered. All my kids are fixed !!"""
Thank you for responding to me.

The fact that he looks right at you and his other behaviors tells me he wasn't born feral.  He was probably someone's cat at some point.  Thank you for taking care of him!

No problem !! I take care of every kitty that comes to my yard. If it wasn't for my girl, Freeway, she has taught me alot about kitties. I love, love kitties and I HATE People that abuse them.
Do you really think he was someones cat ?

If he was, it's been awhile.  But the signs are there that he was socialized at some point in his life.

I always thought he was and that he was abused. I can pet him all over as long as he doesn't see my hands. When he does see them he swats at me, always!!! He is such a sweet boy, I can't imagine WHY someone would abuse him. I'm wondering if he is sick, has hiv or aids and they took it out on him. I sure hope not though. I will still take him with me and my kids (cats) when we move. I will get him checked out and neutered first. I really do love him, he is sooo sweet !""
Right now I'm having a BIG problem with one of my girls. She hasn't eaten anything for 13 days. Her bloodwork came back good, her xrays shows cardiomyaphathy, her two blonde brothers had it as well. There is also a growth in her chest. The Vet doesn't know what it is. Tomorrow we go for an ultra sound. She is only 12 years old and has lost two pounds. I told the Vet she is NOT ready to go to God yet !!! I love her soooo much, I am just sooo sick !!!!

Hi there welcome along to TCS

You may be better off asking for advice in the health section more people will see it there

Well, my Little Sweetie Pie has cancer of her kidneys, stage 5 !! I just cannot believe it. It has been 16 days now that she hasn't eaten. I was going to take her today to give her her "Angel Wings", so she wouldn't suffer anymore. When I got home at 12:30 she went right out my back door. So I figured why not let her go. As weak as she is, she wobbled all the way out my back yard to the woods. I couldn't believe it !! She hasn't been out of her box in two days. She came in and drank water and laid down on the kitchen floor. I guess she isn't ready yet. I called my Vet to let them know and they said ifshe is having a good day,let her. She isn't ready yet. God another day. Makes me so happy,I just wish she could eat.
I'm not looking for advise, just needed someone to talk to. Sorry !!!!

I'm sorry you're going through this.
DO be careful about letting her outside unsupervised. This time she returned on her own, but there may come a time--soon perhaps--when she'll keep on walking, putting herself on The Bridge so you don't have to.

No, I stayed right with her. I will NOT let her out by herself !!!
Today she is throwing up yellow bile and sitting in front of her water bowl. I don't think she can drink. I tried a syringe to give her some but she swatted it out of my hand.
I really don't know how she is even able to walk. She hasn't had food for 19 days now. She is VERY weak, but she wants out again. I want her to be happy, cause I'm gonna have to take her very soon. I DO NOT want her to suffer ! I don't think SHE is ready yet. She keeps fighting it, God love her!"" She IS such a sweet, precious little girl.

Just an update if anyone is interested. My little Sweetie Pie passed away on November 18. I couldn't take it anymore and I'm soooo sorry that I let her suffer that long !!! She didn't want to go. She kept trying to walk all over the house. She was sooo weak that she was walking on the top of her paws. When I saw that I called the Vet and took her in. I held her on my lap all the way. 20 min. drive. It was the hardest thing I had to do but I couldn't be selfish anymore !! I love her so much and miss her soooooooo BAD!!!
I still have to go back and pick her up.
Even though I have four other kids in the house, it is just sooooo empty without her. It's like ten kids are missing.
I do have a question if anyone can answer it.
She was always on the stove sleeping. The microwave is right there. Do you think the microwave could have given her the cancer ??? I just can't understand how she got that !!!
Thanks for reading, just needed to vent.
Yo Hon

So sorry to hear about Sweetie Pie.  You did right by her.

I cannot answer your question about the microwave but I am sure there has been a lot of research about it.

Thank you very much. I appreciate what you said !! She is coming home today. The Vet just called. She'll be home for Thanksgiving. I am very happy and sad about that !! I was invited out for dinner but said no thank you. I don't like leaving my kids on Holidays.