How to know if I'm really feeding a stray/feral cat ?

Hi,
I have noticed since last summer a cat wandering around. It's getting real cold so I built a shelter and left food and water.
I never saw any cat (or any other animal) eat the food, but the food is eaten but the water is intact.
Am I really feeding a cat ? How to know it's not a neighboor's pet ? If it's a stray/feral cat, how to get him to use the shelter ?
I don't want to ask around if its a neighboor's pet, I don't know how cat-friendly people are.
Everyday I get out and put a heat pad, take a look to make sure everything is ok, but I see no cat, Should I continue leaving food out ..?
Thanks

Thank you for caring.
I would keep feeding the animal, whether it's the stray cat or an indoor/outdoor cat. If an indoor/outdoor cat, he must be hungry if he is eating.
Cats have a low thirst drive, so I wouldn't be worried about the water not being drunk. Plus, it may be quite cold.
Does the shelter have two exits/entrances? Some cats don't like to feel trapped. What is IN the shelter--blankets? straw? The shelter is something new to him, cats don't like change, so I would just leave it out there for the cat to get use to. And, maybe use.
Regardless, you can't really *make* at cat use a shelter.
Finally, if you do start seeing him on a regular basis, you should consider getting him neutered/spayed. He'll be healthier for it. (And/or, not pregnant.)

Thanks for your answer.
The shelter have 2 exits/entrance. It's the double Rubbermaid type, with mineral insulation in between. I don't have easy access to straw so I put a thermo reflective pad, the snuggle safe heat pad, a mouse with catnip and a treat at the entrance to lure him in , plus the shelter is under our deck (protected from rain and wind). I also put a simple cardboard box with a little bed beside the shelter so the cat could still have some comfort if too scared to go in the shelter.
And yes I'll have him neuteured/spayed..if only I could see him regularly.

Hey, can I move in!?
Shelter sounds fine. Now, it's up the cat

Here's a little update..I've been able to see the cat regularly and I've even found a low cost spay and neuter clinic near where I live ! Fortunately because I am now feeding 3 cats that I know of..,

My concern now is when to trap the cats? It is still very cold here, but I don't wanna risk having kittens in my backyard.. I have no room to keep the cat after surgery. I have bought a cat kennel like this

Is it ok to leave it in there after surgery to make sure he's healing well ? Or simply immediatly release the cat outside ?
Thank you !

Great that you've found a low cost s/n clinic.
I would trap the cats as soon as possible. If any are pregnant, the vet can terminate the pregnancy.
Male cats can, if necessary, be released the day of the surgery. Not idea, but doable. Female cats really should be kept inside for at least 24 hours--if formally pregnant, I'd say around two days. You mention you have no room--no garage? no neighbor's basement? spare bathrom. The trap where you caught the cat is fine to keep them in during recovery period, that's what I've done. I've released them the next morning around feeding time (6 a.m.) and put food out where they usually eat it (though they will run away, and then return later in the day probably).
Alternatively, can you put the cat kennel flush against your home--I'm thinking it will be slightly warmer next to your house. And, under a gutter or surrounded by trees/bushes, or someplace where snow/sleet/rain/ice won't get in? Put the trap and reflective pad, etc inside the cat kennel? Not sure how big the cat kennel is.

I have no room meaning no spare room where the cat can be free. My idea was to put the kennel (it's a playpen 24x35x48) inside my house during recovery time.
Thanks for the advice, I'll book an appointment at the vet and start the trapping as soon as I'll receive my trap (should arrive this week !)

Oh, yes! If you can put the kennel in your house during the recovery period, that would be ideal.
You should cover the kennel with a sheet or blanket, it will calm the cat.

That is a great cage/enclosure for feral cats and I have/use the exact same one, actually have two of them. As Cindy said above, male cats can be released right after you get them home from the vet as long as they are awake enough from the anesthesia. Females need to be kept at least overnight.

Once you trap a kitty, leave them in the trap and take them straight away to the vet for the surgery, etc. I always give the vets a small carrier with a towel inside and the vet will put the feral cat into the carrier right from surgery. Then I just take the carrier home with kitty inside and leave him in there until he is fully awake then release him - males only. For females, I put the small carrier inside of the larger cage I have set up at home for recovery and just tie the carrier door open to the inside of the cage. That way when you are ready to release her back outside, she will readily run inside of the little carrier and you can shut the door and then easily and safely take her from the recovery cage to the outdoors to release her.

Best, BEST of luck with trapping these cats. And, yes, usually IF you see one, there are more. Best to get them trapped and fixed asap - even if the females may be pregnant - it is a hard life for them but a decision we must make to save more from being born out in the wild. It is alright and you are doing right for them. Thank you for caring and for helping feral cats.

P.S. I do the following when I plan to trap feral cats. Works well for me. I tie up the trap door (with a plastic zip tie) for a day or two and only feed inside of the back of the trap - past the trip plate. This way the cats have to go inside to eat and they get used to going in and out of this new feeding station - well - in their minds, that is what it becomes. :lol3: Put some leaves/dirt along the bottom of the trap floor. Cover the trap securely with a large blanket/ towel and make sure it will not blow in the wind so as to scare them away!! OR if you have someone who feeds large dogs and has an empty large dry dog food bag - you can slip the trap inside of the dog food bag just leaving the front part of the trap outside. You want to make the trap inviting to them. Just don't put out a trap with nothing around it. Will take longer for them to trust going in. I do it this way - tying up the trap door because then when I know the cats are comfortable going in and out, I make my vet appt. Much easier for me, for the vet and for the cat. It is all done rather quickly on vet day. OH - and I recommend feeding only in the morning in the trap. Get the cats on a schedule. OH also - :lol3:, don't worry about the other cats avoiding the trap once they see one caught. It does make them more cautious around the trap- but hunger takes over and they go in to eat anyway. Usually and surprisingly rather quickly all will be trapped!! :cross:

:lol3: long P.S., huh??!!

Wow thanks a lot for the great tips. I havent thought about bringing a carrier to the vet !
I am actually feeding 3 cats. One is getting to know me (doesn't run away) but doesn't let me pet him, he's the orange cat. Then there's a black cat, very afraid, can't go near him/her. And the third is a white one, a male he's the newest, but he already lets me pet him after only 3 days and he looks less "well maintained". That one often stays near my door as if he was curious but still afraid, poor little guy, must have been abandoned

Litchi said:

Wow thanks a lot for the great tips. I havent thought about bringing a carrier to the vet !
I am actually feeding 3 cats. One is getting to know me (doesn't run away) but doesn't let me pet him, he's the orange cat. Then there's a black cat, very afraid, can't go near him/her. And the third is a white one, a male he's the newest, but he already lets me pet him after only 3 days and he looks less "well maintained". That one often stays near my door as if he was curious but still afraid, poor little guy, must have been abandoned

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Yes - you are quite right about the white kitty in that he is most likely lost or abandoned. Truly feral born cats will not allow you to pet them so quickly, if ever, unless they are brought inside for a lengthy socialization process. There are a lot of cats out there that do appear feral but truly have only reverted that way and can be easily turned around once trapped and given a chance. Many a stray/lost cat may appear feral born but are not. I wish you the best of luck, again, in your efforts to help these kitties. We all try to help each other here with suggestions, advice or just support. Your doing a really, really good thing. :nod:

Ok so I trapped my first cat , and he's going to get neutered today.
That one was easy as I kinda know his schedule. Now I have two others to trap. My question is how do I trap the other kitties without trapping the same cat (I dont want to scare him off). I'm not really sure when the other two are coming to eat because my balcony (where I feed) seems to be the 1st cat's territory.
Thanks !

Congratulations!
Regarding trapping the cats you want to trap and not trapping the cats you don't want to trap: at one time I fed a colony of about eight and if a new cat came around who I wanted to trap that night, I shoowed him away so he didn't get any food. And made sure the cats I had already TNRd got fed a lot. Then late that night/early morning I set out the trap. Or, feed the cat you just neutered a lot so he has no interest in going into the trap again. Hunger is what makes a cat go into a trap.
Of the 35+ cats I TNRd over 2 years, I only trapped one cat twice--and this cat went into the trap twice within ten minutes and then walked out non-chalantly. I should have named him Twiddledum instead of Twiddledee!
Depending on your time schedule, availability of spay/neuter slots, could you keep inside the cat who got neutered today, and try to trap the others tonight? A cat can stay in a trap for up to 48 hours, not ideal, but neither is cat getting pregnant for the umpteenth time.

Right now I'm still keeping the neutered cat inside, the vet ask me to keep it inside for at least 5 days. I think I'll try to trap the 2nd cat before releasing the 1st, like you mentioned above.

Litchi said:

Right now I'm still keeping the neutered cat inside, the vet ask me to keep it inside for at least 5 days. I think I'll try to trap the 2nd cat before releasing the 1st, like you mentioned above.

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Yes - that was my first thought, if at all possible. In your situation, you can do it this way. As for Ritz' and others who trap feral cat colonies then this method would not work for obvious reasons. :lol3: For a small few feral cats that are needing to be TNRd from a back yard situation, then keeping them inside confined until all are trapped is a good way to do it. Otherwise, if you trap the same kitty, just release him/her. The ear tip should tell you whether or not the cat you trap has been sterilized. I have not had this issue either, btw. Most times when I release a feral cat after a surgery - they take off for a few days anyway leaving me time to trap the rest of the family. GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your doing a great, great thing here.

First cat is now released and second cat is recovering inside. That poor cat broke a claw while trying to get out of the trap.. And he did get out by bending the back of the trap..I was so surprised when I checked on him that morning and he was laying outside of the trap.

I am just catching up on this thread.  So which cats have you caught, the orange one, the black one or the white one?

The orange one is neutered and released.
The white one is neutered and currently recovering inside. I have to keep him in for 10 days to give him his antibiotics.
I have one left to trap, the black one.

I noticed the cat I released continues to spray even if he's altered..I need to stop the smell (and the spraying !) as I want to continue to care for these cats and I am afraid my neighboor will complain about the smell...

Poor kitty ! I have not heard of a cat being able to escape from a trap because those trap doors are really sprung tight. OH I hope is alright. :cross: Wonderful that you are getting them all fixed though and for that.

For the spraying kitty outside that is now neutered. This behavior will cease slowly but is not usually immediate after a neuter. Sometimes, the behavior is ingrained. Pick up some orange oil from the hardware store. I think they sell it there. OR you can make your own concoction http://www.ehow.com/how_7525303_homemade-citrus-spray-cat-deterrent.html Spray daily the area that the cat is marking. This will deter him. You may have to spray other areas in the vicinity as well. I have had success with this method.

It does take a while to get rid of all those 'spraying hormones', it's hard to say if he will continue to spray or not, most quit. There is a antibiotic injection now that lasts a week, so no more daily medications, it's a little pricey but would sure be quicker and better for a feral.Ask your vet about it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking care of these babies, you will surely be blessed!