Feral stopped using her house?!?! Ideas?!?

kittychick

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We've got several TNR ferals that we provide food, water and shelter for. One of them - "Flick" - took an immediate liking to a house we put out a few months ago (it has an outdoor cat warming pad in it - which I'm sure was quite the draw). We've seen her going in and out of it consistently for over a month now - and she'd even started coming to the door of the house every time we went outside and called for her as we put food down. Suddenly - 3 days ago - she stopped using it. I panicked - but we finally did see her coming back for food, so she's still around. And my husband just told me that 3 days ago - when the exodus seemed to happen - he looked outside at 5 am and she was sitting in the rain on our uncovered deck (until then, she'd always been in the house at that time of night). I wonder if she was scared out of it or something? I did set up the straw inside so I can see if it's been disturbed - and it hasn't in those 3 days. 

Any idea how we can convince her it's safe again? Should I pull all the straw out and put new in - and perhaps even disinfect the whole house and warming pad? I would normally put catnip in to lure a cat in - but she's already been in. I know we never know what's in the mind of a feral - but I hate to think she's out fending for herself as far as a warm space (and northern Ohio gets nasty in the winter!). In particular I hate that none of the other cats is using it either! (I did check our other shelter - and it's still being used but definitely not by her - it's being used by another of the local ferals).

So any suggestions are appreciated! We do have alot of raccoons in our area - but they don't seem to mess with the houses (I've never even seen the straw disturbed other than the typical "round kitty sleeping dent"). They mess with the food if we don't get to it fast enough in the evening (I've wanted to leave it out for the one sad little raccoon in our area - we've named him "Stumpy the Wonder Raccooon" as he's tiny and has no tail) but my husband is the voice of reason and reminds me Stumpy can find lots of other food sources, and that the cats will get scared off by him if we encourage him. Which I know is right - but it's hard to see poor little Stumpy's taillless behind waddling across the driveway :)
 

ondine

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Something may have spooked her.  Is there a way you can add a second entrance to the house?  It might make her feel safer if she has an "escape route."

Adding another house might help, too.

Raccoons usually don't use feral houses when they are close to a human house, so making sure it is under your deck or near your house may help too.

I know what you mean about Stumpy but your husband is right,  No sense in setting up a competition for the food.

If you have a spot close to the woods, you might be able to leave the raccoons their own stash there - instead of where the cats eat.  But personally, I wouldn't start that. 
 
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kittychick

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The house is at the far end of our back yard (which is actually very small), in the most out-of-the-way place I can put it and still see it/tend to it easily - tucked slightly behind our detached garage and a row of large forsythia bushes. It's a very protected spot - basically as out of snow/rain etc. as possible that's still outside. We've put another shelter right behind the garage (and behind this first house) -- but another of the ferals is definitely using that one regularly. 

She'd been using it extremely consistently -we literally saw her in it off and on through the day and night for about a month - so I was feeling so good about that. I have a special soft spot for her (and am extra concerned for her) as she has a neurological issue that causes her back end to give out slightly every few steps. She's now 8 months or so old - so she's obviously doing ok (although this will be her first winter) - - but we get extra worried as we live in a subdivision that borders two very busy streets, and we've seen her crossing the slightly less busy one while on  her rounds. We were so thrilled this past month to see her spending so much time in the house and so much less time making the rounds since it meant less time crossing the street in her drunken, wobbly fashion. Plus it seemed like it was really helping her to begin to form a better bond of trust. But I guess we can't get ferals to do what we want - or understand why, can we?THat's probably why they get so under our skin (in a caring way).

I'd worried originally that this shelter didn't have a second exit - but not sure we can cut one into it (it's a dogloo dog house that we've insulated and put loads of straw & a heated mat into - plus we added a clear plexiglass door to it - which she was so loving sitting in and staring out of these past few weeks). I'll ask my husband to take a look at it to see if it's even a possibility. I worry that messing with it too much will even further push her away from thinking about it - since ferals hate change so much.

Think it might help at all to remove all the straw and put fresh in - and clean everything out well, just in case there's some kind of competing cat smell? 

Grasping at straws since I so hate to think of her out unsheltered in the cold...which it's supposed to get on Friday. My husband did point out that it's possible she's either found an even better place to sleep - or decided to head back for the original colony she came from a few streets over. Although she still does show up within 5 or 10 minutes when we call that we're putting food out. 

Just tell me to stop worrying and that as long as she's showing up for food...she's fine :)
 

shadowsrescue

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I completely get your worry.  The first winter I had Shadow I had 2 rubbermaid houses for him and then DH built him a feral villa.  At first he went into the rubbermaid containers, but would never stay.  When I had the feral villa he went in a few times, but didn't stay.  He hated the straw.  I removed it and used blankets that I would change every day.  He did use it for awhile, but also stopped using it.  I had no idea why.  I left the shelters in place all winter, but knew he probably wasn't using them.  I was then encouraged as the blankets in the feral villa seemed to be mashed down each morning.  I left a few treats inside and sure enough they were gone.  I knew he was also sleeping under my neighbors screened porch as I had followed his tracks in the snow.  One morning in early March I went out to retrieve the blankets and put in fresh blankets.  I about passed out when I opened the feral villa and inside was a big fat raccoon!  That is who had been living inside.  I have no idea how he managed to squeeze himself inside.  He had no intention of leaving either.  We had to knock the shelter on its side and hit the sides of the shelter with a broom handle to make him leave.  I then removed all the shelters from my deck and from underneath.  Shadow did come to eat many times each day, but the first winter he just didn't stay with me. 

He is now on his 4th winter with me and hardly ever strays from the yard.  He knows I provide shelter, food, love and time with him.  That first winter he just wasn't sure. 

The second winter, we modified the feral villa by adding a small exit.  I no longer use it as a shelter, but instead it is on a tall table and I leave dry food out for the cats at night during the winter.  Once the raccoons show up in the spring and it's not bitter cold outside, the food is removed each night before bed.  I have surveillance cameras on my deck so I can tell when the raccoons show up again. 
 
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kittychick

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ShadowsRescue - Your raccoon story cracked me up - and made me go out and immediately to check the more enclosed double-Rubbermaid shelter for coons! Luckily none were there - as I walked out I kept picturing myself banging on the side to get "Stumpy the Wonder Coon" out. ;) I did at least muss up the straw in that one to see if anything actually is using it each night.

Part of me says I should turn the heated mats off in them to save energy/money if no one is using them at the moment - but ShadowsRescue, your story made me wonder if this situation could change at the drop of a hat on Flick's (or another feral's) whim of the moment. 

Think cleaning the whole thing out/replacing straw is worth a try? I would move the location a bit - but I can't move it because of needing to be close to an outlet for the heated mat.

And lastly ---what kind of camera does anyone use? (Maybe I should start a thread on that?) I'd love to get one to use in the area where our ferals come through for peace of mind.
 

shadowsrescue

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It's worth a try to clean out the straw and start over fresh.  Or you could try removing the straw and just using the heat pad.  I now only use heat pads.  There are plugs you can get that you plug the heat pad into that will not turn them on until it reaches 30 degrees.  You can find them on Amazon.  My mom uses one for her winter bird bath.  On warmer days, the unit will shut off and then turn back on for night time when the temps drop.

For my cameras I use Foscam wireless IP cameras.  I can view them remotely on my ipad, phone or computer.  I have the 8905 and 8904.  My DH bought them for me for Christmas from Amazon.  They aren't the easiest to set up, but once you get it all figured out they work well.  I can give you lots of tips and tricks for working with them.

You can also purchase trail cameras.  My brother uses one and it works really well.  He sets it each night and then goes out and brings in the disc each morning to view on his computer.  He gets really nice clear shots. 

Glad you didn't have a raccoon in your shelter!!  When I found the raccoon I nearly had a heart attack.  I opened the lid and I'm sure I must have screamed.  Of course DH was out of town so I had to handle it alone and then wait for my DS to get home to help as remove the shelters. 
 
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kittychick

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Good news!!! Not sure if it was the bowl of mackerel I put down yesterday and again this morning....or if it was putting a blanket in on part of the straw...or the catnip.....or cleaning the whole thing out.....but the dogloo is in use once again! Actually double good news - we discovered Flick has found the (probably even warmer) double-Rubbermaid-tub shelter (that also has a cat outdoor heating mat in it) and has been in it now for about 24 hours straight. We've now seen her twice come tumbling out (think I mentioned above she has a neurological issue that makes her back end wobble like a drunken sailor) and wobbled down to the food station 3 or 4 times a day and then wobble right back and hop in. So she's warm and happy - yeah!!!!! And then this evening I saw our other two "regular ferals" - Big Ray and Blackie (I have to say I didn't give her that incredibly unimaginative name - the neighbor who trapped her did) BOTH wandered up to it after eating and went right in!

So we're happy campers at our house - knowing all are safe and warm in their beds on this bitter night.

Thanks to all for their help (and funny 'coon stories). Now I just worry about Stumpy at night :)

(partially kidding....but just partially)
 
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