Questions about a recovered stray/feral(?) cat

Hello,

For the last week or so a very cute looking cat has been hanging around the back of my house. She (my roommate started calling her she and it stuck) would readily eat food and drink water when I put them out. The cat would also put her face up to the glass and my other cats would do the same. The fact that she was so hungry and thirsty made me think she was an indoor cat who had gotten out.

After not being seen for a couple of days, the cat showed up again. I have a humane trap so I loaded it with tuna, cat food, water, & treats. She got in to the trap and started licking up the water off the can of tuna. Eventually she went in farther and tripped the trap. I went out and picked up the trap and she was just going nuts. I took her to our laundry room, closed the door and let her out. She immediately ran out of the trap and started trying to jump on everything eventually jumping on the washer or dryer and then jumping behind them. She's now huddled in a corner behind the washing machine. There's a bowl of food a container of water a can of tuna (the same one that was in the trap), and a litter box. All of these things are in front of the washing machine and not behind it. Also In trying to give her an easier way out, I moved a fragile wire shelving unit and a bottle of vinegar spilled. My roommate cleaned it up, but I don't know how cat's react to vinegar.

I've looked over the washing machine and talked to her and I got some partial eye-squeezes.

Questions:

Did I do the right thing in trapping her? She seemed to react very badly, but I've only trapped my own cat and obviously he knew me.

Is it a good sign that she didn't attack me and just went for cover?

What to do next? Should I move the food closer to her so she doesn't have to venture out as far. Should I try to pet her?

Thanks for your help,

Jason M.

Yes, it is a good thing you trapped her.  Trapping makes most cats a little nuts, so don't worry about that.

I am hoping she can be confined to just the laundry room.  If not, go out and get some baby gates or a screen door to put up.  She needs her own space now for a couple of reasons.  It will help her be less afraid as she gets to know her new area.  It will also help if she has something contagious that your resident cats might catch.

What are you plans for vetting her?  She will need that - to clear her for future contact with your cats and to make sure she's spayed/healthy.  I would say you will have to keep her confined for some time - at least until she is cleared by the vet.

I would not move the food - it may take her awhile and she will probably only come out at night for awhile.  But it needs to be in a place where she has to come out of hiding.

The eye blinking tells me she's been outside long enough to learn some feral language - eye blinks are a way feral cats smile at one another.  Is she is more feral that is good for her to remain in your house, you will be able to tell soon enough.

Whenever you go into the laundry room, speak softly to her in a falsetto voice.  Cats hear the higher pitches better.  Also move slowly and if she's out, get down on her level when approaching.

I would top the litter box off with some dirt or dried leaves, just to be safe.  If she's been outside, that's what she's used to using and she may not recognize litter.

Thank you so much for helping her.  Take is slowly and hopefully, she adjusts quickly.  Of course, quickly in cat time may mean months!

Thanks so much for your response. I was going to wait until she was okay with me and/or my roommate before trying to take her to the vet. I'm worried about getting scratched

One last question. Can we use the washing machine and the dryer? Or is that going to freak her out?

Thanks again,

Jason M.

Welcome to The Cat Site and thank you for rescuing this kitten.
Most cats will freak out if trapped by people they don't know. So that in and of itself is to be expected. As is her hiding. Most cats are too scared to attack people (unless they feel threatened). And some cats are scared enough that at first that they won't eat.
So, I would leave the food where it is. If you have any boxes or small tables--and room--I'd put one in the laundry room so she can get to a safe place (safe for her). (An extra bathroom or bedroom would have been my choice.)
I wouldn't try to pet her. I would go visit her as much as possible, simply sit down, read, work on your computer, play soft music. See if she comes out--you could extend your fist (not a hand, they take that as a threat). The rule I follow is: let the cat dictate your next move, not the human.
Meanwhile, I'd be trying to determine if this is a lost cat. I don't know where you live, but I'd be putting posters around, calling the SPCA to see if anyone has reported loosing their cat, or go on PetFinders. (How cold is it where you live?)
You do need to keep her isolated from your other cats until you get her tested for FIV/FeLK. I always assume a cat who has been outdoors for any length of time has worms, so may need to be dewormed. And if she is indeed a she, and hasn't been spayed, she may be pregnant.
Post some pictures if you can; we love pictures.

You could also put a carrier with the door tied open in the room.  Put a blanket or towel in it.  These will smell like you, so she will get used to your scent.  It will also get her used to the idea of a carrier and give her another hiding place.  May come in handy when you need to get her to the vets.

About the washer and dryer - I'd try and see what her reaction is.  If she has another place to hide (other than behind the appliances), she will probably opt to use it.

Unless your laundry room is big enough to allow you to sit in there, use a spare bedroom (with no furniture to hide under) or bathroom once she returns from the vet. It will be more comfortable for you to sit with her in one of those rooms.

Okay, we have progress. I put the food about six feet from her in an area that's still behind the washer/dryer, but a little exposed. I put out a can of tuna, a plastic take out container full of cat food, and a plastic container full of water. The tuna is all gone as is some of the cat food, but she took several bites out of the take out container. I'm thinking this is evidence that she's feral, but I'm far from an expert and would like more expert opinions. I also put a pair of used socks (one of my other cats really likes them) near the food.

Oh, and my roommate put a little cat house (a pyramid shaped cloth thing) in the laundry room. So that would be another hiding place for her. And the laundry room is definitely big enough for me to sit down in, so I'll start doing that.

Thanks for reading,

Jason M.

Good news.  Thanks for the update.  It may take awhile for her to feel comfortable coming out when you are in there.  Don't get discouraged.

More progress, but maybe set backs. She's been jumping up on the window sill in the Laundry Room and is meowing like she wants to get out. But she did get in to the cat house, but ran back to behind the dryer as soon as  my roommate came in. She didn't seem too freaked out by the washer and dryer. I did post an add on Craigslist with a picture. I don't have a color printer that works, so I'll have to rely on a description. Would gray tabby with a white chest fit this image:


Should I say stripped grey tabby with a white chest?

Thanks,

Jason M.

One more thing, the thought occurred to me that she might be kittens outside somewhere. Is that likely or even possible?

Thanks,

Jason M.

On my kindle so I'll make this short. Description, does she have white around her mouth? I would mention that if so. I forget, are you she is a she? When I was Tnring I guess wrong more times than not. In any case she would be pregnant or have kittens though it's not that time of year. Do her side's look big compared to her face or frame. Size of nipples is a good clue,though I doubt they are visible. It's normal for her to want out, that should subside after Aaron while.

I would also mentioned that she has tan or beige coloring, too (looks like it anyway on her nose?)

If you can see her nipples and they are swollen (likes she was nursing), she may have kittens.  It is probably too late, though, unfortunately.  With this weather, they are probably gone.  However, I agree with Ritz, it is a little too early for kittens to have already been born.

If her belly is big, she might be pregnant, so keep that in mind.

She is at the window because she can't figure out why she can see outside but not get outside.  That's normal.

Try to get her to the vet's ASAP.  He or she will be able to tell you the gender, whether (she) is pregnant and her general condition.  She'll need to be spayed (or he will need to be neutered) and be vaccinated as soon as possible, too.

Again, thank you so much for helping her.

Thanks for all the replies. I would love to get her to the vet, but I'm worried about blood loss (on my part I'm not sure about gender, but she is still very freaked out. My roommate tried to approach her and she just growled. Then she took the rug from in front of the washer and dryer, dragged it behind the washer and drier and now has it wrapped around her to the point where she can't be seen at all, but I really doubt she'd let me touch her at all. I'm thinking of dropping the cat house behind the washer so she can feel protected and hide there.

I'll look back over the other pictures I have of her, but I didn't notice anything about her belly. The funny thing is, she was obviously unhappy as my cat (who was feral for the first 3-6 months of his life) started moaning (I assume or her behalf) -- he was fine. But now, none of the cats are going any where near the laundry room. Maybe they can tell she's ticked off? Or maybe it's happening at night?

Thanks again -- the support is really important.

Jason M.

How did you initially trap her?  If it was with a trap or carrier, this won't work too well.

If she has been eating, try feeding her inside the carrier or a trap.  You can cover either one to make it seem like a good hiding place.  Once she gets used to that, you can stay in the room while it happens.  Once she gets used to that, you will be able to be close enough to close the door on her.  This is going to take some time, so don't rush it.

If you already used the carrier or trap, you will probably have to resort to picking her up, using a towel or rug and gloves to protect yourself.  It is a two-person job - one to get the cat and the other to hold the carrier open and get the door closed after she's in.

Either way, as long as your cats don't come nose to nose with her, she should be fine in the laundry room by herself and there is no huge rush to get her to the vet.  Please take this slowly, better for all of you.

I initially trapped her with a humane trap. I don't know if she'll go in a carrier or not, but I moved the cat pyramid to corner behind the washing machine. She's huddled in the back of the pyramid and you can barely see any of her from there. You have to lean over the washing machine and even then you can only see her side. EDIT: Here's a picture of a similar pyramid.


I'm wondering if I can close the opening to the pyramid and use that to get her to the vet., but I'm in no rush to do that. She's completely separated from my other cats. Given that she can barely be seen, I'm thinking she's smaller than I initially thought.

Three questions.

1) She's not using the litter box. I'm assuming that's confusion or territoriality, but is there a special kind of litter I should be using (besides putting leaves on top)? Something more natural?

2) The laundry room has a defective fluorescent light fixture. There's a small set of steps that lead down to a door to the garage and there's a light there. So there's sort of a natural day/night cycle. Is this more traumatic to her or less?

3) Finally, the room is a more than a bit chilly, so my roommate put a heating pad in there. Is that a good idea (cat wise)? I'm starting to wonder if that's a fire hazard Maybe a space heater? Those do make a bit of noise with the fan, but not too much. EDIT: The heating pad was in there, but not on, so I went with the space heater.

Thanks,

Jason M.

Thanks again for taking in this feral cat.
Regarding your questions, it's a little unusual for cats, feral or otherwise, not to use litter box. They have a strong instinctual drive to hide their scent from other cats. What kind of litter are you using now? Maybe add some dirt (from the same area where you found/trap her) as well as leaves, small twigs. Don't know about other types of litter, you could try Yesterday's News, essentially shredded paper, but you'd have to scoop it a lot.
There's a possibility that she is avoiding using the litter box because it hurts her to pee, signifying a UTI. Given your circumstances (and my tendency to catastrophize things)--inability/difficulty in trapping--there's not much you can do about it. But do keep this in the back of your mind. If "She" is in fact a male: then this is life threatening.
Is she eating okay?
If there is natural light somewhere that mimics normal daylight/sun set, I'd go that route. If the defective light means it keeps on flickering, well that would really bug me a human and perhaps a cat, so I'd turn off that light if that is the case. You could maybe use a night light, turn it off/on.
Speaking of lights, kind of: do you know about Feliway? It's a natural Pheromone that comforts cats, you plug it into a light fixture. (You can buy it at any pet store, though it is cheaper on Amazon).
The heat is a problem, though no doubt she's warmer inside than outside. I'd think the heater is more of a fire hazard than the heating pad. Personally I'd go with a heating pad, once that cycles off and on. But If the space is really crowded, she may not be able to get away from the heating pad.
Alternatively, if your living space is set up this way: first make sure the HVAC vents are open in the laundry room (some people close HVAC vents in unused rooms to re-direct heat into used rooms). And if you have an interior door leading from the laundry room to another heated room, prop open that door.
Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. As for not using the litter box, she is definitely going to the bathroom. She's pooping on the floor at the bottom of the short flight of stairs and is peeing on the steps and the other fabric things that are near the bottom of the stairs. So no worries of a UTI. She is definitely eating and drinking okay. There is a window, so there is a natural day/night cycle. The defective light doesn't flicker. As for the cold, I was exaggerating more than a bit. A space heater got the room to "warm" temperatures in about 10 minutes. The space heater has a thermostat (space heaters are meant to be used while people sleep) so it will turn off when the room gets warm enough. I'm going to check right now. Okay, the space heater was off and the room was much warmer (note: this is probably a difference of a few degrees. Sometimes I can be sensitive to small changes in temperature). It's still not as warm as I'd like and since I want to spend time with her I turned up the thermostat. I'm almost positive the HVAC vents are open, given that the room is not below 60 degrees

I do know about Feliway and have used it with great success. However, I totally forgot about it. I'll put one in in the morning. As for the litter, I'm using "Just the Crystals" from Amazon. It's a lot like Fresh Step or Scoop Free Crystals (I use the Scoop Free machines with non-disposable trays for environmental reasons). The crystals are non clumping urine absorbing crystals and the machine scoops solid matter into a small area that doesn't get exposed to the air. The litter box has a counter on it that senses how many times it's been used. My roommate and I put it at the bottom of the stairs where she was going to the bathroom, so maybe that will help. Maybe she felt too exposed since the litterbox is near the door. However, the litter box needed to be changed, so that could have something to do with it. Since the litter is automatic, I can add dirt and leaves, although the leaves will get scooped up. Twigs would jam the machine. The litter box doesn't have a hood. Should I get a fair amount of dirt (what would fit in a 16 oz bottle)?

Okay, when I just checked the space heater, I saw that she'd peed right in front of the litter box I didn't see any poop anywhere. 

I can't pry open the door because I haven't taken her to the vet and I don't want her to get out and pass on any diseases to my other cats.

Thanks for the support,

Jason M.

First thing, wash out the litter box and put in fresh litter for her. I would bet money she's not using it because she smelled other cats. She needs a fresh start.  I would also turn the litter box off for the time being.  The noise may be disturbing her - it's like the toilet flushing when your least expecting it.  Your cats may be used to it but she definitely isn't.

I second putting a thin layer of dried leaves or dirt over the litter.  It will be messy at first but once she gets the idea, it will be fine.  If you turn the machine off, it won't clog.  After she's been inside for a bit, you can get her used to it being turned on.

The Feliway will help a lot, too.

I'm with you about warmth.  I can sense a small dip in temperature and am usually covered with blankets in winter.  My poor husband is the opposite and often sits in a t-shirt and shorts while I huddle!

It sounds like you're on the right track.  She's probably overwhelmed and still frightened, so take your time.  She's a lucky kitty!

Okay, progress! She's using the litter box. Fresh litter did the trick. I have a wireless Internet camera that I can set up and (hopefully) record video. Would that help us identify gender? Would it have to be focused directly on the litter box or would video of her walking by do the trick? Would that be enough to see if she's pregnant?

Feliway is in place. Friends have raved about Bach's Rescue Remedy? I doubt she'll take it in water, but I could put a few drops in a food that she really likes (like tuna).

Thanks,

Jason M.

Good news!  I imagine if the camera is set at her level, it might catch a glimpse of  "nuggets" if its an unneutered male.

I am not sure it would give you information about whether it's pregnant or not - unless she exposes her belly and you see distended nipples.

The fact that she's using the litter box tells me she was someone's pet at some point - so maybe you'll be lucky and he or she will already be fixed!

Thanks! Maybe I'll be lucky and someone will claim her! One quick question. Right now the litter box is blocking the door. I'd like to move it a foot and a half or so (after moving some junk) so that we can get the door open. How long should I wait to do that? And will it be possible to move the litter box back to its original location?

Thanks,

Jason M.