Trapped Blacky on Porch. How to proceed

I have been feeding a feral cat for four months now.  (Posted previously on whether to take him in or not.)  Tonight I trapped him on the outside porch.  He ran behind the couch.  Any suggestions on how to best proceed?

Thanks.

Carla

Others with more experience may have better ideas, but based on our feral rescues I would suggest leave him there in his adopted safe spot and put out some of his usual cat food, water and a litter box nearby  in the room (some shredded paper in a shallow cardboard box will do in a pinch if you don't have box and litter),and maybe a snuggle bed or blanket or thick comfy towel by the couch to sleep in, and see what happens over the next few days.  Visit and talk to him but leave him to come out at his own pace.  If he eats and uses the litter box that would be a great sign of accepting his new home.  Eventually he will need to go to the vet for testing, shots and neutering, but the first thing is to get him comfortable in a new environment.  if you have a cat carrier it might be a good idea to leave it out with the door open so he can start getting accustomed to it.  He's going to be scared, so take it slowly - bless you for taking him in. Do you have other cats?  If so a good idea to keep them out of the room until he has been to the vet, and also so he will be more comfortable.

Thanks for your reply.  I should have been more lengthy.  He/she is a TNR cat, so it is fixed.  Before I trapped her I had a heated Rubbermaid house which is insulated also outside and brought that in the porch.  I bought a litter box and filled it also.  I hope she doesn't try to run in my house when I open the door to feed her.  I have two other house cats and am fearful they will fight.  I have been feeding her since 10/1 and she get close to me but won't let me touch her  Very untrusting.  I just hopes she uses the litter box and doesn't pee or poop on my porch.  I have two couches out there but nothing else I really care about. 

How long do you think I should give it to see if she will be happy indoor (well semi for now as it is still cold out on the porch but she does have the heated house and it is better than being outside.  I can give her a great life....the only thing she won't have is her freedom anymore and that makes me a little sad.  But, at least she'll be safe. 

Thanks for writing.

How is it going with Blacky?  I hope all is well.  Please update when you can.

You have done a great, great job with this feral boy. GOOD FOR YOU!!!!! If you can - set up the same shelter that you had outside in the porch for Blacky. It can be his little hideout and safety zone as well. I would suggest using two or even three large litter boxes at this point until you see he is regularly using one or two of them of his choice. Locate them in different corners or even behind a couch where he will feel safe to use them and be successful in using them. Try Cat Attract with the herbal cat attractant additive. Works extremely well for feral cats.

One thing I can say for sure is "turn off your clock" on how long or any time frame as to when he will begin to come around. It could be a very long time or it could just happen one day that he will decide all is going to be alright and begin to show you signs of trust. I think it is super great that you can offer a good and safe life indoors. Thank you for that. Also, I don't think he will run inside your house at this point when you come out. Have a few hideouts for him - cubbies, etc. Blacky will retreat to one of those when you come in and out of the porch. Do feel bad for him about not being "free" outdoors. He obviously has made advances towards the house by coming into the porch, etc. And I think he is exactly where he wants to be. :nod: Keep up the great work with Blacky!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will also post an article with some great suggestions to follow so the process will be successful. http://www.catnipchronicles.com/may2012/laurie.htm

Some ferals do adapt to being house felines, but it may take a long time.  Others are totally miserable and eventually you must let them out again because you will see their pain.  I have one here now and long story short, I fed him for 4 years and last spring he showed up after a 5 day absence with severe injuries to both front legs which were obviously abut 5 days old.  What to do?  Lured him into the laundry room (which abuts tha back porch) with food, since he was very hungry, and snuck around and closed the door, shutting him in.  He was scarred and panicked for a moment but then sought refuge in a laundry basket as he could barely walk and even then on only 3 legs.  Gave him a tasteless tranquilizer in rolled up turkey bacon and an hour later, once he was relaxed, I put a second laundry basket over the first, hitched it with zip ties, and off we went to the vet.  The vet gave him a shot to put him out, x-rayed him and told me the damage.  It was 50-50 if he would make it but I chose to try.  Couldn't bear to euthanize him when he had spent 5 days dragging himself back to my house with his terrible injuries -- obviously he wanted to live.  For about 6 weeks he pretty much lived in the laundry basket, but fortunately used the litter box (I got him tested for leukemia and aids and neutered during that first visit, when I chose to have him treated.  He got Clavamox antibiotic pills twice a day, which I crushed up with a mortar and pestle and then wrapped in turkey bacon for him, as there was no touching or handling this cat, and every 5th day he also got a tranquilizer to make him calm and sleepy for his trip to the vet to change his dressings, which went shoulder to foot on both front legs. After one leg was healed and free of the bandage, he longed to go out, looked out the window, glared at me most of the time.  When the second bandage came off, he learned to move around the laundry room a little better and watched the other cats go in and out.  Finally, I left the door ajar and out he went.  For about another 6 weeks, he would not come back in but would still eat on the porch and watch the other cats go in and out when I opened the door.  It was summer and when the weather was nice, I would prop the door open.  Eventually he would come into the laundry room and lie there but scoot out if I got close.  This went on a couple of months.  Fall came, and with it some cold rain.  One night instead of scooting out, he climbed up into his laundry basket and then to a bed on a shelf even higher (where he went once his bandages were off).  He slept there for two days while it poured rain outside.  The third day he started glaring at me again.  He wanted to go out and thought he was trapped forever again.  Cold as it was, I propped open the door and got out of his way, and he climbed down and went outside.  That was the beginning of a breakthrough, when he learned that just like the other cats, he could come in and he could go out again.  The glaring stopped, and when he wanted out, he would lean over the edge of his bed and look out the door when I opened it.  So I would prop it and gt out of the way.  Now it's winter, guess where he wants to be most of the time!  I have even seen him on my bed with the other cats on occasion.  I am still not allowed to touch him, but he will take chicken and other food out of my hand, very gently.  The other night he made a mistake.  I was in bed and felt a warm weight settle onto my waistline.  There were several other cats in the bed, and he settled right on top of me.  He stayed there until I had a tickle in my nose and had to sniff.  He jumped right off the bed then, very startled.  He is learning to be a house feine from the other cats, but he was born wild and lived wild for four years, so it is taking time.  I'm not pushing him at all.  I have plenty of other cats who WANT to cuddle and be petted.  But this is surprising to me, because I figured once he was healed and I let him out, he would never come in again.  Prior to his injury, he had neverbeen interested in coming in.   Even in winter, he had a warm bed on the front porch he used.  This winter he started there, but discovered how much nicer it is inside.  He has actually started playing with a few cat toys.  Which all goes to say you just never know in advance what will happen.  I don't think he would have forgiven me if I didn't let him out again when he was healed, or even now, when it's sunny and he makes it plain he wants to go out.  But last night I fell asleep watching the late Olympics, and when I woke up it was about 2 AM.  I went to the back door and opened it, and he came FLYING in as fast as he could go.  It wasn't even that cold out, he's just used to sleeping inside now.

I have just posted pictures of the night he arrived home so badly injured, under Grey Boy's Journey.  I'll get more photos from my other computer and complete the album later.

I can second the "slow process" of having an adult feral adjust to being inside from our journey with Mama Patience, mother of our 3 feral rescue kittens, now all happy house cats who can go out pretty much when they like except at night or when the weather is bad.  Happily no injuries like Grey Boy to deal with but  despite being fed for months outside and allowing limited contact, Patience was very resistant to coming inside.  Her first experience was bad, after spaying - as soon as the anesthesia wore off she freaked out and eventually (after she tried to claw her way out of the high bathroom window screen) I let her out.  She disappeared for 3 days but then showed up and resumed eating outside and sleeping in her shelter, which I insulated and filled with straw when the weather started to turn cold.  Following advice from the site (thanks!) I began luring her into our Florida room to eat, then gradually into the kitchen where the kittens eat - but even when it was cold and frosty she would not stay more than10 minutes or so, just enough to eat and drink and warm up.  Then came the early deep freeze and snow, and suddenly she decided in was better than out.  In fact she wouldn't go out at all - obviously feared she would not be let back in - and mostly hid in the basement rebuffing friendly advances.  But slowly she  came around, and now often sleeps on the bed with us at night and goes out with the kits - but is always the first to return!  Lately she has even begun playing a bit and asking for pets, although she will not tolerate being picked up or cuddled.   Only trouble is she is very fat (she was a starving nursing girl when she first found us) because she loves to eat!  The total time from first "in to eat" until now is about 4 months, and I consider that fast given her earlier fear of being caught.  Our latest rescue, Ellie, has been inside nearly a month and still spends most of her time on a shelf in the basement, but she is slowly coming along.

So, sorry for long post but the bottom line truly is patience (sorry for the pun) and allowing for different personalities.  By contrast, our 3 kittens adjusted to inside almost right away after being spayed/neutered, but they were fed and handled from a few months old which makes all the difference. Plus they were a family unit with run of the house from the get go ... they have always been together in all their adventures.

Good luck with Blackie.  He may adjust to inside or not, but the great thing is you are giving him a chance to make his own decision about what he wants, and as you've come this far the likelihood is he will choose the good life!  Even if not, he will know he has a place to come if times turn bad.

A final thought, a few toys, a scratching post, a hidey bed as suggested or even a cardboard box - things to make him feel comfortable?