Little stray showing up-should I keep feeding it?

sueasinsue

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I had a little cat start showing up in February-I thought for sure it was someone's cat from my neighborhood, how can a cat survive upstate NY winters? She would always be underneath our wood pile where there is a tarp covering it. Every time my husband and I left the house she would shoot out from the tarp! Taking off!

Now it is July-I started feeding her in June because she had a gaping wound on her neck, and was so skinny, and she started sleeping in a patio chair at night.  I just couldn't step back and do nothing. She still wouldn't let me get 10 feet from her though but I figured at least maybe I could help her NOT be hungry.

I bought some dry kibble put a dish out and shook the box, she came running from yards away, now she is outside of my garage every morning, waiting for the food. Her neck wound healed ( a miracle I must say) and when I feed her she comes right up to me, meowing and eats with me standing right there, inches away.

I asked the local vet if anyone lost a cat and showed them a picture, I also asked kids in the neighborhood and they said they see this cat from time to time in other people's yards and driveways. Being she looks calico I am guessing she is female? But she hasn't gotten pregnant so again my guess is she is neutered.

I am not sure what to do? I checked for TNR's in my area or cat coalitions that might be able to give me advice, but there aren't any in my city, I would love to take her in myself but I already have 3 rescues, one a stray from my yard much like this one! This cat (Ezmerelda) is mean and very territorial when she sees the stray she goes crazy! Howling and attacking the screens in the window, hissing at my other cats...growling. I really can't put her through adopting yet another cat. I guess my question is should I keep feeding the stray? Just let her sleep in my patio chairs, and give her food? Should I stop feeding her and see if she goes elsewhere? This is a picture of her...
 

shadowsrescue

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Thank you so much for caring for her.  First off, you should try very hard to get her to the vet.  You will want to know for sure he/she is spayed or neutered.  Also you would want the vet to check for a microchip in the off chance she is someone's lost pet.  She/he will also need some vaccines.  You can then decide if you would want her to just live outside on your property.  If this is the case, you will need to do more than just feed her.  She will need a proper shelter.  You can do something as simple as an insulated rubbermaid container stuffed with straw or something more elaborate with a heat pad. She will need a way to get out of the elements.  You also could take her to a no kill rescue group or humane society.  Yet if they are anything like they are in my area, they are full to capacity and there is no room.  In order to get her to the vet you will need to either entice her into a carrier or use a humane trap.  You can start feeding her in the carrier and on the day of the appt. tie a string to the door and sit back.  Once you goes inside the carrier, pull the string to close the door.  A humane trap is a bit easier and since she seems a bit on the feral side, she may need to be trapped.  You can purchase one yourself or try to borrow one from a rescue group or humane society.  I would not advise trying to pick her up or throwing a blanket on her. 

Have you checked Craigs List or http://petfbi.org/.  You can post a listing on both as well as check for lost pets. 

I hope you are able to help her.
 
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sueasinsue

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Thank you for giving me some options, she weighs on my mind, and I want to do something for her besides give her food.

I took in one stray and the vet bill was over $500 for tests, shots, flea medication, ear mites, neutering,etc. I don't think I could afford taking her to the vet :( BUT I am going to post a picture on craig's list! And I will look into the human society as well I never thought of that. Thank you!
 

shadowsrescue

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Do you have a low cost spay/neuter clinic in your area?  If you give your location we can look at a state by state listing of low cost spay/neuter clinics.  They will spay/neuter or check to see if the cat has been, give a few vaccines and do a FIV/FelK test.  They can also do an on the spot flea treatment.  Spays and neuters are usually around $50 and vaccines around $10.  They also would have a microchip reader.
 

msaimee

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I would advise against taking her to The Humane Society, because if she's feral, unsociable, or has any kind of medical condition, they will euthanize her immediately. Your best bet is to TNR her, and continue to socialize her on your porch/yard. Your indoor cats will become familiar with her scent and eventually likely accept her, and then perhaps you could see about taking her inside.  

Is there an Animal Friends nearby? Many Animal Friends clinics have a low cost spay/neuter program. You have to call ahead for an appointment, and the appointment might not be for 2-4 weeks, but they typically charge around $25 for the neuter, vaccinations, and flea treatment.   

Five hundred dollars is way too costly. Have you called around to several different vets in your area? It should cost half that much to get the spay and basic vaccinations for a cat even from a non-low cost veterinarian.  
 
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sueasinsue

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There is a low cost spay neuter center-I took all three of my cats there. I called and they do offer some shots and flea treatment for a price. But it is less expensive than the vet-so that is my last option if I can't find her home (if she is lost) or find someone to adopt her. I did post a bunch of "found cat" posts on websites and looked through Lost cat posts as well.

Ms Aimee I would not think twice about bringing her into my home if it wasn't for my cat Ez-you wouldn't believe what I went through to get her to accept two kittens I rescued. It took months, lots of time, and she was so stressed out it was affecting her health. I read books on introducing cats and followed all the recommendations.  I finally got her to "accept" them, but believe me she is NOT thrilled with them even after two years. When she sees this stray outside she practically goes through the screen in the windows and then starts attacking the other cats in the house! I just can't bring this one in, I can't do that to her. 
 

shadowsrescue

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There is a low cost spay neuter center-I took all three of my cats there. I called and they do offer some shots and flea treatment for a price. But it is less expensive than the vet-so that is my last option if I can't find her home (if she is lost) or find someone to adopt her. I did post a bunch of "found cat" posts on websites and looked through Lost cat posts as well.

Ms Aimee I would not think twice about bringing her into my home if it wasn't for my cat Ez-you wouldn't believe what I went through to get her to accept two kittens I rescued. It took months, lots of time, and she was so stressed out it was affecting her health. I read books on introducing cats and followed all the recommendations.  I finally got her to "accept" them, but believe me she is NOT thrilled with them even after two years. When she sees this stray outside she practically goes through the screen in the windows and then starts attacking the other cats in the house! I just can't bring this one in, I can't do that to her. 
Keep looking for a home for her or an owner and continue to feed her and offer her fresh water.  If she is still around when the weather turns cooler please consider making her a shelter.  There are many ideas that are very inexpensive.
 
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sueasinsue

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I will definitely keep looking for a home for her, or her owners. I already spoke to my husband about making a shelter for her when the weather gets cold and he agreed to give it a try. I have been asking friends to consider her for adoption and I told them I would split the vet bill if necessary!
 

shadowsrescue

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Thank you for looking out for her.  There are some plans that are available for a "feral villa" if your husband is handy.  My DH made one 4 years ago.  Yet over the years we made modifications to it.  One of the things to consider is that often cats feel trapped is there is only one entrance/exit.  We had to modify the structure to add another exit.  Yet with another exit, it makes it a bit colder.  Most cats like the shelter stuffed with straw and they can burrow down into the straw to stay warm.  My ferals hated the straw.  I have an electrical outlet on my deck so I use an outdoor cat heated mat.  My ferals love it. 

You can also do a search on rubbermaid cat shelters.  They are super easy to make.  Here is one I made last winter.  It is insulated and has a heat pad on the bottom.  My ferals really like the small space, but some prefer the taller rubbermaids.  This is my indoor boy, Jake testing it out.  I had a side entrance and a front entrance.

 

msaimee

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If you you're not handy at constructing homemade shelters, you can purchase a variety of cat shelters on ebay. This is Muffin's cedar pet house. I fill it with straw and place  a cushion that reflects back body heat underneath the straw. When the weather is cold, I cover it with blankets or a sleeping bag. It's very important to have an entrance and an exit, not just because the feral will feel safe having an exit, but because sometimes raccoons and other ferals could get inside and corner the cat. Last winter was SO cold, though, that I covered both entrances with a sleeping bag so he had to crawl under it to get inside. No other wildlife was outside, so he felt safe. Other folks have similar pet houses and use electric heating pads for pets. Hopefully you will find a resolution for your situation before winter comes, but it doesn't hurt to think ahead.

If the cat is a stray, then hopefully you can find a home for her. If she's feral, then trapping and releasing her after spay/neuter and vaccinations and then continuing to provide food and some sort of shelter would be the best way to go.

I completely understand your dilemma with your one cat. I have 4 cats inside now, and my geriatric cat was not happy when I brought in the 4th, a female feral, last summer. They learned to co-exist peacefully after a few months, but it's not something I would want to put him through again. The only cat I would bring inside at this point is Muffin, my outdoor feral, whom all four of my inside cats are acquainted with already because two of them are his offspring, and the 2 geriatric cats have grown used to seeing and smelling him on my porch, and once he was inside my house with them for 3 days and there were no issues.  But I would not want to put my two geriatric cats through having to adjust to another new cat right now, so I understand. However, it is also possible that in time all of your inside cats would get used to the feral in your yard and come to accept her, just as my two geriatric, domesticated cats inside have come to accept Muffin. So anything is possible.
 
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sueasinsue

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The houses are a great idea! Thank you! The Rubber maid tote one looks easy to make?  I will definitely look into getting one as my little stray sleeps in the patio chairs right now, or under the tarp that covers our wood pile...I have been posting notices online and I printed out a couple posters to put up around my neighborhood. Maybe someone will recognize the stray as their cat.

She definitely is NOT feral, I say that because she is fine with humans, at first she was skittish but now she runs to me when I feed her, stares at me and does those long cat blinks, she also is not dirty like the ferals I see in my neighborhood? No scars or ear chunks taken out, her fur is nice and clean and smooth....I really think she either got lost or someone dumped her OR she belongs to someone that lets her roam all the time and just doesn't take care of her.

MsAimee I believe that anything is possible, when it comes to introducing cats. But Ez is not your normal every day grumpy cat. She is a tortie with tortie-tude and then some. I think she has some rabid pit bull in her as well. She co-exists with the kittens (now cats) I rescued, but she still isn't thrilled with their presence in the house. Some days are better than others. I hope hope hope Ez will get used to seeing the stray. Thank you again!
 

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I loved the rubbermaid tote as it had a nice easy snap on lid.  It was $7 at Target.  I cut a hole in the front and then one on the side.  It was hard to cut as the plastic snapped in places.  I drew a square of about 6"x6" and then covered the sharp plastic with duct tape.  Inside I lined the sides, top and bottom with Reflectix insulation.  It comes in rolls at Lowes.  I used duct tape to secure it in place.  I had a heat pad on the bottom and cut a small hole in the back for a cord.  My ferals loved it all winter long.  My DH built them a heated house with a hound heater this past winter when the polar vortex hit.  It keeps them toasty warm, but some nights or during the day when it's not fridgid out they prefer the rubbermaids.  I live in Ohio and this summer has had some cool nights and lots of rain.  During the summer, I have a canopy over the deck and on one of the outdoor loveseats I have their beds.  Many nights I have brought out the rubbermaids (without heat pads!) for them.  It keeps them dry from the rain and they love to snuggle.  Here is their winter setup with heated house on the left and rubbermaids next to it. They are snuggled in the heated house. 


Here is a pic from them this past June on a rainy cool night.  They are both in the box on the left.


It is usually the ferals that are more well groomed.  They know how to care for themselves in the wild.  It is often a stray cat that looks disshelved, dirty and messy as if they had been a house cat, being outside alone is often too much for them.  They have a hard time grooming themselves as they are unacustomed to being outside.  Yet, both can get into fights and if the cat is ill it can be very thin, scraggly and not well groomed.  So looks alone are not a good predictor of stray or feral. 

She does sound like more of a stray or maybe she is somewhat of an outdoor cat that is used to taking care of herself. 
 
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sueasinsue

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I think my husband could make the rubbermaid tote house? I am going to purchase a tote this weekend and see if I can't make a little house for my stray until I figure out what to do with her. There is also a Lowe's right near me, so I can get the insulation.

I did read that online, that feral cats are usually the cleaner looking ones, but the article also said ferals usually only come out at night, won't make eye contact and are afraid of humans? Is that true?

I thought about that too-she is very skinny even with me feeding her for over a month now, and I wonder if she doesn't have some sort of disease or illness.
 

shadowsrescue

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You won't need the insulation right now as it's warm enough outside.  Just add a towel or blanket to the bottom for comfort.  If she is still around when it's cooler this fall you can add the insulation.  I made the rubbermaid shelter myself so it can easily be done.  The hardest part is cutting the plastic.  I tried using a box cutter and it was hard.  I had to use a tool that was somewhat like tin snips.  It was hard to keep it from snapping apart, but if I did it slowly and steadily it worked.  I made 3 of them over the winter.  The colored ones are much easier to cut, but I liked the clear as I could see when they were inside. 

Ferals often come out at dawn and dusk, but once they get used to a food source they may start to come at other times.  They hate eye contact and it is very threatening to them.

She may be skinny because she has worms.  If you decide to get her to the vet, they can give her some medicine for the worms.  Just be sure you have them give it to her!!  I had pilling cats.  You can also buy some dewormers, but they taste awful and are really hard to give to ferals.  Just try to give her the best quality of food you can afford.  Wet food is best.  I give my ferals both wet and dry.
 
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sueasinsue

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That was my thought- worms, as all 3 of my rescues had tape worms-hopefully I can get some sort of plan to get her to the low cost neutering place for medicine and shots if no one claims her. I have been going nuts trying to decide what to do, I hate seeing her sometimes because it just kills me that I can't do more, I know I can't take in every stray that wanders into my yard let alone find them all homes.

I called a friend of mine who is a Vet tech at a local animal hospital for advice. She is coming over next week to take a look at the cat, and hopefully she can help me figure out what the next step is.
 
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sueasinsue

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Well I found out my little stray (I call her Bandita') has a home and a human to take care of her! I am so happy!!! She lives about a block from my house! I guess she just likes my yard and patio chairs? She still comes for breakfast every morning, not sure if I should keep feeding her though?
 

shadowsrescue

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Well I found out my little stray (I call her Bandita') has a home and a human to take care of her! I am so happy!!! She lives about a block from my house! I guess she just likes my yard and patio chairs? She still comes for breakfast every morning, not sure if I should keep feeding her though?
I am happy she has a home and hope that when winter hits they will take more care in having her be inside.  Have you talked with the people who own her?  If they are friendly and know she is coming to see you they may be ok with you giving her a bit of food.  Yet, if she is putting on weight and eating at home and at your place, it may be too much food.  I would speak to the owner or put a note in their mailbox.
 
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sueasinsue

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well the owner is NOT friendly, but I am going to try and talk to him when I see him walking his dogs. I tried to talk to him once before because as he walks his three dogs there is this huge Maincoon (sp?) that follows him. I asked him one day "is that your cat that follows you walking the dogs" and all he said was "yes" didn't smile or elaborate just kept on walking.....
 

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Some really good info you've posted! But I would note that I have heard towels and blankets are NOT a good material to use for shelters as they retain moisture, and aside from making kitty wet and cold, could grow mold. I think straw is best if they like it. All of mine seem to love the straw. 

Another tip we kind of figured out on our own: If you take a lighter for just a couple seconds to the area you've marked for cutting on the totes (keep in mind that  Sterilite brand is usually the cheapest, but is quite subject to cracking and breaking), it "melts" or softens the plastic a little and makes it easier to cut through with a utility knife. But of course if you leave it on too long you will get a strong burning smell and a scorch mark! So have to be careful and probably do it outside.
 

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Honestly, it sounds like she is essentially feral, even if she technically has an owner. If you are up for being a good Samaritan you could still make her a shelter and give her food and even take her to a clinic. It doesn't sound like her "owner" would even notice, and I think you are covered legally if she is on your property? I keep thinking about that neck wound you described, and if he didn't bother to take her to the vet to care for that, he probably doesn't do much else, either. 
 
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