Very Feral cat in my bathroom, need advice

I have another post about same cat but right now have a more urgent question. I've been advised to let this feral in my bathroom go from the person who I borrowed the trap from. She sis I am putting him at risk for a UTI and also putting my own cats at risk by keeping him in my bathroom. Have no choice my landlord would not like that I have more the. 2 cats especially if he sees one in the bAck porch area . I am attached to this cat in a way, been feeding him for over a year. I finally trapped him because recently he showed up for food limping badly. Brought him to emergency vet and they sId he had a badly infected laceration. He was neutered, ear tipped, and vaccinated for rabies. It's been raining nonstop since I brought him to vet which was Sunday, it's now tuesdAy and the weather will be bad into tomorrow. He's really good in the trap, but I don't hVe a divider thought of kind of making one out of cardboard. Want to change his newspaper, he's great at using new paper but want to get the dirty stuff out. I kind of want to keep him because he may have a home in a month or two. Want to get a cage but I was told it would be extremely hard to get him out of the cAge once he is there. Also it's stressful having him even though I love that he is safe. Just don't know how I would clean a litterbox and stuff in A cage. Also I'm leaving him alone with. Cat who is really stressed by his presence and she can open doors do I get do nervous when I am not home. He's in my Beth tub too that's kind of difficult. Hope he doesn't have leukemia or fiv , vet said he was healthy otherwise. If I let him go could he be trapped again? He's very scared but very good and kind of amazing.so smart, have so much respect, he survived last winter out there somehow and chicago is rough. Should I listen to the lady who regularly tnr's neighborhood cats and let him go. No one se will help me , except the person who might take him , and they are taking forever to get a place. Not even sure I can rely on them . Need realistic advice. How would we get this cat to the vet again if he is not in the trap?

You probably will not be able to trap him again - he'll have learned about the trap and will avoid it.  Has his wound healed OK?

Switching him to a crate will be work but if you really think he has an opportunity to find a new home, it is worth it.  But of course, you have the issue of your landlord, too, so you're sort of stuck.

Before you do that, though, make another appointment for a SNAP test - for FIV and FeLV.  If he's positive for either one, you'll have a decision to make.  I SNAP test all the strays/ferals I work with before surgery so I'll be prepared.  He can live with FIV (if the potential owner is prepared for that).  FeLV is different.  Besides being contagious, most cats with it don't live very long, so sadly euthanasia is usually the best solution for them.

If he tests negative, maybe you can explain to the landlord that this is a temporary situation?  Let him know the cat has a new home but needs to recuperate first.  Thank you so much for helping him!

I agree with Ondine: doubtful he will go into a trap again and he should get tested for FIV/FeLV--take him back to the vets in the trap--test results come back in about 15 minutes. FIV isn't a big deal (in cat sanctuaries, they are often placed with other cats, assuming the FIV+ cat isn't outwardly aggressive).
Can you borrow or buy (2nd hand, from a thrift store) a large dog crate and transfer him into that?
Not sure why your friend thinks this cat will develop a UTI. I'm a little confused--you have another cat? If he is prone to UTIs (Ritz is) then, he might develop one. Do you have Feliway plugged in several places? Play music, show your resident cats lots of love. Read other hints about socializing a feral cat. Although you're not intending to keep the cat, calming efforts may give him a head start when he goes into his furever home--and meanwhile help your resident cat(s).

don't have a car and the vet that sees ferals is far snd there is only one day during the week we can coordinate a ride and that is on Sunday morning and I wonder if this person is up for it again it took all day long last time. I was told that snap tests have false positives and if he has no symptoms it's possible I might be euthanizing for no reason. Really am stuck it's bad weather tonight anyway, no way want to let him out in it, but will if it's healthier than being stuck in that trap longer with his pee. He's being fed baby food , he spills water so mix a little with that. Afraid that the canned friskies will make him poop a lot all over so doing 2 jars and a little canned Dave's special diet food, it's clean and firm, stu doesn't like do if he's really hungry I know he will eat it. Do you think making a kind of divider with a cardboard box to push him back while I pull out his old peed on bedding is an ok idea? I'm thinking it might be best to release him. If he wants to come back I will put the trap out there and see if he misses me. Otherwise this seems almost impossible. He got hurt that's why I took him in, wasn't ready for this.

Also , how do I know he is not too feral for life on the inside? Can all ferals adjust to life inside ?

Yes, they can. I have two inside kitties who were feral for the first six months of their lives. They hide when anyone comes to the door but are otherwise, truly house cats now. You will have to spend a lot of time and have a lot of patience to introduce him to other cats and to help him get used to the idea of being an inside cat. It may depend on him, too. If he's too set in his ways, he may not adjust but you won't be able to tell for a bit.

Ideally, he should have a room all to himself to get him acclimated to being I doors. If that isn't possible, a large crate will do.

Here's a very good thread that describes some of what it takes to get feral cats used to being indoors.  I know you said you didn't feel prepared for helping this cat and that happens to all of us!  Read through this thread, so you will have a better idea of what's ahead.  If you find you can't do this, that's OK.  Provide him with shelter and food and he can live happily outside.

I would still have him tested as soon as you can, just to make sure.  There are sometimes false positives but it is better to know.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/278759/a-happy-story-from-feral-to-indoor-cat  

Thank you ondine for all your help and support. I will definitely look at the link. Also wanted to add I've been feeding Stu off and on for about a year and a half. He disappears in winter, but reappears at the end looking rough.

Stu staying with me is not really an option. My landlord barely wants me to have two cats. I will keep him until his potential owner finds the apartment he wants ( he's only looking at pet friendly apt.) Stu would be the only cat and the place would be his . Plus his owner would be a quiet person who is very interested in feral cats . He does work two jobs do they may never see each other if we can make this happen.

I should add Stu would sometimes bring his feral cat friends with him . They were usually young attractive girls I think. They were way more scared of me than him. They would take turns eating. Las soon as I had Stu a little black cat was waiting in his spot! P

It was not often this would happen stu doesn't share his food that much . But I've been trying to get so done to help me with stu for a while. Finally when he was injured, they listened and two people helped!

I think it would be extremely stressful for Stu to be kept in a cage for more than a few days, especially if he is feral. It would be best if you either released him back outside and continued to care for him by providing food, or gave him a room to himself. If you gave him a room to himself, you would be able to tell in a few weeks if he would be suitable for adoption and indoor life. He would either begin to settle down, or he would go nuts--crying on-stop and scaling the walls and windows. If the latter occurred, then the most humane thing you could do would be to release him back outside. If he settles down, then he is suitable for adoption. Can you explain the situation to your landlord and let him know this is a very temporary situation? At any rate, please do not keep him confined in a trap for weeks--that would be very stressful for him (and for ANY cat, no matter how domesticated). Traps are not meant to be long term solutions for ferals. They are intended to keep the cat confined for a day until the neuter, and then for a day after for recovery.

Over the years I have taken in two strays who were semi-feral, and three ferals. The one feral I released back outside after 3 days because he was going nuts--crying and scaling the walls and ceilings. He is happy to be cared for outside. This is simply who he is by nature, and he let me know it very clearly. The others adjusted to indoor life within a few months. It takes a lot of patience, and also time for the cat you're taking in to learn to get along with your other cats. Every situation is different, but the cat will let you know what it really wants.

Thank you msaimee I agree about Stu being kept on the trap and think he is feeling better. Just was holding off for his wound to heal a bit and it's been very bad weather outside. He has seemed pretty calm but I can tell he needs out now. He is not at all friendly anymore and hisses everytime he sees me. I'm tired of feeling like some weird cat serial killer ( that's how he looks at me, like I'm going to eat him) . Just wanted him to be healthy as possible before letting him out. Also there is sewer construction outside and I think that's how he got hurt maybe. I can't give him his own room I'm at work too much and one of my cats hates being confined and knows how to open doors and I do not want him left alone with my girls

The weather let up so I let Stu go last night. Since I have had him a beautiful black cat has been waiting for food in his place(when it's not raining). Stu was getting feisty and more irritated and looked and seemed a lot better. Was hard to see his abcess anymore. Was worried he hadn't pooped. Good bye for now Stu and good luck.Let him go, he bolted, hopped a fence, stood there a moment looked at me then ran on top of garbage cans, then onto a thrown out couch, paused thought about peeing, no time, took off down the alley, but stopped and looked at me one more time. He forgot to limp!!!! I think he's ok now
Stu, please help the little black cat out there waiting for you, she's gorgeous! Maybe I will take her to the vet next.

chalupa said:

Stu, please help the little black cat out there waiting for you, she's gorgeous! Maybe I will take her to the vet next.

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Sigh - there's always another one, isn't there?  But what you did for Stu is wonderful.  I do hope he returns and learns to trust you now.  Good luck with the new one.  You are doing a fantastic job!

@Ondine  Thank you very much for your advice with Stu. The lady I borrowed the trap from told me I released Stu back outside on national feral cat day, that was weird. Hope I see him again, and his little feral cat friends, we are ready to help the next one.

I think you did the right thing releasing him. Now he's healthy, neutered, can run again, and he has his freedom. I suspect he will be back if he gets hungry, or he may be back because he misses you and knows much you've helped him.

chalupa said:

 
@Ondine  Thank you very much for your advice with Stu. The lady I borrowed the trap from told me I released Stu back outside on national feral cat day, that was weird. Hope I see him again, and his little feral cat friends, we are ready to help the next one.

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I think that's pretty cool!  Your work with Stu has made a big difference in his life, even if he can't tell you.  Vibes he returns ...

Hi just wanted to let everyone know that I left food outside for Stu because it's finally cool enough that the ants won't get all over it. On my last check out the window before I was going to sleep, I saw Stu! He was eating but he was real jumpy and he saw me and walked away. He never used to care if he saw me in the window or even if I was out there with him ( at a safe distance) . So have a feeling I have to earn his trust again. By the morning the food was all eaten. Did not see the little black cat yesterday, maybe she was waiting for Stu before. Thanks for taking the time everyone to discuss Stu!

I'm happy for you and Stu. At the least, he'll remember not all humans are bad