My crazy feral kitty

This is Richard Parker hanging out on his pad. He + 4 others showed up sept/oct 2013, all about 6 mo. old. Feed all, bought this heated cat house...which no one used, only to eat, (I would place the food inside).  I live in Wisconsin, last winter was horrible with sub zero temps, as will be this winter. This Oct.,  Parker (the only one left of them), finally let me by him to feed him, no longer put food in house + it is a heated food dish. I now have been able to pet & pick him up, tried to bring him in....worst 12+ hours of both our lives. Anywho, for the past few mo. he has been living in the house 24/7, but now, past 3 day/night, he shows up at 7am to eat then leaves again.  Not sure what has changed except the weather...it's in the low teens & snowing. Any thoughts as to why the sudden change. And yes to anyone who is wondering...I am working on getting him fixed, shots, & microchipped.

Thanks to any & all responses,

"worried feral cat mom"

It may be he is now fully adult and NOW the hormones are wakening sky hight.  Although its not the high season, but still...

Also, the danger increases he may wander away - just because he is now a fully mature adult, and nowhere submissive to other adult toms.

So the priority is to neuter.  If you dont afford the shots and microchip, wait, begin witt the neutering.

Although its nice and good to do everything at the same time, especielly as microchipping, although usually done live, isnt no cozy experience for the cat nor owner.

Good luck!

I am wondering if they don't use the shelter because it is heated? Sometimes, although hard to believe, it can be too hot for them after they developed a winter coat. Also why some cat after some time in a house want out frantically.Some cats also won't go inside a shelter if there isn't an escape door. What changed could be a million things though. So many dynamics between cats, territory, mating.....and some male cat's range of territory/roaming can be as large as a 12 mile radius. Then there is a possibility that ferals have several caretakers unbeknownst to those helpers. Maybe put your shelter in a more hidden place with branches or natural camouflage and spray with catnip. Also put it farther away from feeding site? If it cold enough to their standards and it feels safe to them they will use it. He most likely will come back. He's just living his cat life which humans still don't completely understand. Isn't it sweet to love these free spirits?

pocho said:

y.Some cats also won't go inside a shelter if there isn't an escape door.

Click to expand...

Right!  This shelter looks for me more like a classical dog house. Or a cozy house for an inside cat, with cushions in and no real dangers.

  If so, there is surely no emergency exit.   Homeless cats do avoid cat shelters without emergency exit, rightly so.

The entrance can also be smaller, cats are smaller and more gymnasiticized then an average dog.

That looks like a K&H heated cat house. These houses have both an entrance and exit. If it is a K&H, check to make sure the heating pad works. I bought one of these a few years ago and my feral rarely used it. It turned out that the heating pad was defective. Now he has a regular wood pet house filled with straw and covered with a sleeping bag. It has an entrance and an exit, though one of the exits is covered in frigid temperatures. When it's in the single digits or below, ferals are not as concerned with having two doors because most wildlife is hunkered down somewhere.  

I'm not sure from your explanation if he's been living in the pet house 24/7 or inside your house?

If you're able to pick him up, then you should get him neutered and a rabies shot ASAP. Keep him confined inside your home for a few days for him to recover. With the weather becoming frigid, you don't want him wandering in search of a mate. In my area, ferals tend to have the most mating activity between Nov-Feb, even in single digit temps! If he is hanging around less, he is looking for a mate.  

l   

Thank you for the info.  He lives outside. It makes sense that he maybe looking for a mate. I guess it would make more sense if he were gone for hours at a time, but he is gone all day...only there for 10-15 min. to eat & doesn't come back.  I am working out a date with my vet, I do not trust animal control. The cat house has 2 doors for easy escape. His food is in a different area, kinda close but in the past yr. this hasn't seemed to be a problem.

I live in Michigan and it snow yesterday and last night. My ferals behavior changes when it snows. My ferals are all fixed and eartipped, but they do the exact opposite of yours.  They stay in their cat house almost all the time.  They come out for feedings and my husband shovels a trail to the woods where they go to the bathroom.

I have one that does not stick around during summer/cold weather in the daytime hours.  She shows up for feeding times and during the middle of the night to sleep in the cat house.  When snow flies she does not leave her mom and sisters side.

I have a dog house converted to cat house with outdoor heating pad/chicken light on a timer.

I also think that if he is neutered his behavior may change and he may be willing to stay closer to home in his house.