Advice needed on stray cat please

Hi, I've just joined and would appreciate some advice.  Middle of last summer I noticed every night when dark, a very thin cat coming into my garden.  So hungry she was eating left over bird food!  Of course I started feeding her but she wouldn't come near me and if I approached her she bolted.  I did ring Cats Protection but they suggested I just continue to do what I'm doing and not to use a trap on her.

Over the months I've managed to gain a little trust but boy is it hard.  Food has been placed nearer and nearer to my kitchen door.  Last week she actually came further inside and let me stroke her.  All was going fine until I shut the kitchen door and she went nuts.  She was so distressed I decided it best to open the door.  Since then she still comes but is now very nervous of coming too close.  I bought an outdoor shelter for her but have yet to see her go in it, except to get the dry biscuits I put in it to try and tempt her!

She's female and my main worry is that she hasn't been neutured.  I really need to get her to my vet.  The night she came in I did manage to give her flea treatment.  I also need to see if she's been chipped.  No ads I've placed or enquiries of neighbours have had any luck.

One idea I've had is to maybe get a dog crate and place her in that until I can get her to the vet.  With her only coming when it's dark I would need to keep her overnight inside the house.  She's a lovely cat and has certainly put weight on with me feeding her.  I wouldn't say she's feral but very very nervous.

Any tips or advice you can give me would be really appreciated.  Thanks.

I agree safeguarding she is spayed, is a high priority.  Especielly if she remains as your outside kitty.  The dlemand is somewhat lesser if you take her in...

Although its not impossible she is already spayed.  A free living cat would prob get pregnant during the summer.  Could have two different litters during the summer half year.

Unless if she were very young, of course, and not of age yet.

Once trapped, you can have her even 24-35 hours before you go to the vet.  For example, if you take her in a trap in the evening, you dont need to let her out before you go to the vet.  No problems at all if you go there the day after.  A little touchy if its first 30 hours later.  But can be done.

Homeless shy cats are used to hide even two days if necessary.  They do so it you take them home, no?

Good luck!

Thank you for helping her.  The crate is a good idea - I've caught a few cats that way.  Once caught, she can be transported to the vet in the crate and then recuperate in it after her surgery.  The bonus is, you can also assess her personality a bit while recuperating her.

She's a beauty!

Thank you!  I think this is going to take time.  I need perhaps to take things slowly.  She's come tonight at her usual time but hasn't come too close.  At least it's not freezing tonight.  I'll do my best for her.

Are you in the UK? The Cats Protection League do have a TNR program in some parts of the UK where they will come and help you trap the cat and then return her to you after she has been spayed, provided that you are willing to keep feeding her.

If you Google TNR UK for your city you might find an organisation in your local area that can help.

Good luck, she's a very pretty girl. Glad she's got you to watch over her.

What a shame. Maybe they're just hopelessly busy or have very limited resources. Are there any other cat rescue organisations or shelters in your area?

Good for you for working around it.

Yes, they are really busy.  There are one or two shelters in my area but they are the same.  I'll contact my vet tomorrow to see what they suggest.  Cat's Protection did say that if I can get her tame they would help to rehome her if needs be. Not sure I would want to rehome her but my own cat might not be too happy at first - time will tell!

Looking at our weather forecast it's supposed to go really cold this coming week with snow.  Mind you, here in the UK everything stops if we get just an inch of snow!

Poor thing has been living rough and is so incredibly on her guard.  I'm wishing you all the best with this. 

I'm sure those with a lot of experience here will give some more advice to make sure it goes well.

@Norachan   @Ondine @StefanZ    

Just rallying the troops...

Have a thick skirt on you, and gloves.  be prepared she will figth, and fight forcefully when catched.   If you manage to use a thick towel to immobilize her immediately, use it.   Probably best to begin and lay this towel over her head and rest of the body. It lessens the risk she thrashes you into pieces.  Also, when immobilized this way, they usually cease resistance...

Try to train some before. Make a dummy and throw the towel over the dummy.

Otherwise, some form of fall trap, or even a common Havaheart "humane" trap is another option.   But you want to make a try by grabbing.

Good luck!

The last cat I caught in a crate surprised me.  She looked at the door as I closed it and settled onto the blanket I'd put in the crate.  She never objected to being in it, even while being transported to the vet.  After she was fixed, I put the crate on the sun porch.  Even after I opened the door and allowed her access to the room, she spent most of her time in that crate.  I think it was a safe place for her - or she may have been crate trained at her previous home.

Whatever the reason, I ended up finding her a new home and giving the crate to her adopters.  They tell me she still uses it!  They keep a carrier in there, which she sleeps in.  Apparently, it is super easy for them to get her to the vets.

Keep us posted.  Good luck!

I agree I think it's best to try and catch her now, I took in a stray cat in August last year. I had been feeding her outside for about four months. I tried to catch her once, as you did, but she was terrified and ran away. My plan then was to wait until she trusted me enough to touch her again then take her to the vet. However she came along one night dragging her back legs she had an infection and was very unwell, if I had caught her earlier I may have prevented her getting sick, and a massive vet bill. I phoned Cynthia Hammond cat charity (before she was sick) to find out if I could get help with her. I was told I could take her to one of there Wednesday surgeries, however like your stray she would only visit out of hours!

Good luck with it all, sounds like you are on the right tracks

What a disaster tonight has been.  Got the crate no problem, cat came as usual to the back door.  Whilst she was having her treats I went to pick her up.  She's never ever bitten or scratched me and last night let me stroke her and last week when I closed the kitchen door she let me pick her up for a cuddle.   I really should have put those gloves on as StefanZ told me to.  My hand is rather a mess   She shot off down the garden.  So I'm probably back to square one after that!  Yep, I'm going to need a tetanus shot aren't I?

I won't give up though.

If you have a spot on your back porch or deck, put the crate there and start to feed her in the crate. Soon enough, you will be able to just close the door on her while she's eating. A lot less stress than trying to pick her up.

And yes, I would get a shot, just to be safe. Thanks for hanging in there!

you really need to have your hand looked at, especially if you have a puncture bite wound typical of a cat. you may need antibiotics and have the wound cleaned out. bites to the hand carry a higher risk of infection than bites to other sites. Cat bites to the hand  have a high risk of infection because cats' long, slender teeth often penetrate deep structures, such as joints and tendons, and the small punctures are then sealed off.

Thorough wound cleansing is the most effective and essential way to prevent infection and often suffices. There is no consensus on indications for prophylactic antibiotics. Studies have not confirmed a definite benefit, and widespread use of prophylactic antibiotics has the potential to select resistant organisms. Drugs do not prevent infection in heavily contaminated or inadequately cleaned wounds. However, many practitioners prescribe prophylactic antibiotics for bites to the hand and some other bites (cat bites, monkey bites).