Food for ferals in the summer

leeann77

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What kind of food is everyone feeding ferals in the summer? Mine are spoiled with dry AND canned, they clearly prefer the canned. But now that it's hot out, the flies are horrible and are laying some kind of maggot eggs in the food!!! I guess I'll only be able to put out dry food for the summer. I have one tame feral that will eat as soon as I put it out so she can have canned, but the adults will stay far away from me. I guess dry food is better than nothing! :(

Thanks!
Lee Ann
 

feralvr

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Hi LeeAnn! Great question and this is one issue that all of us have to manage during the summertime. My feral cats were all scheduled fed basically and knew that I fed at 7:00 a.m. and again at 4:00 p.m. - wet/canned food. All the wet food was eaten up rather quickly with nothing to spare. In between those hours, I left out dry food. All food was picked up well before dusk.

Yes - dry food is better to offer during the summer time when bugs are a huge problem. And, really, we are just supplementing their diet because feral cats to eat and catch prey which is in abundance during the summer. Thanks for caring for feral cats!!! :bigthumb: :wavey:
 
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leeann77

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Thank you!!!! You're right, I forget that it isn't their only food source and they need the canned more in the winter. I've noticed they haven't been eating as much anyway.

I have a bigger problem with the young, tame one that has become attached to me. I made the "mistake" of petting her when she was in my basement after being spayed and now she comes up to the house from the woods all the time, wanting to spend time with me. I bring her into the basement to play, she is so sweet and just wants companionship. The other cats don't really hang around with her. I would love to make her a house cat, but I have two that are 13 and 14 and have never been around another cat. I am debating trying to introduce them slowly through a baby gate at the basement door but don't want to stress them out in their older years. But it breaks my heart when the little one is sitting out there and I have to basically shut the door in her face. I know it's going to be even harder in the winter to shut her out. This is causing me a lot of stress- I didn't really want another cat but I'm attached to her now and I worry about her a lot. I am new to this- I guess if I had known I would've kept her more "wild", she never used to come near me. What a dilemma!!!
 

feralvr

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I have a bigger problem with the young, tame one that has become attached to me. I made the "mistake" of petting her when she was in my basement after being spayed and now she comes up to the house from the woods all the time, wanting to spend time with me. I bring her into the basement to play, she is so sweet and just wants companionship. The other cats don't really hang around with her. I would love to make her a house cat, but I have two that are 13 and 14 and have never been around another cat. I am debating trying to introduce them slowly through a baby gate at the basement door but don't want to stress them out in their older years. But it breaks my heart when the little one is sitting out there and I have to basically shut the door in her face. I know it's going to be even harder in the winter to shut her out. This is causing me a lot of stress- I didn't really want another cat but I'm attached to her now and I worry about her a lot. I am new to this- I guess if I had known I would've kept her more "wild", she never used to come near me. What a dilemma!!!
I understand completely the toll it takes on our heart!! It seems and sounds that this kitty may have had human contact early on to be so friendly and wanting to come inside. Possibly a house cat at one time or another? She does seem to be making the choice to be an inside kitty and does sound very attached to you. Is it possible that you have a spare room in the house to confine her to for a few weeks? This way you can begin the transition of acclimating her indoors slowly. She sounds very sweet and may do very well with your other two older cats, in time. The biggest hurdle that most people have to overcome is to go extremely slow with introductions. Many just hurry the situation and then it backfires quickly.

You could even keep her in the basement if you don't have another room since she is already used to the basement. There is also the option of installing a screen door in place of the solid door. But, this would be done after she has had a full vet exam, vaccinations, tests and stool check. Then it would be safe for a screen door and allowing them to sniff at each other from either side.

She could very well be quite comfortable inside for a few weeks time while everyone gets acclimated to scent/sight before actual interactions begin. This can take many weeks and the slower the better. I look at it this way! The kitty is better off indoors, safe and sound, confined to a room for a few weeks rather than being exposed to the dangers of the outdoors.

I know you are on the fence about doing this but is surely sounds like she has chosen you! If you take things at a snail's pace, I surely think the older cats will accept the newcomer.

An excellent, newly updated article on Introductions! http://www.thecatsite.com/a/the-ultimate-yet-simplified-guide-to-introducing-cats
 
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leeann77

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Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a long reply! I try to talk to other people I know about it, but they either don't understand or think I'm turning into a crazy cat lady! ;)

I will definitely get her to the vet before she is close to my cats. Then maybe I'll try the gradual screen door idea- luckily I have all summer to take my time before winter sets in. Who knows, maybe my cats will end up really getting along with her, I just have to try.

Thanks again for all of your help!!!! :)
 

feralvr

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- luckily I have all summer to take my time before winter sets in. Who knows, maybe my cats will end up really getting along with her, I just have to try.
I LOVE your thinking !!!!!!! That you have ALL summer for these introductions. Good plan and actually the longer one takes getting cats acclimated, settled in and comfortable with the very idea of another cat in the house, the better. You have heard of that phrase "Better safe, then sorry". I change it to "Better SLOWER, then sorry!" :D Keep us posted!
 
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leeann77

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I actually have one more question! I think it might be her mom that is very wild and comes around- I saw them sleeping together in the shelter I made this winter. If the little one does end up sleeping in my house/ basement, is it mean to take her away from her mother? I feel like she'll be searching for her every night. I guess people take their kittens away all the time, maybe in the long run it'd be better to give her a home?
(The one I might keep is full grown, maybe a year old.)

Thanks! Last question, I swear!!!
 

feralvr

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I actually have one more question! I think it might be her mom that is very wild and comes around- I saw them sleeping together in the shelter I made this winter. If the little one does end up sleeping in my house/ basement, is it mean to take her away from her mother? I feel like she'll be searching for her every night. I guess people take their kittens away all the time, maybe in the long run it'd be better to give her a home?
(The one I might keep is full grown, maybe a year old.)

Thanks! Last question, I swear!!!
Keep the questions coming!! It is welcome and very much expected in these types of threads!! We appreciate your efforts to help the cats. :hugs:

Absolutely, give this little one a home AND please, if not done already, trap the mom cat or whomever she may be, and get her TNRd. Don't worry about taking in a stray cat that has a friend outdoors - because an indoor loving home is the life of leisure they all desire even if they don't know it yet! The first step if you see more cats, as you probably already know, is to get them all spayed/neutered. :bigthumb: ;) Please do keep us updated!
 
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