I've been adopted!

Hi Everyone!

After finding this site last night, and reading many threads, I know you're the group that'll give the best advice to this suddenly-a-cat-Mom-even-though-I'm-not-a-cat-person. Thanks in advance!!

We have a 'bump-out' overhang under our kitchen floor, and a few years ago my husband shoved some insulation under there and put some landscape bricks along the front to try to keep our kitchen floor from getting so cold in the winter. It's probably a 2-3 feet deep by maybe 4 feet long 'cave'. It's also probably somewhat climate-controlled being under the floor and next to a heating/cooling vent.

Almost a month ago we realized a cat was living in this 'cave'. I started talking to him (I think a him) and offering him food. His left ear is snipped, so he appears to have been part of the TNR program. He's been eating with me every night, and has decided human fingers are more wonderful than food. He now lets me pet, scrunch, rub, pull and push. He demands it, actually! Sometimes he'd rather get rubbed and scratched than eat. His name is Cody.

He seems healthy, with no fleas, no scabs, no ticks, and is gaining weight on dry Purina One Smartblend with water added. He might now be up to 4 pounds. He walks and runs seemingly ok, but stands with his hocks really close together. His back legs, maybe just his left, move oddly. I can now rub and pull on both legs, and neither one nor his hips seem to hurt. He also has what appears to be an old scar and some missing hair on his tail.

He's petrified of my Border Collie, Jake, but Jake is curious and gets his nose batted at when he sticks his nose in the hole (entryway) of Cody's 'house'. There's been no blood, yet. Jake stays inside while I feed Cody, but he can see us from the window and is terribly jealous.

Other notes - I think Cody's face is so itchy because of the insulation he's living in. I've cut back to about 3/4 cup of food a day, but he still never finishes it all.

Where do I go from here?? Jake is so jealous I can't imagine a future where Cody becomes a housecat. I'd like a sheltered way to leave food out for Cody that he could access safely whenever, even when Jake is outside. I'd like to replace the insulation with straw, but don't want to freak out the cat by tearing up his home. Any shelter I could make for him couldn't be as large or as cozy as what he has now. And he's survived the neighborhood hawks, owls, coyotes, dogs, cars and people this long, how much of my help does he need??

Now you know the whole story. I'm looking forward to any and all input! Again, thanks in advance!! (Now let's see if I can figure out how to post pics!)

Congratualtions!  It is so wonderful when they choose you.  Cody sounds like he might have been a stray who possibly got TNR'd.  I would definitely take him to the vet as soon as feasible, though, just to be sure.

Two things come to mind if he can't come inside.  You can improve his cave by covering the insulation or, you can build him a shelter and place it outside the cave.  Shelters need not be exotic - a small doghouse with straw bedding can be a cosy retreat.  They also have various shelters available online - kittytube and feral villa both come to mind.

If you are ambitious, you can buiid a small enclosure just for him.  I was worried sick about my outside guy and built him the Taj Mahal of enclosures but I tend to go overboard on projects.    Plug "enclosure" into the search engine here and you'll get all sorts of ideas.

His itchy face may also be allergies to food or fleas.  A good dose of Revolution or the like can help with the fleas. The vet can help with that.

If the food you are feeding him has grains in it, get something without that.  A wet food diet will help keep him healthy in the long run.

Thank you so much for caring about him!  He's a lucky kitty.

How wonderful you have found this kitty and he has found you.  Please do get him to the vet for a check up, vaccines and to be sure he is neutered.  Since he is so friendly he should not be too hard to get in a carrier.  You can start feeding him in an opened carrier to get him used to the carrier.  He definitely will need to be wormed as well as get a dose of flea/tick medicine.

To keep him out of the elements there are many shelters you can build/buy to keep him comfortable.  I live in Ohio where the winters are rough and it is cold.  Right now I have 2 ferals living on my deck.  During the summer I have a canopy over the deck which keeps them out of the rain.  They sleep on an outdoor love seat.  I have 3 feeding stations my Dh and DS built for them to eat out of.  I have done numerous shelters for winter.  There are simple shelters such as a rubbermaid stuffed with straw to more elaborate ones with heaters.  You can do an internet search on feral cat shelters for ideas.  I also have a section in my blog under Tips and Techniques called Shelters.  You can see some pictures of my set up.  The link to my blog is in my signature.

Thank you for rescuing this sweet one.  I have a large dog (Samoyed) who does well with all my cats.  I have 2 inside and 3 outside.  The outside cats are used to her now and she gets along well with the indoor boys.  Any chance you would consider bringing the cat to live inside?

Good advices above.

Still, its good if the cat and the dog become pals.  Especielly if you want Cody to become inside kitty with time.

Dogs and cats usually manage this, they not always become friends, but can almost always coexist.  The dog understanding the cat belongs now to the house, to the pack.  And the cat if necessary giving the dog some lessons with the paw on the nose.  Soft paw or claws out if so be...  

Begin with being very sweet to Jake, so he doesnt need to feel jelaous.   A trick may be, your dear is fussing with Jake, when you are petting Cody.

And vice versa...

A beatutiful classic tabby you got!

What a great site! Thanks so much. Note - I was incorrect about the weight. He's a whopping 8 pounds. I took my scale outside, and he let me pick him up long enough to stand on the scale with him. Hubby and I have talked about how to fix up where he's living now, especially since being close to the AC/heat vent will almost give him
'Climate Control'. I've been thinking about giving him another doorway from the under-the-house-space, connecting a 6-inch flexible drainpipe to a sort of feeding house made out of an old cooler with a removeable lid. Then he can eat safely and out of the weather. And if have a removable lid for access.

I'll keep working with him, and we'll get this all figured out eventually.

Thanks again, and please keep the advice coming!