Has anyone kept ferals indoors and outdoors?

I'm back again with Pretty Girl and Baby.

I had decided to keep Baby indoors only. And he is adjusting, but very slowly as far as my

ability to physically handle him. I still need to find him a home, and he is a bunch of fun!

His mother, Pretty Girl on the other hand has been unable to adjust to indoor life.

I let her out now, and she comes back four days later to eat, then walks right out. She is very hesitant to enter the house as she knows she will be "trapped" again. (she MUST eat inside; landlord

doesn't want ferals hanging around outside). She won't come in if I am near. I either sit at the table (away from the door) while she eats or I have to trick her by closing the door behind her once she is inside eating.

Even though it's very cold out, she really wants to be outdoors. I don't get it; and my trickery is getting

worn. She is ever so smart and picks up each trick I use to get her in.

I am exhausted between the landlord messing this up, and the inability to place them which is getting more and more difficult since I am growing attached to them. I am treating Baby for roundworm and I don't know why I didn't conquer this one yet. And if I treat Pretty, she needs to stay in 5 days.

If I feed her every four days without closing her in, do you think she'll learn that she can come and go?

But my question remains: Has anyone owned a complete feral as an indoor/outdoor pet?

How can I accomplish this now that it's cold and I fear for her outdoors four days before she comes back?

Please help

My brother rescued 9 Ferrell cats. Each one was spayed or nurtured. During the singer he kept them indoors, as spring came the kittens were adopted. 5 remained, one took off the first day. The meanest one Rusty, followed him everyday and became his Son. Rusty two years into his rescue he came down with lukemia he nursed him till he had to put him down. A few weeks ago he had to put down Cleopatra she had brain cancer. Gray and Houdini and still going strong after 6 yes. He lives and works at a hotel. He stayed with Cleopatra when he knew something wasn't right, since spring, vet visits he did everything gave them a good life. Even if it was short for the Two. I've never seen him cry till Rusty had to go to the Rainbow Bridge. These are his children. They can become human frienl, Rusty, Cleopatra, Gray and Houdini were about two years old at time of rescue. Wishing you the best.

BTW, it was getting cold when they were first discovered he put them in a empty hotel room for winter, I think they rescued my brother.

If you can get Pretty spayed, that may take some of the "creature of the wild" out of her and be easier to domesticate, other than that, it is my opinion that you will just have to accetp that not all ferals are able to be domesticated. I have been caring for a small group of ferals for 2 years now, starting 2 weeks after my elderly dog had to be put to sleep due to health reasons. Those ferals were a blessing, but a pain in the you know what as far as trying to domesticate them. Consequently, I ADOPTED my Katy from an SPCA shelter and now feel secure in the knowlege that I finally now have a "forever pet" where as with the ferals, one can never feel secure in that knowledge, that call of the wild will always be in their blood. Now, I do know there are exceptions, some of our members have succeded in domesticating ferals, I just am not one of them. Ferals are not concerned about the cold of winter, surprisingly, they just know where they feel comforable and for the most part that is out of doors. I guess you can see all animals, humans included are "creatures of habit".

When you brought the cats inside, did you give them a room of their own to adjust to indoor living?  Inviting a semi feral, stray or feral into your home and just letting them wander the home is just too overwhelming.  A spare bedroom, extra bathroom or other small room are great options.  Just make the sure the rooms are cat proofed.  If you use a small bedroom it is essential that the bed bed flat on the floor, picked up or every spot blocked off.  It is the first place the cat will run to hide.  It may also be necessary to block off under and behind other large furniture.  You really want the cat to be out in the open, not hiding behind or under furniture.  Yet you can give them a nice cozy place to feel safe.  A cat tree with a hiding box is great but even just an old cardboard box with a cozy blanket makes a nice hiding place. 

Feliway diffusers are also great to help the cats adjust.

I brought  a feral/stray cat into my home over 2 years ago.  He had been living outside on and around my property for at least 1.5 years.  I had done TNR on him, but decided on a whim to bring him into my home.  The first week was very hard.  He yowled and howled and cried especially at night.  He would throw himself against the windows too.  Yet, after the first week he was much calmer.  His safe room had a litter box and access to fresh water and food.  He remained in this room for over 2 months before I allowed him out and about in my home.  I needed to be sure that I could pet him and get him back to his room if needed.  I also had another cat in the house as well as a large dog so I had to do introductions. 

This cat used his safe room for over a year.  He went there whenever he was scared.  He adjusted very well to the humans living in my home and also the animals. Yet loud noises such a vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers or snow blowers sent him running to hide.  No one that comes to my home has any idea he exists.  He hides the entire time.  Yet, he is loving and so sweet.  He snuggles with me every single night. 

Many feral/semi feral/stray cats can learn to adjust to indoor living.  If you are allowing them access to the outside, they will continue to want that.  I made the decision that this cat was not going back out.  He has never tried.

Hopefully Mama cat is spayed.  You do not want her wandering around getting pregnant again.  The male will need to be neutered as well if he is not. 

There is hope for Mama cat to adjust to indoor living if you are able to take the necessary steps as well as giving it time.  She will need to be visited numerous times each day so that she adjusts to humans.  There are lots of tips for socializing and being able to pet feral/semi feral cats.  Let me know if you would like more info.

Thank you everyone. I have spayed and neutered them, vaccinated, de-wormed and I am nursing them back from their malnourished state in July. (top grade food and supplements) And, I am using all the behavior techniques everyone suggested.

I don't want to risk Pretty Girl's re infesting Baby when she does come in.

The landlord does not want them 'hanging' around, but they can stay inside.  I cannot feed her outside or leave food outside. But it is 'out of sight, out of mind, right now.

I also have to think of myself at this point. I worry to death that she is not frozen out there;

Tricking her and closing the door behind her is ridiculous, but I just cannot feel the stress of her in the bitter cold,

although, she made it last year. (she is about 2 years old). FIY -  she's not good huntress

I am going to play it with my gut. Very cold, she stays in... A little warmer, I'll let her out. But you cannot believe

my stress.

What will I do when I leave? I don't want to ditch her like the other neighbors did. The few which had not followed

through. IT IS NOT RIGHT.

Would please direct me to a source to try to place her some where?

Is there a phone number to reach TheCatSide to speak to someone?

nybody said:

 
Thank you everyone. I have spayed and neutered them, vaccinated, de-wormed and I am nursing them back from their malnourished state in July. (top grade food and supplements) And, I am using all the behavior techniques everyone suggested.

I don't want to risk Pretty Girl's re infesting Baby when she does come in.

The landlord does not want them 'hanging' around, but they can stay inside.  I cannot feed her outside or leave food outside. But it is 'out of sight, out of mind, right now.

I also have to think of myself at this point. I worry to death that she is not frozen out there;

Tricking her and closing the door behind her is ridiculous, but I just cannot feel the stress of her in the bitter cold,

although, she made it last year. (she is about 2 years old). FIY -  she's not good huntress

I am going to play it with my gut. Very cold, she stays in... A little warmer, I'll let her out. But you cannot believe

my stress.

What will I do when I leave? I don't want to ditch her like the other neighbors did. The few which had not followed

through. IT IS NOT RIGHT.

Would please direct me to a source to try to place her some where?

Is there a phone number to reach TheCatSide to speak to someone?

Click to expand...

Right now she is most likely not able to be placed somewhere that she could be adopted because she is not properly socialized.  If you take her to a shelter, she may be euthanized as they often do not have the resources or time to socialize feral/semi feral cats. 

You say you worry so much about her, but then tricking her and closing the door behind her is ridiculous.  You really cannot have it both ways.  Also you know that you are moving.  What will happen to her?  She is dependent on you for food.  It would be best if you brought her into a spare room now and allow her to get used to inside living so that you could take her with you.  It may be rough at first, but it would at least give her a chance.  Also trying for a day or two will not cut it, you have to be prepared for her to cry, yowl, howl and throw herself against doors or windows.  Yet most likely she will calm down.  You have to take the steps necessary to cat proof her room and visit her and work with her daily.  It does take a lot of time and patience. 

As far as her reinfecting the other cat, yes that could happen.  She would need to be wormed and at some point she would need to get back to the vet for a check up.  Do the two cats interact with each other at all when she comes inside?

You can do a google search on rescue groups or Humane Socieites in your area.  You will need to ask them in they are no kill shelters or not. 

The CatSite does not have a telephone to reach us.  We are a group of volunteers with our passion and knowledge being cats. 

I hope the best for the this sweet kitty.  Since you know you are moving, you need to work very hard to find a place to take her or bring her inside full time and start the process of making her an inside kitty.  It is not fair at all for you to just leave her when you move and hope for the best.  She may be a good hunter, but she still depends on you.

The cats and kittens had a hotel room all to themselves, as each one went to vet, they were in a huge cage as they recovered from their authors. As time went on he would visit regularly other than feeding, it took about 2/12 months before he could let them outside ( the kittens had been adopted ) slowly they became less aggressive, when it came to spring still took time.

It's almost impossible "halfway" bring a kitty in that's been surviving outside, which I think you're figuring out. And unfortunately @shadowsrescue is right- 99.9% of shelters either can't/won't take in unsocialized kitties or, if they do, will unfortunately euthanize them as they're considered "unadoptable."

But luckily she's got you! You've already done the first two tough parts - getting her friend in & completely taken care of, and getting her spayed & beginning to be used to you. She is definitely dependent on you already - she needs you to survive. But halfway in wont work - particularly since you're moving. Bring her all the way in - if possible confining her to a small space (extra bathroom/bedroom--even a dog crate for awhile as she gets used to inside life/you & so that you can eventually "re-vet" her.

We can walk you through the ups & downs of socializing her to complete indoor life! It will save her life, and reduce your stress over her coming & going and then eventually left behind.