Need help with a new feral

felyne

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This cat was previously owned, he's fixed and relates to humans, but he prefers to be outside. It's taken me a year and a half to get him to come on our deck, lived under our neighbour's deck for a year after that. He's got a wonderful temperment.

I digress, the problem I am having is me. He cries to go out and it's tearing at my heartstrings. My friend that works in a shelter tells me to be steong, but it upsets me so. It's been 3 full days so far. He plays a little, but his attention eventually goes to outside. When he can't get out, he gives up and gos sleep somewhere. I have another cat about the same age and they get along. They're not buddies, but they get along.

Should I continue to ignore his soulful pleas? Looking for support.
 

kittyluv387

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Hey you're doing an awesome thing by adopting him as an indoor kitty!  It's a dangerous world outside and there are also mean people out there. :( I read in a couple of places that outdoor cats live about to be 5 years on average.  This is so little since we all know cats can have a really long life.  Of course sometimes bad genetics comes into play but we can't help that.  3 days is a really short time to get adjusted to a new environment.  You gotta stay strong and keep up the great work!  Do you have any nice cat trees by any chance?  Your kitty is more like a stray cat and not a true feral.  Many people on here have taken true untouchable ferals and have successfully turned them into indoor kitties.  So have hope!

I also took in a young adult cat that had been abandoned in my apartment complex.  I think he stayed friendly because couple of people fed him.  He has adjusted just fine!  Although he gets a curious look when I open the door.  I just make sure he doesn't get out since he's too familiar with the area.
 
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terri holly ivy

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I understand completely! I am moving two hours away in the next month or so... Waiting on a closing date for the house. I decided to trap the colony Ive TNRed years ago but are still very feral. . 5 are calm and seem appreciative to be off the streets. But one of them howls, claws at the door. This morning I found the curtains knocked down, and I am sure it's the wild child wanting to go out. He was someone's cat also who let him roam. These people - neighbors- had dogs withou leashes and were killed by cars . Still didn't learn and let this guy wander, unfixed, no collar. Well now he has a real home because they would not take responsibility. I feel bad for taking him from a family, but I would feel worse to see him dead in the street or scratched up in fights. So, moral of the story is that you are doing the right thing by not letting him out. It's very hard to hear them as if their world is ending but they don't realize yet, it is just beginning!! [emoji]10084[/emoji]️
 

joelle

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Cats are meant to be outside they will not run away. Why not get a cat door. I live in a condo where I am not allowed to let my cats outside so I keep them inside during the day and open the window at night. They love going outside running up trees eating grass. I also take them to the park in the daytime when it's nice out they are so happy and show their appreciation by rubbing along my legs. To keep a cat inside that has been used to being out is cruel and will cause the cat misery but there's no need to. As long as it knows you and it's home it will always come back. Also as long as it's been fixed, a ferrell car will prefer living outside on your porch lawn or balcony. I bought a large dog crate filled it with blankets and put a cat heating pad under the blanket in the winter which plugs into a room outlet. My ferrell cat spends all her time there in the winter. I feed her on my balcony and she loves it. I would never force her to be an indoor cat. She must have been abandoned by her owners but I've been feeding her for years. I live by a road but she's fine and very smart.
 
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felyne

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Thanks for the support, guys. I appreciate it.

Joelle, i wasn't really asking for an opinion, I was asking for support. Honestly, I am not trying to be mean, the reason I beought him in is someone recently started to put flea powder on him while ai was fronlining him. Double poison. He was tick laden when I took him to the vet. Plus he has 6 toes and a few were ingrown. I was feeding him quality food and he suddenly stopped eating it. Wanted only junk food. My most wonderful cat that passed at only 9 years with IBD, died a long, lingering death, was getting horrible, cheap food by a neighbor. The melamine kind. He even admitted to me HE eats moldy things. (He's a little 'off'' and a hoarder). He would disappear for a week at a time so I had no control of worming or dispensing medicine if needed. So these are the reasons I made the decision to bring him in and try to deal with it.

The cat door, no more. My last lovely cat brought in baby bords one night and we had to kill them all the next morning, they were in such bad shape, and we also had a raccoon that started coming in causing havoc. Not a good idea here. This cat won't wear a collar, i tried.

KittyLuv, TY for your kind words, I know it will work, the two of them were running around the house like crazy last night. Arched tails and all. One room to the other, back and forth taking turns. No hurting each other, just having fun. That was a huge relief, instead of watching him crouch and hide when he was outside. There are a few mean ferals or strays in our area. Two neighbours have 5 cats each they let roam, not to mention the truly abandoned ones. So loose, I can't control what he will eat.

Terri, oh my, a whole colony! What a feat! I can't let him get out, either, as he is familar with the neighborhood. We have dogs in the area, too. We live near the shore, people buy their kids pets and abandon them. We have a neighbor that just died and her cat got out,mcan't catch her. I loaned my neighbor a trap, but she's been unsuccessful. We've got coons, possums, an occasional fox and other strays. It's a tough go. People poison rats and then they eat them. They can get into rat poison. OK, starting to feel a bit better thinking of all the crap in our area. Cars, we're on a dead end, but cars speed down the street to get to their boats, don't care about kids or critters. Been thru it once, don't relish it again.
 
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terri holly ivy

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felyne, I totally stand with you. what works for one doesn't necessarily work for others. If taking a cat inside to protect it from downright evil ugly soul people and/or dangers of speeding cars, poisons and other hazards, then call me cruel. It is wonderful, truly, joelle can have such a great option and the best of both worlds.. But this isn't the case where I live. I am in New York City. Don't have the luxury of a porch or cat door even if I wanted to. These cats can be targets and I would rather do all I can to accomdate the cat best to my ability than have it smashed by a car, or die a painful death as felyne mentioned. (And good for you for doing high quality food as well! It makes a world of difference on every level!) One size does not fit all when you are dealing with rescues. Every situation, location and CAT is different. It isn't cruel. bless you both for taking care of these creatures!! :rbheart:
 
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felyne

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Oh Lord, the spelling in the last reply was atrocious. LOL. Sorry. Too early, no glasses on and on a tablet.

Thank you, Terri. Your kind words are appreciated. It has to be much harder in NY. I'm in So CT. (waves) You must have to play an awful lot with them. My husbands son lives on the East side and has a cat, he does just fine there. Not a big place, (what is in NY), but he does OK. How many cats do you have?

I felt like Joelle did for a long time, up until my last cat got sick, so that's why I need the support. I know how much he wants to go out and it hurts. I am also afraid of feline leuk, AIDS, and parasites. Coons carry really bad pathogens, esp in their stools. 

Paddlefoot (PF) was much better today. Only cried a little and played with da bird, so I was able to distract him, which according to Jackson Galaxy, that's a real good thing. I also figure we might move in a few years, and if we do and he isn't around, he'll get left behind. I think he may get out in the summer as we go in and out of the slider. Hopefully by then, if he does get out, it will be ingrained that this is a safe place to come back to. Time will tell.

We have a carpeted tree we built out of Sono tubes from floor to ceiling and I just ordered another scratching tree. Should help.

Here's a few photos when he was outside last summer. He's on the railing in the top two and I'm shooting thru the window he now sits and watches the birds he wants to chase. Hopefully, the da bird will compensate.

xox

 

joelle

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For all indoor cats make sure they have cat posts to climb and indoor grass or greenies. My cats also love all types of melon. Also try to add raw pellets with their food or raw kibble with their dry for added nutrition.
 
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felyne

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Thank you, Joelle. I have one floor to ceiling tree and ordered a stand alone. I'm with the healthy food and adrenals and organs. I used to go to the Smith Ridge vet owned by Dr Marty Goldstein who wrote a wonderful book on healthy foods for pets. An eye opener for sure. I wish everyone that owns a pet could read it. I digress...He's starting to eat the good food again and cooked organic chicken. One step at a time. I brought PF in when my husband was away and he came home last night. Although they were friends both in and outside, he's frightened of a 'new' person in the house. And when the two of us are together, he's very scared. Doesn't have his usual escape routes. I was preparing his food the other night and he was rubbing against my leg, i went to reach for a fork and when my arm was outstreatch he cringed like i was going to hit him. I'm not used to strays, just kittens, so i'm not sure what to expect.
 

kittyluv387

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Yeah kittens are way easier. But it sounds like your boy is doing well. Try not to get too offended by him thinking youre going to hit him haha. I know its hard though. He will get used to everyone in time. It might be hard to see it but it sounds like he is on his way to settling in. Give him a month or two, which isnt that long in cat time. I know for kittens it might just be days. Your patience and dilligence will surely be rewarded.
 

cattybehavior

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You have my sympathy. I stopped letting my cats out no matter how much one of them fussed because I lost a favorite kitty who was hit by a car. Also, I got tired of chasing hummingbirds down and letting them out. We have a husky. I've managed to train him to not terrorize the cats indoors but I don't trust him with them in the yard. 

The cat who used to howl to get out stopped after we got the husky. She didn't want to go out in the yard after we got him. In the house though, she'd walk up and swat him.
 

msaimee

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I've trained my former indoor/outdoor rescued cat to walk on a harness and lead. This could be an option for you and your kitty. Even if your cat won't "walk," he may enjoy being outside on the lead and roll around in the grass and appreciate what contact he has. This is the compromise I made with my "Sonny."
 
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felyne

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Thank you, everyone. He was really crying this morning. Finally calmed down. I guess it will take awhile. I had a frien come over and he was in the window. When he saw her, he went ballistic and was scratching at the window like nothing I'd ever seen before. It was life and death. I thought he was going to break the window. Patience, time.... You folks are helping.... Lovely cat, @misaimee, i'll keep that in mind of o make ot thru this. ;-)
 

msaimee

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I'm sure you'll make it through this time of adjustment. Also know that some cats are just very vocal. The cat I take out on a lead is very vocal a lot of the time. Sometimes it's because he wants me to take him out, but a lot of times it's because he enjoys talking and getting attention. Your cat will calm down in time but he may also be a chatty cat.
 
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misterwhiskers

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He'll get used to it but maybe not as much as some cats. Can you build a catio come summertime? My cat was an outdoor cat, and once dashed to get out. He flung himself the full glass front door of my apartment building so hard I thought he'd break it. Now look! Does this look like a cat who regrets being made an indoor only cat? [emoji]128570[/emoji]

Stay strong. Winters are hardest, esp their first one inside, but it beats the life most outdoor cats have.
 
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felyne

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misterwhiskers looks so content. There's hope. He's still hiding behind the bed, won't come out. Don't know if I should block it off or let him set for a awhile. He's certainly regressed. Like I said, a stray is all new to me. I'm used to kittens or socialized cats. I don't want to do anything wrong if I can help it.
 

ondine

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They have some good sized ones at Pet Smart and on Amazon. The really tall ones need to be anchored well, so try a shorter one first. I have several that are a little taller than I am (5'6") and they work great. They have nice broad bases that keep them from tipping when our 20 lb cat jumps on them.
 
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felyne

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Joelle, we made our own with sona tubes, pvc pipe, carpet and an old ceiling spring clamp from an old cat tree. One has to keep adjusting them as they do tend to lean as cats kind of pull them off center. Aside from pet stores, try Wayfair. They have some good prices on Cat trees. I got a few smaller ones from there that worked out great.
 
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joelle

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Oh thanks it sounds so innovative. I just bought my two cats a buggy off Amazon they love it. They use it as a bed and today I took them to the park in it it works great.
 
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