Who Thinks I Did a Dumb Thing?

Had plans yesterday, got up early to start on them.  Opened the door to take food outside to the ferals and the black one decided he was tired of dining Al Fresco and just walked inside.  He has been inside before and is working on becoming a pet but the reason he has to wait is the current resident cats, who already don't get along.  Well, what could I do but watch him while he looked around and ate a bit.  While I was sitting watching him he jumped up on my lap and curled up for a snooze.    All told I spent an hour I had other plans for with him.  Who is going to disturb a feral/stray/dumped cat making friends with you?  Not me.  

Piano Cat said:

 
Had plans yesterday, got up early to start on them.  Opened the door to take food outside to the ferals and the black one decided he was tired of dining Al Fresco and just walked inside.  He has been inside before and is working on becoming a pet but the reason he has to wait is the current resident cats, who already don't get along.  Well, what could I do but watch him while he looked around and ate a bit.  While I was sitting watching him he jumped up on my lap and curled up for a snooze.    All told I spent an hour I had other plans for with him.  Who is going to disturb a feral/stray/dumped cat making friends with you?  Not me.  

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I see its essentially "just" the process of getting your resident a pal with the newcomer.

Is there a need for quarantine?  Or rather, Im sure there is, but how much, how long?   Do your resident go outside? healthy, fully vaccinated?  If so, you dont need to overdo it.

Anyways, you must at least deworm and deflease the newcomer.  Preferably also get a vet check up...

Is he intact tom or already neuter?

If tom, the meeting will be easier if he is neutered first, and hormone level gone down.

The  meeting shouldnt be too difficult otherwise -  adopted homeless cats are often easier to get agree with residents, than say, a bough cat. They are eager to adapt, to be accepted...

The big exception are territorial toms... They may beat up the resident.

Whlie shy toms arent that difficult.

We live trapped and had him neutered in November.  I am putting some Revolution on him.  I can handle him very well now, he was obviously a pet before, so next is vaccination and microchip for him.  The inside ones are vaccinated and he and they have been meeting each other on opposite sides of a screened window for many months.  

He came in again this morning and slept on the loveseat for hours.  We have to rotate the inside cats and I shut the doors on the two who were loose while I walked the dog, just not taking any chances, and looked like he hadn't moved a muscle.  He and the two this morning have just looked at each other and calmly walked away from each other.  So He might get along with them.  

There is a big wrench in the plans though.  He is good friends, now, with the other outside feral.  She has been here much longer than him, four years for her, but she's no where near ready to come inside.  She's the grey and white one in another thread of mine, I have only just this month been able to pet her, after four years.  But because she has to stay outside and he and she are friends we worry now about leaving her out by herself, even though she was out there for three years before he showed up.

LOL, yesterday I sacrificed the hour I sat with him, also gave up one part of my plans and I was only one hour later in finishing my plans.  So if I hadn't spent time with him and I did do the plan I gave up looks like I still would have been an hour out.  I meant to pick a bouquet of wild flowers and arrange them but that hour was better spent with him and the cat loving Aunt the flowers were to be for would have approved.  

 
LOL, yesterday I sacrificed the hour I sat with him, also gave up one part of my plans and I was only one hour later in finishing my plans.  So if I hadn't spent time with him and I did do the plan I gave up looks like I still would have been an hour out.  I meant to pick a bouquet of wild flowers and arrange them but that hour was better spent with him and the cat loving Aunt the flowers were to be for would have approved.  

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Yes.  Tell her the gift to her is the greeting of the cat whom you are actively fostering at this moment.   For a cat lover its a Great gift, believe me.  

Its only the girl whom it will be pity upon.  Is it possible for you to adopt her too?   I mean, in worst case scenario she may be an inside shy semiferal, living inside dont bothering anybody.  You have other cats to cuddle and pet.  And she would have her friend with her.

Idea.  couldnt this Aunt adopt these two??

LOL, the Aunt will be 102 years old next month, so no.  As for adopting, we pretty well are the only people looking out for either of these outside cats.  Since the grey and white female has been at our house, outside, for four years, she certainly is staying here.  She is not a candidate for rehoming, no one else hardly even gets to see her, let alone pet her.

You did a wonderful thing, not a dumb thing. And he sounds like a stray, not a feral, and if he just walked inside and made himself at home on your lap, then I think he's chosen to be your indoor pet. Since he's been neutered and vaccinated, and you've given him flea medication, you may not even have to quarantine him to a room if he's getting along with your other indoor cat. Indoor/outdoor cats do get acquainted with each other through seeing each other through the windows and smelling each other's scent in the air and on you, so they're not strangers. If these are the only two cats you have indoors, any chance you can bring the female inside? You may have greater peace of mind not worrying about her being outside. I'm biased, though, since I have five rescued cats in my home  

WE have five inside and these two outside.  The five inside do no all get along and I have to separate them.  Two upstairs loose with us, then they each go to separate rooms when the three downstairs come up.   No rooms left to quarantine in.

Yes, of the seven probably only two were born in the wild.  ONe is my 18 year old, the one the Vet said would never make a pet.  She was 8 months old when we trapped her.  But they all sure were frightened, hiding, very leery of people when they first showed up.  The black one who just walked into the house, we did think he was a stray or dumpee.  He let us see him.  Not get close till a year.  I put up ads looking for an owner, no picture though, couldn't get close enough for one then.  Nada.  Definitely a pet at one time judging by his behaviour.

If he wants to stay inside, you could see how he gets along with the other cats. I was very nervous about taking in my last cat--a 4-5 month old feral female kitten--because I have two male alpha cats inside who sometimes fight with each other, and a lame female, and a geriatric cat with heart disease. As it turned out, all of my other cats love this new kitty and have almost from the start. The two alpha males dote on her and are fighting less. So you never know unless you give it a try how things might work out with a new cat. Maybe this one could be an indoor/outdoor cat when the weather gets too cold ?  If not, maybe you could find him a forever home?

We will see what we can work out here.  He can't go to another home because I am in love with him.  

This is Joey.  He is not the prettiest cat around.  His nose is swollen in the middle (previous injury maybe?)   He is a wee bit cross eyed with his right eye.  His coat is poor, his back legs are not straight, his belly is still a bit saggy even though I've wormed him twice now.  He looks black but up close he is a very, very dark grey with black tabby stripes, very unusual.   His appeal is his wonderful, loving personality but new people only see that he is frightened of them.   At his age now I doubt he would make a success in a new home.  And anyway, as I said, I'm in love with him.  Tho photo is a bit washed out, he looks more black than this.

I think he's adorable, and you can tell he's full of personality. I'm glad you're going to keep him. Strays and ferals tend to bond deeply with the person who rescued them, so it would take him a while to adjust to another person and home (though in time, it could be done). Most of us have been where you are--taking in that additional cat when we're not sure how it's going to work out because we have several others. It's very likely this kitty will bond with at least one of your other cats.