Need advice on bringing a friendly (to me) stray inside.

mattforty · Oct 21, 2016

I'm used to feeding strays, on the way to work I've gotten kind of overly attatched to a maybe 3-4 year old male "feral" who has severely bonded with me, and an older female who was cautious but very friendly to me too, sadly she just passed on the other day from FIV and a respiratory infection.

I was lucky enough to meet some people who know these animals and others in the area, The male cat, who I call rudy, used to bodyguard the little girl. I think she might have been his mom or something, she was very sick and skinny for a long time. There's only a few cats in the immediate area,I was told most of the colony was adopted out a while ago and the remaining ones are FIV positive and deemed too feral to adopt out, but there's people who leave food regularly. Rudy and his mom have been climing on my lap for a while, He seems to still be healthy, but mostly toothless, Apparently nobody else can get close to him but he'll climb on my lap, lay on his back in front of me, all kinds of "my own domestic cat" behavior if I call him by myself. Basically I've still got one stray on the side of the road who acts like Im coming home to my own pet and awkwardly treats me like a friend. I really need to help this one.

If you wanted to skip the backstory, I was wondering if anybody had any ideas for indoor/outdoor enclosures I can use to bring this cat inside before winter. He's got FIV so I cant keep him with other cats, and he's really friendly but from what I've seen and been told Im the only human he trusts, including neighbors who have been feeding him for years (I don't live in the area, just pass there off the train from work.) Im trying to negotiate keeping him, but with dogs and other cats around I need to have some kind of space specially for him where he's not going to get in trouble.

I've become far too mutually attatched to this animal to leave him on the side of the road, so any help is appreciated. I've been thinking about building an enclosure indoors and one outside I can move him back and forth between them, but Im not experienced with bringing strays indoors. Thanks for anything anyone can suggest!

StefanZ · Oct 21, 2016

MattForty said:
I'm used to feeding strays, on the way to work I've gotten kind of overly attatched to a maybe 3-4 year old male "feral" who has severely bonded with me, and an older female who was cautious but very friendly to me too, sadly she just passed on the other day from FIV and a respiratory infection.

I was lucky enough to meet some people who know these animals and others in the area, The male cat, who I call rudy, used to bodyguard the little girl. I think she might have been his mom or something, she was very sick and skinny for a long time. There's only a few cats in the immediate area,I was told most of the colony was adopted out a while ago and the remaining ones are FIV positive and deemed too feral to adopt out, but there's people who leave food regularly. Rudy and his mom have been climing on my lap for a while, He seems to still be healthy, but mostly toothless, Apparently nobody else can get close to him but he'll climb on my lap, lay on his back in front of me, all kinds of "my own domestic cat" behavior if I call him by myself. Basically I've still got one stray on the side of the road who acts like Im coming home to my own pet and awkwardly treats me like a friend. I really need to help this one.

If you wanted to skip the backstory, I was wondering if anybody had any ideas for indoor/outdoor enclosures I can use to bring this cat inside before winter. He's got FIV so I cant keep him with other cats, and he's really friendly but from what I've seen and been told Im the only human he trusts, including neighbors who have been feeding him for years (I don't live in the area, just pass there off the train from work.) Im trying to negotiate keeping him, but with dogs and other cats around I need to have some kind of space specially for him where he's not going to get in trouble.

I've become far too mutually attatched to this animal to leave him on the side of the road, so any help is appreciated. I've been thinking about building an enclosure indoors and one outside I can move him back and forth between them, but Im not experienced with bringing strays indoors. Thanks for anything anyone can suggest!

Its often easier to bring in an ex-homeless to be strickt indoors, than for example, a family cat whom is uest to be allowed to go out. Our stray KNOWS the outside can be scary and tough, while homeboy can always run hime if in need.

So its not sure you must overdo this wiht bouilding outside enclosure. It may be very nice for him - but probably not strictly necessary.

Also, FIV isnt very contagious, it is essentially just through deep bites. So you dont need to overdo any total isolations. Its more than enough they dont meet in person if you want to play it safe. So you dont risk they get into fight. You can swithch them between the rooms as you please. Have perhaps a big cage for him as his base point, and start from there.

If he is friendly with the residents, you can essentially have him with them, as long he isnt stressed by this - and they never ever fight into deep bites... Some friendly licking is OK!. Do avoid any unnecessary stress as stress may cause a dormant FIV to burst out....

So, as I understand it, get home a big cage, a Feliway adapter and some Feliway sprays, prepare with calming music, prepare his room - and bring him inside ASAP you can arrange it.

If you can get raw goats milk, it wont hurt either. It wont help against the FIV as such, but may help to keep down minor inflammations and even infections. Coldpressed cocaa oil organic style, is said too to have some antiinflammatory properties....

Btw, Felv behaves essentially similiarly, and the advices essentially similiar, but Felv is more contagious, so with Felw you must be really extra careful...

shadowsrescue · Oct 21, 2016

Thank you for wanting to help this kitty. The first step would be to get him into a trap or carrier and right to the vet. You do want to know exactly what illnesses you are dealing with. Also you want to be sure he is neutered.

If you plan to bring him to your home, whether inside or out, you will need to keep him in some sort of enclosure for 3-4 weeks so he acclimates to your area and doesn't immediately try to wander back to his former home. That's what cats do. So a room of his own or a large dog cage would work well.

Be sure if you use a spare room that it is cat proofed. You want the bed removed or flat on the floor. Under the bed is the first place a scared cat will run. Next block off behind and under large furniture. Yet you do want a safe hiding spot such as a cat carrier or even just a box on its side.

Be prepared for the cat to try and get out. When I first brought my former feral inside, he repeatedly through himself against the window to try and get out. It took about 20 minutes for him to calm down.

Feliway diffusers are great. I also like to use Composure liquid max. It's a nonsedating calming liquid that helps a cat to feel more calm and safe in their surroundings. It can be mixed into wet food. Also playing a radio with soft calming music.

I hope you are able to bring this little one home.

ondine · Oct 21, 2016

Depending on how elaborate you can get, there are lots of enclosure ideas on the Internet. Mine was 15' x 40' - we used a wooden fence frame and turkey wire. We also have a big shed inside for their indoor potty and beds. It can be as simple as a large dog kennel with wire for the roof and to reinforce the corners.

Google "cat enclosures" and see what pops up. I especially love this one: www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclosures.htm

However, as Stefan said, his FIV status should not mean he needs to be separated from the others. FIV is transmitted by deep bite wounds (usually from intake males fighting) or through sex and sometimes from mother to kittens in vitro. If he gets along with the others and they have all been neutered/spayed, it shouldn't be a problem.

I have a friend with eight cats. Four are FIV positive and two of them are 15 and 16. She has an enclosure connected to her house that gives them free reign to outside. They are safe, healthy and very happy cats.

mattforty · Oct 21, 2016

My girlfriend has 8 cats, from what I've seen this one isn't really friendly to cats or really anyone but me and the older cat who just passed, he fights with the other couple of strays in the area. I really don't think he'd benefit or even want to be out with other cats, he can be territorial. He comes up to me rubs all over me and sits on my lap when I call him, even if I don't have food, but runs away from anyone else Including other people who feed him. I thought space outside might help, but then again I feel like the constant moving in and out and being caged outside might be stressful for him, So it might be better I guess to build him an enclosure around a house and then occasionally start letting him out into a whole room.

Never heard of Feliway, might have to look into it. It calms them down?

ondine · Oct 21, 2016

Yes, Feliway is feline pheremones and it really helps calm them down. It gives them a happy feeling and makes them less likely to fuss at one another.

It does sound like he'll benefit from his own space. The enclosure doesn't need to be big or elaborate. As long as he has his own territory, he should be fine.

If you are building it at your girlfriend's house, perhaps you can build a bigger one, with part of it closed off only for him. That way, he and the other cats can interact without being able to actually fight. Of course, this depends on whether the the other cats are inside-only.

Either way, a space of his own will be ideal for him. You can visit him and keep him socialized and he'll have his independence.

StefanZ · Oct 22, 2016

MattForty said:
My girlfriend has 8 cats, from what I've seen this one isn't really friendly to cats or really anyone but me and the older cat who just passed, he fights with the other couple of strays in the area. I really don't think he'd benefit or even want to be out with other cats, he can be territorial. He comes up to me rubs all over me and sits on my lap when I call him, even if I don't have food, but runs away from anyone else Including other people who feed him. I thought space outside might help, but then again I feel like the constant moving in and out and being caged outside might be stressful for him, So it might be better I guess to build him an enclosure around a house and then occasionally start letting him out into a whole room.

Never heard of Feliway, might have to look into it. It calms them down?

Wait, is he neutered? I though so, but I realize youdindnt wrote it in clear. If not, neutering should help him be more easygoing with other cats...

Feliway is based on some of the natural feromeones they have in their cheeks - these they spread around by rubbing, to show themselves its nice and cosy here...

mattforty · Oct 23, 2016

He Is definitely fixed, going by the ear tip and first hand testimony from the lady who brought him in. Im probably going to set him up with me, he definitely needs his own space and so I feel like thats the best arrangement. I dont have any other inside cats, theres a couple dogs in the house but they dont have access to enough of it to where I can set him up on his own. If anyone's curious Ill post about how it works out.

ondine · Oct 23, 2016

Oh, that's wonderful you can bring him to your place. He will soon be part of your menagerie!

Please keep us posted. He is a lucky kitty!

mattforty · Oct 23, 2016

Ondine said:
Oh, that's wonderful you can bring him to your place. He will soon be part of your menagerie!

Please keep us posted. He is a lucky kitty!

Not yet I cant, I'm trying to work it out. Once I get some kind of coherent setup Im going to try to catch him, he sits right next to me anyway but this is still him dealing with me in his comfort zone, taking him in and just turning him loose isn't going to work. Ill definitely keep everyone posted.

Need advice on bringing a friendly (to me) stray inside.

mattforty

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StefanZ

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ondine

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mattforty

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ondine

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StefanZ

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mattforty

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ondine

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