Hello,
I think we've been adopted by a feral or semi-feral possibly-TNR cat. I think most of my questions have been answered just reading posts on here. But let me give a little background and my questions.
We've had an outside cat visiting us at work for about a year or year and a half. She has her right ear clipped with about 1/3 of it cut off. Until yesterday, I had thought maybe she had been abused or something. (Is it significant that it's the right ear and not the left? I've been reading that the left ear being clipped is the sign of a TNR feral and the descriptions seem to indicate a smaller portion is clipped off than in this case.)
Anyway, she's been coming here about a year. When I would see her, I would give her a little food. She would be here sometimes, then maybe not come back for weeks. Gradually, her visits became more regular--no doubt because of the food.
There used to be other cats around here. She seemed to chase them off. I never noticed any others to have clipped ears. If I had, I might have suspected something. There used to be more vacant buildings (businesses) around here and empty lots but those have been gradually filling in. Most of the other cats I've seen around have wound up dead on the side of the road. Even the parking lots aren't entirely safe; at the end of the work day, some cars speed out of the parking lots like a racetrack.
As these other cats have been killed off, this cat started to hang out here more often, it seemed.
The cat was skittish around people which I've now learned is a sign of a feral. She would get close to me, as close as a foot away. She wouldn't rub against me or let me close enough to pet her, which I've learned is another sign of a feral. But, she would often come when called, beg for food and even hangout during the daytime, which are apparently signs of a stray cat. So, feral or semi-feral, not entirely sure.
With winter coming, and given that it's not really safe around here and also given that she might be becoming too dependent on us for food, we thought it might be best to try to coax the cat indoors. In the past, when the door has been open, she might step inside but then hurry right back out again. I figured it will take some time to coax her inside.
I put a plate of food just inside the door for her. She cautiously came in and ate while I left her alone. After eating she took a few steps inside to look around. Then she went back outside. Then she came back in and headed for another room. She came far enough in that I was able to close the door and trap her inside. She came running when she heard the door close but then ran back into the other room.
So, by basically screwing up my schedule, she caught me a bit unprepared. But hopefully it will all work out. If she stayed outside, I felt certain it was only a matter of time before she was hit by a car like the others. It may have been safer when there were more vacant buildings and less traffic, but it's certainly not safe anymore.
Following advice I've read, I've currently got her alone in a bathroom. She has food, water and a litterbox. I have to get some potting soil to get her used to the litterbox, probably. I had some here, but it has fertilizer in it, so I didn't want to use that. I saw her getting a drink once, but she hasn't eaten yet. She ate before she came indoors, so there's that. But how long can she go without eating before I need to worry? I think she's getting a little more comfortable. The last time I checked on her, she was on top of the toilet instead of hiding behind it. I know I probably checked on her too soon, but I'd feel better once some food vanished. I have to keep forcing myself not to check.
I understand it will take time to socialize her. She's not a kitten. But, the way she would kind of look longingly into the glass door as if she wanted in suggests that maybe it won't be too bad. Hopefully. We've taken in strays before, but this is the first possible feral. (Unless you count the one rescue kitten the shelter said was not a biter but definitely was. She was kind of wild.)
I think we've been adopted by a feral or semi-feral possibly-TNR cat. I think most of my questions have been answered just reading posts on here. But let me give a little background and my questions.
We've had an outside cat visiting us at work for about a year or year and a half. She has her right ear clipped with about 1/3 of it cut off. Until yesterday, I had thought maybe she had been abused or something. (Is it significant that it's the right ear and not the left? I've been reading that the left ear being clipped is the sign of a TNR feral and the descriptions seem to indicate a smaller portion is clipped off than in this case.)
Anyway, she's been coming here about a year. When I would see her, I would give her a little food. She would be here sometimes, then maybe not come back for weeks. Gradually, her visits became more regular--no doubt because of the food.
There used to be other cats around here. She seemed to chase them off. I never noticed any others to have clipped ears. If I had, I might have suspected something. There used to be more vacant buildings (businesses) around here and empty lots but those have been gradually filling in. Most of the other cats I've seen around have wound up dead on the side of the road. Even the parking lots aren't entirely safe; at the end of the work day, some cars speed out of the parking lots like a racetrack.
As these other cats have been killed off, this cat started to hang out here more often, it seemed.
The cat was skittish around people which I've now learned is a sign of a feral. She would get close to me, as close as a foot away. She wouldn't rub against me or let me close enough to pet her, which I've learned is another sign of a feral. But, she would often come when called, beg for food and even hangout during the daytime, which are apparently signs of a stray cat. So, feral or semi-feral, not entirely sure.
With winter coming, and given that it's not really safe around here and also given that she might be becoming too dependent on us for food, we thought it might be best to try to coax the cat indoors. In the past, when the door has been open, she might step inside but then hurry right back out again. I figured it will take some time to coax her inside.
I put a plate of food just inside the door for her. She cautiously came in and ate while I left her alone. After eating she took a few steps inside to look around. Then she went back outside. Then she came back in and headed for another room. She came far enough in that I was able to close the door and trap her inside. She came running when she heard the door close but then ran back into the other room.
So, by basically screwing up my schedule, she caught me a bit unprepared. But hopefully it will all work out. If she stayed outside, I felt certain it was only a matter of time before she was hit by a car like the others. It may have been safer when there were more vacant buildings and less traffic, but it's certainly not safe anymore.
Following advice I've read, I've currently got her alone in a bathroom. She has food, water and a litterbox. I have to get some potting soil to get her used to the litterbox, probably. I had some here, but it has fertilizer in it, so I didn't want to use that. I saw her getting a drink once, but she hasn't eaten yet. She ate before she came indoors, so there's that. But how long can she go without eating before I need to worry? I think she's getting a little more comfortable. The last time I checked on her, she was on top of the toilet instead of hiding behind it. I know I probably checked on her too soon, but I'd feel better once some food vanished. I have to keep forcing myself not to check.
I understand it will take time to socialize her. She's not a kitten. But, the way she would kind of look longingly into the glass door as if she wanted in suggests that maybe it won't be too bad. Hopefully. We've taken in strays before, but this is the first possible feral. (Unless you count the one rescue kitten the shelter said was not a biter but definitely was. She was kind of wild.)
