Around two months?

[Kokomo]

Meet baby needs a name. This is my new little baby who came as a feral. His story was that he was live trapped from a feral cat colony and was being adopted as a feral working cat to an outdoor home with a barn or the like. I brought him home knowing that if I was wrong about him not being a total feral he could live with my horses. However, he is turning into a total love! There was something about his little eyes that just grabbed me. At the moment he has the cutest little light colored eye liner, which I am kinda hoping he keeps. So, I am curious about the experts thoughts, about two months old? He weighs just over two pounds at the moment. He seems to have a rather stocky build with large paws. And now for the picture overload. Sorry they aren't all the best quality, my phone is having issues.

 

[Kieka]

I'd actually put him at closer to four months based on what I am seeing in photos. A very skinny four months if he is two pounds but four months. But his overall length, ear development and eye color all point to over the 2 month range.

How sure are you on the weight? My girl was 3 months old and just over a pound when I got her and she could be held with one hand. My boy who was two pounds at two months could be cupped in two hands fairly easily with his head sticking out.

 

[Kokomo]

I'd actually put him at closer to four months based on what I am seeing in photos. A very skinny four months if he is two pounds but four months. But his overall length, ear development and eye color all point to over the 2 month range.

How sure are you on the weight? My girl was 3 months old and just over a pound when I got her and she could be held with one hand. My boy who was two pounds at two months could be cupped in two hands fairly easily with his head sticking out.

Interesting. 2.2 pounds was his official weight recorded by the vet when he was neutered on Sunday, so pretty positive on the weight being accurate. His body is about the size of my hand, a little longer. I can wrap his entire body in both my hands. I just can't take a pic of such because I run out of hands. His eyes are currently a very interesting color. They are fairly muddled, and reflect red, but are very much not blue. He has a super long tail! And is super fluffy! His little body is much smaller than his fluff makes him look. He is way smaller than my 6.some pound cat, but his rib cage is bigger. I am not 100% sure I am totally believing the whole he came from a feral cat colony story. Especially if he is closer to 4 months than 2 months. He is way too calm and trusting already!

 

[Kieka]

I'm still going 4 months, maybe a low of 3 months but not 2 months. Its partially the eyes don't have any trace of blue in the photos, which usually puts them over 10 weeks. But also just general appearance seems a little on the tween phase or teen phase of kitten hood. What I can see of that paw looks like he will be big just really skinny right now under the fluff.

These are my two for some comparison.... and they have blue eyes so that doesn't help.

Here was my girls on her first day with her she was 2/3 months old (I swear 3 months because I saw her when she was younger in her feral colony but my vet said 8-10 weeks).

Then her at 6/7 months, she hit her final weight around 9 months and topped out at 7.5 pounds.

And my boy at 6/7 months, he is 16 pounds now and very literally double the size of my girl.

If I remember when I get home, I can post some photos of Link and Fury at 8 weeks/2 months. Once they get past 12 weeks they look more adult so the difference is a little harder. But that under 12 weeks have a certain baby look ... usually. Sometimes those with a rough life can look older.

 

[Kokomo]

Kieka your cats are beautiful! And that makes sense. His eyes have no blue at all. However he got to be in the feral cat colony I am guessing he wasn't getting the best nutrition, so it makes sense he is older than just his weight suggests. He does have big feet! His whole body is built like a little tank, so I am guessing he is going to be a larger sized cat. He also has a coat that suggests not the best food at the moment. He is very wooly and greasy. I was trying to figure out what tabby pattern he has now, but it is so faint I have pretty much given up for the moment. And, I am guessing he won't really keep it anyway. I wish they hadn't cut off as much as his ear when they neutered him, but sadly that was before he was in my care, so, now I am just trying to help it heal. Thank you for the help!

 

[StefanZ]

I agree. Looks less kittenish than 2 months. Its thus extra interesting he is so easy to socialize although well beyond the magical 8 weeks of easy socialisation.

 

[gilmargl]

Just looking at the photos, he doesn't look much older than the kittens we allow to go to their new homes at 12 or 13 weeks - sometimes 15. But, I'm no expert! He's lovely - regardless of how old he is. Around here we support various people who feed feral cats. The successful colonies get smaller as TNR becomes effective but, although the cats have all been neutered, young cats keep appearing. Compared with the true ferals, these cats are friendly towards the people feeding them and have obviously already experienced some contact with nice human beings. These cats can be removed from the colony and put up for adoption. You have been very lucky finding such a pretty little cat and he has been lucky finding you.

I also had a cat, Lilly, whose ear had been snipped when she was neutered. I soon forgot all about it and was always surprised when people pointed it out. I still have Katy - from a feral colony. She should have gone back there after having her kittens and being neutered but .....she stayed with me. She's shy but was certainly not a feral when she was trapped. Someone had simply thrown her out to fend for herself. Who wants an unlucky black cat? I've got three, but I always thought black cats were lucky!

 

[Kieka]

I'd go with he was tossed out (or got lost) when he was 8 weeks old and joined the colony. Four to eight weeks on the street would be enough to make him skittish, greasy and skinny but still retain some of humans aren't the enemy mentality. It would explain some things, but just a guess.

 

[Kieka]

I remembered! Hopefully this helps with the explanation of why I think he is a little older. Nightfury we got at about 4/5 weeks old and Link at about 6 weeks old.

Here is Fury (Nightfury) at

7/8 weeks

10ish weeks

4 months

1 year

Link

8 weeks

12 weeks

5/6 months

1 year (maybe 18 months)

 

[Kokomo]

I agree. Looks less kittenish than 2 months. Its thus extra interesting he is so easy to socialize although well beyond the magical 8 weeks of easy socialisation.

He is at the stage where if I wear the same thing, and it has to be a sweatshirt, no bare arms, he is a snuggle bug. Once you are done snuggling he is a belly to the ground going back to his bed as fast as possible terrified little baby. He won't approach yet, but will cuddle and purr forever as long as you get him. He does appear to look older than 8 weeks, so just a little bit behind on weight.

Just looking at the photos, he doesn't look much older than the kittens we allow to go to their new homes at 12 or 13 weeks - sometimes 15. But, I'm no expert! He's lovely - regardless of how old he is. Around here we support various people who feed feral cats. The successful colonies get smaller as TNR becomes effective but, although the cats have all been neutered, young cats keep appearing. Compared with the true ferals, these cats are friendly towards the people feeding them and have obviously already experienced some contact with nice human beings. These cats can be removed from the colony and put up for adoption. You have been very lucky finding such a pretty little cat and he has been lucky finding you.

I also had a cat, Lilly, whose ear had been snipped when she was neutered. I soon forgot all about it and was always surprised when people pointed it out. I still have Katy - from a feral colony. She should have gone back there after having her kittens and being neutered but .....she stayed with me. She's shy but was certainly not a feral when she was trapped. Someone had simply thrown her out to fend for herself. Who wants an unlucky black cat? I've got three, but I always thought black cats were lucky!

My sister has what I consider a true feral cat with a tipped ear. His just had way less taken off then this poor little guy. I just fell in love with his eyes and I am so glad he is with me and not somewhere alone and outdoors. He does appear to look, at least to me, very similar to cats around 12-14 weeks. Hopefully that means he might have gotten a little bit more time with mom. I think black cats are gorgeous!

I'd go with he was tossed out (or got lost) when he was 8 weeks old and joined the colony. Four to eight weeks on the street would be enough to make him skittish, greasy and skinny but still retain some of humans aren't the enemy mentality. It would explain some things, but just a guess.

Your cats are so adorable and gorgeous! He looks way more mature than yours when they were around two months, but more kittenish than your 4 month old. He got trapped with another cat I didn't get to see that they believed was his litter-mate. My theories were that either a pregnant cat got dumped and found the colony to have her litter with, or a litter got dumped and they found the colony. He is not ready to approach me, and he won't walk around without his belly touching the ground yet, but once he is snuggled up on my lap he is a snuggle purr machine! As long as I am wearing the same sweatshirt. In my experience true feral cats can take months, or years, to ever warmup and get to that point. So, while he might have been trapped in a feral cat colony, I am thinking he is not at all a feral cat.

 

[Kieka]

Your cats are so adorable and gorgeous! He looks way more mature than yours when they were around two months, but more kittenish than your 4 month old. He got trapped with another cat I didn't get to see that they believed was his litter-mate. My theories were that either a pregnant cat got dumped and found the colony to have her litter with, or a litter got dumped and they found the colony. He is not ready to approach me, and he won't walk around without his belly touching the ground yet, but once he is snuggled up on my lap he is a snuggle purr machine! As long as I am wearing the same sweatshirt. In my experience true feral cats can take months, or years, to ever warmup and get to that point. So, while he might have been trapped in a feral cat colony, I am thinking he is not at all a feral cat.

Thank you.

I know what yoi mean about it taking a while with feral. Rocket, my girl from the earlier pictures, was feral born in a colony near my house. It took a good two months for her to really relax and she did the same of needing set circumstances. Although hers was just me sitting with her in my lap and petting her. We very slowly expanded her boundaries and what was safe to a room, then multiple rooms, and so on. I also worked with her return by letting her go further and further away then calling her back with treats.

She's now 5 years old and sleeps curled up next to me most nights. But the dining room table her cage was under for the first few months (in the beginning she was only out of the cage with me, after the first month or it was just her safety retreat when she wanted space. A safe spot in a busy area where we ignored her but she could see everything) is still a safety spot for her. She also took a good three years to even let my Dad pet her even with no negative experiences. The first two years she was uncomfortable with eye contact. She really has come a long way and I often wonder how her personality would have been different if she wasn't feral. She is very much my velcro kitty. She always wants to be near me, touching me or watching me. Luckily her separation anxiety is not in the territory of following me into the bathroom but its a near thing.

Him being younger could be why he is adjusting quickly. Or the feeder. Or being dumped. Lots of things could have played into it. Someone really needs to invent an animal translator so we can get solid answers to things like that.

 

[Kokomo]

Kieka that is so sweet! I love gaining the trust of an animal. There is something so pure about the bond that forms. And I know what you mean. I have had animals that I always wondered what they would be like with a different start to life. My mustang came from a BLM herd in WY, and then went to a holding facility where he was abused. He had the sweetest heart still. I would have loved to have been able to get him before the abuse. It took years for him to warm up to men, and my Dad was the only guy he ever really liked and went out of his way to say hi to.

When I brought this little one home I was figuring gaining his trust would be a good winter thing to do, and by spring I would have an idea if he was going to be happy indoors. I was not expecting him to be ok with contact so fast! But he does have the sweetest look to his eyes.

 

[Willowy]

Just going to point out that even if he doesn't warm up to human contact (and it sounds like he will!), that doesn't mean he has to be put outside. I have several indoor ferals. There's one I've never even touched (had to trap him for neutering). They're perfectly happy being indoors, they just don't want to make friends with humans, and who can blame them really.

 

[Kokomo]

Just going to point out that even if he doesn't warm up to human contact (and it sounds like he will!), that doesn't mean he has to be put outside. I have several indoor ferals. There's one I've never even touched (had to trap him for neutering). They're perfectly happy being indoors, they just don't want to make friends with humans, and who can blame them really.

I agree completely! My sister has a feral who she has had now for 6 or 7ish years? And he is a happy cat. Loves his cat buddies. Comes out and demands food at meal times, and never wants human contact. I love that my local shelter has a working cat program to give the cats who don't want to be pets or indoor cats a chance at a happy life, but I also believe that just because a cat doesn't want human contact doesn't mean it needs to be an outdoor cat.

With this little guy he came with the story that he ran and hid while hissing and spitting from all humans. So, if he had decided that being indoors was not his thing I had a plan for him. But, my goal was to get him to be happy inside, whether he wanted to be a lap cat or not. I knew someone who "rescued" an LGD that had grown up and lived with a herd of goats. That dog HATED his life inside a house as a house pet. All he wanted was to be outside with his herd. So, if this cat had turned out to be like that I would let him have what made him happy. But, I am very glad that it looks like he is going to be happy as can be inside.