Cat has chosen to be feral :(

[TonyaSWelch]

I foster kittens for the local humane society and have thus far had great success with socializing and finding good homes for them. I got a set of three dumpster kitties last year. Two were easily socialized and adopted. The third spent 3 months hiding under my bed despite all efforts. At 4-8 months it would at least come out and socialize with my other cats, and MAYBE approach me for pets, but would hide if I tried to approach him. Through all this he would try to run outside any time a door was opened. The first couple of times he got out, he stayed out for a few days, but if I left a door open for several nights he’d come back and I’d trap him inside (much to his dismay - he’d meow at the door for hours) to reinforce ‘home’. This last time he got out, he just decided to stay outside. He currently lives under my shed. I put food out, and set up a trail cam so I can capture video and check on him each morning and he seems happier and less anxious living under my shed than he was inside. Is it wrong to just let him keep living outside? I don’t think he’ll ever really socialize. I got him fixed and vaccinated, and my indoor/outdoor cats visit him at the shed often. He’s fed and cared for. I just feel awful that he was never able to adjust to human interaction and is now totally outside.

 

[TonyaSWelch]

 

[shadowsrescue]

Is there a way to build a catio for him that might connect to the inside of the house. He could then be inside when the weather is not nice, but still enjoy being outside on nice days. This way he is safe and contained. Outside is a rough place for cats. They have predators to worry about, other cats and of course humans ( cars and poison).

I have 5 former feral cats living inside my house right now. I am the only one who can pet them and they are very afraid of other people. Yet, they are warm and safe living inside my house.

 

[fionasmom]

I agree with shadowsrescue suggestions for a catio. I do have outdoor only ferals on my property and provide shelter for them along with feedings twice a day; they are not adaptable to indoor life at all and some have never gotten closer to me than 10 feet. However, I try to reserve the outdoor only, even with shelter, for those who truly have no chance of living comfortably inside or would be too dangerous to even begin to handle.

My avatar and her identical sister were born feral and are not indoor only lap cats; their black and white sister remains outside and still hisses and swats at me as I bring her food every day. I also have a 16 year old indoor feral.....a young kitten brought in with her two brothers, both now deceased, in 2005 who has lived the life of a feral but inside. She still looks at me as if I am the devil, even as she finishes her meal and jumps up onto her heating pad. It was clearly a miscalculation on my part but when I realized that she was never going to change it was a little late to throw her outside. So, yes.....I think that there are rare cases of cats who do not "cross over" into domestication even when they should have because they were rescued very young.

Your boy does show some signs of potential, down the road friendliness so I would keep working on that and protect him as best you can while you continue to try.

 

[gilmargl]

I foster kittens for the local humane society and have thus far had great success with socializing and finding good homes for them. I got a set of three dumpster kitties last year. Two were easily socialized and adopted. The third spent 3 months hiding under my bed despite all efforts. At 4-8 months it would at least come out and socialize with my other cats, and MAYBE approach me for pets, but would hide if I tried to approach him. Through all this he would try to run outside any time a door was opened. The first couple of times he got out, he stayed out for a few days, but if I left a door open for several nights he’d come back and I’d trap him inside (much to his dismay - he’d meow at the door for hours) to reinforce ‘home’. This last time he got out, he just decided to stay outside. He currently lives under my shed. I put food out, and set up a trail cam so I can capture video and check on him each morning and he seems happier and less anxious living under my shed than he was inside. Is it wrong to just let him keep living outside? I don’t think he’ll ever really socialize. I got him fixed and vaccinated, and my indoor/outdoor cats visit him at the shed often. He’s fed and cared for. I just feel awful that he was never able to adjust to human interaction and is now totally outside.

Please don't feel too bad about him. He has the choice: join your indoor/outdoor cats or stay outside. If he ever wanted to come indoors, I'm sure he would be welcome, and, perhaps, when he realises he will be allowed out whenever he chooses, he'll become more relaxed and even friendly.

Regarding the dangers of a cat living outside, it depends on where you live. Only you can sum up the risks of: predators, traffic, cruel neighbors and their dogs, etc. The dangers here in Germany where I live are not as high as in many places in the world - the biggest danger being traffic.

For this cat, a catio will probably only be acceptable if it is very large and, unless you have access to cheap materials and a good handy man or woman, rather expensive. It will only be worthwhile considering if you think your own cats would benefit from it. As you are working with a shelter, you may feel that money spent on a catio is not money well-spent, considering the number of strays you could "save" with the money. I honestly think your little fellow would try to escape from a cheaper, smaller catio, as these are simply outdoor cages to allow indoor cats to sit in the sun. He wants his freedom - so the bigger the catio the better.

Think about the alternatives, I'm sure you'll come up with a solution suitable for all concerned.