I'm looking for advice, ideas (anything) on what do about a young feral male that we've had in foster care for a year now. Jimmy, who's about 1.5 years old now, was trapped last winter. As an older feral kitten, we knew it would take some work to socialize him and we have been committed to that. Unfortunately, despite all our efforts, he's made very little progress.
He still runs and hides when spoken to or approached and we aren't able to touch him without being scratched or bitten. He basically hangs out in the foster room and befriend all the new cats.
Our coordinator has decided we've done all we can with Jimmy and said as soon as warm weather gets here, he has to go back to his site. I'm really struggling with this. The site in question is in pretty bad neighborhood and while the stray/feral cats there get fed, there's no one really looking out for them. In the past, several have ended up being hit by cars or met some other bad end. Our coordinator seems to think Jimmy will be fine if he stays behind the houses in a wooded area as some of the other cats do.
She's also hoping he'll hang out with his mother, also feral, who was trapped in the fall. We've also been holding onto the mother as she recovered from an apparerent stroke. Our coordinator was going to keep her, but the cat has been absolutely miserable inside and the vet has cleared her to return to the site. The plan is to release them together.
I kind of feel like we've let Jimmy down somehow. He had two male littermates that were trapped a couple of months before he was and we were able to socialize them and get them into a home together. He seems
happy hanging out in the foster room and is no bother. But, our coordinator
keeps reminding me that we're not a shelter and she's firm about not warehousing cats. She believes Jimmy would have a better, happier (although probably shorter) if he's released back to the site. Maybe he would.
I haven't expressed my concerns to her, because I really feel like it's not my place. Our foster area is in the basement of her home and she's the one
that's caring for Jimmy and the other foster cats, along with her own cats (25 total!). I'd take him if I could, but it's just not possible. We are planning to have him microchipped before releasing him and will check on him regularly at the site. Maybe it's for the best. I just feel like we should have done more for Jimmy and wish there was another option. Any ideas?
Sorry this is so long. Thanks!
He still runs and hides when spoken to or approached and we aren't able to touch him without being scratched or bitten. He basically hangs out in the foster room and befriend all the new cats.
Our coordinator has decided we've done all we can with Jimmy and said as soon as warm weather gets here, he has to go back to his site. I'm really struggling with this. The site in question is in pretty bad neighborhood and while the stray/feral cats there get fed, there's no one really looking out for them. In the past, several have ended up being hit by cars or met some other bad end. Our coordinator seems to think Jimmy will be fine if he stays behind the houses in a wooded area as some of the other cats do.
She's also hoping he'll hang out with his mother, also feral, who was trapped in the fall. We've also been holding onto the mother as she recovered from an apparerent stroke. Our coordinator was going to keep her, but the cat has been absolutely miserable inside and the vet has cleared her to return to the site. The plan is to release them together.
I kind of feel like we've let Jimmy down somehow. He had two male littermates that were trapped a couple of months before he was and we were able to socialize them and get them into a home together. He seems
happy hanging out in the foster room and is no bother. But, our coordinator
keeps reminding me that we're not a shelter and she's firm about not warehousing cats. She believes Jimmy would have a better, happier (although probably shorter) if he's released back to the site. Maybe he would.
I haven't expressed my concerns to her, because I really feel like it's not my place. Our foster area is in the basement of her home and she's the one
that's caring for Jimmy and the other foster cats, along with her own cats (25 total!). I'd take him if I could, but it's just not possible. We are planning to have him microchipped before releasing him and will check on him regularly at the site. Maybe it's for the best. I just feel like we should have done more for Jimmy and wish there was another option. Any ideas?
Sorry this is so long. Thanks!