We've got several TNR ferals that we provide food, water and shelter for. One of them - "Flick" - took an immediate liking to a house we put out a few months ago (it has an outdoor cat warming pad in it - which I'm sure was quite the draw). We've seen her going in and out of it consistently for over a month now - and she'd even started coming to the door of the house every time we went outside and called for her as we put food down. Suddenly - 3 days ago - she stopped using it. I panicked - but we finally did see her coming back for food, so she's still around. And my husband just told me that 3 days ago - when the exodus seemed to happen - he looked outside at 5 am and she was sitting in the rain on our uncovered deck (until then, she'd always been in the house at that time of night). I wonder if she was scared out of it or something? I did set up the straw inside so I can see if it's been disturbed - and it hasn't in those 3 days.
Any idea how we can convince her it's safe again? Should I pull all the straw out and put new in - and perhaps even disinfect the whole house and warming pad? I would normally put catnip in to lure a cat in - but she's already been in. I know we never know what's in the mind of a feral - but I hate to think she's out fending for herself as far as a warm space (and northern Ohio gets nasty in the winter!). In particular I hate that none of the other cats is using it either! (I did check our other shelter - and it's still being used but definitely not by her - it's being used by another of the local ferals).
So any suggestions are appreciated! We do have alot of raccoons in our area - but they don't seem to mess with the houses (I've never even seen the straw disturbed other than the typical "round kitty sleeping dent"). They mess with the food if we don't get to it fast enough in the evening (I've wanted to leave it out for the one sad little raccoon in our area - we've named him "Stumpy the Wonder Raccooon" as he's tiny and has no tail) but my husband is the voice of reason and reminds me Stumpy can find lots of other food sources, and that the cats will get scared off by him if we encourage him. Which I know is right - but it's hard to see poor little Stumpy's taillless behind waddling across the driveway
Any idea how we can convince her it's safe again? Should I pull all the straw out and put new in - and perhaps even disinfect the whole house and warming pad? I would normally put catnip in to lure a cat in - but she's already been in. I know we never know what's in the mind of a feral - but I hate to think she's out fending for herself as far as a warm space (and northern Ohio gets nasty in the winter!). In particular I hate that none of the other cats is using it either! (I did check our other shelter - and it's still being used but definitely not by her - it's being used by another of the local ferals).
So any suggestions are appreciated! We do have alot of raccoons in our area - but they don't seem to mess with the houses (I've never even seen the straw disturbed other than the typical "round kitty sleeping dent"). They mess with the food if we don't get to it fast enough in the evening (I've wanted to leave it out for the one sad little raccoon in our area - we've named him "Stumpy the Wonder Raccooon" as he's tiny and has no tail) but my husband is the voice of reason and reminds me Stumpy can find lots of other food sources, and that the cats will get scared off by him if we encourage him. Which I know is right - but it's hard to see poor little Stumpy's taillless behind waddling across the driveway