- Joined
- May 2, 2018
- Messages
- 111
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Hi All,
A handsome cat has been hanging around my home on and off for a few months. I've taken to feeding him, and now he comes for a few days in a row before disappearing again for a couple of days. Some days he comes twice per day.
At first I thought he was someone else's cat, but we put a collar on him with our number and please call and no one rang us.
I cannot tell if he is a stray or feral. He sits by the back door or on the window sill and growls at our other cats, but he also stands his ground. When I open the door now, he wants to come inside. But, he's scared and skittish too. He pupils are enormous most of the time! Yet, he rubs up against my leg when I go outside to feed him. He lets me pet his head, though not for very long. He's sensitive to every noise or sudden movement and often takes breaks when eating to check out his surroundings (on the back patio). I've managed to lure him inside a few times by feeding him bits of cheese. He comes in a few feet and then leaves.
I would like to get a check up for him, but I've had to cancel the appointment because I couldn't catch him in time. I'm also terrified he'll scratch me when I try to get him in a carrier.
I think he's adopted us in some ways, and he comes when we call his name (we made one up!) and his trust in us seems to be growing as evidenced by his increased presence. But, how does it work? Should I keep letting him warm up to us, or do my best to capture him so I can get him a check-up as soon as possible? With the other pets in the house, I cannot let him in without his shots, and I can't imagine keeping him in a crate for 2-3 days until the clinic can see him (they only operate 2x per week.) If I work on building the trust, what is a reasonable amount of time to expect that he'll be house ready?
Thanks and looking forward to your feedback!
A handsome cat has been hanging around my home on and off for a few months. I've taken to feeding him, and now he comes for a few days in a row before disappearing again for a couple of days. Some days he comes twice per day.
At first I thought he was someone else's cat, but we put a collar on him with our number and please call and no one rang us.
I cannot tell if he is a stray or feral. He sits by the back door or on the window sill and growls at our other cats, but he also stands his ground. When I open the door now, he wants to come inside. But, he's scared and skittish too. He pupils are enormous most of the time! Yet, he rubs up against my leg when I go outside to feed him. He lets me pet his head, though not for very long. He's sensitive to every noise or sudden movement and often takes breaks when eating to check out his surroundings (on the back patio). I've managed to lure him inside a few times by feeding him bits of cheese. He comes in a few feet and then leaves.
I would like to get a check up for him, but I've had to cancel the appointment because I couldn't catch him in time. I'm also terrified he'll scratch me when I try to get him in a carrier.
I think he's adopted us in some ways, and he comes when we call his name (we made one up!) and his trust in us seems to be growing as evidenced by his increased presence. But, how does it work? Should I keep letting him warm up to us, or do my best to capture him so I can get him a check-up as soon as possible? With the other pets in the house, I cannot let him in without his shots, and I can't imagine keeping him in a crate for 2-3 days until the clinic can see him (they only operate 2x per week.) If I work on building the trust, what is a reasonable amount of time to expect that he'll be house ready?
Thanks and looking forward to your feedback!