My Story / Advise needed.

[Jpan]

Hello, My name is Jason. We bought a condo back in 2015. When we moved in we noticed there was always the same black cat just making the grounds to each patio. She was very friendly only if you let her tough you and not the other way around. Well after a year it was clear that this cat did not have a true owner. She would visit us each time we sat outside or went to the pool. We gave her a name that we could use ( purpusa ) We started to give her treats every once in a while and then began to give her some food as she looked to be getting fairly skinny. Once per week, then 2 times a week etc. The next xmas we bought her a stoop and she LOVES it and uses it to just lay on and watch the neighborhood. Winter comes and well she appears to be freezing so we buy her a heated cat condo, yep she loved that also. Fast forward now 2 more years and now she gets fed every day and we spend at least 15 minutes with her every night outside to give her some companionship, to say the least she has adopted us. This winter she has been asking to come inside each night and has abandoned her cat condo since its been very cold and we have allowed it. She is very good about going back outside for the day each morning.

here is my situation. This kitty must have been born at our condo association, she was about 5-6 years old when we moved in. this community is all she knows and she covered every inch of it every day. We recently just bought a new home about 15 miles away and feel that its our responsibility to take her with us. The problem we have is that she bites and scratches when you try and touch her but she loves to lay on me when I sit in the chair. She also trys to bite and scratch out little dog so we have to be vary carful with her. Should we take her with us, can we get her to a very to declaw her front and turn her into a house cat? my fear is that we would be taking her away from the only home she has ever known but she knows that we are her owners. Should she jump the wall at the new house she will not know where she is and I would have taken her away from her comfort zone.

We would like to turn her into a house cat at the new place and let her run round in the yard when we are out there. We are conflicted. any advise? should we have never cared for her? etc.

Thank you so much and I'm sorry this was not well written.

 

[CatladyJan]

Hello, My name is Jason. We bought a condo back in 2015. When we moved in we noticed there was always the same black cat just making the grounds to each patio. She was very friendly only if you let her tough you and not the other way around. Well after a year it was clear that this cat did not have a true owner. She would visit us each time we sat outside or went to the pool. We gave her a name that we could use ( purpusa ) We started to give her treats every once in a while and then began to give her some food as she looked to be getting fairly skinny. Once per week, then 2 times a week etc. The next xmas we bought her a stoop and she LOVES it and uses it to just lay on and watch the neighborhood. Winter comes and well she appears to be freezing so we buy her a heated cat condo, yep she loved that also. Fast forward now 2 more years and now she gets fed every day and we spend at least 15 minutes with her every night outside to give her some companionship, to say the least she has adopted us. This winter she has been asking to come inside each night and has abandoned her cat condo since its been very cold and we have allowed it. She is very good about going back outside for the day each morning.

here is my situation. This kitty must have been born at our condo association, she was about 5-6 years old when we moved in. this community is all she knows and she covered every inch of it every day. We recently just bought a new home about 15 miles away and feel that its our responsibility to take her with us. The problem we have is that she bites and scratches when you try and touch her but she loves to lay on me when I sit in the chair. She also trys to bite and scratch out little dog so we have to be vary carful with her. Should we take her with us, can we get her to a very to declaw her front and turn her into a house cat? my fear is that we would be taking her away from the only home she has ever known but she knows that we are her owners. Should she jump the wall at the new house she will not know where she is and I would have taken her away from her comfort zone.

We would like to turn her into a house cat at the new place and let her run round in the yard when we are out there. We are conflicted. any advise? should we have never cared for her? etc.

Thank you so much and I'm sorry this was not well written.

Hi Jason and welcome to TCS and thank you for taking to this feral kitty!

The general rule of thumb with feral cats is: Relocation is the last resort.

I am going to say if you make her a housecat she needs to stay a housecat if you let her out she may very well take off and be confused. Many relocated cats will try to find their way back 'home' and that is dangerous.

I don't think anyone here is going to agree for you to have her declawed because it's gruesome and cruel.

If she has not been confined indoors she may not take well to it.

BTW - You write better than I do lol

Do any of the neighbors still feed her or care for her at the condo site?

 

[Jpan]

There are a few neighbors that know her, but this kitty thinks of us as her owners. My fear is that If we dont take her she will feel abandoned and nobody will keep her warm or feed her etc. I am fine taking her and allowing her to be an outside cat at the new place. I read that if I keep her same food bowl and water around she will learn that this is here new home. I'm now scared based on you saying she might leave and try to find her way back home but I don't want to abandon her and for sure dont want anything bad to happen to her.

 

[CatladyJan]

There are a few neighbors that know her, but this kitty thinks of us as her owners. My fear is that If we dont take her she will feel abandoned and nobody will keep her warm or feed her etc. I am fine taking her and allowing her to be an outside cat at the new place. I read that if I keep her same food bowl and water around she will learn that this is here new home. I'm now scared based on you saying she might leave and try to find her way back home but I don't want to abandon her and for sure dont want anything bad to happen to her.

I'm sure some of our other members fluent in feral will also give you more advice. Whenallhellbreakslose Jcatbird fionasmom

 

[mani]

Hi Jason!
I was going to say she really needs to go with you, which may fly in the face of the feral-knowledgeable members we have, but I'll put it out there anyway. I'm not an authority, but if she's wanting to come inside, and likes to sit on laps, she's no longer really feral and may never have been in the true sense of the word (but please, those of you who know way more about this than I do, feel free to shoot me down in flames ). But I do feel she's your cat and should stay with you. She would need to stay inside, though, for all the reasons CatLadyJan mentioned.

The main reason I'm replying though, is to let you know that we're an anti-declawing site, and for good reason.

Declawing - More Than Just A Manicure - TheCatSite

Declawing - More Than Just A Manicure" is an eye-opening exploration of the true extent and consequences of declawing, highlighting the fact that it is far from a simple nail trimming procedure.

thecatsite.com

Also, where I live in Australia, it's illegal, and they don't do things like that lightly.

 

[Jpan]

Thank you , I wont declaw should she come with us.

 

[CatladyJan]

Thank you , I wont declaw should she come with us.

Hang in there for some of the more experienced feral peeps to respond. I would say 'yes' as long as you know she does well inside, because cats can claw themselves out of a room if they want to. You need to have a safe haven for her and ensure she does not get out.

 

[Jcatbird]

Yes! Take her with you but there is a process you need to follow in order to get her adjusted and it’s really better if you can just finish socializing her to become an indoor kitty. She will need to be inside for about eight weeks at least anyway. That is the minimum time she will need to get used to new surroundings and not be so scared she will be spooked into running if she goes out. Any chance you could do this? She is no longer a true feral and as a semi feral she relies upon you now for her survival. Reverting back to feral is often unsuccessful and it sounds like she was barely surviving to begin with. Ferals have shortened life spans as a rule. Obviously you have grown to love her and she loves you. As someone who has socialized many kitties of all ages, I would be very willing to help walk you through the process and you are more than halfway there! She trusts you which is the most important part. I cannot stress it enough, do NOT declaw. That will cripple her for life and if she accidentally gets out she would never be able to hunt or defend herself. She needs her claws. There are claw caps that can be used and just having her claws clipped regularly can keep the sharp tips off. Biting and clawing you is behavior that can also be addressed. If she never had a mom cat as she grew up, there was no one to teach her that this hurts. It is both play and can be affection. Rough play can be redirected. I am short on time right now but if you would like more info on socializing, everyone here would love to see you continue this wonderful relationship! I will return and you can always tag me the same way that our friend CatladyJan was kind enough to do. That will bring it to my attention. I am sure that others with similar experiences will be here to help as well. Welcome Jason! Bravo for saving this life!

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

Hi there. I was just about to log off when I saw that I was tagged by another member in regards to this post. Since this kitty has formed a connection with you and your partner, I would definitely take her with you. It is clear she chose you and wants to be taken in.

This is going to be an adjustment for for all involved. She may have some bad habits that need to be worked on (the biting and going after your dog). You will need to keep her separate from your dog for a while to she decompresses in her new home. Cats usually don't deal with change very well. This will be a whole new experience for her being away from the place she called home all those years. Also the fact that she is not a young cat, you are doing her a favor. The reasons she wants to come in at night is because she feels more comfortable with you, than being out there at night.

When you bring her to the new house give her her own room (doesn't have to be a large space). Place a crate, a hideaway bed, and a litter box in the room. If this cat not litter trained, you will have to do that. Their are plenty of threads on this site about litter training cats. May I recommend a product? There is a product known as Cat Attract you can get in pet stores. It has an ingredient in it that attracts c as to to the litter box. I have found it helpful with kittens and cats. Please also spend time with her and when she has calmed down from the move, talk to her, give her treats, play with her. These are ways to deepen the bonds. Also cats pent up energy and can get aggressive from lack of stimulation. So focus on positive stimulation or she may continual to behave poorly. Also, with her aggression with your dog, see if that has anything to do with a territorial nature.

Well, I am running out of time, but I am going to leave you with some articles to help you. Just a few things, if after you try to acclimate her to her new household and things are not going well, then you will have to make a decision about letting her be an outdoor kitty. The rule with transferring a feral (or semi feral) to a new neighborhood is they need to be put in some sort of enclosure(crate) for 3 weeks to get use to their surroundings and other cats. They say relocating ferals should be a last option and it must be done cautiously. Otherwise, your kitty could runaway or run into trouble. The other thing I wanted to mention was already touched upon by another member. Please never declaw a cat, it is like removing a part of their toes. Instead you can use nail caps (plastic caps that go over the nail). There are also deterrents to stop kitty from scratching furniture ( cats hate the smell of citrus.) Kitty scratchers could be used to redirect your kitty, so she doesn't mess anything up.

Well here are some helpful articles, best of luck to you.
How to tame a feral cat? Unknown tricks need exploring! | Kitty Cats blog
Have an Aggressive Cat? 7 Reasons Why Cats Become Aggressive
Have an Aggressive Cat? 7 Reasons Why Cats Become Aggressive

 

[fionasmom]

How To Safely Introduce A Cat And A Dog – TheCatSite Articles

Here is another article that might help. I have only ever adopted strays and ferals, more ferals than what might actually be termed a stray. This cat has left the category of feral and is now more like semi feral as Jcatbird has said. Semi ferals, to me, are more like regular cats who are not overly affectionate, more on guard, or affectionate on their own terms. This cat is already friendly to you and is completely dependent on your for her care. You mentioned that it was freezing when you bought the cat condo....more than likely the cat condo is removed once you go, just for one example.

My experience with someone else doing the feeding in the absence of the original caregiver has never been good. There is a TNRed female cat, not TNRed by me, who lives at a nearby apartment complex. They allow animals so she has never been "evicted" but as I noticed and began to study her behavior I found that the residents who were caring for her fed her irregularly, often carelessly as in snapping only half the lid off the can of cat food so that she could eat very little of it. I have taken over feeding her and the new resident closest to her "area" has also taken an interest in her well being. I am looking to getting her off the street in the future.

If you take the cat and want to let her go outside, you will have to keep her inside for several weeks so she bonds to the area and territory. Ideally, she should be made an indoor cat which would take a little bit of work but could definitely be done. I don't see this cat as being a huge challenge from your description of her and it might be better if you take her if only to prevent yourself from wondering if she did not have food, was freezing, or met with a bad end.

As for entrusting this to someone else in the complex, remember that a lot of people out there believe that a cat can "hunt" and will be fine with the occasional mouse.

 

[Jpan]

Hi Jason and welcome to TCS and thank you for taking to this feral kitty!

The general rule of thumb with feral cats is: Relocation is the last resort.

I am going to say if you make her a housecat she needs to stay a housecat if you let her out she may very well take off and be confused. Many relocated cats will try to find their way back 'home' and that is dangerous.

I don't think anyone here is going to agree for you to have her declawed because it's gruesome and cruel.

If she has not been confined indoors she may not take well to it.

BTW - You write better than I do lol

Do any of the neighbors still feed her or care for her at the condo site?

Thank you so much.. I just noticed there is a reply button Im going to read everyones response and replay to all in a bit

 

[Jpan]

How To Safely Introduce A Cat And A Dog – TheCatSite Articles

Here is another article that might help. I have only ever adopted strays and ferals, more ferals than what might actually be termed a stray. This cat has left the category of feral and is now more like semi feral as Jcatbird has said. Semi ferals, to me, are more like regular cats who are not overly affectionate, more on guard, or affectionate on their own terms. This cat is already friendly to you and is completely dependent on your for her care. You mentioned that it was freezing when you bought the cat condo....more than likely the cat condo is removed once you go, just for one example.

My experience with someone else doing the feeding in the absence of the original caregiver has never been good. There is a TNRed female cat, not TNRed by me, who lives at a nearby apartment complex. They allow animals so she has never been "evicted" but as I noticed and began to study her behavior I found that the residents who were caring for her fed her irregularly, often carelessly as in snapping only half the lid off the can of cat food so that she could eat very little of it. I have taken over feeding her and the new resident closest to her "area" has also taken an interest in her well being. I am looking to getting her off the street in the future.

If you take the cat and want to let her go outside, you will have to keep her inside for several weeks so she bonds to the area and territory. Ideally, she should be made an indoor cat which would take a little bit of work but could definitely be done. I don't see this cat as being a huge challenge from your description of her and it might be better if you take her if only to prevent yourself from wondering if she did not have food, was freezing, or met with a bad end.

As for entrusting this to someone else in the complex, remember that a lot of people out there believe that a cat can "hunt" and will be fine with the occasional mouse.

Thank you so much.. I just noticed there is a reply button Im going to read everyones response and replay to all in a bit

 

[Jpan]

Hi there. I was just about to log off when I saw that I was tagged by another member in regards to this post. Since this kitty has formed a connection with you and your partner, I would definitely take her with you. It is clear she chose you and wants to be taken in.

This is going to be an adjustment for for all involved. She may have some bad habits that need to be worked on (the biting and going after your dog). You will need to keep her separate from your dog for a while to she decompresses in her new home. Cats usually don't deal with change very well. This will be a whole new experience for her being away from the place she called home all those years. Also the fact that she is not a young cat, you are doing her a favor. The reasons she wants to come in at night is because she feels more comfortable with you, than being out there at night.

When you bring her to the new house give her her own room (doesn't have to be a large space). Place a crate, a hideaway bed, and a litter box in the room. If this cat not litter trained, you will have to do that. Their are plenty of threads on this site about litter training cats. May I recommend a product? There is a product known as Cat Attract you can get in pet stores. It has an ingredient in it that attracts c as to to the litter box. I have found it helpful with kittens and cats. Please also spend time with her and when she has calmed down from the move, talk to her, give her treats, play with her. These are ways to deepen the bonds. Also cats pent up energy and can get aggressive from lack of stimulation. So focus on positive stimulation or she may continual to behave poorly. Also, with her aggression with your dog, see if that has anything to do with a territorial nature.

Well, I am running out of time, but I am going to leave you with some articles to help you. Just a few things, if after you try to acclimate her to her new household and things are not going well, then you will have to make a decision about letting her be an outdoor kitty. The rule with transferring a feral (or semi feral) to a new neighborhood is they need to be put in some sort of enclosure(crate) for 3 weeks to get use to their surroundings and other cats. They say relocating ferals should be a last option and it must be done cautiously. Otherwise, your kitty could runaway or run into trouble. The other thing I wanted to mention was already touched upon by another member. Please never declaw a cat, it is like removing a part of their toes. Instead you can use nail caps (plastic caps that go over the nail). There are also deterrents to stop kitty from scratching furniture ( cats hate the smell of citrus.) Kitty scratchers could be used to redirect your kitty, so she doesn't mess anything up.

Well here are some helpful articles, best of luck to you.
How to tame a feral cat? Unknown tricks need exploring! | Kitty Cats blog
Have an Aggressive Cat? 7 Reasons Why Cats Become Aggressive
Have an Aggressive Cat? 7 Reasons Why Cats Become Aggressive

Thank you very much!

 

[Jpan]

Hang in there for some of the more experienced feral peeps to respond. I would say 'yes' as long as you know she does well inside, because cats can claw themselves out of a room if they want to. You need to have a safe haven for her and ensure she does not get out.

Thank you Jen, Lots of information to go through from everyone.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I have no information/advice better what you have already received! But, I am routing for you to take her with you and use all the tools given to you above. It won't be easy, although it could be easier than we all think! The only thing that I can add is if you have the space at your new home, check into making or buying a catio/cat enclosure that you could eventually give her for an outdoor space but that wouldn't enable her to roam away.
All About Catios & Cat Enclosures - Catio Spaces