Taming Feral Cats

[shadowsrescue]

So good to hear from you.  I hope you will post pictures of your new shelters.  It is so nice to know the cats are doing so well.  Our temps have been just brutal.  My two did very well although I think they are a little stir crazy from being cooped up so much.  Today's high won't even reach 10, but they are sitting out on the deck and have even ventured out into the snow.  Their shelter has kept them quite warm.  I have a sensor in it to detect the temp.  The past 2 nights, the temps have been near -10 and wind chill of -25.  The temp inside did not drop below 38.  My shelter also only has one opening.  When it was built, it had 2, but they never used it and so much cold air just poured inside it.  So I blocked off the other entrance.  They are much warmer now.

I did find the K&H pad yesterday for just under $30.  It is an open box, but my guess is that it's just fine.  http://forecast.weather.gov/showsig...Warning&lat=39.4667&lon=-87.4139#.VOeBiHutk9w

I posted about it here 

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/292904/sale-on-extreme-weather-oudoor-kitty-heat-pad

I am so ready for spring, but the weather just doesn't want to cooperate.  We will get a bit warmer tonight and tomorrow, but we will get 4-6 inches of snow and then temps back down to -3 on Sunday.  Next week night time temps are all below 0 again. 

Another crappy winter. 

 

[jodig]

So glad everyone is doing well! These temperatures do really stink! We are looking at 45 degrees on Sunday and that sounds downright balmy right about now. However, temperatures are scheduled to plummet the following day.

That is an excellent temp. at 38 degrees for your shelters to be! How wonderful for Stellar and Shadow. I do know what you mean about them being stir crazy and sometimes just downright miserable. Anytime we have a warm (ie 32 deg or above day) they play and frollick in the yard like it is 65 degrees!

I'm actually thinking of blocking off one of the exits to the first shelter we built to eliminate chill. I think they feel so safe on the deck that an emergency exit isn't necessary anymore.

I can't wait until just a few short months from now and we can post pictures of our babies basking in the spring sun!

That's great about the heating pad for someone in need of one. I was actually able to purchase 2 brand new in a unopened box for $32 each but that was a few weeks ago. I should have posted about it here at the time.  The first time I spent like $40 per pad. I also got a pretty nice size bowl for $22.99 in case anyone needs one of those. (ha, I just checked and the bowl is now $32. Amazon is so fickle). 

How is Cisco fairing?

 

[shadowsrescue]

Cisco hasn't been around in a long time.  I have been really sad by this.  I had a feeling about him that I just couldn't quite shake.  I believe that he has a home somewhere.  Ever since it turned cold, he has been gone.  He appears every once and awhile, but never wants food.  He might rest in one of the shelters for a bit, but he never wants to eat.  He looks plump too so I know he is getting food.

I use an Animal communicator to help me out when I am having issues with the ferals.  I was so worried about Cisco in mid January.  I called her and she said he was getting fed and a warm bed.  He had previously told her he was kicked out of his home for spraying. I knew he was at one time an owned cat.  My guess is that he went home and they let him inside.  They must wonder what happened to him as he has an ear tip.  I just know he is inside somewhere.  He told the animal communicator he would see me again when it warmed up.  I am happy for him, but sad that his owners don't take care of him.  He was missing and lived with me for over 6 months.  I posted signs about him, posted on Pet FBI and posted on our neighbor network.  Nothing.  I doubt anyone new took him in.  He was with me for 6 months and I couldn't get very close to him and I never touched him.  Yet his eyes were not wild like a feral.  I do believe he will be back in the spring. 

 

[jodig]

Thanks for the update about Cisco.

I find the use of animal communicators very intriguing. It is sad if his previous owners kicked him out, un-spayed no less! How disgraceful but he is lucky he found you and your good heart.  We can take comfort in the fact that he is warm and fed at the moment. And if he ever finds himself kicked out once again, he knows where to go!  It almost brought a tear to my eye that he communicated that he would see you in the spring.

This reminds me of the time we had a little ginger cat show up one day with a collar on to munch on the food I left out. My dad and I just looked at each other and laughed, for some reason it cracked us both up so much!

 

[jodig]

Just checking in. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer, kitties included! I know mine are loving laying in the grass and on our deck chairs. Did Cisco come around in the spring as he promised?

So that orange collared cat I mentioned in my last post has become a bit of a nuisance! He has been coming around every day since the weather has gotten warmer and my other cats are bothered by him. I have noticed that since he's been around, I can go a few days without seeing 2 of my outside gals, Kitty and Turtle, and this upsets us! Peanut and Pepper seem annoyed but still hang around.

Also, normally when Collared Cat is around there is another cat that hangs around him that whines and cries constantly! At first I thought the cat was in pain and injured but now I think it might be in heat? It does seem to have an existing injury to it's mouth perhaps from a previous fight. Or maybe it's a tooth infection because it seems to have trouble closing it's mouth and breathes a little funny? I saw it eat some food just fine, however.

I hate to be cruel but these two new cats that are coming around are annoying to me. Especially the one that I can assume has a home because he is wearing a collar and appears well fed!  However, I know there is nothing I can do since I'm sure my outside cats go into neighbors yards and perhaps are a nuisance to them as well.

I feel bad shoeing them away but I do sometimes. I'm sure people do it to my cats! I would feed the neighborhood and don't mind if cats stop by for a munch here and there as long as they leave my cats alone and don't hang around crying and disturbing the neighbors. I'm worried that if these new cats stick around a neighbor will complain and it will mean trouble for my four outside cats that cause no issues and that we have been taking care of for about a year now.

 

[shadowsrescue]

It's definitely difficult when other cats come into your yard and cause problems, but you also know that your cats are wandering and you have little control.  Since the collared cat is most likely owned, you could try to ask around and find out who the cat belongs to.  Yet, I am sure he smells the food and it will be hard to get him to stay away.  I would just want to be sure that he is neutered. 

I have a neighbor whose can (also an orange cat) comes over up to 10x a day.  He is a bully and scares all of my cats.  Yet after so much time, he has never hurt them ( just scares them) and now they just hide under the deck furniture until he leaves or until I shoo him away.  I have spoken with my neighbor and she is fine with me shooing him away.  I always feel badly as he's not a mean cat to humans.  He's just being a territorial cat and strutting his stuff.  He's neutered, but still a bully.  I just put up with it the best I can. 

Cisco did come back in the spring for one night.  It was almost as if to say thanks for all the help, but I am moving on now.  I have not seen him since mid April.  Yet, my other feral (Hampton) who had been missing for 8 months and I had assumed was dead showed up and has been here ever since.  It has been an amazing transformation.

 

[jodig]

I always enjoy reading updates about your gang. Sorry to hear about Cisco but glad to hear about Hampton. I assume Hampton gets along with your other two?

The orange cat is wearing a collar but I can't get close enough to read it.  My husband has suggested that just because he is wearing a collar doesn't mean he still has a home especially because we see him so much now but I told him that the weather is nice so his owners are probably letting him out more. I THINK he is fixed. The reason I think this is because he doesn't stalk my girls though it's clear they don't always want him around. Also, I heard that un-neutered male cats have very puffy cheeks. There is a black and white cat that comes around to eat and his cheeks are very big. I can make the assumption that he is not neutered unfortunately.

Yesterday evening, I caught the collared cat rather casually lounging on our deck which I actually found rather cute especially since Peanut and Pepper were sleeping on our deck chairs unperturbed.  My husband, however, is upset that apparently Collared Cat's presence is keeping his favorite cat (Kitty) away. It doesn't seem like a mean cat to humans. I just thought my cats would do a better job at protecting their territory but apparently they are very passive which I guess can be a good thing since they aren't getting into fights.

 

[ifoundmolly]

Yes! I've got a feral cat residing in a barn behind my house and whenever I see it outside, I go grab some food. Today, when I fed it, instead of the usual hissing, they actually purred and rubbed up against me, after allowing me to pet it. Even tried following me halway to the house.
I totally get what you mean by feeling like a cat whisperer.

 

[shadowsrescue]

 
I always enjoy reading updates about your gang. Sorry to hear about Cisco but glad to hear about Hampton. I assume Hampton gets along with your other two?

The orange cat is wearing a collar but I can't get close enough to read it.  My husband has suggested that just because he is wearing a collar doesn't mean he still has a home especially because we see him so much now but I told him that the weather is nice so his owners are probably letting him out more. I THINK he is fixed. The reason I think this is because he doesn't stalk my girls though it's clear they don't always want him around. Also, I heard that un-neutered male cats have very puffy cheeks. There is a black and white cat that comes around to eat and his cheeks are very big. I can make the assumption that he is not neutered unfortunately.

Yesterday evening, I caught the collared cat rather casually lounging on our deck which I actually found rather cute especially since Peanut and Pepper were sleeping on our deck chairs unperturbed.  My husband, however, is upset that apparently Collared Cat's presence is keeping his favorite cat (Kitty) away. It doesn't seem like a mean cat to humans. I just thought my cats would do a better job at protecting their territory but apparently they are very passive which I guess can be a good thing since they aren't getting into fights.

Unaltered males that are not neutered before their hormones begin coursing through their bodies will develop thick jowls.  Yet if a cat is neutered later in life, the jowls will not disappear.  Hampton and Shadow did not develop jowls, but Stellar did.  Cisco had jowls along with a few of my other later neutered ferals. 

It's so hard to get rid of other cats that should not be on  your property. Yet it's also part of feeding the cats.  Others will always show up. 

Hampton does get along with Shadow and Stellar.  He and Shadow were buddies last summer and Shadow was sad when Hampton disappeared.  Shadow and Stellar were cordial to Cisco, but not buddies at all.  Now Shadow, Stellar and Hampton will lounge together on the deck as well as all sleep together on the love seat at night. 

My orange kitty, Marvin was a nusiance on the deck.  He would not leave Shadow alone.  He stalked him, chased him and scared him to death.  Yet, he was very sweet with me.  I had to make the tough decision to move him into my home.  I wanted to take him to a rescue, but they are all full.  I brought him into my home and it was a struggle, but we survived.  I had to do it for Shadow.  He was my first feral and I was not going to allow Marvin to chase him away.  To this day, Marvin does not like Shadow.   When I have the sliding door open with the screen, Marvin will throw him body against the door when Shadow comes up to the door.  It is just a true personality clash. 

 

[shadowsrescue]

Yes! I've got a feral cat residing in a barn behind my house and whenever I see it outside, I go grab some food. Today, when I fed it, instead of the usual hissing, they actually purred and rubbed up against me, after allowing me to pet it. Even tried following me halway to the house.
I totally get what you mean by feeling like a cat whisperer.

It sounds as though this cat is not a feral cat, but a stray cat.  Feral cats will run and hide and not seek out or allow human contact.  They do often warm up to their care takers as you have read in this thread.

I would suggest that you do your best to care for this cat.  Is there any way you can try to get the cat to a vet for a check up and to see if the cat has been spayed/neutered?  Besides feeding feral/stray cats it is also the responsibility to provide shelter,  and also be sure they are spayed/neutered.  If you cannot take this cat into your home, you can look up TNR.  If you do want to take the cat into your home, you will want it vet checked.  It will need to be wormed and vaccinated as well as spayed/neutered if it is not already.

Thank you for feeding this little one.  I hope you are able to help it more.