Actually, I guess they were semi-feral by the time I trapped them.
Last fall we had a mother and two kittens show up on the property at my place of work. I think they were born on the property and did not notice them until the kittens started wandering. I started feeding them cat food right away and used a time lapse camera to get photos of them. Two kittens and a mother but I have not seen the mother since late last year (before Christmas). I am not sure if the mother moved on because the kittens were getting a steady supply of food or if something happened to her. I like to think it was the first because I hate to think something bad happened to her.
They were living in huge steal beams piled in our yard at work, it was a good place because the beams are piled tight together and large predators would not have been able to get them. After a few months of feeding them the one kitten got daring and started getting close to me as I put the food out. He would come to the edge of the beams just outside my reach. He hissed at me a few times as if to test what I would do. I called them for food and talk to them while feeding so they could learn my voice. After a few months I would say they went from feral to semi-feral as they became used to me feeding and talking to them.
A little over a week ago I noticed one of the cats squinting one eye but did not think much of it at first. Then I came in on the weekend and his eye was red and he had a runny nose. Then early last week it was getting worse so I felt I had to jump the gun and trap him right away. I say jump the gun because the smaller of the two cats was just starting to come out to see me when I would feed them. I am fairly certain the smaller cat is female as it is a calico cat. I trapped the sick cat first and took him straight to a vet and they fixed him up. He is doing much better now, I put gel in his eye three times a day (looks much better) and his breathing is back to normal. I did not want to leave his smaller sister outside alone so I trapped her after I got back from the vet. I put them both in a room together, the room has a small closet. Litter and food in the room and some small boxes in the closet, they spend most of the time in the closet as they like the smaller space.
The larger cat is adjusting better than the smaller cat. The smaller cat pulled a metal heat register up off the floor and went down the duct. I doubted that she was getting out on her own (to tight) so I had to pull a section of duct work out to get her back. I tried leaving a window open a crack, she cut her nose a bit on the metal window frame trying to get out. She gives me the big sad eyes, I feel so bad for her but know I need to stick with it because they are far better off inside than outside. Thank god the two guys I work for have hearts, they have no problem with me turning them into shop cats or that I have taken over a room in their building. They also have no problem with lending me money so I can take them to the vet. I will take smaller cat in this week for check up and schedule spade/neuter for both of them.
I would take the cats home but already have two house cats. One rescued from crack heads (long story) and the other is adopted from the humane society. Good thing I got the one from the crack heads while it was still a small kitten. It wanted to eat people food from my plate and I don't think they gave it cat food. I could only guess the cat was lucky to get any food living with people like that. I did not take the cat, they willingly gave it to a family member of mine. My house cats are extremely spoiled, as will be the shop cats.
Thought I would share my "feral" to "semi-feral" to "shop-cat" experience. I will try to remember to post my progress here.
To all the other animal rescue/care people out there (cat, dog, etc) you are doing a great thing. Stick with it and wish me luck with mine.
Last fall we had a mother and two kittens show up on the property at my place of work. I think they were born on the property and did not notice them until the kittens started wandering. I started feeding them cat food right away and used a time lapse camera to get photos of them. Two kittens and a mother but I have not seen the mother since late last year (before Christmas). I am not sure if the mother moved on because the kittens were getting a steady supply of food or if something happened to her. I like to think it was the first because I hate to think something bad happened to her.
They were living in huge steal beams piled in our yard at work, it was a good place because the beams are piled tight together and large predators would not have been able to get them. After a few months of feeding them the one kitten got daring and started getting close to me as I put the food out. He would come to the edge of the beams just outside my reach. He hissed at me a few times as if to test what I would do. I called them for food and talk to them while feeding so they could learn my voice. After a few months I would say they went from feral to semi-feral as they became used to me feeding and talking to them.
A little over a week ago I noticed one of the cats squinting one eye but did not think much of it at first. Then I came in on the weekend and his eye was red and he had a runny nose. Then early last week it was getting worse so I felt I had to jump the gun and trap him right away. I say jump the gun because the smaller of the two cats was just starting to come out to see me when I would feed them. I am fairly certain the smaller cat is female as it is a calico cat. I trapped the sick cat first and took him straight to a vet and they fixed him up. He is doing much better now, I put gel in his eye three times a day (looks much better) and his breathing is back to normal. I did not want to leave his smaller sister outside alone so I trapped her after I got back from the vet. I put them both in a room together, the room has a small closet. Litter and food in the room and some small boxes in the closet, they spend most of the time in the closet as they like the smaller space.
The larger cat is adjusting better than the smaller cat. The smaller cat pulled a metal heat register up off the floor and went down the duct. I doubted that she was getting out on her own (to tight) so I had to pull a section of duct work out to get her back. I tried leaving a window open a crack, she cut her nose a bit on the metal window frame trying to get out. She gives me the big sad eyes, I feel so bad for her but know I need to stick with it because they are far better off inside than outside. Thank god the two guys I work for have hearts, they have no problem with me turning them into shop cats or that I have taken over a room in their building. They also have no problem with lending me money so I can take them to the vet. I will take smaller cat in this week for check up and schedule spade/neuter for both of them.
I would take the cats home but already have two house cats. One rescued from crack heads (long story) and the other is adopted from the humane society. Good thing I got the one from the crack heads while it was still a small kitten. It wanted to eat people food from my plate and I don't think they gave it cat food. I could only guess the cat was lucky to get any food living with people like that. I did not take the cat, they willingly gave it to a family member of mine. My house cats are extremely spoiled, as will be the shop cats.
Thought I would share my "feral" to "semi-feral" to "shop-cat" experience. I will try to remember to post my progress here.
To all the other animal rescue/care people out there (cat, dog, etc) you are doing a great thing. Stick with it and wish me luck with mine.