We may be moving somewhere? What about our feral?

[sweetlilac]

With great sadness (mostly due to the cat issue), we are planning on moving. Where yet we don't know. We (hubs and I) are getting on and this house is a lot of work, and I want to be closer to a town and transportation. Our idea is to sell this place, stay in a few different areas, then make up our minds as to what suits us best.

What is so hard is that this house came with some ferals, one still alive, which I have fed with premium cat food and kept warm. She is so sweet and loving and it breaks my heart, but my husband is a giant NO to having a cat indoors, and also many places may not let us rent with a cat. She doesn't want to come inside, ever. (I did build her an outdoor heated cave.) She also sheds a lot, though I comb and brush her every day so her coat stays glossy.

I have heard that ferals are best left on or near the property they know. If we can't find anyone nearby to take her what then? I shudder to think that she would be put away but equally bad that she would starve or be mistreated. Thanks, this is so hard for me to even write. We may even leave the US but certainly will be traveling for a while. Hopefully the new buyers might agree to keep KittyKat on, but no guarantee that they will pamper her as I have. She lives a charmed life now.

Any thoughts welcomed, and thanks! Here she is snoozing on her heating pad without a care in the world. Sigh...

 

[di and bob]

My heart goes out to you.....I would make sure any new owners would take care of her, or a neighbor maybe? You could even ask for updates or agree to send them a little money, or better yet buy and ship her food to the new owners to give to her. I know this is no guarantee, I just hope you can check in on her. I pray you get cat lovers......

 

[Mr. Meow]

Is "get rid of the husband" an option?

I'm jk. Have you contacted your local shelter to see if they have any resources that may help? There are places that will sometimes take in ferals, but they have large, outdoor areas for them.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I would also consider checking with local rescue groups - many have a network of fosters, one (or more) of which may be willing to take this cat in and convert her into an indoor only cat. You could supply the money for what she needs, and the foster can do the rest. If this were possible, the foster could begin to spend time with this cat - starting through you at your house - to build a relationship with her, so that by the time you are ready to leave, or anytime from now and then, the foster could trap her and take her home. You would be amazed at what some of these fosters are willing to do to save the life of a cat. It is worth a try to pursue this angle.

 

[Willowy]

I inherited a cat when I bought my property. I think most people are willing, especially if she's fully vetted and you leave a stipend for her future care. They may not brush her every day or feed her premium food but I think you could find someone who would be kind to her at least. You could try to enlist the neighbors to make sure the cat is cared for, if you have any particular friends in the area you could put the future care stipend in their hands so the new owner doesn't spend it all at once.

Also contact every cat rescue in the area to see if they have a farm cat program. Although if she's that friendly I think she could be put in a home and get used to living indoors.

 

[fionasmom]

Make as many contacts as you can to see if you can find help for her. Other members have listed options and you need to follow all of them. A few months ago an elderly woman who was a cat lover...had three outdoor tamed TNRed ferals...passed on. She had stipulated that her son was to find homes for them but when he turned up he knocked on the door of the neighbor who had assisted with the feeding of the cats and said you have 3 days to get these cats off my property. Several of us tried everything we could think of but they went to the shelter....fortunately it was a low kill shelter so they might have had a chance at adoption.

 

[sweetlilac]

Thank you for all your replies. It's so hard being with her knowing I will probably have to leave her, after giving her all this love and attention. And winning her trust, that people may be good "cats" after all.

She is such a sweetheart, I think she would adapt to indoor living, she's a bit of a couch potato now that I bought her 2 heating pad. And I think anyone who brushes and combs her will soon be her best friend. She can take A LOT of attention. She is kind, gentle, and one of those cats that might rescue a mouse before harming it (perhaps not a good candidate for a mouser.)

The Feral Society here told me once that ferals don't have good odds, but once the house gets listed, I can take up these suggestions. She'd be perfect for a home where someone wants a low maintenance pet - play with her, feed her, and then no clean up! or cat in the house - I think she'd bond again. She's silky soft and whip smart.

Or I could see her joining a feral group, she'd lived with cats already, but might be subject to the coyotes, That's what scares me. She'd have buddies though...I hope. There is a lady nearby who has some ferals who are related, many have been lost, so not sure if she would go for another "relative"; they are all identical looking! But she might. She's a nice lady.

My fear about selling her "with the house" is that she'd be neglected. I would be so sad if that were her final fate. Cold, Hungry; neglected. I've often wondered if she'd be better off... you know... but don't feel that's my choice to make. That is best left in the Creator's hands. What a mess!

 

[movinintime]

Any rescues or no-kiil shelters near you? She needs to be left w/ someone as she DEPEND on you for love, care,etc.

We had a 3.5yr fed daily feral & caught him a second time (by miracle as he was wary of trap but food won him over) -- & now indoors across USA move too -- plus we've an older indoor & she now's wary of him & teritorial!

But so far ok after 6mos. & we're in tiny studio & he sleep in bathrm. But least he not in a cold dark outside back we where moved from & freezing alone & hungry. Abandonig him wasn't option so here he is.

 

[Willowy]

She's not feral if she's friendly. So when you call rescues, don't describe her as feral or you'll get some very different answers. A fully feral cat is best left where they are, because they won't trust humans enough to adapt to a new home. But a friendly outdoor cat can be rehomed. It's a big difference.

 

[sweetlilac]

This is all great food for thought. She wants to be an outdoor cat but if anyone wanted to keep her indoors I suspect if she saw her heated mat she'd change her mind on the spot! We can't keep her indoors, ourselves. But she is an attention lover for sure!

Sweet and to my surprise, very communicative. Not all that talkative, a low and pleasant vocalization now and then, but she communicates with many different strategies. I've been stunned at how much I've learned from her, and about her. And how much she's been willing to adapt to a lifestyle with a human caretaker, now that her sibs are gone. Her life revolves around watching us, where we are, what we are doing, etc.. when she is not sleeping, eating, or grooming. Which is a lot of the time.

However.... she is scared of strangers. Not sure what category that puts her in?

I was thinking maybe I could pay our feral society extra to place her, something they won't do, normally, but they are a volunteer society, so they run the county (in terms of knowing all that there is to know about the cat world)...and everyone can use extra gas money. And maybe better not to call her a feral? They do great work - God's work - and I do contribute yearly. But maybe better not to call her feral?