New feral cat - is it Pauli or Paula. / It's Paula and we have kittens.

[Kwik]

Since you are moving soon, let me suggest taking an OLD sheet, and spread it over a favorite napping spot for them. Just before you moved, cut the sheet into squares, about 18" (46-ish cm), and fold the squares, fur side in. Take them with you, and place a few in every room of the new home. THEN release the cats. They will smell themselves everywhere they go, and it will give them "instant" territory. They'll still have to adjust a bit, but familiar scents, especially their own, will make that easier!

What a brilliant idea!!! I've had several moves over the years and have never thought of that one- great suggestion

 

[Kwik]

Thank you! I will also try to move the furniture exactly as it is here now with their scent on it.



I have been feeding an orange boy from the last place where I live. It is nearby, so I have been going there on weekends (and now in winter during the week as well on especially cold days). He lives outside in a more or less industrial area, he does gets food from a company there, but of course they are not there during the evening and on weekends. He has a very thick winter coat now so he is ok with the freezing temperatures, but I notice he is quite hungry on these winter evenings.

Now that I will be moving to a more permanent place I would like to take him as well. Though it is a challenge, as far as I can tell he has been outside for years, but when I used to live there he would stay in the house with me most of the time. When I sit with him now, he will also sit on my lap and I can pet him. He is still a bit wild though and might hit me or bit me from time to time.

The challenge is how he will react to be confined (maybe for weeks) in a room and if he will be able to live with other cats (Pauli and Bertus).

I would like to pick him up at the same time as I am moving, so all the cats will have a fresh start in the new house.

Oh WOW'- I encourage to get thst boy and go for it- his thick coat helps for sure but anything below 45degrees is cold for any cat,,below freezing temps are too cold and dangerous- he's learned to hunker down to make it through but thats no life- it's survival....PLEASE,go with your heart and take him with you

I promise you,it will be fine,it will work out and I have proved over n over n over throughout my life that ANY kitty can be transitioned to a forever inside only home(& yes,co- exist peacefully with other cats)

Dan,it doesn't mean everyone will be beasties guaranteed but you are the right kinda Cat Daddy up for tye challenge and it will be successful- I say this with conplete confidence

He's in a " feral state"- he is not " wild"- from the behavior you've described his reconditioning will not be as difficult as you think- we are all here to guide you with tricks n tips thst WORK!!!!

Plus- an orange boy?! Can't get a better personality- one day I'll start a Topic of the significant role colors play in characteristics

Here's your first cheerleader stepping up to say - YAY
Hip hip hooray

 

[fionasmom]

He's in a " feral state"- he is not " wild"- from the behavior you've described his reconditioning will not be as difficult as you think- we are all here to guide you with tricks n tips this WORKS!!!!

Plus- an orange boy?! Can't get a better personality-

I agree that he is not a feral, but is a cat who has not ever had a home and adapted to whatever life was presented to him. If you are able to start him in a space of his own as you evaluate him, that is really all that is required for the first step.

 

[KittyCat_chitchat]

Hello C cat_dad_dan and good to hear from you again. It's great news that you've got a more permanent place!

I'd agree with the above that the orange boy doesn't sound like a feral cat. If he was feral, he would be running away, hiding from you and doing his best to avoid all human contact. He's what rescuers would call a friendly stray - likely a pet at one point who got lost or abandoned. It sounds like he already has a bond with you, which is an excellent start.

However, while it would be great if you could give him a home, there is a caveat: Pauli and Bertus will already be stressed out by the move, so you'll need to be extra careful with introductions if/when you adopt him in the near future. TCS has some articles on introducing cats and I found these super helpful when introducing my newly rescued adult torti girl to my existing adult male. I'll link them below:

How to Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Introducing Cats to Cats: The Expert's Guide to a Smooth Transition

I hope you've also managed to find a more permanent situation for Pauli's rooster friend as well, but even if not, you've done all you can, which is so much more than some people would have. It's so great to see Pauli and Bertus looking so happy and settled.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I'm swimming upstream a bit on this one, but your orange buddy may actually be feral. I've been dealing with ferals where I live for several years now, and had one kitten, brought to me by his very feral mama (knew her as a kitten, as well) who immediately ran in my back door, and was dragged by out, kicking and screaming, by his MORTIFIED mama. The occasional one knows from the start that they want a different life. Why weren't they TNR'd? Because the city council in my tiny down does not allow TNR groups. They want to "trap and eradicate all vermin." That said, there is a "guerilla TNR" group operating. Two of my toms went missing for a few days, and came back with clipped ears! YAY!

 

[cat_dad_dan]

PLEASE,go with your heart and take him with you

Thank you! It will be a challenge, even to take him with me will be quite difficult I think, but I have some sort of plan. The only downside is that I have to take all three cats in the same car. They will not see each other, but they might smell or hear each other. So I guess I can use some pheromone spray and put on some music? It will be a 1,5 hour car ride, so it is not that long.

there is a caveat: Pauli and Bertus will already be stressed out by the move, so you'll need to be extra careful with introductions

Yeah, that's true. But I work from home and can check in with them regularly. Bertus, the kitten, is quite adventurous, we go on walks with a leash and he really likes it. He also goes towards people he doesn't know, while his mother chooses to hide.

Pauli's rooster friend

The rooster is still here, he is quite tough, cold winds and snow don't seem to bother him that much. He just climbs in the same tree every night. Even though I leave the shed open. I asked the local petting zoo to take him but they don't take up new animals. Apparently a lot of stray roosters around nowadays. I also feed another rooster here in the park, he is very well taken care of. I think he escaped from the petting zoo. I am in contact with the person who will come to live here after me, so I will inform him about the rooster.

not ever had a home and adapted to whatever life was presented to him

I know this cat now for 3,5 years. The first year was just feeding outside. The second year he came into the house. The third year he spent the whole winter inside and only going out at night. And only the last half year he actually sits on my lap. He likes to be around people but not too close, though only with me after 3 years.

 

[Kwik]

Thank you! It will be a challenge, even to take him with me will be quite difficult I think, but I have some sort of plan. The only downside is that I have to take all three cats in the same car. They will not see each other, but they might smell or hear each other. So I guess I can use some pheromone spray and put on some music? It will be a 1,5 hour car ride, so it is not that long.



Yeah, that's true. But I work from home and can check in with them regularly. Bertus, the kitten, is quite adventurous, we go on walks with a leash and he really likes it. He also goes towards people he doesn't know, while his mother chooses to hide.



The rooster is still here, he is quite tough, cold winds and snow don't seem to bother him that much. He just climbs in the same tree every night. Even though I leave the shed open. I asked the local petting zoo to take him but they don't take up new animals. Apparently a lot of stray roosters around nowadays. I also feed another rooster here in the park, he is very well taken care of. I think he escaped from the petting zoo. I am in contact with the person who will come to live here after me, so I will inform him about the rooster.



I know this cat now for 3,5 years. The first year was just feeding outside. The second year he came into the house. The third year he spent the whole winter inside and only going out at night. And only the last half year he actually sits on my lap. He likes to be around people but not too close, though only with me after 3 years.

Cat Daddy the car ride might be stressful( cover them)- the scents will be fine,you may need ear plugs,lol,but they'll be fine- I had to make an hour an a half ride one time with 3 of my own and a feral in a trap during a hurricane evacuation- Dan,we were stuck in traffic 13 hours - the howling nearly did me in!!!Of course everyone of mine were fine when I let them out in the strange hotel room - but I had no clue what to do with the feral

I guess it was meant to be that that feral waltzed into the trap to escape the approaching hurricaine- the lady( a Vet)in the room next to me just lost her cat ( old age);& she had her beautiful elderly Irish Setter with her who was on chemo,very & mourning the loss of his best pal-we were not sure he'd live the weekend - long story short the lady fell head over heels for the feral boy and I gave him to her , trap and all..... We stayed in contact - named him Dorian,after the hurricaine- & he is her love bug

Anyway,they'll all get through it- you already know the boy will have to have his own safe room - it'll be fine( Paulie and Bertus probably with you,maybe your room?) You'll figure it out

 

[Kwik]

Cat Daddy the car ride might be stressful( cover them)- the scents will be fine,you may need ear plugs,lol,but they'll be fine- I had to make an hour an a half ride one time with 3 of my own and a feral in a trap during a hurricane evacuation- Dan,we were stuck in traffic 13 hours - the howling nearly did me in!!!Of course everyone of mine were fine when I let them out in the strange hotel room - but I had no clue what to do with the feral

I guess it was meant to be that that feral waltzed into the trap to escape the approaching hurricaine- the lady( a Vet)in the room next to me just lost her cat ( old age);& she had her beautiful elderly Irish Setter with her who was on chemo,very & mourning the loss of his best pal-we were not sure he'd live the weekend - long story short the lady fell head over heels for the feral boy and I gave him to her , trap and all..... We stayed in contact - named him Dorian,after the hurricaine- & he is her love bug

Anyway,they'll all get through it- you already know the boy will have to have his own safe room - it'll be fine( Paulie and Bertus probably with you,maybe your room?) You'll figure it out

Oh,gotta tell you the funniest part of the story- where I evacuated from did get anything more than torrential rains- where I went got hit pretty bad,trees down,major floods ,many detours on the way back due to downed wires and part of the highway closed ....could of stayed home but then Dorian(Gray btw) would not have met his person ,so it was worth the efforts-crazy huh?

 

[KittyCat_chitchat]

C cat_dad_dan Great news all round! It sounds like you've got things sorted out. Keep us posted!

Kwik That's a crazy story, but so heartwarming. The Cat Distribution System clearly does not let hurricanes get in its way haha!

 

[cat_dad_dan]

and a feral in a trap during a hurricane evacuation

Wow, what a story! There will be no hurricanes next week, so I will be fine then.

I have read online that some people suggest it is better to leave older stray cats in their familiar environment and that it would be too stressful for them to adjust to a new inside environment. He is definitely is not young anymore (maybe around 10?), and he is able to get some food and he has some shelter against the rain, though he still is outside. And I am not sure if he would actually survive another winter without my support (I deworm him, give him extra vitamines, good food, etc.).

 

[Kwik]

Wow, what a story! There will be no hurricanes next week, so I will be fine then.

I have read online that some people suggest it is better to leave older stray cats in their familiar environment and that it would be too stressful for them to adjust to a new inside environment. He is definitely is not young anymore (maybe around 10?), and he is able to get some food and he has some shelter against the rain, though he still is outside. And I am not sure if he would actually survive another winter without my support (I deworm him, give him extra vitamines, good food, etc.).

I know that Dan,I've heard that my whole life and I certainly do not support that way of thinking- I cannot tell you how many "older" ferals I've worked with when everyone else deemed them " unadoptable" - too many to count -as long as I had someone willing to open their heart and home then everyone is a winner

Unfortunately there are not enough facilities to house them and people or places to adopt older ferals- but in reality there'd not be many old ferals if humans were not feeding them- their avg life expectancy is but 2 to 3yrs.....

All I can say is if you are willing then listen to your heart-Ill be here to help as much as possible except for being able to visit your home

All my own babies were young ferals except Sami and of course Timmy was 7yrs old..Timmy is the first older feral that was rogue and I brought in to my multi cat household ( rogue meaning he was alone all those years) --- its in their DNA to be a domestic animal,thousands of years so were not dealing with wild animals- there's no difference between a feral cat snd a housecat except behavior.... there's a difference between a cat and a Florida Panther or a Lynx that's genetic and not simply behavior ,they are wired differently

Anyway,it's been many decades of rowing my little boat against the tide but it's been gratifying and well worth the fight -If I could I'd do anything to see every homeless cat find a home

Here's Timmy,8 months after day of capture- learning stroller rides are fun!

 

[Sarthur2]

I’ve taken in several older outside cats who all adjusted beautifully to being indoors. They seemed relieved, happier, and healthier. They were able to live out their final years in peace and safety.

Since this cat knows you, I suspect he will adjust easily. Keep him indoors though. Cats should not go out in new surroundings for at least a month if not longer.

How’s Mr. Rooster and what will be his future?

 

[KittyCat_chitchat]

I can only agree with the above posts. It is perfectly possible to gradually, patiently de-feral an adult cat, and the only reason we don't see rescues doing it is a lack of time and resources. You have a head start as this cat isn't 100% feral. He knows and trusts you already, so it will be much easier for you to work with him than if you were starting right from the beginning. You're already halfway there.

 

[fionasmom]

The last feral I brought in was about 6 and was not going to survive on the streets any longer as someone had tried to kill her. I was greatly concerned (someone else along the line had TNRed her and I knew from the ear tip that she had at least been considered feral) but all she wanted was a bed of her own.

 

[cat_dad_dan]

Here's Timmy,8 months after day of capture- learning stroller rides are fun!

Thank you for the support and what a beautiful boy, Timmy!

They seemed relieved, happier, and healthier. They were able to live out their final years in peace and safety.

Thanks! Do you have any tips for his safe room? I bought a new sturdy scratching post, a cat cave, some toys and a big litter box.

How’s Mr. Rooster and what will be his future?

Yeah, it is a difficult one. Unfortunately I cannot take him with me, the new place will have neighbors and it is not allowed to have roosters. I am in contact with the person who will live here after me and that he can continue to feed him. He has his routine here and it is safe for him. So it would be nice if he can stay here. Any other ideas?

 

[cat_dad_dan]

We moved today. And it went well. With three cats.

So far, so good. Bertus wanted to explore the whole house the minute we arrived. He is still trying the climb everything hours after. Pauli on the other hand is more or less hiding under the bed in their safe room. When Bertus is there she comes out to eat.

The orange boy didn't make a fuss at all, he came out of the carrier immediately had some cat food and spent some time sleeping on the carpet. He seems quite laidback about the whole process. He also comes and ask for pets and food. I guess for him a nice warm house and some food is all he needs.

 

[Margot Lane]

….congrats!!! Are you mulling over names yet or still settling in/seeing what develops?

 

[Kwik]

We moved today. And it went well. With three cats.

So far, so good. Bertus wanted to explore the whole house the minute we arrived. He is still trying the climb everything hours after. Pauli on the other hand is more or less hiding under the bed in their safe room. When Bertus is there she comes out to eat.

The orange boy didn't make a fuss at all, he came out of the carrier immediately had some cat food and spent some time sleeping on the carpet. He seems quite laidback about the whole process. He also comes and ask for pets and food. I guess for him a nice warm house and some food is all he needs.

I'm so happy that boy is HOME!

Congrats got yourself a little clowder now..... great job Daddy Dan

 

[cat_dad_dan]

Are you mulling over names yet or still settling in/seeing what develops?

I had different names for him over the years, we will see what develops.

Congrats got yourself a little clowder now.

Thanks! I just gave him something against flees and worms, he is still very timid. Just laying on the carpet and he hasn't used the litterbox yet. Though he is eating and grooming and purring when he sleeps on my lap. Is there anything I can do for him?

 

[Kwik]

I had different names for him over the years, we will see what develops.



Thanks! I just gave him something against flees and worms, he is still very timid. Just laying on the carpet and he hasn't used the litterbox yet. Though he is eating and grooming and purring when he sleeps on my lap. Is there anything I can do for him?

You're doing exactly what you should be doing- just loving him.

You know the litter box routine ,put one not far too from where he's hanging out with good ole dirt,&Dr Elsys.....I imagine that might be the biggest challenge .... he's going to fit right in with you

Thank you for giving him a forever home.... sleeping on your lap is so darling,he must think he's in Heaven