Should I Adopt This Feral?

orange&white · Jul 30, 2017

That's terrific news about using the litter box! :clap:

He could have worms, and since he's feral, he probably does. Some worms are so microscopic that even veterinarian tests don't pick them up. I'm sure the shelter will worm him.

smhsn1981 · Jul 30, 2017

smhsn1981 · Jul 30, 2017

Watching TV and falling sleep

orange&white · Jul 30, 2017

Looks like he's coming out of his shell, not hiding any more. You're doing a nice job with him!

maggiedemi · Jul 30, 2017

He's so cute. My favorite boy cat was a tuxedo, he was the sweetest cat ever.

smhsn1981 · Jul 30, 2017

I have not removed the couch he peed on yet, I need help for that because it is so heavy, Is there any health concern if I keep it until tomorrow in the room? my bed is so close to the couch and it smells so strong, I just covered it with some plastic bags

StefanZ · Jul 30, 2017

smhsn1981 said:
Hi all,
I am working at university campus. Since last month I saw 5 cute kittens running around in front of my work place. I have never seen the mom with them. I noticed that they only are fed by a guy every other day or so which is so little for the kittens at this age (now they are almost 4 months old). I started to feed them since two weeks ago twice a day. They are so scared of cars and human. Int he beginning they were all so scared of me but since I feed them one of them (a tuxedo one) is starting to be so friendly to me. He even let me pet him and comes to me and licks my hand and rubes his head to my hand. When I call him he comes to me usually mostly when he is hungry and starts meowing. I also play with him every day and he purrs when playing. He so is such an adorable kitten and I am in love with him already. I am pretty sure they have no owner and the mom left them. all other 4 kittens are still scared of me kind of and only eat when I make 1 step back. I am wondering should I trap this 1 kitten and adopt him since he is already friendly with me? I am so worried fir these kittens because I cannot feed them in the weekends since I'm traveling. Also in the winter they might have a tough life. Another problem is I don't have any house and can only keep him indoors.
Please if any of you have experience help me. I also have another cat which is a 1.5 year old persian and eventually I need to introduce them if I take the feral kitten. How will this work?

Thank you very much.

I havent read the whole thread, just the first post. The answer is easy: yes, please, do adopt this one. Its the classical occassion and the classical chance God had given you and this kitten.
There will be some fostering etc, of course, but the difficult beginning is done. So, just proceed.

If you can help the other kittens, is next question. And how. The easiest is to be sure they are neutered / spayed, ie sort of TNR. Hopefully they will manage on their own after TNR. Esp if you can give them some food now and then...
Perhaps there is some rescue group nearby? Young cats are of course easier to foster than fully adult cats.
Even if you yourself got the easy one, whom befriended you.

maggiedemi · Jul 30, 2017

Do you have an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle?

orange&white · Jul 30, 2017

smhsn1981 said:
I have not removed the couch he peed on yet, I need help for that because it is so heavy, Is there any health concern if I keep it until tomorrow in the room? my bed is so close to the couch and it smells so strong, I just covered it with some plastic bags

You'll need to spray the spot with a good enzymatic cleaner. The odor will come out; you don't need to throw the couch away. A home made enzyme spray is 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, and 1 ounce of original Listerine mouthwash. Or there are several enzymatic cleaners on the market (Nature's Miracle, for example) if you want to purchase one. The main thing is to try to clean it sooner rather than later.

orange&white · Jul 30, 2017

If nothing else, just use dishwashing detergent with water in a bucket, and take a rag and try to soak up as much of the urine as possible. Not all the odor will come out without an enzyme. You'll need to try and soak up as much urine as possible. Do you have a fan to blow on it to dry?

smhsn1981 · Jul 31, 2017

Hi all,
I took the baby to vet today, everything was alright he even was so relaxed sitting in the box until the vet opened the box,
He paniced and attacked the vet several times, they had to use a towel over him to inject the deworming, but the vet said she cannot check him up like this because he is not yet socialized, so she did not even gave him vaccination shots

and the vet acted like I am so stupid to take this animal home

I thought because this is their job they can handle the situation but they did not want kind of

So, now I am talking to rescue group so they take him to a vet they know probably.
The baby is totally ok at home, he even slept on my bed in the morning.

maggiedemi · Jul 31, 2017

Did you call first and ask the vet if they treat feral cats? It's best to have a vet that has dealt with ferals before so they can wear gloves. I had a feeling this would happen because my ferals are okay with me, but they seem to revert to being feral all over again when a stranger tries to touch them. I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I hope you can find a vet who understands ferals. So many people don't want to deal with them. Thank you for sticking with him and helping him!

Sarthur2 · Jul 31, 2017

I thought you had a rescue group with fosters lined up to take this kitten, and also to trap the other kittens?

Has that changed?

Draco · Jul 31, 2017

a lot of cats "turn feral" at vets. One of my cats was never feral, sweet with me and other people, but he acts like a terror at the vet. They often have to sedate him for checkups.

Thank you for caring for this kitty! He looks to be getting more comfortable with you in your home. I hope you can trap the others so the rescue group can socialize and adopt them out too. The sooner /younger you get them, the easier it will be to socialize them.

As for the boyfriend.. heck with it, keep the kitty anyway! Don't let a boy tell you what to do. All you need to do is add cat shelves or lots of vertical space and the kitty will be happy in your apartment. No need to worry about small place.

smhsn1981 · Jul 31, 2017

Sarthur2 said:
I thought you had a rescue group with fosters lined up to take this kitten, and also to trap the other kittens?

Has that changed?

they said they will pick him up today in the afternoon but they asked me to take him to vet if possible, so I took him. And yes, we will trap the other four next week, the lady who is going to help me for trapping is now on vacation.

smhsn1981 · Jul 31, 2017

maggiedemi said:
Did you call first and ask the vet if they treat feral cats? It's best to have a vet that has dealt with ferals before so they can wear gloves. I had a feeling this would happen because my ferals are okay with me, but they seem to revert to being feral all over again when a stranger tries to touch them. I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I hope you can find a vet who understands ferals. So many people don't want to deal with them. Thank you for sticking with him and helping him!

Yes, I did go to the same vet a day before I trapped the kitty, she said it is Ok and I can bring him to her.
It is totally fine for me, I am just worried for the baby, It seems the rescue group knows a vet who can handle well the shy cats, this time it will work hopefully

smhsn1981 · Jul 31, 2017

Draco said:
a lot of cats "turn feral" at vets. One of my cats was never feral, sweet with me and other people, but he acts like a terror at the vet. They often have to sedate him for checkups.

Thank you for caring for this kitty! He looks to be getting more comfortable with you in your home. I hope you can trap the others so the rescue group can socialize and adopt them out too. The sooner /younger you get them, the easier it will be to socialize them.

As for the boyfriend.. heck with it, keep the kitty anyway! Don't let a boy tell you what to do. All you need to do is add cat shelves or lots of vertical space and the kitty will be happy in your apartment. No need to worry about small place.

This is really interesting, I heard it from some of my friends about their cats too.
The kitty is doing very well. He is so playfull, he woke me up at 6 AM and asked me to play, so cute he is <3

smhsn1981 · Jul 31, 2017

maggiedemi · Jul 31, 2017

My 5 cats growing up were scared at the vets. But they never bit and scratched. They would just try to get away or run away. My ferals are different. Maybe others have nicer ferals, or they trained them better.

Elfilou · Jul 31, 2017

He's beautiful and I hope you guys get to enjoy eachother for a long time.

Should I Adopt This Feral?

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