'feral' Cat Is Indoors

Id like to give some happy news to the group. Thank you all for your suggestions on Skooma, and helping the community cats that were being poisoned. Within a week he has gone from his chicken coop we got for him, to a loving house cat. As soon as he was delivered to me I knew that this was NOT a feral cat, but a stray that was reverting into feral. He was terrified of me, and the first night we brought him inside, he peed himself out of fear and was to scared to move out of the puddle. Today we managed to get him to the vet where he had a clean bill of health, all his vaccinations, and a double check that he was fixed.

Day 1

First day inside. Trying to hide in my bonsai...ineffectively.


100% indoor cat. Loving his new pampered life. I feel we can now start trying to find him a forever home.

Oh well done! He looks so happy there, lucky boy for being given a second chance by you.

I'll link your original thread here, so people can read his story from the start.

Relocating At Risk Community Cat

Please keep us updated on his progress.

What a heartwarming story! You are right, he looks SO scared in those first pictures, i wonder what makes them so frightened. Thank you, and bless you for your work!

Happy News indeed!

What a happy boy he is now! Bless your heart

He is still a scardy cat. Body low to the ground and tail firmly in between his legs. But when I come into his safe room he meows and jumps down to get loving. So I'm calling it a major win. I still think he needs some more socialization before he will truly be comfy being with humans. But that would never happen if he was outside. He needs to learn house sounds and be around humans doing human things.
I do the feline temperament checks at our shelter to see if they are adoptable, and right now, he would pass. However, he would be a tough sell with kitten season upon us, and I dont want to clog up the foster system during this busy time with this guy. So unless someone hears his story and wants him, I might wait till October to truly try to find him a new home.

Always good to see a positive outcome and continued success!

SDerailed said:

He is still a scardy cat. Body low to the ground and tail firmly in between his legs. But when I come into his safe room he meows and jumps down to get loving. So I'm calling it a major win. I still think he needs some more socialization before he will truly be comfy being with humans. But that would never happen if he was outside. He needs to learn house sounds and be around humans doing human things.
I do the feline temperament checks at our shelter to see if they are adoptable, and right now, he would pass. However, he would be a tough sell with kitten season upon us, and I dont want to clog up the foster system during this busy time with this guy. So unless someone hears his story and wants him, I might wait till October to truly try to find him a new home.

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EXCELLENT NEWS and TYSVM for the happy UPdate! He is very handsome and obviously very sweet. "I might wait till October" sound like a great plan
and here is an article that may help in his socialization:
Cat Behavior Modification and Counter-Conditioning
You can also look around on bestfriends.org/resources and see if there are more helpful suggestions that fit your particular cat and situation.
Heartfelt *PRAYERS* and best, best thoughts for him!

"Waiting for October" sounds as if you're setting up for a foster fail!

The way you describes him, he might have been abused by humans.

Thanks for the rescue!

ArchyCat said:

"Waiting for October" sounds as if you're setting up for a foster fail!

The way you describes him, he might have been abused by humans.

Thanks for the rescue!

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*SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!* *I'm hoping she won't think about that until it's a done deal.*

Good for you! What a sweet beautiful baby

So glad to hear this. I'm hoping to bring my sweet kitty inside one day as well.

This is a wonderful thread! SDerailed you are my hero.

Hoo-ray!!!
He is hiding! I can't see him! ha ha ha!
I love that cat!

ArchyCat said:

"Waiting for October" sounds as if you're setting up for a foster fail!

The way you describes him, he might have been abused by humans.

Thanks for the rescue!

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tarasgirl06 said:

*SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!* *I'm hoping she won't think about that until it's a done deal.*

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Oh lord, I know. Im already madly in love with him. But my 7 other cats and two dogs aren't exactly thrilled about another cat in the house. My spooky boy Salem has been going around smacking everyone because of the new smell. This guy is seriously TOO sweet. But no one wants him. Even if someone did, they'd have to really know what they are doing with him. He still is super low to the ground and slow moving. But his tail is coming up sometimes and he even gives me the best bellys! Yesterday our house representative, Tattoo, rushed in the door to make sure he was ok and face smooshed him. Skooma mooshed back but then spent the rest of the night trying to hide in his litter box.
Today, I found out he is terrified of toys when I tried to interest him in a game of string. Poor baby. He still needs some work.

He's adorable!

I have over 20 permanent residents and I get foster kittens sometimes too, so I know how hard it can be getting everyone used to new members. The towel trick works well for me. When you pet the new cat with a towel and then lay it outside of their room with some treats on it for the resident cats. Do the same for the new cat with a towel the residents have been petted with.

My super stressy girl, Susy, gets Zylkene mixed in with her wet food if she's really upset.

Zylkene® | Vetoquinol USA

You can use the same product for dogs and cats, if your dogs are upset too.

What happened with the other colony cats? Did you ever find out who was threatening them?

Norachan said:

What happened with the other colony cats? Did you ever find out who was threatening them?

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We found out what he looks like through the camera we installed. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to make contact or get a name as of yet. The person whose house it is wanted to talk with him first.
Oddly enough, the day after I took Skooma he took his dog through the spot where Skooma lived with his dog on a super long leash after riling the dog up. This was through someone's side yard, so he was definitely up to something. I think we know now what happened to the missing cats.

SDerailed said:

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Skooma is a very handsome tigret! Hoping and praying he has a permanent and loving home with you. It takes time for a new member to integrate into a family, whatever the species! and for the family to accept a new member. With my Sammi, it took around a year. Rehoming him was NEVER an option because when I adopt, it's for life. But we had some interesting times including a couple where I had to use a broom to pry apart Sammi and our resident alpha male, Calo -- they were a rolling ball of fury and I couldn't get them to break it up any other way.

On the subject of the community cats, IDK if I've posted this to you before, but it is a FELONY to harm ANY cat in all 50 US States and getting proof of that devil's intent will be very good in getting Justice to deal with it.

tarasgirl06 said:

S Rehoming him was NEVER an option because when I adopt, it's for life.

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I believe that too, which is why I offered to fosterhim. Its not just Salem being a jerk face. He has gotten over that previously. It's the finances and time. I have 3 animals that right now have cancer, one with epilepsy, and one with a serious heart problem. I already spend 2 hours in the morning and 3 at night just getting everyone pilled and taken care of. It's not fair to Skooma. I originally accepted to Foster just to keep him safe. I usually foster kitties, but haven't taken any through the shelter because of my situation right now. When I heart about him I agreed to. Please understand, I'm not rehoming him, I was fostering him so he could be in a forever home. And part of fostering is to find them a forever home where they will thrive.
But we will see. The ones with cancer may end up passing and we may be able to take him on. There's a lot of uncertainty with everyone right now.

SDerailed said:

I believe that too, which is why I offered to FOSTER him. Its not just Salem being a jerk face. He has gotten over that previously. It's the finances and time. I have 3 animals that right now have cancer, one with epilepsy, and one with a serious heart problem. I already spend 2 hours in the morning and 3 at night just getting everyone pilled and taken care of. It's not fair to Skooma. I originally accepted to Foster just to keep him safe. I usually foster kitties, but haven't taken any through the shelter because of my situation right now. When I heart about him I agreed to. Please understand, I'm not rehoming him, I was fostering him so he could be in a forever home. And part of fostering is to find them a forever home where they will thrive.

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Oh wow, that is pretty heroic! All the BEST to all of your furmily, and you, and Skooma!