Tough Time Dealing With Chotu The Stray

Psybug said:

I have had a minor success of epic proportions... i have been trying to get chotu to sleep indoors during the day., sans the yowling and trying to claw his way out from under the door..and today.. without too much fuss he seemingly resigned himself to the fate after some half hearted playing and jumped up onto the open cupboard and curled up to sleep... he got a very delicious treat indeed....

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I consider that great progress! That’s wonderful news. I am so happy for you both! Thank you for giving us all the good news! I’m smiling.

@Willowy I saw an older post by you and wondered if you could help with plane and airport travel tips here. I saw that you traveled from Japan with kitties.

Groups We Help - HelpAnimalsIndia

Hi!
Have you had a chance to contact any of the groups on this list that HelpAnimalsIndia supports?

Any that are close to you, or any that are near an airport may be able to provide information on veterinarians, and also tips and guidance for what's best to do in an airport.

Furballsmom said:

Groups We Help - HelpAnimalsIndia

Hi!
Have you had a chance to contact any of the groups on this list that HelpAnimalsIndia supports?

Any that are close to you, or any that are near an airport may be able to provide information on veterinarians, and also tips and guidance for what's best to do in an airport.

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Yes. Contact some of these people! They may be able to advise well!

Pets
Air Canada Airline Pet Policy - Fly Your Dog or Cat Safely
And use your googler to find more on "regulations for domestic cat travelling by airplane from India to Canada".
Blue Cross of India is one organization there. Animals 24/7 is a good source to use to find activists in India including Chinny Krishna and Maneka Gandhi. Also:
Category:Animal welfare organisations based in India - Wikipedia

Hi! I hope that everything is going well for you and Chotu. I had you on my mind and just wanted to send warm greetings!

hi, thanks for writing - how have you and all your kitties been?
i drafted a message but didnt send it - so heres an update.
we have 15 days to travel
1. i have been feeding chotu in the carrier with one side open. he wont stay for long post eating even though i do try and play a bit.
2. i dont put him in the carrier for any length of time as the previous post suggested from one of the other members...
3. i am trying to teach him that yowling wont get his way - so only after he stops yowling and he has been indoors for a while then i let him out. he doesnt like sleeping indoors...unless theres a storm ...
i dont really know what else i can do to prepare him for travel - so am just letting him enjoy his freedom for the time being....

I think you're doing super!

Furballsmom said:

I think you're doing super!

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You are doing great! I agree!
I think you have made great progress and come to an understanding with Chotu. All your work will make the transitions much easier for you both.
My kitties are all well except that Whistle got a scratch on his eye. I have been a little sick myself so we are both on antibiotics. Lol When I take my medicine, I show Whistle that it really isn’t such a bad thing. He , kind of, listens to me. He still gives me a little dirty look. He also complained to his sister about me and she gave me a dirty look. That’s okay though. I can survive that. His eye is looking better today so it’s worth the battle to get the medicine in him. We are spending time snuggling afterwards and all is forgiven.
Please post as you can. We are all thinking of you both.

10 days till i leave: Chotu still prefers to be outdoors so i let him enjoy. he walks away from me still - he rarely comes up to me unless its for food. i imagine he would be even more mad once we are on the plane for 20 hours. I watch him play outdoors and try to join in when i can - which is hide and seek in the garden etc. His buddy has reached sexual maturity and is howling up a storm and super affectionate towards me which i find difficult to handle as i dont want to bond with him as a way to protect him from my disappearance. (i will leave food for his buddy). am still mulling over this long plane ride. the calmex has come so that is a blessing in disguise...i have managed to get chotu to eat some as i put it in his food but his buddy ended up eating it instead. i am still on the fence about relocating chotu - fearing the temperature change and lifestyle change and no buddy around - i try to ignore the human projections and am really unsure about how cold he is towards me. he has no reason to mistrust or be mad at me perse so i am very foxed at this behaviour. i know every one here encourages me to take him but he seems so resentful...hates being in the apartment - prefers to sleep in mud in the heat. Luckily his calmex has come so i hope that is effective for the plane. We have one long vet and quarantine visit that we need to do before we fly out...trial run of calmex for that... and i gotta say that although i am committed to taking him...it breaks my heart that he is disinterested so i keep reminding myself its his adolescence?

Psybug said:

10 days till i leave: Chotu still prefers to be outdoors so i let him enjoy. he walks away from me still - he rarely comes up to me unless its for food. i imagine he would be even more mad once we are on the plane for 20 hours. I watch him play outdoors and try to join in when i can - which is hide and seek in the garden etc. His buddy has reached sexual maturity and is howling up a storm and super affectionate towards me which i find difficult to handle as i dont want to bond with him as a way to protect him from my disappearance. (i will leave food for his buddy). am still mulling over this long plane ride. the calmex has come so that is a blessing in disguise...i have managed to get chotu to eat some as i put it in his food but his buddy ended up eating it instead. i am still on the fence about relocating chotu - fearing the temperature change and lifestyle change and no buddy around - i try to ignore the human projections and am really unsure about how cold he is towards me. he has no reason to mistrust or be mad at me perse so i am very foxed at this behaviour. i know every one here encourages me to take him but he seems so resentful...hates being in the apartment - prefers to sleep in mud in the heat. Luckily his calmex has come so i hope that is effective for the plane. We have one long vet and quarantine visit that we need to do before we fly out...trial run of calmex for that... and i gotta say that although i am committed to taking him...it breaks my heart that he is disinterested so i keep reminding myself its his adolescence?

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I had very similar feelings when I moved and brought my 3 feral cats with me. They had never lived in a house and so loved living outside. I had made the decision that they would be inside cats at my new home. Living outside was so dangerous for them and my new location is in a very wooded area with lots of other wildlife. It broke my heart that they would never be outside again. Yet, I knew that this was the best way to keep them safe. I also loved them so much and the thought of leaving them behind and never seeing them again was a much worse thought to me. I had cared for them for many years and it would have been beyond cruel to just up and leave them. That thought never crossed my mind.

Try to think of the wonderful life Chotu will have with you. He will be loved and never want for food. There may be challenges along the way, but you have bonded with with wonderful boy.

What are your plans with Chotu once you get to Canada? I just want to be sure that you are aware that he needs an acclimation period so he cannot go outside for the first 3-6 weeks. If he does, instinct would kick in and he would try to leave and find his former territory. Even though it it thousands of miles away. You will need a safe room for him where he can adjust to inside living. You want to be sure it is cat proofed so he cannot hide under beds or other large furniture. You need him out in the open so you can continue to socialize and visit him. Once he is adjusted to living in this room, you can slowly allow him time in the rest of your home. Just take it slowly.

You are doing such a great job!

shadowsrescue said:

I had very similar feelings when I moved and brought my 3 feral cats with me. They had never lived in a house and so loved living outside. I had made the decision that they would be inside cats at my new home. Living outside was so dangerous for them and my new location is in a very wooded area with lots of other wildlife. It broke my heart that they would never be outside again. Yet, I knew that this was the best way to keep them safe. I also loved them so much and the thought of leaving them behind and never seeing them again was a much worse thought to me. I had cared for them for many years and it would have been beyond cruel to just up and leave them. That thought never crossed my mind.

Try to think of the wonderful life Chotu will have with you. He will be loved and never want for food. There may be challenges along the way, but you have bonded with with wonderful boy.

What are your plans with Chotu once you get to Canada? I just want to be sure that you are aware that he needs an acclimation period so he cannot go outside for the first 3-6 weeks. If he does, instinct would kick in and he would try to leave and find his former territory. Even though it it thousands of miles away. You will need a safe room for him where he can adjust to inside living. You want to be sure it is cat proofed so he cannot hide under beds or other large furniture. You need him out in the open so you can continue to socialize and visit him. Once he is adjusted to living in this room, you can slowly allow him time in the rest of your home. Just take it slowly.

You are doing such a great job!

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Hi shadow.... thank you for writing...and sharing your wonderful story.
My fiancee's house has 3 bedrooms... one wpuld be ours and the other for his brother and the last one would be a study. So my quandry is... the bedrooms have beds one can probably fit under...hence we will have to figure that out... and we have a beagle and a blind husky to contend with. I do need to socialise him to my fiancee and the dogs by doing all the recommended things such as a room to himself but i dont want him to be alone or scared...so i guess the bathroom would be the best place as there are not too many places to hide. I am getting married a month after chotu and i reach so these are.major changes foe both of us.
I have read the articles here and researched the web for settling chotu into a new place so the recommendation is 2 to 4 weeks ... and we would need to let the animals smell each others scent... peep and see each other in protective environments...and we are coming from extremely opposite temperatures which doesn't mean anything as such ... i guess i would spend the majority of time with chotu in the room as he hates being alone... would sleep etc there... is there anything else i can do... let us survive the plane

If possible, I would use the study if there is no bed in there. It would be nice if he had a place to look outside and more space to move around. Also if he hates to be alone, it would be easier for you to have in a room rather than a bathroom. You need a nice place where you will want to go and spend time with him. A bathroom will work, but a larger more comfortable space would be ideal. Another option is to place the bed flat on the floor for awhile or just pick the mattress up and place it against the wall.

When I have brought feral cats inside, I have picked the bed up and just placed it against the wall and covered with old sheets/towels.

I am glad you have a plan in place. I also know all about the worry. The biggest thing is to just stay calm. Chotu will pick up on your angst. Also cats are pretty adaptable. It may take him a few weeks or months to adjust, but in time he really will. The 3 I brought inside really like living inside. It is warm outside now and I have sliding doors ( with screens) and windows open. They rarely even want to sniff the outside!

Psybug said:

Hi shadow.... thank you for writing...and sharing your wonderful story.
My fiancee's house has 3 bedrooms... one wpuld be ours and the other for his brother and the last one would be a study. So my quandry is... the bedrooms have beds one can probably fit under...hence we will have to figure that out... and we have a beagle and a blind husky to contend with. I do need to socialise him to my fiancee and the dogs by doing all the recommended things such as a room to himself but i dont want him to be alone or scared...so i guess the bathroom would be the best place as there are not too many places to hide. I am getting married a month after chotu and i reach so these are.major changes foe both of us.
I have read the articles here and researched the web for settling chotu into a new place so the recommendation is 2 to 4 weeks ... and we would need to let the animals smell each others scent... peep and see each other in protective environments...and we are coming from extremely opposite temperatures which doesn't mean anything as such ... i guess i would spend the majority of time with chotu in the room as he hates being alone... would sleep etc there... is there anything else i can do... let us survive the plane

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You can use a cloth, old towel or Tshirt and rub it on each of the animals in turn, to acclimate each of them to the scent of the others. This is said by experts to be helpful. Or you can put some scent (perfume, oil, cologne, eau de toilette) on the cloth and rub that on each of them, but be sure it is a safe scent for them. I would use the rubbing on each other over the rubbing the scent, personally.
All the very best to you all and *PRAYERS* for safe journeys and safe, calm, friendly adaptation for all! I would also choose the study for Chotu. You can place his litterbox, his food and water dishes (I use a tray from IKEA to put these on; you could also use a plastic/washable place mat), a cat bed or cushion, his toys, scratching pad, and cat activity center/cat tree in there for him.

You’re getting advice from great people! I’m very glad you will have a chance for a trial run on the calmex. Having Chotu in quarrantine and at the vet will be a good way to test everything out.

Will there be someone to care for his buddy when you leave? Would it be possible to bring both cats to Canada?

I know you are dreading the long journey on the plane to your new home. I have found that It helps to keep the long term perspective in mind. Yes, your cat will likely have an anxious journey to your new home. He won't be happy about it at all. But he will get through it, and so will you. Then he will have many safe and happy years ahead of him in his forever home with you. The memory of that anxious day of traveling will very soon be forgotten. It will have been very well worth it.

I would recommend a cat tree, 6 foot is best, which you could purchase from Amazon or eBay for under a $100. A cat tree in the room where you are going to socialize him would afford him height and cubbyholes to hide in, but he would still be in view and you would be able to interact with him.I don't know if this is feasible with your financial situation, but I have found having a cat tree to be very helpful when bringing in a new cat. You may also want to microchip him so that if he does get out of the house after you have moved, and he is found by someone, he will be returned to you.

The other reason I ask if it would be possible to bring along his buddy is that in addition to offering a better life for his buddy, your cat would be comforted by having a feline companion with him. Yes, it may sound crazy to take in yet another cat, but in the long run, if you have the space to do it, it might be the happiest solution for all.

Hang in there, you are doing a good job.

6 days to go:
if someone sets up a go fund me account and raises funds for the buddy i would be more than happy to initiate paper work for bringing him over on my return to canada in winter jan 2020 - otherwise i am afraid i have to trust the domestic help to feed him for duration i am away. (which is coming out of my savings post which i have to wait a few months to be able to earn once i relocate).

chotu is young...he loves watching the grass grow and the bugs hop around so i might get him a long lead to allow him access to the garden but i dont want him going into neighbors houses.plus i want him to be aware of the outside world which will be different from what he knows - but i guess i can acclimatise him to that after a few weeks.

we will put chotu in our bedroom which has an attached bathroom - and i hope he wont fit under the bed...how long should i keep him in the bedroom/bathroom before i introduce him to the other furry creatures (beagle and husky) i have asked my fiancee to remove all breakable objects just incase theres a little bit of running around ...

but let us survive the next 6 days...and the plane ride

again thank you all for your neverending support. am grateful for time that allows me to

You want to make the bedroom/bathroom his safe place. No dogs allowed for the time being. Give him time to adjust to inside living. You will know once he is comfortable moving around the space that you can introduce one dog at a time. The dog should be on a leash and well trained. You don't want the dogs chasing after Chotu causing him to be fearful and hide.

Is there a way to block under the bed. I assure you he will go under and it's nearly impossible to get a cat out unless food motivated. I guess you could wait and see. If he goes under, once you get him out, put the bed flat on the floor.

Take it all one step at a time. This is a process and you don't want to rush it. Follow Chotu's lead. Watch his body language.

Thinking of you this week. Just remember to breathe and take care of yourself too. I know this will all work out!

Although there are common guidelines people are advised to follow when transitioning an outside/new cat into a new household, I have learned that every cat and situation is different, and you just have to go with your gut. I have had cats who needed to be kept in a safe room for a couple weeks (while having times of supervised contact with other pets), and other cats who bonded with my resident cats and took the run of the house withn a few days (one jumped the baby gate and clawed the door open because she decided she wanted out, and was fine with the other cats).. You know your cat better than anyone. Take it one step at a time, don't worry too much about how things are going to go. You will have no idea. I also think it's fine for a new cat to have a safe hiding place, whether it's a box with a blanket, under the bed, inside a closet. Your cat isn't feral, he won't barricade himself for long, if at all.

I have found it's very difficult to train a cat to accept a lead and harness prior to going outside, you just have the take the cat outside in it. He will become so interested in his surroundings that he will not notice the harness after a few minutes and will move around and explore. The cat will likely not walk beside you like a dog would, but will enjoy eating the grass and exploring on the lead. I attach two leads together so it is super long so he can take off in a sprint or climb my crab apple tree with me running behind. I can now also allow this cat to be in my front and back yards under my supervision without the lead and harness. It is a very good compromise for a formerly outdoor cat.

Remember that It's very possible that your cat may adjust quickly to being indoors, and to your dogs, and will have the run of the house and interact with your other pets sooner rather than later. They aren't strangers, they are already familiar with each other's scent. I have had some easy transitions for new pets over the years, sometimes it goes amazingly smoothly. The last outdoor cat I took inside (she's my one indoor/outdoor cat), wasn't put in a separate room. She and my resident 5 cats were already familiar with each other from interacting with each other through the windows separating my porch from my sun room. They were also familiar with each other's scent on me. She simply walked inside my house and went to sleep on the couch. Take it one step at a time. It will work out.

I believe Chotu will adjust to his new home as long as you stay positive. Give him time to feel comfortable before introducing the dogs. As already mentioned watch how he reacts & work at a pace he is comfortable with.

Make his new world fun with a cat tree or wall shelves, toys & play time. My guys enjoy going outside, but are only allowed when we can supervise. One needs to be on a lead otherwise he gets too excited & runs around chasing everything (& away from us if we try to get him). He also can't tolerate the hot weather. So, I try to create new things for them to explore inside. Just made a bed sheet tent (draped a sheet over furniture, used some boxes to create walls & put a blanket inside). They enjoy napping inside, but also play in there. We also have a nice window area for them to look out with a bird feeder & bird bath.

We have to remember that our animals need mental stimulation since their world is rather small compared to ours. Changing toys, play areas, find activities to keep them entertained will help to prevent boredom & prevent them from acting out.

Chotu seems to prefer being outside because there's lot to explore & its really fun. Its like a child wanting to go to a park or playground. Don't take this to heart. He is very young & has lot of energy. Try to find ways help him be happy in his new home.