A Stray No More !!

Minxxy

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Snickers is a very beautiful sweet kitty. He’s been to the Vet. Already neutered. He had his Rabies Vax,Deworming, Ear mite treatment. He goes back in three weeks for Felv Vax. He also gets a monthly dose of Advantage Multi.
He does still live outside but that can’t change for now. He has two very nice winter shelters which he is very happy with. I’m just so happy he found us.
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Dave Brownlee

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He does still live outside but that can’t change for now. He has two very nice winter shelters which he is very happy with. I’m just so happy he found us. View attachment 277482
Cool...but you have to be a little bit realistic...raccoons, skunks, C-yotes, and other mammal predators will certainly prevent your outdoor cat from a comfortable sleep like you have.
 

msaimee

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Some feral/semi-feral cats are happiest outside, and are savvy enough to know how to co-exist with raccoons, opossums, squirrels, and know to avoid cars. This winter I have socialized a semi-feral to the point where she is my indoor/outdoor cat, and she is very happy and well-cared for. I have another I take out on a lead and harness during warm weather, and the other 4 are indoors only. Every cat and situation is different, there's no one rule to fit all. What matters is that a cat is loved and well-cared for.
 

Maria Bayote

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Wow handsome boy! He is lucky to have found you too.:cheerleader:

My Bourbon was a semi-feral before and initially she abhorred being strictly kept indoors. Now she has accepted the fact that she no longer cannot go outside unless for walks, and is content in laying beside the window and sleep during most of the day.
 

Elphaba09

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Cool...but you have to be a little bit realistic...raccoons, skunks, C-yotes, and other mammal predators will certainly prevent your outdoor cat from a comfortable sleep like you have.
Ferals and strays who have adapted to being outside can be traumatized if forced to come indoors. When my son was 3 or 4 (he is almost 26 now), he found a cat in our yard. I tried to make her an indoor cat, but she hated it and spent a week trying to get out and being stressed overall before I finally decided to get her a heated house. She lived for 12 years. We had coyotes in the area. I brought her in during her last winter because she was so old and it was so nasty. She lived six, miserable days, longing to get out before she died.

Our nine cats were all once strays or found as ferals when they were kittens. Adjusting to indoor life came easily for them, even Evangeline who survived for a few years behind the restaurant where my son is a sous chef before he finally caught her. We car for a small colony and have a feral who lives on our front porch. Linden, our feral, would not do well in our house. He is as spoiled as he will let us spoil him, even if I will never be able to pet him.

I am sure you are coming from a good place. A bit snarky, but still a good place. But, it is not always as black and white as you are making it.

M Minxxy : So glad Snickers found you! He is adorable!
 

msaimee

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I think it's best not to get too involved in the indoor only vs. outdoor only vs. indoor/outdoor debate. Each cat is different. Alley Cats International advises against forcing adult feral cats to be indoor cats because it is too stressful for most, and they will live frustrated lives. Most strays can re-adjust to indoors only, but they are not ferals. I look at it this way. While it would be safer for me to remain indoors only, so I don't get into a car accident or some other mishap, I value my freedom to go out and live fully and take my chances. And feral cats deserve the same freedom to choose how to live their lives. However, I think we can agree to disagree on this issue and focus on what we can all agree on-- all cats should be spayed/neutered, receive veterinary care, and be provided with food and some type if shelter. The OP is doing this for her cat. We all do what we can.
 
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Minxxy

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Cool...but you have to be a little bit realistic...raccoons, skunks, C-yotes, and other mammal predators will certainly prevent your outdoor cat from a comfortable sleep like you have.
Yes I know that. It can't be helped at this point. We have two cats in the house as well as three dogs. Snickers is afraid of the dogs.
 
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Minxxy

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Some feral/semi-feral cats are happiest outside, and are savvy enough to know how to co-exist with raccoons, opossums, squirrels, and know to avoid cars. This winter I have socialized a semi-feral to the point where she is my indoor/outdoor cat, and she is very happy and well-cared for. I have another I take out on a lead and harness during warm weather, and the other 4 are indoors only. Every cat and situation is different, there's no one rule to fit all. What matters is that a cat is loved and well-cared for.
Thank you so much. He is loved and well cared for.
 
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Minxxy

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Wow handsome boy! He is lucky to have found you too.:cheerleader:

My Bourbon was a semi-feral before and initially she abhorred being strictly kept indoors. Now she has accepted the fact that she no longer cannot go outside unless for walks, and is content in laying beside the window and sleep during most of the day.
Thank you so much..
 
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Minxxy

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Ferals and strays who have adapted to being outside can be traumatized if forced to come indoors. When my son was 3 or 4 (he is almost 26 now), he found a cat in our yard. I tried to make her an indoor cat, but she hated it and spent a week trying to get out and being stressed overall before I finally decided to get her a heated house. She lived for 12 years. We had coyotes in the area. I brought her in during her last winter because she was so old and it was so nasty. She lived six, miserable days, longing to get out before she died.

Our nine cats were all once strays or found as ferals when they were kittens. Adjusting to indoor life came easily for them, even Evangeline who survived for a few years behind the restaurant where my son is a sous chef before he finally caught her. We car for a small colony and have a feral who lives on our front porch. Linden, our feral, would not do well in our house. He is as spoiled as he will let us spoil him, even if I will never be able to pet him.

I am sure you are coming from a good place. A bit snarky, but still a good place. But, it is not always as black and white as you are making it.

M Minxxy : So glad Snickers found you! He is adorable!
Thank you so much. I think he's very happy. He comes in the house a few times a day for a snack and warm up but he's happy to get back outside..
 
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Minxxy

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I think it's best not to get too involved in the indoor only vs. outdoor only vs. indoor/outdoor debate. Each cat is different. Alley Cats International advises against forcing adult feral cats to be indoor cats because it is too stressful for most, and they will live frustrated lives. Most strays can re-adjust to indoors only, but they are not ferals. I look at it this way. While it would be safer for me to remain indoors only, so I don't get into a car accident or some other mishap, I value my freedom to go out and live fully and take my chances. And feral cats deserve the same freedom to choose how to live their lives. However, I think we can agree to disagree on this issue and focus on what we can all agree on-- all cats should be spayed/neutered, receive veterinary care, and be provided with food and some type if shelter. The OP is doing this for her cat. We all do what we can.
Thank you so much. I'm doing the best I can for him.
 
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