bringing a stray indoors during cold snaps?

julia123123

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
109
Purraise
104
We inherited a 'barn cat' when we moved into our new place last May. She’s tame and friendly, but definitely doesn’t belong to anyone. She’s been living under our front porch for months. She has a neatly clipped ear, so no worries about kittens. We insulated/concrete floored/sealed up the barn, so there's no access there for her. I never saw her back there anyway...she lives on/under our long front porch.

My husband and I have a couple of stray cat shelters on the front porch, which she won’t use.

Our weather recently took a turn for the worse. First rain (and our stray, Claudia, got wet in it), which turned into sleet, which turned into driving snow. I watched her race around on the front porch…first trying the two cat shelters, then fleeing under the porch. I decided to bring her inside.

We have an unheated garage, so I set up food, water, litter box, and a blanket pile. I brought her in and she stayed there overnight. She seemed distressed this morning, first meowing at the garage window and then at the door where I brought her in. She seems to want to go back outside, but I wanted to keep her in until it is AT LEAST mid-20s outside. I was planning on doing this all winter. Unfortunately, I will be gone the week of Christmas, but I was planning on setting out an automatic feeder and heated water bowl (outside).

Unheated garage = 37 degrees.
Outside temp = 12 degrees.

Should I just let her go back outside where she seems to want to go (i.e. does she know better than me)? Any thoughts?
 

Norachan

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
32,669
Purraise
32,855
Location
Mount Fuji, Japan
I'd keep her indoors. I've had to do similar things with feral cats I care for when the weather turned bad. They sometimes cry to go back outside, but as long as she isn't frantic and in danger of doing herself some harm I'd be strict about keeping her in.

Cats are calmer if you play classical harp music to them at low volume, so if you could leave a radio in the garage with her that might help. A Feliway diffuser works well for my cats too.

If you are going to be gone for a week I suggest you plan on leaving her in the garage for that week too. Outdoor feeders will attract a lot of other animals. Could you ask someone to come round every day to scoop her litter box and fill up food and water bowls?

Thank you for taking care of her. Outdoor cats need all the help they can get in cold weather.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

julia123123

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
109
Purraise
104
Thanks! I'll keep her in another day, since the temperature is supposed to rise quite a bit by Wednesday. I've definitely been worried about Christmas. I'd much rather stay home, anyway, since I feed a couple of other strays (they show up sporadically), a couple of possums, and a skunk. :) I was planning on getting a 20-cup capacity feeder with a battery back-up and building a wooden frame for it, so animals couldn't knock it over. I will see how Claudia takes to the garage over the next month. Maybe she'll get used to it and won't mind a week there. I would just add a couple of litter boxes...we live in the country and our neighbors are elderly. It would be a 20 - 30 minute drive for any friend and Christmas is usually a busy time for people.
 

Jcatbird

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
10,301
Purraise
58,378
Location
United States
I know she may cry being inside but that’s just because she isn’t sure about being confined in a strange place. Once she understands it is safe, includes warmth, food, water, litter and love, everything begins to change. Some of the ferals I least expected to become content have turned out to be the most affectionate and sweetest of all. Cats that live without proper shelter tend to live much shorter lives. I don’t know where you are but here we face bad weather, bad humans and predators. In order to keep these kitties safe, it meant socializing and finally bringing them indoors. It did take readjusting for them but they have been greatly enjoying their lives. Thank you for helping her and the other stray/ferals there. It can make all the difference.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

julia123123

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
109
Purraise
104
Update: I let her outside yesterday during the "warmest" (22 d?) part of the day. She tore around the front porch and then sat meowing on the doorstep. I opened the garage door and she darted in. My husband set up a space heater by her bed and she was very toasty and happy all night. :) It will be nearly 40 today, but I'm going to see if she'd still rather spend nights in the garage. Winter is just starting and I want to make sure she has a comfortable one if I can!
 

Norachan

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
32,669
Purraise
32,855
Location
Mount Fuji, Japan
Oh, she's so pretty! She sounds like a smart girl as well, she knows where she's safe and warm.

:cheerleader:
 

ArchyCat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 22, 2017
Messages
1,202
Purraise
1,801
Location
Texas
Please make her an indoor only cat! Aside from the weather, outdoor cats are prey for larger predators. Such as coyotes. Also an adult raccoon can easily kill a cat. Also, an outdoor cat is exposed to paricites fleas, ticks, and worms.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

julia123123

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
109
Purraise
104
Please make her an indoor only cat! Aside from the weather, outdoor cats are prey for larger predators. Such as coyotes. Also an adult raccoon can easily kill a cat. Also, an outdoor cat is exposed to paricites fleas, ticks, and worms.
I wish I could. I have 2 indoor cats already, one of which is a super territorial type A cat, also female, who HATES this outdoor cat. They fight through the screen in the summer. I feel pretty sure that she wouldn't tolerate even a slow introduction. Also, my husband is allergic to cats. We have 2, but his allergist says NO MORE indoor cats for us! I wish she could come in, but the best I can do is give her a little heated spot in the garage this winter.
 

Norachan

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
32,669
Purraise
32,855
Location
Mount Fuji, Japan
I wish she could come in, but the best I can do is give her a little heated spot in the garage this winter.
Even this is going to make a huge difference to her this winter. A warm spot and regular food will help her survive the cold. If she's happy living on your porch you could always think about making her a cation in the spring. Lots of outdoor cats live that way.

1573730502019.png

1573730520668.png

1573730562460.png


If you Google catio you'll see lots more examples.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

julia123123

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
109
Purraise
104
Even this is going to make a huge difference to her this winter. A warm spot and regular food will help her survive the cold. If she's happy living on your porch you could always think about making her a cation in the spring. Lots of outdoor cats live that way.

View attachment 307749
View attachment 307750
View attachment 307751

If you Google catio you'll see lots more examples.
Wow, that's pretty fancy! I'd like to make something like this for my indoor cats who aren't allowed outside, but really want to be outside. :)
 
Top