Bringing friendly strays inside

wvcatguy

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I have other threads related to this issue that I posted recently. Bottom line my mom always cared for animals. We always had pets. If an animal showed up at her house, it got a meal. She would leave extra dry cat food out for a possum that visited! She had the best heart. I lost my mom in September and her home was demolished not long after. The strays that she fed had little shelters on the porch so they had somewhere to go in winter. They could also go under the house. With the home gone, I wasn’t sure where they’d go.

Mom had always wanted to take all the strays with her if she moved. Each one had gotten friendly. One she actually brought inside and it would curl up with her to sleep. It never stayed inside though. The other 2 always let us pet them. With mom gone, I’ve tried to care for her kitties as much as possible. It’s very cold now so I grabbed two and brought them inside tonight. They’re in an empty room at the moment. They both screamed like crazy but clearly weren’t afraid of me. I eventually sat in the floor with them and they both purred. We all relaxed peacefully for an hour but when I leave them, they get upset again.

Seeing them inside, I know my mom would be happy. Is this a good idea though? I’m hoping they get more and more comfortable but will put them back if they’re miserable. (They’ve been to the vet so all that’s taken care of). In the picture below, everyone was comfortable.
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maggie101

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How many did she rescue? I have thought of who will take care of my cats If something were to happen to me. One good thing about Facebook is that I have connections. Having inside outside cats means they will have more trouble staying inside. Same concept with dry and wet food. Feed both they will have more trouble adjusting to just wet depending on thier age
 
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wvcatguy

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Mom took care of these cats for about 5 years. I’d see her come home from work and as she walked to the house, she’d say hi to each one. They would come out and follow her up the steps. Then they’d wrap around her legs when she brought food to them. I’ve pet them for years but this is the first they’ve been inside for an extended amount of time. “Bucky” with the white face has never been inside.
 

fionasmom

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You are so kind to honor your mother's memory like this. I only work with strays and ferals, so essentially have never brought a cat in the house who was not in the exact situation that you describe. I have one now, as of Sunday, who lived at an apartment building nearby but was possibly the target of an attack by a human and needed a place to go. They are never entirely happy at first, but given a few days, things start to evolve. The fact that those in your house are affectionate to you is huge. You are doing the right thing to try to bring them in.

You can get a lot of help here on TCS along the way, as I am sure you know.
 

Jcatbird

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I am so glad you brought them in. I have worked on feral rescues for some time and those are already Galway there before you bring them in. They have had humans around they trust. That is half the battle. I was able to sociialize a great many and the majority adapted so well, I was able to get them adopted. The rest live with me. We are having extreme weather where I live right now and I am so glad that they are all safe abd warm. You have those two in the best place they could be. That last photo speaks volumes! You have trust and love. Beautiful kitties! It can take some time and patience but once I brought a kitty in, they were in and 99% did not want to go back out after experiencing life as a beloved friend to a human. You just extended their life span too. If you were my child and did that for the cats I love, I would be smiling and so very relieved. Thank you for what you are doing. Every kitty guardian is a kitty hero! :clap2::goldstar:
 
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wvcatguy

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After about a week everyone seems relaxed. I worried so much the first night. They screamed so much. One climbed up to a window and tried to escape. However, even that first night they used the liter. That surprised me.
This guy had lived on my mom’s porch for 6 years. We didn’t notice him for a long time. We were looking at pictures and said “Hey that black & white cat has been here forever! He’s in the background of every picture.” He’s really enjoying being inside.
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fionasmom

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So typical. They don't understand being brought inside and for all they know, it could be something awful. Then they start to realize what it means to have safety, food that is only theirs, and comfort.
 
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wvcatguy

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Mom always thought Bucky had 6 toes but we could never get close enough to see. I don’t notice it on his back feet but the front paws are huge. He rolls on his back some so I’ll try to look at them. It’s always been a mystery!
 
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wvcatguy

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Bucky, the one stray that’s never been inside, seems to enjoy it the most. He’s the most comfortable of the three. He’s bonded with my longtime indoor cat and they actually play quite a bit. Lena has adjusted well to everyone. She’s the tabby at the bottom of the tree.

I know Bucky he an extra toe on his front feet but I notice a strange little claw on the side of his back feet. Maybe it’s normal. Everyone else has dark feet so I’ve never noticed it on them.
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