Can Ferals Ever Become Indoor Cats?

[okeelady]

All of my previous cats (14 of them) have been stray ferals that just showed up at my house over the years. Emily my current cat I adopted from my local shelter. All of the strays adapted to living indoors and I never had a problem with litter boxes etc. I'd get them fixed, vaccines, tested and kept them separated from my other cats for awhile. At one time my late husband said if I ever brought in another stray cat we'd name it divorce ha ha. I even brought one into my house and my husband didn't even notice it for days.

 

[nomeowing]

You are a hero. Thank you for caring for these guys. Do what you can. I disagree about rushing them to a vet to be tested if they're already fixed. First, I've found few vets that will treat a feral and second, even if they do have an immune illness, they can live long healthy lives. Cats hate change and just getting adjusted to a new home - an inside one - is plenty. Give them lots of places like cardboard boxes to hide. Make a pact with them that you'll wait for them to come to you. Then be patient. And know that you're doing a wonderful thing.

Thank you so much. I hope I can find a place to buy and move soon. Thank you for additional things to consider.

 

[nomeowing]

Yo ! Greetings from Northeastern Québec. You need not worry about the litter box. That is automatic. This is my opinion only, but the risk would be for them to wander off once you let them loose in your new place. Maybe if you keep them inside a few days, they would call your house home and come back to eat. If they do, but getting them to come in might be a long process. I have succeeded over many months in converting a female feral cat I had captured and got operated on to a house cat. After a few years, though, she only cuddles on the couch next to me when SHE feels like it, and is skitterish about being picked up. Yes, an adult cat cn be 'converted', but it never becomes a full-fledged, loving, hugging, house cat unless you imprint it when it's a few weeks old. My first cat was caught behind the barn in october. She could fit in my pocket. Despite all her growling and hissing in the cage, after 5 days of being invisible in the house, she came over and climbed up on my while I was sleeping. That was that. Good luck, I wish there were more people like you who cared.

Thank you for your response. My plan will be to keep them as indoor cats. I'm looking for a manufactured home in an all adult park. I wouldn't let them out. Could be complaining neighbors and I would worry about them anyway. They are used to the gulch behind my work place and I wouldn't want them outside again. Hopefully when I can move they would get used to it.

 

[nomeowing]

If they don’t get a vet check then you will need to keep them separated from your kitties until they do. Although the majority of mine didn’t have any issues, I had rescues from a previous colony and my Felv cat lives in a separate area from my other kitties. He owns the master bedroom. Lol I needed to test the new kitties to avoid cross contamination since I had to bring most together at some point and I needed to get many adopted out. We did have to treat new kitties for worms, and one had Fiv but he’s well and happy. There were over 100 so the odds went very well in the kitties favor.

I do plan that they will go to the vet. Perhaps not the first week but when they calm a bit in their new environment. I would keep them separate for sure at first. How integration with them all would go, I can only speculate. The two at my work place are used to seeing other cats. Mine aren't. I'd be willing to give them the largest bedroom and make the living room my room. I've considered this since I rarely have people in my home and it would be for myself and the cats, not anyone else's convenience.

 

[nomeowing]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Your advice and encouragement is so helpful. Especially after the no-help and nasty response I got from the woman who runs the local animal benefit thrift store. The store funds trap/fix/release in my area for ferals and those that maintain colonies. Since the store is closed now I know they are low on funds. I sent a small donation since I'm an essential worker.

 

[Catdaddyrabbit]

I know there are many posts here about ferals and I have read through some threads but I wanted to post my situation. I work part time and when I started working there 3 years ago I noticed cats. There are 3. A woman was coming daily to feed them. They are fixed. She died suddenly which I didn't know. A man then man came to feed them associated with the local trap/spay/release organization but stopped coming. Through the local animal benefit thrift store I got his number. He admitted he stopped going and when I called back and told the woman who runs the thrift store she was rather nasty to me. I have since taken over their care.

My work place backs up to undeveloped land which is not buildable. The street out front is bust, but they don't go up that way. I have permission from the administrator to go in on my days off to feed them. Most employees like the cats. There was talk once of trapping them and taking them to the humane society but our local humane society does not take feral cats. This has since kind of faded away.

I can pet the two bonded ones and even partially pick them up. I had to remove a long piece of a hard weed type matter that was sticking out of the males eye the other day. Poor thing. The eye looks good now.

I live in an apartment but I'm looking for manufactured home in a park. I will not buy a house. I did that and I'm nearing retirement so this is what I'm looking for but newer places are hard to come by and more expensive. I would like to try and take the two tamer ones if and when I find a place. Would it ever be possible I wonder? I don't know what their litter box use would be of coarse since they have always been outside. The 3rd one is more feral and I could only take the two. I don't know how my two I have would react but I would have an extra bedroom for them to start.

Sorry this went on so long. Any ideas or thoughts. I worry about them every day.

Hello and bless you for your continued efforts. My name is Tony and I'm me to this site.i now have 5 years experience helping these little ferral guys and what I've learned is they are a creature of habit. They don't listen to what you say they simply watch what you do. Every move, especially at feeding time. If I do it like clockwork everyday same time, sit nearby not starring or making eye contact with them, then they want to get to know me instead of me making it a point to know them. They are all previous in their own little way and each are different. Once you've earned their trust they will cooperate. Bringing new ones in with others. I put them in a large comfortable cage with food and water. I sit them right in the middle with the others, they come up do their sniff meet and greet and I watch for aggression. Some times it takes 1 day sometimes 3 days when all aggression goes away and the others have accepted their presence I simply open the door of the cage. Sometimes the cat will come out or others may go into the cage. Before you know it they are all getting along fine. It also doesn't jepordize no one's safety.. I am NO EXPERT BY FAR this is only what has worked for me. Just the thought of you wanting to care for those prexious lives makes you a wonderful person. I'm 60 years old and wish there was more good folks like you.
GOOD LUCK AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU

 

[kittyluv387]

All of my previous cats (14 of them) have been stray ferals that just showed up at my house over the years. Emily my current cat I adopted from my local shelter. All of the strays adapted to living indoors and I never had a problem with litter boxes etc. I'd get them fixed, vaccines, tested and kept them separated from my other cats for awhile. At one time my late husband said if I ever brought in another stray cat we'd name it divorce ha ha. I even brought one into my house and my husband didn't even notice it for days.

That's hilarious he didn't notice for a few days lol.

 

[nomeowing]

All of my previous cats (14 of them) have been stray ferals that just showed up at my house over the years. Emily my current cat I adopted from my local shelter. All of the strays adapted to living indoors and I never had a problem with litter boxes etc. I'd get them fixed, vaccines, tested and kept them separated from my other cats for awhile. At one time my late husband said if I ever brought in another stray cat we'd name it divorce ha ha. I even brought one into my house and my husband didn't even notice it for days.

Oh wow, I had a stray (neighbors of my parents moved and left her) I took her to my apartment and made an indoor cat out of her and she adjusted immediately. She was grumpy but I loved her. She's gone of old age about 15 years now.

 

[nomeowing]

Hello and bless you for your continued efforts. My name is Tony and I'm me to this site.i now have 5 years experience helping these little ferral guys and what I've learned is they are a creature of habit. They don't listen to what you say they simply watch what you do. Every move, especially at feeding time. If I do it like clockwork everyday same time, sit nearby not starring or making eye contact with them, then they want to get to know me instead of me making it a point to know them. They are all previous in their own little way and each are different. Once you've earned their trust they will cooperate. Bringing new ones in with others. I put them in a large comfortable cage with food and water. I sit them right in the middle with the others, they come up do their sniff meet and greet and I watch for aggression. Some times it takes 1 day sometimes 3 days when all aggression goes away and the others have accepted their presence I simply open the door of the cage. Sometimes the cat will come out or others may go into the cage. Before you know it they are all getting along fine. It also doesn't jepordize no one's safety.. I am NO EXPERT BY FAR this is only what has worked for me. Just the thought of you wanting to care for those prexious lives makes you a wonderful person. I'm 60 years old and wish there was more good folks like you.
GOOD LUCK AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU

Thank you for your experiences and encouragement. It's very helpful information. And for all the kitties you have helped.