Can't Tame Feral...i Am Near Tears...need Advice

[msaimee]

I don't know how your resident cats behave during and after a vet visit, but almost every cat I've had hates the vet trip whether fully domesticated or not. the whole ordeal is exhausting for them and it's not uncommon for them to hide 4 several hours or even the entire day afterwards. This is normal. You are worrying way too much, and this may be stressing her out. Stop worrying about whether or not she is happy right now. She is safe and being cared for, and when you move in a few months, you will be able to take her with you. no cat or even person is always happy in life, most of us dislike change. Apple is hanging in there, and you need to hang in there too. Drink a glass of wine tonight and relax

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

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sweetblackpaws - I hope you'll take this advice to Heart:

You are worrying way too much, and this may be stressing her out. Stop worrying about whether or not she is happy right now. She is safe and being cared for, and when you move in a few months, you will be able to take her with you.

Everything of value in Life takes time and requires patience - and nothing does more than bringing a feral cat into your Family. In the end, it's worth every moment you spent, but it doesn't happen overnight. Look forward.
.

 

[shadowsrescue]

After I brought the mobile vet to see my 3, it was days before they stopped hiding. They were processing it the best they could. I just allowed them the time and space to decompress. I carried out my normal routine with them. They did all come around again.

Then the recent vet visit after my move with a sick feral who had to be sedated. It took him a long time to work things out. Yet, this is so common with feral cats. This is all new to them.

I have learned throughout the years that my emotions play a HUGE part in the progress my cats make. If I am stressed, they wory and get stressed too. When I calm and in control, it all runs smoothly.

 

[KrazyForKats]

I think regression is to be expected after the vet trip. It’s traumatic for any kitty, let alone a feral. I was eager to start socializing Charlie with my other cat once he got a clean bill of health, but he really needed to recover from the vet visit first. I ended up giving him about 2 weeks.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

She has now stopped eating and is still in the closet. This is serious. Also, I do not feel my emotions are to blame. I am stressed because she is miserable. I have had cats my entire life and I know she is not happy. I am willing to wait it out and I know hiding can be expected, but she needs to eat.

I have read countless success stories on here about tamed ferals, and she does not seem to be moving in any forward pattern after 2.5 weeks that would indicate to me she is not miserable.

Should I just keep the door open and give her the opportunity to have the run of the apartment and meet the other cats? I was going to do it gradually, but at this point, I don't think she would be any less stressed.

 

[KrazyForKats]

Awww, poor kitty. I know you said she didn't need any injections, but did the vet give her any vaccinations, such as rabies? I'm guessing she's simply recovering from the trauma of the vet visit and the gabapentin and anything else the vet did. Can you put some water in the closet with her? At 10 lbs. she'll be okay if she doesn't eat for a day. I doubt she'd go anywhere right now even if you did give her the run of the apartment. Keep us posted.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Not eating is also to be expected. She had vaccines which can cause her to not want to eat. Offer her some tuna/tuna water.

She is moving much faster and easier than many ferals who try to climb the wall, yowl, howl and do anything to get out. She is stressed right now from a vet visit. It might take her many days to get over this.

I would not let her out of the room since you are not able to handle her. You say your cats are gentle, but with a newcomber it might be too much. If she were cornered by one that would only add to her stress.

Are you using Feliway or have you tried any Composure to help calm her?

Just remember all of the stress she had outside. Dogs chased/bothered her, other humans frightened her as well as the dangers of cars and other predators. If you let her back outside, she will have to fend for herself when you move. The chances of you retrapping or capturing her later would be very slim.

If you read the success stories on her, most of the feral cats have taken many many many months and even into and over a year to adjust. Set backs are going to happen each time something new happens. Whenever I have someone come to my house it freaks them out. They will then hide for a few days. Are they happy at that time? Probably not. But I will not put them back out.

We are all here to support you. I know and understand the worry well. Yet, if you step back and look at the big picture you will know that you have done the right thing. She may be afraid for awhile. But she is safe. If she goes back to a life on the streets, how will you deal with it when you move? What if you put her out and she doesn't come back? How will you feel?

Allow her some time to recover and decompress from yesterday. Vaccines can make a cat feel off for a day or two.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Yes, she did have vaccines. She has food and water in the closet. The closet is a large walk-in that is in her safe room. She also won't touch her Fancy Feast broths, which is her favorite. I also put out her usual Friskies pate which she has not touched.

She will no longer sleep in her carrier since the vet visit, which means it will be extrememely hard to ever catch her again, for the move, or for anything - she is in a box in the closet. She looks alert this morning, wary....

She must be drinking water because she left a good sized litter clump.

 

[KrazyForKats]

Sweetblackpaws, it sounds to me like she’s doing about as would be expected for a feral on the day after a vet visit.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

If I let her out, I would not attempt to re-catch her. Yes, there are danger out there, but she was happier - playing in the sunshine, rolling in the grass, chasing squirrels...but I am not giving up yet, I promise - unless she continues to not eat.

Recently one of my girls started to go into hepatic lipodosis from not eating - it happens faster with larger kitties - and it's not something I want to go through again - I nearly lost her. If she goes more than 48 hours with no food, that's it. She goes outside. I am hoping that does not happen.

Yes, I have used Feliway and calming chews not too long ago and found them ineffective.

 

[maggiedemi]

She might be not eating because of the vaccines though. Going outside wouldn't fix it. She would just feel sick outside, alone.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I'll keep a close eye on her. She still has not eaten one bite. Hopefully, it is from the vaccines, but that was yesterday morning.

 

[shadowsrescue]

She might be having a reaction to a vaccine. If you let her out you will never know. I have had my ferals go over 2 days without eating. She is not feeling well and she's scared from the ordeal.

If you do let her out who will care for her when you move?

 

[sweetblackpaws]

There would be no one to "care for her" when I move. She is a feral, I'm sure she would continue to hunt. I have not crossed that bridge yet, however. Her happiness is my #1 concern and right now she is not happy, but I am hoping that will change.

You are probably right, though, that she is not feeling well from the vaccines. Her eyes look clear and bright, though, that is good.

 

[maggiedemi]

Does she like other cats? I can't remember if you told us already.

 

[msaimee]

If she does not eat after 48 Hours, the next step is to call the vet and get an appetite stimulant. If she's not eating anything to put the pill in, you could dissolve it in her water. Or try it with a pill pocket treat, or put it in a piece of tuna fish. Ask for several pills because you may end up wasting one or two. Ask for a pill gun, to use as a last resort, which is simply a plastic syringe that you insert the pill in. You open her mouth and then shoot the pill down her throat. I'm sure there are probably instructional videos on how to do this on YouTube. You might need to place a towel over her and wrap it around her to get the pill into her mouth. You might need the help of a second person. Yes, I know this sounds like a daunting task. But appetite stimulants work. Most of my cats have had no appetite for a day after getting their rabies vaccine, and if you got the FRC VP one for her as well, it's going to knock her out for a day or two. It's not easy administering medication to a cat that you can't handle, but sometimes it must be done. You need to find a way. If you need help from a neighbor or even a mobile vet, then that is what you have to do. Use a tbick pair of work gloves so you don't get bitten. I've gotten bitten on two occasions administering medication, the bites got infected and I needed antibiotics. But you do what you have to do. You are responsible for her now. And what sense would it make for you to release her back outside on her own if she's not eating and doesn't feel well?

I don't think you're thinking with your head right now, but with your emotions. If you let her back outside, how are you going to feel after you move and leave her behind? She has become dependent on you for her food source. How is she going to survive? How are you going to feel when it's winter, and she's cold, hungry, alone and scared? You need to keep the big picture in mind. If you let her back outside now, you will be making a very big mistake. I would be giving very different advice if you owned a home on a quiet and safe block with friendly neighbors and had no intention of moving. But this is not your situation. If you leave her behind, she will likely not survive.

With the last feral kitten I took into my home, it was six months before I could even touch her. She was scared to death of me, and literally shook and trembled when I came within a couple feet of her. Today she is affectionate and loving with no desire to return outside. My semi feral cat, Sonny, the one I take out on a lead and harness, spent the entire first year running around my house like a crazy animal. He would grab any food item left out and drag it around the house, such as sticks of butter, loaves of bread, I had to lock up all of my food. And once he jumped headlong into my kitchen garbage pail. He had gone hungry for so long because of parasites and fleas that it took a year for him to fully recover and not act like a psycho cat. We could all tell you lots of stories about the difficult adjustments our cats made. You are having a very easy time by comparison! You need to be patient and give it time. I did not mean to suggest that you are to blame because of your stress level for her stress, but cats are perceptive and they do respond to our stress and unhappiness. You need to commit to keeping her inside, stop wavering in your decision, and commit fully to taking care of her. I am actually nervous to read your posts right now, because I'm afraid you are going to inform us that you released her back outside, and to be honest, it will be frustrating and upsetting. Those of us posting with you for the past few months have become invested in Apple. We want you to succeed with her, and we fully believe you will if you are patient and give it time.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Pilling her is not an option, since she can't be touched, nor is wrapping her in a towel. However, she DID eat a Fancy Feast broth packet! She also came out of the closet while i was sitting on the floor. She meowed at me a few times (and I cooed back), then went back into her box.

I also put a lupine harness on my boy cat and brought him into her room. They looked at each other, but neither attempted to run. It's a good sign.

MsAimee, I am sorry you are nervous reading the posts. No one would be more "upset" than me if I had to release her back into the wild. I live alone, have no help, and am in an apartment. It is never easy, but I think I face additional challenges. I am doing the best I can, I promise. Thank you for the suggestion about the mirtazapine - I do already have some that my other girl is on. But I am hoping she will not need it.

I have "blocked" the doorway with her playpen, which has mesh sides. It fits purrfectly in the doorway and the cats can see each other. I suppose my boy could jump it if he wanted to, I will just have to keep an eye out.

Thank you again, everyone - I feel she is doing better than she was this morning.

 

[shadowsrescue]

So glad to hear that she ate! Baby steps all the way. Let's just focus on getting her adjusted and get rid of the idea of releasing her! You will always have hard days and we are here to help you.

Getting her to eat is such good news!

 

[maggiedemi]

I'm glad it went well with your boy cat. I was thinking she might want a kitty friend.

 

[msaimee]

Yes, I agree that you should put the idea of releasing her out of your head and focus on all of the progress you have been making and will continue to make. Once you make the resolution that you're going to keep her and make it work, you will have more peace.

I think now is the perfect time to begin making the introductions with your other two cats. I am glad it went so well today. It's a great idea to use a harness when bringing one of your other cats into her room. Hold and cuddle them in front of Apple. She will begin to understand that they are safe, and so are you. When she has a cat buddy, she will feel more at home and be much happier. She likely didn't have too many cat friends outside, so having a couple of cat buddies inside will be wonderful for her. As I mentioned, my feral kitten Cupcake bonded very quickly with my other four cats, especially with her brother from a different litter, Harry. She bonded with them within a few weeks, and chose to have the run of the house to be around them, and it helped her to make the transition into my home because it was six months before she bonded with me. So keep up the good work with the introductions!