Feral in my garage

Bitsy's Mom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 17, 2021
Messages
484
Purraise
1,776
Bitsy's Mom Bitsy's Mom

Any updates on Oscar?
No updates as of today, Sunday. The one development I don't like is that his appetite seems off. Either it's the change of weather, or he isn't feeling well, or he's getting picky. The past few days he has not been eating his usual 3 cans. He has been eating about 1 1/2 cans and more dry. The camera isn't working great so I don't seem many videos of him but the other day things on the floor were rearranged and so he is moving around.

I have the window open during the day and when it was warmer, open at night. Just the screen. But he never jumps up there that I am aware of to check it out.

I just wish that I could interact with him . ..I am so thrilled when I see him in person <3

I finally closed on my house yesterday and so it's done. No more going down there. Now to assimilate all the boxes on the floor here. I still cannot believe I got everything out of there after 18 1/2 years . .. .and did it alone. But I did thankfully.
 

rubysmama

Forum Helper
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
25,278
Purraise
62,758
Location
Canada
Congrats on the house closing! Even though it probably feels bittersweet, it's a worry off your mind.

As for Oscar, hopefully he's just feeling like changing up his eating a bit. :crossfingers:

Maybe now that you won't have to go down to the house anymore, you'll have a bit more time to sit out there with Oscar, and maybe convince him to come snuggle with you. Or meow at you. Or something to let you know he loves you as much as you love him. :redheartpump::bigeyes:
 

shadowsrescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
7,022
Purraise
5,083
Location
Ohio
I wouldn't worry about the food amount. That is a large amount of food for a cat. My indoor boys when I fed wet food only got 1.25 oz twice a day and 3 T. of dry. When I had outside feral cats, they received extra wet food in the winter months as well as dry.

Are you saying he eats 3, 5 oz cans of food each day or 3, 3 oz cans? Since he doesn't get much exercise you don't want him getting overweight that could lead to health issues. He will need extra calories in the winter to keep warm. Wet food is so much better as it takes fewer calories to digest. Dry food on the other hand takes a lot of calories to digest.

So happy you have closed on your house!
 

Bitsy's Mom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 17, 2021
Messages
484
Purraise
1,776
I wouldn't worry about the food amount. That is a large amount of food for a cat. My indoor boys when I fed wet food only got 1.25 oz twice a day and 3 T. of dry. When I had outside feral cats, they received extra wet food in the winter months as well as dry.

Are you saying he eats 3, 5 oz cans of food each day or 3, 3 oz cans? Since he doesn't get much exercise you don't want him getting overweight that could lead to health issues. He will need extra calories in the winter to keep warm. Wet food is so much better as it takes fewer calories to digest. Dry food on the other hand takes a lot of calories to digest.

So happy you have closed on your house!
Yes - I’m happy about the house too even if I missed the market waiting to trap Oscar!! He cost me a lot of money!!

I’ve been feeding him one small can of wet 3 x a day. And he has dry. I can cut it back if I need too. When he was outside that is what I fed him. But maybe now he needs less?

I am also debating if I am going to get an oil heater for in there. A bit nervous about leaving unattended but I also don’t want him to freeze.
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,892
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
Yes - I’m happy about the house too even if I missed the market waiting to trap Oscar!! He cost me a lot of money!!

I’ve been feeding him one small can of wet 3 x a day. And he has dry. I can cut it back if I need too. When he was outside that is what I fed him. But maybe now he needs less?

I am also debating if I am going to get an oil heater for in there. A bit nervous about leaving unattended but I also don’t want him to freeze.
Congratulations on the closing! As for Oscar, I'm pretty sure that, even though that's a lot to not have, he IS worth it. Seriously. When one door is closed, so they say, another is opened. In time, in another way, you may get that back, and then some. That's how it's worked in my life, anyway.
Yes, 9 oz. of wet food is a lot for a cat. 1 1/2 cans is 4-5 oz. and in my lifelong experience with cats, this is a very adequate amount, especially if he also has dry.
The oil heater we had was equipped with a thermostat and a shut-off if it ever tipped over. It never did, due to the design (long rather than tall, with sturdy legs). It did a very nice job of keeping them warm enough during the winter. So I hope you can find a good sturdy well-designed one like that. You might also look into ceramic heaters. I had one of those going up in the Kitten Cabin, which was a 12x12 prefab structure. That also worked on a thermostat. As far as I know, space heaters are a lot safer than they were back in the day. As long as you have SOME ventilation (in other words, the space isn't hermetically sealed) it should be quite safe. Keep it away from the walls and from any fabric, water, or catbox. It should be absolutely safe.
 

tabbytom

Happiness is being owned by a cat
Staff Member
Mentor
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
19,670
Purraise
36,865
Location
Lion City, Singa-purr
The one development I don't like is that his appetite seems off. Either it's the change of weather, or he isn't feeling well, or he's getting picky. The past few days he has not been eating his usual 3 cans. He has been eating about 1 1/2 cans and more dry.
Sometimes cats have their off days, so don't be too alarmed about him eating less. I think he's eating quite ok and also you mentioned that he ate more dry and that should kind of balance up the wet food. Just keep an eye on him and observe. If he's not eating entirely, then you start to worry.

I finally closed on my house yesterday and so it's done. No more going down there. Now to assimilate all the boxes on the floor here. I still cannot believe I got everything out of there after 18 1/2 years . .. .and did it alone. But I did thankfully.
a8f30cd90e7852dc8a02b5f34a3f6673.jpg on the sale of your house. Finally it's off your chest and you can pay full attention to Oscar now :clapcat:
 

Bitsy's Mom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 17, 2021
Messages
484
Purraise
1,776
Bitsy's Mom Bitsy's Mom : thinking about you and Oscar. How's your gorgeous panther doing these days? :bigeyes:
THanks for thinking of us <3 The Gorgeous panther is doing fine . . . still avoids me like the plague. He is eating and pooping and I spy him running around at night. He has not jumped up at all to check out the screen window and door to the catio, and I am trying to think of things to make it interesting for him inside. I bought some chirping toys but he doesn't seem impressed. I am also wondering if I need to run the extension cord out across the yard and up through the window to put the heated bed in there. I would rather not since then I have to take the screen out . . . and either keep the window closed or open the window with no screen. I am also still debating about putting a heater in there. A bit nervous about having it going overnight unattended.

I will post a new video for your viewing pleasure tomorrow <3

Thanks for caring about us
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,892
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
THanks for thinking of us <3 The Gorgeous panther is doing fine . . . still avoids me like the plague. He is eating and pooping and I spy him running around at night. He has not jumped up at all to check out the screen window and door to the catio, and I am trying to think of things to make it interesting for him inside. I bought some chirping toys but he doesn't seem impressed. I am also wondering if I need to run the extension cord out across the yard and up through the window to put the heated bed in there. I would rather not since then I have to take the screen out . . . and either keep the window closed or open the window with no screen. I am also still debating about putting a heater in there. A bit nervous about having it going overnight unattended.

I will post a new video for your viewing pleasure tomorrow <3

Thanks for caring about us
Personally, I would not run an extension cord outside. And I wouldn't put a heated bed in there. I would opt instead for one of the pads that reflects body heat back onto the sitter -- we have one and it's very nice -- and include some thick blankets that you can "tent" on top of it so that Oscar can crawl in and be nice and cozy if he chooses.
I wouldn't worry about a good, sturdy heater with a thermostat. We never had any trouble with our oil heater up in the barn compound. I used it in our rented house after the wall heaters went out, and then used it in the barn for a total of around 4 years. It worked very well in both places and was reliable.
Looking very much forward to a new Oscar video! :redheartpump: :bigeyes::redheartpump::agree: Hoping he's eating well now that cool/cold weather is here!
 

rubysmama

Forum Helper
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
25,278
Purraise
62,758
Location
Canada
Thanks for the update. Looking forward to a new Oscar video. :redheartpump:

Glad he's still eating well, and being active. I just wish his fear of humans could lessen. One day, hopefully.

I'd also be very nervous about running an extension cord out there as a wooden shed, unfortunately, would be very flammable.

Wonder how cold the inside of a shed actually gets? Maybe get one of the wireless thermometers so you'll know how the temps fluctuate from day to night. The Best Outdoor Thermometers Tested in 2022
 

Bitsy's Mom

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 17, 2021
Messages
484
Purraise
1,776
Thanks for the update. Looking forward to a new Oscar video. :redheartpump:

Glad he's still eating well, and being active. I just wish his fear of humans could lessen. One day, hopefully.

I'd also be very nervous about running an extension cord out there as a wooden shed, unfortunately, would be very flammable.

Wonder how cold the inside of a shed actually gets? Maybe get one of the wireless thermometers so you'll know how the temps fluctuate from day to night. The Best Outdoor Thermometers Tested in 2022
It is the same temperature or maybe a tad colder than the outside. That's because there is no insulation. Normally you would have a ceiling installed and inside of that you would put insulation . and then the plastic soffits on the side would be so it would breath and you'd have ventilation. There is no ceiling since that his where his loft is. So the air exchange up there lets in the air from the outside ongoing. The only difference is that there is no wind.

I could buy an oil heater - but again, it makes me nervous. I do plan on buying a heavy duty sleeping bag and putting it on the floor. I also have a little house in there with straw but he rarely goes in.
 

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,892
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
He eating some catnip here

Oscar is looking very winter-floofy and handsome! He's sure to enjoy the 'nip trip.
Our little "kitten cabin" had been (ceiling) insulated by the original owner but not on the walls, which would have been done if we'd been able to stay. It's not difficult to do, so if you decide to do so in the future, you can. The sleeping bag is a good idea.
Cats can and do live in very cold climates; they eat more in cold weather and their fur thickens and lengthens to provide auto-insulation. So I wouldn't worry about Oscar being warm. He does have those places he can go if he wants more warmth until you decide what, if any, extra conversions to do.
 
Top