Getting Feral to Go Into the New Shelter

walli

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Hi There, first post.

We have a Feral we did TNR, we built her a shelter out of a cardboard box

she feels really secure there, however we need to move her to the permanent

shelter we built, where she is at now, is stuff we had temporarily put in our back yard

This is what attracted her to our yard.

We built her a Cat run but not sure how to get her in there. She isn't volunteering to move.
 

margd

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Does she have some special treats she likes?  What about catnip or valerian?  If you want to avoid moving her yourself,  try making a trail of something she likes down to the permanent shelter.   (That's assuming the distance doesn't make it impractical.)

Will she play with a wand toy with you?  Can you entice her to the new location by slowly progressing towards it as she comes after the toy?

If she's truly feral and you can't get near her to pick her up and put her in a carrier, you're looking at trapping her again and moving her that way.  Although I've never done TNR myself, it's my understanding that once a feral cat has been trapped once, (s)he will, unfortunately, avoid going into a trap again but it is worth a try.
 
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walli

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Thanks for your reply!
She is afraid of us, so I don't think I can coax her in.
Last resort is to take away her current shelter, It's only like 15 feet away.
I will give her a couple weeks tho.
She's a scaredy cat for sure!
Were new to Ferals, so thanks!
 

margd

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Thanks for your reply!
She is afraid of us, so I don't think I can coax her in.
Last resort is to take away her current shelter, It's only like 15 feet away.
I will give her a couple weeks tho.
She's a scaredy cat for sure!
Were new to Ferals, so thanks!
Could you try moving the current shelter closer and closer to the permanent one until she was finally there?  BTW:  I think it's wonderful that you are watching out for this little girl.  You really are making a huge positive difference in her life. [emoji]128077[/emoji]
 
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walli

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My husband thought of that too, We may have to go that route.
It's kind of a weird setup, we had temporarily stored stuff from the garage
in the yard, that's when she "moved in" so we will have to separate her
current shelter from the "stuff" which needs to go back in the garage.
Her new shelter is so awesome too!

She was eating our barbecue brush, I couldn't not feed her,
so that's how we now have an outdoor cat. tee hee

Thanks for you kind words!
 

margd

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I bet people would love to see pictures of the new shelter. And your cat, if you can get a photo!  Poor thing.  She must have been starving.  
 
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walli

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Not sure how to post a pic yet, will check it out.
 

shadowsrescue

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That is a beautiful shelter!   Can she come and go or is it completely enclosed?  She might feel safest at first if she is able to come and go.  Otherwise she will feel very trapped.  Just be sure that if she is allowed to come and go that you do not keep food overnight in the shelter or you will attract other wildlife that you do not want.  

You might try moving the current shelter a little bit closer to this one each day.  Also attracting her with catnip might work.  Give her time.  I had to move a feral's feeding and shelter location and it took almost a week.  I had to gradually move it, but food was a great motivator.

Thank you for caring for this sweet one.  She is very lucky to have you.
 

margd

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Well, if she won't go in it, I will!  That's gorgeous!  You could go into business with such a beautiful design and such fine workmanship.  That has to be one of the nicest shelters I've ever seen.  [emoji]128077[/emoji][emoji]128008[/emoji]
 
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walli

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Hee hee you guys are nice!
I bought the shelter and modified it.
I put styrofoam sheets and lined the walls in the upper part
I built her another cardboard shelter in the bottom area just like what she has
now, but I lined that with styrofoam sheets too and there is a bed in it.
I put fake grass on the ground and put the roof to protect from rain.

I plan to let her come and go during the day and hope to lock her in at night.
there is a gate and a small opening above the ramp.
Thanks guys!
 

Norachan

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Wow, that's a lovely shelter.



I think Shadow's Rescue has the best idea: slowly move her current shelter closer and closer over the next few days and then put it just inside the opening of her new shelter. If you see which bit of your yard she uses as her litter box you could dig up a bit of the earth from there and sprinkle it around the outside of her new shelter, so she knows it's hers.

Please keep us posted. I'd love to see some pictures of your cat too. Does she have a name?
 

tarasgirl06

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It IS a gorgeous shelter and the modifications you've done are great to help insulate it.  Hoping you have success and that we'll get to see some pix and get updated as she makes progress.  Thank you so much for putting your caring into action on her behalf!  If everyone did that, the world would be a MUCH better place for cats and people.
 
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walli

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Thanks all, I will report back when things change.

We will give her a couple weeks to attempt to get her in there

we just put her permanent shelter up this past weekend.

Her name is Walli, I guess I should of picked a different screen name, tee hee
 
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walli

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I Named her Wally when I thought she was a cat on the Lost and Found called
Wally, when I did the TNR I found out she was a girl so now it's Walli
Hopefully I can get a pic of her in her shelter!!
 
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walli

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Thank you! Lots of Cat Lovers here!
 

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Hi Walli.  I would strongly suggest that you do not disturb her current secure place as it may uproot her.  If she is anything like my little precious TNR, they are creatures of habit or things familiar. Their desire for good food will overcome their fears eventually, but you have to be very patient with them.  It could take months.  You will need to feed and love her daily, in the same location and about the same time each day.  Try not to leave food out, as it may attract other outdoor cats or critters into her safe zone.  Get her to see that you can give her small amounts of kibble regularly, but just enough so that she leaves no leftovers.  Let her see you place it down, then move away so she feels safe to approach it.  She will start to trust you. Be careful not to do anything to break or threaten that trust.  Gradually she will grow comfortable with your presence and the feeding, to the point where she will approach the back of your open hand to sniff.  Once she is comfortable with the daily routine and eats while you are near her dish, and can gently brush her head. This will teach that you care for her and will protect her. Show her that you will provide her with food consistently. Teach her that you want her to do something for you in return, which is to follow you to her new feeding area for better food.  Provide some kibble or treats ever 5 to 10 feet along the way as she follows you back.  Reward her at the new location with a dish of wet food. They love the wet more than the dry kibble.  The opening of the can lid being peeled back reinforces their craving, having the effect of Pavlov's Theory.

It took me months, but I managed something similar with my TNR.  The only difference being, I don't have a shelter for her at my place.  I started feeding her dry kibble along my walk to work each day, along with a couple other outdoor cats.  I took a special interest in her and wanted to adopt her until one day while sitting by her while she ate, I discovered that her left ear tip was snipped, indicating she was a TNR.  It took a few weeks, but eventually, I got her to follow me home for feeding.  In doing so, she was learning how to leave her safe zone to find my place, where she could always get food.  I feed her morning and evening, and sometimes mid-day (even on weekends).  She learned it well, walking back to my place to eat.  I taught her to navigated around another territorial cat's area (the same I adopted and took in).

I ceased feeding her in her safe zone and would only do so at my home.  At the start of winter, she moved her safe zone closer to my home, and now she waits at my door twice a day for feeding.  At times she wants to come inside my place, but that can't happen as I took in a family's outdoor cat after they moved and left him in my care.  He's very territorial but tolerates her to an extent.  It has been months now, that I feed her daily.  I can touch her head, cheeks, rub her shoulders, and back.  She refuses to let my hands touch her lower sides, or attempt to pick her up.  Before I took in the other sidewalk cat, on a couple of occasions, I got her comfortable enough to enter through the open door of my home and eat.  When finished, she would go back outside onto the porch.  Perhaps this will also work for you, as you teach her to eat inside the beautifully made shelter.  Congrats to its designer and maker.

I'm thinking of naming her "Siren Sno."

 
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