Help! Feral Cat First Vet Visit And Integration With Resident Cats

[beckyroo]

Hello all! Back in October, I posted, regarding a little one eared feral cat, who would come to eat in or garden. We decided to try and bring him in so that he would not have to endure the winter outside (we had already watched his ear shrivel and fall off with frostbite), so we trapped him and brought him in. Well, it has taken 6 months of patience and hard work, but finally, a couple of weeks ago, the little fellow allowed me to stroke him. Since then he has become just the cuddliest cat I have ever known! In all this time, I have had him confined to one room, because we could not get near him to take him to the vet and I have3 other cats. Anyway, as I can now touch him, we have scheduled an appointment at the vets tomorrow for neutering and vaccinations. I am so very nervous, about tryin to load him into a carrier and also how he will deal with the car journey. I have his carrier already and it is in his room so that he has been able to sniff it etc. Even though he is very affectionate with me, you can see that he is still a wild cat, and I am worried about lifting him into it. Our vet has prescribed a tranquilizer, which I can give him in the morning, 2 hours before we leave. Has anyone here had experience with tranquilizers, or do people think I shoukd just try and load him without one? Also, as soon as he is healed, I want to obviously get him out of this room and have hi integrating with our 3 other cats. I have been swapping blankets etc.....so they can smell each other. Any other tips? Pickwick (that's what I have named him) is very used to indoor life now, after 6 months confined to a room, but I know he is soooo bored, even with all the entertainment we provide (I also moved my workshop into his room, so I have been working with him around me). He is definitely my baby boy and I want more than anything to have him as part of our family. Any advice would be greatly appreciated :-) Becky and Pickwick xxxx

 

[ondine]

It sounds like you have done a great job. Pickwick is a lucky cat. I'm sure he will be even more friendly after being neutered.

Our vet sedated all our cats when we moved them from NJ to NC. They came through just fine. If you can get him calmed down before the visit, I'd do it. Good luck.

 

[beckyroo]

It sounds like you have done a great job. Pickwick is a lucky cat. I'm sure he will be even more friendly after being neutered.

Our vet sedated all our cats when we moved them from NJ to NC. They came through just fine. If you can get him calmed down before the visit, I'd do it. Good luck.

Thank you so much! It really has been tough and very frustrating at times, but now I am so happy that he has got to this point. I am really looking forward to him starting his new life with us...but I am so worried about tomorrow. I have heard many horror stories about tranquillizers, so I am nervous. I do think that perhaps I could get him in the carrier, but also I have no idea how he will be once in the carrier and the car journey! When we first trapped him, he hurt himself by flailing around in the trap. Your advice is really appreciated :-)

 

[Primula]

Be sure to cover the carrier with a towel. Do you have a Feliway spray? This works well when the carrier is sprayed just before the vet is loaded in. Never used a tranquilizer, but it sounds good to me. You never know, he may just surprise you & be fine.

 

[beckyroo]

Be sure to cover the carrier with a towel. Do you have a Feliway spray? This works well when the carrier is sprayed just before the vet is loaded in. Never used a tranquilizer, but it sounds good to me. You never know, he may just surprise you & be fine.

The towel is a good idea! Thank you. We do have some Feliway as well, so hopefully that will help. I have now decoded that I am going to use the tranquilizer my vet gave us. I think that even if I do get him in the carrier, I really am not sure how he will react in the car, so maybe sedation is best...xxx

 

[Primula]

The towel is a good idea! Thank you. We do have some Feliway as well, so hopefully that will help. I have now decoded that I am going to use the tranquilizer my vet gave us. I think that even if I do get him in the carrier, I really am not sure how he will react in the car, so maybe sedation is best...xxx

I see my dumbass iPad typed vet instead of cat. I would definitely try the tranquilizer as you have it already. What form is it in?

 

[dahlia]

Let us know how it goes.

 

[beckyroo]

It was in a pill form. I gave it to him 2 hours before we left but he wasn't that sleepy. I got him in the carrier but it was very stressful! Byvthe time we had got to the vets though, it had kicked in a bit more and eberything went fine! He was vaccinated as well and we were able to collect him the same day xxx

 

[beckyroo]

Thanks for those that replied Pickwick had his sedative...although he wasn't that sleepy by the time I had to load him in his carrier, so that was a little stressful, but everything else went fine. He was neutered and fully vaccinated and we were able to collect him the same day! The best news was, that by the evening, he was up and about and came for a cuddle! All was forgiven So now we can begin the task of trying to integrate him into the rest of the house and meet the other feline residents! We are so happy. It has been such a long road but completely worth it!

 

[ondine]

Good news! Thanks for sharing.

 

[RLG]

How are things going? I'm getting my feral mom back to me after she weens her babies and gets spayed. I have a large room for her that I'm cat proofing. It's really a large 12x12 closet but she can climb shelves n I'll have a den n some hiding spots etc. She's young and I'm nervous but excited. I fed and sat with her for 3 months then trapped her n babies so she's still with rescuer but I visit.

 

[RLG]

Hello all! Back in October, I posted, regarding a little one eared feral cat, who would come to eat in or garden. We decided to try and bring him in so that he would not have to endure the winter outside (we had already watched his ear shrivel and fall off with frostbite), so we trapped him and brought him in. Well, it has taken 6 months of patience and hard work, but finally, a couple of weeks ago, the little fellow allowed me to stroke him. Since then he has become just the cuddliest cat I have ever known! In all this time, I have had him confined to one room, because we could not get near him to take him to the vet and I have3 other cats. Anyway, as I can now touch him, we have scheduled an appointment at the vets tomorrow for neutering and vaccinations. I am so very nervous, about tryin to load him into a carrier and also how he will deal with the car journey. I have his carrier already and it is in his room so that he has been able to sniff it etc. Even though he is very affectionate with me, you can see that he is still a wild cat, and I am worried about lifting him into it. Our vet has prescribed a tranquilizer, which I can give him in the morning, 2 hours before we leave. Has anyone here had experience with tranquilizers, or do people think I shoukd just try and load him without one? Also, as soon as he is healed, I want to obviously get him out of this room and have hi integrating with our 3 other cats. I have been swapping blankets etc.....so they can smell each other. Any other tips? Pickwick (that's what I have named him) is very used to indoor life now, after 6 months confined to a room, but I know he is soooo bored, even with all the entertainment we provide (I also moved my workshop into his room, so I have been working with him around me). He is definitely my baby boy and I want more than anything to have him as part of our family. Any advice would be greatly appreciated Becky and Pickwick xxxx

How are things going with your feral cat? I'm bringing mine in/back here tomorrow