How to know if someone’s caring for a feral?

[Shawna87]

Hello everyone, the past couple months I have spotted a beautiful tuxedo cat wandering around our neighborhood. I saw it in my yard a few days ago. We live on a dirt road with lots of land and most of the neighbors are farmers. I’m wondering if someone’s feeding it or not and if he/she has a warm place to sleep and is spayed/neutered. How do I know if it’s is being cared for? Every time I see it, she/he runs off away from me. I was thinking of putting out a warm box with some food but not sure how to make one that’s affordable and also I’m afraid of attracting racons, possums, and other animals near my house and think they might eat all the food I set out.

Any suggestions to help care for it or know if it’s being cared for? I love cats so much and the thought of one not being adequately cared for breaks my heart.

 

[tabbytom]

If this is the first time you've seen this cat in the couple of months, it could be a stray that has wandered to your vicinity, or a feral that has been moving around from another area.

Can you see if the ear is tipped? If it is, then it is spayed or neutered. Also can you roughly see what is the body mass? Is it normal looking or very skinny and also not sure if you can tell if the fur is in normal condition.

Sometimes cats like this wander around and also if it is being dumped by the previous owner, the cat may just move around and as if it a feral, it may be looking for a mate. So it is very difficult to say whether it was cared for or not. Some outdoor cats that are being cared for also wander to other properties and get food there.

If the cat is running away from you, it could mean that the cat is probably a frightened stray or a true feral. What you can do is to be there at the same tome you saw the cat and have food in hand and also keep calm and squat down when you see it and speak softly to the cat. By squatting down, you make yourself smaller and not so intimidating to the cat.

It may take a few meetings like this to get the cat to get sort of used to you and feel that you are not a threat. The more meetings the better. If the cat does not come close to you or to your premise, it's quite hard to put a warm box and food for the cat, but you can lure the cat by placing the food where it is and slowly day by day move the food nearer and nearer to your compound. This way, you can be more sure that the cat is eating the food and not the other animals.

At this moment, if the cat is showing up regularly, the hopes are higher. I suggest that you keep an eye on the cat and observe its behavior and also ask around if it belongs to anyone.

Do keep us posted and try to snap a picture of the cat if you can.

 

[maggie101]

Does the cat look healthy? Can you follow it to see where the cat goes?

 

[Shawna87]

If this is the first time you've seen this cat in the couple of months, it could be a stray that has wandered to your vicinity, or a feral that has been moving around from another area.

Can you see if the ear is tipped? If it is, then it is spayed or neutered. Also can you roughly see what is the body mass? Is it normal looking or very skinny and also not sure if you can tell if the fur is in normal condition.

I’ve seen the cat about four times the past few months. The first time it was with another cat at an abandoned house down the road from our house. I saw it while I was on a walk and the moment it spotted me both cats ran. The second time I saw it the cat was at the abandoned house again with the same cat before. I was driving home from work and pulled over and got out of my car but by then it had ran. The third time I saw it was similar but the second cat was not with it. The last time I saw it was hiding in the bushes near our house. When I went out it ran away and it was dark. I haven’t gotten any really good looks at it because of it running away and seeing it in the dark. It’s very scared of me though which doesn’t surprise me

Sometimes cats like this wander around and also if it is being dumped by the previous owner, the cat may just move around and as if it a feral, it may be looking for a mate. So it is very difficult to say whether it was cared for or not. Some outdoor cats that are being cared for also wander to other properties and get food there.

If the cat is running away from you, it could mean that the cat is probably a frightened stray or a true feral. What you can do is to be there at the same tome you saw the cat and have food in hand and also keep calm and squat down when you see it and speak softly to the cat. By squatting down, you make yourself smaller and not so intimidating to the cat.

I’ll definitely try this the next time see it! It’s so hard to know where it’ll be and where I’ll see it. I really want to make sure it’s cared for and okay but I just never know when ill

It may take a few meetings like this to get the cat to get sort of used to you and feel that you are not a threat. The more meetings the better. If the cat does not come close to you or to your premise, it's quite hard to put a warm box and food for the cat, but you can lure the cat by placing the food where it is and slowly day by day move the food nearer and nearer to your compound. This way, you can be more sure that the cat is eating the food and not the other animals.

At this moment, if the cat is showing up regularly, the hopes are higher. I suggest that you keep an eye on the cat and observe its behavior and also ask around if it belongs to anyone.

I haven’t asked around yet but I definitely will. My brother in law mentioned he saw a cat hanging out around where we are working on building our house which is down the road from us. I’m thinking it must be the same cat and if so it’s really wandering around to lots of different places

Do keep us posted and try to snap a picture of the cat if you can.

I wish there was a way I could lure it to come to my house more so I could get a better look at it and see it more often. I might try to put food in that bush near our house that I saw it a few days ago. Now that I’m thinking about it I know several times I’ve gone past that bush at night I’ve heard rustling in the bush. I’ve always thought it was just birds but I’m wondering if it’s hanging out there more then I thought.

 

[Shawna87]

If this is the first time you've seen this cat in the couple of months, it could be a stray that has wandered to your vicinity, or a feral that has been moving around from another area.

Can you see if the ear is tipped? If it is, then it is spayed or neutered. Also can you roughly see what is the body mass? Is it normal looking or very skinny and also not sure if you can tell if the fur is in normal condition?

I’ve seen the cat about four times the past few months. The first time it was with another cat at an abandoned house down the road from our house. I saw it while I was on a walk and the moment it spotted me both cats ran. The second time I saw it the cat was at the abandoned house again with the same cat before. I was driving home from work and pulled over and got out of my car but by then it had ran. The third time I saw it was similar but the second cat was not with it. The last time I saw it was hiding in the bushes near our house. When I went out it ran away and it was dark. I haven’t gotten any really good looks at it because of it running away and seeing it in the dark. It’s very scared of me though which doesn’t surprise me

 

[Shawna87]

If this is the first time you've seen this cat in the couple of months, it could be a stray that has wandered to your vicinity, or a feral that has been moving around from another area.

Can you see if the ear is tipped? If it is, then it is spayed or neutered. Also can you roughly see what is the body mass? Is it normal looking or very skinny and also not sure if you can tell if the fur is in normal condition.

Sometimes cats like this wander around and also if it is being dumped by the previous owner, the cat may just move around and as if it a feral, it may be looking for a mate. So it is very difficult to say whether it was cared for or not. Some outdoor cats that are being cared for also wander to other properties and get food there.

If the cat is running away from you, it could mean that the cat is probably a frightened stray or a true feral. What you can do is to be there at the same tome you saw the cat and have food in hand and also keep calm and squat down when you see it and speak softly to the cat. By squatting down, you make yourself smaller and not so intimidating to the cat.

It may take a few meetings like this to get the cat to get sort of used to you and feel that you are not a threat. The more meetings the better. If the cat does not come close to you or to your premise, it's quite hard to put a warm box and food for the cat, but you can lure the cat by placing the food where it is and slowly day by day move the food nearer and nearer to your compound. This way, you can be more sure that the cat is eating the food and not the other animals.

At this moment, if the cat is showing up regularly, the hopes are higher. I suggest that you keep an eye on the cat and observe its behavior and also ask around if it belongs to anyone.

Do keep us posted and try to snap a picture of the cat if you can.

I’ve seen the cat about four times the past few months. The first time it was with another cat at an abandoned house down the road from our house. I saw it while I was on a walk and the moment it spotted me both cats ran. The second time I saw it the cat was at the abandoned house again with the same cat before. I was driving home from work and pulled over and got out of my car but by then it had ran. The third time I saw it was similar but the second cat was not with it. The last time I saw it was hiding in the bushes near our house. When I went out it ran away and it was dark. I haven’t gotten any really good looks at it because of it running away and seeing it in the dark. It’s very scared of me though which doesn’t surprise me

 

[Shawna87]

If this is the first time you've seen this cat in the couple of months, it could be a stray that has wandered to your vicinity, or a feral that has been moving around from another area.

Can you see if the ear is tipped? If it is, then it is spayed or neutered. Also can you roughly see what is the body mass? Is it normal looking or very skinny and also not sure if you can tell if the fur is in normal condition.

Sometimes cats like this wander around and also if it is being dumped by the previous owner, the cat may just move around and as if it a feral, it may be looking for a mate. So it is very difficult to say whether it was cared for or not. Some outdoor cats that are being cared for also wander to other properties and get food there.

If the cat is running away from you, it could mean that the cat is probably a frightened stray or a true feral. What you can do is to be there at the same tome you saw the cat and have food in hand and also keep calm and squat down when you see it and speak softly to the cat. By squatting down, you make yourself smaller and not so intimidating to the cat.

It may take a few meetings like this to get the cat to get sort of used to you and feel that you are not a threat. The more meetings the better. If the cat does not come close to you or to your premise, it's quite hard to put a warm box and food for the cat, but you can lure the cat by placing the food where it is and slowly day by day move the food nearer and nearer to your compound. This way, you can be more sure that the cat is eating the food and not the other animals.

At this moment, if the cat is showing up regularly, the hopes are higher. I suggest that you keep an eye on the cat and observe its behavior and also ask around if it belongs to anyone.

Do keep us posted and try to snap a picture of the cat if you can.

I haven’t asked around yet but I definitely will. My brother in law mentioned he saw a cat hanging out around where we are working on building our house which is down the road from us. I’m thinking it must be the same cat and if so it’s really wandering around to lots of different places

 

[maggie101]

I suggest befriending it,feed,trap,get checked for a microchip. If you cannot take care of the cat get tnr done. The cat will run away from you when you approach her. She will feel safer if you can get down at her level

 

[tabbytom]

I wish there was a way I could lure it to come to my house more so I could get a better look at it and see it more often. I might try to put food in that bush near our house that I saw it a few days ago. Now that I’m thinking about it I know several times I’ve gone past that bush at night I’ve heard rustling in the bush. I’ve always thought it was just birds but I’m wondering if it’s hanging out there more then I thought.

There are ways to lure the cat but at this juncture, it's a little difficult as firstly, you don't see it often enough and also the cat is not trusting you at this moment.

I’ve seen the cat about four times the past few months. The first time it was with another cat at an abandoned house down the road from our house. I saw it while I was on a walk and the moment it spotted me both cats ran. The second time I saw it the cat was at the abandoned house again with the same cat before. I was driving home from work and pulled over and got out of my car but by then it had ran. The third time I saw it was similar but the second cat was not with it. The last time I saw it was hiding in the bushes near our house. When I went out it ran away and it was dark. I haven’t gotten any really good looks at it because of it running away and seeing it in the dark. It’s very scared of me though which doesn’t surprise me

It looks like the cat has a companion and they are hanging around the abandoned house and also searching for food there and when food source is low, they'll venture further and therefore you see it appearing at your area.

They may not have enough interactions or contacts with humans or they have beeb chased out and away by other humans and therefore it's their natural instinct to run away from you fearing that you will also chase them away. In this case, I'll be honest, it'll be a little more difficult to trap the cat but hope is not all lost. You still have a good chance to trap or feed the cat because the cat can feel your emotions and feel that you may not be a threat to it.

I haven’t asked around yet but I definitely will. My brother in law mentioned he saw a cat hanging out around where we are working on building our house which is down the road from us. I’m thinking it must be the same cat and if so it’s really wandering around to lots of different places

Asking around may help provided you get the truth. Many people abandon their cats and when being asked if it is their cats, they deny it and so there's no answer to the puzzle.

We do not know whether they were abandoned or not and we do know when they were abandoned if they were abandoned or someone has moved and just leave the cats behind to fend for themselves.

Whichever the case, don't be too hung up on whose cat it is now and from what I read, whether \they still belongs to someone who let them roam freely or really been abandoned, you job now is to win their trust. Otherwise it'll be hard to feed them and to get them to trust you.

Do its step by step, gain their trust first. Each time you go out looking for them or see them around your yard, always have food ready and work from there. Let them register your friendliness and associate you with food.

 

[nurseangel]

We feed a feral and he was the first cat I caught in my TNR project. He now stays on our carport, or very near, though we can't touch him. DH takes up his food (though not his water) at night to discourage wild animals from coming around. We live in the country, too, much in the setting you described. I have heard, but not seen, that our neighbor feeds a lot of the feral cats from the barn behind her home. That's how we ended up getting involved with the rescue who loaned us the cage, instructed us on how to keep the cats calm once we'd captured them, and even paid for the spay/neuter and first rabies shots.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, if you are worried about attracting wildlife, pick up the food at night. Cats very quickly learn when you set out food if you do it at the same time. i would start by getting her used to eating from you, then slowly move the food nearer to your house. You could get a large plastic dog house, cheap on facebook, or a large tote on its side to feed her, to keep the weather out. you could stick with hard food to amke sure its OK to leave set out. a house for her could be any kind of tote, etc. with straw and blocked off to only have a small hole in the front. I have those prefabbed heated huts up on a table in my garage. if they have a heat pad you can use blankets, the heat dries them if they get wet from wet paws.
Bless you for worrying about her, they lead such a hard life. Any kind of kindness goes a long way. PS if you do decide to keep her, please get her spayed this spring or asap. Get a cheap liev trap or maybe borrow one from your local humane society. i cat turns into too many to handle VERY quickly, especially where her kittens could have more kittens at 6 months. Get one spayed, not twenty!

 

[cmshap]

Can you see if the ear is tipped? If it is, then it is spayed or neutered.

Whoah... what? Can someone please explain this to me?

I recently spotted a stray for the first time in my area, and I assumed it was a stray by the way it seemed kind of timid/scared vs. cautious/assertive... it let me get very close and then hid under a car. It was shivering and didn't seem like it knew how to make it outside, hence I assumed a stray that got lost.

But this is seriously the first I've ever heard about tipped ears. Is this just done to trap-and-release ferals? I've honestly never seen a reference to this before.

 

[di and bob]

When the TNR program first came out years ago, many groups started trapping, neutering and releasing large amounts of cats. Vets started noticing ferals were being brought in that were already spayed/neutered. The females were opened up in surgery before they found out. They needed a way to ‘mark’ a feral so you could see at a glance they were already neutered. Tipped ears were decided on. They cut off the tip or ‘notch’ an ear. Some remove the tip of the right ear on females and the left on males. You’ll see it pretty often on feral cats. Vets also ‘tattoo’ a green or blue line on the abdomen of female house cats now to show they have been spayed. It is only seen when the abdomen is shaved. It saves the cats from being opened up again if they are lost or rehomed. My females have them. It’s truly a good thing so they don’t go through surgery twice!

 

[cmshap]

They needed a way to ‘mark’ a feral so you could see at a glance they were already neutered. Tipped ears were decided on.

That's actually a really good idea... the cat is already under anesthesia, and I seem to remember reading that minor ear injuries heal pretty quickly.

I never would have heard of this before reading this thread, though. I realize that the ear-tipping would primarily be understood by veterinarians, but it's good to know as a regular cat person if I ever encounter more strays or ferals.

 

[di and bob]

Yes I would have never known about it either until I started into TNR myself with the local ferals. (And a few neighborhood cats that were constantly pregnant) now I see quite a few of them!

 

[cmshap]

Vets started noticing ferals were being brought in that were already spayed/neutered. The females were opened up in surgery before they found out.

I was about to ask if preexisting scars wouldn't tell someone that a female was already spayed, but then I guessed that with furry mammals, it's just a heck of a lot harder to see preexisting scars on their skin. Unlike human surgical scars which can easily be spotted.

 

[IndyJones]

More common around here at least is a v shaped notch. It must depend on the vet

 

[di and bob]

That’s exactly it. I can’t see my little females incision at all. I can feel the part that came apart a little bit and developed more scar tissue though
yeah IndyJones , I’ve seen both. Does depend on the vet. I’ve see a slant too.

 

[IndyJones]

More common around here at least is a v shaped notch. It must depend on the vet

The V shapped notch cats are usualy barn cats or low cost popup clinics. Never seen a cropped ear outside of abuse cases or frostbite.

 

[cmshap]

The V shapped notch cats are usualy barn cats or low cost popup clinics. Never seen a cropped ear outside of abuse cases or frostbite.

Well, what I am going to take away from this is to look for a clean removal of some part of the ear, whether it's a clean crop or a V. As opposed to a ragged injury like what might be the result of a fight.