I Have More Trust Issues Than This Feral..

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Buffster7

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Buffster7 Buffster7 , there are a handful of very great posts here and there about integrating a new cat to a resident cat, and some on getting feral/semiferal/stray cats accustomed to being IN a home, and then letting them meet Mr Resident cat.

Have you seen these posts about introducing cats? some have embedded links to youtube videos, some have articles.

I can not recall if this here 8 page thread has any of those posts about how to help cats meet each other. Slow is the key. Baby steps. No rushing it.
If you have not yet seen these posts from others, i can go try to relocate some of them. They are great posts.

but, yeah,
my 2 cents guess is, that the New Cat (did you name him yet?)
will add a lot of joy and fun to Charlie's life. Maybe not at first, but, who knows. It is not 100% impossible that they will have love at first sight, when you ever do get to That point of their introductions,
but, best to go slow.
Oh yeah, I've seen them and I've been reading. Since I only have a few weeks left, I'm educating myself now; I will usually research something to death before I jump in. I won't rush any introductions, I just pray that IF I do decide to integrate this little guy, that Charlie and he would come to acceptance by January when I start clinicals so that they could be company for each other when I'm gone so much, rather than being kept separated. I've read several posts that mention around a year for the dust to settle. I'm praying for 6 months! :lol:
 

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If you have the funds you can put up (baby gates) let us know if you need help with figuring that out.

It might be a good thing while your gone, they can see each other.
I'm suspecting you are going to have an easier time tho!

I have baby gates up for my 2 cats but I have a different situation.
 

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I very much like that you are researcher! Bravo! Two paws up on THAT activity!
It sounds like you are doing the right thing. I am sort of hoping you DO take in New Cat, because like Cat Daddy says, cats are not meant to be all alone.

My daughter has an only cat, and it drives me nutz that we only have one cat.:( It is a long, long story, but, she is quite insistent we only have this one cat, for a number of reasons. I disagree, but, it is her cat, not "my" cat. dang.
sorry for derail, but, i feel a bit hypocrite to be encouraging YOU to get your cat a playmate, when I am not doing the same, but, Moki is not "my" cat. :frown:
But I can see how Moki would get Sooo much out of a playmate. Moki has got to the age where he is not quite as active as a year or so ago, but wow, i can so imagine a buddy for him getting him moving around more, keeping him youthful.
Saving him from boredom.

I have seen some say it was a year for some particular cat to love the new cat or viceversa, but, most seem to say is no injury, just a bit of drama here and there.:winkcat:
that is what i have gathered from the others.

.....yet, every one of them seem to say they are glad, it was worth it, as now, the joy in their home increased, and now, there are 2 less lonely cats in the world.:happycat::happycat:

anyway, it is not my business, but my vote is, keep that handsome lovebug who is showing soOOOOOO much love for you in that picture you posted. He has chosen You.

What a gorgeous creature. Hard to find a prettier cat than That one!
hahaha, how bad am i, :lol:to be encouraging your decision. Sorry! :ohwell: I support whatEver you decide you gotta do. :hellocomputer:
It is your home.
 
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Feral Mom

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To Buffster7,
also, I can understand your concern about being able to focus on your studies when school starts,
well, one more point is,
if you have an Only cat, when he wants love, attention or playtime,
he has to interrupt You to get it. But, if you have 2 cats, well, they can burn off some of their energy and playfulness on each other, :runningcat::runningcat:
while you get a few more minutes to finish that report for school!!:hellocomputer:

just sayin.:lol:

PS, this is also somewhat true for human kids, too, i was surprised to find out, 2 kids (5 years apart, = almost no fighting)
seemed less work than just one. Who knew? well, ymmv. but that was true in my home.

okay, i will be quiet now. lol!
 
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I just called the vet to see if I could stop by and visit him today, and the sweet girl who answered the phone said she wasn't sure how he would respond as they were able to neuter him today (yay!). They said he is absolutely terrified, and when they went to take him out of his cage this morning he put up a big fight and gave them a real hard time. Now, vets are used to dealing with scared animals in pain, so I'm assuming that he must have put up an epic struggle for them to mention it.

I hope that no one was bitten or scratched up.. :fear:
This lets me know he's got fight in him- good info to have. Charlie is a pussycat when I take him to the vet; completely docile, so not sure what to make of a fighter! :headscratch: I asked if I could come see the little scrapper tomorrow, and they said that would be fine. I'm noivous.
 

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Well this animal was drugged, frightened, alone, in pain and kept in a trap for a day or two in a place he has not used to, full of the smells of frightened animals all around and strange noises he has never heard before,

He is not even used to strangers yet and he is not used to being indoors.
This is all new to him in every single way possible.
I have seen some humans that I know for a fact are very sweet act a little crazy in Recovery Room. Just saying.

So his behavior in this situation may not reflect his personality as much as that picture of him leaning up against you and smiling does.
It is really really hard to get a cat back INSIDE of a fairly small trap door,
once they realize what it is, once they have experienced being trapped in there for a prolonged period Of time.... It is really hard to get a cat to go back in. Does NOT mean that cat has a personality disorder or is a necessarily a "fighter", it just means they don't like being in a trap for a prolonged period Of time,

And even cats that have let me pick them up will object strongly to being put Back inside of a trap door if they have experienced living inside of a cage 24/7,
oh they stick all 4 legs out to become too large to fit in
and will scratch you like crazy sometimes if you try to get them Back into that darn prison!! I learned this the hard way..
It is one thing to transport in a trap, with a human you know well and can trust beside you<
but
it is another thing to live alone in a cage in 24/7 for days. .
HIs nuttiness in recovery room doesn't mean he is anything less than a lovebug.

Yet, as hard as all this is on him "today", don't forget that this is for his own good, his life will be improved.

Poor little guy, he'll be so happy to see you tomorrow.
 
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shadowsrescue

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So happy he was neutered today. As Feral Mom Feral Mom said, these were unique circumstances. Cats react in all different ways at the vet. I have one cat that is so sweet here at home, but goes absolutely ballistic at the vet. They have to sedate him.

As his hormones shut down, he also will become more docile.

Did they SNAP test him for FIV/FELV? The results usually only take 20 minutes? Also did they give him some vaccines? How long will he stay at the vet?
 
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Well this animal was drugged, frightened, alone, in pain and kept in a trap for a day or two in a place he has not used to, full of the smells of frightened animals all around and strange noises he has never heard before,

He is not even used to strangers yet and he is not used to being indoors.
This is all new to him in every single way possible.
I have seen some humans that I know for a fact are very sweet act a little crazy in Recovery Room. Just saying.

So his behavior in this situation may not reflect his personality as much as that picture of him leaning up against you and smiling does.
It is really really hard to get a cat back INSIDE of a fairly small trap door,
once they realize what it is, once they have experienced being trapped in there for a prolonged period Of time.... It is really hard to get a cat to go back in. Does NOT mean that cat has a personality disorder or is a necessarily a "fighter", it just means they don't like being in a trap for a prolonged period Of time,

And even cats that have let me pick them up will object strongly to being put Back inside of a trap door if they have experienced living inside of a cage 24/7,
oh they stick all 4 legs out to become too large to fit in
and will scratch you like crazy sometimes if you try to get them Back into that darn prison!! I learned this the hard way..
It is one thing to transport in a trap, with a human you know well and can trust beside you<
but
it is another thing to live alone in a cage in 24/7 for days. .
HIs nuttiness in recovery room doesn't mean he is anything less than a lovebug.

Yet, as hard as all this is on him "today", don't forget that this is for his own good, his life will be improved.

Poor little guy, he'll be so happy to see you tomorrow.
Aw, love this response. All so true! I know it has been necessary for him to be able to fight to defend himself and to survive outside with as small as he is. I would say he's about 8 lbs, which to me is tiny in light of my 17.4 lb Charlie.
I wish I could bring him something of comfort to keep in his cage overnight, but I have been a handful I'm sure for my vet. Trying not to helicopter..
 
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So happy he was neutered today. As Feral Mom Feral Mom said, these were unique circumstances. Cats react in all different ways at the vet. I have one cat that is so sweet here at home, but goes absolutely ballistic at the vet. They have to sedate him.

As his hormones shut down, he also will become more docile.

Did they SNAP test him for FIV/FELV? The results usually only take 20 minutes? Also did they give him some vaccines? How long will he stay at the vet?
I wish I knew the answers to these questions! I know that Fridays are INSANE at my vet's office and the phones are ringing off the hook. There's usually only one girl up front to man the phones. When I called to check on him, I could hear her other lines ringing, so I didn't want to keep her tied up with questions.

I know they were going to do his bloodwork yesterday, so I'm sure they'll have those results. I just sent an email asking if they wanted me to pick up tonight or tomorrow, and what the results of the blood work are. I am hustling trying to clear a space for his cage! I've been scrubbing down the house today to eradicate any potential trace of the untreated boy from his overnight stay in the house.
 
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Buffster7

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As his hormones shut down, he also will become more docile.
And that's a great reminder - thank you! Charlie has been without nads for many years, and he's been treated like a king for the last couple years, so I've probably made him soft. :lol: It's funny that I'm looking for a sign, insight, anything to try to predict what life might be like with this guy, but I know this can't be gaged from his reaction when terrified. Thanks for smoothing my feathers. :)
 

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I think it would be a good idea to pick him up tomorrow. Give him the night to recooperate. I wouldn't feel guilty at all about calling the vet. They have your cat in their care and you are paying them! I am a pest when my cats are at the vet.

All will be ok. Just lots of deep breaths. There will be bumps along the road, but you will get through them. We are all here to help and support you.

Also try to remain calm yourself. I know this is really hard. But Charlie and this new kitty will pick up on your angst. Cats can sense it. If you remain calm, they will feel better themselves.

I think it's time to come with a name for this sweet boy!
 
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I think it would be a good idea to pick him up tomorrow. Give him the night to recooperate. I wouldn't feel guilty at all about calling the vet. They have your cat in their care and you are paying them! I am a pest when my cats are at the vet.

All will be ok. Just lots of deep breaths. There will be bumps along the road, but you will get through them. We are all here to help and support you.

Also try to remain calm yourself. I know this is really hard. But Charlie and this new kitty will pick up on your angst. Cats can sense it. If you remain calm, they will feel better themselves.

I think it's time to come with a name for this sweet boy!
It always amazes me the capacity animals have to sense our moods.
They need to make Comfort Zone for humans!!

I'm so grateful to my vet for squeezing him in on a crazy Friday - and I forgot to say thank you on the phone! I need to do something nice for them.
 

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:lol: Comfort zone for humans! I could use that about now! I know little guy will be so happy to return! :yess: and you’ll be relieved too. You’ve done an excellent job with all of this. I wouldn’t worry about being a helicopter Mom. That’s just being a good Momto the n th degree! I’m sure the vet actually appreciates having a cat Mom who really cares about her little guy. Often, cats are not treated like the family members they deserve to be. Our vet has gotten to know me well and doesn’t mind the questions. We often get into interesting discussions about new treatments or they tell me about their day. Vets can be friends as well as vets. One of my vets had a really bad day some years ago ( me too, I lost one of my babies that day) and she was teary eyed. She described how difficult it can be to tend to a sick animal. She was so sad. I cut flowers from my garden and took them to her. A simple thing but she was surprised given my own troubles that day. I got a hug and a smile. I think your care and love of these babies will mean a lot to the vet even if you ask lots of questions! ;) It means a lot to us too! If only everyone was like you! :rock:
 
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Well, my vet called last night to give me the information. Blood tests are not in yet. Apparently when they took him out, he went ballistic, like hanging off the ceiling ballistic. I can't remember details (need more coffee), but I think they had to sedate him. My vet said he would have liked to have waited for the blood tests to come back before doing the surgery, but given the magnificent struggle they had, he thought it best to go ahead and neuter and vaccinate him while he was out. I feel bad for everyone involved, human and feline! I wish I had thought to ask them to trim his claws while he was under - darn!!

What amazes me is that they found no parasites on him. I definitely saw tiny bugs on his towels that I bagged, and when I looked up feline lice, they looked just like it. He said they didn't find fleas, either! But I had been giving him Capstar - wonder if that did the trick? I did see one flea on a plate while he was eating once, but I never did see fleas on his towels. Also interesting is that the tapeworm didn't show up in the fecal test, but he said tapeworm doesn't always float, so he will treat him for those. I had emailed them about the green pus oozing from his bum; I need to remember to ask him about that, and ask him about ear mites. Because kitty's ears are bumpy even from the outside, with thinning fur, which I had thought indicated ear mites. Maybe it was just being outside in the elements!

He said I could come visit kitty today but would like to keep him til we get the results of the blood tests back. Given the epic struggle they had trying to handle him, I wonder how he will respond to me now, and if I'll even be able to get him in a carrier on Monday. I have his recovery cage set up, but by the time he is released, how won't need a 'recovery cage', so maybe it's time to turn it into a mini-catio for Charlie. Need to add the litter box and a couple cushions for the shelves:
 
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Buffster7

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:lol: Comfort zone for humans! I could use that about now! I know little guy will be so happy to return!
I was going to PM you and alas, can't figure out how to do it. Is it the "start a conversation" button? I had a question regarding the carpenter ants you have dealt with - I thought I read something in a thread somewhere when I was grazing in the forum that you're familiar with them.
 

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So you vet must not do the SNAP test as results are ready in 20 minutes. That's too bad. Hopefully they come in today. Monday is a long time to wait.

Male cats recover very quickly from neuter. When doing TNR, male cats are neutered one day and released the next. There are no stitches and very little down time. I really don't think he's going to need the cage. The anesthesia will be out of his body and he won't be needing any pain medication. He might be better off out of the cage.

If he is in a spare room, be sure if you do let him out that you do not allow him to get under a bed. This is the first place a cat will hide and it's nearly impossible to get them out. So put the bed up against the wall or put it flat on the floor. Also block behind any large furniture. You want him out in the open as much as possible. You can provide a place for him to hide such as a box and some people just put out a cat carrier with a soft blanket. Watch out for closets too. Don't let him in! Lastly watch for window treatments. Some cats will throw themselves at the window in an attempt to get out. They may try to climb drapes or blinds.

Just be prepared. It can be somewhat alarming at first. But it is all very normal. Your instinct will say to let him back outside. Yet please do not do this. He will need time to adjust.

You also may find that he is right at him inside and just loves it!

You can still ask the vet if it is possible to get his nails trimmed. He might have calmed down to the point where it is possible. If not do not worry. Just provide him with lots of scratchers. You will need them.
 
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Buffster7

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So you vet must not do the SNAP test as results are ready in 20 minutes. That's too bad. Hopefully they come in today. Monday is a long time to wait.

Male cats recover very quickly from neuter. When doing TNR, male cats are neutered one day and released the next. There are no stitches and very little down time. I really don't think he's going to need the cage. The anesthesia will be out of his body and he won't be needing any pain medication. He might be better off out of the cage.

If he is in a spare room, be sure if you do let him out that you do not allow him to get under a bed. This is the first place a cat will hide and it's nearly impossible to get them out. So put the bed up against the wall or put it flat on the floor. Also block behind any large furniture. You want him out in the open as much as possible. You can provide a place for him to hide such as a box and some people just put out a cat carrier with a soft blanket. Watch out for closets too. Don't let him in! Lastly watch for window treatments. Some cats will throw themselves at the window in an attempt to get out. They may try to climb drapes or blinds.

Just be prepared. It can be somewhat alarming at first. But it is all very normal. Your instinct will say to let him back outside. Yet please do not do this. He will need time to adjust.

You also may find that he is right at him inside and just loves it!

You can still ask the vet if it is possible to get his nails trimmed. He might have calmed down to the point where it is possible. If not do not worry. Just provide him with lots of scratchers. You will need them.
Ahhh, thank you so much for all this info. I always really appreciate your replies because they're so full of good info.

I am very concerned about the scratching, too. I ordered a couple cat scratchers last night that will be here on Monday, and some double sided cat training tape. I have some exquisite furniture that we bought back when I was married, that I will never be able to replace. Yes, a life is more important than 'things', but I try to be a good steward and take care of all that I have, including people, animal, and things. The furniture was shipped from Italy and is too nice for the house and life I have now, but like I said, is irreplaceable and I have never had to train a cat not to scratch before. Yikes!

The shades can be pulled up all the way, so that part is good. I have removed all furniture from the guest bedroom other than bed and dresser. I can't lower the bed as things are stored beneath it. I will see about arranging the stored items so that it blocks him.

Here is my question: when blocking the doorway with baby gates, how do you get in and out of the room? I thought maybe the second gate up could be a gate that swings out, and step over the bottom one? But how do you prevent the cat from making a break for it?
 
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Buffster7

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Just provide him with lots of scratchers. You will need them.
Er, how many scratchers do I need? Those babies were nearly $50 each. :eek3:
Is that the norm, or am I looking at the wrong ones?
 

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For scratchers, I would just start with the cheap corrugated type.
or this one

I have a few carpeted ones that can be angled for vertical scratching too

Here is what I do for the room. I use pass through gates. You can get the normal height or tall version.



I then use a wire shelving barrier that I made in front of the gate. The wire barrier is tall so they can't jump it and the gate is an extra precaution so the cat doesn't get out. Here is the setup I have used before.


I went to Lowes/Home Depot and had them cut the 12' wire shelving into 3 panels. You also could have it cut into 12 panels so they are 6' tall. It depends on whether new kitty will jump or not. I used 4' and it was ok, but when I moved and brought 3 ferals with my I went to 6' panels. Then you just zip tie the pieces together. Here are instructions.

How to Build a Free-Standing Cat, Dog, or Pet Gate Cheaply, Without Tools

I have also used a screen door. I bought a cheap wooden one from Lowes ($30) and attached it with tension rods as I didn't want to deface my door. Others have had the screen door installed. This works well for introductions. Yet the screen door is more of a pain to move to get into the room. The wire barrier with gate will allow you to keep the door open at times when you are there to supervise.
 
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Buffster7

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For scratchers, I would just start with the cheap corrugated type.
or this one

I have a few carpeted ones that can be angled for vertical scratching too

Here is what I do for the room. I use pass through gates. You can get the normal height or tall version.



I then use a wire shelving barrier that I made in front of the gate. The wire barrier is tall so they can't jump it and the gate is an extra precaution so the cat doesn't get out. Here is the setup I have used before.


I went to Lowes/Home Depot and had them cut the 12' wire shelving into 3 panels. You also could have it cut into 12 panels so they are 6' tall. It depends on whether new kitty will jump or not. I used 4' and it was ok, but when I moved and brought 3 ferals with my I went to 6' panels. Then you just zip tie the pieces together. Here are instructions.

How to Build a Free-Standing Cat, Dog, or Pet Gate Cheaply, Without Tools

I have also used a screen door. I bought a cheap wooden one from Lowes ($30) and attached it with tension rods as I didn't want to deface my door. Others have had the screen door installed. This works well for introductions. Yet the screen door is more of a pain to move to get into the room. The wire barrier with gate will allow you to keep the door open at times when you are there to supervise.
Fantastic, thank you! I'll read up on these when I get back from the vet. Going to visit the little guy this morning. I will want to wait for the results of his blood work before constructing anything for indoors, but I will read and prepare myself this afternoon!
:rock:
 
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