Messing with nature too much? Opinions please!

[leeann77]

I am so happy that my ferals made it through the winter! My favorite little one is semi-tame now, I was so happy when she started to let me pet her. But now all she does is hang around down in my yard by the woods and wait/look for me. This morning she started following me back up to the house which makes me nervous, I don't want to hit her when I'm backing my car out.
I would LOVE to bring her in, but I have two cats 13 and 14 that have never been around other cats. I wouldn't want to make their lives miserable this late in life. Also, my cat has issues with eating enough and needs food out at all times- the feral would eat all of her food.

Have I made a big mistake by messing with nature this much? The adults are pretty transient, but this little one has never started making rounds like the others. And feeding her is probably keeping her from hunting even more. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten so close to her.

 

[smokem]

One is too many and a thousand never enough..

wait a minute ,thats  the alcoholic anonymous stuff

too late,youre heart is leading....

 

[ondine]

She has decided that your yard is her territory.  All you can do now is provide her with the safest environment you can.  Get her shelter and continue feeding.  If you stopped now, it would actually be cruel, as she is used to being fed.  Make it a habit to make sure she's out of your way when you leave in the car.

Is it possible for you to offer her a room in your house?  That way, you resident cats don't need to meet her and the food issue would be taken care of.  We have a cat with her own room - she does not like other cats, period.  We've tried intros numerous times and she always starts trouble.

We visit her several times a day - some days she actually gets more one-on-one time than our other cats. I would like it if it were different but we've all adjusted and she seems fine.

Thank you for helping her.  Whatever you do is making a difference in her little life.

 

[gammeldame]

I have rescued a stray who can't come inside full time because of my resident elderly cat. She is 18 and I don't allow them to be alone inside because she really doesn't like him and he would eat all her food which she desperately needs at her age.

We were able to fix up an outside shed for him to live in, but I caved in this winter and he started living in our enclosed porch. I can allow him in when I am home and just make sure that he doesn't go near her...he just prefers to sit in my lap anyway (she isn't a lap cat, so he isn't usurping her place).

Your situation does sound different, but is there anywhere where you could put together a shelter closer to your house where she could live?
My cat is a fair bit older than your two and I don't like to think about it too much, but I know when she does pass on that Jaeger will be inside full time...all I can do is love and care for them both until things sort themselves out.

And don't worry about the hunting...mine still catches and frequently eats his kills even though I give him two squares a day.

 

[Columbine]

You're doing a wonderful thing for her. Don't worry about feeding interfering with hunting - farm/barn cats who are kept specifically to control the rodent population actually hunt best/most efficiently when they are properly fed. It just affects the amount of prey they actually consume

 

[leeann77]

Thanks everyone! Gammeldame- our situations sound very similar! I have a basement that she could stay in and be away from my cats, but I figure it's not needed now that spring is here. She would always be down there alone, at least outside she can have fun. I have a feeling I'll be bringing her in to sleep next winter though, now that I could coax her in.

I just don't know if I should keep going down there to pet her and play with her or just set the food down and walk away. Maybe it was better when I couldn't get close to her, she was a little more "wild". I guess I'll just see how the summer goes?
She is so sweet and friendly, all she wants is companionship. There is another cat that I believe may be her mother, she gets so excited when she shows up! Poor little thing.

 

[gammeldame]

I know how you feel. You want to help, but the ones you have inside need a stress free environment to live out their golden years. I hadn't planned on making Jaeger a part of my family, and my husband only said I could make him a barn cat...but, well, the cat had other ideas.

I don't think it would hurt to try to tame the little one, and get her used to humans, but with the nicer weather and her kitty friends, it doesn't sound like bringing her in to be alone would be a good idea right now.