Long post warning.
We have a total of 3 "feral" cats that primarily live in our backyard.
1. Vinny (B&W Tuxedo male who is always rusty orange) He is approx 15 years old.
Neutered 10 years ago as a complete untouchable feral. He has become very friendly. I can pet him, brush him, give him flea meds, etc. He doesn't mind being in the garage in the winter overnight if he's with his buddy Walter. He is VERY bonded to Walter.
2. Walter (White male) He is approx 10-12 years old.
Neutered 8 years ago as a friendly stray that seemed to be left behind by someone. He is friendly, but gets in fights w/ other unfixed cats - I believe he is the "defender" and protects his friends. Walter does NOT like being inside AT ALL. I've had to keep in garage for very cold winter nights and for a few days when he had an abscess from a bite so I could give him antibiotics. He cries and cries and cries to be let out.
3. Peek-a-Boo (black female) She is approx 6 years old.
Spayed about 5 years ago. She's the third wheel. Doesn't ever let me pet her. She comes for food - but takes off during the day. I want to trap her and bring her inside if she checks out okay by the vet as not having anything my inside cat can catch. But not sure if I could ever tame her. :/
Vinny has been falling apart recently. I don't think he can jump/scale the fence anymore (I see him squeeze under a hole in the fence to leave the yard), he can't hear great and now something has happened to his left eye. I do believe he has chronic feline herpes because he always has runny eyes and has periods where he sneezes for a few days. He was sneezing the other day when I noticed his eye, so I was hoping it was just a herpes flare. I started his Lysine powder, terramyacin eye ointment and fish mox in case it's bacterial. It's been 3 days and doesn't seem to be improving and I can't really see his eye because the 3rd eyelid is really up covering his eye. I don't know what to do. I think he needs to be inside. Here is where the dilemma starts.
I have an inside cat w/ asthma. I just can't expose him to feline herpes. I feel it's not right.
I have a very small house, so I don't have an "extra" room for him. Possibly the kitchen, but I think us being exposed to him in there poses a huge risk of infecting my cat inside.
I considered giving him the garage and installing a little outdoor catio w/ a cat door so he can still get fresh air and even installing a window air conditioner for real hot days (or he can just walk out into his catio)
Then my heart breaks that he won't be able to lay w/ his bonded friend Walter. I feel that is cruel.
Walter also desperately needs to be inside only because he is already getting sun damage / pre-cancer on his ears and nose. But he does NOT like inside.
I've also considered a cat fence. Where nothing can come in and they can't go out. I would have to have fence installed on one side where there is just a shrub fence though and the fence still doesn't keep them warm on freezing nights or out of the harmful sun rays because they are still in the elements. AND the cat fence is expensive I believe.
So, I guess I am struggling w/ what is giving them quality of life. The comfort of what they are used to? Or keeping them inside so they don't get hurt by raccoons or other cats or the sun but have them be in distress for being trapped or separated from each other if Walter isn't down for being in the garage forever.
I go back and forth with all these scenarios and then just continue doing what I am doing. I feed them, give them meds if I can, provide plenty of warm and places to sleep and let them live out there lives.
Any thoughts? I'm really struggling here.
Thank you in advance.
Kelly
We have a total of 3 "feral" cats that primarily live in our backyard.
1. Vinny (B&W Tuxedo male who is always rusty orange) He is approx 15 years old.
Neutered 10 years ago as a complete untouchable feral. He has become very friendly. I can pet him, brush him, give him flea meds, etc. He doesn't mind being in the garage in the winter overnight if he's with his buddy Walter. He is VERY bonded to Walter.
2. Walter (White male) He is approx 10-12 years old.
Neutered 8 years ago as a friendly stray that seemed to be left behind by someone. He is friendly, but gets in fights w/ other unfixed cats - I believe he is the "defender" and protects his friends. Walter does NOT like being inside AT ALL. I've had to keep in garage for very cold winter nights and for a few days when he had an abscess from a bite so I could give him antibiotics. He cries and cries and cries to be let out.
3. Peek-a-Boo (black female) She is approx 6 years old.
Spayed about 5 years ago. She's the third wheel. Doesn't ever let me pet her. She comes for food - but takes off during the day. I want to trap her and bring her inside if she checks out okay by the vet as not having anything my inside cat can catch. But not sure if I could ever tame her. :/
Vinny has been falling apart recently. I don't think he can jump/scale the fence anymore (I see him squeeze under a hole in the fence to leave the yard), he can't hear great and now something has happened to his left eye. I do believe he has chronic feline herpes because he always has runny eyes and has periods where he sneezes for a few days. He was sneezing the other day when I noticed his eye, so I was hoping it was just a herpes flare. I started his Lysine powder, terramyacin eye ointment and fish mox in case it's bacterial. It's been 3 days and doesn't seem to be improving and I can't really see his eye because the 3rd eyelid is really up covering his eye. I don't know what to do. I think he needs to be inside. Here is where the dilemma starts.
I have an inside cat w/ asthma. I just can't expose him to feline herpes. I feel it's not right.
I have a very small house, so I don't have an "extra" room for him. Possibly the kitchen, but I think us being exposed to him in there poses a huge risk of infecting my cat inside.
I considered giving him the garage and installing a little outdoor catio w/ a cat door so he can still get fresh air and even installing a window air conditioner for real hot days (or he can just walk out into his catio)
Then my heart breaks that he won't be able to lay w/ his bonded friend Walter. I feel that is cruel.
Walter also desperately needs to be inside only because he is already getting sun damage / pre-cancer on his ears and nose. But he does NOT like inside.
I've also considered a cat fence. Where nothing can come in and they can't go out. I would have to have fence installed on one side where there is just a shrub fence though and the fence still doesn't keep them warm on freezing nights or out of the harmful sun rays because they are still in the elements. AND the cat fence is expensive I believe.
So, I guess I am struggling w/ what is giving them quality of life. The comfort of what they are used to? Or keeping them inside so they don't get hurt by raccoons or other cats or the sun but have them be in distress for being trapped or separated from each other if Walter isn't down for being in the garage forever.
I go back and forth with all these scenarios and then just continue doing what I am doing. I feed them, give them meds if I can, provide plenty of warm and places to sleep and let them live out there lives.
Any thoughts? I'm really struggling here.
Thank you in advance.
Kelly
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