Needing Links!

[LeiLana80]

A friend of mind had a stray Tom cat decide that she is his human. She already has two indoor cats, one momma cat and her now adult son, both at least 5 and fixed.

In two weeks she will be getting the outdoor Tom neutered. We will be helping with the process, as she is unable to pick him up and cage him (we don't know if this is due to her lack of experience, or if he's just really fiesty, or both) Her indoor cats are big babies and she just carries them to the vet, lol.

But... the indoor cats do NOT like this Tom cat. So she has a long road ahead of her, as she wants to try to transition him to indoor, or at least indoor/outdoor (she lives in a more rural area where it's much safer for cats to be out). But winter is coming, and she needs to get *something* fixed for him while she does this.

Which leads me to this. I need some good links to send her about the following subjects:

How to make an outdoor bin home (she is thinking of putting one in her garage for now)
Introducing an an older cat to other older cats (all stubborn cats, too lol)
Any other information that might help.

I tried to do a site search but I don't know if I typed the wrong words or what, because I didn't really get anything. Maybe I just need a few more cups of coffee to think clearly... lol

Thanks!!

 

[Columbine]

First of all, how fantastic that your friend is taking on this feral tomcat, and how great of you to be helping her. We need more people like you and your friend in the world

The following articles should be the kind of thing you're looking for. I've linked to all that jump out at me as potentially being useful in this situation, without knowing the finer details.
How To Help Feral Cats Stay Safe & Warm During Winter
Adopting A Stray Cat
Handling Feral Cats
Should You Try And Tame A Feral Cat?
A Feral Cat Or A Stray Cat? How To Tell The Difference
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide
10 Must-know Tips For Happy Living With A Shy Cat
The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home
How To Keep Your Cat Safe Outdoors
Cat Enclosures
Building A Cat Enclosure
Identifying Common Ailments In Cats Adopted From Animal Shelters And Rescue Groups

The biggest thing to keep in mind is patience. There is absolutely no rush here, and this kind of introduction takes extra time and attention. Also, its vital that this tomcat gets a full health check when at the vets. I had my girl (Asha) checked and treated for fleas, ticks, ear mites, worms/other parasitic infections, FIV, FeLV and FHV-1. We also had her vaccinated and microchipped. As well as all of this, she got a thorough physical to check for any injuries, illnesses or other issues from living the feral life. Because we already had a senior kitty, Asha stayed at the vet until her FIV/FeLV test results came back, so that we knew what precautions we needed to take to keep our old boy healthy.

There's a great blog on taming and domesticating feral kitties written by shadowsrescue - Feral Cat Tails.

I hope at least some of this helps. Thank you for saving this kitty, and good luck. I hope it all goes smoothly

 

[LeiLana80]

Puuuufect! This is what I needed. Thank you!!!

 

[kittypa]

I came across a good deal on outdoor shelters and ordered two of these today.

Trixie Outdoor Wooden Cat Patio, White

I was going to build a couple shelters and was looking for ideas, but I could not build these for this price.

 

[shadowsrescue]

It is just wonderful that she wants to help this stray tom cat. Does she by any chance have a spare room? It would be really nice for him to have a room of his own for the start. I have brought 6 feral or stray cats into my home over the past few years. Some have transitioned easily and others have taken a year. It definitely takes lots of patience.

A spare room gives the cat a complete sense of a safe haven. The room should be cat proofed. That means if there is a bed in the room, it should be flat on the floor or removed. You don't want the kitty hiding under the bed or other large furniture.

In this room, there should be litter boxes. It's often best to start with 2, a safe hiding spot like a hiding box in a cat tree or even a cat carrier. Just make sure that the cat is out in the open. You don't want him hiding in the closet and acting like a hermit! I like to get on the floor and see hiding places from the cats eye level. That way you can block off all large furniture especially behind.

Working on getting him used to indoor living is the first step. I would not worry about intros with the other cats now. Just get him settled first. He may yowl, howl and carry on for the first few nights. Don't give in and let him out. This will subside. Also watch for windows. I have many cats throw themselves against the windows trying to get out. I make sure that the blinds are fully up and the cords secured.

You can browse through my blog. I have written a lot about my adventures with Orange Kitty/Marvin, Cisco and now Shadow, Stellar and Hampton (who are still a work in progress!).

 

[LeiLana80]

Thank you for your advice! I have a lot to go over with her. I truly appreciate the information and expertise!!!

 

[LeiLana80]

Just an update: Her Tomcat (now his name) is now fixed and indoors! All of her other cats just kinda ignore him (and he ignore them) but that's better than aggression.
However, he is not pooping in the litter box... he has his own box, in a quite room (and the other cats have theirs elsewhere, they all stay away from each others areas), but he's choosing to go in the hallway, or the living room, in the middle.
Suggestions? I thought about changing the type of litter, but what else could it be? She keeps it very clean and scooped. And he pees in there no problem.

 

[shadowsrescue]

When he poops in the hallway, scoop it up and bury it in the box. Cats are attracted by their own scent. Also I would try 2 litter boxes in the room. Some cats like to pee and poop in separate boxes.

Thanks for the update.

 

[LeiLana80]

Ah, ok! Yes! Thank you!