Not Sure What I Did!

[dana17]

Our feral was staying in this plastic storage bin that we cut a whole in and added padding and straw. It's so cold out. I went out back last night to add more straw when he came out to eat and he went back and sniffed it and now wont go back in!
WHY! I feel very bad!
We have other, not as big and more open houses that he is staying in, just don't know how warm he is. I feel guilty. What did i do! We are trying to catch him and bring him in!
The pic of the tan bin is what he stayed in and now isn't and the small green is where he is now.

 

[cathmarie]

It's so frustrating when you do something to better their environments only to end up scaring them for whatever reason. Something you may also want to consider is order mylar blankets from Amazon for their houses .They are relatively inexpensive and reflect their body heat so they are pretty warm. The noise of the mylar blankets spooked mine at first but then I found the kitten sleeping in the house that had one. Maybe also try removing some of the straw you added. I hope that helps .

 

[dana17]

It is SO frustrating. I try and understand them, so I can help them and I end up doung something wrong. I did buy mylar blankets awhile ago and was afraid to use it bc didnt want to scare them haha. I appreciate you responding.

 

[di and bob]

Mine quit using their beds when they got cornered and attacked in them. I have one now sleeping on a patio chair in 0 degree weather!I felt so sorry for him I put a heated pad on the chair. Beds really need two openings so they can escape. The straw you put in may have been sprayed by a feral tom, or just looked different enough that it spooked him. I would get a heated pad and install that, or pull all the straw out and replace it with new ,or put a blanket in instead, and see if that works.

 

[dana17]

He isn't cold in 0 degee weather! Maybe they rnt as cold as I feel they are.
He didnt get attacked, he came out to eat and that's when I added more straw to help him be warm and it back fired on me! Im mad at myself! I am afraid to touch anything or help him! Our next step is trap and bring him inside if we can and get him fixed. And give him a better life indoors

 

[fionasmom]

You are being too hard on yourself and more than likely did not ruin his life by trying to help him. It is kind that you want to adopt him. Cats are very odd. I have TNRed ferals outside, Los Angeles, so no one is freezing, but have nice beds set up in my garage to which they have safe access. They will not sleep on the heated pad (designed for cats) but prefer the Snuggle Safe disks which are effective, but harder than a rock. I am not sure that in our last week of heavy rain that they necessarily went into the garage either....go figure. Everyone is fine and happy, seemingly.

 

[dana17]

That is so nice of you to out beds for them. I love how many people are how I am and want to make a better life for the ferals

 

[will2002]

Cats do exactly what they want to do. That is what I love about them, their attitude.

You are doing a fine job with the feral that has adopted you. Just be patient and keep doing what you are doing. I bet ya that cat is happy with you.

 

[dana17]

I hope so, i love that cat!
We do everything that we can.

 

[Jcatbird]

They just get their own ideas about things. I am so glad you are going to work towards bringing him in. That gives you far more control over his comfort and safety. It will bring you both some peace of mind. It sure helped me. They can drive us crazy with worry. You’be been doing great things for him. Chances are, he’ ll let that new straw lose that new smell and be back in that tub soon. They are suspicious as a survival mechanism when they are feral but when they see that nothing really happened they come back. You didn’t do anything wrong. Actually .....

 

[kittypa]

Don’t blame yourself. Cats can be incomprehensible. Example. I spent much time and money on a shelter for my stray/feral crew. The rain came and Osker sat on the back porch till he got wet.I finally brought him in and stuck him in the bedroom. Not only did he have that shelter, but the front porch as well to stay dry.

 

[dana17]

Wow...that is a nice set up!
Love it. That is crazy that they choose not to use that, warmer, dry! I know they dont like wind and my cat wont stay in the dog kennel that we have also bc the roof makes noise bc its fabric! Ty everyone for respinding to my thread. I like hearing how everyone helps ferals! Great job!

 

[dana17]

He is a cutie and lots of fur!

 

[walli]

The only thing I can add is, putting something between the ground and the house might make it warmer, might be something there already and I don't see it.
But by all means don't do anything I say that might scare your cat, I have a Feral too and change can freak them out!!
Bless you for caring for your kitty!

 

[kittychick]

It is SO frustrating when you feel like you've done everything possible to make them as safe and comfy as you can, and they pick something else to sleep in/on/under/over/etc ....I have a feeling 99.9% of everyone in the feral forum has had the exact same issue at one point or another. If it makes you feel any better (or at least make you laugh if you can picture it)...we've got four ferals from a neighborhood colony that we TNR'd a few years ago who've made our garage/yard (and our hearts) their home. And we worry all of the time that they're too hot...too cold...you name it, hubby and I worry about it for them (especially in the winter). And we started with 2 outdoor "double rubbermaid bins" with straw and food/water dishes. Which were then "upgraded" ...first by adding a heated water bowl....then by adding plexi "doors" to their bins....then by adding heated mats...then by leaving our garage door cracked so they can come and go...then adding shelters in the garage...then mats on the garage floor under their food/water in the garage bc one of them always holds a foot up when it's cold and he's eating. The biggest thing we did this fall was hubby made a great shelter that they can all fit in, with heated floor mats and a "hound heater" to keep things as warm as possible. Cut to last night (and where we are we've got about a foot of snow on the ground and -10 degrees windchill). And I'm sitting on the bare concrete garage floor, giving them their final canned food meal of the day....and I watch one of them go into their wonderful heated shelter.....(bet you can guess where I'm headed)...

while the other three go curl up in an unheated, uncovered cardboard box.

You've gotta laugh.


(And kittypa I've probably said this before since I know I've commented on how pretty Osker is - but that's a heckuva nice enclosure!)