Lol, he'll supervise !(Somehow i don’t think he’s going to help w shoveling snow or yard work!)
Lol, he'll supervise !(Somehow i don’t think he’s going to help w shoveling snow or yard work!)
I would keep him where he is for a few weeks at least for a few reasons. A not tame formally outdoor kitty needs this to transition to be tamer and to being inside. He is healing from bad wounds and he needs to feel safe and stable in his environment with as little stress as possible. He is also being quarantined for rabies. You don’t know his vaccination history and rabies has a variable incubation and is a fatal disease. As far as we know no cats have survived it and only 7-8 people worldwide have survived who didn't get rpep before it went to the phase where symptoms started.Thanks for the replies. Great advice and information.
So the vet did give him an antibiotic shot they referred to as something like long acting. It’s very tough to see his wounds because he’s in the carrier and when he’s laying down, his fur scrunches over the wounds.
As far as feeding goes, I will try warming the food and placing near the carrier and moving as far away as possible. He’s never eaten in my presence. When he was still outside, I’d talk to him and then wait but he always waited me out to go eat. I also Don’t have a lot of time each day. I never Intended to bring an animal inside because my time is so limited. In this case, I felt Like this was better than nothing. Hopefully by not free feeding, he will start coming out to eat. I am pretty sure he knows I’m the one bringing the food. He knew this when he was still outside. We started interacting a month or so before i trapped him.
Directed to Norachan or anyone else w an opinion on this: as far as neutering, is there a better time than not with respect to his current condition? In other words, based on me recently trapping him, the vet visit, new surroundings, his wounds, does any of this play a role? I was figuring maybe that giving him some adjusted period and not subjecting him to more would help w him trusting me and letting him get more comfortable?
For now, when I go to spend time w him, he’s in his carrier, so it would be super easy to just close the door and go to the vet. I also figured another procedure might be another thing on his plate to deal with. As I said, I’m feeling my way in the dark.
The first week when he was not using the carrier, I tried Using a long string to entice him to play or a laser but he didn’t budge. I try To put myself in his place and I think if it were me I’d be sleeping a lot and not feeling 100%
The more I write and read, it does seem like at some point, he was someone’s cat. He is one of the most calm cats I’ve ever seen. To address his long term living situation: this can be his forever home unless he shows me signs that he wants out and he starts climbing the walls. My hunch is that will not happen and he’s welcome here. I’ve already told him that this is his house too. It’s not mine. He now lives here and we will share it. (Somehow i don’t think he’s going to help w shoveling snow or yard work!) I do Not believe in the concept of “owning” an animal. I think That’s no more possible than owning a tree. As I told Him when he was outside, him and me are buddies. I actually see a lot of similarities between both of us, without sounding crazy. We are both males, middle aged, gray hair on our head, on the quieter side, mostly calm and laid back, reserved and take a while to get comfortable and be ourselves, and can be a handful without doing much. We both have plenty of scars and have been through some battles in life. Of course I know He’s a cat, and I’m not bonkers but I do respect him and try to treat others as they are me...
As long as the wounds heal, I’m not worried about the looks. Health is number 1. He seems to scratch more than he’s now inside. I was monitoring him while he was still outside and the scabs seemed to remain intact then. The vet shaved the fur around the wounds and cleaned the wounds. Perhaps he’s healing more now and that is making him itchier.
I’d like to eventually allow him to roam the rest of the house or at least give him that option. I think It’ll be easy to know when that time has come. How he is living now seems so boring. I know He’s a cat but I’m just hoping he becomes more social just so he can be more free in the rest of the house. I’m so opposed to caging of animals and although he isn’t restricted like that, it seems like life could be better for him if he played and got some more affection. Truly, it’s not a need of mine to have a cuddly pet. Just seems like life would be more full for him.
Each day I look Forward to the new posts and advice and experiences. Every word is invaluable and I appreciate it beyond words. Please accept my gratitude.
These are VERY good things !He tends to close his eyes when I talk to him. If I’m with him for a while, he usually falls back to sleep.
It is so complex and I read a lot about it after potential exposure by Merlin and having to fill out a form for the health board etc. That is sad that they would just euthanize and it is fantastic you are helping him and saving his life. I think you are right and he is ok, so he just needs to heal now and adjust to his new situation which I am sure he is relieved about even if he is nervous.It’s funny how little I realize I know about something like rabies till now. Originally an animal rescue league told me if I trapped him and turned him over to them, and they discovered his wounds were from an unknown origin that wound euthanize him immediately. They do not have the resources to quarantine animals. I was Also told if he scratches or bites me, they would have to euthanize him to check his brain for rabies. I have read before that the incubation period can vary. Tomorrow evening will be 3 wks since his rabies vaccination and approx 2 months since I first saw his wounds.
My intuition tells me he is ok. I guess time will tell. My intuition also tells me to leave him be for a while. As stated, he needs time, I believe.
I’ve had no physical contact w him nor is he aggressive. By body language, he is more cautious and fearful than anything. Each day that passes, I think, he sees he is safe and I’m not there to hurt him but slow is trust to build. I simply think how I am if I’m trying to recover from anything, and all I’d want is rest and to be left alone.
He is forced to tolerate my voice and presence. He tends to close his eyes when I talk to him. If I’m with him for a while, he usually falls back to sleep. Hopefully those are good signs.
I’m going to start trying no free feeding and warmed food presented while I’m in the room. Surely I’ll give updates...
Again...everything word on every line is greatly appreciated.
I have no advice as I have never had the opportunity to take in a feral.First off, I am just blown away by how nice and helpful and sharing everyone is. It really feels like I’m not in this alone, so thank all of you so much.
It had been over a week when he had not peed outside the box. At first, I thought he was confused and got two litter boxes, both large size. That seemed to do the trick. Then less than a week ago, I noticed a little pee on the towel. Then there was a puddle on the catnip toy. Then again on the towel. Then tonight on the small cloth.
I’ve tried to keep things very routine, as much as I’m able. The house is very quiet most of the time. There’s no one else here and no other animals. Everything is very peaceful so hopefully there’s nothing adding any additional stress.
The litter i use, because of his wounds, are natural pine pellets. It seems like peeing and scratching around creates sawdust, which seems to be in both boxes.
The link did work and I so Very appreciate it. More than I can say. I’ll call the vet tomorrow. At this point, a vet visit would be easy with him in the carrier.
The no free feeding/trying to get him to come out to eat isn’t going too well. He just waits me out. And I dont Have an hour to sit and wait. He used to do this outside too. I’d try to wait to see if I could gain some trust w him. He’d never eat while I was around.