Stray? Advice

[cdibs]

This is my first post.. so excuse my really basic questions.. I’ve watched some videos, read but still a little unsure.
I’m not a cat person but have fallen in love w a neighborhood stray. I want to adopt him and have him as an inside cat.
He’s young, small, maybe 4 months per my neighbor, and not fixed. I’ve been feeding him (canned food & kibble) almost twice a day for about 10 days.
Im borrowing a trap so I can take him to the vet to get fixed, shots, tests, etc.
I’ll have a large dog crate set up for him (litter box, food, toys, cubby) in my bedroom to both recover from surgery and get used to being inside.
My question is how will I know when he’s ready to leave the crate? What do I do if he goes beserk in there? Also, the cat rescue told me since he’s feral it’s possible he may never be happy inside..this broke my heart.
Thing is.. He’s a friendly little guy.. he comes right up when I set out his food, he follows me when I get out of the car.. he lets me pet him, he comes into the house regularly (once for an hour and checked out every room before pawing to leave). I have a small dog and he doesn’t seem too bothered by her (one day I was petting both at the same time.. one w each hand).
I’d appreciate any advice you have. Thank you

 

[terricacatwood]

cdibs your post brightened my night. There’s nothing I love more than seeing someone who’s “not a cat person” fall in love with a cat. And thank you so much for being there for this cat and wanting to take him in! He’s adorable and very unique - I’ve never seen a cat with his markings before.

The Cat Socialization Continuum: A Guide to Interactions Between Cats and Humans If you haven’t already come across this link this guide was helpful to me when I needed to socialize unsocialized cats. I also came across another guide about how to get a cat used to being touched regularly but I can’t find it. This one seems to follow similar principals: https://americanpetsalive.org/uploads/resources/Austin-Pets-Alive-Guide-to-Socializing-Cats-52F6.pdf I’m not an expert but I have taken in 2 feral cats before who weren’t at all socialized (both eventually became very sweet and friendly lap cats) Your cat sounds like he’s getting pretty used to his surroundings in your yard and inside your home so I think you’re off to a good start. And the fact that he is already letting you pet him is a great sign. The most important advice I can offer is to be patient. It can take a really long time with some cats. When I brought my feral Ernie into my home after he needed to recover from a serious injury he had been living outside in my driveway for nearly 20 years and had only been letting me touch him briefly while he was eating for a few months before that point. I decided to try touching him after I fostered and successfully socialized an unsocialized stray cat named Poe. Poe was in a crate for I think about a week when he came to my home. He seemed very depressed and would just lay down in it and stare at a fixed spot on the floor. He did this for several days and I didn’t have a lot of hope that I would be able to socialize him . But I started attempting to get him used to touch with the wand method mentioned in the previous link. What really made things turn around for Poe were Churu treats! Churu Purée – Premium quality pet food for your beloved pet friends They’re like popsicles for cats! What’s convenient about them is that they squeeze out of this little tube that’s maybe about 6 inches long so the cat doesn’t have to eat it directly from your hand making it easier to get closer to a cat that’s not used to being touched. Because Poe was confined to a crate, it was very easy to give him these. Basically I started by squeezing some of the treat into a little bowl that I put in his crate. Most cats go crazy for them, so once he got used to the taste I started sticking the Churu into the crate for him to lick off the wand. After doing this numerous times a day for several days he became really focused on the Churu and I was able to start touching him while he was eating it. I would recommend getting your cat used to a regular feeding schedule and a couple specific treat times during the day on a regular basis. As to your question about the crate, I’m not sure, but likely someone else here will have advice. I am thinking though if he seems pretty comfortable around you you may not have to leave him in the crate for very long. How large is your bedroom, and are there a lot of hiding spots in it? If so are you able to block any of them off? As long as it’s not a huge space and he has a hiding place or two that he can go into where you can still get at him if you need to, your bedroom may be a suitable space for him to recover and get used to living in your home. I would recommend, once he seems recovered enough from his surgery, to have short play sessions with him on a regular basis before you give him his food or treats. Since he’s a younger cat and playful he should be receptive to this. Also, with unsocialized cats it’s best to let them come to you (with maybe the exception of their designated feeding, play and treat times). If you can hang out in the room and read or watch a show, just do something quietly and not really pay attention to the cat, It will help him to feel safe and get used to your presence and being inside. Good luck!

 

[cdibs]

Thank you so much for these resources and sharing your experience - it’s exactly what I needed

 

[fionasmom]

Welcome to The Cat Site! All of my indoor pets are former ferals, including my avatar who was born to a feral mom under a house on my street. They never go outside under any circumstances and all have adjusted very quickly to a cushy indoor life.The cat rescue undoubtedly does great work in your community, and they have been supportive to you, but they are not psychic. The fact that this little boy is very young and already friendly to you is an excellent sign. He seems interested in being inside, which may indicate that he knows that something is better and safer in there than on the streets.

He may absolutely react to being in the crate at first. However, the alternative to a crate is a bathroom or other area where there is more space but still safe confinement where you can work with him. I have only ever had to crate sick cats for the safety of others; all other cats I have brought inside have been in a small room.

It is wonderful that you want to give him a home and it sounds very much like he is on board with that. You can come here for any and all advice that you need along the way, so please remember that. He is an adorable little boy.

 

[tabbytom]

This is my first post.. so excuse my really basic questions.. I’ve watched some videos, read but still a little unsure.
I’m not a cat person but have fallen in love w a neighborhood stray. I want to adopt him and have him as an inside cat.
He’s young, small, maybe 4 months per my neighbor, and not fixed. I’ve been feeding him (canned food & kibble) almost twice a day for about 10 days.
Im borrowing a trap so I can take him to the vet to get fixed, shots, tests, etc.
I’ll have a large dog crate set up for him (litter box, food, toys, cubby) in my bedroom to both recover from surgery and get used to being inside.
My question is how will I know when he’s ready to leave the crate? What do I do if he goes beserk in there? Also, the cat rescue told me since he’s feral it’s possible he may never be happy inside..this broke my heart.
Thing is.. He’s a friendly little guy.. he comes right up when I set out his food, he follows me when I get out of the car.. he lets me pet him, he comes into the house regularly (once for an hour and checked out every room before pawing to leave). I have a small dog and he doesn’t seem too bothered by her (one day I was petting both at the same time.. one w each hand).
I’d appreciate any advice you have. Thank you

and welcome to TCS!

Thank you for falling in love with this beautiful kitty and for adopting him (soon) and for giving him a warm and fur-ever loving home and a safe sanctuary to live out his life

From what I read, he is not feral cat. He's a stray and have been in contact with hoomans one way or the other. A feral cat would never come near you and let you pet him and will never go into your house and check out all the rooms and getting along with your dog.

Having him indoors will be safest for him and with your love, he'll be the happiest.

Cats go by scents. Since he's already pretty used to you and your dog and your house, you can have some towels and lay them around to soak up his scents. Prepare a safe room for him in which you'll crate him for a little while and let him out after his visit from the vet for his shots and neutering. Also leave your clean, unwashed non perfume garments in the room as he is used to your scents, this will help calm him down.

If he can be petted as you mentioned and always comes into your house, you may not have to trap him and spare him the extra stress of being trapped.
Call your vet and tell them of your mission and have them on standby so that you can go in at any time without an appointment and waiting once the cat is in your hands.
Get the carrier open and ready. Once he's in the house and being petted, with swift hands, grab him gently but steadily so that he won't try to struggle to escape. If you are not confident in this task, get someone to help you with the carrier. Once in, quickly drive over to the vet to have him checked out, vaccinated and neutered. This is better than trapping him, unless you can trap him and bring him in the very same day, then it's ok.
Don't worry, he'll soon forgive you and get over it and it'll just take some time for him to get used to being indoors. Just make sure that there is no escape route else you have to re-trap him and it won't be that easy the second time round.
Once he's in, never let him out again.

I'll list down some articles to guide you but if you have any questions to ask, please ask. There's no such thing as a stupid question here He's a lovely cute boy

a-feral-cat-or-a-stray-cat-how-to-tell-the-difference
adopting-a-stray-cat
spay-and-neuter
first-time-cat-owners-guide
bringing-home-a-new-cat-the-complete-guide
how-much-time-does-it-take-to-care-for-a-cat
cats-and-hidden-dangers-in-the-home
cat-safety-rules
how-to-make-your-home-and-garden-safe-for-your-cat
household-chemicals-and-your-cats
cats-lilies-avoid-the-danger-lurking-in-your-home

Many other articles are found here :- c

EDIT : - one more article :-
52-reasons-why-cats-must-get-inside-boxes
new-cat-checklist-what-you-need-to-get-before-bringing-kitty-home
help-new-cat-adjust-to-home

 

[cdibs]

Thank you so much.. I bought a cat condo etc.. and am preparing this big cat crate for his recovery (I found one with 3 levels made for cats on Amazon) I’m planning on getting him to the vet next week. Will just get him in a carrier when he comes in house to eat.. so excited

 

[tabbytom]

Thank you so much.. I bought a cat condo etc.. and am preparing this big cat crate for his recovery (I found one with 3 levels made for cats on Amazon) I’m planning on getting him to the vet next week. Will just get him in a carrier when he comes in house to eat.. so excited

I think it's not necessary to get a 3 level crate for his recovery. A fairly good size one will do. You don't intend to keep him inside the crate forever right? This is only for a short while.

 

[cdibs]

Yes.. only for a short while.. it was same price as a large dog crate.. he can get under the bedroom door and we have a dog so I can’t leave him in a room while we’re at work.. I figured he might as well be comfortable.. I don’t think he’s lived inside…If he likes it I can leave the door open and he can go in there whenever he wants (like my dog does w her crate). If he doesn’t use it.. I’ll give it to a friend w 3 cats.

 

[tabbytom]

Yes.. only for a short while..

Do keep us updated of the progress.

 

[cdibs]

Help.. he’s been home from surgery an hour and has been intermittently climbing the walls just trying to get out of his crate.
.surgery went well, he’s healthy and vet thinks he’s probably slightly over a year old.. vet says he’s not feral and def socialized.. probably lived with people before.. We’ve been feeding him in the house for 2 weeks but he always goes back outside. Per your advice I’m not letting him out again. He’s been affectionate and playful before surgery..How long do I keep him in the crate??? (He seems calmer now.. I have that Feliway going)

 

[tabbytom]

Per your advice I’m not letting him out again. He’s been affectionate and playful before surgery..How long do I keep him in the crate??? (He seems calmer now.. I have that Feliway going)

Keep him in the crate for another few days till he's much calmer and while he's still in the cage, go and prepare the room and make sure it's cat proofed and no escape route for him.
Spend more time with him while he's still in the cage. Your presence is very important to him now as he needs lots of assurance.

Once he's settled down, let him out and slowly let him explore the house at his own time. Don't let him out of the house or let him escape as it'll be harder to trap him the next time round.

 

[cdibs]

Thank you so much.. ..that’s what I needed to know

 

[Margot Lane]

Talk to him a lot, of course. Cats love good conversation. Good on you for doing this: seems like one w/ a LOT of personality. Any name picked out? Can’t wait for updates. Cats pick people, sometimes, not the other way round.

 

[cdibs]

Meet Harold Dibs
The little cat that stole my (cat-avoiding) heart

 

[Margot Lane]

Meet Harold Dibs
The little cat that stole my (cat-avoiding) heart

I can see why. Does the name mean something?

 

[Avery]

What a sweet little face! And those big ears! He is adorable! So glad he is healthy and now has a good home.

 

[cdibs]

Thank you all so much.. he’s healed and adjusted so fast and is now part of the family.. so affectionate and sweet.. he has the run of the house as well as his safe spaces.. we love him.. thank you for answering my questions and helping me get through my fears

 

[fionasmom]

Thank you so much for helping Mr. Dibs!

 

[terricacatwood]

He already looks like he’s living it up! Thank you so much for giving him the sweet life.

 

[tabbytom]

Thank you all so much.. he’s healed and adjusted so fast and is now part of the family.. so affectionate and sweet.. he has the run of the house as well as his safe spaces.. we love him.. thank you for answering my questions and helping me get through my fears