Thinking of bringing a stray cat inside

david sms

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There is a somewhat friendly stray cat we have been feeding for a few years. I say somewhat because when he sees you he will meow and start rolling around showing his belly, and he lets me pet him, and sometimes rubs against me. But sometimes after petting him for awhile, he will meow and try to bite or slap(he's actually only tried twice, and I avoided it each time because I could see it coming, but it still makes me cautious when petting him), even though he is still rolling around happily. Or he will just leave across the street after being petted for awhile, or after being fed enough.

I think he isn't neutered because he has large testicles and he roams all around the block. And he has been in some fights, which have left him with some spots under his ears where he has no fur and I've seen him spraying bushes regularly. He also gets mad if he sees another cat being fed near him and will want to fight. I've managed to pick him up before and bring him inside a couple times, but he was very anxious to get back outside; he started walking quickly through my room and was trying to get up towards the windows, so I had to release him quickly.

So I was wondering if getting him neutered would make him less anxious to escape so that I could keep him indoors? And maybe make him more friendly and stop him from trying to bite or slap. Also I already have one female spayed cat living inside.
 

calicosrspecial

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David,

Thanks for caring about the stray cat.

Please have him checked out before having him in contact with your indoor cat. Just in case he has anything. We always take a cat into the vet first to get their shots, checked for worms and parasites etc. Then we put the cat into a quarantine room in the house and then slowly go through the introduction process which we can advise on.

Neutering will help him a lot whether you take him inside or leave him outside. He should stop fighting.

He sounds like a friendly cat and a good prospect for being an indoor cat. The fact you can pet him and have even picked him up is very good.

He may be getting over stimulated when after petting he starts to meow and bite and/or slap. The fact you see it coming is very good. I am not sure neutering will help (it may but I am not sure)  but age probably will as will your knowing when he is getting overstimulated. Also just getting comfortable with the human should help.

It is very normal for a stray to get anxious when brought inside. It is a new environment and they don't know if they might be hurt etc. I do think neutering would help in having him not want to get outside as much as he will not be looking for a mate (it does take some time a month or so to get the remaining testosterone out of their system. Also, the first few days he will be anxious but if you treat him well, give him treats (I give warm chicken and they really melt), take good care of them, be confident and calm around them then they realize life is pretty good inside and they tend to do well.

Usually confidence is the biggest thing in reducing any attacks or bites or slaps. When a cat is confident and comfortable they tend to be pretty calm and tame. Sure there are exceptions but when they know they are loved and taken care of my experience has been they really warm up. I am guessing your guy just gets overstimulated, if he wanted to hurt you he would have. 

I have males and females (all former very feral cats) and with the proper introduction process they all have gotten and get along. It just is a process and a slow introduction tends to help. We can go through that when the time comes.

I hope this helps and please feel free to ask anything, anytime. Thanks again for caring so much about him.
 
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david sms

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Thank you for that very thorough answer. Which tests and shots do you feel are necessary before bringing him inside? And should shots be given the same day as being neutered? I read it can be a lot for cat's system to take in on one day, and they should be done weeks apart? Is it necessary to test for FVRCP and FIV or anything else before getting neutered?

I'm skeptical of vaccines, after having heard of many negative reactions. 
 

Norachan

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Hi @David Sms

He sounds like a stray cat rather than a feral to me. It's great that you are able to pet him and pick him up, that will make getting him to the vet a lot easier. As you are able to pick him up and don't have to worry about trapping, as you would with a feral, there is no need to get him tested, neutered and vaccinated at the same time.

I suggest you get him tested for FIV and FeLV. There is a test that can be done for both of these with one blood sample. If he has been living outside he'll probably need to be treated for worms, fleas and possibly ear mites. They're not a huge problem, but they can be passed on to your cat so it's best to get him treated before you bring him indoors.

As for vaccines, the semi-feral cats I care for have all been given the FVRCP vaccine once. I haven't repeated the vaccine, partly because of the difficulties of re-trapping them but also because they are kept in an enclosure and don't come into contact with other cats. There is a lot of debate about whether cats need to be vaccinated annually or not, but I would advise you to get him vaccinated at least once so that he has that extra protection. You'll also need to ask your vet about the legal requirements for the rabies vaccine in your area. It's not required where I am, so I don't know much about this.

Feral cats that are difficult to trap are usually tested for FIV and FeLV when they first come into the clinic, then neutered or spayed. The vaccine is usually given the next day as the anaesthetic can affect how well the vaccine works. If you can bring him back at a later date for vaccinating after he has been neutered, all the better.

If he test positive for FIV make sure your vet gives him the inactivated (killed) vaccine. If he tests positive for FeLV he will have to be kept separate from your cat, but let's cross these bridges when we come to them.

Thank you for trying to help him.
 

calicosrspecial

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David,

I would ask your vet what he or she thinks is best. Personally I do the rabies and the distemper. I test for FIV etc and also do a test for worms and parasites (I do a PCR test which is most encompassing and most reliable but also more expensive). I want to rid worms but also I am very concerned with Giardia as it is a devil to get rid of if you have multiple cats that have it (so I limit it and treat it in the infected cat).

I have done the shots the same day as neutering and have not had any problems but again your vet can give you the best answer.

I too am a bit skeptical and worried about vaccines so I understand your concern.

Your vet will help you decide what is best. If it is strictly an indoor cat then it makes it a lot easier especially if you do not expose the cat to any outside cats.

I hope this helps a little. Please ask anything. Thank you so much for caring about the cat and wanting him to have a good home. He sounds like a great cat.
 
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