Timmy,7yr old TNR true feral! COLD TURKEY!

[grawmmawmoses]

G grawmmawmoses
Btw,I'm not here to convince you or anyone else to do something they do not want to do with all of their heart- I'm here to assure others that it is not impossible and if their hearts desire is to give a home to a feral then follow their heart because LOVE is what it takes..... and I'm happy to assist,encourage and give suggestions

I do sincerely appreciate your encouragement ! It's the only encouragement I'm receiving and I really do want Robbie inside for a number of reasons. It would be more convenient to have them all in the house and if they were, they could all use that expensive catio!

 

[Kwik]

I do think that over time he would realize that the house is always the same temperature and he doesn't have to worry about predators. He already is used to having plenty of food and getting petted and brushed which he loves. He purrs so loud I can even hear it without my hearing aids and he drools like crazy when I'm petting him. My friend and her vet daughter aren't experiencing all of that. I think Robbie would choose me over his freedom and I think he would love having playmates. They already play through the screen door. That screen door was how I integrated the last cat into the fold except that it replaced the door to my office then and now it separates my bedroom from the 5x7 room to my closet and the patio/catio. I'm glad I kept that screen door after I used it with Sasha. She was feral too but more of a communal cat that was one of many being fed by a man who suddenly stopped feeding in the hope they would all go away which all but two did. I got Sasha and someone else got the kitten that was with her. We thought Sasha was her mother but when I got Sasha spayed the vet said she never had kittens. So the kitten was probably her little sister. Sasha is actually more afraid of other people than Robbie is. Robbie doesn't run and hide if other people come around like Sasha does.

Well as I mentioned to you before- you are soooo ahead of the game because Robbie isn't even feral- at best he is a semi..... your going to be just fine with Robbie

 

[Kwik]

I do sincerely appreciate your encouragement ! It's the only encouragement I'm receiving and I really do want Robbie inside for a number of reasons. It would be more convenient to have them all in the house and if they were, they could all use that expensive catio!

YOU & folks like you are the reason I give FREE advice these days,lol - here at TCS. I'm retired,had a lucrative career and it's time to give back and leave something wonderful behind when it's time for me to meet my Maker

Animals have been my passion all of my life,,I've been very Blessed to have made a career out of doing what I love to do and other people are just as passionate but so often discouraged ,unsupported and face alot of negative feedback.....I know first hand ,so let's prove em all WRONG!-lol

 

[grawmmawmoses]

Well as I mentioned to you before- you are soooo ahead of the game because Robbie isn't even feral- at best he is a semi..... your going to be just fine with Robbie

I think so too. I just need to get him in the carrier!

 

[grawmmawmoses]

This morning while Robbie was outside the catio, I closed the door and called my inside cats out into the catio. Robbie was intrigued but I didn't want any hostilities so I didn't leave them out there for long but brought them back in for canned food. Robbie got to see them in his territory. As soon as I opened the catio back up, Robbie came back onto the patio. I told Robbie they were just visiting and that it was still his home. I also put Robbie's wet food right in front of the carrier this morning and afterward he showed some interest in the carrier. Tomorrow I will put just inside the front edge. Eventually I will get him all the way in.

 

[grawmmawmoses]

This morning while Robbie was outside the catio, I closed the door and called my inside cats out into the catio. Robbie was intrigued but I didn't want any hostilities so I didn't leave them out there for long but brought them back in for canned food. Robbie got to see them in his territory. As soon as I opened the catio back up, Robbie came back onto the patio. I told Robbie they were just visiting and that it was still his home. I also put Robbie's wet food right in front of the carrier this morning and afterward he showed some interest in the carrier. Tomorrow I will put just inside the front edge. Eventually I will get him all the way in.

 

[grawmmawmoses]

Yesterday morning I put Robbie's dish of wet food just barely inside the carrier that is right next to the chair where I sit on the patio/catio with him. Today I put it a little further in. I'm shooting for Friday to take him to the vet.

 

[Kwik]

Yesterday morning I put Robbie's dish of wet food just barely inside the carrier that is right next to the chair where I sit on the patio/catio with him. Today I put it a little further in. I'm shooting for Friday to take him to the vet.

Good for you- if he's not all the way in by Friday just change your plan for Monday and don't get panicky or upset over it- slow n easy

 

[grawmmawmoses]

Mondays and Tuesdays are out as well as the weekend and now that I think about it, so is Friday because the back-up vet won't do on Friday. If I catch him on Friday and my regular vet won't take him I'll have to let him go and then I'll never get him in there again. I think I'll have to put off catching until next Wednesday but that's ok. I'll feed him in the carrier until then. The back-up vet (who will charge hundreds of dollars) said I can bring him in Monday through Thursday but he would sedate and I'd have to drop Robbie off and come back for him in the afternoon. The regular vet says if I get him in the carrier call and see when they can squeeze him in. The vets don't make it easy! I don't want him in the carrier any longer than necessary!

 

[grawmmawmoses]

I have a 7:20 am appointment for Saturday the 4th of November with my regular vet. I will just continue to feed him in the carrier until then. That should work out well. If he will go all the way in, I should be able to close the door behind him. He's a big boy so he'll be stuffed in there!

 

[Kwik]

I have a 7:20 am appointment for Saturday the 4th of November with my regular vet. I will just continue to feed him in the carrier until then. That should work out well. If he will go all the way in, I should be able to close the door behind him. He's a big boy so he'll be stuffed in there!

That's fine,there's no need to be rushing around like a chicken without a head- and don't worry about how long he's in the carrier ,,he'll be fine even if he's in there for the day - he's safe,secure and when in small containment with a little cover over it they calm down and sleep... It's really fine,I assure you

Sounds good to see your regular Vet ,by that time he should be eating all the way in side and you'll simply close the door- easy peasy

 

[grawmmawmoses]

That's fine,there's no need to be rushing around like a chicken without a head- and don't worry about how long he's in the carrier ,,he'll be fine even if he's in there for the day - he's safe,secure and when in small containment with a little cover over it they calm down and sleep... It's really fine,I assure you

Sounds good to see your regular Vet ,by that time he should be eating all the way in side and you'll simply close the door- easy peasy

That's the hope! then we'll figure out how to integrate him into the house. Maybe in the meantime I'll try letting him in the bedroom some more. Not easy to find no other cats in there!

 

[Kwik]

Finally a different background for Timmy's photos as he's gradually making his way towards the front of the house- this morning as I was preparing clowder breakfast Timmy was in the hallway watching at the entrance to the kitchen - pretty cool becsuse the faucet was on,microwave running and he has become used to many household sounds..... after he eats he has started going into the dining room to groom himself,use that litter box and even hopped onto a comfy chair to try it out.....


Here's some pics as he is expanding territory

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[grawmmawmoses]

Finally a different background for Timmy's photos as he's gradually making his way towards the front of the house- this morning as I was preparing clowder breakfast Timmy was in the hallway watching at the entrance to the kitchen - pretty cool becsuse the faucet was on,microwave running and he has become used to many household sounds..... after he eats he has started going into the dining room to groom himself,use that litter box and even hopped onto a comfy chair to try it out.....

Here's some pics as he is expanding territory

On the right is Sami walking by

how long has he had free run of the house?

 

[Kwik]

how long has he had free run of the house?

I believe it was 60 days of containment before I dismantled the little vestibule part of his enclosure ,first the actual enclosure door was open to that part ,when he started hanging out in the vestibule and the csts began touching each other through the welded wire I never really closed him in again- so he's had " free reign" for about 3 months now.....he also has access to the patio if he so desires

 

[grawmmawmoses]

2 months confined and 3 months free. The last feral I integrated was easier because she came to me in a carrier and she was timid enough to let me handle her easily. I had her in my office with the same screen door replacing the regular door and I think I spent about two months also before I started letting her out. I started by locking the others in my bedroom so Sasha could roam the rest of the house. After a couple of months, I let my most agreeable cat, Newman, join her in the office. They had been interacting through the screen door. Newman will be the first to interact with Robbie too once Robbie has been tested and cleared to be inside with the others.

 

[Kwik]

2 months confined and 3 months free. The last feral I integrated was easier because she came to me in a carrier and she was timid enough to let me handle her easily. I had her in my office with the same screen door replacing the regular door and I think I spent about two months also before I started letting her out. I started by locking the others in my bedroom so Sasha could roam the rest of the house. After a couple of months, I let my most agreeable cat, Newman, join her in the office. They had been interacting through the screen door. Newman will be the first to interact with Robbie too once Robbie has been tested and cleared to be inside with the others.

Pretty confident was not a "feral" but probably a stray.....just like your Robbie although he may be semi....

I move at " their " pace- though basically it's pretty much a 30 day containment time with ferals to acclimate them to the indoors- 30 days will establish their little territory where they feel safe ,its their own safe space-then from there some look to explore faster than others

I would always start a new cst in a separate room but felt it was better to house Timmy where he can hear & see all the daily sights and sounds of indoor life..things thst we don't give a second thought about can be terrifying to a cat thst spent all of his life hiding in bushes,the A/C ,refrigerator,a faucet running,toilet flushing,a bag of chips opening,TV,phone ringing .....in an isolated room he'd come out and be terrified by every sound,get startled,run ,hide So I decided to set up his safe space in the living room and by the time he's ready to be released he is already familiar with all of thst--while he's fast asleep at my feet the phone rings,text messages,,TV going and I'm digging in a bag of tostitos and he may just open his eyes to look and not even pick up his head......

If there's a knock on the door he runs to his enclosure,he knows that means there's a human coming and he hides...other than that he's moving along fabulously

Don't worry so much about integrating him into the fanily,just follow at his pace and comfortability(& the others)

 

[tabbytom]

Finally a different background for Timmy's photos as he's gradually making his way towards the front of the house- this morning as I was preparing clowder breakfast Timmy was in the hallway watching at the entrance to the kitchen - pretty cool becsuse the faucet was on,microwave running and he has become used to many household sounds..... after he eats he has started going into the dining room to groom himself,use that litter box and even hopped onto a comfy chair to try it out.....

Here's some pics as he is expanding territory

Yep.....................Timmy's taking it slow and easy. What's the rush? I'm already home!

 

[grawmmawmoses]

Pretty confident was not a "feral" but probably a stray.....just like your Robbie although he may be semi....

I move at " their " pace- though basically it's pretty much a 30 day containment time with ferals to acclimate them to the indoors- 30 days will establish their little territory where they feel safe ,its their own safe space-then from there some look to explore faster than others

I would always start a new cst in a separate room but felt it was better to house Timmy where he can hear & see all the daily sights and sounds of indoor life..things thst we don't give a second thought about can be terrifying to a cat thst spent all of his life hiding in bushes,the A/C ,refrigerator,a faucet running,toilet flushing,a bag of chips opening,TV,phone ringing .....in an isolated room he'd come out and be terrified by every sound,get startled,run ,hide So I decided to set up his safe space in the living room and by the time he's ready to be released he is already familiar with all of thst--while he's fast asleep at my feet the phone rings,text messages,,TV going and I'm digging in a bag of tostitos and he may just open his eyes to look and not even pick up his head......

If there's a knock on the door he runs to his enclosure,he knows that means there's a human coming and he hides...other than that he's moving along fabulously

Don't worry so much about integrating him into the fanily,just follow at his pace and comfortability(& the others)

That's the plan! Every cat is different. Sasha was a communal cat being fed by a man in central Phoenix when suddenly she wasn't being fed anymore. But she did sit next to him on his bench when he drank his coffee in the morning so she did like a human. I'll never know whether Robbie had a relationship with a human before but he has one now!

 

[Kwik]

Yesterday I dozed off on the couch-Timmys little bed it but 2 feet in front of me- when I opened my eyes he was not in his bed so I sat up to see where he was- to my delighted surprise he was snuggled up on the ottoman beside me....

This boy has me wrapped around his lil paws,I can't help but be crazy about him and just tickled by his desire to be near me.....he's added so much to my life,such a sweet Blessing