Hi I'm a new member looking for some advice. This summer a little feral or stray cat came into my yard. He was less than a year. After about a month I had him trapped neutered and then released again into my yard. That was September and he was determined by the vet to be approximately 10 months old. So now I have a yearling. He is a beautiful black cat with bright yellow eyes and is in very good health. I have purchased a wonderful outdoor shelter for him that's insulated with the sleeping loft. I know he goes in there because I leave treats there and they're usually gone the next day. I can't be sure whether or not he actually sleeps there though. I have also installed a pet door that goes into my garage and he can go in there when it's raining out or windy. In the garage I also have a little heated bed that is up off the floor on a plank. Can't be sure if he uses that either. I have created an outdoor feeding station for him which he uses with gusto. Sometimes if the weather is bad enough I feed him in the garage. Just recently I've been leaving the back door open to my kitchen and a few treats on the floor. That has brought him inside but he doesn't stay inside long just long enough to eat his treats. Our relationship has gotten to the point where he will let me pet him if I place a few treats on the floor. I tickle him just behind the ears and stroke his back.
The problem is winter is coming and now the nights are getting cold. Last night was frigid. Today it's pouring rain and they say we are getting a nor'easter. He was here this morning and had his breakfast consisting of some kibble and a small can of trout and chicken. Then he went off in the pouring rain even though he had eaten inside the house, in my kitchen where it's warm. This puzzles and worries me because I am afraid that if he continues to stay outside he will become too cold and get sick. I will continue to give him access to my kitchen and feed him there as often as possible so that perhaps he will get used to it and start staying. I put a little bed there and hope he will use it. He most often is here between 6:30 and 7 AM to receive his breakfast and then he goes off for the day. I have a woods behind my home and that's where he seems to go. Although there are critters in the woods that can cause him harm I feel much safer with him there than if he were to go out to the front of my house where I have a very busy street. He is usually very punctual about returning for his dinner between 3 and 4:30 PM now that it is getting dark earlier. He has his dinner and then pretty much hangs around the property I think for the rest of the evening. He sometimes comes in to the garage and plays with some toys I've left there and he sometimes comes into the kitchen if I leave the door open for him to do so. But he never stays inside he always exits at some point.
Any suggestions on how I can coax him to come inside and stay for a while now that it's getting to be winter? His name is Piwacket and I call him Pi, Pi-Pi, and sometimes the Pi-man.
The problem is winter is coming and now the nights are getting cold. Last night was frigid. Today it's pouring rain and they say we are getting a nor'easter. He was here this morning and had his breakfast consisting of some kibble and a small can of trout and chicken. Then he went off in the pouring rain even though he had eaten inside the house, in my kitchen where it's warm. This puzzles and worries me because I am afraid that if he continues to stay outside he will become too cold and get sick. I will continue to give him access to my kitchen and feed him there as often as possible so that perhaps he will get used to it and start staying. I put a little bed there and hope he will use it. He most often is here between 6:30 and 7 AM to receive his breakfast and then he goes off for the day. I have a woods behind my home and that's where he seems to go. Although there are critters in the woods that can cause him harm I feel much safer with him there than if he were to go out to the front of my house where I have a very busy street. He is usually very punctual about returning for his dinner between 3 and 4:30 PM now that it is getting dark earlier. He has his dinner and then pretty much hangs around the property I think for the rest of the evening. He sometimes comes in to the garage and plays with some toys I've left there and he sometimes comes into the kitchen if I leave the door open for him to do so. But he never stays inside he always exits at some point.
Any suggestions on how I can coax him to come inside and stay for a while now that it's getting to be winter? His name is Piwacket and I call him Pi, Pi-Pi, and sometimes the Pi-man.