A few days ago I took in someone's 'outside' male cat after the owner passed away. Little did I know it was actually a stray cat that she fed but was not really socialized. I have no idea if he's had any visits to the vet or if he's spayed. He won't allow me to come within 6 feet of him so I can't really get a feel for what state he's in. He looks a bit rough but all in all not bad I guess, he just seems a bit lethargic and meows a lot which breaks my heart. I want to have a vet take a look at him but i'm kinda scared that the trip will just traumatize him further :s He eats fine and uses the litterbox (mostly anyway) but the meowing makes me worry. Should I just take him to the vet or wait till he's a little more at ease?
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Vet Visit Now Or Later?
- Thread starter c.c.
- Start Date
Take him now if you think you can get him in a carrier. As you say, he won't let you close to him so not sure how you'll manage this. He's crying only because he is frightened.
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- #3
I put his carrier in his favourite hiding place and I think he sleeps in there now so i'm hoping it would just be a matter of closing the lid. I'm scared of betraying any sort of trust we've built up so far but his health should come first ofcourse, i'll make an apointment this week.
You can buy Feliway spray to spray in his carrier. Works well to calm down cats.
You want him to the vet the sooner the better. Also be sure to check that he is neutered. The crying could be because he is scared and he might miss his former owner and surroundings.
Where are you keeping him right now?
Where are you keeping him right now?
Since the cat needs more socializing, I suggest you keep him in a large crate / kennel. Drape a blanket or sheet over it. This way you have easy access to him. Having him loose in a room just reinforces his need to hide.
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- #7
He's in a small laundry room upstairs where the door already had a catflap (he ran in there by himself when I initially let him out of the carrier.) That's also where I keep the litterbox/food/carrier. He explores the house at night and will sometimes sit in the livingroom with me (at a distance and if I move he bolts). Just now I made the room next to the laundry room accessible so he has more space and can sit by the window if he wants without being bothered by me. Have to wait and see if he likes it. I may set up a similar cat-friendly hideout in a small hallway I have in the livingroom so he can still feel safe while i'm in the room.
At this point I really would keep him confined. It makes it very difficult to work on socialization if he is allowed the freedom to wander the house. You want him confined in a small space so that you can easily work with him. Once, you can handle him and he has been to the vet, you can see about allowing him more time out of the room.
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- #9
Besides the laundry room (which is too cramped) I could either move him to the larger room (european bedroom sized, not huge) or maybe finagle some kind of habitat in the livingroom. I don't think I can easily get hold of a large crate so would the larger room be confined enough?
Thanks to everyone for all of your help by the way, I wasn't prepared for this. I agreed to temporarily take in the cat for a family member (who will be the permament owner in the future) who was a dear friend of the owner who passed away and because I went in thinking i'd get a standard cat this has been a bit overwhelming.
Just a side note, male cats get neutered not spayed.
If you do move him to a bedroom or other room, it needs to be cat proofed. That means if there is a bed in the room, it needs to be removed or placed flat on the floor. Under a bed is the first place a cat will go to hide and you will never get them out. Not good for socializing. Next, you want to block off under and behind other large furniture. You do not want him hiding from you. Yet you can provide a nest for him by giving him a hiding box from a cat tree or even just an old box with a cozy blanket.
When you enter the room, you want him front and center, not hiding behind or under something. That way you can lure him closer with a yummy food reward.
Be sure windows are always closed. Many cats learn how to pop out screens and escape. If the room gets too warm, try using a fan instead of opening the windows. Also watch for blinds/cords as they can attract cats that like to play with them.
I always like to tell people to get on the floor of the room and think like a cat. What can you see from the view of the floor. Look for small spaces where a cat can hide and then block that area.
When I am socializing a cat, the room looks crazy. Lots of towels stuffed between the furniture and the wall. Bricks put under chairs, beds up against the wall, cords from lamps/clocks wrapped up, etc....
When you enter the room, you want him front and center, not hiding behind or under something. That way you can lure him closer with a yummy food reward.
Be sure windows are always closed. Many cats learn how to pop out screens and escape. If the room gets too warm, try using a fan instead of opening the windows. Also watch for blinds/cords as they can attract cats that like to play with them.
I always like to tell people to get on the floor of the room and think like a cat. What can you see from the view of the floor. Look for small spaces where a cat can hide and then block that area.
When I am socializing a cat, the room looks crazy. Lots of towels stuffed between the furniture and the wall. Bricks put under chairs, beds up against the wall, cords from lamps/clocks wrapped up, etc....
Every cat I've brought into my house and socialized, I've used a spare room that is cat-proofed. Cat trees are great if you can afford to get one (they're about 80 dollars on Amazon or ebay) because the cat can hide in a cubby hole and have the feeling of safety from the height, but is still visible and interaction with you can still occur. Or just use the carrier. Since your kitty feels safe in the carrier, you can move him into a bigger room and put the carrier in there so he can hide in there but still be accessible to you. Can you put him into your bedroom? The advantage of moving him into your bedroom is that he would be with you during the night. But if your bedroom isn't cat-proof or isn't an option because of other people or pets or too many objects in the room, any spare room will do.
Regarding the fear of betraying a cat's trust by the trapping and taking to the vet--they get over it fairly quickly. All cats hate the trip to the vet--I have a 17 year-old cat I've raised since kittenhood who still fights me when I put him into the carrier and cries all the way to the vet. Every feral I've trapped and taken to the vet was scared. But they get over it, and it's for their own good--by taking them you're being a good cat "parent." Think ahead to how much better your kitty will be once he's neutered and treated for fleas or parasites or anything else he may need done, and the peace of mind you will have when it's done. The last feral kitten I trapped and took to the vet, during that long car ride, I kept in mind how happy she would be after the ordeal was over. And she is a VERY happy cat now, she loves her life, and she's not thinking about how she was trapped and the vet trip, she's sleeping on my couch now surrounded by toys and her cat buddies. Don't be afraid of betraying your cat's trust, it will easily be re-gained when he's warm and well-fed and spoiled in your home. I would advise that you do the vet trip/neuter sooner rather than later. If by chance he got out of your house, you might not again very easily have the opportunity to get him to a vet, because it's harder to catch a cat the second time around. Good luck and let us know how it goes. It's wonderful that you're able to care for this kitty. Give him time, he will come around!
Regarding the fear of betraying a cat's trust by the trapping and taking to the vet--they get over it fairly quickly. All cats hate the trip to the vet--I have a 17 year-old cat I've raised since kittenhood who still fights me when I put him into the carrier and cries all the way to the vet. Every feral I've trapped and taken to the vet was scared. But they get over it, and it's for their own good--by taking them you're being a good cat "parent." Think ahead to how much better your kitty will be once he's neutered and treated for fleas or parasites or anything else he may need done, and the peace of mind you will have when it's done. The last feral kitten I trapped and took to the vet, during that long car ride, I kept in mind how happy she would be after the ordeal was over. And she is a VERY happy cat now, she loves her life, and she's not thinking about how she was trapped and the vet trip, she's sleeping on my couch now surrounded by toys and her cat buddies. Don't be afraid of betraying your cat's trust, it will easily be re-gained when he's warm and well-fed and spoiled in your home. I would advise that you do the vet trip/neuter sooner rather than later. If by chance he got out of your house, you might not again very easily have the opportunity to get him to a vet, because it's harder to catch a cat the second time around. Good luck and let us know how it goes. It's wonderful that you're able to care for this kitty. Give him time, he will come around!
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- #13
Thanks guys! i've now set up a sort of funnel system to the spare room and hopefully i'll eventually be able to block off the laundry room. I'd rather prevent moving him in the carrier because I want him to still trust it when I take him to the vet. Lets see how this goes 
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- #14
I got him into the spare room and while at first he was thoroughly pissed off he just now ate his dinner and used the litter box with me in the room. Good thing i'm now able to see him do his thing because he scooted on the floor and seems irritated after going potty and he keeps going back into the litterbox, somethings going on there and probably why he randomly pooped in my living room. A vet visit is defifnitely in order now. Half my body is asleep from trying to stay in position as to not scare him haha but it seems we have some progress. Thanks again everyone!
Glad he made it to a room. Now you really really must get him to the vet ASAP. He might have some worms thus the butt scooting.
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- #16
Update: the vet said he was in relative good shape, though his teeth need a lot of care. I already saw he was missing a few bottom teeth but the whole thing's a mess. In about a month we'll get it fixed along with having him neutered. Socially he's been doing really well, he actually loves to be pet and combed and let you'll do anything if he gets food. He's still skittish though and really wants to go outside. I've let him out of his room but even with all this extra space he still meows in front of the door. The vet guesstimated his age at around 10 years and figured the odds were slim of him ever becoming comfortable being an inside cat. I'm fine with that, we live directly adjacent a park anyway, I just have to try to make him be content with a garden walk on a leash till he gets neutered 
Edited to add a face to the story:
Also, I asked for a summarized transcript of the vet visit and she had noted that 'the owner seemed familiar with scared cats and has acted appropriately' so i'll pass along that credit to you guys!
Edited to add a face to the story:
Also, I asked for a summarized transcript of the vet visit and she had noted that 'the owner seemed familiar with scared cats and has acted appropriately' so i'll pass along that credit to you guys!
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One of my rescued cats was an outdoor cat, and he sometimes meows a lot because he wants to go outside. Our compromise is that I take him out on a lead and harness so he can enjoy being outside while remaining safe. He doesn't often walk beside me like a dog would, but he loves munching on the grass and sniffing around, and will take off on a romp (I have a very long leash snd run along side him). It takes a little time and patience to leash train a cat, but if they want to go outside badly enough, they will give in to it.
I wonder if your kitty is in discomfort because of his teeth issues? That could definitely contribute to a grumpy mood. I bet that after his neuter and teeth cleaning that he will settle down even more. You're making great progress
I wonder if your kitty is in discomfort because of his teeth issues? That could definitely contribute to a grumpy mood. I bet that after his neuter and teeth cleaning that he will settle down even more. You're making great progress
