When will he return? Neutered feral

[shadowsrescue]

Last Thursday, March 14 I was finally able to trap my feral, Patches.  He had been with me off and on for almost 2 years.  He and I had developed a wonderful relationship.  He would even come inside my sliding door to eat and allowed me to pet him.  I believe he must have been owned at one time, but developed feral ways by being on his own for a few years.  I had set the trap up outside on my deck numerous times, but he would never fully go inside.  This time I set it up inside by my sliding door.  I sat next to the trap and dropped pieces of tuna towards the back of the trap to lure him inside.  I was a nervous wreck, but it all went fairly smoothly.  I covered the trap immediately and had to keep him in my basement overnight.  He only comes at night.  The next morning, I took him immediately to the clinic for his neutering.  I picked him up that evening and had to keep him in my basement overnight again.  He was not a happy boy.  I was then able to release him Friday morning.  It has now been 6 days and there has been no sign of him.  I have surveillance cameras on my deck so I can see if he comes at night.  I do believe he gets food elsewhere as well as my home, but he would always come every few days to see me or get some yummy canned food.  He also really likes my other feral, Shadow who lives on the deck.  Patches lived on the deck all last winter,but not this year.  He went missing for almost 6 months and when he returned he was so withdrawn, skittish and not as social as before.  He would only come at night and only stayed the night occasionally.  I assume when he was on his summer "walk about" (chasing down females) he found another place to get food. 

I am so worried that he could be sick or he just hates me.  My first feral, Shadow returned 24 hours later.  My newest feral, Orange kitty was neutered the week before Patches and he returned after 24 hours, then left for 2 days and is now back daily.  I know Patches is a free spirit and wanderer and maybe he will never come back. 

How long has it taken others for their just neutered ferals to return?

Thanks!

 

[katluver4life]

Guess it's really hard to say. Maybe, when his hormones run dry and he no longer has that wanderlust, he'll return. You have to hope that he knows where food and friends are to be found and he'll eventually work his way back to you.  Hoping he does!

 

 

[di and bob]

I would bet he's just scared and upset right now, he should come back. He doesn't hate you, you are the giver of yummy canned food!

 I've had ferals un off for weeks and just when I was giving up they would show back up. Don't give up! I'll pray for his safe return. Please tell us when he returns!

 

[minka]

I'm glad you asked this question because I was actually about to start a thread of my own.
I released a feral named Marlin on February 6th and haven't seen him since. I'm just.. I'm worried he didn't make it and is never coming back :'(

 

[ritz]

Yeah, that's sometimes the heartbreak.

I would keep on putting out food, his favorite if he has one.  Call to him, too; they recognize your voices.

I help fed a feral/stray/abandoned cat colony and hadn't seen feral Quill for almost five months.  My co-feeder saw her yesterday.  No idea why she suddenly reappeared.  And then there is Sandy, definitely previously owned.  I'd been feeding him for almost three years.  MIA as of last month.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I'm glad you asked this question because I was actually about to start a thread of my own.
I released a feral named Marlin on February 6th and haven't seen him since. I'm just.. I'm worried he didn't make it and is never coming back :'(

I worry about that too.  What if something happened. When I released him from the trap, he shot of it so fast.  I thought to myself, what if he ran right into traffic? 

I will send out good thoughts for Marlin to come back to you.

 

[bastfriend]

For Patches' and Marlin's returns.    I know I worry so much whenever Hercules isn't there - when I released him from the trap I wondered if I'd ever see him again.   He only ate at night when I couldn't see him for quite a while.

Ritz, sorry to hear Sandy hasn't returned, I hope she finds her way to loving people wherever she is. 

 

[feralvr]

Hun, try not to worry. I have had newly TNRd cats who were daily regulars before the trapping/surgery disappear for weeks after their release. I know it is easier said than done and you can't help but worry. I think Patches will be back. It is quite common for them to "go away" for awhile. I understand your concern because of your already established relationship with Patches. I had the same with Willow. He did come back and show himself to me, but it was weeks later. for Patches.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Hun, try not to worry.

I have had newly TNRd cats who were daily regulars before the trapping/surgery disappear for weeks after their release. I know it is easier said than done and you can't help but worry. I think Patches will be back. It is quite common for them to "go away" for awhile. I understand your concern because of your already established relationship with Patches. I had the same with Willow. He did come back and show himself to me, but it was weeks later.

for Patches.

Thanks so much for the reassurance.  I am happy to know that others have found that their ferals take awhile to return.  Everything I read states that they should be back in just a few days.  Of course my two others came back right on schedule.  I knew Patches would be more of a challenge.  He was a challenge to to trap as well.  Hopefully the hormones will begin to settle and he will return shortly! 

Thanks so much.

 

[ritz]

I tried several months to trap Calico/Quill; she was one of the more feral cats in my colony.

After trapping, she came back within a few days.

She knows the hand that feeds her.

 

[jtbo]

I would say 2 to 3 weeks, probably not longer, might be sooner, it might be that Patches is already visiting, but remains unseen at distance, however eventually good memories overcome bad memories and desire for easy food grows bigger than fainted fears and cautious re-examining of location starts, it can then take much longer to fully restore relationship, but eventually things go probably even better than what they have been.

But indeed, all is not lost if not seen for a week or two.

 

[catwoman707]

Yep, I have the same things to say here.

I have done countless tnr work, and probably half show back up within a few days, some a week, some longer.

But they all eventually do, I think sometimes when it takes longer for them to return, they likely found another food source, but still find their way back to you.

Not to worry

FYI-it also takes males about 2+ weeks for them to finally lose that awful strong pee smell, and their hormones to adjust.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I am still holding out hope that Patches will return.  It has now been 2.5 weeks and no sign of him.  I do know he has another food source and he probably went there.  Unfortunately I don't know where that food source is!  I know there is always hope.  It was how I survived last summer when he was gone from the April to August.  I never gave up hope that he would return.  He knows I always have yummy food and lots of pets!!  Please continue to send good thoughts that he returns soon.

 

[catwoman707]

He will return, I'm sure of it! I believe he would have come back long before but with his other food source available it's allowing him to stay away alot longer.

As the days/weeks pass his memory will fade more and more from his trap experience, and he will be forgiving, it's just how they do. I have been caring for a lengthy route in my town of cats I have tnr'd and feed/maintain for the past 11 years now. I have dealt with their reactions and all of it, that comes along with tnr'ing, the trust betrayal, all of that.

As hard as it is on us, it's all for the best, and at some point they all come to somehow sense this.

He WILL show up. Guaranteed. Just a matter of when Thank you for having him neutered, it's the best thing you can possibly do for a feral kitty.,

 

[shadowsrescue]

He will return, I'm sure of it! I believe he would have come back long before but with his other food source available it's allowing him to stay away alot longer.

As the days/weeks pass his memory will fade more and more from his trap experience, and he will be forgiving, it's just how they do. I have been caring for a lengthy route in my town of cats I have tnr'd and feed/maintain for the past 11 years now. I have dealt with their reactions and all of it, that comes along with tnr'ing, the trust betrayal, all of that.

As hard as it is on us, it's all for the best, and at some point they all come to somehow sense this.

He WILL show up. Guaranteed. Just a matter of when Thank you for having him neutered, it's the best thing you can possibly do for a feral kitty.,

Thank you so much.  I feel so much better hearing from others that ferals have not returned for awhile after TNRing.  I think you are spot on that since he has another food source, he is waiting it out for awhile.  He is just such a sweet feral.  He lets me pet him all over as well as loving the belly rub.  He also loves catnip toys.  He does have a mind of his own and is very stubborn.  I will continue to hope and wait! 

 

[catwoman707]

Nice

Just an fyi-he is not actually a feral, just homeless. At some time in his life he had to have been an owned cat, or you would NEVER be able to pet him all over and rub his tummy.

Likely dumped/abandoned. Many times, very often in fact, someone will get a cute baby kitten, and they grow up..........so they move or whatever, and figure the cat will be fine, 'oh they catch mice!'

Wrong! Total ignorance.

Soon enough they go into survival mode and begin to fear humans from lack of contact. They watch and learn from other homeless/feral cats how to act basically.

But this is why you are able to interact as you do.

The early part of a kitten's life determines whether he is actually tame or feral. It's like a true born feral, by the time he is 8 weeks or so, learned from mom as a newborn how they react to people,

and while can be tamed, rarely loses their fear of strangers completely and will show shy/skittish behavior around strangers for the rest of their lives.

The other side is an owned as a kitten type cat who is abandoned is forced to learn how to 'act' feral but their makeup is not true, just acquired.

Does that make sense?

 

[shadowsrescue]

Nice

Just an fyi-he is not actually a feral, just homeless. At some time in his life he had to have been an owned cat, or you would NEVER be able to pet him all over and rub his tummy.

Likely dumped/abandoned. Many times, very often in fact, someone will get a cute baby kitten, and they grow up..........so they move or whatever, and figure the cat will be fine, 'oh they catch mice!'

Wrong! Total ignorance.

Soon enough they go into survival mode and begin to fear humans from lack of contact. They watch and learn from other homeless/feral cats how to act basically.

But this is why you are able to interact as you do.

The early part of a kitten's life determines whether he is actually tame or feral. It's like a true born feral, by the time he is 8 weeks or so, learned from mom as a newborn how they react to people,

and while can be tamed, rarely loses their fear of strangers completely and will show shy/skittish behavior around strangers for the rest of their lives.

The other side is an owned as a kitten type cat who is abandoned is forced to learn how to 'act' feral but their makeup is not true, just acquired.

Does that make sense?

Oh, I didn't start to pet him or rub his belly right away.  He has been around for 2 years and it took awhile for him to warm up to me.  I do believe he may be a stray turned feral.  He is scared to death of all humans except me.  He will run if my DH or DS go out to feed him.  I was able to pet him sooner than my other feral as he watched Shadow and wanted what Shadow had.

My other feral, Shadow has been with me for almost 3 years now.  I found him wandering in my yard when he was about 5 months.  He was as wild as them come.  It took me almost a year for to be able to gently touch him.  I worked daily with him.  He now comes into the house and stays for short visits, I can pet him all over including the belly rub and just this winter he began to sit in my lap for 5-10 minute stretches as long as I am sitting on the floor.  It can be done with patience and hard work. 

 

[catwoman707]

I'm pretty sure he was as you said, tame turned feral. Great that you have patience to get him to come around and warm up.

Imagine how betrayed he must have felt.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I'm pretty sure he was as you said, tame turned feral. Great that you have patience to get him to come around and warm up.

Imagine how betrayed he must have felt.

I assume that is why he hasn't returned.  He feels completely betrayed by me.  I know I did the right thing, but I hope he forgets the ordeal soon and comes back home!

 

[ondine]

I'm not sure "betrayed" is the right word here.  Upset, scared, worried, yes.  But we tend to sometimes inaccurately put human emotions into situations - only human to do so.

What I mean to say is YOU DID THE RIGHT THING.  Don't beat yourself up about it.  He may very well have calmed down enough from the neutering that he found himself a nice inside home with someone who is pampering him.  There's as much a chance of that as any negative sceanario we can think of...

I have three inside former ferals, one of whom still refuses to be touched (after five years inside).  But everytime the door opens, all three run and hide under the bed.  No way are they going outside EVER again.  They have it good and they know it. 

I am trying to encourage you - you did the right thing and he's better off for it.  Please don't use up any more time feeling guilty.