Whether to bring in neighborhood stray cat

Brice53

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Backstory:

About six months ago a cat I had assumed was feral started to suddenly show affection for me and my neighbors. I call him Spock because he has big ears. At night when I put food out he will appear and meow, rub against me, let me pet him and jump up on my lap. My neighbors have two cats of their own that are indoor/outdoor. They have claimed several times that the Spock attacked their cat when it was outside and also claim they've seen Spock jump on top of other strays around the food bowl they put outside at night. They have calmed down recently and even made a bed for him on their porch but I still will randomly get a text saying something like "it's not fair that my cats can't go outside now" or "I might take him to Humane Society". But at the same time they will put food out for him every night so they confuse me.

I would make him my indoor cat but I already have five cats of my own(who still have issues getting along). I do have a loving home lined up for him if I decide to bring him inside. The person who would love to take him has two cats from a rescue already and is willing to put the time in to introduce the new cat slowly to see if it will work. I've never seen Spock get into a fight but I have seen him stand up to and chase some feral cats out of my yard. One cute thing I have observed was he let a younger cat(maybe 6-7 months old) follow him around the neighborhood almost as if he was his mentor for a few months.

I feel like my neighbors are warming up to him but I think it would be best to remove Spock from the situation in case they reverse course. I feel like I need to do something but I have two main concerns.

First, he does look like he has fun outside and is always in his bed at night so is it wrong for me to take him away from his life outside? My neighbors say he keeps trying to come inside their house so I think he would be fine being inside but I feel guilty taking that away from him.

Second, I worry about the aggression issues my neighbor has talked about towards other cats. I trust the person that would be giving him a home I just worry about the unknow if he cannot live in harmony with the two resident cats in their household. Would I just return to my neighborhood? Will my neighbors let him back?
 

calicosrspecial

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Hi,

This is always the challenge.

I take care of a feral colony as well as have cats inside. It is emotionally a struggle knowing a life outdoors means a shorter life. So the best thing to do is find a home (ideally).

But as you mention there are challenges. Following the formal intro process is INCREDIBLY important. I have had great success in intro'ing any cat (older ferals the hardest). One needs the knowledge and the effort.

It does get almost exponentially more difficult with the number of cats in the house. 2 inside cats are easy than 5 (generally - there are always exceptions).

I have found ferals tend to be pretty good in intros as they have to learn diplomacy in the wild. And generally male ferals tend to be a little easier than females as well as younger vs older.

The process is most important to find success.

If anyone does take him in I am happy to help with the intro process. He has to have a separate "territory" to start in so we can start the intro process. And the person has to have the time and desire to make it work.

My sense is he can be intro'd. I do worry if your cats are still having "issues" and with 5 it could be difficult.

A visit by the Humane Society would not be a good outcome for him. So finding a home would be great. He sounds like a wonderful cat.

Hopefully others share their views.

Thank you so much for caring about Spock!!
 

fionasmom

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I think that you should give a try to finding him a home with your friends and take it one step at a time. Outside is not good for any cat with the potential to be rescued and given a home.

Every cat I have ever owned as been from the streets, never even made it to the humane society to adopt one. About half were from feral stock and all adjusted and adapted. Yes, there are true ferals who are only going to be feral and need to be cared for outside, but I don't see Spock in that category given his friendliness to you and the neighbors and his friendliness to the younger cat. If he has not been neutered, that might account for the neighbors' allegation that he jumped on their cat, male or female.

To me, he is definitely in the category of a cat who should be adopted and given a home. The intro process is vitally important and there is usually a lot here about that for reference or people who will help.
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi! In addition to the above members' responses, can you tell your neighbors you are planning to make arrangements for his adoption, just so they know that Spock will have a place to go to soon? Also, can you get the potential adopter to come over to your place to sort of 'introduce' Spock to them so that they become acquainted and allow Spock to begin to warm up to this person?

Cats, especially ones like Spock, should do well becoming indoor pets. Just so long as some time is taken with each step of the process to help them adapt more easily. If Spock warms up to his new mom/dad before he is removed from the area to their home, that should go a long way with making it easier on him.

Keep us posted, and ask any questions that come up as you go through this process!!!
 
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Brice53

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Thanks for the replies! I've notified my neighbors that I will be bringing him inside sometime this week. I have set up a bedroom away from the rest of my cats for Spock to be in. I plan to spend most of my time in with him the rest of this week so he can adjust to life inside. My friend is very excited to adopt him and said they are preparing themselves to be patient while they seek to acclimate him to their other cats. I would like to thank you for helping confirm the right decision to bring him inside. Once I have him inside I'll give some updates and post a picture of him.
 

calicosrspecial

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Thanks for the replies! I've notified my neighbors that I will be bringing him inside sometime this week. I have set up a bedroom away from the rest of my cats for Spock to be in. I plan to spend most of my time in with him the rest of this week so he can adjust to life inside. My friend is very excited to adopt him and said they are preparing themselves to be patient while they seek to acclimate him to their other cats. I would like to thank you for helping confirm the right decision to bring him inside. Once I have him inside I'll give some updates and post a picture of him.
You are welcome. Thank you so much for saving another cat!!

Yes, keep them totally separate. No visual contact. If you can have a buffer zone that is also good.

Did your resident/existing cats use that bedroom? There could be smells in that bedroom and there may be an issue with the resident cats if it was "their" territory. When cats lose territory there can be some behavioral issues.

I would like you to really focus on the resident cats. Resident cats have the most difficult adjustment as it is "their" territory being "invaded" and it can cause insecurity issues. So please step up play with the resident cats and after play feed a meal or treats. Also, step up the love, attention. Reassure them. Let them know everything is ok, nothing will change. No threat from Spock. So they have food access, water, litter box access, no physical threat, etc.

So I know your concern for Spock but I would only spend a little time with him multiple times a day (especially when the other cats are occupied or sleeping). He will be a bit antsy but if you give him food, water, litter box, warm and comfy bedding, a cat tree, maybe a scratching post, a toy he could play with that can ease his unease.

We'll help you through it until your friends picks him up.

When your fried does we'll help them through the intro process. It is really important to go through it at the pace the cats will accept.

In the meantime and during the intro process your friend should build the resident/existing cats confidence via Play, Food, Height and Love. Which I can describe in more detail. A confident cat is more likely to accept and be accepted.

We will be with you and your friend every step of the way. Thanks again for caring about him. He is one lucky guy!!!
 
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Brice53

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I got Spock inside tonight and he’s settling into his room. The room is normally used by several of my resident cats so I am changing my strategy and I am going to spend lots of time with my residents cats while watching a camera that I set up in Spock’s room. Spock is very laid back and has let me pick him up numerous times tonight. He also purrs so loud. Hoping he gets comfortable in his room soon and adjusts to being inside.
 

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FeebysOwner

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Glad you got him inside!! But, you really do need to spend some time with him in his new room. He needs to have human presence to help with adjusting. It doesn't have to be much or a lot at one time; if nothing else just sit in the room with him and read a book or the news out loud in a soft voice. Also, make sure he sees you put down food and water for him, and it wouldn't hurt to give him a treat or two while you're in there.
 

calicosrspecial

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I got Spock inside tonight and he’s settling into his room. The room is normally used by several of my resident cats so I am changing my strategy and I am going to spend lots of time with my residents cats while watching a camera that I set up in Spock’s room. Spock is very laid back and has let me pick him up numerous times tonight. He also purrs so loud. Hoping he gets comfortable in his room soon and adjusts to being inside.
He is a HANDSOME MAN!!! What a sweetie.

Looks like he is ear tipped?

Wow, he is really good. He definitely has had a lot of human interaction to this point given you can pick him up.

Yes, work on keeping the resident cat's lives as normal as possible (as much as possible like it was pre-Spock). Cats like routines. Step up play with them to help build their confidence and feed treats after play. If they start wondering about Spock distract with a toy, or a treat or loving words. Stay calm and confident with them. Act like everything is fine, normal. We want them to think everything is ok, that Spock is not changing anything, that life is still positive.

I will second Feebysowner's advice. Spend a little bit of time of him multiple times a day (if possible). Give him treats, food, water, etc. Talk lovingly to him.

Just watch how the resident cats respond. If they start "acting up" then reassure the resident cats.

When will Spock be going to his new home? When the new home parents pick him up have them come on the site and message me for Intro instructions and help. I will help them intro him into their home.

GREAT job!! Please ask any questions or for any clarification. The advice can be a little nuanced and difficult to understand especially how I write.
 
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Brice53

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That’s good advice. I’m now home for the weekend so me or my wife will be spending a good amount of time with Spock while the other reassures our resident cats that everything is normal.

He has been drinking and eating a little bit as well as using the litter box consistently. He does like to sleep and sometimes hide in the corner of the room but I think it’s just his routine he is used to. Since he would sleep at night on my neighbors porch I bet he would always go find a nice hiding spot during the day.

His ear is tipped. We have a feral colony in our neighborhood that we thought he belonged to. We actually think we did TNR with him about a year ago because he was not acting like a stray at all. I’m thinking now he was dumped and was just scared when we trapped him because the difference is night and day.

He weighs 15 lbs so he is a big boy. We’ve also been calling him the gentle giant because he is being so calm and sweet to us.
 

calicosrspecial

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That is a great plan. It is really important to keep the resident cats in as "normal" of an environment as possible. Just so they can realize nothing bad is happening or going to happen, nothing is going to change, etc. That will help them keep their confidence up reduce the risk of issues. Step up play and feed them and give them love (if safe) and reassure them.

For Spock, good food, water, clean litter box, loving words. That will help him. It is a change for him but food really helps a cat adjust and positive human emotions as cats respond to out emotions especially love and caring. He is going to be fine even though he may be having a little adjustment now. But he is now safe and on the path to a great life, one that he deserves.

Yes, I thought that was a tip. Sadly, he probably was. But again, he is now on the path to a better life and a life he deserves. He seems like a really great cat.

Make sure he gets a vet visit, shots, de-worm, etc. Which I know you know but thought I would mention. He'll have to lose some weight and play should help with that as well as build his confidence.

I actually think cats that live in a feral colony (or in the wild) tend to have to be diplomatic in order to survive and are pretty good at being intro'd. So I suspect he is going to be helpful in the intro process. When we start doing the intro process in his new home we'll see how the resident cats do and move the process along. But I suspect Spock will do his part to help the process.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for saving Spock AND for doing TNR in your neighborhood. Saving a lot of lives!!!

Let us know how it goes and if you have nay questions and please make sure the new home contacts us so we can help in the intro process. Very important to do it right for everyone involved.
 
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Brice53

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Just checking back in with what's going on with Spock. He went to his new home a few days ago. His parent is very thankful for him and loves him so much. They fell in love with him the moment they came over to our house to meet him. Yesterday they did notice something that looked like a scab on his shoulder that started to ooze. So they took him to their vet and it turned out he had an infection from a bite. I'm so thankful I got him inside and a home while the infection wasn't too bad yet. The vet dressed his infection and put a cone on him for 5-7 days. He also got his shots, de-worm, etc and he is really healthy besides the infection.

I did the mention this site to my friend so they may come on here. They have successfully gone through the introducing process with their first two cats so I'm really confident it will go well. It has been a really rewarding and happy week for my wife and I with Spock being adopted and finding out another cat that we trapped and fostered before getting it into an adoption program was finally adopted after six months!
 

calicosrspecial

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Thanks for the update.

I am so glad that he is getting the health care he needs. He is a sweetie. Deserves a great home and life.

Great, have them message me as to what their thread will be if they require help. I am happy to help. Given they have done a proper intro in the past the learning curve shouldn't be that big.

GREAT job with Spock!!

Thank you to you and your friends for giving him a great future!!
 

catwoman707

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Great advice so far.
One thing that's important to mention is, whether the new owners of Spock will allow him outdoors at all, he MUST not get out and needs to be fully acclimated for at the very least 1 month. Otherwise he will try to go back to your home that he's familiar with and likely end up lost.
 
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Brice53

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Wanted to give a final update as of now on Spock. His cone is off and he is healthy and loving his new home.

His owner renamed him Sulley from the movie Monsters Inc.

Introductions with the other cats went smoothly. The three cats like to run around together and there have been no behavior issues with Sulley at all with the others. He will be strictly an indoor cat so he has a wonderful life ahead of him with his cat friends and his loving owner. Thank you for everyone's help in getting this cat a home.
 

kittyluv387

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Wow what a nice story. If only every cat could be so lucky.
 

calicosrspecial

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Thank you for the update and all you have done for Spock/Sulley!! :hyper: :clap2:

Please thank his new family for all of us for saving his life.

If there are any questions always feel free to have them contact us.

Thank you for all you do for the cats!! :purr:
 
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