What is my responsibility to this cat?
June 8, 2015 8:51 AM Subscribe
A couple of years ago a family leaving its lease in a house in my neighborhood abandoned its young cat. My next-door neighbor began feeding it, but would not let it inside because she already had a cat. Now she has lost her lease, and I have begun feeding it; my porch seems to have become its home base.
It was/is clearly an affectionate pet once, and craves being petted. At first s/he let me pick him up (I'm assuming it's male, since he's produced no kittens in all this time). But twice now I've tried to put him into a carrier (to go to vet or Humane), and when he resisted, my stupid instinct was to tighten my hold - now he still wants petting, but is very suspicious of me. So at the mobile vet's suggestion, I got a Havahart trap and put myself on the Humane Society's waiting list. But dang! - they will not even give an interview now that they know there's an issue with the carrier. They referred me to Cat Rescue, but CR will only trap/neuter/release "feral" cats. I don't consider this one feral, but my mentioning the trap kind of ended my discussion with Humane.
I've tried socializing it by leaving the door open for him to come inside, and he will come in and do a tentative walk-through, but panics if I close the door (even though there's an open pet door). I have a senior dog who is fine with it, and senior cat who is wary but copes. I have intended to not get another cat after my current one goes.
Fwiw, it does not seem to be at all interested in birds, though it does hang out some at my cat-hating other neighbor's porch. Also fwiw, I've had 2 other outdoor cats poisoned, possibly accidentally. But he must be smart - he's lived through 2 bitter winters, polar vortices included.
What's the right thing to do here? Craigslist is not an option - way too creepy.
It was/is clearly an affectionate pet once, and craves being petted. At first s/he let me pick him up (I'm assuming it's male, since he's produced no kittens in all this time). But twice now I've tried to put him into a carrier (to go to vet or Humane), and when he resisted, my stupid instinct was to tighten my hold - now he still wants petting, but is very suspicious of me. So at the mobile vet's suggestion, I got a Havahart trap and put myself on the Humane Society's waiting list. But dang! - they will not even give an interview now that they know there's an issue with the carrier. They referred me to Cat Rescue, but CR will only trap/neuter/release "feral" cats. I don't consider this one feral, but my mentioning the trap kind of ended my discussion with Humane.
I've tried socializing it by leaving the door open for him to come inside, and he will come in and do a tentative walk-through, but panics if I close the door (even though there's an open pet door). I have a senior dog who is fine with it, and senior cat who is wary but copes. I have intended to not get another cat after my current one goes.
Fwiw, it does not seem to be at all interested in birds, though it does hang out some at my cat-hating other neighbor's porch. Also fwiw, I've had 2 other outdoor cats poisoned, possibly accidentally. But he must be smart - he's lived through 2 bitter winters, polar vortices included.
What's the right thing to do here? Craigslist is not an option - way too creepy.
Best answer: He is a feral cat, it just means he lives outside, not that he isn't friendly. Do the Cat Rescue thing, and then if I were you... I'd just keep feeding it and be happy to have a friend to cuddle once in a while.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 9:02 AM on June 8, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by treehorn+bunny at 9:02 AM on June 8, 2015 [4 favorites]
By the way if you don't want to have him around anymore, you could just take him to a different animal shelter if that particular HS is being weird. Most cats hate being put in carriers, including my own two best buddies, so I don't see why that's an issue. There are some methods you can use like putting on a jacket and mittens, holding a treat out, throwing a towel over him and swooping him up to get him in.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 9:06 AM on June 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by treehorn+bunny at 9:06 AM on June 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I also think he is a feral cat. But it doesn't mean he can't become a pet cat.
FWIW, we have an indoor/outdoor cat. We moved to the house next door, and it took him some time to adjust. He would come inside, when we were there, but then be terrified when we shut the door. We actually had to shut him in for an extended period of time--and I imagine you would have to do so in a room separate from the other animals--with food, water, and a litterbox, before he would recognize the new place as home.
Not that he's given up trying to sneak into our old house yet.
He also hates the carrier and the vet. The way to pick up a cat is to hold it by the scruff of his neck. Pressure on that area triggers some instinct for them to relax. (I'm sure there are videos of this.)
posted by ethidda at 9:07 AM on June 8, 2015
FWIW, we have an indoor/outdoor cat. We moved to the house next door, and it took him some time to adjust. He would come inside, when we were there, but then be terrified when we shut the door. We actually had to shut him in for an extended period of time--and I imagine you would have to do so in a room separate from the other animals--with food, water, and a litterbox, before he would recognize the new place as home.
Not that he's given up trying to sneak into our old house yet.
He also hates the carrier and the vet. The way to pick up a cat is to hold it by the scruff of his neck. Pressure on that area triggers some instinct for them to relax. (I'm sure there are videos of this.)
posted by ethidda at 9:07 AM on June 8, 2015
We've got this catch-spay/neuter-clip ear-release program in DC.
At some point, a friendly feral cat was hanging out on our porch, so we started feeding him and he became a regular feature around here. We found out that he had an owner, but that owner only let him inside when it was freezing. For whatever reason, the cat chose us, so we feed him, I take him to the vet once a year and we built him a little outdoor shelter.
For all practical purposes, he's our cat. He's become my best furry friend. If we didn't have two elderly indoor-only cats, he would live inside with us at night.
The point of telling you that story is that you shouldn't overlook a potential buddy here. You may have been chosen.
posted by Thistledown at 11:03 AM on June 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
At some point, a friendly feral cat was hanging out on our porch, so we started feeding him and he became a regular feature around here. We found out that he had an owner, but that owner only let him inside when it was freezing. For whatever reason, the cat chose us, so we feed him, I take him to the vet once a year and we built him a little outdoor shelter.
For all practical purposes, he's our cat. He's become my best furry friend. If we didn't have two elderly indoor-only cats, he would live inside with us at night.
The point of telling you that story is that you shouldn't overlook a potential buddy here. You may have been chosen.
posted by Thistledown at 11:03 AM on June 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'd make sure the cat is neutered before going any further - it'll make everything much easier. You also want to get it the required shots for your area, especially before letting it interact with your own domesticated cat.
Either do the trap/neuter/release thing with the Cat Rescue group, or keep feeding the cat by hand (dropping food near you) to win over the cat's trust and put him in a carrier.
A cat hating its carrier isn't really an indicator of anything else - it's a pretty common situation.
Then keep feeding the cat outside, and maybe let it come inside for treats with increasing duration. You can build a little hut for the outside porch if it turns to winter without the cat wanting to live indoors. There are some great plans online including one that uses a cooler, or pre-made outdoor cat houses like this and this. There are outdoor heated pads for cats too, that plug in and keep the cat fairly warm.
The kitty might eventually transition to a mostly-indoor cat or maybe it'll be somewhat indoor-outdoor, with a nice protected shelter on your porch.
Seems like you have a new friend already - congrats and enjoy being chosen :-)
posted by barnone at 11:14 AM on June 8, 2015
Either do the trap/neuter/release thing with the Cat Rescue group, or keep feeding the cat by hand (dropping food near you) to win over the cat's trust and put him in a carrier.
A cat hating its carrier isn't really an indicator of anything else - it's a pretty common situation.
Then keep feeding the cat outside, and maybe let it come inside for treats with increasing duration. You can build a little hut for the outside porch if it turns to winter without the cat wanting to live indoors. There are some great plans online including one that uses a cooler, or pre-made outdoor cat houses like this and this. There are outdoor heated pads for cats too, that plug in and keep the cat fairly warm.
The kitty might eventually transition to a mostly-indoor cat or maybe it'll be somewhat indoor-outdoor, with a nice protected shelter on your porch.
Seems like you have a new friend already - congrats and enjoy being chosen :-)
posted by barnone at 11:14 AM on June 8, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks!! especially glad for second opinions on carrier-aversion, and links on cat huts (maybe get a giant carrier to serve as a non-intimidating hut, and then get back on Humane's waiting list). I do assume he's a male, and he may already be neutered, but I will - by trap or carrier - get him to the vet to settle that issue. I plan to move again in early 2017, and don't want to take another cat along. Maybe I can recruit some other neighbor to inherit the role, and give them the carrier/hut and 2 months of food - but resocializing him to Humane's standards seems like the best long-term solution.
posted by mmiddle at 11:31 AM on June 8, 2015
posted by mmiddle at 11:31 AM on June 8, 2015
A good tip re: carrier entry is to push him in backwards. Cats are a lot worse at resisting going in backwards than forwards, no matter how much they hate being in a carrier. If you leave the carrier out for a while it'll get less scary - try putting his food bowl in it.
I have a top-opening cat carrier similar to this one but it's mostly for getting them out easily at the vet.
posted by bookdragoness at 12:21 PM on June 8, 2015
I have a top-opening cat carrier similar to this one but it's mostly for getting them out easily at the vet.
posted by bookdragoness at 12:21 PM on June 8, 2015
A neighbor of mine abandoned their cat one autumn. I found him in spring, in rough shape after a very hard winter. It took all summer to convince him that my house was a safe place for him to stay. It took another 5 years to convince him that he didn't have to hide. It's taken an additional 5 years to convince him it's safe to sit next to me on the sofa. If we both live long enough, he may someday sit on my lap.
This weekend he did something he's never done before. He calmly walked into his carrier without making a fuss.
Some cats need a lot of time.
posted by Jode at 2:46 PM on June 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
This weekend he did something he's never done before. He calmly walked into his carrier without making a fuss.
Some cats need a lot of time.
posted by Jode at 2:46 PM on June 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
This cat doesn't sound feral to me, since I generally think of a feral cat as one that hasn't been socialized by people. However, based on what you've written here, it sounds like this cat was raised as a pet and now has been living outside as a stray for awhile now. I've never heard of a feral cat that would let someone pick it up. The only reason I'm mentioning this is just that it might make a difference when you speak to rescue groups. You'll have better luck getting someone else to take in the cat if they realize this was at some point someone's pet, as opposed to a cat that never got human socialization. Even if the cat is kind of spooked right now, the fact that it was willing to let you pick it up at all makes it seem like this cat is still pretty well socialized.
Anyway, I know you've talked to vets and the humane society, but have you looked into other cat rescue groups in your area? If you live in any reasonably large town/city/metropolitan area, there's a good chance that there are cat rescue groups near you that may be able to give you some advice and may even help you catch the cat. Since the cat seems relatively domesticated and not too old, there's a good chance that he/she could be re-homed. If that's not possible, then your idea of gradually re-acclimated cat seems like a good one.
If you do at any point really want to get him into a carrier, using treehorn+bunny's towel idea of the pillowcase technique might work. The pillowcase thing is especially good if you have one other person there. You can grab the cat, the other person can help pull pillowcase over cat, and then use the pillowcase to get cat into carrier. Just make sure the cat doesn't end up trapped inside the pillowcase once you get him into the carrier.
As an intermediate step, you could always try putting out some different sized cardboard boxes where the cat hangs out. That might be a good way to get him used to confined spaces without traumatizing him, since most cats love cardboard boxes. You might even want to purchase a pre-made cardboard cat carrier like this one. It might seem less intimidating than other carriers.
I'm not sure if the location in your profile is correct, but if you want to update us with your general location, someone might be able to give you more location specific advice.
Oh, and thanks for doing your part to look after this cat!
posted by litera scripta manet at 3:21 PM on June 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
Anyway, I know you've talked to vets and the humane society, but have you looked into other cat rescue groups in your area? If you live in any reasonably large town/city/metropolitan area, there's a good chance that there are cat rescue groups near you that may be able to give you some advice and may even help you catch the cat. Since the cat seems relatively domesticated and not too old, there's a good chance that he/she could be re-homed. If that's not possible, then your idea of gradually re-acclimated cat seems like a good one.
If you do at any point really want to get him into a carrier, using treehorn+bunny's towel idea of the pillowcase technique might work. The pillowcase thing is especially good if you have one other person there. You can grab the cat, the other person can help pull pillowcase over cat, and then use the pillowcase to get cat into carrier. Just make sure the cat doesn't end up trapped inside the pillowcase once you get him into the carrier.
As an intermediate step, you could always try putting out some different sized cardboard boxes where the cat hangs out. That might be a good way to get him used to confined spaces without traumatizing him, since most cats love cardboard boxes. You might even want to purchase a pre-made cardboard cat carrier like this one. It might seem less intimidating than other carriers.
I'm not sure if the location in your profile is correct, but if you want to update us with your general location, someone might be able to give you more location specific advice.
Oh, and thanks for doing your part to look after this cat!
posted by litera scripta manet at 3:21 PM on June 8, 2015 [3 favorites]
I would prioritize getting him caught and to the vet to make sure s/he can't make more cats. CR may have said they only deal with ferals, but I would be surprised if they turned you away because your cat is only semi-feral/a stray. (I think they probably make that rule to keep people from bringing in pets for free/low-cost spay/neuter. My experience with TNR in NYC is that if you bring the cat in a trap, instead of a carrier, they aren't going to question you about its feralness.)
After the cat is fixed, then I'd just feed it and let it get used to me. Cats like to set the terms of their relationship with people, so don't try to push. Let him decide the extent of petting, holding, going in the house, etc. and it'll go much better.
Thank you for helping the kitty!
posted by Mavri at 3:48 PM on June 8, 2015
After the cat is fixed, then I'd just feed it and let it get used to me. Cats like to set the terms of their relationship with people, so don't try to push. Let him decide the extent of petting, holding, going in the house, etc. and it'll go much better.
Thank you for helping the kitty!
posted by Mavri at 3:48 PM on June 8, 2015
Best answer: Poor kitty. I too think this isn't a feral cat, but a domestic cat betrayed by its owners. You know, early 2017 is a ways away. Why not keep being the kitty's friend and petter without pushing for more? That is always the surest way to seduce a kitty. Eventually, and most likely around the time it gets cold and rainy outside, I think this kitty will come in and hang out. My feeling is that it is better for this cat's future if you keep gently seducing it back to domestic life, because at the worst you will in late 2016/early 2017 be taking a cat to the shelter or advertising it for adoption when it is re-accustomed to life with people. If you take it in now, it is not a good adaption candidate. I also think going to the vet and getting sexed can wait for now.
posted by bearwife at 4:55 PM on June 8, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by bearwife at 4:55 PM on June 8, 2015 [6 favorites]
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If you feed it, you have to make certain that it cannot breed and cannot spread disease or pose a threat or bother to neighbors.
This is not your pet. This is a semi-wild animal that you are keeping around by feeding. Your responsibility is to your neighborhood, not the animal, in this case.
posted by myselfasme at 9:01 AM on June 8, 2015 [1 favorite]