Help me with this semi feral cat

[Anonymous]

I have been feeding this feral community cat for a year. He has come into my house on and off for a while but would flip out when I shut the door.

Since it has turned cold He has spent longer and longer inside and doesn't flip out. So I think I can transition him to inside but I need some tips.

We have two cats. One has FIV. They get along with him but I can't leave them unsupervised yet because there are occasional tiffs and I need to protect my cat with FIV. I need to get him to the vet (we largely keep my cat Fiv separated from him) but he seems healthy.

The issue is while I can occasional pet him, he won't let me pick him up. Should I just put on gloves and a bunch of jackets and lock him in a bathroom overnight and when I can't watch him? He doesnt know where our litterbox is yet since he has never gone downstairs and I don't want him sharing with my cats before a vet visit anyway.

Does anyone have any tips for bringing semi feral cats inside if you have other cats?

[Anonymous]

Yeah: don't.

You have a responsibility to protect the cats you already own. Until/unless this feral becomes manageable, it stays feral. Locking a feral with the temperament you describe in a bathroom is cruel, and likely to stress both the feral and your pre-existing cats, who will hear the yeowling and crying and trying to escape.

Pets getting added to a household with existing pets need to be super friendly, easy going, and easy to wrangle, otherwise, you're just inviting trouble. Don't do that to the cats you already have, especially when you have FIV to factor into the mix. That's irresponsible af.

[Anonymous]

You can set up an outdoor shelter for the kitty. Look into an igloo brand shelter. Some come with heating pads.

It might work bringing the feral cat into your household. Talk to a rescue group or two. A veterinarian might have pointers also. If you have a garage you can always bring the kitty into the garage on really cold or snowy days, or have a flap so the kitty can come and go. Just make sure the cat is not exposed to antifreeze in the garage, as it's poisonous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah: don't.

You have a responsibility to protect the cats you already own. Until/unless this feral becomes manageable, it stays feral. Locking a feral with the temperament you describe in a bathroom is cruel, and likely to stress both the feral and your pre-existing cats, who will hear the yeowling and crying and trying to escape.

Pets getting added to a household with existing pets need to be super friendly, easy going, and easy to wrangle, otherwise, you're just inviting trouble. Don't do that to the cats you already have, especially when you have FIV to factor into the mix. That's irresponsible af.

Hmm maybe it sounds worse than it is! He was in for 5 hours yesterday and swatted at my female cat once when she came up from behind. He is deaf I think. Otherwise they ignore each other. They have know each other for about a year (my cats and the feral).

Feral does let me pet him, just haven't had much success picking him up. He has no teeth and hasnt ever scratched me just gets scared. I dont know he is not fully feral. I mean he follows my kids around the house.

I did just buy a cat house but it is not here yet and I felt horrible kicking him out last night after he spent all evening inside. He sat on some side on the glass door and my cats on the other both of them pawing the glass.

I did make a vet appt for him for next week. He hasn't been in about a year.

[Anonymous]

Why do you want this cat in your house?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you want this cat in your house?

I dont know. I fell in love with him and am a suckered and he spent almost 16 yrs on yhr street (he is a known cat to Awla) and I just want him to be warm and comfy for whatever time he has left.

I never expected him to want to stay in my house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you want this cat in your house?

I dont know. I fell in love with him and am a suckered and he spent almost 16 yrs on yhr street (he is a known cat to Awla) and I just want him to be warm and comfy for whatever time he has left.

I never expected him to want to stay in my house.

*am a sucker

[Anonymous]

I would get advice from the Cat protection league or whoever is a similar entity in your neighborhood.

We had a feral cat on our front porch in 2009 and talked to some people who were really helpful in terms of feeding and caring for her (she had kittens under the porch).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would get advice from the Cat protection league or whoever is a similar entity in your neighborhood.

We had a feral cat on our front porch in 2009 and talked to some people who were really helpful in terms of feeding and caring for her (she had kittens under the porch).

Thanks! I did make a vet appt for him next week so wish me luck.

He is currently eating inside my house right now. I also combed him with a flea comb and it came up clean. So yay for that. I also got a heated cat house so I wont feel bad about kicking him out

[Anonymous]

The cat spent 16 years in the wild but now you want to lock it indoors for your enjoyment? The cat survived outside and will continue to do so until it dies.

[Anonymous]

Feral cats can live to 16?! I wouldn’t have guessed. Sounds like the old boy appreciates your attempts to make him more comfortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would get advice from the Cat protection league or whoever is a similar entity in your neighborhood.

We had a feral cat on our front porch in 2009 and talked to some people who were really helpful in terms of feeding and caring for her (she had kittens under the porch).

Thanks! I did make a vet appt for him next week so wish me luck.

He is currently eating inside my house right now. I also combed him with a flea comb and it came up clean. So yay for that. I also got a heated cat house so I wont feel bad about kicking him out

No, not the Vet, a Cat protection place. You're being obtuse.

[Anonymous]

I have done TNR and have successfully transitioned five feral/semi-feral cats to indoor life. It's a process. Think like a cat. Instead of don'ts think of do's. Most cats are attracted to heat. Make him his own set up with warming pads in the room where you want him to be. Make him want to be there--with food, water, litter. Adapt to get him in the house and then once he's in you can gradually change the set up. Kudos to you, OP. Nevermind the naysayers, all cats deserve a warm place to sleep at night. If he's already spending long periods of time in your house you are well on the way.

[Anonymous]

You are correct that he needs a vet visit ASAP, because he has parasites for sure and he's been in your house already, which isn't ideal, to be honest. Set a cage, put his food at the back, shut the door, drive to vet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would get advice from the Cat protection league or whoever is a similar entity in your neighborhood.

We had a feral cat on our front porch in 2009 and talked to some people who were really helpful in terms of feeding and caring for her (she had kittens under the porch).

Thanks! I did make a vet appt for him next week so wish me luck.

He is currently eating inside my house right now. I also combed him with a flea comb and it came up clean. So yay for that. I also got a heated cat house so I wont feel bad about kicking him out

No, not the Vet, a Cat protection place. You're being obtuse.

I talked to my vet and AWLA who manages the community cat program and they said the vet. So not sure why i am being obtuse both are fully aware of the situation. He goes to the vet once a year already.

He is a known community cat and taken care of by people.