Vaccines don't protect against worms and fleas, OP. You need to protect your FIV cat.

I have had a semi-feral cat for like 6 years (?)

She was part of a pair of shelter cats that my neighbor adopted while she volunteered there. She said she got so upset when they were never adopted, so she took them home.

Then her husband died and her elderly mom moved in with her own pets and she said she needed to find a home for them, so I took them. One died about a year later. I don’t know why, he just hid all the time and one day he was dead. He never let me hold him.

The one that’s left is very lively in her own way especially when she wants food, but if I move too quickly she will still swat me. Have never been able to hold her, either. I’ve never taken her to the vet because the last time I tried she gave me actually serious blood dripping today scars. So she continues to live in one of my 1st floor bathrooms to this day.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You didn't explain that. I said "talk to cat protection people" and you said "yes, I'm taking him to the vet"
missing the crucial information in between those two statements. But good, I'm glad you've done that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Thanks! I know it is not all ideal. He is fully vaccinated so while I know there are concerns with him being inside i am not as worried as I could be.

He does not share food or litter with my other cats. He basically just comes into eat, sleep and leave. I said semi feral because he has always lived outside but he does let me and my kids pet him and doesnt hiss or react mean or anything (he purrs and meows at me). I mean he let me flea comb him today.

He basically demands to be in my house at this point.

I suspect you are his pet rather than the other way around. And I'm sure he has a similar set up at other houses. There was a statistic a few years ago about cat "owners" that for every 30 cats there were 75 cat owners, or something.

Anonymous wrote: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.

Thanks! I know it is not all ideal. He is fully vaccinated so while I know there are concerns with him being inside i am not as worried as I could be.

He does not share food or litter with my other cats. He basically just comes into eat, sleep and leave. I said semi feral because he has always lived outside but he does let me and my kids pet him and doesnt hiss or react mean or anything (he purrs and meows at me). I mean he let me flea comb him today.

He basically demands to be in my house at this point.