Pre-winter cat rescue

[justiceischeap]

So, I consulted with joeybee and I ended up rescuing a young male cat. I noticed him sleeping in my mulch bed about two weeks ago and started feeding/watering him. He wouldn't let me near him (and still won't) but this evening he sat in front of my storm door like he wanted in--I opened the door and he ran away. I left the door open and stood back from it to see what he would do.

Curiousity doesn't just get the cat in trouble, it gets people in trouble too.

Anyway, to my amazement, he cautiously walked into my house then promptly freaked out when I closed the door--as did my two senior cats. I managed to wrangle him into an empty bedroom upstairs (though he tried to take a hand off when I did so--luckily I was faster than him--but he came at me with both paws. It was all very National Geographic).

Here's a picture of him right before he made the mistake of getting brave and walking into my house.



My next move is to re-domesticate him. I'm pretty certain he was someone's house pet before... I don't see a feral deciding to walk into someone's house. Also, he meows, which according to joeybee is a sign that he was a house cat at some point but the way he acted once he was "trapped" in the house makes me think I've a tough row to hoe.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Good-looking cat. He looks pretty healthy.

I'll bet he settles down pretty fast when he figures out what a good deal he's walked into.

[Kingofalldems]

2. This may help:

http://www.wikihow.com/Tame-a-Feral-Cat

[justiceischeap]

3. Thank you! That was helpful. nt

[Arugula Latte]

4. Thanks for helping him! He is quite handsome.

[procon]

5. Give him constant exposure to people.

I had an inquisitive young stray cat come inside my house through an open door and when I finally noticed him and tried to shoo him out, he hid in a closet. Anyway, long story short, I decided to keep him. I borrowed a large wire dog cage from my SIL and lured him into it with some tuna. I moved the cage into the living area where he could watch and listen to everything and be greeted with lots of tidbits dropped in his bowl as we passed by his cage. We sat by his cage while he ate, talked to him. Eventually he would sniff our fingers, then allow some petting through the wire. He also got acquainted with my other cat and the cage kept them both safely separated.

We were soon able to open the cage door without him hissing and he improved rapidly and stopped swiping at hands and allowed more contact as he came to trust us. He remained shy of strangers, but he become a happy and purring member of the family.

[840high]

6. Great idea.

[Lizzie Poppet]

7. Good on ya!

Now this handsome guy gets a second chance (ferals' lives are often the very definition of "nasty, short, and brutish&quot .

[Warpy]

8. He's too sleek and beautiful to have been an outside cat for long

so as soon as you can get him into a carrier, take him in to get him checked for a microchip.

What happens with young male cats who don't get snipped in time is that they follow the scent of a prospective lady friend, often for miles, and then can't remember where home is.

Until then, you are going to have to be patient with food and treats and a fishing line type toy as your best friends in taming this little guy down.

[justiceischeap]

10. That's good advice about the microchip

I hadn't thought of that.

[trueblue2007]

9. Your kitty looks like our Sally. Sally was a feral kitten. My hubby cares for feral cats.

[IMG][/IMG]

[justiceischeap]

11. She's a beauty. Nt