Stray cat ???

[minnie56]

I have a dilemma and if you knew me you'd know it's not my first!

I have been feeding a stray cat for the past few months. Though I have seen it during the day...more so in the warmer weather....I see it most evenings around now...and even later into the wee hours. He eats 2 full bowls of food at a time...and drinks water. The nights (and days) are getting mighty frosty now and I don't know what to do as winter progresses....Occasionally, I also see a kitten ..about 4-5 months old??? He isn't a regular tho...

Neither of these cats will come near me!!!! If I look out the window...it runs! Soooo...the way the Local Humane Society works around here is...if the animal can be socialized..ie: adoptable...they will keep it. Otherwise, they euthanize...especially when they are at capacity which is pretty much all the time. A friend told me (that pet sits for me and used to wok at the Humane Society) if I trap it (them?) she will try to work with them at her home and see what she can do? But she added that she feels often it is best to let 'them just be'???

My heart aches for these kitties.....I think if they did belong to someone ...although that person would certainly appear to be very non caring...then they surely would be not so fearful of me????

Any thoughts?? I buy food at the Vet for them to 'fatten' them up to help the battle for survival but with the windchills kicking in...I worry about them making it.

I have put out boxes filled with towels but they don't use those either for any warmth there may be?

Thanks...as always....

 

[eclectics]

If cats are used to cold weather they usually can survive okay. They make shelters for themselves. You might want to try and find some private "no kill" shelters in your area. Usually they will help you trap them and spay or neuter them. If they are too wild to socialize they take them back to where they trapped them and let them loose, but at least they will be spayed. Good luck and thanks for feeding them! aw:

 

[minnie56]

I guess that's my next move....

I just went outside in my jammies (haha) and took out a cat carrier that is too small for my fat-cats now and wedged it in the corner of my front porch. Put inside some towels and an old bath mat that's nice and fluffy....maybe it will at least block the wind. If they don't appear to try it out...I will bring it inside.

Looks great behind the big pot of Poinsettias in all it's turquoise splendor!

 

[kilee]

It can be heartbreaking. I'm thinking they're used to the outdoors. I think it's great that you are trying to help them.

 

[Sparx]

Cats are pretty tough. He'll be ok. Most <wild> cats don't really like cardboard in my experience. We built them a wooden house. (basically a box made out of wood witha door cut in it. )

 

[bettyann29]

What a great thing you are doing.. .. Our kitty was a stray that my DD14 kept feeding at our last house.. she would feed him every day and make little places for him to sleep in the cold months.. he would not come in for the longest time and every now and then would allow her to even touch him.. he then just started coming inside to eat and then wanted right back out.. he eventually would come in and eat and take a bath and go to sleep and then when he woke up he wanted outside .. we took him down and got his shots and when we moved we brought him with us.. we kept him in the house for a few days and then let him out.. he came back to eat and has never left again.. we have since had him neutered and we make sure his shots are up to date.. he is sleeping right next to me in the other chair as we speak all curled up.. .. poor thing cannot see out of one of his eyes.. Vet said that he must have had an infection in it at one point (before we adopted him) and he lost sight in it.. he also has half a tail.. the vet said that it looks like it was cut off of him.. so we think he was abused at some point.. He is the sweetest kitty.. he has been part of our family for a few years now..

Our dog named Mathew was adopted from the Humane Society.. he is also the sweetest doggie.. I think animals who have been saved make the best pets.. very loving.. almost like they know they have been saved aw:

 

[eclectics]

I think animals who have been saved make the best pets.. very loving.. almost like they know they have been saved aw:

That's so true! I swear they know. All my pets have always come from a shelter. Nothing wrong of course with buying a pure bred. Any animal in your life is a very good thing. aw:

 

[Meezers]

Sly (DM's cat) started out like this...don't worry...kitty will be coming inside and bugging the heck out of you soon enough!

We found out later that Sly had a home...he just didn't like it...they finally gave up since he kept running away to his "new home" and asked DM to keep him. He is now a prince of the house!

 

[minnie56]

Is actually my cat carrier that I had when mine were smaller...It's solid plastic construction so who knows?? I am thinking maybe if I put some food in there thay may inspire the kitty to try it out?

I have three cats and a dog...all saved.....and the outside one (bigger one) will come up to the windows at the sides of the front door..look in and meow...but when I appear it's game over! Here it is 2:06 a.m and I am still keeping watch! Ugh........this could be one looooong winter!

Thanks everyone for the support and thoughts...

 

[FlowersChild]

If you want to find No Kill Shelter that might can help you go to this link http://www.petfinder.com/

Sometimes when cats are 5 months old they are harder to adopted then 3 months and 2 month old kitties ect. > But you may can still adopt them. If might be good if they could get those cats fixed to help prevent other kittens to be born without a home.

I don't know about the Cat but maybe there is a good chance that the 5 month old kitty will start to get more comfortable around you. Maybe just keep feeding it and who knows maybe one day the kitty will not run from you. I hope everything works out okay.

 

[LakeAriel]

Thank you for trying! My neighbors and I feed cats from a "colony" in our parking lot. Sadly these exist everywhere. All four of my cats have been rescued over the years from the street. My youngest, Chandler, who is now 7 months old is only now letting us pet him. We have had him since he was 4 months. My Vet doesn't hold out much hope of taming them after this age but their are many exceptions. Since you sound like a caring person see if you find find a feline society that will help you trap/neuter/release. Unless these animals are sick with feline Aids or Leukemia they shouldn't be euthanized. Thank you for feeding them and don't forget they need water too! If you see very little kittens try to put turkey in the back of your carrier, stay quiet, and slam the door shut quickly if you dont have a trap. If you can't catch them give them cat milk. Isolate the cats from yours till they have been tested and you have had them for 10 days. Good luck! aw:

I wish to add unless the cat is feral and has to be out all winter, having Feline aids or leukemia need not be a death sentence.They can live for years perfectly healthy and happy.They just can't be with negative cats because they they are contagious. Some ferals can co -exist with you if you don't touch them. They are frightened but NOT aggressive. (Aggressive ferals should not be in your home after the initial period of trying to tame them.) My daughter has two such cats. Happy to just eat sleep and play with the other cats. Not ideal but it works!

http://muttcats.com/articles/taming_ferals.htm

 

[Spinning]

We are in the exact same boat as you! Same thing a cat started to hang at the edge of the property this summer. Looked so sad and skinny. So of course I had to give it a little something to eat.....and a little more and a little more.....
Now Spunky is a part of our family. He comes in only briefy and almost the entire time growls...IT is actually kind of funny because you can pick him up, pet him and he is still making these noises as if he is so tough! Claws are never out. He hates our dog. Who of course could care less about him.
But the cat always wants out after about 15 minutes. So we built a nice house for him. With a door. Put some fake fur and hay in it. He loves it. Goes in it all the time.
We did one time put him in the basement for hte night but he wasn't too happy. So I think this will work fine. He actually tries to come in less now since he has his new digs.
Good luck!

 

[SEAlla]

All I can say is each and every one of you (and your families) are good people!

 

[Tiffann4k]

You have gotten a lot of great advice. Luckily all the cats that are dumped off at my place are nice and friendly. We live in the country so it seems we are a beacon to all those who no longer want their pets, it upsets me but then the cats could of been dumped somewhere else. We have 5 cats currently & its a good thing that we belong to a local organization that does low cost spay and neuter.