A Breakthrough!

[Badger]

We have been having a stray black cat come around for about the last 3 months. She was pretty skinny, her coat was poor and she was afraid of any movement or noise. I bought some good quality cat food at Costco and started leaving it out for her twice a day. I would stay a distance away and talk softly to her but she would never let me near although she appear to want attention. Eventually she would stand outside the back door and wait for her meal.

Today was the breakthrough. She finally let me touch her back and rub her head and ears. I thought the purring would wake up the neighbors.

We have 3 indoor cats and I have already been informed there will be no more coming inside (even though it was my wife's idea to get cats from the animal rescue). I just hope this new little one does not get abused or hurt being outside. Animal lovers will understand this.

Cheers!

 

[NW-Bound]

You may have to get the cat spayed to avoid her having a litter later. That happened to my friend.

 

[Sarah in SC]

What a great day! Nothing better than convincing an animal we mean no harm.
And likely she will do fine to stay outside as she is, once you can lure her in for the spay/rabies shot. There are three feral cats that have lived at the office where I work for at least 5 years, and they are healthy and happy outside cats, content to get petted on our way in and out.

 

[pb4uski]

Sounds similar to us. We had a skinny, limping black stray come near our deck and DW put our a little food for him. He scarfed it down and kept coming back. Before I knew it he was inside the house.

Turns out he was a neighbor's barn cat - one of many that the neighbor had that they kept out in the barn because the family was allergic to cats so they couldn't have them in the house. They actually pet their cats with their stocking feet.

Anyway, shortly thereafter we lost our two other cats and the family who owned the black cat gave him to us. His limping was because one of his hips was out of its socket, but more bone grew around the ball just as the vet predicted and he actually walks without any limp today and runs like lightning when he needs to. Amazing.

He is an indoor/outdoor cat now. He comes when my wife calls his name - I've never seen a cat do that (hardly ever comes when I call him though).

 

[Calico]

....Today was the breakthrough. She finally let me touch her back and rub her head and ears. I thought the purring would wake up the neighbors.

We have 3 indoor cats and I have already been informed there will be no more coming inside (even though it was my wife's idea to get cats from the animal rescue). I just hope this new little one does not get abused or hurt being outside. Animal lovers will understand this.

Cheers!

I LOVE hearing stories like this (note my avatar). Lucky cat was very smart to choose your house!

 

[Badger]

You may have to get the cat spayed to avoid her having a litter later. That happened to my friend.

It looks like the tip of one of her ears is clipped. My wife says this is done to cats that have been spayed.

I just came home from a movie to find feathers in a covered area I made for her so she could get out of the rain and wind. Her food dish and bedding is there too. I think it was her way of bringing a gift although she probably ate it before we got home.

Cheers!

 

[Tailgate]

congrats on the progress.. pet people understand.. non-pet people won't.

We have a black and white rescue male who was content to be an inside cat then suddenly a couple of years ago decided he was going on walkabout. Turns out he leads a double life spending beaucoup time during the day and most nights in a neighbor's garage. He does come home in the mornings and early evenings to get his tummy scratched and to eat, but stays for only 10 minutes or so. We have seen him come in the doggy door late nights and sleep on the back of the couch in my home office..

we call him our 'renter'...

 

[rodi]

We have a feral cat in our yard... It has taken to bringing my husband love presents made up of rodent entrails. He's not a cat person - but he's learned to love this one. We don't feed her because we want to encourage the mousing. But we do reward with affection.

One of the neighbors feeds her. And put a flea collar on her. When it rains she settles in to the doghouse (that our dog doesn't like.)

I've adopted feral cats in the past. They seem to appreciate human affection, more, when they get over their fear.

 

[Peter]

The BBC Horizon TV show recently tracked 50 cats in an English village using GPS and video cams:
Horizon BBC Documentary Episode 12, The Secret Life of Cats - YouTube

There was a follow-up show that analyzed how the cats share territories and also peoples homes:
BBC Horizon - Little Cat Diaries (2013) - YouTube

Well worth watching if you like cats. Or even if you don't!

 

[easysurfer]

This thread reminds me of when I helped a late friend take in a stray. The stray was a kitten and survived a couple of months outdoors. We gave the kitten a place to play by leaving out a cat house that I built with food. The kitty would play and sleep in the cathouse when no one was around but then dart away when people came near until one day I stood totally still and she came up to me. The story isn't a totally happy ending as one day when my friend's sister was cat sitting, the kitty took off and never returned. Yet, for the time the kitty was indoors, she was a spoiled, sweet kitty out of the the cold.

If I could write the ending, someone took her in and she is living happily ever after. Who knows. Maybe that is the case? (Attached is a picture of her in her favorite spot atop the cat house... circa 2009).

 

[NW-Bound]

It looks like the tip of one of her ears is clipped. My wife says this is done to cats that have been spayed...

That's good.

My friend's wife is a cat person. And when she adopted a neighborhood stray cat that stayed outside in addition to the 5 or 6 already inside the home, she ended up with a litter! So, she managed to get them all spayed and neutered, and waited a long time for their number to subside due to age.

 

[davemartin88]

In 2000, we moved to a new house and found a feral cat had taken up residence under the deck. Her ear was clipped which indicated that she was spayed. Fast forward to today and she is still with us having moved with us to WV when we retired.

Over the years, she learned to use a cat door which was originally in my detached workshop, then was in to the garage and now she lives inside all the time in the basement. She doesn't like to be held but will rub up against your legs and tolerate an ear scratch. She only wanders up the stairs if she is not feeling well, that is usually our first clue she is having an issue. A trip to the vet almost always comes up with a problem, the vet will even ask us if she is coming upstairs as part of his exam.

Badger, enjoy your new friend.

 

[Lcountz]

Sounds like my new cat...his name is OTHER (as in OTHER cat-the name has just stuck!!!)

He was a skinny, wormy (tapeworms) uncared for cat, who was scared of everything-as soon as my hand touched the doorknob to open the door to put out food, he was off like a shot...but then he would come and eat...

My indoor-mostly cat got along great with Other...he would head-butt him and they would roll around in the sun...
After TWO YEARS and much coaxing, and food, and quiet talk, I finally was able to first just pet his back, then his ears, then more ear scratching...

End of this summer, I made up my mind I was going to get him neutered so he can be an inside cat....I knew I would only have ONE opportunity to get him into the cat carrier, cause he was still so fraidy and I was just able to pick him up around the belly for a few seconds before he'd squirm away...

My vet usually requires a separate visit before neutering, to give shots and do an exam, but because of the feral nature of Other, he agreed that if I got him in the box, he would "do it all" in one visit.

The day came. I donned leather welder gauntlet gloves cause I thought Other would have a fit when I tried to get him in the box. Turned out, I picked him up and got him in,quietly, in one smooth movement, and he never uttered a sound on the three mile trip to the vets office.

They did it all-neuter, worm, shots, cleaned his ears...and I got him back...I kept him in the first night cause he was groggy, then he went back outdoors to live and recuperate (still too timid to remain indoors....)

I continued feeding him, petting him, and began brushing him (which he loves). He began coming in the open patio door, and staying longer each time. Then I kept him in one whole night. He explored the house, found my indoor cats pan, used it, and now, after two months since he was fixed, he is today, inside, asleep, and he seems to LOVE being an inside cat!!!! It snowed about 3" here in W. PA this morning, and he and my original cat ran outside for 10 minutes, then came right back in....

OTHER has turned out to be a sweet-natured guy...he has put on weight now that there are no more tapeworms, and he looks great...No more living under a bush for OTHER!!!!!!

SO Badger keep it up I'm sure you will be able to "tame" the stray in due time.....

It makes it so much more critical here in the Northeast to get them in before the bad weather hits....I can't play "door" all day when it's 30 degrees ( you know- do you want to come in or not?!?!?!?)..and the below-zero will be here before you know it...I feel so bad for any poor stray animals out in the bad weather....

 

[Sarah in SC]

That is such a happy story, lcountz. I cannot tell you how happy I was to get to read it this morning. You totally made my day.

 

[NanoSour]

Great cat stories. I didn't grow up with cats and really didn't care for them till the past couple of years. Last summer we rescued an abandoned 4 week old kitten who's life was hanging by a thin thread. We took her home and she thrived under our care and feeding.

As part of my ER budget we went cheap in the cat expenses department, but after coming across some internet stories about a cat's diet and food, we decided it was worth the added expense to give our cats high quality dry cat food. We had just bought a 15 lbs bage of Meow Mix this past Sunday for $11.88 at Wally World. Luckily we hadn't opened it before I came across this information. Then it trip to Petco for an 11 Lb bag of Buffalo Blue for $40 (i since found out there is a $3 coupon on their website ) The cats took to the new food right away and I feel so much better about it.

Now I just have to resist the urge to get another cat/kitten.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Now I just have to resist the urge to get another cat/kitten.

Two are much more fun to watch play together!

 

[Badger]

Two are much more fun to watch play together!

The black cat comes up to the back glass door throughout the day and evening to look inside and watch us and the other 3 cats. She was really interested in the Rumba this morning. I've been going out a few times in the morning and a few times in the evening to feed, pet and brush her (she has her own brush now). I'm suprised at how quickly she is becoming accustom to us and wants us to come out to keep her company although she will still run if we don't move slowly.

Maybe in the future if she will allow us to pick her up we may take her to the vet to have her checked for any diseases in case we let her contact the other cats. She really seems to want to come inside but she would have to be checked out first.

Cheers!

 

[ohyes]

These are such wonderful stories! Heart-warming and beautiful....the cats and the humans.

In Eureka Springs, AR you see lots of feral cats....I bet we saw ten just walking around the little town. The innkeeper told me the city pays for neutering/spaying for ferals. In the last couple years, she and the housekeeper have caught three in Have-a-Heart traps, taken them in for the procedure, then let them loose.