Feral and stray cats

[FireGoddess]

Sparkles - I am nuts - I have already figured that there is an area of the house we could block off for the stray (after of course getting checked out because if she has FeLV or FIV she can't come in. Chloe doesn't have these.) They could even see each other through one of the french doors since it is all window. But I think Chloe would see the cat and tear under the bed. Could this be overcome? I don't know. Last time we catsat for a friend, their kitten (teeny tiny) stayed with us for a week and I had to keep Chloe locked up in her own room so she would feel safe. She didn't come out from under the bed for 3 days until I finally cordoned her off so she'd finally eat and poop.

ETA: I also don't know how the stray would react to another cat - because Chloe won't assert dominance and I don't want this cat to assert it and make Chloe miserable like she was when she first came home and wouldn't come out from under the bed for weeks.

 

[Gypsy]

Awww. What a love! She''s so pretty!

Here''s my advice. Felaway-- phemones have helped my pets greatly during tough spots-- the plug is is the best one. Plus a little kitty prosac for the first couple of days to get both of them calmer and more mellow... then the third day you do half the dose, the fourth... no dose. Talk to your vet some to get more advice. It''s most likely do-able. But keep the number of a good shelter if, after a couple of weeks, things aren''t improving.

Your doing a great thing FG! You have a good heart.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Oh FG, she is just gorgeous - what a cutie!! Your Chloe sounds so much like our Gretchen - I was so anxious when we brought Oliver home that Gretchen would regress and we''d never see her again. To my surprise and delight, they gradually not only adjust to each other, they became buddies, and Gretchen got, if anything, more laid back and happier.

Honestly, I think if the kitty gets a clean bill of health at the vet, its worth a shot, and maybe you can consider being a temporary foster home and work with a rescue to try to rehome the kitty to a good home, but in the meantime keep her in your house separate from Chloe where at least she''ll be safe - I know you could feel so guilty if something happened to her, and this might be the best solution at least for now. In terms of how to make it as easy as possible on Chloe, This Link (from the SF/SPCA), if you scroll down, has a fantastic handout on how to introduce a new kitty into the household and could serve as a guideline for the time you are fostering. Kitties that are fostered often have higher chances of being adopted because potential adopters know what the kitty is actually like in a home, as opposed to just a shelter. Definitely get help from a rescue group on finding a suitable home though - they are much better at screening applicants and making sure its not someone who wouldn''t be a good home.

Anyway, since you and DH already seem to be somewhat attached, it sounds like fostering, assuming a clean bill of health (which I would verify ASAP), might be the best option if you have the space.

Please keep us updated!

 

[AmberGretchen]

p.s. I second Gypsy''s suggestions of Feliway and kitty prozac, although definitely do the kitty prozac only under supervision from a vet!

 

[sumbride]

Ah! FG is getting a new kitty!

My Lucy is a stubborn fraidy cat too and we''ve had her on Prozac for a while now. It''s helped her cope with almost everything except Bill, our other cat. She doesn''t like him, and there''s not a thing we can do to change that (apparently) but they do co-exist and they''re getting better, slowly, but surely. It''s not pretty, but I love both of them too much to do anything about it. We''re thinking about getting a new kitten so Bill will have somebody to play with and stop bothering Lucy.

I think, if you and your hubby are already attached, that this kitty has a home... with you!

 

[Gypsy]

Oh yeah! I didn''t mean to imply that your should score some kitty prosac on your own! Definitely have Vet supervision. And see if you can soft paw the stray once you get her inside. To even the odds.

 

[FireGoddess]

UGH! I. Just. Don't. Know.

If I didn't have Chloe I would take this stray in an instant. I am just worried about Chloe. She is pathologically scared. She still runs at loud noises (the fire detector beeped from low battery and she jumped about 3 feet in the air and ran to the bedroom and hid under the bed). She hides when I get up in the morning. If it's just me and I call her, she'll come to be fed or yell at me when I'm in the bathroom (because she knows I can't just 'get up') but she's still a skittish cat. She'll sit with me on the couch or on the bed but if DH is around she bolts again. If he's on the couch too she'll eventually wander back out. Note he's been around for 5 years now!

If she wants to be nearby but not next to me she'll sit on a chair under the kitchen table. She has her vantage point but is 'hidden' as far as she's concerned. She is a total lovebug and will snuggle with me on the bed in the evening. If I lie down and read a book she's laid up flat against me so I can rub her belly. But if there's any noise, she darts. Can you really teach a pathologically scared old cat a new trick....to not be the only child???

A cat who was terrified of a little kitten?!?!? Sheesh!

 

[innerkitten]

She''s really cute
One of our cats was a stray. I didn''t want another at the time but my husband talked me into it. Luckily they ( we have three now including the stray) all get along very well. we had him tested for everything before taking him home.

 

[innerkitten]

Does Chloe have much experience with other cats?

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 5/1/2007 5:05:09 PM
Author: innerkitten
Does Chloe have much experience with other cats?

Hey IK,

No, she doesn't (at least in the decade I've had her). She was adopted from the pound at 1 year old by a friend of mine who took her in to be a companion pet for the cat she already owned. Unfortunately the resident cat didn't want any friends and so my friend asked me to take her. That was 10 years ago and Chloe's been an 'only child' ever since. I will say that when Chloe goes to the vet, they frequently have a resident cat running loose, and the vet cat always rushes over to investigate why Chloe is wailing in her carrier. She never hisses or anything, just continues being scared. I think she'd happily disappear into the wall if she could.

 

[Gypsy]

She sounds JUST like my Frodo. Except he ADORES other cats. He''s making freinds with one of the strays that wanders in our patio much to our dismay (caterwauling at 4 am anyone?). He''s very skittish, and even though the others aren''t... he continues to be stubbornly so.

I think I would still give it a try... but I might ask the vet for more prosac. Good luck honey, whatever you decide.

 

[Sparkles22]

Date: 5/1/2007 4:39:49 PM
Author: FireGoddess
UGH! I. Just. Don''t. Know.

If I didn''t have Chloe I would take this stray in an instant. I am just worried about Chloe. She is pathologically scared. She still runs at loud noises (the fire detector beeped from low battery and she jumped about 3 feet in the air and ran to the bedroom and hid under the bed). She hides when I get up in the morning. If it''s just me and I call her, she''ll come to be fed or yell at me when I''m in the bathroom (because she knows I can''t just ''get up'') but she''s still a skittish cat. She''ll sit with me on the couch or on the bed but if DH is around she bolts again. If he''s on the couch too she''ll eventually wander back out. Note he''s been around for 5 years now!

If she wants to be nearby but not next to me she''ll sit on a chair under the kitchen table. She has her vantage point but is ''hidden'' as far as she''s concerned. She is a total lovebug and will snuggle with me on the bed in the evening. If I lie down and read a book she''s laid up flat against me so I can rub her belly. But if there''s any noise, she darts. Can you really teach a pathologically scared old cat a new trick....to not be the only child???

A cat who was terrified of a little kitten?!?!? Sheesh!

That''s tuff. I would give the phermons a try. We did use those when we introduced our stray because they were both adults (didn''t have to as much with the new kitten) I think she''ll eventually be okay with it. I don''t think a week is enough time to expect her to change her lifestyle (kitten-sitting). I like the idea of glass doors where they can see eachother. This would let Chloe safely approach the other (one she realizes the stray can''t get her). We also have a cat tree/condo thing so that one can hide up in it and feel safe to observe while the other is on the ground checking things out (course now they all try to get the highest point of it and try to push eachother off playfully... king of the mountain). My cat the fraidy would be mad at me for a while, kind of like give me the cold shoulder. She is food motivated though, so I would tell her I though she was a good girl and pet her (while she walked off), and give her a tiny bit of cold cuts (even if I had to crawl under the bed to do so, I would also pet her under the bed if that was what it took some nights, while she was growling). We were really worried she would be mad at us for a long time, she was so pissed, now that I look back it was kind of funny. She was so busy growling and hissing that she would growl at us when we would pet her. But like I said she got over it. So... I would start with bringing her inside in the crate, and sit it on the floor in the middle of the room, so Chloe can choose to hide where she feels safe and slowly approach, then begin with putting her in the room where Chloe can see her, do some phermones (we liked the plug ins), possibly in an outlet close to the doors, so like in a hallway or something, then possible put the stray in a crate and out in the middle of the room again, I would do this daily, so Chloe learns not to be scared and see if they''ll sniff each other (I am sure they will hiss and growl at first, this is normal), we did this too (but our cats are a little curious, it did take fraidy a while approach her, maybe like after 30 minutes she came creepy like within 3 feet or so).

 

[FireGoddess]

Thanks for the advice Sparkles.

Do any of you know if the SPCA tests cats for FIV and FeLV at the spay/neuter clinic? (I called and left a message but they don't respond to calls after 3pm, and it's after 4 now.)

I called my vet to see if they would accomodate me bringing in a stray w/o an appt and they said no problem. I was going to try and catch her tomorrow and bring her to the vet to get tested, and then spayed, but the cost of the operation was six times what they charge at the SPCA. I can't catch the cat, hold her at the vet overnight to get the blood test results, and then say 'whoops no, not going to get her spayed here after all.' They'd hold her overnight if I was going to get her spayed, but not likely if I just don't want to take her home till I know if she has FeLV or FIV or not. However, if they do blood testing at the SPCA spay/neuter clinic I can just catch her before the appt I make there.

 

[Sparkles22]

Date: 5/1/2007 7:19:50 PM
Author: FireGoddess
Thanks for the advice Sparkes.

Do any of you know if the SPCA tests cats for FIV and FeLV at the spay/neuter clinic?

I called my vet to see if they would accomodate me bringing in a stray w/o an appt and they said no problem. I was going to try and catch her tomorrow and bring her to the vet to get tested, and then spayed, but the cost of the operation was six times what they charge at the SPCA. I can''t catch the cat, hold her at the vet overnight to get the blood test results, and then say ''whoops no, not going to get her spayed here after all.'' They''d hold her overnight if I was going to get her spayed, but not likely if I just don''t want to take her home till I know if she has FeLV or FIV or not. However, if they do blood testing at the SPCA spay/neuter clinic I can just catch her before the appt I make there.

I don''t know about that. But I would think they do. Why not call and ask? The actually can give you the results of the FeLV in the office (at least my vet did).

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 5/1/2007 7:22:32 PM
Author: Sparkles22

I don''t know about that. But I would think they do. Why not call and ask? The actually can give you the results of the FeLV in the office (at least my vet did).

Sorry - I was editing my post when you responded - I did call to ask. I had to leave a message because they only respond to calls from 8-12 and 1-3...and it''s after 4 pm now.

My vet said it would take 24 h to find out the results if they do the tests.

 

[innerkitten]

Poor Chloe
There is also a chance that she might enjoy the company.
You could call the SPCA. I know that they will do tests but I don''t know if they will do it at the spay neuter clinic.
You could make an appointment, take her down there for a check up and testing then bring her back to the yard till you get rusults and take it from there.

 

[FireGoddess]

IK - the SPCA told me they don't do public vet services - that I could get her checked out and the bloodwork done at my vet and then come back and get her spayed at the SPCA, but they don't do the testing for the public. I assume they usually just do it for abandoned animals. Then they mentioned something about being 'checked out' at the spay clinic. When I asked if that meant virus testing they said I had to talk to the clinic...which isn't answering calls anymore today.

I'd like to find out asap....they have a vaccine clinic the 1st wednesday of every month which is tomorrow, but I can't trap and keep a cat in my house whose health I know nothing about (so I can get her vaccinated tomorrow)! AGH@!

 

[Gypsy]

ABC (animal birth control) can help you out with that if you have on in your area. They helped us with all the ferals we caught and released. Spay neuter clinics will also help you out sometimes.

 

[Sparkles22]

Date: 5/1/2007 7:23:58 PM
Author: FireGoddess

Date: 5/1/2007 7:22:32 PM
Author: Sparkles22

I don''t know about that. But I would think they do. Why not call and ask? The actually can give you the results of the FeLV in the office (at least my vet did).

Sorry - I was editing my post when you responded - I did call to ask. I had to leave a message because they only respond to calls from 8-12 and 1-3...and it''s after 4 pm now.

My vet said it would take 24 h to find out the results if they do the tests.

I know it didn''t take 24 H for me to find out. Wonder if my vet just has a rapid test. I think they may also be able to test the saliva for it. I would probably call back at 8 am tomorrow to ask if they do it and how long it takes for the results (and just explain the situation, that''s she is a stray and may be hard to recatch). When I called back at 8 if someone answers I would just be like, oh I left a message yesterday, but just figured I''d call to double check

, or that you wanted to be sure they got it or something (I tend to be impatient).

 

[Sparkles22]

Opps I was replying while you were posting, sorry.

 

[FireGoddess]

The local SPCA website says they do virus testing, ear tipping, and neutering for ferals...but hopefully they do it for strays too? She''s clearly not feral...she runs up to me when she sees me.

 

[Gypsy]

Okay tried to find a contact number for you ... what state are you in FG? Sorry I don''t recall.

 

[FireGoddess]

California. Peninsula between SF and SJ.

Thanks Gypsy.

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 5/1/2007 7:31:09 PM
Author: Sparkles22
I know it didn''t take 24 H for me to find out. Wonder if my vet just has a rapid test. I think they may also be able to test the saliva for it. I would probably call back at 8 am tomorrow to ask if they do it and how long it takes for the results (and just explain the situation, that''s she is a stray and may be hard to recatch). When I called back at 8 if someone answers I would just be like, oh I left a message yesterday, but just figured I''d call to double check

, or that you wanted to be sure they got it or something (I tend to be impatient).

hehe - you''re not the only one. Once I decide something it''s suddenly URGENT. LOL.

 

[Sparkles22]

She would probably come to you 1st thing in the morning with a little food as a bribe. We tried to keep the stray overnight because I made a vet appointment and didn't think I could catch her. We put her in the bathroom away from the others (some place we could easily sanitize). She made such a racket though my hubby made me put her outside, and said not to worry, she'll be there in the AM. And she was, as soon as a brought food out, then I snatched her up, took her in had her tested, negative... took her back home and put her in our room. I had her fixed a little later, sort of, turns out she already was fixed when she was a baby, but the vet couldn't tell, so they re-cut her open (poor girl).



I should add I worried about her all night that night, especially since it was so cold out, and people tend to tear down the street in their cars

. Even though it's a school zone/ residental type area.

 

[Sparkles22]

Date: 5/1/2007 7:37:09 PM
Author: FireGoddess

Date: 5/1/2007 7:31:09 PM
Author: Sparkles22
I know it didn''t take 24 H for me to find out. Wonder if my vet just has a rapid test. I think they may also be able to test the saliva for it. I would probably call back at 8 am tomorrow to ask if they do it and how long it takes for the results (and just explain the situation, that''s she is a stray and may be hard to recatch). When I called back at 8 if someone answers I would just be like, oh I left a message yesterday, but just figured I''d call to double check

, or that you wanted to be sure they got it or something (I tend to be impatient).

hehe - you''re not the only one. Once I decide something it''s suddenly URGENT. LOL.

Me too! Used to bug hubby I think, now he just laughs, and says oh ok! LOL!

 

[Sparkles22]

Oh yeah, the vet and the other organizations can check for a microchip also (internal ID tag).

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 5/1/2007 7:38:34 PM
Author: Sparkles22
She would probably come to you 1st thing in the morning with a little food as a bribe. We tried to keep the stray overnight because I made a vet appointment and didn''t think I could catch her. We put her in the bathroom away from the others (some place we could easily sanitize). She made such a racket though my hubby made me put her outside, and said not to worry, she''ll be there in the AM. And she was, as soon as a brought food out, then I snatched her up, took her in had her tested, negative... took her back home and put her in our room. I had her fixed a little later, sort of, turns out she already was fixed when she was a baby, but the vet couldn''t tell, so they re-cut her open (poor girl).



I should add I worried about her all night that night, especially since it was so cold out, and people tend to tear down the street in their cars

. Even though it''s a school zone/ residental type area.

You sound like me - I am starting to worry that every additional day she''s out there she could get pregnant, or contract a virus, or get hit by a car (our street is super busy). Too empathetic. It''ll be the death of me!

Poor baby about having been fixed twice - I would love to find out this one is fixed already. The SPCA filled out a ''found cat'' report to see if anyone reports a cat missing with the description...but I doubt it.

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 5/1/2007 7:44:03 PM
Author: Sparkles22
Oh yeah, the vet and the other organizations can check for a microchip also (internal ID tag).

For sure - that's the first thing I want to know! Chloe is strictly indoor but is still chipped, and now wears a collar too. She doesn't like that, but she'll get over it.

 

[Sparkles22]

I know I worry too much, but I would have never been able to forgive myself if something had happened to her.

Here is a picture of our stray "Lucky" prior to my rescue attempt, we had just been feeding her. Her eye is messed up, fur sticking out (hard to see in this one)...