Comments on: There’s a stray outside

By: Administrator

Administrator — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:23:53 +0000

You are way ahead of the game if she is going inside the carrier. Take a stout but thin cord (phone cable is best) and turn the carrier so the end of it is away from the chair, or the window where you stay when she is near. If she tolerates your presence near her- set up a comfortable chair and sit on it when you feed. Feed inside the carrier and have the cable or line set up so she can become accustomed to it- but keep the door propped open.

Once she is moving in and out of the carrier easily- pick up the line and hang on to it. Be sure that there is something stable you can tie to line to once the doors are shut (not locked) because if she charges the door she could get out. Tie it off firmly then go over quickly and lock the door- then call the vet and get her in quickly.

Good luck- I am glad she has ended up on your porch!

By: Linda Z.

Linda Z. — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:14:36 +0000

There has been a stray cat staying on my porch. I’ve been feeding her/him. It has one front paw that looks like either a defomity or possibly was broken. The claws are so long, they look like they are growing into the flesh. She has medium length black fur with brown fur like a collar. She meows very quietly and comes fairly close to me. I put a carrier on the porch with a small pillow inside and she/he has been sleeping in the carrier. it seems like it would be pretty easy to just close the door so I can take her/him to a vet. I’m thinking of keeping the cat even though I have two others. The stray doesn’t hiss or growl. It seems very gentle. Is this a good way to “trap” the cat? I feel so sorry for it.

By: Administrator

Administrator — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:52:35 +0000

I don’t know where you are located, but you can always type in your location (for example, I would type into Google Albany Oregon feral cat rescue) and then hit search. Of course my name would come up but oh well! LOL But seriously try that then start calling and ask for help. Offer a donation, it gets help to you quicker.

If that isn’t an option if there is someway you can build a safety platform for the momcat and her kittens- a sort of wooden enclosure that would shield them from the weather and stuff it with straw- she would accept that.

The only other thing would be to design a drop trap and start feeding under the trap for several days without dropping it- then once mom is comfortable, drop it down over her- if the kittens are weaned, they should be following her in when she eats.

By: carolyn wilson

carolyn wilson — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:18:53 +0000

We have an outside cat next door, probably was a lost or abandoned pet as she is quite tame, who has had a litter of four kittens she has stashed under the roof overhang on their garage roof. We all want to be sure that Mom and kitties get neutered. We have just done TNR with her last litter, but weren’t able to trap mom. We would like to have contact with the kittens as they are very young and could be prevented from being feral, but we don’t know what is the right thing to do. Our neighbors are afraid that the kitties may fall off of the roof as they get older and more active. We are afraid that if they attempt to move the kittens mom will either abandon them or move them again and we will lose the chance to do right by them. What kind of shelter would the mother be likely to accept staying with her kittens in until they are old enough to be weaned? Is there any group that fosters kittens who need to be bottle fed? We have three house cats, and now three feral outside cats, so our hands are pretty full.

By: kerry t

kerry t — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 03:53:42 +0000

i have been feeding a small black male cat, obviously fixed with a clipped left ear, for about 6 months. He finally let me touch him two weeks ago. I pet him and he jumps in front of me when i try to walk to get more attention, the problem being that sometimes he nips me hard enough to draw blood, I raise my voice and say no and then go inside whenever he does this….I already have 4 indoor/outdoor cats and two german shepherds….i hope I can continue feeding this little male cat without having to bring him inside. Is there something I can do to curtail this biting behavior?

By: Administrator

Administrator — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 06:54:57 +0000

Unlike humans, cats don’t stay attached to their kittens all their lives. She is driving them away so they CAN survive- forcing them to hunt and go out on their own and not eat the food she needs. Hate to say this, but if she is outside and not spayed, she is more than likely pregnant and you need to act quickly and get her spayed before the kittens can arrive.like you said, you don’t need anymore cats.

By: carolyn wilson

carolyn wilson — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:11 +0000

We discovered a Mom with a litter of 3 kittens who have apparently been living under our house. When we first became aware of them we think they were about 3 months old, looked very healthy, and still with Mom. She would occasionally allow them to nurse, but mostly would discourage them. We have been researching what to do as we have three indoor cats already and do not want to care for more cats. We wouldn’t mind them visiting us from time to time, but would rather they did not continue to live in our yard. Nor do we want to just let them roam un-neutered. We have decided to do TNR for all four and are waiting for our appointment which is two weeks away, and we are still feeding the kittens so they will still be here. Mom has just returned after being away for 2-3days and is being very hostile with her kittens. She was also away a day or two last week, but treated the kitties normally when she returned. I am concerned about what to do. Do these kittens have the skills to survive after we release them? We have seen Mom feed them baby rats, but haven’t seen them hunt themselves. We are in a residential neighborhood, so this isn’t exactly releasing them to the wild. All they have known pretty much is our back yard except when Mom would take them with her on her outings. We just want to do the right thing by these kittens. Is Mom being hostile because she doesn’t remember them? If she were pregnant would that make her act this way? She won’t let them get near her…if they try she charges them, spitting and batting them with her paw. Keeps them away from the food bowl. Any insight you can give me would be much appreciated.

By: Administrator

Administrator — Mon, 30 May 2011 19:18:08 +0000

With so many people losing their jobs and homes, it could be they have been tossed out of a home because the people can’t afford to feed them. One thing, if you do trap them- be sure and have the vet scan for a chip because sometimes, cats just get scared and run away from home.

By: Stephanie Weyrick

Stephanie Weyrick — Mon, 30 May 2011 19:15:57 +0000

Thank you for your answer and I have another question? Could these cats have owners now but hang around because the food is there?

By: Administrator

Administrator — Mon, 30 May 2011 19:06:02 +0000

I wouldn’t give up. I am a believer that sometimes those who have left guide those in need to my door. Keep feeding on a routine schedule, try and sit nearby (read a book or something) as long as weather permits until they get used to seeing you. Bring the food a bit closer to where you sit over a period of weeks and see if you can gain the trust. Or contact a local rescue group offer to make a donation if they can come and trap them. But first PLEASE research the group locally as some of them don’t really have the best intentions of the cats at heart- sad but true.