# New feral cat should i be worried?



## horselib (6 February 2019)

Taken on a new feral cat (through the vets) He is a neutered male around 2 ish.He turned up at a farm my vet looks after they have had him neutered and he is nervous and very much an outdoor boy.The farm is around 5 miles from our smallholding. They needed to relocate him as they have 5 house cats and 2 elderly one's were refusing to go outside soiling the house and becoming very stressed when he was around no aggression on his part.They said he is foody and managed to catch him.
He arrived yesterday afternoon.I have put him in a  former calf house solid brick built with half walls inside 6 bays and a window that doesn't open .We have set up one cubicle with 6 bales of hay in a stack with gaps in between a bed and  blanket an couple of large card board boxes and one cubicle strawed down he can use as a loo. I have put food water and biscuit down in another cubicle.
He doesn't appeared to have touched any food and is hunkered right down in the bottom of 'the hay stack.
I went in this morning changed the water and food which was untouched .He looked quite podgy she said he stole her cats food and is very foody. Presumably he will eventually come out at least to eat.Should I go in and change food and water daily?or will this unsettle him or should I just leave dry food an water he was fed wet food .Any thoughts.


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## BeckyFlowers (6 February 2019)

I would continue feeding him what he is used to (wet food) and leave biscuits down so he can pick on them if he wants too.  I would continue to go in a couple of times a day to clean up and refill, and look in his direction to make sure he is ok, but if you want to keep him feral just ignore him.  It's good to get him used to your presence.  He will be stressed out because of the move, but he will start eating when he is hungry.  Just ensure he doesn't have diarrhoea and vomiting.  How long are you planning on keeping him shut in for?  I would keep him in for a good few weeks as his old place isn't that far away and he may be tempted to go back there while he is still feeling unsettled in your place.  Don't suppose there are any pics are there?


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## horselib (6 February 2019)

I want him as a feral cat but happy to  be tame enough to handle for vets jabs etc .I was thinking I would keep him in for about 4 weeks. I have another feral a long haired tabby called Igor he is around and about in the barns and hay/straw store.
This one is a short haired tabby no name but thinking of calling him Sergei as all my ferals have had Russian names ,I don't actually see him but you can see a fur bundle at the base of the hay . I am going to clean the window so I can look in on him without him knowing. If he sits on the half wall he can look out of the window.  Will get a photo should He choose to reveal himself but when we let him out of the carrier he is a handsome boy if a bit on the podgy side so a day or two without food wont harm him!.Here is a photo of Igor with my old house cat Vladimir the black cat who I lost last year aged 20.


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## Meowy Catkin (6 February 2019)

Gorgeous cats. 

I'm so sorry that Vladimir died. He made a great old age.

I would give the feral more time. They can be very frightened when first in a new home even when they are a fully domestic cat. Good luck with him, I hope that he settles in soon.


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## BeckyFlowers (6 February 2019)

Beautiful kitties! I remember you posting when Vladimir passed away and you put some lovely pics on the post.  Sergei is a great name


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## SamBean (6 February 2019)

Interesting for me to follow, Iâ€™m having a home check this weekend with View to homing 2 ferals they are brothers about 9 months. If all goes well they will be caught and neutered before bringing to me to settle. I hope your new addition settles and starts to eat soon.


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## horselib (7 February 2019)

Well went in this morning and he has eaten all the wet food and some biscuit..I had put a little bit o f chicken on top so maybe it tempted him out. Still hunkered down in the hay but I am happier he is now eating.Aim to keep him in i for around 4 weeks.


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## silv (8 February 2019)

That's good news he is eating.  Your cats are beautiful, I love the Russian names!  what a great idea.


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (10 February 2019)

I don't think OP you can do any more than you're doing. Feral cats are renowned for being "quirky" and you may just have to give things time and for Puss to gain confidence.

Just a thought; but (as a Cats Protection Fosterer myself) - if you need advice or indeed just reassurance, your local Cats Protection branch would be only too pleased to offer you advice.......


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## dogatemysalad (10 February 2019)

I'd go in at set times to clean up,  bring food and just be there without hassling him. Once he associates you as the bringer of All Things Good and provider of a safe and warm place to stay, his trust will increase and he'll have no wish to disappear, particularly now that he's been neutered. I've mostly had feral cats over the years, all different in nature, but they all settle happily to a routine and the option to have freedom along with a cosy bed, a calm environment and food.


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## horselib (10 February 2019)

Every morning when I go in he has eaten all the wet   food and some of the biscuit.I change the water and put down fresh food.He hasn't eaten anything in the evening seems to top up overnight. Still not out but hunkered down in the hay. I chat to him but make no attempt to find him .Hopefully  he will appear once he is more confident.If he sits on the half walls he can look out of the window.


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## HeyMich (6 March 2019)

Hi horselib - how are you getting on with the new cat? All settled and happy I hope?

We're about to get a feral cat, so I am interested to know how long you kept him in and if it has all gone to plan? We have a workshop/tackroom that I'm planning on using to keep the new cat in for the first while, but it has no windows - do I leave the light on instead? Any wise words of wisdom from your recent experiences would be appreciated!


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## horselib (6 March 2019)

He seems more settled eating morning and evening  I still am not seeing him .He is hunkered down in the hay when ever I go in .But he will pop his head out if I sit on the hay and talk to him. He has been shut in for a month now.His 'home' is large airy and has a window and half walls making the divides of the 4 cubicles so its a pleasant environment and if he sits up on the all  he can see out of the window. 
I spoke to the cat behaviorist at the vets I got him from and they are advising I keep him in a couple more weeks mainly because the farm he came from is only 5 miles away so easy for him to go back He is about 3 years old you  might be better getting a younger cat as they often settle more quickly.


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## paddy555 (6 March 2019)

HeyMich said:



			Hi horselib - how are you getting on with the new cat? All settled and happy I hope?

We're about to get a feral cat, so I am interested to know how long you kept him in and if it has all gone to plan? We have a workshop/tackroom that I'm planning on using to keep the new cat in for the first while, but it has no windows - do I leave the light on instead? Any wise words of wisdom from your recent experiences would be appreciated!
		
Click to expand...


not horselib, but we had a feral girl a while ago, she was VERY flighty and the kennel staff had difficulty even catching her in her cage to get her in the cat box.She had come from a farm.  We put her in a large hayshed, no lights and no natural light, and the brilliant staff suggested we use our medium size dog crates for a month or so. We did that with the cat carrying box and her rescue shelter blanket left in one end and we build a tunnel to link the 2 crates with the food and water down the far end so we didn't lose her. That worked well and after a month we let her out into the hay shed but left the crate set up. She came last May and now she sleeps in the kitchen and spends only limited time outdoors. She came as a feral ratter but seems to prefer the good life!


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## HeyMich (6 March 2019)

Thanks horselib and paddy! The dog crate is a great idea, we will maybe set that up outside the workshop (still under cover) so there's light and air, but she won't be able to escape. I'll take advice from the rescue centre too. 

Thanks for the cat-chat! Hope yours are both well settled now x


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## horselib (28 April 2019)

Update   Kept Sergei in for 10 weeks by which time he was popping out of the hay when I went in to feed him and would rub around your legs .I was away for 10 days(dogs stayed home )and the house sitter found the same after a day or two he would hop out of the hay to see her and have a scratch when fed.
Decided it as time to let him out on 11th April wedged the door open so he could get come and go (not sure he could use a cat flap)
Well I saw him once on the yard when I arrived late from a social event and hadn't seen him since .The food is going overnight but I was beginning to worry I had lost him though he hadn't turned up at his previous home a few miles away Wasn't sure if Igor was taking the food .
SO my husband bought a wildlife camera with infra red (He has always wanted one to check on wildlife coming and going around the farm so good excuse ).
Have had it set up inside the barn area for 3 nights now AND Sergei has regular feed times 10pm  midnight  3 and 5 in the morning when he goes to the food bowls . Igor appears around 11 pm and again around 5 to 6 pm .There is always some dry food left at the end of the night so they are both getting some.
The farm he came from had dogs that would chase he so maybe he is wary when my dogs are around .
we are off for a couple of weeks with the dogs so I'll see if the house/horse sitter sees him when the place is without the dogs who are coming with us
We are going to set the camera in various places to see  if we can see where he hangs out during the day.
Its fascinating we have caught birds bathing in his water bowl Thankfully no rodents!


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## BeckyFlowers (28 April 2019)

What a lovely update!


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## horselib (28 April 2019)

Its nice to know we still have him .Hope he decides to show himself 
at some point but he seems settled.


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## silv (28 April 2019)

Great update, sounds like he is enjoying life.


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (28 April 2019)

Just a suggestion, but if you are worried and/or have any questions, your local Cats Protection Branch would be only too pleased to help you.

I'm a Fosterer for Cats Protection btw.


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## splashgirl45 (28 April 2019)

so nice that he has stayed and seems happy


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