Topic: Help with a Ferral please (Read 4735 times)

Desley (booktigger) · « **Reply #24 on:** November 29, 2009, 14:00:03 PM »

His sneezing getting worse could have been stress related, so he might be better in a different environment, as sadly not all cats can cope with being in a home environment. You didn't fail him though, you did what was best for him.

Janeyk · « **Reply #23 on:** November 26, 2009, 20:32:38 PM »

Quote from: Northwind on November 26, 2009, 07:54:24 AM

So on Sunday last, I took him to Goldie (from whom he came originally) as she is feral rescue, and she is going to spend some time with him, see whether she can improve his health and his socialisation, and take it from there.

I think I was just way out of my depth with him, and he was clearly so unwell and so unhappy that I couldn't let the situation continue as it was.

Fingers crossed she will have more success with him than I did.

Ah! Goldie from Pussycat Lodge? we got our little Pepper Pot from her

wishing you both lots of luck with your feral xx

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #22 on:** November 26, 2009, 11:06:10 AM »

They are great at confusing and confounding us, Northwind, and it's not a failure to chuck in the towel. We always have to focus on the best thing for the cat, which can be to give up on the whole idea! I once removed a large tabby from a group which had been born and living wild in a set of urban gardens. The tabby more or less lived on an old lady's doorstep and rarely move from it. She fed him kitchen scraps and he just sat there waiting for her. He'd allow her to stroke his ears and back but that was it. Go any closer and he'd have you! I figured he was a long term stray who just needed help to trust the human race again so we trapped him, neutered him, cleaned up him up nice and off he went to a fosterer. Two weeks later he was STILL throwing himself at the bars of the pen like a monkey, hissing, spitting, striking out.... the only place he felt happy and safe was sitting on the old lady's doorstep. So back he went and is still sitting there polishing off her leftover potato mash and custard.

Sometimes despite all your best efforts they literally spit it all back in your face.

Fingers crossed for his snuffles though. That really does need to be sorted as no one can make perminant plans for him until it is.

If you speak to Goldie can you tell her I wrote to her via the old RHU recently. Sadly I don't have a number and she hasn't got mine. There's a message for her she'll want to see fairly urgently... before all the spaces go!

Northwind · « **Reply #21 on:** November 26, 2009, 07:54:24 AM »

Thank you pinkbear - I think that sounds exactly how I think about it. I was not making any headway with him at all - in fact his sneezing was worse and now has blood mixed with the pus, and he is lunging and spitting more than hissing....

So on Sunday last, I took him to Goldie (from whom he came originally) as she is feral rescue, and she is going to spend some time with him, see whether she can improve his health and his socialisation, and take it from there.

I think I was just way out of my depth with him, and he was clearly so unwell and so unhappy that I couldn't let the situation continue as it was.

Fingers crossed she will have more success with him than I did.

Pinkbear (Julie) · « **Reply #20 on:** November 26, 2009, 00:22:50 AM »

Actually I've seen a lot of ferals playing in the wild. Huge Toms even! Like great big kittens on occasion.

Curious about his food though. He may not have been used to manufactured wet food which is why he's refusing it, but may have had a feeder who left out dry for him. A good history is so important... can you not do a bit of digging into his past?

My normal rule of thumb is to allow a short while to begin to emerge from any trauma but if they've made no interaction with humans after 2 weeks, the chances get slimmer that they ever will. If you've several months or a year or so to spend winning him over, or you intend to keep him forever, then fair enough... but bear in mind if he does eventually trust you, he may not trust everyone and may revert to total feral behaviour when you attempt to rehome him. Mostly us in rescue need to move them on to help others and we do not have the luxury of months or years and our ultimate aim is to resettle them in new homes... and I do believe, no matter what others think, that a good feral/stables/ farm home with a dedicated carer willing watch over their needs is perfectly acceptable as an alternative to spending many months in rescue in a 'rehabilitation' attempt which may, despite all efforts, fail anyway.

If he were under our care we would allow those 2 weeks to see if we spot any change or relaxation in his behaviour. After that we would be going hell for leather to solve his snuffle problem and find him a nice stables job where he would be properly looked after in return for some mousing duties.

Millys Mum · « **Reply #19 on:** November 15, 2009, 19:21:07 PM »

Quote from: Northwind on November 14, 2009, 19:52:47 PM

That was the vet in Essex where he came from originally. I haven't been able to get him to my vets, for obvious reasons!

Would they not help you, worth asking

Bazsmum · « **Reply #18 on:** November 15, 2009, 02:00:00 AM »

Its good to hear that he plays, even if when no one is around....This shows at some point he has had some kind of human interaction, if you have plenty of foster time on your hands then I would say this babe would come round....

Ive met domesticated cats before that can be rather fiesty also!

Best of luck!

Northwind · « **Reply #17 on:** November 14, 2009, 19:52:47 PM »

That was the vet in Essex where he came from originally. I haven't been able to get him to my vets, for obvious reasons!

Millys Mum · « **Reply #16 on:** November 14, 2009, 19:17:18 PM »

Quote from: Northwind on November 14, 2009, 18:15:35 PM

Will see if I can get Bisolvon powder from the vets - they are a bit stuffy about prescribing anything for a cat they haven't seen, so might have to pretend it is for a different cat!

Did they not prescribe his injections?

Northwind · « **Reply #15 on:** November 14, 2009, 18:15:35 PM »

He does play - but only by himself when I am not around. I only know because I check out where the toys are when I go to bed, and they are in different places in the morning.
He is not impressed by the feathery toy on a string - looks fearfully at me, and wont move a muscle!

Good idea about the raw food - what would be the best thing to try if sardines don't work... would liver be a good start? Have never fed cats raw stuff before so advice on that welcome!

Have moved his room round a little, so he has a big box with a blanket in, next to the corner he favours. Will see if I can get Bisolvon powder from the vets - they are a bit stuffy about prescribing anything for a cat they haven't seen, so might have to pretend it is for a different cat!

Kay and Penny · « **Reply #14 on:** November 13, 2009, 20:52:50 PM »

I would do nothing at all which will reinforce his fear of humans - the longer he goes without anything nasty happening to him, the quicker he will relax

I have a cat who was until recently petrified of everything, and living outside, and he too is very nasally, but since he came into the house he has been getting, albeit very slowly, better without any treatment

Millys Mum · « **Reply #13 on:** November 13, 2009, 20:28:22 PM »

Abit more time would be good for him, did he have swabs done to identify whats in his nose? Sometimes a particular AB is needed not a general one.
I'd leave him out the crate as probably the trauma of getting him back in would undo the progress made so far!

Will he play? A long shoe lace with a feather may get his interest.
Interesting what you were told to do around him as nervous cats will lick their lips! Id say not to make direct eye contact with him and talk softly to him.

Had somebody been feeding him a while? Strange to get a feral prehooked on dry food if you see what i mean, have you tried raw with him, may be a way to get tabs in him...

Janeyk · « **Reply #12 on:** November 13, 2009, 20:24:35 PM »

Bisolvon powder is very good for respiritary/nasal problems, the vet used to prescribe it for my Schui he used to have a pinch in his water every day no side effects either.

Northwind · « **Reply #11 on:** November 13, 2009, 20:11:55 PM »

I suppose given the info below - the questions are:

should I try to get him back into a crate?
any ideas what else to try for his nasal condition?

does he sound like he could be tamed in a reasonable length of time or should we be looking to get him into a farm/stable environment? This would need to be if his health improves, presumably?

Northwind · « **Reply #10 on:** November 13, 2009, 20:09:53 PM »

Hi - I am the fosterer and want to say thank you for the advice on here.

He was neutered a few weeks ago, and we think he is about 2 years old.

He did have Zyklene but not since I have had him. He is currently on a homepathic remedy prescribed for him, which contains a small amount of opium to calm him, and other ingredients to help with his snuffly nose. This was confirmed NOT to be cat flu, but the normal nose bacteria growing out of control and making him ill.

His nose doesn't seem to have improved though, and having already had a course of antibiotic injections I am not sure what else to try. Administering anything to him is next to impossible, and he only eats dry food! Wont touch chicken, beef, wet cat food, sardines; any of the usual things that I bribe cats with have not worked, as he just won't eat it!

He is a bit braver since he first came on 29 October, in that he comes out into the room when he thinks no-one is around, but rushes back to his corner under the sideboard hissing furiously if you come in. He also spits if you get closer (about 2 feet away) and lashes out sometimes. Has never made contact, but that's cos I don't get close enough!

He has the radio on during the day, and I sit and talk to him - narrowed eyes/head on one side/licking lip - which was advised by someone who does ferals.

N

Millys Mum · « **Reply #9 on:** November 13, 2009, 20:02:11 PM »

How long has she had him and is he a recent neuter? Some toms who are out a long time act feral as its how they have survived and do come round when their hormones have calmed down.
It took me 6 months to win Dexters trust, hes the soppiest domestic you could meet now but would have been furious if put around humans to begin with.

If this guy is feral you will find it alot easier to find a stable/farm home then someone who wants a housecat they cant touch.
If you find a farm home they will need to keep him contained for a month to learn where his home is, or he will be off.

Liz · « **Reply #8 on:** November 13, 2009, 19:49:38 PM »

Zylkene is a relaxant type drug - non harmful - capsule popped open and speinkled on wet food it calms them down in a lot of cases - also a feliway adapter plugged in, in his room may help to and Rescue remedy - 5 drops a day in his water bowl should all help - Valerian is another herbal remedy but not tried it but a friend swears by it for her rescue dogs all who were badly traumatised.

Janeyk · « **Reply #7 on:** November 13, 2009, 19:34:08 PM »

There's some info in our care guides section which may have some useful tips, if you check out this link:

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,26929.0.html

RACR · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2009, 19:05:30 PM »

Sorry, meant to add, whats Zylkene??

RACR · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2009, 19:02:36 PM »

Thanks.

He was in a crate but it was difficult so my stuipid fault, i said let him out but leavi him confided to one room, this has actualy made him worse

Now the fosterer cant get him back in the crate.

So, what do you do, just carry on as normal and they come round eventualy? My fosterer does have small children also which is why he confided to the one room. We darent let him live out, I mean what if we let him out and never saw him again?

Liz · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2009, 18:23:52 PM »

I also have 10ish living outside with food and shelter - they get fed twice a day and live in our single garage - it has 3 nice armchairs and purewool rugs on the floor and in the wendyhouse we inherited and all have cosy heat pads in the winter in fact somebody advised we were mad giving them heat pads but I walk the 3 dogs last thing at night and put them out - microwave ones!

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #3 on:** November 13, 2009, 18:20:07 PM »

some adapt likr liz says and others like wilma and monica at paws inn are still very much feral and remain outside in shelter buyt are free to come and go.

Liz · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2009, 18:17:05 PM »

I have several here like that who live in the house with us - Ace we have had for 4 years, Blue 18 months and Sammy for 3 months, they live with the indoor crew on the inside only - I have others who have indoor/outdoor access

he needs to be confined somewhere and put on to Zylkene - this has worked for our ferals and we have 30 of them ranging from 18 weeks to 16 years young

We start ours in a kitten pen or large dog crate - we keep 3 sides covered and they have a hooded bed, food and litter tray which they usually end up sleeping in

Below is Blue when we first trapped him he had major surgery so has ended up staying inside as my OH tried opening the window and he didn't want to leave!

Second Photo is blue now a lovely boy who adores cats and dogs just doesn't like the humans to much - ferals can and do adapt to being with humans but you need to get him bonded to a nice cat!

RACR · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2009, 17:57:12 PM »

Hi all. We was handed in a trapped cat sick cat and was told he was just scared. As it's turned out this cat is a ferral and wont let the fosterer anywhere near him, he has issed his last injection for respitory priblems due to this. He hisses, growls, spits and and lunges just if your in his veiw! Now RACR isn't catered for ferrals and knows nothing about them, semi ferrals yes but not full on ones! We are kind of in a strut here.

Basicaly we are looking for help with him, either a experienced foster home or permanant home, or any other help that can be offered. One question I have is, what do you do with ferrals exactly? Are they rehomeable, i am assuming they are to farms or people who want outdoor cats and can provide shelter, food and medical care should it be needed??

Thanks xx

Author Topic: Help with a Ferral please (Read 4735 times)