some advice for a friend please - aggresive/feral cat

[Bazsmum]

Finger's crossed that when he's neutered he will find the outside world less appealing....make sure your friend (good on her!) keep him in for about 6/8 wks after the op just to make sure all them hormones have settled down.....my feral is indoor by the way....i know he would bolt if he could just cos he's just a scaredy 

Good Luck 

Ps....dont know how tame he is?...can he be picked up? Mine wont allow that you see  Dont know what he would be like outdoor wise? Was there any roads etc where he came from? x

[sixfurballs]

You are all doing such a good job on here that my friend says you are inspiring her. I think she is going to get the cat (Rocky) and bring him to her house as quieter. He has an appt for 22nd to be neutered.

One thing she was wondering - she lives near a canyon and a busy road running alongside it - with Rocky being a feral is there any chance as he has been living on the streets that he will be any more road savy than an ordinary tame domesticated cat?

[Ela]

I would be inclined to isolate him so he doesn't have free rein and can be looked after in a more controlled less busy place for a while - he must be scared and suddenly he has all this new stuff and little people and scarey humans in a confined space bless him.

I agree, we deal with what must be hundreds of these types of  cats a year once neutered and kept in a pen/room for a period of time many turn the corner and become domesticated especially those who have not been born in the wild but may have been dumped or strayed to the area they are now in. If the cat is a true feral perhaps once neutered and found not to tame it can be placed in a pen/shed in someones garden for a few weeks and then allowed its freedon and hopefully it will return every day for food and the occasional flea/worm treatment and also an eye can be kept on it for any problems. If flea treatment cannot be given perhaps something like Staykill can be sprayed on the bedding that may be in an outside kennel or wherever the cat is known to sleep occasionally

[Desley (booktigger)]

i am glad they are keeping him in, and it would be interesting to see what he is like after he has been neutered, I do hope he turns into a lovely cat, and can then have a good home for life.

[Bazsmum]

ferals aren't for the feinthearted but are a joy to have in your life on their terms not ours in fact some of ours like all the things they now have its the humans who provide all this who are hte problem!

So true 

Ive had my ex-feral for 11 months now....His first port of call was an empty bedroom with just his needs in....he is now based in my kitchen where he eats with my other cats, uses the litter tray and now and again will allow me to tickle his head 

It is a long process but imo well worth it.....to know you are helping a cat out that not many people are willing to help, to see the eventual contentment ahh...

Once he realises that he's not in any danger he will come round with patience.....when you look at him try slow blinking and yawning as this is a friendly non-confrontational gesture.....move slowly and maybe leave something like a radio on low to give him some background noise to get used to.....its a very scarey time for him at the mo...

Food is a great go between (treats) Good Luck 

[Liz]

I would be inclined to isolate him so he doesn't have free rein and can be looked after in a more controlled less busy place for a while - he must be scared and suddenly he has all this new stuff and little people and scarey humans in a confined space bless him.

I would also get him neutered as soon as possible - only one of ours was a wall of death leaper that was Ace, about the same age as this poor boy and he is untouchable to this day and its been 2 years but he interacts with all the others and was the first to bop Sky on the nose.

If he is feral and they have the time and pataince to deal with him in his time with a lot of backward steps before a breakthough - sometimes this can take years - we have 20 ferals from soft huggies (overtime) to the touch and shred boys then he will come round in his time frame if not he could go to a farm or back to his colony if posible.

ferals aren't for the feinthearted but are a joy to have in your life on their terms not ours in fact some of ours like all the things they now have its the humans who provide all this who are hte problem!

Please feel free to pm me and I can can comment more from my own babies view

[blackcat]

I'd be inclined to review the situation after he is fixed. Wait at least a couple of weeks after the op before you form an opinion tho as it takes a while for the hormones to work their way out of the system

[sixfurballs]

thanks for giving me your suggestions  - I have sent my friend a link to this thread so that she can read your comments and all are very welcome 

[Millys Mum]

He wont stay in and consider being a pet until his hormones have calmed down. There is a chance of a lovely cat emerging once neutered. Dont label him as feral just yet.

Hes probably thinking about his arch enemy having it away with the top totty he's being watching 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Teresa , Dawn and Liz are the best ones to advise here but by the sounds of it he is a feral or at least a cat who needs to be free and outside. The attcking he is doing is because he is scared and doenst understand houses, people and not being able to get out.

MY thoughts would be is that he needss neutering very very fast and releasing back into his colony if he has one thats safe and not about to be moved or onto a farm where he gets regularily fed and  looked after.

The experts may disagree and have much better advice. 

[sixfurballs]

I have a friend in the States who is considering helping out a stray cat but not sure what to do. She really needs some advice and I thought there are a lot of knowledgeable people on here who could help.

The story is...her son is a construction worker and they have been feeding and looking out for this stray cat on their site for almost a year. He does not have an owner that they know of although I don't know what steps have been taken to find out. My friend's son has taken him home as they love cats but he has badly attacked two of their children and my friend's daughter-in-law. He has also attacked the other cat in the house. Their estimate is he is 2 years old and he is not neutered. He has an appointment to be neutered. They are keeping him indoors and he is frantically trying to escape. My friend offered to take him as her son does not think the can tame him in their household. She is now undecided as his aggression is escalating. She has other pets - 2 guinea pigs, a hamster and 2 small dogs (sorry can't remember how to sp their breed).

Is he just too feral and would be better off rehomed to a farm etc?