# Feral cat is very scared. Freezing winter. Is a shelter enough



## Claudialucy17 (Dec 17, 2019)

Hey I’ve recently adopted this feral cat in my area. I first met him/her (think he’s a boy),
when he was a kitten. He ran away and I didn’t see him for a year.
Then a few months back someone on my estate moved. And he has been hanging around since.
(I sadly think he was a pet that was left behind during the family’s move)

This is back to my point. He acts like a feral cat. So am I wrong to assume he was their pet? I’ve been feeding him and spending time with him everyday. For over 5 months now.
he only hisses when I bring him food. I’ve never heard him meow. He isn’t aggressive towards me. But this could be due to the fact he won’t come closer to me then 1 foot. And I won’t over step his boundaries as he seems scared.

I’m worried about him, animal shelters have told me “he might get put down if not adopted within the adoption time frame.(impossible as he acts feral in my opinion) As he is very nervous and can be hostile if stressed out.”
So I won’t tell them where he is.
It’s very cold this winter. I haven’t got much money to buy a fancy cat home, or the tools to build one.
I’m kinda freaking out over this. I just want to help him, but I can only afford to feed him. (I feed him 2x3 packets of whiskers a day mixed with some biscuits In winter months and in summer I give him 2 packets of wet food at night and dry in the day)

My partner and I made him a shelter out of a mattress he was originally Sleeping on and used this desk to form the support. (Sounds horrible I know) but he seems very happy with it.
Sleeps in it all the time now. He’s just been living in the bushes till I made this. No one else cares. (Made it 2 months ago).

so my question is what can I do To help him? I’m moving in a few months and he won’t even come near me to relocate with us and
he won’t even come near me to possibly catch and relocate. (With me so I can carry on feeding)

I don’t mind if he will never come in the house or if he is to scared to ever be stroked.



But I just need advice on how to help this little guy and what should I do. ( I know his home isn’t the best but it’s the best I can do right now)


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## catsinthegarden (May 19, 2019)

It's really good of you to care for this poor cat. The shelter you rigged up sounds just fine to me. Maybe hang a towel or old t-shirt over the opening to keep the wind out this winter.

If you can locate a humane trap like the one shown here, I'd suggest that you start feeding him in it. Tie the door securely so it stays open (you don't want him tripping it shut yet) and start by putting the food near the opening. Then, each day, move his food dish a little further into the trap, the goal being to get him to walk all the way in to get his food at the back of the trap. 

Then on your moving day, you can use it to actually trap him in it and take him along to your new home. He probably won't trust you for a while after that, but _maybe_ he'll stick around and keep coming to you for food. This is what I've done with strays that show up at my house and need to be taken to the vet. It usually takes a couple of weeks to get them to go all the way into the back of the trap.

Hopefully, someone on the forum will have a better idea.


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## ibneen (May 27, 2018)

What you're doing is amazing 

Its very caring and I adore you for that 

Can you somehow lure him into your house? 

Maybe offer treats? 

At first he'll be scared but with time he'll get used to you because he knows you're looking after him


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## Claudialucy17 (Dec 17, 2019)

Maybe I could get that cage but like I said I don’t have much money. Is there a way of making something similar? Such as a dog cage? Someone gave it to us to make into a shelter frame thingy, for the cat. (Family member) is there a way to make it into a trap and when I see him in it, on the day just close it? Just make it inside the shelter as bed? For the next few months before we move. 


Yeah I’ve tried a lot of things. He is so scared. And I’m quite a small young women so I’m not to big and daunting as a tall person. He just has no interest in coming near any of the doors or anything. He only stays in the front garden thingy, or down the side of the house where ive made the shelter. Sometimes he’s on the roof of the garages across from our bedroom window staring. To make me feed him! Lool that’s the most attention I get from him.


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## MicheleB (Jan 26, 2015)

We just used a cardboard box that we put old blankets IN and ON to keep our feral babies warm in winter (of course, we're in FL, so NOT TOO COLD!). You can get a few old ones fairly cheap at yard sales or Goodwill, I would think. Line one inside, and drape one on top. As long as you put the box off the ground somewhat so it isn't damp, and the front is turned on its side and away from the wind....your new friend will probably be at least more comfortable than without it. You can just put a few boxes under the one he'll sleep in to keep it from being directly on the ground. Grocery stores GIVE those boxes away, if you get there before they crush them!
To be sure he goes in it, put some food in it. I ONLY feed my feral babies dry food. I know it's not the best for them, but it's the cheapest, and since there are so many of them (there were 14 at one point), at least I could afford to keep feeding them!


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