# I may try to rescue my first feral.



## toll_booth (Jan 31, 2010)

Today, my two cats and I watched one of the ferals outside my back porch window. It was a new cat; there are a couple other, unadopted ferals around my neighborhood, but I've never seen this one before the other day. So just for the heck of it, after it went around to my front yard, I decided to go out and call it. Turns out this little guy is quite tame. After only about half a minute, it came to me, let me pet him, and rolled around on the sidewalk. I couldn't quite tell, but it seemed like it may have had a collar on at some point in the past. It's a tuxedo cat--all black except for a white "bib" below the neck--and though I had trouble getting a good look, it looked like a neutered male.

I feel that I'm at a comfortable limit with my two adopted cats, so I'm going to try to get this one to the adoption agency, if they can take another cat. They're a no-kill shelter, and except for a few special-needs cats, their cats are not in cages but rooms where they can move around some. I'm going to email them tonight and see what kind of response I get.

Wish me luck--if I'm able to go through with this, this will be my first ever rescue!


----------



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I hope you're successful. It sounds as if this cat is a stray, rather than a feral cat. It sounds like a beautiful cat. My hope is that the rescue has room. In this area, tuxedo cats are very much in demand. Keep us posted, please!


----------



## toll_booth (Jan 31, 2010)

I set out some food tonight. We'll see if he's the one that eats out of it (with all the critters around here, there's a chance the bowl will be empty by morning). Even if it's not him, at least that will get his interest back.

No word from the adoption agency yet, though. Maybe they're talking it over. I do recognize just how full shelters are these days, and if it comes down to it, I'd rather just TNR him (assuming he's not already neutered) than take him to a shelter that will most likely put him down.


----------



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

It would be best not to leave food out in the evening. It's very likely that a raccoon, skunk, or other nocturnal animal will eat it. 

I so hope a vet or a no-kill shelter will take him in. Good luck!


----------



## toll_booth (Jan 31, 2010)

Jeanie said:


> It would be best not to leave food out in the evening. It's very likely that a raccoon, skunk, or other nocturnal animal will eat it.


OK I'll keep that in mind. I know for a fact that we have possums around here, so they may be raiding it as well. I'll start refilling the food in the morning instead.



> I so hope a vet or a no-kill shelter will take him in. Good luck!


I just heard back from the adoption agency, and they said it's a "maybe." They're getting ready to have an open house, which I presume is their periodic effort to adopt out some of their cats, and they said that they may have room after the event.

So now I have to start coming up with a game plan to get him. I really don't think I need to trap, as he was tame enough to let me pet him. Oh, and I haven't seen him since the other day. I wonder if my house is on the edge of his territory or something. I'd love to rescue him, don't get me wrong, but I don't want this to turn into a wild goose chase.


----------



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I'll be hoping! It would be wonderful if he got a good home.


----------



## toll_booth (Jan 31, 2010)

Even with the food out, I haven't seen him since. I'm starting to wonder if he simply escaped and is back home now. I'll keep my eyes open, and maybe since I spend a fair amount of time on weekends at home, I'll have a better chance of spotting him.


----------



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I hope that's the case!


----------



## toll_booth (Jan 31, 2010)

Me too.

Question for anyone, just in case he comes back. If it turns out that he does show up again, I'm thinking about taking him inside my house for a couple days until I can get him to the adoption agency. Do any of you ever do that? FYI I have two litter boxes, and one of them is in the bathroom adjacent to the spare room, which I could close off so as to separate it from my other two (indoor-only) cats.


----------



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I would call the vet and take him there asap...before taking him into the house. If you can't do that, I think I'd put him in a basement room until you can take him. I took in a stray, a lovable cat who had found a way into the house and was eating our cats' food. I discovered he had feline leukemia. We visited him in the laundry room often, until we found a home with no cats. I knew our cats could not get near him, but we got quite a scare when one of our cats had a false positive! Good luck!


----------



## toll_booth (Jan 31, 2010)

Jeanie said:


> I would call the vet and take him there asap...before taking him into the house. If you can't do that, I think I'd put him in a basement room until you can take him. I took in a stray, a lovable cat who had found a way into the house and was eating our cats' food. I discovered he had feline leukemia. We visited him in the laundry room often, until we found a home with no cats. I knew our cats could not get near him, but we got quite a scare when one of our cats had a false positive! Good luck!


To get him some basic shots?

'course, if he *is* a runaway, I don't want to overdose him if he's already had his shots recently.


----------



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

No, to have him tested before he comes in the house. Most people stand back and watch the trap. Then they call the vet, so that the cat is expected. 

Some vets will take in strays and spay, neuter, and find homes for them. No-kill shelters will also do the same, but if the cat has a contagious disease, the shelters can't take that chance.


----------



## toll_booth (Jan 31, 2010)

No sight of him in a week and a half now, so I'm calling this off. But again, there's a good chance this means he just escaped and is back home now. And if that happened, then I'm happy for him.


----------



## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Let's hope that's the case!


----------



## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

I hope you don't happen to be in my area! I'm also trying to trap a black and white feral kitten/young adult! Are you in Markham?


----------



## toll_booth (Jan 31, 2010)

Alpaca said:


> I hope you don't happen to be in my area! I'm also trying to trap a black and white feral kitten/young adult! Are you in Markham?


Actually I'm not even sure where that is.


----------



## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

In that case, I guess it's not the same cat.


----------

