# Feral, stray or abandoned?



## KariyaReyleesMom (Oct 22, 2011)

I have a question about the tabby cat I desperately tried to find a home for. When it first arrived, it would run away as soon as it got any sight of me or my son, but, as time went by, with me feeding it and being patient with it, it warmed up and now lets both my son and I pet it, even let me pick it up and now, it's always setting on my doorstep. So, I was wondering if, that means it was just abandoned and was scared because it was just dumped out? Or if it was feral and became tame? Haven't had much experience with ferals. 

Also, I guess it will be relocated to a new outdoor location tomorrow, beings I can't find it a home, I really tried my hardest, but, sometimes it's not enough and I feel so horrible about it.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

IMO, since the kitty has allowed itself to be touched and picked up so soon, I believe it is a dumped or lost kitty, not feral. The adult ferals I've worked with took a *minimum* of several months before I could even touch them and even longer before I could pick them up. Dumped cats always started out wary and flighty until they learned I fed and would be kind, then they quickly warmed up to me touching, petting and picking them up.

I am concerned about something you said: _"I guess it will be relocated to a new outdoor location tomorrow..."_
Clarify what you mean, please?



_If you plan what I am afraid of ... Please, PLEASE, I beg you: Do NOT dump this cat somewhere else where he will be alone and scared with no one to care for him or care about what happens to him. That would be terrible to have people fail him again._
_If you cannot keep him or find him a home then take him to a vet to scan for a microchip in hopes he can be reunited with his people, and if there is no chip, then take him to a shelter where he has a very small possibility of being adopted and even though he would have an even greater possibility of being euth'd, at least it would be done humanely and not with him suffering from exposure and no one to love/care for him because he was dumped to fend for himself. Again._
Please don't do that to him.


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## KariyaReyleesMom (Oct 22, 2011)

I'm not just dumping him anywhere...theres a place where my mom works, that has cats that were dumped there and she said I could take him there. She said they have shelter under a shed and that people feed them everyday. I won't take him to the shelter in my area, I mean, theres not only the fear of it being euth'd, but, also, it use to be the shelter here sent some of the unwanted cats and dogs to animal research labs and I could not let that happen to that cat. I can not keep him due to living in a no pet policy apartment and my landlord lives 3 apartments down and he can't stay in my apartment complex during the winter, because, there is absolutely NO place around here that has shelter and it might freeze to death, plus, theres a swamp in back of us, that if he walks across and it's not completely froze, he could fall through and drown. Plus, this is seriously not an ideal place for a cat, I live nowheres near a farm, close to a busy street and theres a football field right next to me and theres always cars going up and down my street for games. I have tried over and over to find it a home, but, noone wants it, so, at this point, I don't know what else to do, but to relocate it to my moms work.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Well, I hope it works out for the kitty.


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## KariyaReyleesMom (Oct 22, 2011)

I hope it does to, I feel bad for it, I'm actually going out to feed him right now. I just hope he don't take off from my moms work, or the other cats chase it away, but, he is a big cat, so, I don't think theres a fear in that, or with him running away either....I mean, he's only been around here about a month or so and during the day, I have no idea where he goes, sometimes he's around, sometimes he can be gone all day and come back at night. He adjusted well here and that was only after a month, so, I'm sure he will do well at my moms work once he gets use to it.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

If that is the best you can do for him, it is your best. That's all we can really hope for, in the end.
I am not a fan of trying to intro a cat into an existing colony because it usually doesn't work well. I do hope he makes it at your Mom's colony.


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## KariyaReyleesMom (Oct 22, 2011)

Well, at this point, I don't know what else to do with it, I've tried over and over to find it a home and noone wants it and I'm sure it'll be fine there, my mom said one was just dropped off there last week and is doing just fine. It's not really a colony, it's just cats that were abandoned and people she works with feed them and let them stay.
I would much rather find it a home, but, I've tried doing that and just can't find anyone who will give the cat a chance and it's not safe for it here and I won't take it to the pound, so, I don't see any other option. 
Right now, it is still here, I didn't take it today, I told my mom I was going to wait another week and see if I can find it a home, but, if I can't find it a home by next Saturday, then that's where I'll be taking it....it's also not safe around here with halloween coming up, this is an area where alot of kids will be out and I sure don't want a not so nice human being coming acrossed it. At least at my moms work, I won't have to worry about that.
Hopefully in the next week, I can find it a home, but, like I said, I've tried over and over for the past few weeks and so far noone has been interested in the poor thing.


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## KariyaReyleesMom (Oct 22, 2011)

Just thought I'd let you know, I found a temporary foster home for Jackson. She has an enclosed porch, that's semi-heated that shes going to keep him on and she said she'd keep him until a home was found. So, I am definitely happy about that. Now to get him use to being inside....I brought him in my apartment tonight and was just going to keep him in until I took him to his foster home Wednesday and he flipped out and started clawing the door and meowing like crazy at the door. I tried to calm him down and distract him, but, he wanted back out and I felt bad for not allowing him to, exspecially when he's already got to get use to an all new place Wednesday. So, I gave in and let him out, although, maybe it would of been best to keep him in and try and get him use to being inside. With winter around the corner and halloween coming up, it will definitely keep him safer and warmer. i'm just relieved to have finally found him someone who's willing to take him in until a permanent home is found.


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## blondie1483 (Jan 19, 2011)

This is wonderful news! Thanks for keeping us all informed.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

KariyaReyleesMom said:


> Just thought I'd let you know, I found a temporary foster home for Jackson.
> She has an enclosed porch, that's semi-heated that shes going to keep him on and she said she'd keep him until a home was found.


 AWESOME news! *_jumps up and down and claps hands, then does a little victory dance for you and Jackson_* Yay!


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## KariyaReyleesMom (Oct 22, 2011)

It is good news, but, I am worried about a few things. Jackson HATES being inside, I tried to bring him in last night and was going to keep him in until I take him to his foster home tomorrow, but, he hated it. He's also going to have to be kenneled alot due to having to be on his foster moms enclosed porch and she's afraid whenever she leaves for work, or comes home, or lets her dog out, he may bolt out the door beings he's not use to being inside, or her house period and she lives on a busy street, so, she don't want him getting hit by a car, or getting lost then starving or freezing. He despises being kenneled, I have one here for my dog and after him putting up quite a fight, finally got him in it and he flipped out and with him use to being outdoors and being able to free roam, I hate to think about him being in a cage. I'm also worried his meows towards his hate to the cage might drive his foster mom nuts....she didn't really want another cat, due to having two of her own and a dog and she works alot, but, she felt sorry for Jackson having to be outside all winter and possibly freezing, that she gave in to him staying on her porch.....I just don't want her calling me a day or so later and saying she can't handle him, not just because the meowing, but, he does nip once in a while, plus, he's use to my son and I and won't go to anyone else, so, it'll take him a little while to get use to her and then I have to go pick him back up and let him back outside at my apartment complex, that might just confuse him and scare him anymore. But, I also don't want him freezing in the winter, getting hit by a car, or running into a not so nice human, exspecially with devils night and halloween fastly approaching. I just want what's best for him and at this point, I'm confused at to what that is.


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