Moving a semi-stray cat

CatProblem · 31-05-2018 2:07am #1

Hi folks,

Hoping somebody here can advise. I'm currently in the process of moving home to my parents' place, about a distance of 100 miles or so. At my current house I've been feeding a lovely male cat most days for the past 9 months to a year. He's an outdoor cat and was very shy and jumpy at first but now he'll come up to me no problem and he'll even step just inside the door, he purrs etc and loves being petted.

My issue is if I move him there are already two dogs and a cat at my parents' house, so bringing him home and keeping him inside isn't an option. My issue is uprooting him from his current surroundings and dropping him into a completely new location, I've heard that cats can run a mile when first released into the outdoors at a new home. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do? There's no way I'm going to leave him where he is as I think he's become dependent on me and I'm very fond of him.

If all else fails I'd bring him to a shelter but would they take semi-stray cats?

Thanks

Graces7 · 31-05-2018 10:31am

When I moved. I took a semi-feral I had been caring for for years. And yes he took off and was never seen again. Then I checked a couple of feral cat forums and learned that they are fiercely territorial and need to be confined a long while in a new place. google feral cats and read up on it?

My only consolation was that I had in the run up to the move managed to get him neutered. As I had the little female indoor cat who I was unable to catch.

Wishing you sincere good fortune with him.
PS if he is not neutered, please arrange.

CatProblem · 31-05-2018 10:51am

Thank you for the response Grace it's much appreciated, that's awful what happened to yours.

My plan is to put him in a shed for a week or more and then release him after that, that's what I've been reading online, hopefully it'll all work out.

Will also get him neutered definitely.

RockDesk · 31-05-2018 11:18am

When are you actually moving? Can you keep him inside your current place to see how he copes? Do it for a couple of hours at a time if you're moving soon and stay there with him to reassure him (with food)!

An empty shed in the new place in perfect. Or as empty as possible without stuff that will fall and hurt him. If he's anything like the stray I had to keep inside after neutering, you'd be surprised at the destruction they can cause when panicked.

I hope it goes well for you both. If he's not use to being in a house, he will be stressed but hopefully he'll calm down.

CatProblem · 31-05-2018 1:45pm

Thanks for the reply. I'm moving on Sunday so there's not that much time to prep him, I'll try before then to get him in a few times however.

Thanks for the advice on the shed I'll definitely remove any potential dangers.

My only concern about having him in the shed is him bolting once I open the door to go in and check on him, I suppose throwing in a few treats to get him away from the door might be best. Also, I know it likely varies but is there any chance he could turn violent when he's confined like that?

RockDesk · 31-05-2018 1:56pm

Yes he could get violent. Probably not unless you go at him. He's comfortable with you, but if he's stressed he'll lash out with fright, not anger.

You could knock on the door a couple of times before you go in so he knows there's someone there rather than opening it unexpectedly. Say hello to him through the door so he knows its you.

Everything will be different therefore a threat to him when he's in this situation.

For the first couple of days stay as near to the door as you can and leave the food and water near the entrance - so you're not going right in. Before he goes in, have the food etc and bed all ready for him.

If he seems calm, sit in with him, but stay near the entrance in case something spooks him so you can bolt as fast as possible. Bring some bits of chicken as well if you're going to sit in with him to give him some treats.

eezipc · 31-05-2018 2:02pm

We had a similar issue with a feral cat. He was very wild. Even catching him when moving house was a mission. We locked him indoors for about a month. He never ran away when we let him out though. In an odd way he seemed more calm In the new house.

sillysmiles · 31-05-2018 2:02pm

CatProblem wrote: »

Also, I know it likely varies but is there any chance he could turn violent when he's confined like that?

I imaging a larger male with a gun belt slung across his body a la wild west!!

Is it a garden shed or a farm shed you are planning on confining him into? If it's larger than a garden shed, may be there is a way of confining him to a section of it so you can open the door. If not, I think you are just going to have to be patient and careful.

BTW - well done for caring!

Teyla Emmagan · 31-05-2018 2:12pm

If you keep him indoors for 2 weeks when you move he should be okay. It may not be fun keeping him separated from the existing 4 legged residents but do your best. Once he gets used to the place and knows that you are there and that there is a steady supply of food he should be OK. The neutering can take a while to kick in so do it ASAP.

Graces7 · 31-05-2018 2:12pm

CatProblem wrote: »

Thank you for the response Grace it's much appreciated, that's awful what happened to yours.

My plan is to put him in a shed for a week or more and then release him after that, that's what I've been reading online, hopefully it'll all work out.

Will also get him neutered definitely.

Great. I think they said more like 2-4 weeks.

Yeah I was so fond of the outdoor cat. Took me several goes to trap him as it was only three weeks after The Vet. I naively thought I meant more to him than that. But no; it was still dark and he went crashing off into the undergrowth, upsetting the birds, and that was that. Left food out, called....

My own three were fine. They are people cats so never an issue with keeping them in. But ferals, even tame ones, are a race apart.

Graces7 · 31-05-2018 2:15pm

CatProblem wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I'm moving on Sunday so there's not that much time to prep him, I'll try before then to get him in a few times however.

Thanks for the advice on the shed I'll definitely remove any potential dangers.

My only concern about having him in the shed is him bolting once I open the door to go in and check on him, I suppose throwing in a few treats to get him away from the door might be best. Also, I know it likely varies but is there any chance he could turn violent when he's confined like that?

Can you get any kind of large crate? I have a dog crate and that means no danger when opening the shed door. Feed him extra too; food is a great sedative .

And you can only do your best as you are doing ...

wexie · 31-05-2018 2:19pm

CatProblem wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I'm moving on Sunday so there's not that much time to prep him, I'll try before then to get him in a few times however.

I don't know if that'd be such a good idea. If you get him in now for a bit could he get so stressed out when you let him out he might not be around on Sunday?

If it was me I think I'd leave it till the day.

When it comes to picking up/moving time, a pair of gloves, sleeves (for you) and a heavy towel may come in handy.

I presume you'll move him in a cat carrier? If you do (and I wouldn't do it any other way to be honest) leave it with him in the shed with whatever blanket or towel you used to transport him.

Good luck!

Graces7 · 31-05-2018 3:11pm

I invested in a humane trap which was the least traumatic way of catching and confining the cat .

Line with towels, put a dish of tuna at the far end, set the trap door... No hassle, no need for armour plating and always useful later as a carrier.

Good luck OP! And please let us know? Thankyou.

salsagal · 31-05-2018 3:21pm

Hi OP,

Firstly well done for caring.

I've spent a lot of time in cat rescue, doing a lot of trapping ferals to neuter them and sometimes taming them.

While your guy may seem relatively friendly now that he's got to know you, don't be fooled into thinking he'll be easy to trap. If you try to corner him, as far as he's concerned he's fighting for his life.

I've seen the cutest of kittens turn into vicious banshees once threatened.

So unless you have actually picked him up and held him before now, (to know you can safely do again while getting him into a carrier) I'd strongly suggest you contact a local rescue group and borrow a proper feral cat trap. You can coax them in with food. It's safe, humane and above all, it's secure.

You may only get one chance at securing him into a carrier or trap. If you try and it doesn't work, you'll have lost his trust and the next time will be infinitely harder.

I might suggest you bring him straight to a vet for neutering and then on to your new location all while he's in the trap. It will save having to catch him twice so to speak. The vet will give him back to you in the trap. While not ideal, they can stay in those for a few days without too much discomfort.

As already suggested by others, given the short time before your move, I wouldn't risk spooking him by keeping him indoors now. He will sense something is up and bolt when you are ready to trap/relocate him.

If shed is large enough to set up a crate it would help keep him secure until he adjusts to the new location. It would also help tame him a bit more, and calm him. Once they realise there's nowhere to run, they settle pretty quickly and resign themselves to their situation.

However if a crate is not an option I suggest using a towel in front of your legs as you enter and leave the shed. They then can't see a clear exit past you and are less likely to try make a run for it.

Feel free to pm me and I can point you in direction of rescue groups and walk you through it all in more detail if you like.

Best of luck with the move!!

aonb · 31-05-2018 10:11pm

I feel for you OP - you are very kind to care enough about this cat to make such an effort. Great advise from all so far. If you're fond of him, hes worth trying to keep him.
I was in a similar position to you last year. Had a completely feral cat that was a complete wreck when she arrived in our yard. Abscess on her jaw, skeletal, injuries, broken teeth, wounds etc. Nightmare. Couldnt go anywhere near her. Food was the only thing that kept her coming back. I borrowed a humane trap. Thought I was bringing her to the vet to have her put to sleep. Fast forward 6 months later. Shes a fat little lump who has moved into our house. She is very vocal and demanding. She totally ignores our other rescue cat trying to oust her, she adores the terriers, shes bombproof but shows signs of her former-feral self regularly. So, it can be done. When I brought her home from the vet (in the humane cage) I put her straight into a shed. I had a litter tray in there. some cosy beds. A perch with a blanket on so she could sit on the windowsill. a bowl of tinned fish, a bowl of water, a bowl of kibble and one of wet food. Opened the cage door, left her alone until next day, And kept her in there for about 3 weeks to recover from her surgeries (including neutering) Every morning and evening I would go and feed her. She hid initially, so I didnt see her for a few days, but the food was always gone. After a few days I brought a book with me, and sat on the floor after putting out the food, and chatted to her. Finally I would see her and while she never allowed me to touch her, she would eat the food while I was there. After that it was easy. I continue to feed her in the shed every night (she eats in the house during the day) , and she sleeps there in a very cosy bed. (Spends all day in the house, and comes/goes but never wanders very far/for very long)
A very good suggestion to trap him, bring him to the vet for nuetering, and then to his new home - all in the humane trap.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes

Graces7 · 01-06-2018 6:03am

The trap is worth its weight in gold. So simple and less traumatic than trying to catch them .An essential part of cat keeping!

Catlady76 · 07-06-2018 10:24am

CatProblem wrote: »

Hi folks,

Hoping somebody here can advise. I'm currently in the process of moving home to my parents' place, about a distance of 100 miles or so. At my current house I've been feeding a lovely male cat most days for the past 9 months to a year. He's an outdoor cat and was very shy and jumpy at first but now he'll come up to me no problem and he'll even step just inside the door, he purrs etc and loves being petted.

My issue is if I move him there are already two dogs and a cat at my parents' house, so bringing him home and keeping him inside isn't an option. My issue is uprooting him from his current surroundings and dropping him into a completely new location, I've heard that cats can run a mile when first released into the outdoors at a new home. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do? There's no way I'm going to leave him where he is as I think he's become dependent on me and I'm very fond of him.

If all else fails I'd bring him to a shelter but would they take semi-stray cats?

Thanks

I've moved semi feral cats no problem what I do is I get a lend of a large crate and put them in it with a litter tray and keep them in a shed / garage for at least 3 - 4 weeks I feed them in there too and keep them calm. You can put them out in the garden in the crate once or twice a week to get them used to the smells around them and when you think they are ready let them out you will prob find they disappear for a week or so but if you leave out food for them they will hang around. Best of luck

CatProblem · 07-06-2018 10:53pm

Hi again folks,

Apologies for not posting any updates or replying to anyone kind enough to leave a message, I'll have time to write a full update tomorrow but to summarize I brought him to his new house a couple of days ago and he's fine so far ðŸ˜€

CatProblem · 14-08-2018 4:02pm

Hello folks, OP here

First of all sincere apologies for not posting an update here in forever.

Thankfully this story has a happy ending as my feline friend has settled in very well to his new home. He gets on well with the other cat and even the two dogs! I don't know if he's unique in the sense that he never had any problems with the dogs at all. The other cat was a lot more problematic but all is well now.

He spends all his time outside but rarely strays far from the house. He seems very happy in his new surroundings and can usually be seen basking in the sun on top of the shed that he called home for his first few weeks here. He's obsessed with being petted and when somebody goes outside he'll always appear hoping for a quick petting session.

I'm delighted that it's all worked out so well and once again I'd like to thank everyone on here for taking the time to advise a cat moving novice like myself.

RockDesk · 14-08-2018 4:31pm

CatProblem wrote: »

Hello folks, OP here

First of all sincere apologies for not posting an update here in forever.

Thankfully this story has a happy ending as my feline friend has settled in very well to his new home. He gets on well with the other cat and even the two dogs! I don't know if he's unique in the sense that he never had any problems with the dogs at all. The other cat was a lot more problematic but all is well now.

He spends all his time outside but rarely strays far from the house. He seems very happy in his new surroundings and can usually be seen basking in the sun on top of the shed that he called home for his first few weeks here. He's obsessed with being petted and when somebody goes outside he'll always appear hoping for a quick petting session.

I'm delighted that it's all worked out so well and once again I'd like to thank everyone on here for taking the time to advise a cat moving novice like myself.

Excellent news, I'm delighted it all went so well for you both, you just don't know how a cat will react to change. Your story is really positive! I love that he's so comfortable there that he will pop out in case there's a chance of a few pets!

Thanks for updating us and well done on a great job!

Deeper Blue · 14-08-2018 4:34pm

RockDesk wrote: »

Excellent news, I'm delighted it all went so well for you both, you just don't know how a cat will react to change. Your story is really positive! I love that he's so comfortable there that he will pop out in case there's a chance of a few pets!

Thanks for updating us and well done on a great job!

It's great that it all worked out so well but like you said it was hard to know how he'd react!

Graces7 · 14-08-2018 4:44pm

CatProblem wrote: »

Hello folks, OP here

First of all sincere apologies for not posting an update here in forever.

Thankfully this story has a happy ending as my feline friend has settled in very well to his new home. He gets on well with the other cat and even the two dogs! I don't know if he's unique in the sense that he never had any problems with the dogs at all. The other cat was a lot more problematic but all is well now.

He spends all his time outside but rarely strays far from the house. He seems very happy in his new surroundings and can usually be seen basking in the sun on top of the shed that he called home for his first few weeks here. He's obsessed with being petted and when somebody goes outside he'll always appear hoping for a quick petting session.

I'm delighted that it's all worked out so well and once again I'd like to thank everyone on here for taking the time to advise a cat moving novice like myself.

You just made the day brighter! Blessings and thanks

wagonwheel2 · 14-08-2018 8:05pm

Sorry for jumping in on this thread but I plan on moving two semi-strays cats that I have been feeding the last 2 years with me when I move to our new home. Glad that it worked out for your cat, hoping it will be the same for mine.

CatProblem · 19-01-2019 7:21pm

wagonwheel2 wrote: »

Sorry for jumping in on this thread but I plan on moving two semi-strays cats that I have been feeding the last 2 years with me when I move to our new home. Glad that it worked out for your cat, hoping it will be the same for mine.

Hopefully it worked out for you in the end

wagonwheel2 · 07-11-2019 3:02pm

CatProblem wrote: »

Hopefully it worked out for you in the end

Sorry it's been so long since i've come back on this. It worked out very well with moving my semi feral to my new house. (was only able to trap one at the time but the other that i left behind is being taken care of). Had teething problems at the start but now he is loving living in his catio and comes into the house the odd time to sit on the armchair. Still runs when i try to pet him though.

I've recently gotten a new semi feral to keep him company so hoping she settles as well as the other cat did.

Moving a semi-stray cat

Comments