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Author Topic: Feral cat - advice needed  (Read 18959 times)

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Feral cat - advice needed
« on: December 26, 2017, 09:48:57 pm »
Hi folks,

I need your help!

A feral cat moved into our hayshed a few weeks ago, and has been fighting (and threatening to) on and off with our own cat ever since. From the attached trailcam pictures I think the new cat is an entire male, and our own cat is a neutered male. I've asked around the neighbouring farms, and none of them are missing a cat. I actually think this one has been hanging around our land since the Autumn, but has moved inside now the weather has turned cold.

Our local Cats' Protection have said they can't take feral cats, and the best they can offer is to neuter and return him to us. I'd be ok with that if it meant the two cats got on, or at least agreed to keep away from each other. However, we can't go on as we have been, or I'm going to end up with a vet bill for stitches sooner or later, and it's just not fair on either of them.

I reckon I can humanely trap him if required (hold my beer Gromit - this needs a real engineer!  ;D ), but the question is, what next?

Any ideas folks?  (Or does anybody in Central Scotland want a handsome black barn cat?)
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2017, 07:15:11 am »

Speak to your vet -- some of them have lists of people wanting farm cats (esp if neutered). That's where mine came from - a neutered male.


I don't know enough about tom cats after neutering, as if he will calm down and agree to live with another neutered male, but would think if he is an adult that has always been his own man so to speak it may be difficult to get either of them to submit to each other.

YorkshireLass

  • Joined Mar 2010
  • Just when I thought I'd settled down...!
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2017, 09:32:55 am »
I'd go for trap and vet visit - at the very least to check for a microchip in case he's not feral. Then, snip snip...

bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2017, 12:47:53 pm »
Cats protection should of explained that they will also trap the cat, take to vets, neuter and return to you. I'd go for that option, you can also put him in a barn or shed and try and get him a bit tamer. If after all that he still hates your existing cat it'd be much easier to rehome a neutered cat that isn't totally wild

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2017, 12:59:42 pm »
Hi BJ,  Yes, CP did explain that, but also that they're really busy at this time of year, so they don't know when they'd be able to get out to us. Also we're around over the holiday to try and tame him up a little, which we won't be after the New Year.

Edit: You don't know how much they'd charge us for neutering, do you?
« Last Edit: December 27, 2017, 01:19:46 pm by Womble »
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2017, 03:46:04 pm »
They don't charge for neutering feral/farm cats, its worth double checking with your local branch tho, just in case that's a policy decided at local levels :)

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
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Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2017, 12:51:11 pm »
Roughly £50 to £70 to neuter an adult cat
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2017, 02:54:05 pm »
If they are both neutered, they'll get along better. We've had eight neutered toms, mostly rescue cats of various ages, in various groups and they've all got along OK. Some better than others - Felix loved everyone and everyone loved Felix; Penfold is grumpy but likes Bertie best; Diesel seems to like everyone. Tom, our new boy, is quite timid still.

As long as there is no competition for food, it's a lot easier. Ours spat a bit from time to time but it's mostly handbags at dawn, rather than real tomcat fighting.

But snip, snip, vaccinations and let him go. CP also test cats for FIV. I don't know what they do if they test positive but I'd do this before the snip or vaccinations, just in case euthanasing is the route for FIV cats.

Steph Hen

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Angus Scotland.
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2017, 06:12:16 pm »
I don't think you should feel any obligation to keep this cat.  cpl have trapped and neutered cats for us and it's been fine, but don't feel obliged to be stuck with it just because it turned up in your shed.
trap and sspca or vet. Most of the ones that turn up here are fairly wild and no problem, but had one in the past that was lots of vet bills with fighting even after snip. The best cat I ever had was the mangeyist stray tom that wandered in, returned to us by cpl after snipped and treated and was a great cat... so could strike gold, but I don't think you should have to do what the cpl say  :cat:

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2017, 09:56:24 am »
Thanks everybody,

I don't feel any obligation to this cat, but since the CPL don't have room to take him for rehoming, I'm happy for him to stay as long as it doesn't upset things with our existing pet cat.

I'm hoping against hope that he's old enough not to be shedding toxoplasmosis oocysts all over the hay too  :o . Does anybody know how long they shed for once they've been initially infected?
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

ellied

  • Joined Sep 2010
  • Fife
    • Facebook
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #10 on: December 29, 2017, 10:32:19 am »
I had a feral tomcat turn up a few years ago, mainly ok as mine are all females, but an occasional territorial challenge around the back door - he got confident enough to sneak into the back lobby and sprayed everywhere..

Local charity loaned a trap and came to collect it when I called to say he was inside.  Local vet snipped at no fee to me, and they returned him later that day.  He had to stay in the cage in the garage for the first night for safely but then I released him and returned the trap.

For some reason he decided not to stay around after that..  Never saw (or heard!) him again.  Like you I wouldn't have minded if he did as long as he got on better with my lot, but I think he was traumatised and found a less scary farm to live on!
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Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2017, 02:38:25 pm »


I'm hoping against hope that he's old enough not to be shedding toxoplasmosis oocysts all over the hay too  :o . Does anybody know how long they shed for once they've been initially infected?


Adults don't shed oocysts anymore, kittens are the culprits.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2017, 02:47:12 pm »
So I dreamed last night that I had made a super duper whizz bang cat trap to catch Mr Bond (that's his name now), but when I went to check on it, I had instead caught a vervet monkey and two marmosets.

I think may have eaten too much cheese before going to bed!  :o

Adults don't shed oocysts anymore, kittens are the culprits.

But surely after initial infection, they shed for a certain time period before developing their own immunity, at which point they are no longer infectious. So it would depend on if/when this guy was initially infected, and how much time has passed? 

I think he's at least a year old, so if he's been fending for himself all that time, is it true that he should no longer pose a threat?
 
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

in the hills

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2017, 03:16:45 pm »
CP usually advise trap, neuter, release for ferals.


We trapped one and the local RSPCA branch paid for neuter, worming and flea treatment. My neighbour had a go at taming him but he decided that the indoor life wasn't for him and he did a runner. We still spot him occasionally and that's after about four years.


A couple of small  cat charities that are local to us will also neuter ferals for free or for a small amount, about a fiver. Worth ringing around locally to see who might be able to help.


Remember that ferals can do some damage when cornered!!!!! Our small local rescue will let you borrow traps and crush cages. You prod the trapped cat out of the large trap and into the crush cage. Apparently the vets prefer ferals to be in the crush cage so that they keep their fingers!!!!!

in the hills

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Feral cat - advice needed
« Reply #14 on: December 29, 2017, 03:38:53 pm »
Neutering will really help with them learning to tolerate each other. As Rosemary says it's often just hisses and a bit of spitting at the most once those hormones settle, especially if they have plenty of space, food and comfy spots.


Might be good to keep him locked in a smallish space after his done and try to tame him a little.


Good luck  :fc:

 

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