Feeding Socialized Feral Cats CALM Cat Food

In August of 2010 I trapped a feral queen cat and her kittens for medical care.  All cats needed veternarian care and were in the animal hospital for 21 days.  The queen cat was released and the kittens were socialized and we adopted them.  

Know that even thought this kittens were trapped when they were six weeks old,  they were unlike other feral kittens because these kittens were high strung and anxious.  

Not sure if it was due to the medication they were given to heal their infections, but I always thought it might have had something to do with their behavior.

Charlie the feral kitten at 6 weeks old.

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Now five years later the kittens are grown but they are not what you would call socialized.  They still hide and occasionally will let me pet them.  I can pick them up but they are not affectionate.  

Recently the two of the kittens developed a a strange behavior.  They are plucking out their fur for no apparent reason.  Like a chicken plucks out their feathers, the feral cats are removing their fur and these once gorgeous cats are nearly bald.

I took them to the veternarian and was told that this is a common behavior or feral cats, that sometimes they can be tamed other times no.   The veterinarian said that there were three treatments; release the cat to live the rest of their life outdoors.   Medicate them or feed them Royal Cannin veternarian diet CALM.  Since releasing them and medicating them is out of the question we bought the cat food and also plugged in the feliway comfort zone.

The 8.8 pound bag of calm cat food was $50. not an inexpensive treatment, but is formulated with natural products. I started the cats on the food today. 

The cats like the food,  but I noticed they are still pulling their hair out.  So it is too soon to see results.  I will share with you all my finding in ten days.  I hope this cat food helps to calm my cats.

Setting up Feral Cats Winter Feeding Station

The weather is getting colder  and husband and I thought it would be best to move the feral cats feeding station closer to the house. We may have snow or icy weather and the location in the woods would be difficult to get to. 

 In order to get to the feeding station I need to hike a good 70 feet from my home and normally this is not a problem but coyote have migrated over into our woods and personally I do not like setting up the woods station with food because it puts cats in harms way.

Cat inside thicket den in woods

It would be better to have the feeding station close to my detached garage where there is a kitty door and warm beds inside.  Better and safer for the cats to be in the shelter rather than in their thicket dens in the woods.  

Feeding station close to house

With the help of my husband we shut down the feral cat feeding station in the woods and set up a new one closer to the house. 

 We selected an area that has a windblock due to the backside of the detached garage, it also provides a safe passage to our yard from the back entrance to the park. then there is an overhang from the garage roof that protects the station from rain.  

The front of the feeding station is blocked from view due to the ornamental grasses and then the entrance to our garage shelter is eight feet away from the new winter feeding station.  

Here is a photo of one of the feral cats sleeping in straw bed inside our garage shelter.  I am hoping that with the feeding station closer to the shelter that feral cats will enter and be safe and warm this winter.

Feral Cat Sleeping in Winter Shelter Post Card Postcard 

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I am glad the feral cats feeding station is located in the back of our yard because it is a safer place for the cats and it also enable us to provide them with food even if there is a bad weather;  snow, sleet or ice.

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Feral and Stray Cat Health Comparison

I have trapped many cats since 1999 and in that time all of the feral cats were healthy, none of them tested positive for any feline disease.  In addition to being healthy they were all well groomed.

 

Rescued Stray Cat

When first started trapping feral cats for sterilization I expect them to be sickly, to have a poor coat with infestation of parasites.  The veterinarian reports that the cat has ear mites, needs to be wormed and needs a dosage of revolution to get rid of the ear mites.  Not a flea or tick is found on them and none of the feral cats tested positive for feline disease.  

In comparison the stray cat did not do so well. Out of the 128 cats that I trapped this year 10% of the stray (abandoned house cats) tested positive for cat disease including diabetes.   All of the stray cats had poor coats and many were matted.  Long haired cats needed to be shaved.

Cats that once lived with people are stray cats. These stray cats have a difficult time adapting to living outdoors. They do not know how to forage or where to go for shelter and they do not live in colonies with other cats because the feral cats do not welcome them.  Stray cats are on their own and it must be very frightening.

I pick up strays all the time that are starving, have hair missing, they may have bite wounds from fights or their hair is matted.   

So when it comes to living outdoors the feral cat will live a longer and healthier life than the stray cat.  

Photograph of Calico Cat:  This is Gracie she was a stray that my husband found on a bitter cold night.  She was skin and bones, had missing fur, was missing one tooth and her tongue was cut off at the tip.  It is doubtful she would have survived the night as she did not know where to go for shelter.

Heat Wave - Keeping Feral Cats Cool Naturally

Feral Cat lies next to mud

Feral cats are generally skittish about entering a garage or shed for shelter, however, some feral cats will enter an outdoor igloo house that is hidden behind shrubs.  

Many feral cats will take shelter by lying on the mulch in your garden, under a low hanging shrub or they will lie in-between the leaves of your plants.  


These foliage type shelters are no match to the scorching summer sun especially if your area has an extreme heat advisory.

Over the years I have tried many methods to keep the feral cat's body cool but none of my methods worked. The only method that works for a feral cat is derived from nature and it is mud.  Making a muddy area in your yard will provide outdoor cats with a comfortable resting place.  Mud is a natural way to lower a cat’s body temperature and to keep them cool during a heat wave or drought.

I take the woodland feral cats their food and water daily by hiking to their colony.   While at the colony  I count the cats to make sure all are present and I check them for health concerns and for stress.  In the morning when it is cool an average of 76 degrees the cats are resting and there is no stress but in the afternoon at 5:00 feeding I have noted that the cats are breathing hard and they are panting. 

 

My husband and I decided to coax the feral cats out of the woods to our yard.  I achieved this by moving the feeding station closer to my yard.  By the 5^th day, the feeding station was set up in my heavily shaded yard. I choose an area close to my Hosta garden that is shaded from two mature Oak Trees and one Silver Maple tree.  

There is morning sun followed by shade the rest of the day.  Which means the temperature is good 20 degrees cooler.  In this area, I created a mud bath for the feral cats.  Since my outdoor water is restricted I saved the bath and shower water.  I filled buckets of water and dumped the water into a rain barrel.  This water is used daily to create a muddy area for the feral cats.  

In order to provide the cats with an all afternoon natural cooling mud, I wet the ground until the top 3 inches of soil is muddy.  I then keep the top soil moist by setting the sprinkler on a slow drip from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

The feral cats came into my yard and lay on the wet ground.  They slept comfortable because the wet mud lowered their body temperature.  I provided the cats with fresh water and set up a feeding station off to the side of their resting area.

Fiskars5998 Salsa 58-Gallon Rain Harvesting System

Note:

Another way to keep feral cats cool naturally is to take old carpets and lay them out in a densely shaded area close to the cat’s colony or in your yard.  Use your garden hose to wet the carpets.  (Drench the carpets with water.)These wet carpets will provide the cats with comfort.

To conserve on water during the drought I recycle all indoor water into a rain barrel and use this water to wet the ground.

I also choose to not water my lawn and my back gardens.  By doing this I will be able to provide the cats with a slow drip from the garden hose when the rain barrel runs dry.

Farm animals lie in mud during the hot summer months to keep their body temperature cool, thus this natural method works.

Taming Feral Cats - Adult and Kittens

Taming an adult and feral kittens can be achieved provided the trainer has time, patience and a thorough understanding of feral cat behavior.  The trainer should have both skill and experience in handling feral cats as they are not like domesticated cats. 

  

I take time to gradually tame the feral cat.  I respect the cat and allow them to bond with me when they are ready.   Normally it is 30 to 60 days for a weaned kitten, and 1 to 2 years for a adult feral cat to be fully tamed.  I am someone who has the time to allow the feral cat to trust me . Of course this method is not for everyone, but for those who have time to wait it is well worth the effort.  

I tame  feral cats by confining them to a small room, with a window, an open crate with soft cuddle bed.  The crate is covered with a blanket and is the feral cats safe room.  There is food and water and a litter box.  I do not allow the cats free feeding, instead they eat twice a day.  I take the bowl away when they are finished. I train them to acknowledge me and to need me for their food.


Feral cats are terrified of humans and will spit, hiss and show their claws.  They do this in defense.  I take no offense to the cat when they show there outward aggressive nature.  I go about my business of reading a book or looking at a magazine.  I let the cat be for a week to get accustomed to being indoors, and being in the company of a human. The cats will hide, come out to eat and hiss then go back to hide.  Within 7 to 10 days the feral cat is curious and will come out of hiding cautiously.  The cats think of me as a predator, but in time they learn that I am not going to hurt him.

When you decide to adopt a feral kitten contact your veterinarian and let them know your plans.  Find out if they accept feral or untamed cats. Some veterinarians do not care for feral cats, if this is the case you would then contact your local cat network to inquire about a veterinarian in your area that will exam, treat and spay or neuter a feral cat.

I believe in using cat crates only to provide the cats with a safe place.  The door of the crate is always opened and the cat is free to come and go.  However the training room’s door is always closed during the taming of feral cat.  I set the crate up with a soft bed.  The bed is warm and provides the cat with a place to hide.  There is food and water in the crate; and the litter box is in the crate for a few days.  When it is time to clean the box I will remove it from the crate, clean and leave it 3 feet from the crate.  I move the box to draw the cat out of the crate. The feral cat will need to walk close to me  and exposure to human is good.

The feral cat safe room is off limits to other family members and pets.  The cat trainer is the only person to enter the room until the bonding process is completed.

Dress appropriately when you enter the feral cat’s room.  I wear long sleeve shirt, loose fitted pants, shoes and socks.  I have never worn gloves…but I recommend them to others.

Keep a safe distance from the cat.  Many people do not make eye contact with the cat.  I do not make eye contact of the first couple of days but by the end of the week I will make eye contact with the cat and I do speak to the cat with a soft voice. I move very slowly in the cat room as I do not want to startle the cat or frighten.  The feral cat will hide and that is fine. The cat can smell me and they can hear me.

Don’t expect the feral cat to reach certain goals.  If the cat wants to hide  for longer than a week, let the cat be.  Just sit in the room every day for a few hours, do your work or read a book.  Socializing a feral cat takes time, patience and love.

Respect the feral cat.  Do not approach the cat; do not attempt to pet the cat.  Allow the cat time to bond with you.  

When taming a feral cat I will use products to put the cat at ease; I will spray the cats training room and their bed with Feliway ORMD-D Behavior Modifier.  This modifier emits a synthetic cop of your cat’s natural facial pheromone.  Feliway comfort zone is effective in preventing the cat from marking their territory and it helps to prevent the cat from feeling anxious.   


It is okay for the feral cat to hide, the cat is terrified of you so let the cat be.  Allow the cat to rest.  I always spend time with the cat on their first day.  I will sit in the room and read a book.  I do not interact with the feral cats by approaching the cat.  I just sit on a chair with the back against a wall and read a book.


Here are some photographs of feral cats that I have trapped, tamed and adopted into forever homes.

Feral Cat Needs Medical Care

Feral cats are smart and once they have been inside a trap they are not going to enter the trap again.  Normally after I release a feral cat they will live their life in a control colony and will only be re-trapped if medically needed.

 The feral cat I call Lucy was released three weeks ago after being treated for an injury that she suffered while nursing her kittens.  Since being set free Lucy has stayed close to the shelter, she goes inside the shelter and sleeps there throughout the day. 

In the evening around 6:00PM she will leave the shelter and venture out into my yard, sometimes she lays by the pond, other times she hides in the ornamental grass garden, and sometimes she sits on the back wall, rarely does she enter the woods to go to the cat colony by the caves.

I have been watching the feral cat named Lucy through the lens of my camera. She was wounded several weeks ago and I trapped her for medical care.  The wound on her paw is not healing. The 1/2 inch scab grow larger daily. 

Lucy has been chewing on her paw, as if she needs to drain it daily. I suspect that she has another infection. On Friday September 3rd, I spoke to the veterinarian and I told him my concerns for Lucy’s wound, he told me that she is chewing on her paw because it must have another infection.  I was told to re-trap Lucy the feral cat and to bring her in for a medical examination. 

I set up the trap inside the the shelter as that is where her feeding station is located. 

Both my husband and I have been watching the shelter, waiting for Lucy to go inside. Lucy did not spend the night in the shelter. She did come to my yard at 3:00 this afternoon and I noticed blood on Lucy's head and I thought that she had been in a fight. Then I noticed her paw, it was covered with blood. 

I quickly made up a bowl of Blue Buffalo chicken canned cat food and brought food and fresh water out to her.   I set the food in the back of the trap. I left the kitty door open and I waited for her to go inside. She did not enter the shelter; instead she hunted a salamander and ate it before walking out of my yard.

 I will continue to watch the shelter and have placed a baby monitor inside, that way I will be informed of any movement. I pray that she enters the shelter tonight and I also pray that God will watch over her and guide her to the shelter and inside the trap.

Saying Goodbye to a Feral Kitten

Saying goodby to a kitten that is only weeks old is the hardest thing that a colony caregiver can do.  There is always a reason why a kitten needs to be put down and even if you know it is the right decision it does not make it any easier.

I came to know this feral kitten whne the queen cat  brought her three young kittens to my garage shelter and that is where I trapped the mother cat  and all of the kittens for veterinarian care.  One kitten had a bite wound on his paw, another had a puncture wound on her head and one kitten had an infection in his eye.


the little Feral Norwegian Forest cat that was the last kitten to be trapped was rushed to the veternarians office and diagnosied with a serious eye infection. They administered antibiotics and he was kept at the animal clinic for ten days. Boris was released to go home for crate rest.

I put the feral kitten in the crate in new cat room and he was lyiing comfortably in the hamack, but he looked sad and lonely. His brother was in the other room and so brought the sibling cat crate into the cat room. 

The feral kittens; Charlie and Boris were so happy. They both talked to each other and then played paws between the slate of the crate before falling asleep. 

I left the room to make supper and whe I returned the little feral kitten with eye infection (Boris) was limping and his crate cracker brother Charlie had escaped from his crate and had climbed to the top of his brothers crate. 
   
I have no idea as to what occurred but I suspect that both brotheres were trying to get closer to each other, and the little kitten twisted his paw. 

We took Boris to the veterinarians and they took an X-ray to see if the leg was broken. They informed me that they did not think it was broken but it was close. the joint was twisted. Boris stayed at the animal clinic for 21 days and then they released him to me for home care.

The attending veterinarian was waiting for Boris leg to heal. Boris was to be confined to a crate and he needed peace and quite. I was the only one who entered his room and I spent 4-6 hours with him per day. 

Boris was so afraid of everything. I could not socialize him because of his leg however, in spite of his ailment he learned to trust me.

Today we took Boris for the check-up on his leg. The veterinarian took an X-ray and told us there was no change.  Boris had a very bad infection and the veterinarian said his immune system was weak.

I spoke to my husband as I did not know what to do, I needed to make a decision that was best for this little kitten that we called Boris. My husband suggested that we do what was best for the kitten. 

I contacted his pending adopter and she told me to do what was best for Boris. She did not want to see him suffer. What saddens me is this little kitten had an adopter who would give him a forever home.  He would have had a good life with his adopter.

Boris was 8 weeks old when he passed from this life to the next.  I have never had to say goodbye to a kitten and it broken my heart.

Here are few photographs of Boris.  They were taken in our garage cat shelter..
  

Wounded Lucy and her 3 feral kittens at my shed/shelter

Boris and Charlie checking out the litter box:  New territory for feral kittens

 

Boris on the bottom and Notti on the top:  Kittens playing

Notti on top and sweet Boris looking up

Boris comes out to visit Mom in the garden