Found Cat - very nervous

[Guinevere]

I found a hungry cat at a service station 5 days ago (I have the cat listed under found cats, plus on other sites) and after feeding him there for 5 days, I brought him home yesterday afternoon. I currently have him in the bathroom to keep him separate from my resident cat Guinevere. Needless to say, I make several trips into the bath to "go" and I am hoping he will gradually get used to me. He does seem very nervous though and jumps behind the sleeping cage to hide when I go in. Am I expecting too much too soon? I was a little worried that I might have captured a feral cat but since he has just used the litter tray for the first time, I am now suspecting he once had a home? I was also undecided whether it was a girl or a boy but the smell of his urine is so so strong I am wondering if this indicates it is a boy? Does anyone know please?

Any tips about what I can do to help him settle in?

Many thanks

[Guinevere]

That should say I make several trips to the BATHROOM - I don't "go" in the bath lol!

[Lilith]

Lol - one of my cats DID used to 'go' in the bath My most timid cat comes toddling out of her hideaway if I get up to go to the loo in the 'wee' hours, even though her tray's in the back bedroom with her. When you think about it, a bathroom's a good place to accustom a cat to human company, because the human has to make regular visits

Good on you for rescuing this lad and i'd say you're doing absolutely fine; it's very early days. Just talk to him gently when you're with him and let him do his own thing and come round in his own time. He's a good lad to use his tray - but I've found that even ferals seem to know what the tray is for and actually have better manners traywise than our pampered house cats lol.

Strongly smelling urine, especially with a smell of ammonia, does indicate a full tom. If he is an entire tom, you'll know the minute he lets you get a glimpse under his tail - they stick out like chapel hatpegs If he starts to let you stroke his back, his tail will go up and there they'll be...Neutered males and females can be a little more difficult to tell apart, especially if the cat doesn't want to be handled.

In the UK a found cat can be taken to a vet for a free microchip check in the hope of tracing an owner - I don't know if this is the case in Southern Ireland? (Greetings btw - a lot of my family came from Dublin - my Grandma worked in the Guinness Brewery )

All the very very best with him, he's lucky to have found you.

[Guinevere]

Hi Lilith,

Thanks so much for your reply. Funnily enough after I wrote that, the cat started talking to me! I think the translation would be "Let me out!" So I have widened his access to the hallway too. I have made a makeshift bed on a unit by the window so that he can look out and also put another sleeping position in there (he still has access to his safe place, the bathroom). He is now up on the new window seat asleep and I am sure he is feeling less imprisoned now that he can see out.

I actually think he is making good progress now although he won't let me near him - and I haven't really tried that anyway - but we have passed each other in the hallway a few times, albeit giving each other a wide berth.

I have his missing details posted on many online sites but not one enquiry yet and I am already beginning to wonder if I might have adopted rather than rescued a cat! Thankfully my resident cat is not too perturbed at all even though she is aware he is there. She hates girl cats and now I realise this one is a boy there might be some hope of integrating him slowly if nobody claims him.

I do plan to take him to the vet to see if there is a microchip but he has had a really rough time at the Petrol Station (looking for food in the bins and dodging all the cars and lorries) that I'd like him to recover a little before I put him through anything else.

Did your Grandma live to a ripe old age on all the Guinness?!

[Crewella]

I saw the pics and he's a lovely looking cat. It does sound to me as though he's just scared and not a true feral. When my current foster, Buzz, arrived (still in his trap) he was terrified and screamed at me, and shot up the wire in his pen to wail at me from the ceiling, every time I went near him. This lasted two or three days, and then on the third day I caught him asleep in his basket and stroked him, and by the end of that day he was on my lap! He'd obviously had a rough time, but once he knew I was friend and not foe he obviously remembered what it was like to be a loved cat.

Take it slowly, but it sounds like you're doing a great job there!

[Lilith]

Lol Guinevere she did indeed, and Grandad too

You sound to be making great progress with him, bless him, he's coming out of his shell, he does sound like Crewella's Buzz. I've noticed the first way to a homeless cat's heart is through his stomach; cats will be very bold when they're starving, but then they give you their trust and crave your company and affection too, bless him, he's a lovely lad (I think he's a lad with that big face on him.) Hope he stays with you, especially as Guinevere the cat seems quite laid back about him atm (she may lay down the law in days to come but that may well be just because she's demonstrating that SHE'S Senior Cat round here. Or else.)

Yes, I wouldn't want to rush him off to the vet so soon, I agree he needs time to get his breath back.

Give him a fuss from me when he starts permitting it - which won't be long by the sound of him

[Grace56]

If the cat is neutered, in a male the gap between the anal opening and the other opening is larger than the female, which are closer together. Hope that makes sense.

Of course, if he's entire, as Lilith says, you'll know.

Hope he settles down ok. Give him a fuss from me and good on you for rescuing him.

[Grace56]

Hope this helps:

http://m.wikihow.com/Determine-the-Sex-of-a-Cat

[Guinevere]

Many thanks for your replies - I really appreciate it.

An Update:

Well, it turns out he is a complete male and my whole house now smells like a bottle of Feliway!! This might account for the fact that my resident cat is super chilled at the moment! However, when she has seen him she is growling and spitting! They are being kept in separate parts of the house but I have let him poke his head around the living room door a few times just to see what happens.

I am now guessing he is a "teenager". He was calling out for much of the morning and it is a distinctive mating call - bless him! I propped open the front door just a crack so he could get his message out lol! He has only just begun to allow me to touch him and only to stroke him on the head. I have yet to hear a purr but we are making good progress. He has begun to groom himself so he is beginning to look a bit cleaner and it seems his fur is getting softer as it was quite wiry. I can still see his backbone but he is putting on a little weight and now even leaves a bit in the bowl - when he first came I swear he would have eaten the bowl if he could!

Nobody at all has responded to my notices online and I have have him on several sites and many people have shared the photo over and over! I don't know what to make of this as surely he did belong to someone?

I am assuming I will have to keep him for the time being (we probably all know that is short code for forever lol!) provided always that my resident cat will get used to him and let him live here. So, I have him booked in at the vet on Friday to be neutered so long as his muscle ratio is good enough (I have been feeding him 4 times a day so I hope so). Is it okay for me to do this since he is not really my cat? I cannot bear the smell in the house and he is beside himself with all the raging hormones! Whilst he is sedated the vet will check him all over as he has a big scab behind his ear and his ears are filthy. I'm guessing he will worm him, deflea him etc and I hope nothing else is found.

I'm attaching an updated photo of him and lying down he doesn't look too skinny at all but when he stands up he looks very skinny (to me!). Remember I do have a large diabetic cat, Guinevere, so perhaps I have forgotten what a healthy young boy cat should look like!

I have been struggling with a name and thought of "Mono" for monochrome but I think I am going to go with Mojo.

[Guinevere]

Mojo 012 (1024x768) (800x600).jpg

(247.36 KiB) Not downloaded yet

[meriad]

Oh my, he's gorgeous!

As for the neutering - heck yes; you'll be doing him (and you and all the other cats) the biggest favour ever by getting him done. And once he does he'll calm down loads - albeit that may take a few months. I would also keep him and your resident cat separate until he has been done and then wait another two weeks or so; but take your clue from the two of them; they may settle earlier.

I love the name Mojo - suits him. Best of luck!

[Guinevere]

Thanks Meriad!

He does actually look well doesn't he! He was a sort of beige colour when I brought him home and still is along his spine where he can't reach to clean it.

Another 2 weeks apart - gosh you Catchatters have some patience! My house is a bomb site with Mojo occupying one side of the little cottage with all his cat bowls, litter tray, makeshift bed etc (he won't go in the brand new felt cat cave!) and Guinevere in the main living area and her litter tray now in the kitchen (ugh!). I might add that she has a cat flap and a lovely walled garden but she goes outside for an hour and then comes in and uses the litter tray!

I'm not sure why the photo isn't showing up but it does load if you click on the link. You can see the photo of him at the Petrol Station under the Found Cats section.

Lilith - I have given him many little strokes from you - I even got a head butt today! I tried him with a few toys da bird, mouse, kickeroo, laser pen but he seemed to think they were attacking him! He does like a little catnip filled mouse though but only to sniff and snuggle not to attack it.

[Crewella]

My Daz is a similar colouring and was a grubby yellow colour when he was trapped as a 5 year old entire tom cat - it's why we called him 'Daz'!

Mojo's lovely, and as has been said will calm down loads after he's been neutered. Good luck!

[Lilith]

Aww he is a grand lad - and you're doing so well with him!

The entire toms do tend to be 'rangy' and lanky - it's as if all their energies are concentrated on the one ambition - to get laid lol! And of course he wasn't getting very good grub up at the petrol station until you came along. I can see where his poor old nose is still grubby from rummaging in the bins - poor chap, but not so much of a poor chap now - and headbutting you too? An honour. My youngest cat is 5 and still VERY sparing with her headbutts.

It's the tragedy of the un-neutered kitten, once the novelty wears off for irresponsible owners. The unspayed female comes home pregnant with all the complications that entails; the male grows older, goes out on the tiles, starts fighting and wandering...perhaps he's no longer welcome at 'home' after a few smelly sprays; perhaps he just moves on and keeps wandering and the 'owners' can't be bothered to try and get him back. Thank goodness Mojo's found you!

Once he's neutered you may find he fines down in the face. My last tomcat was an adult feral, and looked as if he had shoulderpads stuck to his chops - after neutering these disappeared, leaving him with elegant cheekbones...

Hope Mojo and Guinevere settle together, but I'm sure there's every chance they will.

Congrats on taking him on and giving him a new life - and please keep giving him fusses from me

[Guinevere]

Yes Crewella, him being beige was the first thing that caught my eye cos I know you don't get beige cats - followed by his backside sticking out of the dustbin!

Lilith - his nose does look dirty but I think it might be dark pigment, although my neighbour thinks they are scratches from fighting. They certainly distract from his winning looks so am hoping they might clear up/clean up. Yes, maybe his lankiness is due to his young age (yet to be confirmed by vet - I can't wait to hear how old he really is). I remember when Guinevere was a teenager my mother said she looked like she was on stilts lol!

[Grace56]

Awww! He's beautiful. Very handsome and he looks so contented.

Give him a big fuss from me.

[Guinevere]

Well, Mojo has had his op and lost his family jewels! It turns out he is a young adult of approx 3-4 years old. His ears that I thought were just simply filthy turned out to be full of blood so he must have had some really bad infection and the large scabs behind his ears were due to him scratching them. Poor Mojo!

The vet cleaned out the blood from his ears, removed the scabs from behind both ears and cleaned the wounds, cleaned another small wound above his eye and another one on his front leg. He was given an antibiotic injection and a painkilling injection. He was also given a flea treatment and wormer. He has now had the first injection for immunisation and is to go back in 3 weeks' time for the second one. Since he was a stray, the vet very kindly phoned the ISPCA to see if they would contribute anything towards the bill and they offered to pay half the immunisation and half the flea and worm treatments! I was thrilled as I didn't even know that such a thing could happen. So I got away reasonably lightly with a bill for €80 - the NCT (MOT) on the car will have to wait until next month now!

Here comes the scary part... He slept off his ordeal on Friday night and most of Saturday and then became quite active so I let him have the run of the house. At one point I had the back door open briefly but he had no desire to even go close to it, let alone out of it. Now, Sunday morning it was a beautiful day so I took my morning cuppa to sit outside. I left the back door open thinking he might at least sit on the step which eventually he did. I started talking to him reassuringly and Guinevere (who I thought was locked in the bedroom) heard me and thought I must be talking to her so she came out and then spat and growled at him. He shot off into the middle of the garden. I debated whether to go and pick him up but feared he'd make a run for it if I approached him so I watched him going around the perimeter fence smelling everywhere and the next thing I saw was his backside disappearing under a small hole at the bottom of the fence!!!! So, Mojo was gone into the fields and I felt such a failure! I reassured myself that at least I had sent him on his way all fixed up and healthy and just hoped he would return. I put his litter tray and bed outdoors to help him pick up the scent. A very long six hours passed and then lo and behold he reappeared briefly and then was gone again. I stayed up like a mother waiting for her teenager to return from a night out and he finally came back at 1.30am!! He ate ravenously and went to bed.

Today is another glorious day and he is out and about but has stayed pretty close and has been in twice for a lick in his food bowl. Guinevere has been sitting on the back door mat in front of the cat flap barring him access so he is calling at the front door when he wants to come in. I am absolutely delighted that he now has the freedom of the countryside (instead of the petrol station!) yet he knows where his food bowl is. I am hoping Guinevere will get used to his presence (I could see the disappointment in her face when he returned last night lol!) and if she does, I think I will be able to keep him.

[Ruth B]

I think you have done a wonderful thing taking him on and caring for him.

As for your resident cat don't give up on them easily, as long as there is no actual harm done a bit of growling and hissing, even a quick swipe, doesn't do any real harm and he will learn who is the top cat. Make sure you have a cushion or pillow handy when you do let them be together just in case it goes wrong.

About 15 months ago, having lost my 16 year old Ragdoll rescue, we still had a 12 year old moggy (Tiggy) who seemed to be missing him. I decided to get a couple of 6 month old cats in hope that they would play together and not antagonise her to much. We ended up with a very nervous female (Freyja) and an over confident male (Saturn). Freyja and Tiggy settle in quickly once introduced, while her main fear is of humans, she is obviously not a dominant cat naturally, and takes her lead as to what is safe and what isn't from the other two cats. Saturn on the other hand is so full of himself and is convinced that nothing bad could ever happen to him. He deliberately annoys Tiggy although he has never attacked her. He reminds me of a teenage lad teasing an old lady. Tiggy however isn't afraid to administer correction and has a mean right hook with her paw, was well as a good growl and hiss. She has, however, never hurt him, it is always with claws in.

I think you may have a similar situation building and I would advise to let them sort it out as long as they don't seem to be harming each other. They may never be firm friends but I think they will shake down with time. Mojo also hasn't been neutered long so the hormones haven't settled down yet.

I just wanted to say that it can take a long time for cats to settle down and as long as they aren't harming each other, physically or mentally, it is often best to leave them to it. That is my opinion at least.

[Lilith]

I think you have done a wonderful thing taking him on and caring for him.

As for your resident cat don't give up on them easily, as long as there is no actual harm done a bit of growling and hissing, even a quick swipe, doesn't do any real harm and he will learn who is the top cat. Make sure you have a cushion or pillow handy when you do let them be together just in case it goes wrong.

I would advise to let them sort it out as long as they don't seem to be harming each other. They may never be firm friends but I think they will shake down with time. Mojo also hasn't been neutered long so the hormones haven't settled down yet.

I just wanted to say that it can take a long time for cats to settle down and as long as they aren't harming each other, physically or mentally, it is often best to leave them to it. That is my opinion at least.

Very true - and a good tip about the cushion. I once knew a stud owner who always armed herself with a tennis racquet to usher the girl gently back into her own quarters after mating; an entire male can be unpredictable before mating; after mating he's totally soppy but the girl is still feeling wild and aroused and can do him or the stud owner a damage if she's not treated with care.

Bless him! Mojo I mean. And Guinevere too. You really are doing well; Guinevere will inevitably pull rank but I'd bet on them settling together. Difficult to know when to let a new cat out too, especially in this weather, but I doubt if you're going to get rid of him that easily lol - cats know when they've found a cushy number.

I've had a young man of my own visiting, full tom, very thin, but he seems to have moved on; wish me luck that he comes back, as if he's a stray I'll take him on.

Mojo sounds to have had a case of ear mites, poor chap, nasty things and often un-detectable too - my Emily had them recently and I was always checking her ears; never even saw her scratch. But one of my rescued boys had sores behind his ears and filthy earholes...like you I got the vet to give them a good clean while he was anaesthetised for neutering. I used to have to wipe them out for him from time to time; he'd grizzle a bit and sometimes grip me with a big paw, claws in, or bite me, but he was an elderly chap without many teeth; he could only gum me lol.

Congrats on that vet bill subsidy - that's great! All the very best with them

[Crewella]

That is a great update - well done!

[Guinevere]

Thanks everyone. I am just glad the update was about him settling in and not to inform everyone he had run away!! I know it seems soon to let him out but I usually take my cue from the cat and if he had wanted to sit in on the sofa, that would have been fine too. Once the autumn arrives, I am sure Mojo will want to be inside all snug and warm.

Thanks for the tips Ruth about them sorting it out between them. Mojo is happy enough to approach Guinevere but he gets such a frosty reception. He is back inside the house now (on his side - bathroom and hallway) so I am keeping them quite separate when they are indoors with just a brief meeting here and there. I had a female cat for 3 and a half years and Guinevere never got used to her (she lives in a Mansion now!) but I am hoping she'll eventually accept a male.

Lilith I hope your little man returns for some food and loving - it's so rewarding to see them thrive again!