Cat Chat Feline Forum

I need to know for future reference if I could of done something different.
I have been feeding a semi-formal for a month and a half. He got to the point he was waiting for his food every day. He even started sleeping sometimes in the kennel I gave him. He meowed at me the day before i trapped him (still had a barrier at which he was never going to allow me any closer to him). I trapped him the night before surgery. I trapped him at 7 at night within 5 mins and kept in laundry covered with towel.
Went to vets. I picked him up at 3pm, he still seemed woozy. I put him back where he was being fed and sleeping and left the trap for another hour and a half covered with towel. He seemed much more aware and wanted out so I released him and he ran into the bushes. This was on friday night, it's now Monday night and I still haven't seen him. I continue to put the food out but it's never all eaten so even if my cats had nibbled on it I'm pretty sure he hasnt as he always eats every mouthful. I believe if he'd returned he would be waiting to be fed like clockwork the way we were. I'm absolutely devastated and wondering if he is ever coming back...
The vets would of been very traumatic as he went from trap to net to crusher cage...

Due to my work I encounter situations where I give others advice so where have I gone wrong and how likely am I to see him again.

you absolutely did the right thing, and I would be very surprised if he doesn't turn up again in the next few days - most feral cats have several bolt holes, and although you were clearly his favourite, he is probably licking his wounds, and his pride, in one of them

if it is your intention to eventually home him, once you have won his trust, that this first step was vital

I have been feeding a feral cat for three years now, and have set up summer and winter kennels for him, but have not attempted to have him 'done' as I cannot bring him indoors, my own cat being petrified of other cats, and almost never going out

but if he outlives her I shall certainly get him 'done' as a preliminary to getting him in

Hi I hope he does return have done a lot of feral work over the years and personally would never release until the next day after they've had a meal they can be left in the trap if necessary inside in the warm, clean towels or newspaper can be added by slightly easing the sliding door end up and always keep the trap covered to keep them calm hope this helps for future reference

Neutering him was definitely the right thing, not sure I'd have released him so soon, but I might be lucky that my vets keep them overnight after neutering

No sign of him. It has been 6 days now. We went away overnight and the food was gone but I believe this was probably my cat who followed me out to feed him thismorning. I have continued to leave food out daily since his disappearance but it usually remains not eaten or only partially and he used to always eat what I put out even if I put a lot out. Plus he was always sitting there waiting for me. Might review the security footage again but I dont think il see him again. Gutted. My intention was to keep him there, if he never tamed then when this does become a rental at some point in the distant future he would be a condition of living here but not planning to move in the immediate future just know we want to at some point

Best news ever! Its 9 or 10 days since desex and release. My partner just told me to look out the window. There he was. I rushed out and refilled his bowl, he bolted into the bushes when I did this but is outside eating now. Best day ever!!!

great news - does he look thinner? if not it means he has been finding food somewhere else, which would be one less worry for you

I'm so glad he has come back

Hes not obviously thinner but I think it is hard to tell from the distance and as he's all black. So tonight he reappeared but was actually waiting for me. He was in his kennel. I took his food out and from across the yard as I talked to him he was talking back. He kept meowing at me as he was waiting for me to feed him. He bolted as I crossed the yard but this time went back under the tree he always hides under. I had tears... sounds silly but so exciting that he was back in his usual place, he was waiting for me, and he talked to me repeatedly. I can get closer if I feed him then sit down at opposite ends of the yard...I can then shuffle forward bit by bit as he eats and end up a few meters away. I'm thinking to try a wand toy to see if he might play but completely happy with where we are at.

I am so pleased to report that I am now at the stage where this cat comes meowing over to me every morning and evening and trots along with me to his food bowl. It's not my first attempt but I was finally able to successfully scratch his head tonight. He still gets flighty and backs away but I went from barely a split second in the past to now 5, 10, 30 second intervals and to the point he was only backing away very briefly that I'd say we had a few minutes of petting. Hes not enjoying it, hes tolerating it as he eats his food, but hopefully over time he will connect petting means he gets wet food as rest of the time he has dry.

Amazing how forgiving they are when there's food at stake!!

Now that his male hormones are no longer driving him, he clearly sees your garden as home, and you as his provider - not too many steps now between that and his becoming your pet

This is brilliant news, I've been following the thread, but with no experience of ferals had little I could add, but I just wanted to say i'm so glad he is back. You did the best thing you could for him getting him fixed pretty much guaranteeing him a longer, healthier life. I've had a cat go missing for a few days and know just how hard it is, desperately hoping to see them come home, while at the same time trying to accept that you might never see them again, shedding a tear now that he is home and accepting (if reluctantly) some fuss is no real surprise.
Give him some fuss and a few treats from me and hopefully, slowly he will decide that there is a better life to be lead, at least part of the time, somewhere warm and dry.

you absolutely did the right thing

Neutering him was definitely the right thing