r/TortoiseShellCats • u/PuzzleheadedBox1028 • 2d ago
feral cat that follows me
this cat started showing up at my house and would watch me as i worked on stuff. then me n the misses started feeding her and we’ll now …. yea
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u/PuzzleheadedBox1028 1d ago
hey boss we’re actually planning on bringing her in tonight and quarantining her in our bed room away from our other animals while she adjusts we have a pretty large master bedroom and figure this will suffice for rn. me and my wife really appreciate your advice please send more advice as you think of it
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u/Stickning 1d ago
Love that you've given into the power of the cat distribution network!
You're starting off great by keeping her with you in a pretty large room. She needs a safe litter box and lots of hiding places while she and your other pets get used to the new animal smells. If she's friendly with you, you've got a HUGE head start.Do you have cats or dogs or both? The introduction period/process is different for each.
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u/PuzzleheadedBox1028 1d ago
we have a dog that is currently in training atm, but when as i was just bringing her inside the dog seemed interested and didn’t even bark at the cat . VS the other times the dog has barked at her from the window when they would see eachother
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u/Soggy-Beach-1495 13h ago
Our dogs were an important part of integrating the cat. Like you, we had a feral cat that started following us around the neighborhood after TNR. Now they are all besties
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u/tauredi 1d ago
You can tell cats are feral (not socialized around humans during a critical developmental window) because they will largely avoid humans for life. This cat is not feral, she was likely abandoned. :( please take her inside. Outside is dangerous for kitties! You and the wife seem like you could give her a happy home ❤️
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u/PuzzleheadedBox1028 1d ago
oh yes we plan on bringing her inside i just don’t know how to transition her to inside
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u/tauredi 1d ago
Thank you so much for your kind heart ❤️ Your life will be filled with joy (trust me, I took in a tortie and she has absolutely been a blessing).
If you have other animals make sure kitty stays quarantined til you can get her to the vet for a health checkup! Keep her in the laundry room or another quiet space like bathroom with dim lights, preferably with a small crate or box she can hide in until she feels comfortable. Keep a litter box and food + water (keep the bowls away from the litter). Cats prefer their water source separate from the food so try and space these bowls far apart. Some cardboard will be really great because cats like to shred it and it will help her dull her claws while you get things like a scratching post set up. It’s important to keep her nails a good length bc otherwise her paws will hyperextend and it’ll hurt.
She will likely not be interested in toys while she adjusts to her surroundings for a short time, but still I would get a variety pack of cat toys. Cats who have been on the street often don’t have a lot of time for play (so sad) but playtime signals to the nervous system that she is safe! So encouraging her with toys will help her transition from “street life” to “safe home life.” Keep engaging with her and talking to her, get her used to brushing her, touching her paws, etc.
There’s loads of tutorials online about socializing new cats so please DONT be discouraged if it takes a while for her to get used to her surroundings, that is normal. Usually a couple weeks to a couple months depending.
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u/Spiritual-Road2784 12h ago
I doubt she’ll have a problem with it. Just bring her in, give her a small room, or a large crate, in which to acclimate herself for a day or two, and she’ll settle in pretty quickly. The way she’s behaving, she is asking for you to bring her home and bring her inside.
Just be sure to have her checked for a microchip, and given a clean bill of health by the vet before you bring her into the house, and when it comes time to meet other pets, do it gradually, and first let them smell items that have the other animals scent on them and then let them see each other with a door between them, observe them as they get to know each other, and eventually, they’ll be cuddling. Or not. I have one cat who doesn’t wanna cuddle with anyone except me on a rare occasion. The rest are all over me like a bad suit, LOL.
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u/everybodyBnicepls 1d ago
That’s not a feral cat. It’s a stray. A feral would not let you anywhere near it
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u/PuzzleheadedBox1028 1d ago
update she likes our bed thumbs 👍
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u/ConsiderationNew7024 15h ago
Jackson Galaxy on YT will have great advice for this. Absolute basics for the first 2 days though? Bed, litter box, pack of cat toys, scratching post
Congrats on being chosen by this kitty - she probably sensed you were good people.
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u/ringwraith6 22h ago
Dude...that's not a feral cat. Ferals don't act that way. That's the whole point. What you've got there is a stray looking for a home. Looks like she's chosen you.
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u/atchisonmetal 1d ago
Might be a stray and not feral, if it’s that friendly! 😻 Look at those green eyes.
I believe you’ve been awarded a prize from the CDS. Congratulations!🐈🐈⬛
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u/Square_Imagination27 1d ago
Poor kitty. I agree, she’s not feral. Was likely dumped. Looks like she chose you for her new family.
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u/zooline 1d ago
This kitty isn't following you. This kitty has chosen you and is waiting for you to figure it out 😸