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Feral Cats in the Winter
Besides our two "indoor" cats, we have a feral cat who spends most of
his time in our back yard. Adopting another cat isn't in the cards for us, though we do feed him regularly. He was skin and bones when he first came around, but now looks healthy, despite being very skiddish when we open the door to feed him. My question is how concerned should I be about the winter weather and this cat? We live in Northern California, where temps rarely dip below 30 degrees. We've taken a cat carrier and lined it with towels to give him a little shelter at night, though I've never seen him use it. Do feral cats need a hand in the winter? Should we provide any other facilities for him, a blanket to snuggle in, or an actual cat house of some sort? -Fleemo |
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Feral Cats in the Winter
The ideal is a cat house or a dog house. You can place straw inside and and
face the door away from the wind. You are wonderful to help him. Gail wrote in message ps.com... Besides our two "indoor" cats, we have a feral cat who spends most of his time in our back yard. Adopting another cat isn't in the cards for us, though we do feed him regularly. He was skin and bones when he first came around, but now looks healthy, despite being very skiddish when we open the door to feed him. My question is how concerned should I be about the winter weather and this cat? We live in Northern California, where temps rarely dip below 30 degrees. We've taken a cat carrier and lined it with towels to give him a little shelter at night, though I've never seen him use it. Do feral cats need a hand in the winter? Should we provide any other facilities for him, a blanket to snuggle in, or an actual cat house of some sort? -Fleemo |
#3
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Feral Cats in the Winter
It is also very important to provide fresh water.
Gail "Gail" wrote in message ink.net... The ideal is a cat house or a dog house. You can place straw inside and and face the door away from the wind. You are wonderful to help him. Gail wrote in message ps.com... Besides our two "indoor" cats, we have a feral cat who spends most of his time in our back yard. Adopting another cat isn't in the cards for us, though we do feed him regularly. He was skin and bones when he first came around, but now looks healthy, despite being very skiddish when we open the door to feed him. My question is how concerned should I be about the winter weather and this cat? We live in Northern California, where temps rarely dip below 30 degrees. We've taken a cat carrier and lined it with towels to give him a little shelter at night, though I've never seen him use it. Do feral cats need a hand in the winter? Should we provide any other facilities for him, a blanket to snuggle in, or an actual cat house of some sort? -Fleemo |
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Feral Cats in the Winter
If you can provide him with a shelter to get in out of the wind and rain he
should be ok. Please also consider getting this boy neutered. You can trap him with a live trap (these can usually be borrowed from a shelter or rescue group for this purpose) and check around for a vet who is ok dealing with ferals. You can go online and search for low cost spay/neuter to find any voucher programs in your area. Once you get his weight up he will be healthy enough to be out there reproducing. He'll stay much healthier if he doesn't engage in that behavior and the cat fights that come with it. W wrote in message ps.com... Besides our two "indoor" cats, we have a feral cat who spends most of his time in our back yard. Adopting another cat isn't in the cards for us, though we do feed him regularly. He was skin and bones when he first came around, but now looks healthy, despite being very skiddish when we open the door to feed him. My question is how concerned should I be about the winter weather and this cat? We live in Northern California, where temps rarely dip below 30 degrees. We've taken a cat carrier and lined it with towels to give him a little shelter at night, though I've never seen him use it. Do feral cats need a hand in the winter? Should we provide any other facilities for him, a blanket to snuggle in, or an actual cat house of some sort? -Fleemo |
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Feral Cats in the Winter
wrote in message
ps.com... Besides our two "indoor" cats, we have a feral cat who spends most of his time in our back yard. Adopting another cat isn't in the cards for us, though we do feed him regularly. He was skin and bones when he first came around, but now looks healthy, despite being very skiddish when we open the door to feed him. My question is how concerned should I be about the winter weather and this cat? We live in Northern California, where temps rarely dip below 30 degrees. We've taken a cat carrier and lined it with towels to give him a little shelter at night, though I've never seen him use it. Do feral cats need a hand in the winter? Should we provide any other facilities for him, a blanket to snuggle in, or an actual cat house of some sort? -Fleemo Straw or some similar natural material is best for thermal isolation, that's why people place it in barns for animals. Avoid fabrics, cause they tend to soak the moisture from the air in, and become stiff and cold when temps fall, providing little heat and comfort. Temps you mention are not very low, and cats who are always outdoors adapt to colder weather rather easily (some wild varieties even live in places like Siberia or South pole). Still, for domestics, temps below -10°C are serious. |
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Feral Cats in the Winter
Besides our two "indoor" cats, we have a feral cat who spends most of his time in our back yard. Adopting another cat isn't in the cards for us, though we do feed him regularly. He was skin and bones when he first came around, but now looks healthy, despite being very skiddish when we open the door to feed him. My question is how concerned should I be about the winter weather and this cat? We live in Northern California, where temps rarely dip below 30 degrees. We've taken a cat carrier and lined it with towels to give him a little shelter at night, though I've never seen him use it. Do feral cats need a hand in the winter? Should we provide any other facilities for him, a blanket to snuggle in, or an actual cat house of some sort? -Fleemo I feed strays in Michigan and if they are young and friendly enough or really old where you can tell they may not make it through a harsh winter I will take them to a shelter and hope they find a home or I will try to rehome them if I can get them. The older ones that are used to life on the streets or are truly feral I try to provide a place where they can get out of the weather and make sure they have plenty of dry food available at all the time plus a can or two of moist cat food a day. The moist usually freezes during winter months unless they are there to eat when I put it out. I try to give them the kind in gravy or with a lot of liquid on it so they get their moisture because some winter days water freezes within minutes of being put out. |
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Feral Cats in the Winter
kraut wrote: Besides our two "indoor" cats, we have a feral cat who spends most of his time in our back yard. Adopting another cat isn't in the cards for us, though we do feed him regularly. He was skin and bones when he first came around, but now looks healthy, despite being very skiddish when we open the door to feed him. My question is how concerned should I be about the winter weather and this cat? We live in Northern California, where temps rarely dip below 30 degrees. We've taken a cat carrier and lined it with towels to give him a little shelter at night, though I've never seen him use it. Do feral cats need a hand in the winter? Should we provide any other facilities for him, a blanket to snuggle in, or an actual cat house of some sort? -Fleemo I feed ferals in Pennsylvania. I made house out of one of those large rubbermaid storage boxes. I cut a hole in the side and lined it with carpet scraps. I have never seen them use it but there is a lot of cat hair inside so I know they do.. |
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Feral Cats in the Winter
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#9
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Feral Cats in the Winter
Hey, thanks to everyone for their input.
Yes indeed, we do offer him fresh water along with the food, though he seems to prefer drinking out of the bird bath. He's a completely black cat, and it's so cute to see him stand on his back legs to get a drink out of the bird bath, his pink tongue dotting in and out of view as if he's sending morse code or something. Happy new year! -Fleemo |
#10
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Feral Cats in the Winter
wrote in message oups.com... ....it's so cute to see him stand on his back legs to get a drink out of the bird bath, his pink tongue dotting in and out of view as if he's sending morse code or something. -Fleemo I love that description. I'd never would have thought of it that way. Thanks for posting it. Annie, who lives with a spoiled black cat |
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