So we have this damned neighborhood cat that's adopted us

[Orrex]

We've set it up with a nice little house on our porch, and we feed and water it daily. Honestly, it's the fattest stray I've ever seen, so no matter what privations it's enduring, it ain't starving.

I'm reluctant to bring him into the house for a number of reasons, among them that I'm concerned he'll scratch our sons, and I'm confident that he'll scratch our furniture. Also, I don't know what he might be carrying pest-wise, and I don't care to spend the money to find out. Additionally, he doesn't really get along with our housecat, who already has a tendency to boycott the litter box when he's nervous.

I really don't want to bring him into the house, but I also don't want him to freeze to death. I've thought of bringing him into our basement, because even though it's generally unfinished, it's a lot warmer than outside. However, I'm certain that he'll spend all of his time rattling our basement door.

So what do I do? Is there some happy medium between "let him in" and "freeze him solid?"

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Can you catch him and take him to a no-kill shelter?

If that doesn't work and you don't want to keep him in your basement, here are some ideas for outdorr cat shelters that will keep him warm: http://www.indyferal.org/index.php?page=shelters

[Orrex]

3. The closest thing to a no-kill shelter in my county is the box on our porch

But thanks for that link--I'll look into it. At a quick glance, I'd say we're already providing him shelter equivalent to what's recommended on that site, which makes me feel better about the whole thing.

[Kali]

2. heating pad?

you can get outdoor heavy duty heating pads from vet catalogs...or try a cheapo from the drucstore, upt a blanket over it.

If it is in good shape and good fur, it will likely be fine anyway, especially with regular feeding.

[Orrex]

4. I actually wondered about a heating pad. We have a basic drugstore model.

I should have stopped in the Tractor Supply Company when I was out there today--they might have something designed for exactly this situation.

[Demoiselle]

5. No on the basic drugstore model heating pad.

As the previous poster suggested, you can get well insulated electric heating pads meant for whelping puppies in unheated barns, and so forth, from vet supply catalogs.
They also have well protected (heavy wire wraps) power cords. We put one on the floor and one on the ceiling of a little cat house on our porch that is the domain of our resident feral.
Actually, it's likely that the feral, even if you managed to get him into the house, would be terrified of you and yours and not attack. But if you have a little shelter for him, he'll probably be just fine outside. Small space is better (he can heat it with his own body heat) and a kennel heating pad would just turn it into the Ritz.

[Frosty1]

10. Use a piece of styrofoam under it's bedding

It will make a big difference.

[Orrex]

11. As a matter of fact, his shelter is a big styrofoam cooler with a cut-out door

I know that there's a potential hazard if he consumes parts of it, but he's been using it for months, and we inspected it again today & found no damage to it.

We also have a blanket draped over the top of it, partially shielding the doorway from wind.

[femmocrat]

6. We had an outdoor cat who lived with us for 20 years.

We also built him a little house and put a lot of carpets and padding in it. (We live in PA.) He had another shelter next to the chimney, under some bushes, so it didn't even snow under there. We did feed him extra in the winter, too. We couldn't catch him to bring him indoors.

He did just fine and lived a long, happy life. Good luck. :hi:

[EvolveOrConvolve]

7. You're probably not the only family he's adopted

As evidenced by his size. All that fat goes a long way in keeping him warm.

Growing up, we always had outdoor cats (living in Utah and Montana), and as long as they had a place where they could stay dry they were alright.

[Orrex]

12. Possibly!

He sleeps on our porch each night, and everyone in the immediate vicinity identifies him as ours, but I know that in the past he's taken advantage of the generosity of at least two of our neighbors. I don't think they leave anything out for cats anymore, but who knows?

[Flaxbee]

34. keep him *dry* and *out of the wind*, and he should be fine

but you could always spruce up his winter living quarters with a vet supply (or as you mentioned, check out Tractor Supply for such needs) heating pad. The drugstore ones now automatically cut off after an hour or so and that wouldn't help him too much.

[Skittles]

30. there are indeed some savvy strays around

there's one that I feed - I've found out there's several people feeding him - he's quite fat and healthy looking and won't let any of us near him - he just demands food, then he's on his way :o

[applegrove]

8. I know of people who put a light bulb in a cat shelter to keep them warm in winter. Don't know how

well it works.

[Orrex]

14. He complains that it keeps him awake all night.

Just kidding. I've wondered about that, as a matter of fact. I also considered getting an iguana-warming rock. One problem is that we don't have an outlet outside, so we'd need to run it out under the door.

Maybe I'll just fire up the hibachi every night and let him snuggle down by the coals...

[Kali]

19. my sister uses one of those reptile rocks for her cat

she lives in Phx and I keep trying to explain that it is NOT cold there but...

[Roon]

36. We did that for a stray once,it worked

We couldn't keep her though, no pets...she just finally left one day :-(

[david13]

9. A lightbulb works quite well. And is used in a number of

applications. My cat sleeps under the desk lamp all the time. He loves the heat.
The bulge of the stomach is probably worms. They eat a lot, but it just feeds the worms, which causes a distension in the stomach area.
They are basically wild animals and can stand the cold. However, they do come looking for the easier softer way.
A light bulb in a box would be nice. A wooden box. Don't use halogen, they can start a fire. Be careful with any wiring. Be sure he doesn't try to chew the wiring.
There are a lot of happy medium possibilities there and the critter will probably appreciate all of it.
dc

[Orrex]

13. The bulge

It's not just distension, though. He's an orange puffball built very much like our cat who died in late 2008. Squishy in all the same places, etc. I suppose worms are a possibility, but that's just one more reason for me not to bring him into the house.

I've never had to deal with worms in a free-range animal. Is there something I can drop in his food to neutralize them?

[david13]

17. You would have to check for them, they would be visible, in

... well, he may bury the evidence. But you may see them.
I think the only real cure, and then only temporary when he is continually outside would be a shot. The clinics have them for a reasonable fee.
When they are outside they have fleas. And the fleas bring the worms.
I do not know what affect the cold would have on that situation at this time.
The food pills are totally ineffective.
I wouldn't recommend bringing him into the house, no. I don't think he will freeze, but I don't know how cold it is there.
He probably has a highest risk of a predator getting him.
So you are doing the best you can do for him.
dc

[Orrex]

18. I'm sorry to say that he was briefly allowed in the house today

And he made use of the facilities, leaving a deposit that I would have assumed to have originated with a Saint Bernard rather than an average-sized cat.

Happily, there was no "evidence" in his offering, for whatever that's worth.

We're in a developed area with few predators other than the rare dog that gets out of its yard. We raccoons and possums, however, but the cat seems to disappear when they come around.

Thanks for the tips!

[Kali]

20. there are different kinds of worms

and most are ingested orally, DO NOT start googling intestinal parasites if you are in the slightest bit squeamish (or tend to hypochondria)

to really know, the "sample" needs to be examined in a lab, microscopically and even then not all are detectable. If the coat is in good shape and the cat otherwise healthy and bright-eyed I wouldn't worry too much about worms. Fleas aren't much of a problem in winter either, you can dust the little house and bedding with DE if you think they are active.

[Orrex]

21. That's some great info!

He seems to be perfectly healthy and a total mooch--a typical cat IOW.

Maybe I'll give his little hut a dusting later in winter just in case.


Thanks!

[Kali]

23. a healthy mooch that you have let in the house

oh I know, it was only for a little while

face it, you will lose this struggle:rofl:

[david13]

27. If they have a bad case, you will see the evidence in a New York

minute. That means very fast. If they don't show, he may not have them. Or at least not a bad case.
My cat, when he was going outside (no longer) would still come back in to use his box. I guess he didn't like the idea of anyone seeing him outside.
Maybe this guy is used to a box, so he was waiting til he came across another box to use. ?
dc

[Orrex]

29. We suspect that he may have been someone's housecat

But he's been haunting us since April, so I guess we're his new meal ticket.

We've seen him avail himself of the neighbor's garden mulch on more than one occasion, so he's not too proud to squat outside. We figure he just wanted to leave a little love-note for our indoor cat.

[rebel with a cause]

32. You probably already know this but

some types of worms can be seen in the feces and look like grains of rice. Those are the ones I always checked for every time I suspected an animal of being infested and it was usually a good indicator. :shrug:

[TrogL]

15. My cats are outdoors in -40 - he'll be fine

Just say it over and over until you get it. "Cats have fur."

[Orrex]

16. That's what I've been thinking, but other forces in the house don't believe it...

[Robeson]

22. If it were me, he'd be a new member of my household...

...but I'm a sucker for kitties. That's why we have five.

[Orrex]

24. Here's my original post on the subject

My wife picked up a disgusting parasite--please advise!

[Kali]

25. it already is

it made it in the house "for a little while"

it's all over but the cat hair in the coffee now:rofl:

[Orrex]

26. I liked you better when you were on my side

:grr:

[Kali]

28. meet Freddy

Freddy, the barn cat. He is the orange one. That's him next to Mamakitty, the house cat. They aren't in the barn.








I feel your pain. Really I do.:rofl:

[david13]

31. Cats stick together, don't they. What's that expression, thick as

thieves.
dc

[rebel with a cause]

33. Happy cats.

Them being all cuddled together remind me of our two dogs, especially the second one. I always joke about them sleeping cheek to cheek. ;)

[Peregrine Took]

35. I once lured in an outside kitty inside by feeding her for a month or so.

Then I took her to the vet and got her spayed and defleaed.

I had her as a wonderful inside pet for 12 years and she had been an "outsider" until she was 5.