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Cats/lonely 18 year old feral
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Hi Jessica,
 on the right'))
We've had 2 ferals (both trapped and neutered) as part of our family for many years now. Simba is ~18yrs old -- showed up at age 8 and has been with us for 10 years now. Ricky showed up 5 years ago at about 5 years of age. We've fed them daily, have built them "condos" for shelter, and they never leave or wander. We live in San Francisco, so the weather is pretty temperate year around.
Simba is feral through and through. Even after 10 years of us providing food and shelter, he still does not allow us to go near him. He does not leave our yard - - - eats, sleeps, lounges and plays nowhere else, but he will not let us approach him. When Ricky showed up 5 years ago, they became instant and inseparable friends. Ricky was domesticated easily and split his time inside with us, and outside with Simba.
After a year of subQ fluids due to kidney disease, Ricky passed away last month. Simba has since appeared lonely and depressed. Since he is not domesticated or socialized at all, our company does not comfort him at all. His appetite is still good, he plays with toys and is still grooming himself, but he also often sits and seems to search the yard for Ricky.
We have been hoping he'd bring home a new friend himself one day, but so far this has not happened. Are we foolish to be considering getting him a replacement companion? The last thing we want to do is introduce another cat that would challenge his domain, threaten him, or force him to leave, but he seems very depressed.
I know cats live healthier lives indoors and would love to bring Simba in, but after 18 years as a feral, he doesn't seem to want to change. Any new cat we'd get for him would also have to be an outdoor cat as well. We have an indoor cat who does not do well with other animals, so letting her out as company is not an option either.
Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for all the compassion and time you are so generous with.
Marcia
Hi Marcia. What a handsome pair! I feel for Simba. Losing Ricky after all this time must be very hard on him. However, considering all the details of your situation, I feel that the best choice would probably be to allow Simba to reign the yard alone for the rest of his days, unless another feral wanders into your life and chooses to take up residence in your yard.
The main reason for this opinion is that it’s very difficult to make a cat stay put. They generally have a very specific home base, but most of them wander away from this, returning home daily. In order to consider his new home “home”, cats really need to stay at a location for a couple of months. Unfortunately, cats who are moved to a location and immediately placed outside almost always wander off, never to be seen again (I have never had a successful outdoor relocation). I am guessing that because your indoor kitty is so opposed to other animals, this new cat would have to go outdoors immediately.
If you feel strongly that you need a companion for Simba, I would encourage you to see if there’s a feral rescue organization in your area. Sometimes ferals need to be relocated because they’re going to be exterminated from the area where they are, and taking one of these cats would be ideal for your situation. Although I’ve only had success relocating cats to enclosed spaces such as barns, garages or outdoor cages for a while, if there is any possibility you could keep the cat enclosed for any period of time, it may work. And you will have saved a kitty’s life!
Best of luck!
Jessica
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Hi Jessica, Thank you so very much for your time, advice and care. Not only was your reply quick and timely, it was obvious from your response that you read our question carefully and put thought and time into your reply. I have a vet appt. for our indoor girl at the San Francisco SPCA hospital, and will inquire while I'm there about any ferals that may need relocating. I am very grateful for your words of advice. Thank you for what you do, Marcia | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Jessica
Expertise
The areas in which I have gained the most experience are cat health and feral cat management/rescue. I provide supportive care to chronically ill cats, hospice care to terminally ill cats and also am involved in trap-neuter-return efforts. My specialities lie in taming feral cats and in the allopathic treatment of cats with illnesses or special needs. I also have owned Siamese, Himalayans, Abyssinians, Russian Blues, Savannahs, Bengals, Peterbalds, Don Sphynx and Oriental Shorthairs and am well-versed in cat breeds as well as cat behavior and nutrition.
Experience
I have 15 years of extensive experience with cats ranging from breeding to medical care. My daily routine consists of caring for cats with diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney failure, feline leukemia, feline AIDS as well as feral cats. I have experience with liver patients, heart patients, feline infectious peritonitis, cancer, recovery from amputation and trauma, congenital deformities and most every disease in between. I have assisted cats giving birth and hand-nursed kittens who were neglected by their mother from 2 days old through weaning.
Education/Credentials
15 years' hands-on experience
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