Expert: Karen Craft - 4/12/2011

Question
We lost our cat about 6weeks ago, we presumed the worst as she was a very lazy and indoor cat, she barely went outside and everyone she met she was very friendly towards, shes 10years old and loved attention and never scratched or bit anyone of our acknowledgement. i was there when she ran away and i was tempting her back with food and stroking her, however she didn't recognize me. today, 6weeks on, my brother and dad saw her, she was very skinny, with knotted fur and my neighbor said they see her all the time killing birds in their garden and her stools are bloody. when my dad went to go see her, he tried picking her up and she attacked him, we want to know whether she'll ever come back, and is there anything we can try to do to help her? she looks very ill.

Answer
Hi Lorah,

I have one that is in a similar situation. This is what you need to do. Get a havahart trap. Here are good links that explain how to set the trap. These links are for feral cats. Yours is a semi feral cat now. You will be able to get her back to her old self. She is very frightened right now. You need to to get her back and take care of her.

http://www.feralcat.com/trapinst.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STZrgEJz_mI

When you trap her bring her into a room that can be closed off. Have a litter box set up and anything else she liked, (bed, toys). Release her in the room. Make sure there is food and water. Have a radio on playing soft quiet music. Back out of the room and leave her alone for the night. Next morning enter the room and keep a watch out for her trying to run for the door. Close the door behind you. Sit quietly and talk to her very gently. She may be hiding for the first ouple of times you visit. Bring a treat for her. Roasted chicken works great. If she won't come to you just toss it to her.

You need to regain her trust and confidence in you. This will take a bit. Or she may surprise you and regain her old self pretty fast. You have to remember that she was frightened and traumatized from being out there. You can use the treat to try to get her close to you. You need to toss the treat closer and closer to you each time you visit until you can drop it by you and she won't run. Then try petting her. She may or may not let you do this. It is a waiting game.

You can also try some Feliway Comfort Zone. It mimics a cat's happy pheromones and can relax her. If you are confident that she is back to her old self let her roam about the house. Be careful. She now has a taste of the outdoors and may try to get back outside. Take a sample of her stools to the vet. And when you are able followup with a visit with her to him. Hope this helped. Good luck and take care.

Ciao, Karen