Worried about Riddick *UPDATE*

So hard to let a nice kitty go...

We have had some snow here, and I have two people interested in the little neighbourhood cat.

One person and her husband have a cat who is very ill..so won't take him right now. I have met her - and she is lovely - she says Riddick will be indoors only, and will help to keep the mice down. (I think these people own a dog boarding kennel; I hope the house is in ok shape!)

The second, my friend Donna who loves both cats and dogs and owns both. Since her one semi-feral gave birth to three kittens, and then got spayed, the semi-feral has decided being in the house is just perfect, and is not going back to the shed.

Donna lives on an acreage. The shed is a large shed, solid, and heated because Donna's roommate does his car rebuilds in there. There is an unneutered male in there. Donna thinks he is lonely since the mama cat left.

So Riddick would still get to be 'outdoors', but in the shed. Fed and warm. I don't know how the unneutered boy in there would take to him - though there are lots of hiding places and it's plenty big enough for a cat to have his own space.

Any feelings about this? I don't want Riddick outdoors and cold and scavenging meals from the neighbourhood again - with nowhere warm to sleep. :(

SO hard to let him go, even for his own good! :(

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...6/P9280036.jpg

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I prefer animals to be inside of a home. :)

If I were you - I'd check out the house with the boarding kennel. Do a home visit. Would Riddick be a house cat?

HEY - can't you keep him? I love Riddick!!

Oh, I'd take him in a heartbeat...my condo is just big enough for my two monsters as it is.

Oscar had to adjust to Cole, and they would both have to adjust to Riddick...and I might be pushing the limits of the condo bylaws.

All I need is an affordable duplex or bungalow or new mobile-on-its-own-land to materialize, then I would feel better about it...

Donna is very caring - maybe she could do a long-term foster for me. I will be moving at some point....

Relocating can be tricky. I would opt for indoor only, otherwise you need to read the steps at relocating a cat that will be outdoor only. I would opt to keep Riddick right where he is if it's going to be outdoors anyway. You can always provide a nice warm shelter for him.

Catty1,

Lisa is the expert on ferals here. She gave you good advice.

When I was leaving for CT, I opted to send Eli (semi-feral) to my friend's farm in the upper peninsula of MI, where he has a heated barn and plenty of places to hide. He LOVES it there! He spends most of his time in the hay loft with the chickens. It was the best decision I ever made, as Eli was not happy being indoors. Afterall, he was born feral outdoors with his mama Zam and brother Logan (Ramanth's 2 kitties) and survived there 3 months before I took him in. He just never adjusted well to being an indoor cat, even though he was neutered.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

Those pictures of him are STUNNING!! I trhink he sould go with Donna where he can still have freedom.

Thanks folks - my friend Donna emailed me...she said he would get cuddles, not as much as a house cat. The other cat there IS neutered. And he would stay inside. It IS a farm, though a small one.

The thing is, since he found his way back to this neighbourhood from the Humane Society after his escape(took him two weeks or so), I want him inside somewhere for at least a month so he doesn't try it again, and has time to bond with his new people.

He will be fed - the two of them don't subsist on hunting! And there are people in there twice a day...and hopefully he and the other cat will get along.

I WILL ask the other lady if he will be just a mouser, or have affection.

BELIEVE me, this cat DEMANDS attention! My friend Irene came in one day and said, "I was just mugged by a cat!" :D

I am still thinking of fostering him in my bathroom, but that would be TOO small...

Lisa - I would gladly put up a shelter for him...but have to check with the Condo Board. They already quashed puttin bird food in a local feeder in the summer, but I don't know about my chances.
Sheesh- I wish I lived on the main floor again... :(

I would opt for indoor as well, if only for the fact that Riddick may have bonded at your place, and may try to make his way back there.
We just wish we could take Riddick into the Hotel.
Good luck to you, and Riddick.

My friend Donna is taking him.

He will be in a huge shed, with warm water pipes that run through it, cuddled and fed twice a day!

Even though he IS very affectionate, he isn't clingy...he has been on his own for a while. So this relative independence will be ok for him.

After a month or so, he will be let outside, and Donna will watch carefully to make sure he sticks around.

I hope after a solid month of care and bonding with her, he will think of that place as home!

There is a great flower garden there, and grass and fields...I hope he decides it IS home.

I'll keep you posted. Thanks so much for your support.... :cool:

I'm glad that Riddick will have a nice, warm place for the winter! I hope things work out for him with your friend!

Kim

[QUOTE]the two of them don't subsist on hunting[/QUOTE

Catty1,

Would you mind coming to CT and telling the idiotic dentist next door that???

I'm glad he's going to a good home. Ya never know, he may surprize you and decide he LIKES it indoors.

How about we rehome the dentist? :D