outside cat made to inside

Does anyone have advice on domesticating a nine year old cat? A friend of mine moved from the city of Chicago where she fed an outside cat of about nine years old to the suburbs. She was lucky enough to be able to trap the cat and move him too. She brought him to the vet, had him cleaned up, shots and such and now is keeping him in the house.

Since this cat has only lived on the streets she has him separated from her other cat.

It has been several months and the cat still won't come near her. Hides. He does eat and play with cat toys...just not in the presence of humans.

She doesn't want him outside in the suburbs because he doesn't know the area and she is scared he will get hurt/killed. She is scared he may try to get back "home". If that makes any sense.
She didn't leave him in Chicago because the new owners wouldn't tolerate feeding a stray cat and anyone familiar with Chicago knows it isn't a place for a stray.

I guess I am just wondering if anyone else experienced something similar and how did it work out?

I hope that Randi or John will chime in here, and tell you about Fister!

When I hear stories like this, I am reminded of children that want nothing but junk for dinner, and to stay up late every night..sometimes, you just have to do what is best for the child (cat), and go on with life.

Like here, the city is not the place for a cat. I think that as long as he is eating and playing, things are going along fine. Maybe she can find his favorite treat, and tempt him that way. Compared to the semi-feral cat I have (Minnie) living in my basement, the fact that this cat is playing seems like a huge success.

Good luck and keep us informed.:)

I cannot say I am an expert here, but TIME is your friend. 9 years is a long time to not trust humans. Food is your next best friend. Use the best stuff you can, the stuff he likes to eat the most, to keep him near you, even if that is 3 feet away at first. Stay low to the ground when approaching, I've even been know to lay on the floor belly up (the position of submission) in order for them to not fear me. It may be slow progress. I'll rack my brain for other ideas. keep us updated. Please.

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She brought him to the vet, had him cleaned up, shots and such

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Does that include neutering? An intact male will have MUCH more desire to be outside (and roam!) than one who is neutered.

Thanks for all your input.

He is neutered. I told her about this site and for a recent update (even for me) she said Decker has recently started making SMALL advances toward her husband (he will walk past him, role around on the ground in front of him, sit and stare at him), but she is still the bad guy.
Reason probably being (which I knew), she is the one who traps him and ends up taking him to the vet. Aug/September he required a series of blood tests, and long story short, they thought he had hepatitis. He doesn't. It was more than just the move and rebelling...the move was in March. After two vets (vet from chicago and new vet closer to home) they still don't know what was wrong with him. He is ok again...not vomiting or losing weight, but she is making him special meals which seem to be working (I don't think normal over the counter cat food).

I agree time is the only answer...if he does ever come around...she just has allot of love and he does have the perfect home with her.

The people's cat from next door was abandoned when they moved. The house was actioned off, but the cat stayed. The new owners said that I could take the cat. When I first moved here I used to hear a cat cring out, fairly loudly, but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Later, I found that he was crying out because he was hungry. Apparently, they never fed him regular cat food, but probably, table scraps. So, I have been feeding him 2 to 3 times a day. It is beginning to get cold here in Kansas, and he is an outdoor cat. I did manage to get him indoors (only to the service porch) to eat. But as soon as he is done, he wants back outside again. One day I even locked him in side to see if he would make himself at home. but no deal! I suspect that he is only an outdoor cat , and I will have to come up with an outside shelter for him, if he does not want to stay inside during winter. BTW I am calling him "Sunny cat". I believe that he was someone's pet because he is neutered. His color is a light tabby-tan with some white underneath.

.......wayne

Wayne- you are such a softie! Maybe you could make Sunny Cat an outdoor house, right next to your back door. Then, SC could make the transistion smoother. I can't believe SC would prefer to stay outside when it is soooo cold. Good luck.

It is so inhuman at what some people think is "acceptable" care for an animal. I am glad to hear that little cat has found you, Wayne.

I use to feed a couple of outside cats for many years. They would never let me bring them in or even get them to a vet... they would bring me their kittens to take care of and find homes for. I was the resident adoption agency.

Usually they would sleep in a barn behind my house...but during winter I would make them a little house and sure enough that is where they would stay in heavy snow falls...but when it would start thawing out or get warmer back to the barn they went.

Every now and then I would wake up to a dead mouse, a bird on the patio and it is my understanding they do this to show they love you... so I feel I was doing something right in their little lives.

Yes Wayne, build him a shelter but I'd keep trying to lure him indoors. He may just be skeptical but as it gets colder....well.... My Biddy was (supposedly) a stray in the neighborhood of a friend of mine, and he has surre become a couch potato. Loves the inside, probably wouldn't go out if I let him.