feral cat in heating vent

My mother called (from out of town) this morning, frantic that the feral cat she brought in for the weekend because of frigid temperatures had gone down an open heating vent. She thinks she heard something at 3:30 in the morning that would confirm this. She's worried about him because he has a lame back leg and she's convinced he's not be able to get himself out.

I live 1/3 of the way across the country, so I can't go help. I told her to call the HVAC people for help. They should probably turn off the heat and build a fire (to keep the house warm).

Any other suggestions? The problem is that he's feral, only lets my mother close, and with other people around is more likely to retreat than let himself be found.

See if an HVAC person or someone from a local animal shelter or vet can help, someone experienced in rescuing. But definitely call and hvac person first, so they can find out where the cat is.

She can be right there with them...even if they have to cut a hole, which would scare the cat - at least she can be there right after, calling to him. With some nice food.

Hope someone else has some good ideas.

I know one of their construction folks came over to get into the duct sytem. (They're renovating, which explains the open duct). I called the emergency clinic here and they suggested a humane trap and some tuna fish, and the fire department if he can't get out on his own. Yikes. So we're all thinking along the same lines. Thanks so much for your quick reply. It 's a big help to know there are others out there to touch on who can think through something like this.

I told my parents that there's also the possibility that he's not in the duct at all, that he found some really obscure place to hide, because he couldn't go outside and he's not used to being inside. I left my cat at my best friend's house one year and she thought she lost my cat for a couple of days -- turned out Sophie had ripped a hole into their box spring and holed up in there all that time. I can understand that kind of behavior, given the circumstances. Of course, the vent could be one of those great places to hide.... :( I'm hoping the little guy will reappear on his own -- probably when everything calms down again. It sounds like they're being pretty loud and freaked out about this, which I'm sure isn't helping the situation. Still, they need to check the vents and I'm glad they're moving on that.

Thanks again -- I'll post the outcome when I know it.

Do that! Post the outcome...I hope kitty is ok...

Where are your parents?

The cat sounds to me like an abandoned cat who is going feral, rather than a born in the wild true feral. This makes things a little less frightening since it makes it more likely that the cat will come out at night when it's quiet and he's tempted by food. You are right in thinking that he could have tried the vent, got out and found another secure place. Please keep us posted since I know a lot of people on this forum are going to worry for the cat until we hear he is out and okay.

Lets Pray That That Little Cat Will Be Tempted Out By You,and Will Not Put Himself Into Any Danger.
My Heart Goes Out For Cats Who Once Had A Home,and Then Through No Fault Of Thier Own,are No Longer Wanted.
I Hope These Scum Are Dumped Into Cheap Nursing Homes,and Forgotten When Thier Time Comes And They Are Not Wanted Anymore.

Poor Kitty. I pray that he/she isn't in the heating vent and hiding somewhere else in the house. Has your Mom look in every possible place in the house that she could think of. Under, behind, and in things.

Bless your Mom for taking in the cat. You must thank her for us and I pray that the outcome will be a cause for celebration.

The little guy came out on his own for food that night. He wasn't in the vent, but in the subflooring. The construction guy came over to open/check the vents and then a handy neighbor cut holes in the wall and the pee pee smell and some shuffling around confirmed he was there. They left him alone and later he scampered by my mother on his way to the food bowl. :) He stayed in the house with them until late that evening, filled his tummy and was let outside. His leg had gotten better by this point, too. So, it sounds like things are back to normal.

I agree with you, Lizzie. I bet someone once owned him, but think he was very much on his own for years before my mother moved in and began to feed him. That was three years ago. Someone probably left him -- can you imagine, leaving a kitty to fend for himself, and with Chicago winters? He's only started coming into the house this winter, to eat and rest for a bit (and thaw) before heading on his way. This was the first time she kept him in, because of his leg and the weather turning bitter. It was probably good that he was spared the cold, but I just kept thinking the poor little guy just must have needed to get back to his 'normal.' He must have been really unnerved by being enclosed in a big house, few good hiding places, and people coming and going. Anyway, it seems they did get back to their normal feeding ritual before he went out again. So my parents are left with a couple of holes in the wall and a couple of tomcat pee marks (and stench, yes), but luckily they don't hold that against the little guy! All's well and I suspect he'll fall back into their pattern.

Thanks, everyone, for the ideas and support. It really helped me, being so far away from it all but still worrying and trying to find a way to help. I apologize for the delay in posting the outcome. I lost the site for awhile and was only able to get online and go digging for it again tonight.

Take care !

Good news! And what wonderful parents you have for not minding about the holes and the smell!

If they get back to the feeding ritual, who knows what might happen? When Oscar was wild, he was fed outdoors from spring til November, and really started taming down at that point.

Now he's a house baby and loves his cat tree and looking at the snow and cold OUTSIDE!

So your parents might have a wee friend yet.

Thanks so much for posting - I was wondering about the poor guy!

hugs
Catty1

Thank you for getting back to us with an update. I've been wondering and worrying about this cat. Please thank your parents from us for helping him out. Do you think they would consider taking him in to be neutered and given shots? If he's un-neutered, he's likely to end up with abscesses from fight wounds and can die from them.

I was too pooped to respond yesterday, but sure am glad the kitty is OK. I agree however that if he's neutered and vaccinated he will be more likely to stick around and not fight. I had one of my cats go into the ducts of the furnace several years back. Luckily it was Summer and I was vacuuming out the fur from the ductwork. I thought the wastebasket I put in the hole would block cats from going in there while I set up the vacuum....but nope. Nosy Chip went on a safari into the tunnels, and I had no clue till the next day! :eek: I was freaking out trying to locate his cries and finally we found him down in the basement and were able to rip out an area and get him out. He was sooty, but fine after his adventure. :rolleyes: Hopefully your mom will be willing to keep feeding him, but also look into getting him fixed if he isn't already.

Neutering and vetting him is what everyone wants to do, and that's probably what will happen eventually. At one point, she was going to use a humane trap to trap him and take him in, but that went by the wayside or got postponed for I don't know what reason. She's only barely gotten close to him recently. And yes, he's been back, in fact she just called now to say he's inside again. But they've determined he can't stay overnight anymore, (she kept him in again last night) because he's started systematically marking things. Anyway, it might not happen immediately, but I think the vetting and neutering will happen.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wielki

Neutering and vetting him is what everyone wants to do, and that's probably what will happen eventually. At one point, she was going to use a humane trap to trap him and take him in, but that went by the wayside or got postponed for I don't know what reason. She's only barely gotten close to him recently. And yes, he's been back, in fact she just called now to say he's inside again. But they've determined he can't stay overnight anymore, (she kept him in again last night) because he's started systematically marking things. Anyway, it might not happen immediately, but I think the vetting and neutering will happen.

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The quicker he gets vetted and neutered, the less a of chance for him
to get into the habit of marking in the house.

I sense from Wielki's posts that the cat is a little too wild yet to be caught and taken to the vets. Maybe a live trap?

And vets have a pheromone spray that will calm him down at the clinic...but maybe Wielki's mom wants him to get a bit more used to them?

Or can a feral be successfully neutered and still leave all the skin on the handler's arms? :)

I'm sure he would tame down sooner if neutered...but wonder if he's tame enough yet...

Yes, Catty1, I think you're right. Even the vet is advising not pushing the vetting and neutering yet. I found out what happened with the safe trap -- she kept catching the neighbor cat. :) And then she had to give the trap back to whoever she borrowed it from. With this guy, they worry about a number of things -- traumatizing him, catching him safely, safe recovery. Not to mention my parents' other cat, who has his own health issues and whom they don't want to endanger. (Too late!) I suspect the vets are at this point invested in his well-being, since my mother has consulted with them from the get-go on him, but they are probably more invested in my parents' cat's well-being. I understand that the vet surmises this guy is truly feral, contrary to what I thought. He's very skittish. As for endangering other kitties, there is only one neighborhood kitty that goes outdoors occasionally (yes, the one who ends up in the trap) and they don't fight. Maybe because it's a girl, or maybe because they have a lot of space and don't need to fight over territory. And she's spayed. So yeah, in theory and in time, everyone is for vetting and neutering. It's the right thing to do. I just don't know when they'll do it.

Oh, and my mom has the pheremone spray, and it probably helps, but I wouldn't expect it to have a huge effect on him. I use it on my cats, and it seems to have an effect at home, but it doesn't seem to help a bunch if they have to go somewhere. But I'll remind her to bring it out, good idea. Hey, and it's actually supposed to help with marking, too!