I have been feeding what I would consider more stray than feral cat for about 3 years ( I stopped feeding her for about 3 month, but started up again). She has been spayed, and is very friendly and even lets me brush her, which make me believe that she was abandoned early in her life but has not always been a stray.

Here is my dilemma. I am moving very soon and I hate to leave her but I am not sure what is best for her. She will not come in the house and sometimes will run if I try to come near her, but other times she is very affectionate. I have asks my vet (I have a small dog) and all they tell me is "bring her in" if I could do that I would have, but she is not going to allow me to catch her and put her in a kennel. So, do I leave the cat here or do I attempt to take her with me, and if so, HOW?!?!?

—Nikki

Dear Nikki,

From Tracie: "Nancy Peterson is the feral cat specialist at the Humane Society of Untied States (HSUS) who kindly gave all this information fro Nikki or anyone else in a similar situation:"

From Nancy: It's hard to know if this cat is a stray or a feral. Many ferals who get to know their caretakers will allow petting, but will panic if the caretaker attempts to pick them up. As you know, there are ways to trap feral cats. Nikki can read more about trapping at neighborhoodcats.org/info/index.htm. I would suggest that Nikki contact Dr. Erica Rambus of Divine Feline, a feral cat group in Denver. Her number is 303-777-1723. Dr. Rambus may be able to suggest resources for traps and trapping techniques or offer other advice.

Over time, weeks to years, some ferals become friendly and do well as pets. However, some spend their lives hiding when brought inside. It's obvious that Nikki cares for this cat, but it's hard to know what will happen if she traps her and attempts to augment her socialization.

There are different approaches to socialization, but all involve confining the cat initially so that she cannot run away when Nikki tries to work with her. Nikki can read more about a feral cat set up at neighborhoodcats.org/info/fostering.htm. In the case of this cat, it might be okay to simply have her in a bathroom, but it's imperative to be sure that any windows are secure. At no time should Nikki force herself on the cat.

One method of taming uses food as an incentive to get the cat to allow increasing amounts of physical touching and contact. Once the cat is comfortable being touched in the bathroom, Nikki can try wrapping her in a towel and briefly placing her on her lap and petting her. Nikki may not need the towel if she can lure the cat onto her lap and continue brushing her there. She can also hand feed her some delicious canned cat food from a spoon and continue to lure her onto her lap. It's important to go slowly and use the cat's comfort level as a guide. This process is demonstrated well in the video "Socializing Feral Kittens" produced by the Urban Cat League and available through them for $25. For more info and to order:

urbancatleague.org/VideoSocKittens.htm

Another socialization method focuses on play. Get a cat dancer or wand with a feather at the end and try playing with the cat. As the cat gets more and more involved in the game, Nikki can direct the toy in a way so that the cat runs over her feet or brushes against her. Since this cat already enjoys brushing, this may be a way to increase her comfort level. Another important part of the socialization process is to involve other people. Otherwise, the cat will socialize to Nikki, but may remain afraid and hide from strangers.
Here are resources that may help Nikki socialize the cat:

http://www.feralcatcaretakers.org... DomestKittens.html
http://www.feralcat.com/taming.html
http://www.alleycat.org/pdf/socializingferal.pdf

Feliway, also known as Comfort zone, is a product that may reduce the stress of transition. I recommend the spray version if the cat is confined to a bathroom. It gets sprayed in the environment twice daily. There's also a plug in version that diffuses the product. It lasts 4 weeks and covers 600 square feet.

It's unfortunate that Nikki didn't try these techniques earlier because the cat may have to adjust to her present home and then a move, but that's the situation. I'm not sure if Nikki is moving via car or airplane. In either circumstance, the cat will need to be confined in a very sturdy carrier. A certain number of cats are allowed in the passenger cabin, but reservations are necessary and Nikki will need to know the acceptable carrier measurements (which vary by the type of plane) for the airline so that the carrier fits under the seat. It's hard to know how the cat would react to being in a carrier, but most ferals remain quiet as long as the carrier is covered. Nikki can find out more about traveling with a pet at

Caring_for_pets_when_you_travel... by car, Caring_for_pets_when_you_travel... by air and
Caring_for_pets_when_you_travel... before_you_travel.html

It's not uncommon that a health certificate is needed for air travel and that means a trip to the veterinarian which could be challenging as well.

It sounds like Nikki lives in a house so if she leaves the cat behind, is there someone she trusts a few doors down who will continue to care for cat and does the cat already know this person? It's not unusual for stray cats to be fed by more than one person. Nikki may have to knock on some doors to inquire if anyone is feeding this cat. If no one is but would be willing to do so, they should start the transition right away. It's not impossible to gradually move the feeding station, but outdoor relocation of the cat is not advised.

As I said at the beginning, it's hard to know what will happen. Nikki needs to be committed to a possibly long process with no guarantees. On the other hand, if Nikki doesn't try, she may feel terrible.

If Nikki tells you if she is moving to another city, I will try to find a feral cat group she can contact there as well.

I hope this is helpful.

Nancy Peterson
Feral Cat Program Manager
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20037
301-258-3129 (p)
301-258-3081 (f)
http://www.humanesociety.org/feralcats

Tracie Hotchner