Sheltering a Feline Recluse

Question:

We have a beautiful, long-haired black cat hanging around our backyard. My husband feeds the birds but the kitty is hunting and killing them. We set out food for the kid (we call him Louie) so he/she wouldn’t slay the birdies. We can’t get within ten feet before he/she skitters off. With cold weather coming, we purchased a “kitty condo”. It’s insulated and has a large space. He just doesn’t want to get into it. I’ve moved his food bowl into the main entrance and he’s still apprehensive.

Dr. Nichol:

You’d think that Louie would be delighted with his 5 star cat house but he’s a rugged individual. It may be too gentrified. He’s overwhelmed by your generosity.

Cats, the feral variety in particular, are risk averse. They are predators but they’re also a prey species. Louie worries that you folks are eyeing him as a holiday meal, similar to his view of sparrows. He feels like a celebrity hounded by paparazzi; he needs privacy. Locate a simple wooden crate, 100% covered with anything natural-branches, rocks, whatever-far from your house. Position this feline getaway such that its opening is away from your view.

Louie will continue to worry that you’re leering at him, much as you might when visiting the zoo. He doesn’t want to be on display any more than an incarcerated cheetah. The kid needs choices. Much like the hide boxes that are essential for many indoor cats you can locate a few inconspicuous dens at different heights behind trees or bushes.

The feral cats I have known blame their parents. More than just the bohemian lifestyle of their upbringing, their epigenetics (the way their genes function) were influenced in the womb. It’s possible that Louie could become a snuggly lap cat but your chances of winning the lottery are much better. He/she was born to be wild.

Still, your kindness is not misplaced. Enjoy Louie from a distance. Pets are mighty good teachers. Your wellbeing has already had a step-up in basis. You’ll share kindness wherever you go.

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For help with behavior problems, you can sign-up for a Zoom Group Conference on my website, drjeffnichol.com.

Dr. Jeff Nichol is a residency-trained veterinary behaviorist. He provides consultations in-person and in groups by Zoom (drjeffnichol.com). Each week he shares a blog and a video to help bring out the best in pets and their people. Sign up at no charge at drjeffnichol.com. Email pet behavior or physical questions to or by US Post to 4000 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Albuq, NM 87109.