Beloved pet turned hobo: what to do? (sorry, long)

[Benang]

Our 3.5 year old neutered male cat, whom we've had since he was a kitten, seems to be on the road to ruin. He was always a wanderer but since the birth of my daughter (2 years ago now!), he's spent less and less time with us. Usually he'll come in for food once every few days, but sometimes he stays away much longer, even weeks at a time. I suspect other people feed him, but I doubt they manage to keep him confined, as we can't. He is an incredible yowler, does protest poos on the carpet to make his point, and can be aggressive.

In the past he's come back when he's in trouble, and he often is. He's been shot by pellet guns at least three times and had his nose broken (we have no idea how, but possibly by a person). Once he's home from the vet he rockets out the catflap again. This is despite much affection being showered on him...

Yesterday I managed to pick him up, after someone phoned me (from his tag). I hadn't seen him for weeks. He had two open wounds and is now at the vet. He'll obviously have to be confined until the wounds heal. My problem is that I have no way of doing this: we live in a tiny house and the only way to ventilate it in this heat is to open windows. He has been known to exit via the upstairs window... And then there's the yowling, pooing, etc.

In the short term, I guess I'm going to try and put him in a cattery until he heals up. But what to do with him in the long term? If I just get him patched up and then let him out againwhich is definitely what he wantsI'm very dubious about his chances of survival. But would it be possible to rehome him? I don't want to land someone with an impossible cat, and I also don't think he would be happy in an indoor-only home. He can be very affectionate and charming, but he just wants OUT all the time. He has had to deal with some upheaval--the baby, and now a temporary house move (literally around the corner, but he has been seriously unimpressed). So I don't know if it's just that he doesn't like us anymore, or that he's really opposed to living with anyone!

Any advice please?

[tribpot]

I don't think a cat will care that a move is only round the corner (in fact potentially more confusing because why does some of the territory look the same as before?)

It sounds like he'd be more suited to life as a farm cat, out in the countryside where he could come and go at will. It really doesn't sound like he wants to live with you, and frankly he sounds like a wayward teenager you're constantly having to bail out of juvenile detention.

Will a cattery take him whilst he's injured?

[Benang]

Yes, I think you're right about the move being confusing. I guess part of our reasoning was that we could keep feeding him at the old house if he didn't settle in the new one (it's being renovated, we're moving back in a few months).

I have a vague offer of a home for him in rural France, so maybe that would suit him. But the logistics is quite daunting. The weird thing is he is sociable with people and other cats... he likes busting in to other people's houses and sits on the laps eating their ham sandwiches. Apparently.

Also not sure that a cattery will take him, but otherwise the vet is going to bankrupt us.

[redrubyshoes]

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=convalescent+crate+for+cat&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1680&bih=869&tbm=isch&tbnid=A1og3wlR93XcoM:&imgrefurl=www.petcompany.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Car_Crates__Car_Harnesses_and_Car_Window_Vents_34.html&docid=WpWJ5X9lZ4nKnM&imgurl=www.petcompany.co.uk/acatalog/idpcarcrate.jpg&w=180&h=135&ei=LbjET7x_zqvxA6TficMK&zoom=1" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">I had one of these for my cat while she recovered from an illness - there is room for a bed, bowls and litter tray but long term it would be horrible for him

[issey6cats]

is there any way you could build an outdoor run for him with a roof on it so he could go outside but you know he would be in the run in your garden might calm down his wandering instincts some cats no matter how nice a home they have will be outdoor orientated

[Fluffycloudland77]

Sounds like a bit of a free spirit, I was thinking farm cat too. He could hunt all day and the farmer would be on hand if he was hurt.

[Benang]

Thanks everyone! I'm thinking more and more that he needs to be a farm cat. Any tips on how to find a nice rural home for him? Am guessing these are in high demand...

Short term maybe I will try some sort of pen or run. He will not be pleased. We're in temporary rented accommodation so can't build anything too elaborate.

[issey6cats]

the rescue i work at occasionally has to rehome feral cats and farm cat homes arent that available as most farms already have thier fair share of farm cats, maybe look at stables or someone with a smallholding who would be willing to provide him with shelter and food and allow him the free sprit life he seems to prefer

[Benang]

Yes, I suspected that farm homes would be few and far between. For now, I've managed to find a cattery to take him while his wounds heal. I've also discussed with the vet the possibility that he may have been, ah, incompletely neutered. The vet has noticed his incredible tomcat reek... Maybe this is behind his generally feral behaviour...

[issey6cats]

that is definitely a possibility as if when he was neutered even the tiniest bit of testicles left behind will still produce testosterone and will produce behaviour like a whole cat, have had a few in Haworth like this simple to rectify

[Benang]

I really hope this is the problem and that it can be sorted. Have just dropped him off at a cattery and feel awful about it!!

[out2lunch]

i've got one of these - he's not a ginger is he?
ours comes and goes as he likes - it seems to work quite well - we are semi rural so not much harm around
he has always been really fiesty even as a kitten

[TheresaMayHaveaBiscuit]

I've got one of these too - yes, he is ginger :) He's neutered and was a real home body until around a year old, then some kind of urge seemed to kick in and he started to wander. Luckily, he's never come to any harm, apart from gaining weight due to eating at three or four different houses. At this time of year though, especially when the weather is as warm as it has been, he spends most of his time hanging out in the woods - I think he fancies himself as some kind of feline Bear Grylls.