Semi-feral cat adoption?

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An acquaintance of mine has been looking for homes for 3 male semi-feral young cats that were born to a feral mum on her property. All 3 have been trapped, vaccinated and neutered, but have never lived indoors and are somewhat shy of people.

A business next-door-but-one to me has recently knocked down an outbuilding, causing a load of rats to decamp into my garden. I'm less than thrilled. So my landlord has agreed that I could allow a semi-feral cat to live in my shed (it's pretty big) to deter pests.

I love cats, but I've only ever had them as indoor/outdoor pets and haven't ever considered how to support an outdoor cat.

How do you take care of grooming, flea treatment & worming?
What kind of bed do they need to keep them warm?

Ok, grooming is pretty much impossible unless they become friendly enough to pick up. This is very difficult with even semi-feral cats unless you can invest enough time to let the. Really trust you. If you can manage to get them coming to you pretty reliably for food, worming is fairly easy as you can "starve" them for a day and then feed separate food in separate bowls per cat laced with worming solution. Once they are a bit friendlier then defleaing can be done with spot on as long as you can get close enough (usually before feeding time ) . This is what my local cat rescue recommended and worked with the feral cat who adopted us. He never became a lap cat but seemed quite happy living in the outbuildings which were warm and dry and having a reliable supper every night .

I've been looking at Mr Snugs Kennels and "self heating fleeces", which have pretty good reviews, so bedding and shelter doesn't seem too much of an issue. (we have a large shed outside, but I'd want to make sure the cat has somewhere extra cozy within it to keep him happy).

One of the cats up for rehoming has long hair. I wonder how you can keep it from getting matted?

Yes we had a fleecy bed inside an insulated box in the shed which the feral cat loved. Luckily he was short haired so I'm not sure what you would do if it had very long hair. Depends on the cat really, maybe speak with the rescue? We have two domestic cats now, one with longish hair who is meticulous about herself and barely needs and grooming at all and one with quite short hair who often needs a quick trim and brush! Quite simply you can't tell just by looking at them unless they are particularly unkempt when you take them on!

the cats will be happier being outside if that is what they have always known,

the best bedding for a shed is straw in cardboard or insulated plastic boxes on their sides as blankets tend to get damp and straw is easily replaced,

as guinea pig said a regular supply of food and water will keep the semi feral coming back to you but only feed at a certain time of day and remove all food not eaten within a few minutes as leaving the food will encourage rats and mice, which is not what you want,

worm tablets can be crushed into their food, when cleaning the shed a good vet bought flea spray like indorex will keep fleas down in the enviroment so the cat will be less likely to get fleas, you need the catneuterer on here for more info as she deals with ferals and semi ferals for celia hammond im sure she can add a lot more than me

I think most of it has been covered OP. When we rehome ferals we normally start them off in a kitten pen for a couple of weeks, so that they get used to where they are living and are less likely to run off. You may be able to borrow one from a local rescue.

Are you planning to take two of them rather than just one? It would be much better as a feral cats often seem to like a bit of company, and of course they don't have their people for company as more domestic cats do.

As for grooming = I've got a number of long haired cats. I never groom any of them, ever, and they are all perfectly beautiful and not at all matted, so the chances are it wouldn't even be an issue.

Worming tables can be put in the food and you can use Program as a deflea-er, which is also a liquid that can be put in food. You won't be able to do yearly vaccinations - the stress to the cat (and you) of trapping and getting it done isn't worth the benefits. It would also be likely to make the cats more trap-shy, which will be a problem if you need to trap them in the future for any essential vet treatment.

Finally I've had and have many, many semi-feral cats myself. Most of them seem to end up more or less tame. All end up happy to live in the house, some tolerate touching but don't actively like it, and a fair few end up as soppy lap cats. If you want to get a semi-feral used to coming inside though you absolutely must have a cat flap.

However I'm sure the cats would be very happy with the shed and cosy shelter and food you have planned, so if you don't want to encourage them in it won't matter.

Good luck.

I'm smiling reading your post. Our stables took in an abandoned cat as a yard cat. That now lives inside in the lap of luxury and sees killing things as too much hard work
So we got another. Meant to be semi feral. Is part Siamese and likes to be carried around like a baby. If you refuse she sits on your shoulders. Kills nothing useful but is partial to a rabbit
Best advice is make sure it is fairly feral or you end up with a lazy lap cat

I won't object if I end up with a lazy lap cat! Mostly I'm hoping that if I have a cat around the place, it will serve as a deterrent to any rodents that think ours looks like a nice place to settle in. And I'm guessing it's harder for semi-ferals to find homes since most people who adopt a cat will want a pet.

The acquaintance who is looking for homes has 3 young semi ferals in her outbuildings that need homes. Two are short-haired and are inseperable, so they have to go together. The other is long haired and she thinks he's cuddly enough that he might want to move indoors. So either would be a good possibility.

Mr Cory, my tabby, was feral when he came to live with me. A rough street hoodlum with a penchant for TWOC-ing and getting fangy, five years on he has adjusted to having his own chaise longue and baldy two-leg who feeds him on demand, and is a superb lap cat. He is very purry.

Go for it! The cats sound lovely.

Yes - cats are real pragmatists. At the moment, outside may - in many parts of the country - be quite a decent place to be but as autumn comes along with its cold and rain, the attractions of the chaise longue beckon ever more enticingly.

I'd go for it and not be too surprised if you find, come the bad weather, that you've got a fast developing homeboy.

I got topical dewormer for a semi-feral cat that lives in our shed. I just put it on his neck while he's eating. It's called Droncit Spot On.