Feral in from the cold.

[Bargebill19]

Fat Sam has decided that tonight is the night that the cold is too much.
This old man has been ruling the local area for at least 6 years. He’s fathered numerous kittens with Mrs cat (who refuse to come in from the cold, but does have a katden).
They both have meals together under our garden bench.
In November he accepted a cat bed by our back door and this week the addition of a hot water bottle.
So far my five have just looked at home and rolled over and gone back to sleep.
Fingers crossed for a peaceful night. I wonder what my chances are at getting him to vet the his week are.

Loving all the cat photos.

Oh bless you. You are lovely caring people and I'm so glad that Sam has been persuaded to come inside. Its so cold out at the moment. Hope your trip to the vet with him this week goes OK.

I will update with vet progress as and when.
We’ve discussed the likelihood of vets happening this week - our roads are atrocious, snow/ice/no gritters, even with a 4x4. So this may become weather dependent, as it’s not an emergency/necessary journey.
Sam has been out for his ablutions - litter trays produced a wtf? look and has now settled back down in front of the fire for the night.

Sounds like he's very much enjoying an easier life indoors!

Ours has gone off to the vet this morning. We had shut him in last night, but he somehow managed to escape out of a locked cat flap overnight. Luckily he came back this morning for food. Poor boy was terrified when we caught him and put him in the cat carrier, but at least it is done now. Luckily his reaction to fear seems to be to freeze, so it was surprisingly easy to get hold of him, after a bit of minor furniture removal, to get to him in his hiding place under the sofa.

Oh bargebill19, you are such a cat whisperer! Hope Sam has just decided to enjoy being comfortable, rather than being ill. Ollie loves his creature comforts now so perhaps Sam can be tempted too?

Can't help imagining the not-so-much-kittens-any-more posting on AIBU about their disreputable dad turning up and asking if they should try to build a relationship with him. I know that is not strictly true - I remember when Mrs Cat arrived at your Feline Maternity Clinic, you posted about how Mrs Cat and Sam were actually good cat parents so perhaps the children will do a 'share this happy moment of being reunited' post instead.

Today he has discovered indoor plumbing ... one of children is not impressed by this turn of events. The other two are quite relaxed with a hint of curiosity about this big interloper.
He has just sat on the floor whilst they played around him. My older two have decided it’s his turn to supervise the youngsters, and have resumed lazy catnapping in the sun.
I’m thoroughly enjoying a snow day from work.

@Shadysback

Please let us all know how it went. Nice to hear catching him wasn’t at all bad.
Sam will let me pick him up - so I’m hoping vets will be easy once the roads clear.

My friend has assorted cats including a feral tom. He is peaceable, doesn’t fight, doesn’t spray indoors and the others all accept him. He eats and sleeps indoors but nobody has ever been able to touch him. Friend has long ago given up any idea of getting him to the vet for neutering as he’s no problem

That’s lovely to hear!
We would like Sam neutered as I don’t want anymore kittens. Ours are all done, but we do seem to have nearby residents who don’t do their cats. (And I’m stupid enough to try and rescue them ALL)
I would like to think it would stop him wandering so far - he does wander a few square miles in the summer. For Sam it may all be a moot point, if we have to go down the palliative care route or he’s just deemed to old for the anaesthetic. We would far rather he had a good few months than a rapid exit.

Well Shady is all done. Cost us an absolute fortune, as one of his testicles was difficult to find, so it wasn't as straightforward as it should have been. How much do you bet that once we let him out he'll disappear, never to be seen again! At the moment he is hiding somewhere in the house. He was very insistently crying for food at 6am though!

Food + warmth and some painkillers - he’ll be a lap cat purring beast in no time!

Sam stayed in overnight using the in-house facilities. He popped out this morning whilst I was doing bins/coal/ash etc. As soon as I headed for the door - he was in whippet quick. Straight next to the fire and his food.
He’s learnt!

A hard winter usually makes up most cat's minds! Usually they're an older Tom who's had enough of the outdoor life.

We were adopted by a few strays like that over the years who were willing to trade in their balls for a life in a cosy home. Our other cats at the time accepted them and the new cats just slotted in. They didn't feel the need to be the alpha male any more.

Congratulations on your new house dcat!!

“Willing to trade in their balls for a life in a cosy home” 😂😂😂

I just love this post, its wonderful to hear he is warm and happy in his old age.
My feral girl is 20 this year and has long decided to swap the open road for the comfort of snuggling with me in my bed.

This is our little feral girl in from the cold. Little poppy hiding under the table. It has taken me a year and a half of building trust to get her to this point.

Such a good feeling.

Poppy

Poppy is gorgeous!

I hope Fat Sam is still ok.

He’s just wandered inside after a morning nap by the fire. Just as I’m about to head off to work!

Fat Sam is in palliative care. Not eating or drinking. He will be seeing our vets this afternoon. He’s currently sleeping in front of the fire. X

I'm sorry for you all. You've done a lovely thing by taking him in for his last few weeks.

Oh, I am sorry to hear about Fat Sam.

Poor Fat Sam.

Oh no. Poor fat Sam