My Pet World: Help for dogs who swallow inanimate objects

By Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Feb 21, 2018

Dear Cathy,

I just read the story about Janice in New York feeding a feral cat. I have a wonderful, loving indoor calico who started out in the same situation seven years ago. Her ear was clipped, so someone in our neighborhood took the same care Janice did to get her neutered. I fed her, and she eventually warmed up over time, with the same actions Janice described, which I later realized was her attempt to connect. She batted the window with my indoor cats and over time became tamer. She slept in our detached garage on a heating pad in the cold weather and I put a heater in front of her food and water to keep it from freezing. This went on for three years; she eventually warmed up, letting me brush her and entice her inside the sliding door for short periods.

Finally, I took the plunge after a very high January electric bill and brought her inside that fall. She is in her fourth winter indoors and has become a very loving and friendly cat, sleeping on my bed. The other two have accepted her, although one is friendlier than the other.

Janice has more indoor cats, which might be a problem moving hers inside. Perhaps one will be her "buddy," and my story will give her hope that someday she will have the same success as I did. -- Cherry, Chicago, IL

Dear Cherry,

Thanks for sharing your story and giving Janice hope on what might be possible with her feral feline. It can be stressful to see a feral cat outside in the severe cold, and not know how to help. No one can expect a feral cat to enter the house with other felines without the cat learning to trust the human first which, as you describe, can take a lot of time.

While the number of cats inside a home can definitely impact how long this process might take, your letter shows what's possible with patience and perseverance.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)