Taming a feral cat

aonb

So, Ive been feeding a feral cat since June.

How something so skeletal could still be alive was incredible to me, but feeding x3/day shes finally put on enough condition, and on Wednesday I brought her to be neutered.

Had to use a trap - she will happily come right beside me to eat, but the moment I try to stroke/touch her, she runs away. The vet nurses said she was really terrified (obviously). She was pregnant :eek:, broken teeth, cat bites, an ear infection, and an lump on her face which had to be removed - quite large. The vet thinks min 2 years old and said has had a hard time... Has been given a long lasting antibiotic, but as shes so feral I cant tend the face wound, so shes being kept in a workshop for 5 days to give her a chance to heal

Shes been hoovering up the 3 feeds/day. Using the litter box (bless her!) but as soon as I open the door she hides behind equipment. Obviously still terrified. My question is this - you cat experts (Ive got my first cat 2 years ago, a rescue feral kitten, but never had a cat before) - have I any hope of taming this little scrap? At her age, and given that after 2.5 months of still running if I try to touch I dont hold out much hope? Im just hoping when I let her out on Sunday that she will at the very least stay around - for food if nothing else. Any ideas/suggestions would be great. Poor little scrap, cant bear to think of her taking off and having a hard time again

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Nody

One of the things to do is simply sit there next to her in the room for her to get used to you not being dangerous; sit on the floor (standing you're HUUUUGE) and read a book and ignore her completely. Secondly when she's outside look at starting to play a bit with her; an excellent toy is something like a da bird because as she plays she'll get close to you but not notice and get used to being around you even outside of eating. Finally what you can do is to move the food bowl closer to you ever day until you're next to the food bowl and let her eat from there for a while. A few weeks of that and you simply leave your hand next to the food bowl as she goes to eat and don't rub her but have it close and work from there to rubbing her between her ears (full body rubs can set them off as being to much).

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kathleen37

Yes, it will happen eventually.

Our latest addition is a feral who was about 5 months old and pregnant. I had to trap her, but since the op - managed to keep her in for a week, during which time she sort of moved in, even though no one could get near her.

That must have been about 6 months ago, and she is actually quite friendly now, and sleeps in my room (with a 20-plus girl who she curls up to at night in her bed)

Having said that - you absolutely cannot touch her if you are standing. She is still really scared of standing up people. If you're sitting down, or outside and she jumps up on the bench- then no worries, but even now - as I let her out of the room in the morning and walk past her to open the back door - she is still obviously scared of me.

We have two ferals outside that we feed twice a day - they jump up onto a window sill and we put the food out for them. Mum cat must be about 13 and the other is about 12. Still cannot touch Mum, at all - but can stroke the other.

Cats, huh?

J Mysterio

We fed a feral cat who eventually left a litter under that oil tank and then just moved on.

There was a black and white cat, a tiger cat, and a white and grey cat. Eventually the black and white cat pushed the others out and they were not to be seen again. I didnt like the black cat anymore.

Bunnyslippers

All my cats are reject ferals, the first one I trapped and neutered, he was about a year old, the cats protection league said they can't be tamed once past the 8-12 week old point and they said they'd put him down for me, so I was determined to prove her wrong!:D I shut the cat in the bathroom - smallest room with no chance of escape and if wall of death was performed - i.e.. running around the walls at head height!:rolleyes: there was little to break!! I spent everyday several times a day with the cat, he'd sit just behind our bath where I could touch him and it was the place he felt the safest. I stroked and talked to him and after 6 weeks of bugging the little fellow he started to purr, he was fine after that although didnt like being picked up and would sit next to you but never on you, although 8yrs later he did decide to sit on my lap and he never looked back! I still have him and he's 20 now!:D
The oldest cat I tamed was around 8yrs old judging by the state of his teeth - he had to have a major dental, he was a stubborn old fellow and quite ferocious, he took me 6 months, I almost gave up but I let him outdoors as I was fed up with being bitten every time I tried to stroke him when he wasn't on my bed, and he ran for it, we didnt think he'd be back! Later that night there was a terrible bashing at the front door, it was him and he never budged off my bed after that, he died last year at the grand old age of about 22yrs old, we had him 16yrs!

So it is perfectly doable - I've done about 40 odd now and still have 16 of them! They just need time and patience and a bit of tlc, they are usually very grateful and make great pets!;)

Arthur Daley

General tip I saw on encouraging a cat to be receptive to stroking is to try and replicate the head of another cat. As cats greet each other by banging heads together.

Make a fist with one long finger pointing down and slowly introduce your fist in front of the cats face. Then allow them to walk into your fist like they are 'banging heads'

Not much use with such a feral cat I know, but in time you never know. As even feral cats should have instinctively greeted other cats/kittens this way at some stage.

Also may be all about connecting through scent. Maybe if they can be encouraged to sleep on one of your t shirts/jumpers. Then you wear it and the cat detects you as friendly because it recognises it's own scent. Generally people don't realise how sense of smell can be very dominant for cats.

PixelTrawler

Took me 18 months to stroke our feral. My guess is shes 5 now and is still a very shy cat years later. A friend gave me the advice to sit with food under your legs that she really likes. Sit with your knees raised. It forced her to make contact to get the food. Which she hated at first. Try tuna or goats cheese.

Shes an awkward cat to have still but on her good days she loves a good rub.

Also ferals arent like pets. Our one doesnt play with toys at all. If anything they seem to confuse her.

But good on ya for taking care of that cat.

aonb

Well today was day 5 of being kept inside after her face surgery and spaying.
Ive been feeding the head off her (3 or 4 times/day) - she looks fabulous
Yesterday and today, she came out from behind the equipment and ate her food in my presence (for the past 3 months Ive been feeding her outside, and she would eat right beside me and come when I called).
Ive let her out now and shes taken herself off.
Im just waiting now to see if she will come back :(
Shes on a long lasting antibiotic, I reckon since she was eating so well, and poo/peeing normally, that shes over the surgery (lump removed from her face) and spay so shes hopefully safe outside again.

Two more questions - Ive left the top window of the workshop open - how would I go about enticing her back in there now for the winter. She seemed to favour a deep turf type basket in which I had put some blankets, for sleeping

What would be good foods to feed a feral to keep condition on her for the winter? (currently feeding wet pouches, probiotic yogurt, boiled chicken, fish when I have it)

I have no advice, sorry. But I think what you're doing is brilliant and she is one very lucky little cat. She must be starting to feel so amazing for the first time in her life!

forgodssake

The poor cat ! . I second what's already been said . Tamed a right little wild thing a few years back myself . Takes time when they are scared . I spent ages just sitting a little away from her when she was eating , building up to her allowing me near enough so she could have a good sniff of me .Moved on to her letting me pet her on her chest into she eventually started climbing onto my lap . I didn't stroke her the first few times she was on my lap just let her pad around . Ended up a real little pet after a few weeks . Best of luck with her and fair play to you for looking after her x

aonb

Here is my little feral, massive appetite, seems fully recovered from surgery and spaying. I'm biased bit I think she's looking great

And the black and white beauty is the little foundling that converted me to cat slavery. She has been tolerating us for nearly two years now

aonb

aonb wrote: »

Here is my little feral, massive appetite, seems fully recovered from surgery and spaying. I'm biased bit I think she's looking great

And the black and white beauty is the little foundling that converted me to cat slavery. She has been tolerating us for nearly two years now

Well I don't know what she started out looking like but she looks great in that pic.

Your black and white cat is absolutely gorgeous. Like a fluffier version of my Axel.

RockDesk

Feral's have it built into them to be mistrusting of people. Mine is part feral. At the start I couldn't go near her but now she sleeps on my bed beside me. I'm allowed pet her when she wants to be petted!

It'll take a while but what I did was just sit in the room with mine but didn't interact with her. I sat with my book or tablet and ignored her. She decided after a week that she was just too nosy and came over to me to see what I was all about!

Once she decides to come out and wander around while you're there, have a bit of chicken ready to give her! Let her come to you though. It will happen!!