Taming Feral Cats
I divide feral cats into two groups; passive-response cats and active-response cats. Both groups are terrified of people. During kitten hood, they missed a critical window of socialization that removes their fear of people. As adult cats, they view humans with trepidation. The passive-response or scaredy-cats freeze when forced to interact with us. They avoid eye contact and flatten onto the ground. The active-response cats follow their fight or flight instincts. They will do anything to escape. I had a friend lock a feral cat in her tack room overnight. The next morning, the place looked like a war zone. The cat urinated and defecated all over. It knocked tack off the racks and left bloody paw prints on the door. If you corner a active-response cat, look out. They will fight to the death.
In my experience, it takes a miracle to tame an active-response cat. I am sad to say, there is little hope of success with these animals. The passive-response cats, on the other hand, can become loving pets. Here are my tips for working with passive-response cats. I cannot overstate the following: This process may take months and must unfold at the pace the cat chooses, not the one we hope for!
PHASE ONE
1) Confine the cat to a small room. This forces it to interact with you. Bathrooms work well because there are limited places to hide. They are also easy to clean.
2) Provide a hiding spot for the cat. A box or small carrier works well for this. Do not place your hands inside the carrier. Remember, this is the cat's "safe" spot. Respect this area.
3) Place a litter box, food and water in close proximity to the hiding spot. Keep food and water available at all times.
4) Allow the cat a few days to acclimate to the room before moving on to the next phase. Do not start phase two until the cat is eating well.
5) Choose one or two people to work with the cat. Do not allow other animals or people to enter the room.
PHASE TWO
1) Stop free-choice feeding the cat. Leave the empty bowl in the room.
2) A few times a day, offer the cat a small amount of food while you sit outside the carrier. Talk to them in soft, soothing tones. Wait five minutes before leaving. The goal is to teach the cat to associate humans with food. Food is good so therefore, humans are good. Place the bowl right in front of the safe area.
3) Eventually, the cat will stick their head out to eat in your presence. Do not try to touch them! Let them eat undisturbed. Do not move until they are done eating and back in the carrier.
4) When the cat sticks their head out before you put the food in place, start to move the bowl away from the carrier. Move it three inches at a time until the cat must completely leave the carrier to eat. Again, do not move or try to touch the cat. Move onto the next phase when the cat runs to the food bowl and waits for you to scoop up dinner.
PHASE THREE
1) Slowly, move your hand towards the cat while it is eating. If the cat is frightened, stop immediately. Over time the cat will let you get closer and closer.
2) Reach towards the rear end, not the face. Most cats enjoy a good scratch along their back, just in front of the tail.
3) When the cat purrs, slowly move to other areas of the body. Save the top of the head for last.
4) With time, the cat will jump into your lap for more attention.
PHASE FOUR
1) Introduce the cat to the rest of the house. Open the bathroom door, sit on the floor outside and let the cat explore at will. Always keep the door open so the cat may return to the safe area if frightened. Do not force the cat to leave the room. They will leave when they are ready. It took my cat Kalani a week of peering out the door before he decided to leave the room.
2) Once the cat is comfortable out of the room, introduce other family members. Always give the cat a means to escape. Do not let children chase the cat into its safe area.
PHASE FIVE
1) Continue acclimating the cat to novel events such as nail trimming, carrier rides and brushing their teeth.
2) Train them to come when called. When they arrive, reward them with a tasty treat.
In my experience, it takes a miracle to tame an active-response cat. I am sad to say, there is little hope of success with these animals. The passive-response cats, on the other hand, can become loving pets. Here are my tips for working with passive-response cats. I cannot overstate the following: This process may take months and must unfold at the pace the cat chooses, not the one we hope for!
PHASE ONE
1) Confine the cat to a small room. This forces it to interact with you. Bathrooms work well because there are limited places to hide. They are also easy to clean.
2) Provide a hiding spot for the cat. A box or small carrier works well for this. Do not place your hands inside the carrier. Remember, this is the cat's "safe" spot. Respect this area.
3) Place a litter box, food and water in close proximity to the hiding spot. Keep food and water available at all times.
4) Allow the cat a few days to acclimate to the room before moving on to the next phase. Do not start phase two until the cat is eating well.
5) Choose one or two people to work with the cat. Do not allow other animals or people to enter the room.
PHASE TWO
1) Stop free-choice feeding the cat. Leave the empty bowl in the room.
2) A few times a day, offer the cat a small amount of food while you sit outside the carrier. Talk to them in soft, soothing tones. Wait five minutes before leaving. The goal is to teach the cat to associate humans with food. Food is good so therefore, humans are good. Place the bowl right in front of the safe area.
3) Eventually, the cat will stick their head out to eat in your presence. Do not try to touch them! Let them eat undisturbed. Do not move until they are done eating and back in the carrier.
4) When the cat sticks their head out before you put the food in place, start to move the bowl away from the carrier. Move it three inches at a time until the cat must completely leave the carrier to eat. Again, do not move or try to touch the cat. Move onto the next phase when the cat runs to the food bowl and waits for you to scoop up dinner.
PHASE THREE
1) Slowly, move your hand towards the cat while it is eating. If the cat is frightened, stop immediately. Over time the cat will let you get closer and closer.
2) Reach towards the rear end, not the face. Most cats enjoy a good scratch along their back, just in front of the tail.
3) When the cat purrs, slowly move to other areas of the body. Save the top of the head for last.
4) With time, the cat will jump into your lap for more attention.
PHASE FOUR
1) Introduce the cat to the rest of the house. Open the bathroom door, sit on the floor outside and let the cat explore at will. Always keep the door open so the cat may return to the safe area if frightened. Do not force the cat to leave the room. They will leave when they are ready. It took my cat Kalani a week of peering out the door before he decided to leave the room.
2) Once the cat is comfortable out of the room, introduce other family members. Always give the cat a means to escape. Do not let children chase the cat into its safe area.
PHASE FIVE
1) Continue acclimating the cat to novel events such as nail trimming, carrier rides and brushing their teeth.
2) Train them to come when called. When they arrive, reward them with a tasty treat.
I've done cat/kitten rescue for well over 20 years. I once volunteered to take two 10wk old kittens trapped from a feral colony behind a restaurant in Atlanta.
I had the same experience as your friend. ..only in my master bathroom. I woke up the next a.m. to find the entire bathroom covered in feces and urine and two frightened kittens hiding in a drawer.
Put them in my finished basement. Woke up at 4 a.m.to the sound of a kitten mewing in through the vents. Found him hiding in the heating ductwork. It took three days and several cans of sardines to lure him out.
It was a nightmare. I finally took them to the local shelter where they put them in a condo in the hallway to "socialize them". That didn't work. They attacked everyone who reached in to clean their litter box, put food in, etc.
They were finally adopted by an elderly volunteer who took them to her farm where hopefully, they lived out their lives, spayed and neutered.
Active-response ferals are the same as any wild animal, in my opinion.
I also adopted an 8-month old passive-feral that my vet told me "would never be tame,so just put him back where you found him." Took him home. He hid in my spare bedroom for several days before gradually calming down and allowing me to pet him.
Drew turned out to be a great cat and lived with me for most of his 16yrs before dying of old age in Feb 2007.
He was a good boy, but always freaked out at the vet. Otherwise he was fine.
I have another one now who's 11. I find passive ferals will adopt one person, but have trouble accepting new people and they will always retain a remnant of their "wild ways," which can come out when they're stressed.
Great blog site, btw.
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I just trapped a feral female a few days ago. I had her spayed and vaccinated and she is now in my bathroom. She seems to be of the passive-responsive sort but somewhat different in that I have been feeding her in my kitchen for the past few months. She has already eaten out of my hand but she will not let me pet her. She came into my home this past Tuesday after surgery and we have kept her in a bathroom. I sit with her and feed her and keep her company when I can. My husband decided that we should let her roam around the house as she seems somewhat morose. So he let her out today. She went to hang out with him in his office but mainly stays in the bathroom, even though the door is open. Do you think we will be able to eventually pet her? Every time I try to touch her while she is eating she backs off..
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I agree with your diagnosis of passive-responsive for this cat. I am concerned that you are moving too fast with her though. Think of all she has been through in the last week . . . trapped, rushed off to a veterinary clinic filled with strange animals and people, surgery, vaccinations and finally back to your house. Even though a spay is considered 'routine', it still is a major surgery. She could be painful if she is not on any analgesics. Also, she could be dealing with wild hormone swings after having her ovaries removed. On top of that, I believe anesthesia makes animals more emotional. Pet owners tell me that their pets are more 'clingy' after surgery. In fact I believe it takes about a month for an animal to fully recover their normal personalities for every hour of anesthetic time.
Having said that, I am impressed that your cat left the safe bathroom to hang out with your husband. I would limit this activity to once a day. Her incision will swell and hurt if she gets too much exercise. I keep my patients quiet for two weeks after surgery then slowly increase their exercise. When she is out, keep the door open like you have been doing. You want her to know her 'safe' room is always available.
I would caution you about hand feeding feral animals. Since their vaccination status is unknown, I generally discourage this practice. Animals, like people carry many potentially harmful bacteria in their mouths. If you are bitten, seek medical attention immediately.
To answer your question, yes I predict you will eventually pet and even hold her in your arms. She has made remarkable progress in a short time. Be patient! Give her more time to heal and adjust before you try to pet her again. If you go slow, I believe she will become a loving companion to you and your husband.
Thank you for taking in a feral cat and please update me on her progress.
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Dear Dr. Nelson,
First I want to thank you for your quick response and also for having written the most helpful piece on this subject. I sifted through many articles during my extensive internet search. I have also ordered a book about Taming Ferals..will let you know about it.
I left out several details in my first post that might be relevant to this cat's story and behavior. We have been feeding it since June, when it showed up with a litter of kittens. We tried to trap them but she moved them and we were unable to. In August we discovered she was pregnant again and she gave birth the last week of September. I was certain we would capture the babies but she abandoned one, which died and the only remaining one lasted two weeks and then we never saw it again. I had planned to capture her and the baby but it was not to be. Throughout her pregnancy, we fed her in our kitchen and even after the birth. She has wandered around part of our house before. We even built a house for her in our backyard, where she had begun to sleep. She used to come when I called her. So she knows us fairly well. With those details in mind, do you still think we are moving too quickly?
Also, she has begun to meow at the windowsill. It sounds like a sad meow when she looks out at the yard that was once her home.
One more thing. Since we had her vaccinated are we still at risk for catching anything?
Thanks for your help.
I hope that your predictions come true.
Lynn
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Dear Lynn,
I would like to thank you and your husband for looking out for this poor cat. It sounds like she's been through a lot. I am glad she finally has a real home.
The answer to your first question is yes, I still think you are moving too fast with her. Remember, she's been through a lot. I felt the same way with Kalani. After weeks of sitting by his bowl, I wondered if I would ever touch him. It was agonizing. Then one day he rubbed his face on my leg and jumped into my lap. I believe the same thing will happen with this cat . . . if you are patient.
Please do not give in to her sad meows at the window. She is much better off inside your house. Last Sunday I diagnosed anti-freeze toxicity in a handsome cat. The poison destroyed his kidneys. Euthanasia was the only thing I could offer to ease his pain. I know she is upset now but I want to encourage you to hang tough. Keep her indoors. She will be much better off in the long run.
Unfortunately, the answer to your last question is yes. Cats may carry a number of zoonotic diseases such as ringworm, mange, cat scratch fever and gastrointestinal parasites. While the risk is relatively small, it is still something every cat owner should be aware of. In addition to vaccinations, I recommend a fecal examination and prophylactic de-worming for all previously outdoor cats. As long as your veterinarian did not notice any unusual skin lesions, I would be less concerned about mange or ringworm. In my experience, bite wounds are the worst zoonotic problem associated with cats. They carry a nasty gram negative bacteria in their mouths. Always seek medical attention if you are bitten by a cat.
Again, I want to thank you and your husband for taking in this cat. Please keep me posted on her progress!
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This is a very interesting article. I would classify from reading your article my cat, Wolfie, as active-response.
He was born in my mothers yard. When people would come by to adopt members of the litter, he would always run and hide, so no one could catch him to adopt him.
One day I went to visit my Mom, and she asked if I wanted to see the last kitten, Wolfie. When I went back to the compost pile, where the mother and Wolfie were, my Mom walked up and Wolfie ran away as usual.
I walked up and Wolfie whet right to his mother, then came right over to me. I picked him up, and his mother came over to me, sniffed me, sniffed Wolfie, sniffed me and left.
I took Wolfie home that day, knowing he was meant for me. He was about 5 months old. He is an amazing cat, loves me dearly and is a big cuddler. But he is terrified of anyone who comes to our house and will hide. And is a real handful at the vet's office, goes right into fight mode.
I know there is much wild still in him. But it is obvious that he feels safe with me, but unfortunately only me. He is 9 years old now, and still as active as the first day I brought him home.
Leslie (Johann's Mom)
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Congratulations, it sounds like you two are a match made in heaven! I am not sure I would classify him as an active-response cat based on his behavior at the animal clinic. Many otherwise well-behaved cats 'freak out' in the exam room. (Unfortunately, I have the scars to prove it.)
Thanks for sharing your wonderful story with me. I hope it encourages other people to bring a special animal like Wolfie into their lives.
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There is a feral cat colony at my boyfriend's work. Over the past year we have been trapping and fixing the cats. We just captured the last (we hope) and had her spayed. This cat is a tortie kitten, probably about 4 months old, one of a litter (couldn't get to mom in time). We had planned to release her like the others, but she started meowing (!) in the carrier the night after her surgery. She meows like crazy to my two adult cats, and shows little fear of us. Unfortunately, she spits and hisses at a hand held up to the crate (we got her into a huge dog crate). She has eaten quite a bit and used her litter box. We're wondering what our odds are of turning this kitten into a real pet, so we can re-home her. She meows and purrs when my cats walk by the crate, and again, isn't too scared of humans. (Sits at the door and meows.) Just seems really unhappy-- should we release her? It's only been 2 days, but we would want to put her back with her siblings within a reasonable amount of time if that's the best thing to do.
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I wish to thank you and your boyfriend for your work with the feral colony. The time and effort required to trap, neuter and release these animals is enormous. Congratulations on catching the last one!
I believe the little tortie has an excellent chance of becoming a pet. My husband and I rescued a kitten in a similar situation last summer. When I had him in the clinic for testing, vaccinations and neutering, one of the other veterinarians adopted him. She gave him about a month to adjust to her before adopting another male kitten. He watched the new kitten interact with humans and soon lost all fear of people. Now he begs for attention.
If the tortie's viral blood tests are clean (FELV, FIV, and FIP) I would recommend pairing her with a friendly female kitten that is a little younger. Keep both in a crate like you are doing with supervised play times in a larger room. In my experience, kittens below the age of 6 months calm down much quicker than adults. She should calm down in a few weeks although she will still have a tortie attitude. (I can say that because I live with a 16 year old tortie that I rescued right after birth.)
Remember to be patient and give this process the time it needs to unfold. Again, congratulations and thank you for your good work.
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Thank you for getting back to me about the tortie kitten. We were able to place her in a foster home, but for reasons not entirely clear it didn't work out. I think the foster just didn't know what she was in for. After some consideration, we decided to foster the kitten ourselves.
We blocked off under the bed with boards and put her in the bedroom-- with some smaller hiding places, of course. She now comes out to play, starts purring when we approach, and touches our fingertips with her paws. She let my boyfriend pet her, and likes to sleep on the bed and walk back and forth across us at night.
She's still pretty skittish and kind of reluctant to be in an open space with humans-- would rather be in a box or under something. When we get out a wand toy, though, she gets too excited about playing to be scared. We also bribe her with canned food. Basically, we are trying to get her to accept petting and humans approaching her. If she absolutely refuses to be a housecat, we have a place where she can live in a barn with heat (it's gotten too cold too fast to put her outside here). My hope is that we can place her in a good home with someone who thinks she's a great cat.
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I am thrilled with the progress you have made on the little tortie! She has come a long way in a short time. You have hit on a key element that I forgot to mention earlier. For cats and kittens with strong 'chase' instincts, play is a great tool. As you observed, they get so excited about playing that they forget to be scared. Keep up the great work. Her behavior tells me that someday, she will be a loving companion.
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Dear Dr. Nelson,
We still have the tortie kitten, now named Lila. She is quite the spoiled little princess. When I took her to the vet for an FIV/leukemia test, which was negative, I learned she is 9-12 months old. Lila didn't get the news that she was too old to tame and now expects treats, petting, and play time. She plays with/pesters my two cats. We are planning to post her on Craig's list, but economic times beings as they are we might have 3 permanent cats. This experience has been interesting in that I now believe tameness must have a genetic component. Lila's two sisters and brother live as ferals but are simply not very afraid of humans. I believe their mother is not a true feral but a hard stray, who began life as a pet-- she gets pretty close to us while eating. We wonder if Lila remembers being outside in the cold and enjoys being warm and dry now.
I was wondering if I could get some guidance before posting her on Craig's List. Lila apparently had a respiratory infection when she arrived, and both my cats got colds, which are largely over. Lila is no longer sneezing, but we can hear her sigh and it seems like she is congested. Is this a huge concern? I'm leaning toward taking her to the vet just before posting. She seems to drink a lot of water, but eats well, doesn't throw up, and has lots of energy. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Congratulations! I am so happy to hear that Miss Lila is a little princess. I recommend doing some blood work on her before trying to adopt her out. From your description, I think she had a respiratory virus that she spread to your other cats. Herpes or Calici are the most common. Some cats get over the virus much as we do with a cold or the flu. Others may become carriers and shed the virus whenever they are stressed. If her blood work is within normal limits, I would wait until the congestion has cleared before offering her for adoption. Let her new parents know she had an upper respiratory infection when you trapped her. Great work!
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We adopted two ferals. They came from my old house and the organization said they would not get adopted as only 1 out of the 3 turned. We took the first one home and after about three weeks he now roams freely, lets you pet him but is skittish by sudden moves or noises. We just spent time each day talking ot him then touching then playing, it was a slow but worthwhile process.
We brought his sister home last week, he came in her safe room and they seemed to know each other cooing and licking each other. we left door open figuring she was too scared to come out at first but his comfort and interaction with us would help her. She followed him out of the room and hid first in our laundry room in a corner by hot water heater, then under my bed, this morning she was in our den behind the couch. I can not tell if she has eaten or not. She let us pet her briefly the first day but now she just scoots away from you. If you try to pet her he stares at the floor or the wall. If you look at her and talk to her she will look at you most of the time.
Should we try to get her back to the small room or let her just explore on her terms with her brother in the dark of the night and quiet of the day when non one is home just talking to her?
I have a couple of food bowls he eats from and 1 set up in a safe haven type environment I tried to create in the laundry room for her. At the shelter she would let those she knew pet her but new people she ran from. She is about 7 months old. Her brother has done well in adjusting and likes to be petted and purrs, on his terms of course. The shelter agreed to take her and let her live her life there is we could not tame her or at least make her not fearful. She does not have to be tame we took her and her brother to offer them a little better life then a free roam shelter in hopes less commotion would help them feel more comfortable, we had no real expectations of lap cats, just somewhat tame and comfortable living among us humans.
Any suggestions or ideas?
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In my opinion, the little girl has not had enough time to establish a safe room. This is vital for all cats. They must know that when threats arise (real or perceived) there is a secure place to go. My recommendation is to place both cats in the safe room for one week. Her brother's presence will help her adjust more quickly to the new environment. This will also allow you to monitor her eating and voiding habits.
The strategy in placing her brother with her is twofold. First, his presence will bring her comfort. Second, you will utilize him to teach her that you are okay. Several times a day, I suggest you enter the safe room with a treat. High quality canned food should do the trick. Pick one that really smells. Place the bowl in an area where the female may observe from a hiding spot. Sit next to the bowl while the male eats. Afterwords, shower him with affection. Let him crawl all over you. The female will watch, perhaps for many days, before coming over to get her share. Be patient! Remember when she approaches to be gentle in your approach. Do not reach for her or speak loudly. Try to make it no big deal. During the week or more that they are confined, the male may come out for short periods if he is going stir-crazy.
When the female is comfortable eating treats in your presence, give the male longer breaks outside the safe room. While he is out exploring, try feeding her. She might be shy at first because a feral cat's trust is situational. At first, my feral cat Kalani would only allow me to pet him if I sat on the floor. He was afraid of me sitting in a chair or lying on a bed. Go slow. Each cat learns to trust on their own schedule, not ours. Once she enjoys your touch, it is time to let her explore the rest of the house.
Ultimately, I think this little girl will become a loving member of your family. Good luck and thanks for writing.
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Hi, three years ago I started feeding a small colony of cats that live in an electricity substation, with the help of a trap I managed to catch them all and have them desexed. All found homes bar three over the years, so last year I was able to bring one of the litter home (Spooky )(he was 2 then).He was very friendly although frightened and he lived in the spare room under the bed for the first three months, slowly but surely we gained his trust and he is a happy cat now who goes and comes as he pleases. About 8 weeks ago I managed to catch his brother and bring him home, I have him (Billy) in the aviary, which is quite comfortable but he is still in spit, hiss and bite mode after all this time. I must mention that he did let me pat him up at the station where I fed the cats each day. Now he is terrified. I have tried bringing his brother(Spooky) in but they don't recognise each other because of the 10 month gap since catching him, I have been trying to catch his mother (Ellie) the last of the colony, with no luck yet, to bring her home here also. I had hoped to settle them together as Billy has always taken his cues from his siblings or mother. What worries me is that he will never get past this phase and I will have a very upset cat that I cant release into the yard and I certainly don't want to keep him locked up forever. I guess I am looking for reasurance that I just need to be patient with him and any tips would be received gratefully.
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Feral cats and other animals develop what I call "situational" trust. They sometimes learn to trust people but only in specific situations. If an aspect of the situation changes, they no longer trust. The feral cat I adopted will let me pick him up and brush his teeth if he is in his safe room. He runs for his life if I try to pick him up in any other room. Billy allowed you to pet him at the substation because he felt the situation was safe. It will take him months to develop the same comfort level with you in the aviary (I trust the aviary is currently unoccupied by birds).
With that understanding of situational trust, I encourage you to keep working with this cat. In my experience, a feral cat that allows petting has an excellant chance of becoming a pet! With each new situation, the cat will take less and less time to develop trust. Please hang in there with Billy. Develop a routine for working with him and stick to it. Try to do things in the same order and position everyday. For example, fill the water bowl, clean his dish and feed him in the same order and from the same position. Don't move the feeding or water stations. The repetition will give him comfort and facilitate trust.
You are giving him a wonderful chance for a better life. He just doesn't fully understand that yet. I also want to thank you for your work at the substation. You have shown wonderful kindness for these cats and I hope you catch Ellie soon. When you do catch her, reintroduce Ellie and Billy slowly. In the new situation, they might not recognize each other right away. Give them time to smell each other first, before introducing them. As noted in my other posts on feral cats, the key is to go slowly and methodically with every step of the process.
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Hi Kris,
Just an update on Billy, slow progress but at last he will let me 'pat' him with a long piece of dry grass, I make sure that my hands don't go near his 'igloo' but I am happy that after nearly three months some small progress is happening.
I have had no luck yet catching his mother Ellie, what with Xmas etc I must say I haven't had time to try often. But I will start again in the next week.
My question to you is "should I bring Billy from the aviary to the spare room in the house. This room has floor to ceiling windows that look out onto the back yard where he will have a better chance of seeing the other cats and people without having to interact himself.
My concern is that if I change his situation again it will set him back. Should I wait a while? I am uncertain what to do for the best. The aviary is comfortable although it is summer here now and the weather can be hot, the aviary is well shaded and gets breezes from the creek it overlooks. The spare room is larger with the backyard outlook but probably not much cooler than the aviary anyway.It certainly doesnt get the nice breezes.
I would appreciate your opinion on what would be best for him. Thanks again for your help.
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Dear Karen,
I recommend keeping Billy in the aviary. You are making progress with him, progress that I fear will be lost if you move him again. Keep up the slow, methodical routine. I know how frustratingly slow this can be. It took me many months to touch my own feral cat. Then, it was a year of baby steps. Even now, almost two years after he joined our family, Kalani is still situational in his comfort level. He will nap on my chest in one room and then be quite skittish elsewhere.
So, we must love them as they allow. Keeping Billy in the aviary seems likely to be your best chance with him. Albeit, it may come in baby steps. Hang in there, you are doing something wonderful to make this world, and his life, better.
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Thankyou so much for your advice, I have been in two minds as to what would be best for him, which is what I want...the best. Poor little mite, don't we wish we could speak cat and just have a good long chat and explain outselves to them. Oh well...baby steps. Thanks again.
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Hi Dr Nelson,
Just an update on my cat adventures.
Well as it turned out we had two weeks nearly of 45C heat so I had to move Billy into the house. He spent two days on top of the curtain then settled in under the bed with a lovely floor length window and has been adjusting slowly, he is quite happy in his room and has been coming out at night wandering the house. He has been in contact with my other three cats, one of which is his brother and there has been no altercations so I feel he has been accepted as an elusive part of the family.
On St Patricks night, five months after catching Billy, I finally caught his mother Ellie and brought her home. She has had three days in the aviary to adjust to litter trays etc and we moved her in with Billy yesterday. We left her in the room in a large crate for and hour just to make sure the reaction to each other was not going to be unfriendly. And fortunately they seem to be adjusting to each other without any antagonism. This was my biggest worry about putting them together. Today Ellie has been sleeping in the igloo that Billy vacated some months ago. She lets me pat her still, so I think that she will settle quite well and perhaps help Billy along. He still hisses at me when he sees me but it has become a habit more than an expression of fear I feel. He has been quite happy playing with toys and his routine is quite settled. I feel that he is progressing if slowly and in time he may accept human contact again. He sits on the bed in the spare room at night watching my husband working on the computer in the opposite room, sometimes venturing in to sit with him, sometimes coming down into the hall when we watch TV and sitting there. I will have to curtail his night time wanderings for a few nights until I am sure Ellie accepts the room as her safe house. Then I am hoping the pair will be a comfort to each other and help the settling process.
I am so pleased to have these cats home at last. I started feeding and desexing this colony of cats 4 years ago, Ellie is the last of the colony. I can only hope that she is the last stray to move into the Electricity substation. I really don't want to see another lost kitten there. I have 200 flyers to walk around that neighbourhood with the number of a charity that desexes stray cats.
I hope that people get the message.
Your site is wonderful, it is so good to get advice and hear other peoples stories.
Thankyou so much.
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Congratulations on catching Ellie, the last cat at the substation! With the high temperatures in your area, I am glad she is out of the heat. I live in Arizona, in an area that experiences extreme heat as well. Two years ago we set a record with 28 days over 43.5 C. It was a tough summer.
I agree with your assessment of Billy and Ellie. The fact that Ellie still lets you touch her after all she has been through is a hopeful sign. As you stated, it is critical that she establish one place as her safe room before running around the house. Give her plenty of time to settle into this room. Since she gets along with Billy, I also agree that she will be a good role model for him. I am glad to hear that he is starting to hang-out with people. That is quite an improvement from the aviary.
Again, I want to applaud your dedication to these poor cats over the last four years! Your patience was rewarded. It is often patience (sometimes enormous patience) that makes the difference with feral cats.
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Hi Dr Kris,
Well it is november now and my cats are doing so well. Ellie has settled in comfortably, she is very affectionate, follows me around and loves to be petted, which has been such a surprise as I thought she would be untameable, but there you go life is full of surprises.
I have enclosed a large garden courtyard for them to play in until I am confident of letting them play free range the garden, (not that I think they will run off but getting them in at night could still be an issue) they so enjoy being together now. Ellie, Billy and Spooky have all recognised each other again and love playing and canoodling together again. It has helped Billy, who still has only let me pat him twice in the year that I have had him, but he is happy and that is the main thing. I look forward to the next year when they will be so much more settled and happy.
Thanks for your wonderful site, it is so good to hear others stories.
Have a very happy and safe Christmas.
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Thank you for the update. I am so glad to hear that Ellie, Billy and Spooky are doing well. You have done a terrific job with them! I hope your story will inspire others to give feral cats a chance. As you stated, life is full of surprises. Merry Christmas and best wishes for a wonderful New Year.
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Thank you for a wonderful article! I have had so many questions regarding our feral cat that we just brought into our home on January 9. In mid September I noticed a kitten curled up, sleeping on our deck. He looked to be about 4 months old (7 months now). What started out as running underneath our deck at the sight of me in the window, turned into waiting for me every morning, pawing at our sliding glass door, rubbing against our screen to finally letting me pet him. This was a long process of treats and feeding from September to January. When the weather was reaching 30 below it was time to take action. I couldn't stand seeing him shiver, ice chips stuck to his fur and ice on his tail any longer. I could not find a vet who would see him, so I found a place that sponsors TNR programs. I didn't even have to trap this cat. While he was letting me pet him, I gently grabbed him by the back of his neck (like mommy) and brought him into the house to eat. He ate and waiting for him was a big dog cage that was covered with a sheet. I locked him in and ignored all of the crying and trying to get out of the cage. In about a 1/2 hour, he had settled down, thawed out and was fast asleep. The following day, I had him neutered, all shots, Feline Leukemia vaccinated, dewormed and a flea treatment. He got the works. We kept him in the cage for a few days and the following is where I think I went wrong. I gave him free roam of the house. He was so terrified, he hid behind our home entertainment center that barely has enough room for him to squeeze behind for 14 hours!! He came out at night, ate, used the litter box and then I don't know where he went. We decided to track him down and set up an extra bathroom to keep him in. He has been in the bathroom for 5 days now. He purrs at the sound of my voice and will let me do anything I want to him. He lets me clean out his eyes, his ears, brush him, pet him .... Anything. He actually with some major reluctance, almost rolled over to his back while I was petting him. I decided it is not because he has accepted me, but that he is frozen in terror. He does purr and seems to enjoy the lovin's and he did actually play with me the other day with a feather wand. After reading your article, I think we are ready for phase 2/3. As much as he enjoys the lovin's, he is not approaching me. I am now going into the bathroom to feed him, but I am not giving any lovin's. I'm talking to him and feeding him once a day and not leaving any food overnight. I gave him soft food this morning and he came out of his carrier to eat it after I left. When he was outside, he would sit outside my door all day, meow at me and actually approach me. AS LONG as I was in the house and he was OUTSIDE. I know he is capable of being an extremely affectionate cat. I know I have to be patient. Do you agree with this next step. Once he approaches me, we will move onto phase 4.
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Thank you for getting this kitten out of the cold. Having lived in Minnesota for much of my life, I understand just how bitter the cold can be for a feral cat. I am sorry to hear that none of the veterinarians in your area would see him. Unfortunately, most of us receive little to no education about treating feral animals. Thus, many veterinarians do not understand that passive-response cats can become loving pets if handled properly, and given enough time.
I agree with your assessment of this kitten. You gave him too much freedom too soon. The unfamiliar circumstances were overwhelming. Remember, a feral cat's trust is based on the situation. Although it does not make sense to us, a feral cat's trust does not automatically transfer from one situation to another. He needs to learn to trust you in the new setting. Confining him to the bathroom was an excellent decision. I recommend feeding several small meals per day rather than one large one. When he runs out to meet you, he is ready for the next phase.
I know it is difficult to wait, especially since he was allowing you to pet him before, but you need to slow down with this kitten. In fact, I believe you will need to slow way down. Follow his lead and I think he will (eventually) be an awesome addition to your family. Thanks again for bringing him out of the cold and offering him a chance at a great life!
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Thank you for your quick reponse and for your support. I am leaving small meals for him and I'm planning to be very patient. When he is huddled in the back of the carrier I do not make an attempt to pet him, but when he is at the front of the carrier I pet him and he purrs, rolls over and seems to love it. Do you think it is a bad idea to try and pet him when he is the carrier altogether? I just can't resist petting him and he doesn't appear to be afraid of me anymore (even though he still will not approach me). Sitting Indianstyle on the floor, I put a treat on my ankle and he came to get it, but he still will not greet me when I walk into the room to feed him. That is what I am waiting for before I move into the next phase of introducing him to the home. When we are ready for the next phase, should I just open the bathroom door and see where he goes from there? I live in 2700 sq ft, 2 story home. Do you think I should try to limit his exposure to the 2nd floor first (he is in the 2nd floor bathroom), or do you think once we open the door we should give him free roam from that point? We do have another cat that we have had since he was a kitten and he is 13 years old. He has seen Alley (our feral) and has hissed and growled, but has not shown any aggression. He just walks away. He is a Ragdoll and is passive by nature. Alley actually reminds me of Simon (our Ragdoll) when he was a kitten. I'm convinced they will become good friends in time.
Alley is a long hair and has matted fur all around his neck. I'm kicking myself for not thinking to ask the vet to shave it while he was sedated for surgery. I'm afraid to bring him to a groomer for fear he will revert from the progress that we have made. Do you have any ideas on what I should do about that?
Do you think Alley remembers his colony and vice versa? I believe the colony lives under a few decks in a few houses in our neighborhood (including mine). I see footprints in the snow by our sliding glass doors. I'm convinced the colony is "organizing" to break Alley free! I'm afraid when Alley gets free roam he will sit at the sliding glass doors and one night be greeted by a member of the colony. Could that cause him to revert?
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I hope the following answers address your questions. If I missed one let me know.
1) It is hard to resist but do not put your hand in the carrier to pet Alley. This is his safe area. Only touch him when he leaves it.
2) When he is ready to leave his safe room, let him explore in small bits. If possible, add only one room at a time. Start with short periods of out time before he goes back into the safe room. I would keep him on the second floor until he is really comfortable with you and your family (pets and people). This could take months!
3) Wait to introduce Alley and Simon until Alley is comfortable with the house and has hiding spots mapped-out. Since Simon is a Ragdoll, he will probably do well with Alley. The key to helping them get along is a slow introduction, plenty of litter boxes and feeding stations. You must also let Simon know he is still the 'special' one.
4) I am surprised the veterinarian did not clip-out the mats when Alley was under. I'm afraid you will now have to wait until he is comfortable with brushing. If the mats are so severe that they cause him pain, call your veterinarian and see if they will prescribe a sedative to control anxiety while you comb them out. I recommend removing mats with clippers, not scissors. It is very easy to accidentally cut the animal's skin with a scissors.
5) It is hard to say if Alley will remember the other cats in his colony or not. My bigger concern is that he will try to defend your house from them by spraying urine to mark his territory. When Alley is at the point where he has full run of the house, block access points where he can see the outdoor cats.
6) In my experience, once a feral cat embraces life as a pampered indoor cat, they do not want to go back. My feral cat has no interest in going outside.
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Hi Dr. Nelson! I have to say that once I found your article researching feral cats I didn't have to search anymore! Thanks again!
I have an update! Alley has now adopted me. He comes out of his carrier and will sit next to me for lovin's. We have now moved onto phase 4. He moved into our house on January 15, so we are going on a week and a half shy of 2 months. With this new phase, I have another set of questions. It didn't take long for Alley to leave the safe room and when he does it is not productive at all. He just finds another hiding spot in another room and stays there all day. It had been awhile since I read your last reply, so I didn't follow your advice completely. I opened the bathroom door at night so that he could roam free in a quiet house. The following morning I discovered him in my home office and just left him there. I figured he would leave at night. He did, but he found his way downstairs underneath our recliner sofas. When I noticed that his litter box and food had not been used, I took him out of the hiding spot and put him back in his safe room. It doesn't appear that he went to the bathroom anywhere in the house. How long can a cat hold it? I left him in the safe room all evening and reread your advice. This morning I opened the door with the intention of giving him a few hours of "outside" time. I was working in my home office and he found me and scurried to a hiding spot behind one of my computers. He has been there all day with me. I was going to move him into his safe room, but I figured since we were in the same room together I would let him be. I am now just about finished with my work day and I will put him back in the safe room before leaving my office. I intend to leave him in the safe room over night and I will open the door again tomorrow after breakfast. People I have spoken with think that the reason Alley doesn't explore is because he is afraid of Simon. Do you think that is the case? Should I continue doing what I am doing - opening the door daily - and put him in the safe room at night to see if he will start to explore? People have suggested that I lock Simon and Alley in a room together to get them acquainted. Is that a good idea? What do you think is the best way to introduce them? I currently brush both of them and bring their fur to each other to smell.
By the way, with a lot of brushing and playing around with Alley's matted fur, I am happy to say that it is all gone! He loves to be brushed!
Once again, thank you for your support.
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Great job with Alley! He has made remarkable progress in such a short time. Now it is time to introduce him to the rest of the house, one room at a time. Block off all the rooms you can except the office. Allow him to run in there and explore for thirty minutes then return him to the safe room so he can relax. Give him a special reward such as brushing or a small treat back in the safe room. This will reinforce a good experience all the way around. It is much better to give him several short periods of exploration instead of one long one. When he stops hiding in the new room, he is ready to learn another.
He hides in the new room because he has not learned that it is safe. Nor does he likely trust you in the new situation. Remember, a feral cat's trust is situational. Just because he trusts you in one room, does not mean he will trust you in another. I know it does not make sense to us, but that is just how it is.
Now is not the time to introduce him to Simon. Alley needs to feel comfortable in your house before he will be comfortable with another cat. Let them get used to each other through scent and sound. Using the same brush is an excellent method for accomplishing this. I will post an article about introducing cats in the near future to help you through this process.
Normally, cats urinate twice per day and defecate once per day. They can hold it for quite some time. My friend's cat held it for almost three days because she did not like the travel litter box. It contained pelleted litter instead of her normal brand (Tidy Cat). By the time they drove from Minnesota to Ohio, that poor kitty really had to go! I sent my husband and his friend to the store for her normal brand. You cannot imagine the look of joy on her face when the 'proper' litter arrived!
Congratulations again with Alley. He is well on the way to becoming a loving but shy member of your family. However, let me emphasize that you must slow this process way down.
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Hello! I have another Alley update! It has been a little over 3 months since Alley moved in with us and he is progressing wonderfully! He is now comfortable with the entire house and follows me everywhere. He will only let me approach him in the bathrooms and in my office. Everywhere else he runs. I figure it will only be a matter of time before he trusts me in every room. He and Simon now eat side by side and chase each other all over the house. The only problem is that Simon will be 14 in August and Alley just doesn't want to leave him alone. He wants to play constantly and Simon just doesn't have a lot in him anymore. I have considered locking Alley out of our room at night so Simon could have some peace and quiet. Simon could be enjoying a peaceful sleep only to be awoken by swats on the head from a playful Alley. I'm still not sure how I want to handle this.
I can't tell you all of the discouraging websites that I read regarding people against the taming of feral cats and I remember somebody stating not to expect a feral cat to sit on your lap ... yadda, yadda, yadda. Well whoever wrote that never tamed a passive response cat. Alley sits on my lap, he lays at my feet while I work and he is slowly starting to adopt the other members of my family. It turns out, he was well worth all that it took to tame him. He seems very happy and has no desire to run back out those sliding glass doors that he came in through.
I hope anybody wishing to tame a feral cat keeps doing their research and stumbles upon this website. All the support you need will be here! PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE. Follow your feral cat's lead. My husband joked with me, because he finds bottles of treats in every room. I tell him there is a feral cat in training! I reward constantly for positive behavior.
Thanks again!
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Dear Laura, thank you for your kind words and for the wonderful news! I am thrilled to know that the feral cat tips have been helpful. I expect the story of Alley will inspire others to work with passive-response cats. Think of the difference it will make for both the people and the animals! I have one more suggestion and it involves your older kitty. Simon needs some space and quiet alone time. Like you I have young and old in the house and my older animals definitely require some down time from the youngsters.
Keep up your great work and thank you for the updates - they warm my heart.
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I am glad to find this blog with these stories of trying to tame feral cats!
My fiance and I have been feeding a "set" of feral cats which we named "pitter pat", "teetar" and "stelthy" for about 8 months or so now. Twice we have tried to catch them, and the only one that we have made any progress with is "pitter pat". We made a box for him to sleep in when it gets cold, which he uses nightly. And he comes to eat dinner regularly when my fiance throws the ball with the dog every night. He is "friends" I guess with my cat sparkle, and will allow me to pet him here and there but only when sparkle is around. We have tried twice to get him into the house; once when he was very young and another time just before christmas. Both times, ended in my fiance getting angry and letting him go because he scratched and bit both of us.
I would like to turn him into a pet, but I am wondering if there is any hope of doing so sense we have tried twice already, and he's real smart. Can't fool him twice. I could easily get a cage to catch him, but I am wondering if doing this will undo all the progress I have made with him. He just started allowing me to pet him a few weeks ago. He really is a sweet cat, and both times he scratched he was really on the defensive.
What do you think the best course of action to take would be at this point?
Thank you.
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Thanks for the kinds words. My goal for writing this blog is to assist good people such as yourself help these poor creatures. Life for a feral cat is full of dangers. I recommend trapping Pitter Pat as soon as possible. The quicker you can get him inside your home the better. Because of his behavior (sleeping in the box you provided, waiting for dinner and allowing you to pet him on occasion) I think he is a passive-response cat that will ultimately become a loving pet. Once he is inside, it will take time for him to trust you again. As noted in my other posts on ferals, please know that it may take a considerable period of time before this happens. Just as you observed in this case, a feral cat's trust is situational. Do not expect him to quickly transfer the trust he has for you outside to the new indoor quarters. In other words, it might take a while before he wants to be petted again. Be patient with him as you go through the stages recommended in the other posts of the blog.
Your comment brings up an important part of dealing with feral cats that I have not yet addressed. What is the best way to catch a feral cat? I recommend using a humane trap in order to protect both the cat and humans from injury. Your note has prompted me and in the near future, I will post on the blog a set of recommendations for using a humane trap. Good luck!
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Dr Nelson - I would like to give you an update on pitter pat. I guess I did this rather unconventionally...I have been petting him and finally he allowed me to pick him up. When he got to the point to where he was coming around *just to be petted*, my husband was able to pet him as well as my mother in law. And after many months (We did not want to frighten him any more than necessary...I did not have the heart for it)...I finally got him in the house. He was wary at first and cried and searched and searched for "a way out",but after observing us, the dog and the other cats we have he is doing fine with us. Very soon will be taking his first trip to the vet for shots, tests and neutering.
I am very happy to be able to say that I could give him a home, because seeing so many ferals out there that nobody seems to care for just breaks my heart.
Anyway...that is my story.
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Congratulations! I am happy and relieved to hear that Pitter Pat in indoors. Thanks for sharing your success story with everyone on this blog. I hope it will inspire others to follow your example.
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Dr. Nelson,
Thank you for such an informative blog. We have just trapped our first feral cat, I think she (?) is of the passive-response category. Since she will be making her trip to the vet soon, what is the best way for handling the period of time when she comes home and is recuperating, just leave her in peace or try to interact with her when her defenses may be weakened. Thanks again, finding your blog was a big help.
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Congratulations on your first feral cat! I recommend giving her a week of peace and quiet in her safe room before you start the taming process. Check on her twice per day to make sure she is eating, drinking and using the litter box. Since you will not be able to view the incision, look for blood splatter on the floor. If observed, call your veterinarian right away. When you are in the room, move slowly and quietly. It is best to go in barefoot. Try to disturb her as little as possible. Leaving the life she knew for a new one is very stressful. Give her a week to heal before you move to phase 1. Please keep me posted on her progress.
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Hi Dr. Nelson.. I wrote to you back in November when we trapped a feral cat, "Mama" in our backyard. She has been living with us since then and we have since gotten another, tame cat from a shelter. The two are inseparable. We got the second cat about a month after we caught her and he brought her out of her shell. She used to hide in one room and only venture out occasionally while now she comes to hang out with me for much of the day. She seems much happier now that she has a companion. She watches with great interest as we pet the other cat. But we still cannnot touch her
The other exciting development is that both cats sleep on the bed with me and "Mama" sleeps on my legs or even curled up next to me. What can I do now to get to pet her? I have managed to stroke her once or twice but as soon as she realizes she just backs up and arches her back. She doesn't run away though. Thanks for any advice or thoughts.
Lynn
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Congratulations on the new addition to your family! As you observed, a friendly cat will often help a feral cat get over their fear of people. To pet her, I might start by using a brush with soft bristles. Brush your tame cat first to get his smell on it. Then leave it out where Mama may sniff it. After she is comfortable with the brush, use that to 'touch' her. Start brushing her rear end first. It is less stressful than the front end. If she seems agitated, stop brushing and wait for her to calm down. Let her control the interaction! With time, you can switch to using your hand instead of a brush.
You have done a terrific job with Mama. Keep up the great work!
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Hi Dr. Nelson
I have a ferel kitten whom I adopted from my friend. She had trapped them in her backyard and she is around 3.5 months. She is very cuddly and purrs when held. I have 3 other cats. Initially I had her in a separate room and thought she had adapted after just a few days so I let her out into the rest of the house. She regressed after this and would hide and run away from me whenever I came into the room. She was bonding with one of my cats who seemed to accept her and not hiss as much when she was around. Which was great! But had to get the human connection solid. After reading your blog and some others on ferel cats I returned her to her "safe" room and away from the other cats to establish a bond between me and the kitten, Callie. I brought food on the spoon, play time etc. and kept her separate for another week. She has excelled and is a total love, runs out when I come in crawls all over me follows me around. I just started letting her out into other parts of the house but because of the cats hissing and growling she hides under the bed or couch. She still isnt very comfortable with larger rooms but made much worse by the other cats temperments. I think she would be fine were it not for the others who completely hate her. Even Luci whom was bonding with her before now turns her back and hisses menacingly and chases her down to smack her in the head. Its so sad because all Callie wants to do is play. I dont understand this reverse behavior at all. Luci adjusted to my youngest cat, Taz within 1 day and they are now best of friends. My youngest cat Taz is one of the worst hissing and growling and my oldest one, she always takes quite awhile too adjust to the newest member.
I am so stressed I dont know what to do as far as introducing her to the other cats without them chasing her down. She cant even explore the house safely. Should I put her in a crate so they can see her and smell her? She doesnt like it in there but for now I am trying to get the others to adjust. Ive had her for 3 weeks now and with the cats its square 1. She cries when she is left in the room alone and wants to be out but I dont want to create an indoor ferel and dont want her to get beaten up by the others. Im losing sleep and have been so depressed over this. Please help!
Thank You SO much!
Nancy
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Dear Nancy,
Congratulations on the new addition to the family. Callie has made remarkable progress in a short time. Unfortunately, you introduced her too quickly to your other cats. I see this mistake all the time because well-meaning people like yourself feel bad about confining the new cat to one room. Please see my post on cat introductions for further guidance. It will give you step-by-step instructions. Please keep me posted on Callie's progress.
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Hi Dr. Nelson,
We've been following the initial steps in terms of socialisation of Feral cats, but I'm still not sure what to do with our new outdoor guest.
NPC (the newcomer) has taken up residence on our decking and sits outside all night and day, miaowing. We had our old shed pulled down in the summer and I think she may have been using it for shelter previously. We started feeding her then as she was heavily pregnant and in bad shape, but could not get near her. She's no longer pregnant cat (we were calling her "Pregnant cat" - now she's NPC - "Not Pregnant Cat...lame I know!)
We feed her twice a day at the same time as the others. We've allowed her into the house on a couple of occasions when the other cats are shut out and she's wandered round the kitchen. She seems happy enough as long as the back door is left open. I've tried a couple of times closing the door and then just leaving her be and then opening it again later. She runs straight back outside once it's opened, but doesn't run away from the house.
She'll take food from our hands or just next to us - provided it's interesting food like chicken etc. She won't allow us to touch her but is willing to touch us if there is food involved.
It's just below freezing here now and I'm getting anxious for her welfare, but I feel that if I bring her in and close the door, she may take very badly to it and if allowed out again, she may never come back. I'm also very wary of letting my other cats near her until she's had a clean bill of health from the vet - and if being "trapped" in our house doesn't scare her, I'm sure a trip to the vet definitely will.
In addition, both our other cats are indoor cats and our oldest is very territorial - I just can't see her taking to a new cat. She was very antagonistic to JD when he was a kitten and it took 6 months before she would even start to tolerate him. I doubt her reaction to another full grown female would be positive.
I've tried putting a cardboard box and a blanket outside the door for NPC to see if she'd take shelter - and put her food bowl in it. She went "fishing" and hooked the food out with her paws and refuses to go anywhere near it.
My husband has suggested we get a kennel for her so she has some warmth and shelter at night but I don't know if she would use it.
She's seems a youngish cat - I'd guess maybe 2 or 3 as we've seen her around for a while. I think she's had at least 2 litters in that time, but we've never seen any kittens so I don't think they survived.
It's possible we might be able to integrate her eventually and I'm certainly willing to try, but I just don't think we can do it safely before the really bad weather comes in and I'm very worried about her ability to survive in the snow if there is no shelter for her.
Any advice you can offer would be gratefully received.
Many thanks,
Terri
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From the history, I think NPC has a good chance of becoming a pet. Taking food from your hand and coming inside for short visits is excellent. Ideally, I would like you to establish a safe room inside your house. NPC will be upset for awhile but will calm down with time and a lot of patience. Remember to go slow! You are right in that you do not want to expose your other cats to her until you know she is healthy. Talk to your vet about giving a tranquilizer in her food to calm her down. Once the tranq takes effect and she is safe for you to transport, get her to the clinic for the exam and surgery. I recommend getting her spayed as well since most cats come into season around the first of the year. After she returns from surgery, recovers and spends months getting comfortable with you in her safe room, then she can slowly explore other surroundings in the house. During this phase you may benefit from my blog post on introducing cats to one another.
If you don't think that will work, I would go with your husband's plan and set up a warm dog house. The kennel needs to have two openings so she can always escape if needed. I believe the lack of two exits is why she won't go into the box you set up for her. Some pet stores sell heating pads made especially for dog houses. That should help her survive in the cold weather. Her caloric requirements will increase dramatically in the cold. Make sure you give her a good quality food and plenty of it.
I am glad that NPC found you and your husband! You have made a lot of progress with her. I want to encourage you to keep working with her. She really sounds like a sweet cat. Just remember patience, it takes a lot of time and she needs to set the schedule. Please keep me posted on NPC's progress.
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I came across your website via a Google search. At the beginning of Dec 2009 we noticed a mother cat and 2 kittens in our garden rockery. Realising I couldn't let her have more kittens, I began feeding them just before Christmas, as the mother was weaning the kittens and they were ravenous, scavenging in our compost bin. After feeding them outside initially, I began feeding them in my kitchen. The mother would run up for food, hissing at me! The bigger kitten, Frisky, began to do so also. The mother was a barrier to taming the kittens.
After phoning round, I got a trap from our local SPCA, who told me I could get the mother spayed. First I fed the family next to the cage, then put food inside. The mother refused to go in but after not eating for a day, on the Friday morning she eventually went in with one of the kittens, Frisky. I took them to the SPCA, where the vet browbeat me about how it was too late to schedule the op, that I must keep them in the cage over the weekend, that they couldn't take her in because she could spread disease. The only option was to have the mother put down immediately. I was in tears through all this and felt like a traitor. I think the vet would have liked to put the Frisky down as well - she got bitten when she gave Frisky her inoculations! She confirmed that Frisky is female.
Since then, I've kept the kittens in my kitchen, both to tame them and to protect them, especially from vervet monkeys that tried to get at them one morning while they were still outside. They've gradually relaxed more and more, but are still very skittish and won't let me touch them, although they will play with a dangled string, and eat from a frond of grass held in my hand (I noticed they liked to eat grass while they were still outside). They play very nicely with each other, and have started "talking felinese" if I'm in the kitchen quite a while. I dread traumatising the kittens when I have to take them back to the SPCA - Frisky for her 2nd round of inoculations, and Patchy for the first - I thought it might be best to take them together. I reckon the kittens could be either 3 or 4 months old, probably nearer 4 - Frisky takes after the mother and is bigger than Patchy (gender yet to be confirmed), so I will have to get them neutered probably around the end of March.
2 related questions:
The kittens won't let me touch them - it freaks them out the few times I've tried. Frisky especially hisses if one approaches suddenly or quickly. I realise these are instinctive self-protection behaviours, against predators. How can the big hurdle of letting me touch (stroke/pet) them be overcome?
Some webpages on feral cats recommend separating feral kittens, so they depend on me more, but I don't really have the space/place to do this. Are they keeping each other wild? Since the kittens regard my kitchen as the indoor equivalent of our rockery (a playground!), how do I keep them from causing themselves damage during recovery from spaying?
Thanks!
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I am mystified (to put it gently) why the veterinarian thought euthanasia was warranted or why they would not keep these animals in the hospital. These acts are beyond my comprehension. Hospitals and veterinarians are precisely the place and people equipped to address infectious disease. That assumes that the cats even carried such illness. And you said they call themselves the SPCA?Lest I blow a cork, let me move on quickly to the kittens.
Regarding the youngsters, I believe their behavior thus far makes it highly likely they will be tamed . . . eventually. They should not be separated given all of the trauma they have endured. Multiple small meals and regular interaction is wonderful and is the perfect way to go. What is harmful and I must encourage you to stop is initiating petting the kittens. Just play with them please. Do not try to pet or hold them. When they are ready, they will come to you.
When you go in for vaccinations, please take both kittens together in the same carrier. At the clinic, it would be good if you were not in the exam room - let the staff handle them so the kittens do not associate you with the experience. You should not even take them out of the carrier nor place them back inside it. Once home, put the cats in their safe room and keep the carrier locked for one-half hour. After that time has elapsed, go into the safe room, open the carrier door and do your normal activities as if nothing happened.
You are doing many things right and I wish to encourage you to continue. Someday, I believe they will be wonderful members of your family. But, please slow way down or the risk is reversion to a scared and feral type state. Good luck!
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Dear Dr. Nelson:
I've read this blog completely and could use your advice. Sam is a 2 1/2 year old now neutered feral male that has been captive in his safe room for 4 weeks. He has and requires daily eye medication for an additional 7 weeks, which has left me no choice but to touch him daily, which he has let me do-medicating him is not an issue but I fear the daily negative interaction although part of it includes handfeeding him sliced chicken breast which he enjoys. He allows occassional petting but he always greets with a hiss, does not play and is clearly depressed and morose. Also, it prevents me from letting him out of the bathroom to allow him to explore gradually because trying to pry him out of a hiding space is a disaster and his daily medication doesn't allow me to just leave him alone. Is there a substitute protocol I can use in this situation? He will have spent almost 12 weeks captive in the large bathroom AND then he has to be introduced to an entirely different and permanent (no going back to the safe room) level of the apartment building AND to Munchkin, his female littermate tamed at 12 weeks. This situation deviates from typical protocol and I am concerned and seek ideas.
Respectfully,
Steven
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Thank you for adopting Sam and his sister Munchkin, and for writing me about this situation. Medicating feral cats while trying to tame them is difficult indeed. When you add a move into the mix, it creates an even more complicated, but not impossible situation. Here are some suggestions for you to consider.
First, I would recommend some sort of signal prior to medicating Sam. It could be a sound, something you wear or something you carry. My parrots Bongo and Ni are both rescued birds that needed a home. They hate being restrained. I catch them with a towel, never my bare hands so they have come to hate the towel-not me. When I enter the room with the towel, they start to scream and bite. When the towel is gone, they settle down immediately and ask for head scratches. The same principal of "hate the object, not the human" applies to cats. It will only take a few repetitions for Sam to figure out when he's getting medicated and when he's getting a treat. I would use a blanket or towel to catch Sam, medicate him and then leave the room with the towel. Wait a few minutes and then return with the sliced chicken.
Second, moving to the new location will set Sam back a little which is probably OK because it allows you to start the original protocol over again (do try and contain your enthusiasm at the prospect of starting over!) However, this time you will have the advantage of Sam knowing the "hate the object, not the human" rule. He should advance through the stages more quickly than the first time. Also, check out my blog on tips for introducing cats. In my experience, feral cats tame more quickly when they have a tame buddy to show them the ropes.
Lastly, don't feel guilty about moving him or leaving him in the safe room for 12 weeks. Cats have a completely different calender than we do. My cat Kalani was in his safe room for months before he allowed me to touch him. When I finally opened the door to let him explore, he stood in the doorway for a month before venturing down the hall. Be patient with Sam. Since he is a young cat, you have plenty of time to gain his trust. I am thrilled to share that as I write you now, Kalani is laying by my feet on the footstool so patience is rewarded.
I am curious what kind of eye problem Sam has that requires such extensive treatment. Please let me know. Also, you might want to place some toys in the room. My cats love to play with a piece of clothesline rope attached to a door handle. When Kalani was in the safe room, he loved to bat around a ball with a bell inside. Be creative and give Sam different things to enrich his environment. It will lift his spirits and help him exercise.
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Dear Doctor:
Thank you so much for your response.
Sam lost one eye because of an untreated herpes, chlamydia, calici ??? infection that went untreated for 2 1/2 years. He also had a very high positive Bartonella test result. His good eye has a very good retina but some corneal ulcers. He will recieve just one daily application each of IDU and ABHC ointment for the next 2 weeks and then alternating daily treatment of each for 1 month.
I know the medication seems excessive but his doctor is a nationally known eye specialist whom I trust implicitly and I think he feels he'd rather treat aggresively to knock out the viruses/bacteria to avoid a relaspse.
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Poor Sam! Since he only has one eye, I would do everything possible to protect his remaining eye as well. Good luck!
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