I wish I had read all this wise advice before I tried something new to socialize my cat. Yesterday I had guests who spent the day and over night. I decided to leave the door open to my cats two connecting rooms (one of which is my bedroom(she sleeps with me at night). I figured this way if...
I am picking her up and petting her around others. A brave friend petted her and she let him but she hissed. No one is brave enough to touch her. She was VERY WILD when I got her and was about 4 years old. Unfortunately, she typically scratches first than hisses later. She lives entirely...
Hi Everyone! It's my one year anniversary bringing in Baby Girl. My feral cat isn't really feral anymore! She is more affectionate than any cat I have ever owned! I kiss her head all the time and she now allows me to carry her for short whiles and jumps in my lap constantly. I didn't use the...
Thanks everyone. My cat will not play. You can wiggle anything in front of her and she does nothing. She will only lick her mice and picks them up in her paw gently. I believe she must have been a mommy. All she wants to do is roll over on her side and have all day belly and neck rubs. She...
My feral has been with me for 10 months! All is going great! I have her sitting on my lap and constantly asking to be pet. She meows for me, licks me and her toys, does not play with any toys just licks them like they are her babies (think she may have been a TNR mommy), eats and goes to the...
Hi Kitty Chick and Everyone Else,
Baby Girl is doing wonderful.
She lets me pet her by hand but still will not come up to me or walk around the room when I am in it.
I pet her by hand and massage her with the Swiffer at least 3 times a day. She looks forward to it. She sits in her bed and...
Catapult,
That is a great idea. I will try sleeping with a blanket and place it in at least one of her places. Hopefully she will then think the smell of my lap will be inviting. That is a wonderful idea. And one I can do right now. Thanks.
Hi Ritz,
Baby seems to be scared of all toys. Whether they are on a wand or just catnip mice. Though I did notice she bites the mice toys at night. So she does play with the non wand toys.. I am amazed I got the Swiffer by her. But then I did do it in a forced way. I took all her hiding...
Hi Kitty Chick,
I did know the Swiffer idea was a crazy idea. I knew my only chance for her to feel touch was to corner her with no hiding spaces in the bottom of the bookcase. I was hoping she would like how it felt and she did. I knew it was risky but she was way too comfortable acting like...
Thanks Kitty Chick,
Things are moving quickly now. I stroke her three times a day with a Swiffer. She loves it! She no longer hides in the semi hiding space in the bottom shelf of the bookcase. She stays on the window table snuggled in a fleece blanket. She is not startled at all if I go in...
Before placing BabyGirl in her room from being trapped I placed dollar store shower curtains all over the rug in the room. I wasn't sure if she would use a covered litter box. I used the bottom saucer of a large plastic flower pot and filled it with cat litter. I wasn't sure she would step...
When Baby Girl first moved into her room, I put wet outdoor leaves and dirt in a flower pot and placed them in her room. It seemed to calm her down. She was living under my porch so I took the leaves and dirt from there. I may try the things you suggested. I really do hate to see her...
Hi Ondine,
Thank you so much for your advice. I think you are right that Baby Girl is an abused cat and not a true feral. I walked in on her private time this morning in her room at 2am. I had never walked in on her during her time before. I heard her scratching and I walked in the...
Thanks Shadows Rescue,
I think Baby Girl is loving the lack of hiding spaces and sitting high up on the table under the window. Unfortunately we are on the second floor so no chance of putting a bird feeder outside her window. She is enjoying the sunshine! We had a great break thru today...
Thanks Ondine, It just hasn't been easy walking around scaring BabyGirl for the past 3 months. Especially since I have had cats in the past and it has always been such a loving relationship I had with my past cats.
What I do know about Baby Girl's past is that my neighbor spotted her like a...
I am new to feral cats. I just brought a a 4 and a half year old feral cat indoors for the winter. I didn't know her at all. I found her under my porch basically starving to death. I trapped her and brought her to a vet to find she was neutered and not microchipped. Her name is Baby Girl. ...