I adopted what I thought was a very shy and scared cat last week, but the shelter staff waited until I was halfway through the adoption paperwork to tell me she was semi-feral. Her medical records, though, just say feral. I know this shelter has a TNR program so I’m not sure why they adopted her out at all instead of spaying and returning her, although it could be because she had a litter of kittens when they took her in. They think she is about 2 years old. I don’t know what would have been the most humane thing to do with her, but I’ve officially adopted her now and am committed to caring for her and providing her with a loving home. I named her Juniper.
I’ve had cats my whole life but have no experience with ferals so I thought I would consult this thread for advice. Here is where I am right now in the socialization process with Juniper, one week after adoption: she lives in my bathroom (I have another cat so I’m keeping them separate), and spends most of her time hiding under a cat bed, which is what she did pretty much 24/7 in the 2 months she was at the shelter. She does eat and use the litter box regularly, though, so I know she comes out when I’m not there. I haven’t tried to touch her yet, but I spend some time every day sitting the room and talking to her. She lets me reach into her cave bed to give her treats, and sometimes she eats them in front of me (although not always). Just today I found her behind the toilet instead of in her bed, which is still a hiding spot but much more visible and open than her bed. She seemed interested in a feather toy that I was waving around, although she didn’t actually play with it. I try to avoid eye contact as much as possible but occasionally I get hints of a slow blink.
I think we’re making some progress but I’ve never socialized a feral cat before so I don’t know. Is there any hope for Juniper? Any general advice about how to make the process go smoothly?
I’ve had cats my whole life but have no experience with ferals so I thought I would consult this thread for advice. Here is where I am right now in the socialization process with Juniper, one week after adoption: she lives in my bathroom (I have another cat so I’m keeping them separate), and spends most of her time hiding under a cat bed, which is what she did pretty much 24/7 in the 2 months she was at the shelter. She does eat and use the litter box regularly, though, so I know she comes out when I’m not there. I haven’t tried to touch her yet, but I spend some time every day sitting the room and talking to her. She lets me reach into her cave bed to give her treats, and sometimes she eats them in front of me (although not always). Just today I found her behind the toilet instead of in her bed, which is still a hiding spot but much more visible and open than her bed. She seemed interested in a feather toy that I was waving around, although she didn’t actually play with it. I try to avoid eye contact as much as possible but occasionally I get hints of a slow blink.
I think we’re making some progress but I’ve never socialized a feral cat before so I don’t know. Is there any hope for Juniper? Any general advice about how to make the process go smoothly?