Adopted Feral Or Semi-feral From A Shelter

jberry09

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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?
 

shadowsrescue

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You can probably use the feather wand to your advantage. If you can get her to engage with it, you can also use it to start with light touch. I used to make something I called the "pet petter". I took an old wand toy that had a sturdy arm. At the end where the feather was, I wrapped a clean soft cloth or wash cloth around the end and used duct tape to hold it together. I would use it as a toy at first and when the feral had his/her back to me, I could use it to start touching. I will put a picture of it below.

Here is a really good 3 part video on working with feral cats. The very first feral I socialized was around 7 months old. Even though this video is for kittens, there are so many good tips when working with any aged feral cat. The video shows the rescue and socialization process so be sure to watch all 3 parts.
Tough Love Video - UrbanCatLeague

Also check out flatbushcats on youtube. They have some awesome videos on socializing too.

Thank you so much for rescuing her. It is possible. Time, patience and love are needed. The first feral I brought inside my house was 3 years old. He took a full year to integrate. Now he is such a sweet sweet kitty. He is still spooked easily and shy, but now sits on our laps and loves to be pet. When others come to the house, they rarely see him. But what a difference from the feral who lived under my deck and would only come out to eat when I was safely inside.

There are lots of very knowledgeable people here to help you. Take it one day at a time.
 
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jberry09

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Thanks for the great advice! My other cat likes to destroy his toys so I have a couple of old wands I can repurpose into something like that.

She has a vet appointment in an hour and I don’t think she’ll want anything to do with me when she gets home. But the next time I catch her out of her den I will definitely try the pet petter.

Pictures attached! She’s very pretty.
 

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shadowsrescue

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Do you have a Feliway plugged in? That might help. You might also try come Composure treats or liquid. I also found Jackson Galaxy's Feral Flower to really help too. Feral Flower Formula

I do prefer the Composure in the liquid form as it can be mixed into wet food. The treats are usually rock hard. I used to double the dosage ( per package instructions). I would give 1/2 t. in the morning and 1/4 t. in the evening. After a week, it really kicked in. The flower essences are more subtle and can take a few weeks. Yet I did have really good luck with them.

I hope the vet visit goes well. Let us know.
 

fionasmom

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It is very kind of you to be so committed to this cat and I do think that the shelter should have informed you that she was at least semi-feral and let you ask questions and make a decision from there. I have brought in ferals who did socialize and it sounds like your girl is certainly beginning to do that. It takes time for them, usually longer than a more domesticated cat. This cat has been in a shelter so has some experience of humans and despite her feral beginnings she may be incredibly happy to have a place of her own with food and a bed. The fact that she eats is a very good sign.
 

movinintime

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This is sorta what my feral tom looks like in his solid color & looks as well. He really is unique for a domestic cat & here in AZ there are jaguars & panthers seen roaming in the mountains sometimes. He is certainly NOT a true wild cat but he is different. I'll try to get a real pic of him but til then this is very close, despite that it is a jaguar/panther not a domestic cat. I wonder sometimes if he isn't crossed w/ a jaguar or panther? LOL
 

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marmoset

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There was probably something about her behavior that suggested to the shelter staff that she was adoptable. I'm glad they told you so you knew she'd need extra time. I'm surprised they didn't say anything earlier though.

The most important thing is to just go slow. I like shadowsrecue's pet petter:) At the shelter we have a brush on a long handle that we use. I wouldn't bring it in and immediately start touching the cat with it. Cats like familiarity. So take a few days or a week or two to just have it be present and touching things in her vicinity but not her or very close to her. Start it on a day where the rest of the day is routine so that she's not already stressed when introduced to it.

I think sometimes people talk to unsocialized cats too much. High pitches and baby voices mimic injured or distressed animals so when you talk to her speak in a low calm soothing sort of voice- think guided meditation or your old algebra teacher voice. And make sure to spend time in the bathroom with her where you are not at all paying attention to her. She needs to see that you aren't excited by her presence and are not going to force interaction.

She's beautiful btw:)
 
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jberry09

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Thanks everyone for the great advice! She’s recovering well from her vet visit, and she’s totally healthy except for some parasites which they treated. The vet tech petted her during the exam and she didn’t seem to hate it so maybe that’s a good sign? I didn’t try to touch her, since I want to build her trust first and the vet’s office is not a good place to do that. I made something like shadowsrescue’s pet petter so I’ll start introducing it to our socialization sessions probably tomorrow.

My vet actually suggested introducing her to my other cat Bailey before she’s fully socialized, so she can watch him and learn from him that humans are okay and trustworthy. I’m worried, though, that she might bond to him and then never feel the need to develop a bond with me. Anybody have any thoughts?
 

shadowsrescue

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So glad the vet visit went well.

Sometimes you can use the other cat to your advantage. I like to have the feral cat watch when I am interacting with my socialized cat. When the shy/feral cat sees another cat enjoying humans it really can help.

Yet you do have to be careful that you don’t rush things. You need to be able to somewhat handle the feral in case there is an issue.

You could easily start with scent swapping now. I will post some helpful links fir cat to cat intros.

I really would give her a bit more time to adjust to you and your home. Go into the bathroom and just sit with her. Talk quietly or even read aloud from a book.

I used to always bring in a special yummy treat. I would cook plain chicken and cut it into bite sized pieces and keep in the fridge. Tuna works too. Even if she doesn’t eat it at first in your presence, she will associate you with something good.

I will post the intro links in a bit. I am on my phone and the links are on my computer!
 
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jberry09

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Thanks! That looks great. Bailey and Juniper did get some direct eye contact yesterday as I was opening the door to go into Juniper’s bathroom. It wasn’t quite intentional on my part but no hissing or growling! I will definitely keep doing the scent swapping for a while though. Thanks!!
 

rubysmama

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Hello again! Although it was a bit sketchy of the shelter to not tell you about Juniper's history until you were in the process of adopting her, it may just be that they sensed you were the right purr-son to adopt her. :hearthrob:

And, really, reading your posts, it sounds like things are going quite well.

1) she's eating and using the litter box
2) you managed to get her to the vet, without (I assume) you needing a trip to the ER. ;)
3) she and Bailey saw each other, and no growling or hissing ensued

So all really good. :thumbsup:

The hiding under her cat bed, or behind the toilet, isn't something only feral cats do. That often happens when people adopt non-ferals too. Some cats are just more nervous or timid.

I've never, personally, socialized a feral cat, but love reading these threads. Lots of other members have socialized ferals, though, and you've already gotten good advice/tips.

TCS also has some articles which I think may be helpful.

Maybe you can read them aloud to Juniper when you are spending time with her. :petcat:

Good luck. Keep us posted on her progress.

A Feral Cat Or A Stray Cat? How To Tell The Difference | TheCatSite
Handling Feral Cats | TheCatSite

How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home | TheCatSite
What Was Your Cat's Behavior Like In The First Day? | TheCatSite (this is a thread which you might find interesting)

16 Top Cat Experts Share Tips For Dealing With Timid Cats | TheCatSite
10 Must-know Tips For Happy Living With A Shy Cat | TheCatSite
How To Get A Cat To Come Out Of Hiding? | TheCatSite

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide | TheCatSite
Introducing Cats To Cats | TheCatSite

And these are some of my favourite feral success threads:
meet Buggy | TheCatSite
First Time Trying To Tame A Feral/stray
Socializing My New Semi-feral | TheCatSite (this one has a sad ending, but nothing to do with the socializtion, and the middle part is worth reading, even though there'll be tears at the end)
Extremely Skittish Cat | TheCatSite
Semi-feral: Bring Them Inside Or Not?
My Feral And Rescued Cats
 

maggiedemi

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Thanks for keeping her, I think you'll be happy with your decision. I have 2 former ferals myself. I agree about petting her with something on a long handle. That's how I tamed Demi. Talking helped too, teaching them words so we could communicate.
 
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jberry09

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Thanks everyone for the great advice! She doesn’t seem to like being petted with a stick yet, but she at least seems more comfortable in my presence.

Yesterday Bailey darted into the bathroom while I was opening the door to check on her, so I let them meet each other. It went really well! No hissing or growling, just lots of chattering, and she even came out of her den to say hi. I’ve never seen her do that before. I’m hoping that he will help her build some confidence. :)
 

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When we have semi-feral cats at the shelter, or ferals that seem tameable, we always try to put them in with tame cats, because they do learn by observation.
We use a "petting stick", too, and also try to get in a quick stroke or two with our hands while they're intent on eating. If you can find some treats she really likes, try gradually putting them closer and closer in front of her every day till she'll take them out of your hand.
 
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jberry09

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So I’ve been letting the two of them have supervised playtime and it’s going very well. She even head butted him and I heard purring from her for the first time. But as soon as I leave them alone for two seconds he mounts her. This happened at least twice so I had to separate them again. They’re both fixed so I’m not sure if this is a dominance thing or not... I’m not sure what to do because I don’t want him to hurt her but I can’t keep them separate forever. Any advice?
 
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