Ex-feral Cats Comfortable Around Humans But Refuses To Be Touched

[sgcatlady]

I have six cats in total, all are fixed and healthy. 3 of them are tame adults from 3 - 7 years old. The other 3 are slightly over a year old.

These 3 younger cats were born feral and I assume they had no human contact in their early stages. 2 are male siblings and 1 is a female from different rescue case. When we first adopted them as kittens, all they did was hide from us. However, they got along really well with our other cats.

Things have improved a lot by now. They no longer hide, they are not afraid to hang out where we hang out. They play in front of us and they rarely bolt off when we get close to them unless we made sudden moves.

Although they let us get close to them, they have never allowed us to touch or pet them. I have tried petting our other cat in right front of them and then slowly moving my hand towards them but it doesn’t work. They would quickly sniff my hand and back off. If I persist, they would bolt off eventually. However, they have no issues touching me. When I am sleeping or lying on my bed, they would jump on legs and play with my feet.

The ex-ferals have only been with us for a year so I am not sure if they just need more time and will eventually give in to us. I wonder if anyone else has had experience with such cats and have successfully managed to tame such cats. If so, how did you do it?

 

[Notacrazycatlady]

Just my two cents--just keep doing what you're doing. One of my ferals will let me pet him and even apply flea medicine to him--a connection that took about four months of letting him come to me on his terms. The other three ferals still won't allow touching but the distance they keep has, over the past year, slowly decreased. Of my indoor kittens, one of them just doesn't like to be held or feel like he's being confined. Angus is fine with being petted when he wants to be, but if I have my arms or legs on either side of him--confining him--he moves away.

Some cats, especially former ferals, never develop a liking for human touch. Some do, so my thought would be to keep doing what you're doing. Let them come to you on their terms. They can see you pet other cats and how those cats react. Oddly enough, the distance that the outdoor ferals kept from me only started to decrease to the point where one of them will practically take treats from my hand AFTER I got Angus and started taking him for walks and the ferals saw him with me. He was like my ambassador. Use treats to lure them close but don't try to touch them until they indicate that it's welcome.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. One recommendation is to use a back scratcher to get feral cats used to being touched.

This link has a video: Adopting/socializing Adult Semi-feral

 

[sgcatlady]

Just my two cents--just keep doing what you're doing. One of my ferals will let me pet him and even apply flea medicine to him--a connection that took about four months of letting him come to me on his terms. The other three ferals still won't allow touching but the distance they keep has, over the past year, slowly decreased. Of my indoor kittens, one of them just doesn't like to be held or feel like he's being confined. Angus is fine with being petted when he wants to be, but if I have my arms or legs on either side of him--confining him--he moves away.

Some cats, especially former ferals, never develop a liking for human touch. Some do, so my thought would be to keep doing what you're doing. Let them come to you on their terms. They can see you pet other cats and how those cats react. Oddly enough, the distance that the outdoor ferals kept from me only started to decrease to the point where one of them will practically take treats from my hand AFTER I got Angus and started taking him for walks and the ferals saw him with me. He was like my ambassador. Use treats to lure them close but don't try to touch them until they indicate that it's welcome.

Thanks for the advice! I will keep trying. I know that some cats will never like human touch and I’m okay with that. My hope is for the ex-ferals to at least allow me to administer medication if required or allow me bring them to the vet. When we had to get them fixed, I had to chase them all over the house just so I could get them into the carrier. It was a traumatic experience for everyone.

 

[sgcatlady]

Hello and welcome to TCS. One recommendation is to use a back scratcher to get feral cats used to being touched.

This link has a video: Adopting/socializing Adult Semi-feral

Interesting! I could try this too. Thank you.

 

[Tomkatz]

I have six cats in total, all are fixed and healthy. 3 of them are tame adults from 3 - 7 years old. The other 3 are slightly over a year old.

These 3 younger cats were born feral and I assume they had no human contact in their early stages. 2 are male siblings and 1 is a female from different rescue case. When we first adopted them as kittens, all they did was hide from us. However, they got along really well with our other cats.

Things have improved a lot by now. They no longer hide, they are not afraid to hang out where we hang out. They play in front of us and they rarely bolt off when we get close to them unless we made sudden moves.

Although they let us get close to them, they have never allowed us to touch or pet them. I have tried petting our other cat in right front of them and then slowly moving my hand towards them but it doesn’t work. They would quickly sniff my hand and back off. If I persist, they would bolt off eventually. However, they have no issues touching me. When I am sleeping or lying on my bed, they would jump on legs and play with my feet.

The ex-ferals have only been with us for a year so I am not sure if they just need more time and will eventually give in to us. I wonder if anyone else has had experience with such cats and have successfully managed to tame such cats. If so, how did you do it?

Interesting! I could try this too. Thank you.

In my neighborhood, amongst the ferals, there is one line of cats that never has allowed any touching. One can tell they are related by their markings, shape and size, and behaviour. Though colors vary, these cats all have a wing-shaped patch on each shoulder. I rescued one and in four years she has never allowed any touching. When the always-filled tomcat slot opened up here last year, one of her tomcat relatives filled it in. He is just like her, only even more skittish. I let it go without pestering them because they dote on each other. She fusses over him, cleans his head, and at times they come and go together. They remind me of a pair of human siblings in their 50s--mature, dignified and frequently together.

Some other ferals around here, however, are extremely friendly and will roll over playfully when approached and allow petting after just a week or two. These have tended to be orange males of various shades ranging from cream colored to tan to orange vermillion, and I can think of four such cats whom I have loved dearly. Three of them sought my house out on their own and became buddies of mine. And then there is a tuxedo female who rescued herself here who is very loving and allows touching, but if she thinks that one is about to confine her, she moves off out of reach.

A lot of the feral cats fall in between those two extremes, for example by allowing to be touched when hungry but then becoming skittish after eating.

So, one can expect wide variations from one cat to the next where allowing to be touched is concerned. It varies from case to case.

 

[duncanmac]

It takes time. One of my boys was feral and for a year or so, I could get a quick pet in but he was mostly like your guy(s?) - he would stay close but not really let himself be pet. Its 18-month to 2 years now and he is almost cuddly. It just takes time, sometimes a lot of time.

My approach was threefold: food/treats, play and "drive-by pets" Every time he walked past me, I would nonchalantly bend over and touch his side as he walked by trying to get him from shoulder to the tip of his tail. Over time I guess he learned that I wouldn't grab or hurt him.

Its still not perfect - he'll bolt away if I bend over him wrong or if there is a noise, but usually he comes right back.

He's working on "cat time" Just keep doing what you are doing and he should get there.

 

[susanm9006]

My Willow was a semi feral who has lived with me now for seven years and it has only been the last year that she has gotten comfortable being near me and being petted. Before that she would get an arm length away, allow a single stroke and then tear off. And I could not walk near her without her running and hiding. Now she will squeeze into the recliner with me or sleep half on the chair arm and half on me (she is much wider than she looks in her picture). She also now sleeps next to my head rather than at the end of the bed and goes wild for morning pets.

I think some cats just take longer to decide that their new home and human are safe, but with patience and love they will get there eventually.