- Joined
- Jan 8, 2018
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Hi Everyone
For the last year we have had two semi-feral cats in our outside room - a catio. It is a big room about 15 by 20 feet. The inhabitants are/were Gracie and Maurice. They were trapped under a freeway over pass. Instead of releasing them after trapping and neutering we adopted them with the understanding they may never become very comfortable with people. Things went well for 11 months. Gracie ended up being very friendly and likes affection. Maurice not at all. We gave him his space. One evening (about 5 weeks ago) he bolted out the door as I came in to give them dinner. Long story short, he is now our back yard cat. I have set things up so he has water and shelter but due to raccoons we bring his food in at night. We feed him breakfast and dinner same as when he was in the catio. Almost always when I go to give him his food he swats me with claws out. I bought animal handling gloves and that has worked pretty well for a couple weeks. Last night he swatted me again but above the gloves. I may be giving him too much credit but I don't think it was accidental. When he swats I calmly ask that he please not do that. I feed him on a 3 foot long shelf I built on our fencing so he is about 5.5 feet off the ground when this happens. Any suggestions on how to respond to this behavior would be appreciated. The successful swats always draw blood.
Thanks! Miss Moogles
For the last year we have had two semi-feral cats in our outside room - a catio. It is a big room about 15 by 20 feet. The inhabitants are/were Gracie and Maurice. They were trapped under a freeway over pass. Instead of releasing them after trapping and neutering we adopted them with the understanding they may never become very comfortable with people. Things went well for 11 months. Gracie ended up being very friendly and likes affection. Maurice not at all. We gave him his space. One evening (about 5 weeks ago) he bolted out the door as I came in to give them dinner. Long story short, he is now our back yard cat. I have set things up so he has water and shelter but due to raccoons we bring his food in at night. We feed him breakfast and dinner same as when he was in the catio. Almost always when I go to give him his food he swats me with claws out. I bought animal handling gloves and that has worked pretty well for a couple weeks. Last night he swatted me again but above the gloves. I may be giving him too much credit but I don't think it was accidental. When he swats I calmly ask that he please not do that. I feed him on a 3 foot long shelf I built on our fencing so he is about 5.5 feet off the ground when this happens. Any suggestions on how to respond to this behavior would be appreciated. The successful swats always draw blood.
Thanks! Miss Moogles