Feral Cat - Advice needed

[minkelstar]

Hello,

I recently adopted a semi-feral female cat from a local charity.

I have taken the following steps to begin her domestication process;

- Own bedroom adjacent to the living room (door left open with a small temporary gate installed so she can hear and see us but stops my other cat from venturing in yet.
- Hiding safe places for her in the bedroom
- Feliway calmer plugged in
- Her own bedding, scratching post, litter tray etc all within a few metres of her favourite hiding place.

She used her tray for the first few days without issue but suddenly decided to do her pees and poos on the bed. I kept washing the sheets etc with enzyme cleaner but she persisted so in the end I removed the whole bed from the room to break the habit. She also has the habit of dragging any loose bedding she can get her paws on into the litter tray and leaving them there. Any ideas why?

I'm trying to use food to gain her trust. I put her food down next to me and she will slowly come out and eat it in front of me. But she eats like a bird, constantly looking up and checking what I'm doing.

I haven't been able to touch her yet. I have encouraged her to sniff my hand but she is still fearful. I tried to gently stroke her head yesterday and she did lash out.

Is there anything else I can do to help her settle? I'm struggling to find a balance between giving her quiet time and space in her room so she can relax and sitting in there with her (I think my presence stresses her a little as she stares at me). Do I leave the current set up in place until she decides she wants to venture out or at some point will she need a gentle "push" in the right direction?

Thanks for any advice - she is probably around 4 years old.

 

[lavishsqualor]

Thank you for adopting her! I'm sure all this is just temporary and will resolve once she settles.

Others will chime in with suggestions, but I'm curious: does anyone actually use the bed in her room?

 

[Maria Bayote]

I agree. It could be a temporary thing.

There are several factors why a cat does not pee or poop in its litter box. One of them is probably a dirty box. How often do you scoop the litter? Twice in a day is ok, then full cleaning at least once a week. Also maybe your cat does not like a scented litter if you are using one. When cleaning the tray, some cats also do not like the smell of the detergents used, so opt to a gentler detergent brands. You can try to change the type of litter too. Place the litter box to the spot where she frequently poops / pees. Maybe she prefers that spot. Even when using the litter box most cats also like some privacy. So if its not covered then try to put some cardboard or anything that will give her some sort of "privacy" when she poops/pee.

It is also good that you removed the bed.

Give her more time. Some cats adjust faster than others. Since you have other cats in the house, she may be overwhelmed by the unfamiliar scents around. She could also be feeling threatened.

And thank you for taking her in. You have a good heart.

 

[minkelstar]

Thank you for adopting her! I'm sure all this is just temporary and will resolve once she settles.

Others will chime in with suggestions, but I'm curious: does anyone actually use the bed in her room?

No, it is a spare bedroom so it is hers for the foreseeable.

 

[minkelstar]

I agree. It could be a temporary thing.

There are several factors why a cat does not pee or poop in its litter box. One of them is probably a dirty box. How often do you scoop the litter? Twice in a day is ok, then full cleaning at least once a week. Also maybe your cat does not like a scented litter if you are using one. When cleaning the tray, some cats also do not like the smell of the detergents used, so opt to a gentler detergent brands. You can try to change the type of litter too. Place the litter box to the spot where she frequently poops / pees. Maybe she prefers that spot. Even when using the litter box most cats also like some privacy. So if its not covered then try to put some cardboard or anything that will give her some sort of "privacy" when she poops/pee.

It is also good that you removed the bed.

Give her more time. Some cats adjust faster than others. Since you have other cats in the house, she may be overwhelmed by the unfamiliar scents around. She could also be feeling threatened.

And thank you for taking her in. You have a good heart.

I scoop the litter twice a day and I have been mixing in some cat "attractor" powder I found in a pet shop. I have been using the Catsan brand which is little white stones. Once I removed the bed she did a poop in the tray in the night so I guess she preferred the bed but went for the tray with no other alternative. The tray has a hood but I will move it to where the bed was and but another box around it so she has more cover...

My other cat is currently nervous too. They did a lot of calling to each other early on (new cat has since lost interest it seems, incumbent cat is trying to pretend she isn't in the house).

She has been glaring at me for a day or so now - obviously still not forgiven me for the attempted head stroke.

Thanks for the advice - I'll take it slow and a day at a time and hopefully food will win her around

 

[gilmargl]

First of all, it is very kind of you to take on this cat. You are doing everything right and, if you are lucky and very patient things will eventually turn out alright.

My issues are with the cat charity. What do they mean by "semi-feral"? A feral is a cat born in the wild with no contact with humans while growing up. Did someone trap a feral, took her home, had no success with her so gave her to the charity? Try to find out her recent history and you will be one step closer to helping her.

If she has spent most of her 4 years outside, a litter box with earth or sand could be more to her liking. Will she be able to go outside once she has learnt where her home is? I can't imagine any good shelter would let a 4-year-old "semi-feral" cat go to a new home, where she would be forced to live her life indoors only.

My Katy was from a feral colony (though not feral) and I didn't even see her for 2 days. Eventually food would bring her out from her hiding place. She was much younger than your cat - 9 months? - but it still took a long time (months rather than weeks) before she came out of her room. I don't think that my other cats were the problem - it was the two-legged creatures who frightened her most.

I hope I don't sound too bossy - I am trying to cook lunch and write - I wish you all the best of luck. I can't think why she drags cloth to her litter box - kittens do things like that. I had a cat with kidney problems who preferred urinating on linen. In the end I gave up, tore up old sheets and she had her own litter box with washable "litter" for the last 5 or 6 years of her life. She always used the other boxes for poo. When she first came to us, before she was sick, she used our bed for three months! It was fortunately summertime, and I could wash and dry everything in 24 hours. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Maria Bayote]

Thanks for the advice - I'll take it slow and a day at a time and hopefully food will win her around

Yes, you are doing a good job. Take it easy and slow. Cats are quite complicated creatures. Being territorial, it is not easy for most of them to adjust outright. I have also a new rescue in the house, and although there are no cat fighting and hissing going on (unlike you who has a spare bedroom, I cannot separate them as I have a tiny studio apartment), one of my resident cats also seems to not forgiven me yet for bringing in a new cat. She has been ignoring me for 2 days now. The usual talkative Graham has become a snob.

 

[lavishsqualor]

I told you others would chime in!

I honestly think her urinating on the bed is rooted in anxiety, as is dragging linens to her litter box. Given patience and time I believe these things will resolve themselves.

Again, you're awesome for taking her in!

 

[minkelstar]

First of all, it is very kind of you to take on this cat. You are doing everything right and, if you are lucky and very patient things will eventually turn out alright.

My issues are with the cat charity. What do they mean by "semi-feral"? A feral is a cat born in the wild with no contact with humans while growing up. Did someone trap a feral, took her home, had no success with her so gave her to the charity? Try to find out her recent history and you will be one step closer to helping her.

If she has spent most of her 4 years outside, a litter box with earth or sand could be more to her liking. Will she be able to go outside once she has learnt where her home is? I can't imagine any good shelter would let a 4-year-old "semi-feral" cat go to a new home, where she would be forced to live her life indoors only.

My Katy was from a feral colony (though not feral) and I didn't even see her for 2 days. Eventually food would bring her out from her hiding place. She was much younger than your cat - 9 months? - but it still took a long time (months rather than weeks) before she came out of her room. I don't think that my other cats were the problem - it was the two-legged creatures who frightened her most.

I hope I don't sound too bossy - I am trying to cook lunch and write - I wish you all the best of luck. I can't think why she drags cloth to her litter box - kittens do things like that. I had a cat with kidney problems who preferred urinating on linen. In the end I gave up, tore up old sheets and she had her own litter box with washable "litter" for the last 5 or 6 years of her life. She always used the other boxes for poo. When she first came to us, before she was sick, she used our bed for three months! It was fortunately summertime, and I could wash and dry everything in 24 hours. Let us know how you get on.

I believe she was found very young on the streets and spent time very briefly with humans but escaped soon after and went on the run again for a year or so. She might be younger than 4, they aren't sure. She will have access to outside eventually but I am nervous of her running away again. Interesting about the kitten like behaviour of dragging cloth into her tray. She took a long furry toy in their once too. Thanks for the insight

 

[jonb]

I keep this vertical cage at the foot of my bed in front of an outside window. They can see outside when the shade is open, they are close to me and see the tame cats sleeping with me. They are easy to get at and work with petting them. Most cats have tamed remarkably fast for me this way. Starting the taming process right soon seems to be important to getting them tame. If you don't take the time to get close and touch them they seem to learn to avoid you and it will take much more effort and time to gain their trust.

 

[minkelstar]

Oh wow that looks great! Definitely a good way to integrate them quickly. I'll have to see if I can find one where I live.
Sometimes she seems a bit better with me...she sniffed my hand for a few days but the last couple of days she hisses and bats at me if I try to extend my hand anywhere in her general direction at all. It seems very up and down. She uses her tray fine one day and the next she pees in a corner. She's still obsessed with peeing on linen... She'll come out fine for her food one day and the next hisses at me when I open the food. She runs and hides when I enter the room but will then randomly come into the adjoining room and stare at me other times. I'd love to know what's going on in her head! I'll keep persevering, I'm in it for the long haul. One day at a time I guess.

 

[minkelstar]

Hi all,

I posted a few weeks back about my little feral adoptee and her litter tray issues (peeing on the bed and dragging linen into her litter box).

I'm pleased to say she is doing better - since I removed the bed she hasn't had any more accidents and has been going in her tray every day. She has also taken a real shine to my current cat (she meows at her a lot, rolls around on the floor in front of her, kneads the ground when she sees her). She is very keen to make friends it appears. My incumbent cat is taking longer to come around, still hissing and growling but in a grumpy rather than overly aggressive way.

My little feral is also spending more time around us - she comes to me for food and lies in the living room with us in the evening (mainly hoping for the other cat to make an appearance I suspect.)

We still haven't been able to touch her yet. She will get very close for food but if I extend my hand she backs away. Should I continue to just wait for her to approach to be touched or is there a method I can use to get her from where she is now to perhaps touching her?

Thanks

 

[di and bob]

Don't force the issue, she needs to maintain her trust in you. It sounds like everything is going well! I have only had success touching a feral by getting them used to me being close when they are eating. Lightly try to touch her back/neck area with a stroke. It will take patience and quite a while but I will bet she will let you eventually. They get quite distracted by eating. Sometimes they let you stroke them and then jump away like they just figured out you touched them, so don't be discouraged. Lying in the same room with you is huge! That means she is comfortable being around you!

 

[Whenallhellbreakslose]

You will have to be patient with this cat and not push things with her. You need to use food/treats and play to gain her trust. Since she already comes close to you for food, you should try to use treats to get her to trust you some more. Place a treat near her, then another a little further away. Do this everyday over and over until she comes closer to you and either eats right beside you or right out of your hand. When you interact with her sit or kneel (make yourself small to her so she does't feel threathened by you). Play with her with wand toys and work up her confidence. Always speak to her in a soft voice and praise her. When she has begun to trust you more, see if you can brush her fur (try a mitt brush for some protection in case she suddenly lashes out.) Work everyday to increase her trust in you, however as mentioned before don't push things. Meet her terms and take things slowly, so there is no setbacks. Best of luck.

 

[minkelstar]

I posted before Christmas about my little feral cat and am pleased to say she has come on leaps and bounds since then. She uses her litter tray consistently, purrs and miaows a lot, lets us stroke her head, rubs up against us and is gaining in confidence every day. She’s much more relaxed and to the untrained eye you’d think she was a “normal” domestic cat now. Her journey isn’t over yet but she’s well on her way and we love her very much. She was worth all the effort (and, at times, stress!)

 

[kriscomms]

Yes be patient and then be more patient. I adopted a cat from the local shelter. They didn’t tell me she was feral. I figured it out on my own after being a cat owner for my whole life. Today is our one year anniversary and I still can’t touch her. She sniffs my hand and plays close by. She even jumps on the bed in the morning and walks over me to check me out. But no petting yet.

You’re on the right track.

K