Feral Cat Decision

[surya]

Here's a nice article about taming feral cats:

How to Tame Feral Cats

I feed around 20 cats and I am hoping to tame some of them so they can be adoptable. I can't bring them inside because I am at my cat limit, so that does make it more of a challenge.

Good luck with Taffy Tabby.

 

[walli]

Krazy for Katz you are doing great, we 2nd guess ourselves because it's not a quick.
I'm way behind you with Walli, but she is making progress too!
She made an appearance in the living room while we were in there for a very short visit
We were paralyzed frozen, not knowing what to do

 

[KrazyForKats]

Taffy Tabby Update: We had Taffy Tabby’s poop checked today, and, not surprisingly he has parasites. The treatment lasts for 8 weeks, so the plan is to continue to keep upstairs kitty separated and continue to work on building trust with him while he’s getting treatment. Then take it from there.

 

[msaimee]

Why will the treatment take 8 weeks? Usually one or two doses of Drontal resolves the problem. How is he doing?

 

[KrazyForKats]

Just following the vet’s orders. He’s a very reliable vet. Taffy Tabby is doing fine. I was talking on the phone and petting him this morning, and he rolled over exposing his belly and started kneading the air.

 

[vyger]

Here's a nice article about taming feral cats:

How to Tame Feral Cats

I feed around 20 cats and I am hoping to tame some of them so they can be adoptable. I can't bring them inside because I am at my cat limit, so that does make it more of a challenge.

Good luck with Taffy Tabby.

There's a limit??

Actually I go more by "house rules", little things like "no starting fights and swatting others while in my lap" and "lap has an occupancy limit of 3".
But one of the biggest ones is "If you don't want to use a box you don't stay inside."

Although I don't have a limit for the desk. Might have to modify that one.
You know petting a cat is supposed to lower your blood pressure. Oh, that's where I left it.

 

[trudy1]

That picture cry’s out for a cat related solution....larger desk?

Cute guys. Don’t you wish all of us could get along like that?

 

[surya]

What a lovely pile of soft cuddly kitties.

 

[KrazyForKats]

I haven’t posted about Taffy Tabby for a while because there hasn’t been a lot of change. He’s still in my basement receiving treatment for parasites. He has 2 more weeks to go with the treatment. We’re making slow progress in the trust department. He LOVES to be petted now. He loves to have his ears rubbed and the base of his tail scratched and his cheeks scratched. I can’t approach him from the front though. I always have to start from the side or back. He used to hiss if I tried. Now he just shrinks back if I try. It makes me feel bad when he does that because otherwise he loves to have his head touched, just not from the front. Do you think that’s a natural feral cat response or that he’s been abused before?

He’s also FINALLY started to play with toys. I caught him on the kitty cam playing with a pipe cleaner and a mouse! I had brought the twisted pipe cleaner down many days before because I thought it might be less threatening than the wand or other toys, but he ignored it and it stayed right where I left it. Now it moves around when I’m not there, as do the mice I’ve left down there. To me, this is a BIG step. He still shows no interest when I try to engage him in play with a feather on a stick or a cat dancer.

We had another breakthrough last night. He always runs to the top of the stairs when I come down to the basement, and that’s where I pet him and give him treats. Last night I came down with his canned food “dinner” and he was at the bottom of the stairs. I set the dish down and talked to him quietly to come and eat, and he walked over to the food dish. He ate a couple of bites with me just a few steps away and then kept watching me, but didn’t run away. I finally left him to eat because he looked like he desperately wanted to eat, but was afraid to with me there. But still, that was a pretty big step. It’s so true what everyone says about going slowly with feral cats and letting them set the pace.

 

[tabbytom]

We definitely does not know his background and what he went through. He might just want his own space at certain times so leave him alone for that moment.i

It’s good to hear that progress have been made and small steps of progress is better than zero progress. Don’t worry, you are doing great and so is Taffy. Yes, it’s true, go slow and it’s always on their terms.

 

[walli]

Sounds like Taffy Tabby is making progress! yay!

 

[trudy1]

I can tell you that you are doing great. I have three in our basement which were rescues. A mom, the brother and her bobtail baby. Of the 3 the brother cannot be approached quickly face to face. Both he and the bobtail do the slinky, low to the ground walk as they are being scratched. All are sweet as can be but it’s been over two years! I think the lesson is that they love on their own terms and we are to gratefully accept what they choose to share with us.

 

[walli]

Thanks Trudy, I know it wasn't for me but it helps me.

 

[KrazyForKats]

View attachment 223952 I can tell you that you are doing great. I have three in our basement which were rescues. A mom, the brother and her bobtail baby. Of the 3 the brother cannot be approached quickly face to face. Both he and the bobtail do the slinky, low to the ground walk as they are being scratched. All are sweet as can be but it’s been over two years! I think the lesson is that they love on their own terms and we are to gratefully accept what they choose to share with us.

Thanks! That's very helpful to know. Do you keep them in the basement because you have other cats upstairs?

 

[trudy1]

Yes, I have cats and more cats. The three in the basement garage have their own door and three story outside catcatraz enclosure. I have four in the house, all rescues. Two are “let me out, let me out, no let me in”, etc. They do stay in at night. The other two are just inside showing no inclination to go out.

 

[KrazyForKats]

I haven’t posted for a while, but Taffy Tabby is still in my basement. He just finished his worm treatment, and I’ve finally made an appointment for him to see my vet. It’s on May 4, and the vet is giving me some Gabapentin to give to him in his food before taking him. Has anyone else ever dosed their feral with Gabapentin? Apparently it won’t put him out completely, but is supposed to relax him enough to catch him and transport him. He still lets me pet him, but is extremely skittish, so let’s hope this works. Wish me luck!

 

[shadowsrescue]

I haven’t posted for a while, but Taffy Tabby is still in my basement. He just finished his worm treatment, and I’ve finally made an appointment for him to see my vet. It’s on May 4, and the vet is giving me some Gabapentin to give to him in his food before taking him. Has anyone else ever dosed their feral with Gabapentin? Apparently it won’t put him out completely, but is supposed to relax him enough to catch him and transport him. He still lets me pet him, but is extremely skittish, so let’s hope this works. Wish me luck!

I used Gabapentin recently to transport my 3 feral cats to my new home. I had the liquid version which was really hard to use. I only successfully got it into 2 of the cats. Yet, it did work. It did enough that I was able to get them into carriers and transport to my new home. The key is to give it 1-2 hours to work.

Let us know how it all works out.

 

[KrazyForKats]

Thanks shadowrescue! Did you give the liquid Gabapentin to them directly or put it in their food? I’m wondering why it was hard to use. I’m really glad to know it worked though. Thanks for your response!

 

[shadowsrescue]

Thanks shadowrescue! Did you give the liquid Gabapentin to them directly or put it in their food? I’m wondering why it was hard to use. I’m really glad to know it worked though. Thanks for your response!

I had to give directly into their mouth as I knew they wouldn't touch their food with it in it. It was a really small amount and I just needed to get it into their mouth. A small pill might have been easier. Yet the vet I worked with only had liquid.

It did greatly mellow the two that took the Gabapentin. They were sleepy and kind of in a haze. I drove them almost an hour away and hardly knew they were in the car. It helped them greatly to relax in my new home as it lasted about 6-8 hours.

You might ask the vet for both liquid and tablet/pill form so that you can try both if needed.

 

[KrazyForKats]

Giving Taffy Tabby liquid with his food shouldn’t be a problem. That’s how I gave him his worm treatment. Thanks again!