Feral cat not warming up

[QuixoticDream]

I took in a feral cat that I had been feeding in September and have been working with her to become comfortable inside and with people to no avail. She has been spayed and microchipped. If she is left alone she is happy however she is very antagonistic to people. It has been suggested to me to put her back outside however I believe the reason she was coming to me for food in the first place is that she is unable to hunt for herself - she has a dead tail and seems to be unable or unwilling to jump. I am unable to feed her throughout the year as I am a college student and return home over breaks for long periods of time. I also live in a place where winter can be pretty severe so I worry about her safety. What would my best course of action be for her to be happiest? Would it be best for her to go back outside or should I surrender her to a shelter with a professional behavioralist that would be able to work with her to become more comfortable with people? I would greatly appreciate any advice. Thank you all for your time.

 

[jaxtabby]

she could be in pain from the “dead tail”. What did the vet say? Pain could be why she will not warm up to you. Please take her home when school is out as putting her back out or taking to a shelter will be a death sentence. It takes a while to get over being feral.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Depending on how old she is, and how long she has been on her own, it could literally take years to get her to a place where she feels more comfortable around people. Having the tail situation checked out is a good idea too, just to rule out it having anything to do with her behavior. Aside from that, September until now is not a very long time at all for a feral, or even a stray/abandoned cat. And the fact that she seems 'happy' to be inside - regardless of how she feels about people - is a sign that she would prefer to be inside than to be let outside again.

Who will take care of her when you are not around? If at all possible, they really should be as involved as you are in her care. Is she 'better' with you than anyone else?

If you cannot keep her, perhaps you could find someone else - trusted friend/family member/etc. - to take her. She is not going to get the kind of care you think she might from a shelter. A rescue group that works with feral/stray cats would be a better source if you cannot keep her.
A Feral Cat Or A Stray Cat? How To Tell The Difference – TheCatSite Articles
The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside – TheCatSite Articles

 

[fionasmom]

What is her relationship to you? Can you approach her more successfully than others or handle her at all?

Surrendering her to a shelter for supposed behavioral help could be uncertain. Most shelters are too filled with strays or lost/surrendered pets to work with ferals and even in no kill shelters extreme behavior problems can qualify an animal for euthanasia.

She is happily living in your house, on her terms; if she were not, you would see attempts to escape, clawing at windows, etc. She knows that she is safe and cared for and that means the world to her because she understands her limitations in being unable to jump. She knows that outside she is at a very strong disadvantage and is a prey animal. Personally, it does not sound like unwillingness to me. The dead tail is of concern and could be the tip of the iceberg signifying nerve damage of some sort. I do agree that it should be investigated if possible. Does she use a litterbox?

I see that there is a collar on her? She allowed that much interaction with you? Somehow she was spayed and microchipped which is very responsible on your part to have taken all of these measures to help her.

I have only ever owned ferals/former ferals as pets with the exception of two abandoned pet cats. She may never become the cat who sits in your lap, but they can live on their own terms inside. While September sounds like a long time ago, it is not in terms of socializing a former feral.

https://americanpetsalive.org/uploads/resources/APA-Guide-to-Socializing-Adult-Cats.pdf
https://americanpetsalive.org/uploa...ing-Cats-that-are-nonsocial-to-humans52F6.pdf