Feral kitten trust?

mxw1214

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I have a 6 month feral kitten outside. I TNRd her mom and 3 siblings but this one wouldn’t get in the trap. Since it’s been so cold I’ve been leaving the door open a bit for her to wander in and out and warm up for a few hours. Here is a picture of her in the cat tree from my nest cam. Tonight she finally came inside with me in the room and I was able to shut the door with her inside. She freaked out and wouldn’t let me near her. I didn’t know what to do or how to get her into the bathroom since she wouldn’t let me touch her, so I let her back outside, and she took off into the woods.

Is it likely that she will come back inside again? Or will she remember being trapped in here and stay away? At least the cold blast will be over in a few days but I hope she comes back to eat. I wish I could have kept her inside to get her through TNR.
 

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slowblink

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There was one feral kitten from a colony I TNR'd who hated being indoors. I trapped him and his brother together, and his brother immediately warmed up to the indoor environment and was rehomed but the other would absolutely not. He crawled throughout my tiny apartment and refused all attention for weeks until the day I brought him back outside, as it appeared he would never get accustomed to it. Then, lo and behold, he would come up to me for pets, play with my shoelaces, and purr when I gave him attention and fed the colony. He was a completely different cat, and he'd been trapped in my apartment not allowing me near him for much longer than a day.

I think all cats are different, I'm not really sure about her associations with the house now she's felt somewhat trapped, but I also don't think all hope is lost, especially when she did get back out, and it's so cold and your house was a warm place where no harm came to her, and that climbing on the cat tree looks promising to me (she looks pretty confident)? Hopefully other folks chime in with more experience, but I'd hope she at least comes back to eat?
 
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mxw1214

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There was one feral kitten from a colony I TNR'd who hated being indoors. I trapped him and his brother together, and his brother immediately warmed up to the indoor environment and was rehomed but the other would absolutely not. He crawled throughout my tiny apartment and refused all attention for weeks until the day I brought him back outside, as it appeared he would never get accustomed to it. Then, lo and behold, he would come up to me for pets, play with my shoelaces, and purr when I gave him attention and fed the colony. He was a completely different cat, and he'd been trapped in my apartment not allowing me near him for much longer than a day.

I think all cats are different, I'm not really sure about her associations with the house now she's felt somewhat trapped, but I also don't think all hope is lost, especially when she did get back out, and it's so cold and your house was a warm place where no harm came to her, and that climbing on the cat tree looks promising to me (she looks pretty confident)? Hopefully other folks chime in with more experience, but I'd hope she at least comes back to eat?
Good news - she came back to eat already. I opened the door and she didn’t run away, but then I left the room and she also decided not to come back inside. At least she’s coming around, so I can try a drop trap when it’s warmer. Is 6 months too old to try to tame and socialize?
 

slowblink

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Good news - she came back to eat already. I opened the door and she didn’t run away, but then I left the room and she also decided not to come back inside. At least she’s coming around, so I can try a drop trap when it’s warmer. Is 6 months too old to try to tame and socialize?
Yay! Good to hear. I wouldn't say it's impossible to tame/socialize at 6 mo, but I also wouldn't say it'd be easy? It does sound like you have some sort of relationship/positive associations already established with her if you have been feeding her all this time, so that could be something that would work in your favor?
 
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