How Long Before Your Feral Let You Pet Them?

[ads3j]

Rocket lets me pet her, but brushing is too scary and nail trimming wouldn't happen. Flea medicine is usually sneakily applied while sleeping and I have to plan a good 30 minutes to catch her for the vet. But she is indoor/outdoor so the nails aren't an issue (she likes scratching rocks). She sheds like crazy in the spring so she gets extra petting before coming in and I get fluff covered. It works.

I workwd really hard with her over the course of 7 months to go from crate, to indvidual room, to multiple rooms, to house, and finally outside. Each step I constantly said her name and would reduce her space again if she wasn't coming when called. The crate really was an asset in the first month or so because it taught her that I wasn't evil and a source of good things without really allowing her to hide. I almost wish I had used to longer to get her more comfortable with holding. But I think that is a total lack of control issue for her. She is probably my best at coming when called... unless she has a lizard. But they are used to coming in at night so usually just before dusk they are waiting to come in.

I should mention that a routine is really important with under or unsocialized cats. What timw you wake, get home, feed, play etc. It all really helps them feel secure and adapt.

I missed the mark on the crate training, but have been trying really hard to keep a feeding schedule with her, however, my husband is a sucker for Millie when she wants to eat - even getting up at 2 am and feeding her when she goes and begs (unbeknownst to me and at my utter dismay ). Oh well, I guess I will just have to do the best I can to work with her as much as possible.

 

[kittychick]

Wow, that's a tear-jerking read! I made the same promises to Lilly when I had her in a cage so afraid that we were going to hurt her. I told her her babies would find a good home and be taken care of (they've been placed in a loving home on Cape Cod) and I also promised the non-profit that helped me trap her that I didn't' care if she never let me pet her, as long as I didn't have to worry about her anymore (they warned me she may not make a great house pet). I lied about that part though, I find myself longing to touch her and love on her, but am trying to really celebrate how well she's doing - coming downstairs now to eat breakfast and dinner in the kitchen, exploring the house with (albeit skittish) curiosity and making herself at home. I was downstairs playing with Millie a bit (who was periodically looking for Lilly to come down, and eventually left to go be with her) when I heard the squeak of her mouse toy that is under the bed where she now likes to hide. Poor thing wants love and attention, but still lacks the confidence to really come and interact with us.

I found Millie (her then kitten) at 7 weeks, starving, covered with fleas and wasting away (somehow she got separated from Lilly) and didn't see Lilly again all last winter, as soon as spring came, I made my plan to trap and give her a home here. I have done that and she's been amazing. I really just want her to be comfortable and feel at home. She will never be cold, pregnant, looking for food and running from cars and coyotes. She will always be safe and fed so that's really all that matters.

I think we all understand the desire to love and cuddle - - it feels like an affirmation that they "get" what we're doing in trying to make their life/lives better. And it sounds like Lilly DOES get it. The fact that she's out and exploring is huge (think about my friends that took in Flick's sister - she wouldn't even allow herself to be SEEN by the wife for almost two years!). It sounds like Millie may be the one who eventually gets Lilly to participate in household life more. And you should celebrate the little things! I celebrated recently that a feral we've been working with for 22 months finally let me pet him a few weeks ago! Then he decided I was ok in his book - and I can even brush him! My husband's a little hurt though - Brady still seems to think my husband's other name is Satan. But please do feel good about the tiny, tiny milestones. And like you (and my hubby said), now she'll know the comfort of being warm, safe, dry, and have a full tummy whenever she wants. Remember - she was taught from day one to fear humans. It's what kept her alive long enough to come into your life! I've been reminded on this site are than once - - ferals teach us patience. Your gift to Lilly and Millie is a comfortable life where they can sleep with both eyes shut.....their gift to you is patience.....and eventually the reward will be love. In whatever form they are capable of offering. But that's where REAL love comes in - when you have no idea HOW much will be returned to you but you love anyway!

 

[maggie101]

I took Maggie in 3 months old. It took almost a year for her to not hide from my visitors. I think CoCo has separation anxiety or something like that. She hides but wants to be picked up. She rubs against my face and kneads her paws on me for a long time. She was stolen from her mom too young. Then showed up on my porch a year Later. At first her mom was stray but later she turned into a very nice and loving feral. She would not eat the canned food anymore. Instead hunt mostly birds and rats. I stopped her from killing a possum by opening the door and making noise. A kitten taken from a stray mom is much harder mentally on a kitten than from a foster or shelter where she would be more socialized

 

[nahui]

We found Gato, the cat in my avatar, when he was about 6-8 weeks old. We don't know for sure is he was feral or not, but he would not let us touch him for the first year of his life and he was very skittish with people. We could not have people over or he would hide and not come out for days, not even to eat. He was also very aggressive when we tried to play with him.

Strangely enough, he was only bonded to my dogs, but not to us. Once he managed to open a window and escape. We were able to find him only because we looked for him while walking our dogs and only then he came out from his hiding spot behind some bushes.

He's now three years old and is as if he was an entirely different cat. One day he simply decided that we were not so bad, so now every time somebody is watching t.v., he'll jump right into their lap. He even lets the neighbors pet him! I have no idea how that happened, but the change has been great.

Before and after:

 

[ads3j]

We found Gato, the cat in my avatar, when he was about 6-8 weeks old. We don't know for sure is he was feral or not, but he would not let us touch him for the first year of his life and he was very skittish with people. We could not have people over or he would hide and not come out for days, not even to eat. He was also very aggressive when we tried to play with him.

Strangely enough, he was only bonded to my dogs, but not to us. Once he managed to open a window and escape. We were able to find him only because we looked for him while walking our dogs and only then he came out from his hiding spot behind some bushes.

He's now three years old and is as if he was an entirely different cat. One day he simply decided that we were not so bad, so now every time somebody is watching t.v., he'll jump right into their lap. He even lets the neighbors pet him! I have no idea how that happened, but the change has been great.

Before and after:
View attachment 188856 View attachment 188855

How adorable! Thank you for sharing.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Thank you so much for sharing this, it melted me and sharing the pictures (they're precious). What sweet, bizarre little creatures they are and I am so grateful we have ours. I won't put any expectations on Lilly. She seems to be getting comfortable now, although she will sorta jog off if we get too close to her, but quickly comes back (especially to eat) and she seems to desperately want to connect and play. She seems very curious about my contact with Millie and it seems to encourage her - for example, I reached and scratched Millie's cheeks and she noticed her her euphora so she came and sniffed my hand while I was doing it. Recently though, she seems to look away if I'm petting Millie. I will give her all the time she needs to feel safe. I watched her for almost a year surviving on the streets fleeing from cars, people and other cats and dogs. My heart broke for her and I worked so hard to track and trap her and promised her that she could take all the time she needed to feel at home.

You are wonderful.

 

[ads3j]

You might try extending your fist toward her and see how she reacts. It looks a bit like a cat asking for a head bump (a cat's way of greeting another cat). If she puts her head down and turns her cheek toward you, you can gently pet her cheek and perhaps jaw.

Chester, the cat in my avatar, is ten years old and only allows a ten-second head scratch every week or so. If he allows both my husband and me to scratch him in the same week, we are shocked!

Good idea, I've only been extending a finger or my hand palm down, I will try the fist now, thanks! Seems like an obvious thing, but I hadn't thought of it before.

 

[maggiedemi]

Have you tried petting her with something, like a long handled duster or something soft taped onto a stick?

 

[ads3j]

I think we all understand the desire to love and cuddle - - it feels like an affirmation that they "get" what we're doing in trying to make their life/lives better. And it sounds like Lilly DOES get it. The fact that she's out and exploring is huge (think about my friends that took in Flick's sister - she wouldn't even allow herself to be SEEN by the wife for almost two years!). It sounds like Millie may be the one who eventually gets Lilly to participate in household life more. And you should celebrate the little things! I celebrated recently that a feral we've been working with for 22 months finally let me pet him a few weeks ago! Then he decided I was ok in his book - and I can even brush him! My husband's a little hurt though - Brady still seems to think my husband's other name is Satan. But please do feel good about the tiny, tiny milestones. And like you (and my hubby said), now she'll know the comfort of being warm, safe, dry, and have a full tummy whenever she wants. Remember - she was taught from day one to fear humans. It's what kept her alive long enough to come into your life! I've been reminded on this site are than once - - ferals teach us patience. Your gift to Lilly and Millie is a comfortable life where they can sleep with both eyes shut.....their gift to you is patience.....and eventually the reward will be love. In whatever form they are capable of offering. But that's where REAL love comes in - when you have no idea HOW much will be returned to you but you love anyway!

I think we all understand the desire to love and cuddle - - it feels like an affirmation that they "get" what we're doing in trying to make their life/lives better. And it sounds like Lilly DOES get it. The fact that she's out and exploring is huge (think about my friends that took in Flick's sister - she wouldn't even allow herself to be SEEN by the wife for almost two years!). It sounds like Millie may be the one who
eventually gets Lilly to participate in household life more. And you should celebrate the little things! I celebrated recently that a feral we've been working with for 22 months finally let me pet him a few weeks ago! Then he decided I was ok in his book - and I can even brush him! My husband's a little hurt though - Brady still seems to think my husband's other name is Satan. But please do feel good about the tiny, tiny milestones. And like you (and my hubby said), now she'll know the comfort of being warm, safe, dry, and have a full tummy whenever she wants. Remember - she was taught from day one to fear humans. It's what kept her alive long enough to come into your life! I've been reminded on this site are than once - - ferals teach us patience. Your gift to Lilly and Millie is a comfortable life where they can sleep with both eyes shut.....their gift to you is patience.....and eventually the reward will be love. In whatever form they are capable of offering. But that's where REAL love comes in - when you have no idea HOW much will be returned to you but you love anyway!

Here is Lilly living that gift of a comfortable space to sleep with her eyes shut and no concern whatsoever that I am there with a camera (phone) in her reach. Kittychick, your words made me appreciate this a little more today

 

[Shane Kent]

Here is Lilly living that gift of a comfortable space to sleep with her eyes shut and no concern whatsoever that I am there with a camera (phone) in her reach. Kittychick, your words made me appreciate this a little more today

View attachment 189000

From everything I read and my vet, that photo is beautiful. Far better than laying outside.

 

[JMJimmy]

Depends how you define feral. Feral really means that they were born in the wild and have had no contact with humans. Semi-feral it gets a bit murky. If they were born in the wild but had some contact with humans would be semi-feral but some also apply it to stray cats where they were domesticated but are becoming more "feral" as time goes on. Then there's friendly ferals who are just confounding lol. Sometimes you don't really know their full story so semi-feral becomes a catch all for any type of street cat.

In our case they were all semi-ferals. We've pieced together some of their history from other tenants:

Mama: First day. On the street for at least 2 years - intelligent cat who learned how to beg at patio doors for food

Junior: First day. Learned he belonged to a neighbour who "let him be free" when he started mowing at the door due to hormones - not exactly feral and was only a year old when we adopted him

Sissy: 2 weeks. Once he was comfortable enough for us to be in the same area, catnip + pets = instant house cat (like flipping a switch). He was on the street for at least 2 years

Scotty: 3 weeks. Once he committed to coming inside, we were able to pet him that day with the catnip trick but it took that long to get him to come inside (delayed by him being TNRed in the middle of the process). He was on the street for at least 2 years

Morgan: First day, briefly. On the street for most of her life (3 years old) after being dumped as a kitten. Fed by humans

Julius: 2nd visit inside. During a particularly bad cold snap he came in for 3 days and we were able to pet him. On the street for 4 years, fed by humans.

Now it may seem like these are not so feral, and you're probably right, however, in dealing with TNR cat colonies I've found that a calm, still, patient presence combined with sitting with them as they eat will speed up the process immeasurably. Within a couple days of doing these sit down meals they will come to you, sniff you, rub up against you, and even climb on you. Once they are comfortable with that, and with you making some small movements, most of them will accept some form of touching/petting within a week. It can take a while to get some particularly feral cats to eat in proximity to you and weeks of bringing the meal closer and closer to you in order to get to that point.

Our first trick for indoor semi-ferals is always to rub catnip into our hands and then put a small pile in the ground close to us. If the cat shows interest, just wait there completely still until it's brave enough to come to you, let it smell your finger and rub it, the cat will tell you where it wants to be touched, and usually within a few minutes they're putty. There's a caveat though: you have to watch the tail and ears!

Video examples below may upset cats in ear shot - watch with headphones or muted

Ears back = go still/slowly back off. Here's an example: - watch the ear on the left of the frame. Ear goes back, human doesn't listen, then head swings back like I'm going to bite you 3 times before teeth come out. This is a well behaved cat who gives plenty of warning and only a nibble... a feral may go from ear back to puncture bite.

The last 3-4 inches of the tail slowly twitching/waving is mild irritation or annoyance. It's the sign that it's not keen on what you're doing but it's tolerating it. If the tail movement starts becoming a sharper movement or the tail starts moving more than 3-4 inches from the tip it's time to back off and let the cat decide if it wants more pets or to move on. Catnip will make a fearful cat braver but it also shortens the time between "I'm mildly annoyed/overstimulated" to "die human, die". Finding a good video of this is harder but here's an example with a semi feral: - skip to around 2:08. The cat sits down to scratch but subtly the ears go back a bit, the tail starts to swish, human doesn't listen and starts to walk away - cat bites at 2:11

Example of good swishing/twitching though the twitching is exaggerated in this case to more of a tremble. It should not be confused with what happens at 0:07 of this video: which is the cat scent marking not excitement (usually some pee on the wall, though not always when the cat is fixed).

So what's the difference between good and bad swishing? Good swishing is almost like they're trying to use their tail in a prehensile manner. They want to wrap it around you affectionately. It will start at the base and the tip will follow. A bad swishing is when it does the opposite, the tip will fling the tail from one side to the other. An example, WARNING: may be upsetting (feral cat fight) - the brown tabby is the aggressor here, ears are back but not completely flat, tail swishing aggressively, tip of the tail has sharp twitches. It's telling the other cat in no uncertain terms it's going to attack. For a human usually that means you've got 1-2 seconds before something bad is about to happen to you.

Hope this helps you understand your feral a bit better!

 

[ads3j]

Depends how you define feral. Feral really means that they were born in the wild and have had no contact with humans. Semi-feral it gets a bit murky. If they were born in the wild but had some contact with humans would be semi-feral but some also apply it to stray cats where they were domesticated but are becoming more "feral" as time goes on. Then there's friendly ferals who are just confounding lol. Sometimes you don't really know their full story so semi-feral becomes a catch all for any type of street cat.

In our case they were all semi-ferals. We've pieced together some of their history from other tenants:

Mama: First day. On the street for at least 2 years - intelligent cat who learned how to beg at patio doors for food

Junior: First day. Learned he belonged to a neighbour who "let him be free" when he started mowing at the door due to hormones - not exactly feral and was only a year old when we adopted him

Sissy: 2 weeks. Once he was comfortable enough for us to be in the same area, catnip + pets = instant house cat (like flipping a switch). He was on the street for at least 2 years

Scotty: 3 weeks. Once he committed to coming inside, we were able to pet him that day with the catnip trick but it took that long to get him to come inside (delayed by him being TNRed in the middle of the process). He was on the street for at least 2 years

Morgan: First day, briefly. On the street for most of her life (3 years old) after being dumped as a kitten. Fed by humans

Julius: 2nd visit inside. During a particularly bad cold snap he came in for 3 days and we were able to pet him. On the street for 4 years, fed by humans.

Now it may seem like these are not so feral, and you're probably right, however, in dealing with TNR cat colonies I've found that a calm, still, patient presence combined with sitting with them as they eat will speed up the process immeasurably. Within a couple days of doing these sit down meals they will come to you, sniff you, rub up against you, and even climb on you. Once they are comfortable with that, and with you making some small movements, most of them will accept some form of touching/petting within a week. It can take a while to get some particularly feral cats to eat in proximity to you and weeks of bringing the meal closer and closer to you in order to get to that point.

Our first trick for indoor semi-ferals is always to rub catnip into our hands and then put a small pile in the ground close to us. If the cat shows interest, just wait there completely still until it's brave enough to come to you, let it smell your finger and rub it, the cat will tell you where it wants to be touched, and usually within a few minutes they're putty. There's a caveat though: you have to watch the tail and ears!

Video examples below may upset cats in ear shot - watch with headphones or muted

Ears back = go still/slowly back off. Here's an example: - watch the ear on the left of the frame. Ear goes back, human doesn't listen, then head swings back like I'm going to bite you 3 times before teeth come out. This is a well behaved cat who gives plenty of warning and only a nibble... a feral may go from ear back to puncture bite.

The last 3-4 inches of the tail slowly twitching/waving is mild irritation or annoyance. It's the sign that it's not keen on what you're doing but it's tolerating it. If the tail movement starts becoming a sharper movement or the tail starts moving more than 3-4 inches from the tip it's time to back off and let the cat decide if it wants more pets or to move on. Catnip will make a fearful cat braver but it also shortens the time between "I'm mildly annoyed/overstimulated" to "die human, die". Finding a good video of this is harder but here's an example with a semi feral: - skip to around 2:08. The cat sits down to scratch but subtly the ears go back a bit, the tail starts to swish, human doesn't listen and starts to walk away - cat bites at 2:11

Example of good swishing/twitching though the twitching is exaggerated in this case to more of a tremble. It should not be confused with what happens at 0:07 of this video: which is the cat scent marking not excitement (usually some pee on the wall, though not always when the cat is fixed).

So what's the difference between good and bad swishing? Good swishing is almost like they're trying to use their tail in a prehensile manner. They want to wrap it around you affectionately. It will start at the base and the tip will follow. A bad swishing is when it does the opposite, the tip will fling the tail from one side to the other. An example, WARNING: may be upsetting (feral cat fight) - the brown tabby is the aggressor here, ears are back but not completely flat, tail swishing aggressively, tip of the tail has sharp twitches. It's telling the other cat in no uncertain terms it's going to attack. For a human usually that means you've got 1-2 seconds before something bad is about to happen to you.

Hope this helps you understand your feral a bit better!

Thanks so much for all of this! Great to read your individual cat experiences, but I have to admit, We trapped Lilly on June 2nd and she was spayed and came in on June 9th and she still is not allowing me to pet her even with the socializing techniques I've read about (will try putting catnip on my hand though, that I've not done). I was envious of how soon even your most fearful cat allowed you to pet them. Lilly is very suspicious of hands and feet, and won't rub on me. But, she does sniff and show interest in my hands and feet - really fascinated by doors opening and closing too. She comes out to see me and wants to explore more and more and plays like a kitten at night as though she were only a few months old . I know she lived on the streets for at least a year and a half and probably her whole life - I think she's about 2-3 (???) but really have no idea. Also, thanks for the videos, I haven't seen them yet but will watch each one! All the shared experiences and supportive comments are so appreciated, it's great having a feral/semi-feral/stray cat lovers community to read different experiences.

 

[Shane Kent]

JMJimmy

"Depends how you define feral."

I could not agree more. My two were in the semi-feral range in that I had been feeding them for several months. If you don't catch your own food and get food from a human that is hardly considered wild in my books. If you called my cats feral now I would laugh in your face. They live in my house and there is absolutely nothing wild about that. And yet I see people refer to cats that used to be feral, as feral?

ads3j

"she still is not allowing me to pet her even with the socializing techniques"

Be patient please. Someone may have abused her. I was able to pet Rusty in a few weeks and Kitty in 5-6 weeks and I know for certain they were isolated and nobody did anything mean to them. It could take you several months but you seem like a person with lots of heart I am sure the cat will warm up to you. You do know not to get stressed around the cat? The cat will pick up on it and it will take you longer. I know that sounds weird but I am serious. If you are stressed it will more than likely stress the cat and make it harder for you. Be patient and let her open up on her own, chances are she will be the beautiful flower you want her to be.

 

[Shane Kent]

ads3j

I should point out, that jab at the incorrect feral people was in no way directed at you. I should not have done that on your thread but it is how I feel so I will leave it. That reply was in agreement to jmjimmy as so many people apply the word feral when it does not apply. Please keep doing what you are doing as you are on the right track

 

[maggie101]

I know it's different for every cat, and some may never like to be petted, however, I would love to know from others with more experience how long it took them to get their feral kitties to allow their human to pet them. I have had my (semi?) feral in the house for 5 weeks now, she's getting along with my resident cat and seems to be exploring the house more and more each day, however, while she will sniff and touch our hands (and once my foot) with her paw, when we move ever so gently to touch her, she won't allow it. I would just love to know other people's experience. Thank you!

I know it's different for every cat, and some may never like to be petted, however, I would love to know from others with more experience how long it took them to get their feral kitties to allow their human to pet them. I have had my (semi?) feral in the house for 5 weeks now, she's getting along with my resident cat and seems to be exploring the house more and more each day, however, while she will sniff and touch our hands (and once my foot) with her paw, when we move ever so gently to touch her, she won't allow it. I would just love to know other people's experience. Thank you!

Good idea, I've only been extending a finger or my hand palm down, I will try the fist now, thanks! Seems like an obvious thing, but I hadn't thought of it before.

Good idea, I've only been extending a finger or my hand palm down, I will try the fist now, thanks! Seems like an obvious thing, but I hadn't thought of it before.

Hand flat on the floor, then fist, cheeks, head, back. Baby talk.

 

[Shane Kent]

View attachment 189172 View attachment 189172 View attachment 189173




Hand flat on the floor, then fist, cheeks, head, back. Baby talk.

My cat Kitty would have clawed your face off! On the floor with her? That depends on the cat and when you could do it. Kitty pulled a metal heat register off the floor and went down the duct.

Sorry that sounds weird to me. I learned to socialize them to human behaviour and try not to get into their space to much at first.

 

[maggie101]

She is different she was stolen from a stranger too young and showed up on my porch a yr later

 

[maggiedemi]

Shane- if that comment was directed at me, my cats have to be listed as Feral at the vet. They have to know to wear gloves because they are terrified of strangers and will bite and scratch, and they have to watch the door because they will try to escape and there is a highway outside the vet's office. They are still very feral in many ways, especially Maggie, she will cut you. If you say the word "Feral", guests know to stay back and not touch.

 

[Shane Kent]

Shane- if that comment was directed at me, my cats have to be listed as Feral at the vet. They have to know to wear gloves because they are terrified of strangers and will bite and scratch, and they have to watch the door because they will try to escape and there is a highway outside the vet's office. They are still very feral in many ways, especially Maggie, she will cut you. If you say the word "Feral", guests know to stay back and not touch.

God bless you for sticking with the cats. Semi-feral is far better than living wild outside or euthanized. I will clarify as I was referring to a fully socialized cat, I will add detail as I feel my two are fully socialized and just timid.

Most definitely if the cat is still semi-feral in that it only allows certain people to pick it up and will claw or bite anyone else I would refer to it as semi-feral and warn my vet and tell guest do not go near them. Kitty and Rusty were what I would call semi-feral when I trapped them and took them to the vet. Semi-feral because I was feeding them and they were somewhat familiar with me, I could not touch them but they weren't overly afraid of me. I had been feeding them for several months and they were allowing me to get closer and closer to them. They had some experience with a human so I wouldn't classify them fully feral.

After trapping them Kitty tried to get me a few times but gloves and a leather sleeved jacket prevented her from actually doing damage. Her brother Rusty is not aggressive at all but she was very aggressive at first. She wanted back outside and was extremely pissed off at me for forcing her to stay inside. For about the first month and a half I was very cautious around her. I avoided getting close to her and let her have time and space to adjust. One day she decided I was trustworthy and it was all down hill from there.

I was incredibly fortunate that the guys I work for have hearts. Kitty and Rusty were born on the property where I work and they let me turn an empty office into a safe room. Everyone I work with was told several times do not go in the room, do not even look in the room. I told all my coworkers do not go near the cats because they might lunge. After I got them settled in I told two of the guys I work with it would be OK they go in talk softly and move slowly. They are both pet owners and love animals like I do. Having the extra people assist me in getting them used to us humans helped me out immensely.

After they accepted me I played with them. Both cats played very rough at first but I did the "ouch thing". I would say ouch and pull my hand back and stop playing. After a while they got the idea. They had their shots so I wasn't overly worried about some minor scratches and bites. Myself and my two coworkers ended up with some scratched up arms but it was worth it.

Now there are several people that can pick them up. If they don't know someone they won't bite or scratch, they just cry and wiggle their way into getting put back down. I no longer refer to them as semi-feral I call them timid. There are lots of timid cats plenty of which were born and raised with humans so I don't consider it a feral thing. My vet doesn't have any problems handling them and told me I did a good job with them. For me it was feral to semi-feral and now they are just timid.

I am fortunate it worked out really well for me. It had a lot to do with me starting to feed them at a young age, approximately 2 months old, so they weren't overly fearful of people. They were isolated from the general public and I told my coworkers to stay away from them while they were living outside. They had no bad experiences with people which helped a lot. I feel there are a lot of factors and I do realize some cats may never make it from semi-feral to timid. I am happy to call my cats timid.

 

[Shane Kent]

She is different she was stolen from a stranger too young and showed up on my porch a yr later

Looking back on my comment to you I feel it was too harsh and I should explain better. I don't like the idea of hands flat on the floor while near a semi-feral or scared stray because of this part of my comment above.

"After trapping them Kitty tried to get me a few times but gloves and a leather sleeved jacket prevented her from actually doing damage. Her brother Rusty is not aggressive at all but she was very aggressive at first. She wanted back outside and was extremely pissed off at me for forcing her to stay inside. For about the first month and a half I was very cautious around her. I avoided getting close to her and let her have time and space to adjust. One day she decided I was trustworthy and it was all down hill from there."

I would not have wanted to have my hands flat on the floor when I was anywhere near her. I was ready to block her as I fully expected to have to fight her off. I was a bit leary of Kitty at first because she did not like me at all. She was so intent on getting away from me she went down the duct work in the building. I had to pull a section of duct work out to get her back. I think to say she hated me at first would be putting it lightly.