Need some advice for my feral cat

[spaZm]

Hi everyone,
I’m new to TCS but I have been taking care of a feral cat now for 3 years. I’ve had her tnr’d along with her one kitten(who passed away a year and a half ago). Just last week she has been limping pretty hard so I had to trap her and take her to he vet. Thankfully she didn’t have and broken bones or wounds/abscesses. The vet said she probably just sprained her ankles. So now she is in a large dog crate on house arrest for two weeks in my basement. My question is during these two weeks should I try to socialize her and maybe try to pet her with a back scratcher (3 years and she still won’t let me pet her)? Or would that cause more stress on her?

 

[catapault]

What a pretty girl! It seems like this would be a good opportunity to attempt to socialize her. You would not have brought her indoors just to do this but since she's indoors anyhow - well, why not. Gerber baby food, rotisserie chicken - bribery with tasty food is a good thing. Don't know that she'll become a lap cat in just two weeks but she may become socialized to an occasional friendly stroking on her head or back. You've done such good things for her - neuterig, care while injured - here's good wishes for good luck with her in the new year!

P.S. Does she have a name? And pictures are always welcome . . .

 

[tabbytom]

Hi everyone,
I’m new to TCS but I have been taking care of a feral cat now for 3 years.

and welcome to TCS!

Thank you for taking care of this kitty for the past 3 years and for taking her to the vet for a check on her limping and thank goodness its nothing serious. Also we are sorry to hear about the passing of her kitten

Since you have her in the house now and its a great time to socialize her since you are no stranger to her although she does not let you pet her as yet.

Yes, you can try petting her with a scratcher, play with her and feeding her so that she knows not that she's inside, you are the only one she can trust. Speak to her softly and hum tunes of songs so that she feels safe and comfortable with you around. Get down low as you approach her so that she don't get intimidated by your size when you are standing over her.

Leave pieces of your clean unwashed garments with her and gather stuffs that she pees on the. she's outside and bring hem into the litter box. It may take awhile for the socialization. Just be patience, have lots of love and repeat the routines. Give her lots of praises when she respond to you. Just don't give up.

Feel free to ask questions and many members with experiences like this may be able to help you out.

BTW, she's gorgeous

 

[spaZm]

What a pretty girl! It seems like this would be a good opportunity to attempt to socialize her. You would not have brought her indoors just to do this but since she's indoors anyhow - well, why not. Gerber baby food, rotisserie chicken - bribery with tasty food is a good thing. Don't know that she'll become a lap cat in just two weeks but she may become socialized to an occasional friendly stroking on her head or back. You've done such good things for her - neuterig, care while injured - here's good wishes for good luck with her in the new year!

P.S. Does she have a name? And pictures are always welcome . . .

Thank you! Her name is Snickers!

 

[catapault]

The bench is Snicker's cat house? It is magnificent! Just like you and the care you've given her (and, I assume, the two intent staring-out-the-door cats.) So, about the cat house - Snickers hops in the open extension "foyer" then has a two room suite with purple insulation and straw bedding. What's the black widget on the "ceiling" of bench lid, over the larger room. Is it a trail cam sort of thing?

 

[spaZm]

The bench is Snicker's cat house? It is magnificent! Just like you and the care you've given her (and, I assume, the two intent staring-out-the-door cats.) So, about the cat house - Snickers hops in the open extension "foyer" then has a two room suite with purple insulation and straw bedding. What's the black widget on the "ceiling" of bench lid, over the larger room. Is it a trail cam sort of thing?

Yes!! the bench is snickers feeding station in the left side near the entrance and the right side is her bedroom where she sleeps the whole thing is filled with insulation and straw. The black thing is indeed a camera so I can check on her at night through an app on my phone.

 

[tabbytom]

Yes!! the bench is snickers feeding station in the left side near the entrance and the right side is her bedroom where she sleeps the whole thing is filled with insulation and straw. The black thing is indeed a camera so I can check on her at night through an app on my phone.

This is impressing! Looking at her lying and exposing her belly, chances of socializing is pretty high. And I guess your other two kitties have sort of gotten used to Snickers.

Please bring her feeding station and sleeping quarters into your house where you want her to be for the time being. This way, she already have something familiar to her and a place to retreat into if she feels afraid.

 

[spaZm]

This is impressing! Looking at her lying and exposing her belly, chances of socializing is pretty high. And I guess your other two kitties have sort of gotten used to Snickers.

Please bring her feeding station and sleeping quarters into your house where you want her to be for the time being. This way, she already have something familiar to her and a place to retreat into if she feels afraid.

Yes our two inside cats (Colby jack/ink) are very used to snickers. Unfortunately the vet doesn’t want her jumping up or down for two weeks so we can’t have her jumping on and off the bench

 

[tabbytom]

Yes our two inside cats (Colby jack/ink) are very used to snickers. Unfortunately the vet doesn’t want her jumping up or down for two weeks so we can’t have her jumping on and off the bench

Oh, that's good to hear that they are used to her.

Get her used straws and place them inside for her then. Hope that her leg heals fast.

Do keep us updated.

 

[Jcatbird]

You are fantastic!! If you are a kitty guardian, you are a kitty hero! You are a hero! The place you set up for her outside is very impressive! I know that lots of other people will want to see that setup!
As for socializing her, yes! I have mostly worked with socializing ferals and since she already knows you then you have a good start already. She is the sweetest looking kitty. I have a Tortie myself and I love the colors. Snickers is a great name too. Lol Keeping her separated for now is a good idea beyond giving her time to heal. If your other kitties only know her from seeing her through a door or window, they will need introduction time. I don’t know if she has been tested to make sure she is fully healthy but that is something to do before introductions too. I have a feeling you may have had her checked already but just wanted to mention it because you have other kitties. Also beautiful kitties. If you have any questions or need anything , please do post back. There are many here who have lots of practice with socializing ferals and all of us would be glad to offer any tips we have learned along the way. Thank you so much for caring about all your kitties and for saving Snickers! Welcome to the site too.We’ll be looking forward to hearing more about you and the kitties. Thanks for the photos. Hi! Snickers! Heal quickly little one!

 

[moxiewild]

Yes our two inside cats (Colby jack/ink) are very used to snickers. Unfortunately the vet doesn’t want her jumping up or down for two weeks so we can’t have her jumping on and off the bench

Personally, I think this is better. I have far more (and much faster) luck socializing ferals when they’re crated for the first 3-6 weeks before allowing them out into a room. The vast majority acclimate to the crate very quickly.

Are you only wanting to socialize her for the two weeks no matter what? Or if she improves over those two weeks, will you continue working with her inside?

Your shelter is awesome!!! I’ve been wanting to do this exact thing for some of mine for a while as to not raise eyebrows from neighbors or the HOA.

Mind telling me what camera that is? We utilize two different security cameras, and I keep game cameras outside of shelters to keep an eye on my colonies, but haven’t found one yet that quite worked in a shelter.

I agree, this girl will very likely come around quickly!

Back in May we brought in a feral Momma and her injured kitten. Previously the Momma would bolt the moment I made eye contact with her from inside the house through the window. But it only took her about 4 weeks of being crated to start coming around.

She’s been tough to socialize the last remnants of skittishness out of, but she’s far more social, affectionate, and handle-able than our one cat that actually came from a breeder. I quantify our feral socialization success by using him as the threshold

Here is a recent picture of her and her tripod kitten -

I guess you can say they’ve both adjusted to indoor life And you’re much farther along with Snickers judging from the belly picture than I was with Miss Socks!

My Feral Socialization Tool Kit:

- Purebites freeze dried chicken treats

- Meat babyfood

- Fancy Feast

- Very long spoon

- Go Cat wand toys, the Cat Dancer, the Cat Charmer, and a teaser wand (these teaser wands seem to be better to start off with for very frightened cats - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W3BOTII/?tag=&tag=thecatsite I think they seem less frightening than the bigger/bulkier teasers. These are the very first toys I use for ferals since they’re simple to slip through the crate bars too).

- Catnip!

- Calming music (harp, classical, or Music for Cats by David Teie)

- Feliway diffuser

- Composure treats/liquid max

Personally, I have not had luck at all with making “petters”, as we call them. I know some people have, but I’ve only had it work with small kittens.

Adults have seemed to hate it and become very stressed, no matter how I approach them with it.

I prefer the path of least resistance though. Just spending time and constantly pushing them to engage without forcing physical contact - I’d rather allow them initiate that when they’re ready (except kittens that I’d prefer to have socialized by 12 weeks... but they’re a lot more forgiving and forgetful than adults!).

Just spend a lot of time by her crate. Sing, read (outloud), make yourself as small and as low as possible and slow blink at her. Stretch (like a cat and like a human), yawn, pretend to groom yourself and bask in a sunspot like a cat (“looking around” with eyes closed, for example) in front of her without paying her any attention.

Turn and keep your back to her and ignore her a lot, especially in the very beginning. Nap or sleep in front of her if possible.

My first course of action is always to demonstrate that I am not a threat to kitty. Nor do I view them as a threat, so no conflict here!

Once they’re starting to relax in my presence I move on to more active interaction with food and toys.

But everyone does this differently and every cat is different!

Thank you for taking such wonderful care of the beautiful Snickers! She’s a very lucky girl!

 

[spaZm]

Personally, I think this is better. I have far more (and much faster) luck socializing ferals when they’re crated for the first 3-6 weeks before allowing them out into a room. The vast majority acclimate to the crate very quickly.

Are you only wanting to socialize her for the two weeks no matter what? Or if she improves over those two weeks, will you continue working with her inside?

Your shelter is awesome!!! I’ve been wanting to do this exact thing for some of mine for a while as to not raise eyebrows from neighbors or the HOA.

Mind telling me what camera that is? We utilize two different security cameras, and I keep game cameras outside of shelters to keep an eye on my colonies, but haven’t found one yet that quite worked in a shelter.

I agree, this girl will very likely come around quickly!

Back in May we brought in a feral Momma and her injured kitten. Previously the Momma would bolt the moment I made eye contact with her from inside the house through the window. But it only took her about 4 weeks of being crated to start coming around.

She’s been tough to socialize the last remnants of skittishness out of, but she’s far more social, affectionate, and handle-able than our one cat that actually came from a breeder. I quantify our feral socialization success by using him as the threshold

Here is a recent picture of her and her tripod kitten -

View attachment 315687

I guess you can say they’ve both adjusted to indoor life And you’re much farther along with Snickers judging from the belly picture than I was with Miss Socks!

My Feral Socialization Tool Kit:

- Purebites freeze dried chicken treats

- Meat babyfood

- Fancy Feast

- Very long spoon

- Go Cat wand toys, the Cat Dancer, the Cat Charmer, and a teaser wand (these teaser wands seem to be better to start off with for very frightened cats - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W3BOTII/?tag=&tag=thecatsite I think they seem less frightening than the bigger/bulkier teasers. These are the very first toys I use for ferals since they’re simple to slip through the crate bars too).

- Catnip!

- Calming music (harp, classical, or Music for Cats by David Teie)

- Feliway diffuser

- Composure treats/liquid max

Personally, I have not had luck at all with making “petters”, as we call them. I know some people have, but I’ve only had it work with small kittens.

Adults have seemed to hate it and become very stressed, no matter how I approach them with it.

I prefer the path of least resistance though. Just spending time and constantly pushing them to engage without forcing physical contact - I’d rather allow them initiate that when they’re ready (except kittens that I’d prefer to have socialized by 12 weeks... but they’re a lot more forgiving and forgetful than adults!).

Just spend a lot of time by her crate. Sing, read (outloud), make yourself as small and as low as possible and slow blink at her. Stretch (like a cat and like a human), yawn, pretend to groom yourself and bask in a sunspot like a cat (“looking around” with eyes closed, for example) in front of her without paying her any attention.

Turn and keep your back to her and ignore her a lot, especially in the very beginning. Nap or sleep in front of her if possible.

My first course of action is always to demonstrate that I am not a threat to kitty. Nor do I view them as a threat, so no conflict here!

Once they’re starting to relax in my presence I move on to more active interaction with food and toys.

But everyone does this differently and every cat is different!

Thank you for taking such wonderful care of the beautiful Snickers! She’s a very lucky girl!

Thanks for all that info!! I’ll have to write all of that down! And the reason I built a bench was because I was feeding her and her kitten at the apartment complex I lived at previously. If the manager at the complex found out we were feeding them they would have kicked us out. The vet wants her crates for 2 weeks no matter what. So I figured while I have her in the house I might as well try to socialize her more. And maybe if she improves and likes the warmth of the house I could see if she would want to be indoor/outdoor. As for the camera it’s a Yi dome camera and unfortunately with the thickness of the wood that I used for the bench it sometimes has a hard time staying connected to the WiFi. The temperature (Since it’s not rated for outdoor use) can also affect the connectivity since where the camera is located is near the entrance. I don’t know if I would recommend the dome camera it’s been alright but I’ve definitely had times where I was very frustrated with it. But with a 4 month old human baby, my wife and I don’t have the funds to get a different camera. Again thank you for all that info I very much appreciate it!!!

 

[mutex]

Wow what a pretty feline. Your awesome for caring for her BTW.

Definitely try to socialize her. Take it slow. When I did it it helped to google feline body cues. She's crated, in an unfamiliar environment and she may be scared. You can tell alot about what a cats thinking by watching their tail (straight up is content, flicking is getting annoyed or possibly aggressive) for example. Try not to stare at her in her eyes for too long, a staredown is confrontational. My ex-feral would stare at me as I moved around the room he was in. I could look at him, but if we locked eyes and I held his gaze, he'd run and hide. He also did the same if I smiled at him. It wasnt till I mentioned this to a friend and she pointed out that smiling is a human thing that domesticated pets understand. A wild animal (which a feral may be now) could see that as a big animal (you) bareing their teeth.

Im sure its obvious but food is insanely important to ferals. You can gain alot of ground with some treats!

 

[JamesCalifornia]

Im sure its obvious but food is insanely important to ferals. You can gain alot of ground with some treats!

~ Yes I am learning this the hard way. They come to depend on us and get angry when not getting regular feeding. We seem to spoil even the feral cats !

 

[kittychick]

Gorgeous GORGEOUS girl! Snickers is!!! (I'm a tortie lover from waaaaaaaaaay back). My first tortie (originally a barn cat on my grandfather's farm) lived to almost 22!

And can you come to my house and build kitty houses? Or just furniture? What a luxury hangout for her as she heals! How's she doing?!?!

 

[spaZm]

Gorgeous GORGEOUS girl! Snickers is!!! (I'm a tortie lover from waaaaaaaaaay back). My first tortie (originally a barn cat on my grandfather's farm) lived to almost 22!

And can you come to my house and build kitty houses? Or just furniture? What a luxury hangout for her as she heals! How's she doing?!?!

She spent the 2 weeks in a crate the vet ordered and now she is back to walking normal. I patiently tried to pet her and sit with her for those two weeks but she still would bite/hiss/swat at my hand. So she is back to living outside and using her bench. If she wants to come in she is more than welcome. As far as building furniture or kitty houses I don’t have my wood shop set up yet but maybe in the near future