Hi everyone.
I've come across some behavior in my latest feral, that I've never had happen before. I'm wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience and can tell me what might be going on...
I've been doing TNR for almost 20 years. It used to be a huge hobby for me (when it was illegal here), but now I just do it occasionally when I have extra time or come across a cat that needs help.
A few nights ago I was trying to trap a cat in one of my colonies who appears to be quite ill. Instead, I trapped a huge, flamepoint male, probably around 3. He has been eating there for the past 6-8 months and has never come within 20 feet of me. He's already neutered. I normally would have just released him, but the temp dropped into the 60's and he is unusually beautiful, so I brought him home and put him in my spare bathroom and decided to see if I could work with him.
The first night I didn't bother him too much. I just wanted him to get used to his new surroundings. Day # 2, I went in with the Jack Mackerel and without much coaxing, he was standing right next to me eating. He would hiss and run as far away as he could each time I would try to pet him. I gave him a few hours and went back in with more mackerel. Almost as if a lightswitch had been turned on, this cat was letting me pet him from head to tail. He was purring and doing figure 8's around me. He was flipping on his back and kneading his little paws. He was eating it up. I couldn't believe his progress. He was obviously someones pet, or at least handled at one time.
So it was getting pretty late, I tell him Goodnight and leave him in the bathroom....
I went in the next morning to see my new best buddy and he was right back in full feral mode. Ears, back and hissing at me like crazy. The more I tried to talk to him to remind him of the night before, the more he was ready to lunge, so I left....I thought that was really weird. I've tamed a few in my day and once they're tame, they're tame.
So again, I go back in a couple of hours later and sat on the floor again. He hissed a couple of times and then slowly walked over to me. He was very nervous, but let me pet him a little and then within a minute, he was purring and climbing on me and he couldn't get enough attention. I spent a good hour or more just petting him and he was in heaven.
I went in this morning, only to be greeted by a cat who wanted to kill me. Ears back, hissing and snarling and giving a low growl. I left him alone for a couple more hours and just tried to visit him again and he is still beyond angry. I've decided to get him into a carrier and release him back to his colony tonight or tomorrow.
But what the heck?? I've never had one change his personality so rapidly like that. He reminds me of Drew Barrymore in 50 first dates. I have to retame him each time I see him. Is he bipolar? Should I give him more time? I'd love to keep him as a pet, but I don't want him to be unhappy.
What should I do?
Thanks and sorry about the length of this post.
I've come across some behavior in my latest feral, that I've never had happen before. I'm wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience and can tell me what might be going on...
I've been doing TNR for almost 20 years. It used to be a huge hobby for me (when it was illegal here), but now I just do it occasionally when I have extra time or come across a cat that needs help.
A few nights ago I was trying to trap a cat in one of my colonies who appears to be quite ill. Instead, I trapped a huge, flamepoint male, probably around 3. He has been eating there for the past 6-8 months and has never come within 20 feet of me. He's already neutered. I normally would have just released him, but the temp dropped into the 60's and he is unusually beautiful, so I brought him home and put him in my spare bathroom and decided to see if I could work with him.
The first night I didn't bother him too much. I just wanted him to get used to his new surroundings. Day # 2, I went in with the Jack Mackerel and without much coaxing, he was standing right next to me eating. He would hiss and run as far away as he could each time I would try to pet him. I gave him a few hours and went back in with more mackerel. Almost as if a lightswitch had been turned on, this cat was letting me pet him from head to tail. He was purring and doing figure 8's around me. He was flipping on his back and kneading his little paws. He was eating it up. I couldn't believe his progress. He was obviously someones pet, or at least handled at one time.
So it was getting pretty late, I tell him Goodnight and leave him in the bathroom....
I went in the next morning to see my new best buddy and he was right back in full feral mode. Ears, back and hissing at me like crazy. The more I tried to talk to him to remind him of the night before, the more he was ready to lunge, so I left....I thought that was really weird. I've tamed a few in my day and once they're tame, they're tame.
So again, I go back in a couple of hours later and sat on the floor again. He hissed a couple of times and then slowly walked over to me. He was very nervous, but let me pet him a little and then within a minute, he was purring and climbing on me and he couldn't get enough attention. I spent a good hour or more just petting him and he was in heaven.
I went in this morning, only to be greeted by a cat who wanted to kill me. Ears back, hissing and snarling and giving a low growl. I left him alone for a couple more hours and just tried to visit him again and he is still beyond angry. I've decided to get him into a carrier and release him back to his colony tonight or tomorrow.
But what the heck?? I've never had one change his personality so rapidly like that. He reminds me of Drew Barrymore in 50 first dates. I have to retame him each time I see him. Is he bipolar? Should I give him more time? I'd love to keep him as a pet, but I don't want him to be unhappy.
What should I do?
Thanks and sorry about the length of this post.