Taming a young feral for adoption

[leeann77]

This is my first attempt at taming a 6 month old feral from my woods so he can be adopted. I found a cat rescue lady that will list him on her rescue site once he’s ready. I hope I’m doing it right- last Monday I trapped and TNR’d him. Two days later I could pet him in his crate but he wouldn’t come out. Now he’s coming out more when I’m in the room and he plays like a MANIAC. At work I watch him on the camera and he’s like a regular cat, laying in the middle of the room and bouncing off the walls.
When I’m in there he’s definitely skittish but making progress.
I feel like he’s not ready to be listed until I can actually pick him up and take him to get another vaccine that he needs.
He’s getting sick of that one room but I feel like he’s made tremendous progress. Am I being impatient or too cautious?
The thought of a stranger adopting him right now makes me nervous, he would be terrified and probably too wild for an inexperienced cat person. He will hiss and growl but it’s all fake, he’s never scratched or tried to bite me. Once you push through the hissing, he’s a purring maniac and I can pet him for a long time. But only when he’s under something, not out in the middle of the room. He would need a very patient and quiet owner to give him some time.
I’d appreciate any advice, thank you!!!

 

[fionasmom]

This cat is really adapting very quickly from just having been trapped and TNRed. People go for months with ferals kittens hiding from them before any progress is made. If I were you, I would continue on the course that you have set with him. When you go in the room, do you play with him? Since you said he plays like crazy, I assume that there are some toy that he uses. Do you have access to opening another room to him without letting him have the run of the house? Or using another part of the house as his temporary home? Since he is exhibiting hiding behaviors by staying under something, he still has a little way to go with his socialization. If you open the whole house and he realizes that there are other places to hide, it might become harder to find and interact with him. He is probably not at the point of being adopted out unless, as you said, he went to a very experienced cat owner who understood his background and behaviors.

 

[leeann77]

Fionasmom,
I just wanted to thank you, you’ve been helping me with advice since I started this journey helping ferals! You don’t know how much it means that I have people to go to for advice, everyone thinks I’m just this crazy cat lady that worries too much LOL
Ok, I feel like he’s on the right track then! I don’t have a way to give him more space because my cat was fighting with him in the woods so I need to keep them separate. He’s pretty small so I think the room is ok for now. Yes, I play with him a lot and just sit in there so he gets used to people.

Trying to keep this short, here are some things I’ve been doing:
when I’m petting him, I touch all of his paws, his ears and he even lets me lift his gums and touch his teeth
when he’s eating I put my hand right next to the dish, he won’t let me touch him while eating though
He will eat treats out of my hand
Put a divider in his crate so he can’t get all the way back and blocked off half of underneath the cedar chest where he hides to start bringing him out from under stuff
Put a carrier in the room with the door open so it won’t be so scary later
He has tons of toys that he plays with when I’m at work and I have some that we play with together

I guess my main goal right now is for him to be comfortable coming over to me in the middle of the room and he’s not even close to being picked up yet. I think once I can successfully take him to the vet in a carrier he might be ready for a furever home. . I just wasn’t sure if I was dragging my feet too long or rushing him. Thanks again!!

 

[fionasmom]

He would not be sitting for the pic if he were that afraid of you or did not trust you! I would not worry about the room since you are so involved with him and he is safer there. I probably have said before that my record is 3 kittens in a large bathroom for 5 months....apparently it did no harm as the longest surviving one (indoor cat) is going on 17.

You really do seem to have an instinct for these cats and I would keep up what you are doing. He sounds as if he is on track to eventually allow you to pick him up. Remember that some very affectionate pet cats do not like to be held (although it is perfectly understandable that you need to be able to get him in a carrier and handle him for his own safety) as they associate it with being picked up to become prey. It is sort of instinctive in some cats. My Jamie was rescued by me at 4 weeks from a woodpile where he was clearly dying, so you would think that he would associate being held with good things in his life but he does not.

Please keep us posted about this little boy and how you are both doing.

 

[leeann77]

He would not be sitting for the pic if he were that afraid of you or did not trust you! I would not worry about the room since you are so involved with him and he is safer there. I probably have said before that my record is 3 kittens in a large bathroom for 5 months....apparently it did no harm as the longest surviving one (indoor cat) is going on 17.

You really do seem to have an instinct for these cats and I would keep up what you are doing. He sounds as if he is on track to eventually allow you to pick him up. Remember that some very affectionate pet cats do not like to be held (although it is perfectly understandable that you need to be able to get him in a carrier and handle him for his own safety) as they associate it with being picked up to become prey. It is sort of instinctive in some cats. My Jamie was rescued by me at 4 weeks from a woodpile where he was clearly dying, so you would think that he would associate being held with good things in his life but he does not.

Please keep us posted about this little boy and how you are both doing.

3 kittens in a bathroom for 5 months?!!!! You deserve an award! I forgot how crazy these young cats are, I just lost my Henry over the summer and he almost made 20 years. This cat is super fast and can’t even get up to a full run. I never thought of the prey aspect, that makes sense. Thanks and I will keep you updated!!!

 

[leeann77]

I have an update for the little kitty I was taming- his name is now Frankie and boy did he come out of his shell! He lets me pick him up now and even started climbing on my lap. He’s getting really attached to me and so wants to be wherever I am, which means he wants OUT of the bedroom he stays in! We take field trips to the basement every night so he has more room to run and play on the steps. But now he cries a bit because he wants out.
He’s listed on Petfinder but so far no inquiries, it’s been maybe 2 weeks? I wish I knew if there was an end in sight, I’m completely exhausted. My own cat is neglected because I try to spend so much time playing with Frankie. The woman from the cat rescue thinks I should introduce him to my own cat, but I really don’t want to if this is temporary (she was fighting with him in the woods). I know he’s going to be so scared going to a new place with a stranger. The vet couldn’t even work on him the other day, they had to sedate him just for a distemper shot and microchip because she said he was “terrified”. I’m guessing he was acting like cats do when you first trap them. But he’s completely normal and comfortable around me!
I guess I didn’t think it would take this long and it’s causing me tons of stress. I know it’s worth it but I’m not sure how much longer I can do it.
Do you think I should try introducing him to my cat? The big problem is that she is on a very strict diet where I count her calories every day, the food situation would be a nightmare.

Thanks for listening! I need a cat therapist lol
Lee Ann

 

[fionasmom]

I am sorry that I did not reply to this sooner. You are doing a great job! This little boy is clearly one of the ferals who has the ability to become socialized with humans. There are even scientific studies as to why this might happen to some feral animals and not others. In the long run, if he is adopted by a knowledgeable cat person, possibly one who has rescued strays before, he will adjust to them. If he goes to someone who just wants to try things out to see if they could become a cat owner, it will not work.

My indoor only pets who were ferals are, for the most part, bonded tightly to me. Even after years of being here, going to the vet or having a stranger in the house is still upsetting to them. Yes, there are friendly cats who love everyone and end up being therapy cats in hospitals, but that is not the rule, especially with former ferals.

Also sorry to say that I don't think that cats are being adopted hand over fist right now with everything in the world and country the way that it is.

It is up to your discretion whether or not you introduce him to your cat. If you do, go through the usual introduction process which I am sure you are familiar with. If you have to make food accomodations, that is fine. I have always free fed, but that had something to do with my line of employment. I have friends who feed cats only at certain times a day, no food left on the floor ever, even separating them for meal time to different rooms if someone is on a special diet. There is nothing wrong with that.

Introducing Cats To Cats – TheCatSite Articles
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles
How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction – TheCatSite Articles
How To Introduce A Kitten To An Older Cat – TheCatSite Articles

Your cat may or may not recognize him from the woods as he is in a new context now. Please let us know what happens.

 

[leeann77]

Thank you AGAIN for the advice! I have been emailing some foster organizations to see if they have any openings, so far the two that responded are full. Maybe after Christmas some people will inquire about him! I’ve always free fed my cats as well and never had a problem, but my current cat became obese after I brought her in because I didn’t want to take food away from my 20 year old that always free fed and was very thin. But now she’s an only cat so I can count her calories every day!

I’m just hoping that if Frankie does go to a foster home he will get along with other cats and isn’t so scared that he’s not adoptable. I wish he would just find a forever home and start getting settled with his new owners. I’m exhausted! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!

 

[fionasmom]

You, too. Please let us know what happens!

 

[Deacon Blues]

I am a sucker for Tabby cats, he is beautiful!