We adopted an 8-month old colony/feral cat - and are frustrated

[KathyJB]

As for playing sounds of other Siamese cats, I'm quite apprehensive about it. Reason is because Heidi may be worked up by the sounds of other cats and that may make her be weary and hide more. She may feel that there is a competitor and with all the meowing she hears may give her mixed feelings.

Yes, I did think that the sounds could mean something to her that were not necessarily pleasant. I only played short clips a couple of times in total over a few days, just to see if she reacted. She seemed curious mostly. But I am not doing that any more. If she has a tiny voice, so be it. She knows she gets attention from me even if I just hear the whispery sounds, so she's accomplished her goal!

 

[Meme for 2]

So sorry for your loss! Glad you are back and Heidi is adjusting quickly for you. Sounds like you have earned her trust with your kind and patient approach.

 

[KathyJB]

It's been a long time since I last posted. We've just passed the two-year anniversary since Heidi came into our lives. She's grown in many ways these two years. Looking back, reading that it could sometimes take this long for a colony cat to adjust, we thought that was an eternity. But here we are, and she is so much better. I think it took two major changes to get her to this point.

The first was an ill-fated idea last year to take her with us in our camper van for a short 4-day trip to a nearby state park. We had a carrier, a harness, and a tracker. She learned how to get out of the carrier by pushing her nose against the zipper. She wriggled out of two different harnesses. And she got under the dashboard three times! One time, we had the tracker telling us she was near the steering wheel. When we got into that section, all that was there was the harness with the tracker. Heidi had slipped out of it! In desperation, we put a third harness on her and placed her on the bed. She slept on the bed with both of us - next to my husband who she's normally terrified of. Somehow, with him lying flat, she was less afraid of him. That's my theory anyway. After the trip, back at home, she would let me bring her close to him so he could pet her. She didn't try to scramble away like she used to. And if I put her in his arms, she would tolerate that for a minute or two. That was the extent of her interactions with him, but it was an improvement over her previous behavior. That camping trip changed her somehow.

Now, a year later, came the second major change. Two weeks ago, we moved to a house (my husband's childhood home) that we just finished renovating. My mother-in-law passed it on to us when she died last year at the age of 102! So, another change for Heidi. We were afraid she would revert back to her early days of hiding for months. This time we made her "safe place" our bedroom instead of the guest room. I used furniture that she was familiar with in her old space. And the first night in the new house - she was on the bed and sleeping with us. Again, she was not afraid of my husband - I guess because he's less threatening lying down. He is tall and has a loud voice.

Two days ago, I felt Heidi sleeping against my back one morning. When I reached behind me later to pet her, she was gone. Where was she? Sleeping in the crook of my husband's arm! He is so thrilled. At Christmas he was jealous of my son, who Heidi slept with in our old house. Well, now he is officially accepted. Below is a picture of Heidi with me on the first day in the new house. She has adjusted very well. I've contrasted it with the first photo I took of her when she came to live with us. Initially named Dolly by the fosters, we named her Heidi because she would hide all the time. She spent the first 24 hours in that spot, next to a bookcase.

So don't lose hope with your shy feral or colony kitty. It took a while, but we think we've made it.

 

[Furballsmom]

This is a fabulous update and made my day, thank you

 

[tabbytom]

So don't lose hope with your shy feral or colony kitty. It took a while, but we think we've made it.

 

[KathyJB]

(I just added an earlier photo to my last post)

 

[Tobermory]

I’m so glad you posted an update! You’ve done such a wonderful job, letting Heidi acclimate at her own pace and her own comfort level. It’s such an amazing feeling when they finally accept you, truly a gift.

 

[Meowmee]

Aww that is wonderful Heidi is gorgeous