Feral Cat Rescue: Older Feral Cats Can Be Tamed
Feral Cats Older Than Kittens Are Worth Rescuing, If You're Willing to Supply Extra Pet Care
Feral or stray?
Feral cats are not to be confused with strays that have grown up with humans but have been abandoned and now live wild. Rather, ferals are cats who have had little or no human contact. In every city, abandoned lots and places close to food sources house feral colonies where generations of kittens have grown up with minimal human contact. Not only have these subsequent generations had little experience of people, they may have learned fear and avoidance from colony members.
Feral cat rescue - pros and cons:
Though warnings about rescuing older animals are well-founded, and taming isn't for first-time cat owners, it is possible and half the battle is commonsense pet care. Any cat owner knows about the vast personality differences amongst cats. This, as much as feline social development, is key. Some cats just seem to be bolder and more adaptable. Others may never conquer fear and the older they are, the more likely that wariness will be entrenched.
Some caveats: though some colonies flourish, others are malnourished. That tiny kitten could be older than you think. I acquired a feral kitten that appeared to be about two months old. Inspection of the teeth showed that she was at least six months. Though friendly enough in her familiar environment, in a strange place she displayed extreme fear and loathing of humans. Be prepared for personality transformations. It's hard to predict how they will relate to existing pets. Mine are amicable but not best buddies. They sometimes play, but the feral gets jumpy and it often ends in flying fur.
Feral cat care:
Feral cats may rub your legs but resist further interaction. Many are terrified of hands, associating them with bad experiences. Getting them to associate hands with food (rather than being handled) is key - the hand that delivers the bowl and withdraws is harmless. To accustom them to touch, try stroking their backs while they eat and can't see your hand. Later, try hand-feeding titbits to reinforce positive associations.
In taming feral cats, e prepared for the long haul. You may be tolerated as a food-dispensing jailer for years. My own experience has been one of small steps, never pushing the agenda. If you stroke your feral and get hissing and clawing, back off but persist. Fear does diminish. Ferals may tolerate tickling on the forehead (where mother cats lick them and as cats may greet others) rather than elsewhere. Tummy tickles are for masochists.
My feral tolerated me after a year, showed occasional affection (mainly at mealtimes) after two and that was that. She was four before she fully accepted me as a benevolent presence; then she began improving in leaps, becoming one of the most affectionate cats I've ever had - and perhaps the smartest.
Limits remain. I can pick her up, after hundreds of practice runs, but she'd rather I didn't. I insist because she needs catching occasionally for vet visits. She's unpredictable - enjoying a tickle, then suddenly hisses, growls and bites.
Top tip to stop biting:
Biting can be solved when some trust has been established by a counter-intuitive strategy - instead of pulling away, stick your finger into the cat's mouth. Mine was surprised, and disappointed that she hadn't achieved her aim of repelling the hand. Now she thinks twice and licks instead.
Every cat is different. Tuning patiently into their fears and strengths and a good basic knowledge of pet care are key to socialising ferals. Cat rescue is worthwhile and feral cats tamed are triumphs of compassion over neglect.
References:
Feral Cats. www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th12.htm
Louise Holton. Saving Feral Cats. www.thecatsite.com/Care/16/Saving-Feral-Cats/2.html
Feral Cat Information. www.homeatlastrescue.org/html/aboutcats/feral.html
Published by Qualia
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8 Comments
Post a CommentI met up with 2 young feral cats in my apt complex. Both liked the food, but only one stayed near me to eat it. Eventually one was trapped by the apt manager (the less friendly one) so I decided to save the black and white one. He ended up at a girlfriends apt and is now a very big very spoiled and very loved cat. His name is Ali daCat. He is very vocal when he doesn't get his daily rub down or some other transgression has happened. He is somewhat apprehensive about other people but is doing better. When he was a dumpster cat he would eat anything. Now, he only eats dry cat food. No chicken or anything else. And he gets you up at 3 in the morning if his bowl is getting low. What a trip he is!
9 years on and progress still being made with my once feral cat. She now lets other people pick her up (though is not keen). Another no-no was touching her stomach - now usually permitted. She still bites and hisses if I cross the invisible line - and it's hard to know where it is! - but the bites are warnings rather than attacks and the hisses are rare. She is affectionate, full of character, has developed a sense of humour, purrs like a lioness and has been well worth the initial years when I wondered what I'd done by taking her in. One regret - she never bonded with my other cat (now deceased), who had to put up with a fair bit. At best she tolerated her. But now that P is an only cat she is in her element. Of the caveats issued by the doomspeakers and naysayers I'd say this is the only one that has held true in my experience - forming a bond with me was one thing, but teaming up with the opposition was not going to happen. One of the most individual cats I've ever had, who repays m
I really want to thank you so much for this, this is good info to know. I am bookmarking this as we run a kitten/cat rescue service as a personal mission. This is something that will help all of us. Thank you for this info. that we can keep and "adopt" into our methods of transitioning this precious ones to new homes and owners who may already have a grown cat! [see link for info: http://www.associatedcontent.com/slideshow/41595/abandoned_kittens_left_to_die.html?cat=7
For over a year I fed a feral half-grown kitten before he would ever let me touch him. It was a slow process of sitting on the ground and talking to him daily. Next step was getting him to come on the back porch to eat and sleep in a chair at night (with heating pad in cold weather). My husband said I'd never tame him, but I'm happy to report that this cat now lives inside & outside with us, loves our inside cat like a brother, and sits in my lap the second I sit down. He is beautiful, loving, and couldn't be sweeter. Love does conquer all.
We have 3 cats, now 6 years old, who were "rescued" when several months old, kept mostly in a cage until we adopted them from PAW at 6 months. Two of the cats are wonderful, normal pets and the third refuses to be touched at all. Interestingly, she is able to interact appropriately with her cat siblings. We have taken her to the vet only once and that was a nightmare for all concerned. I continue to hope that she will mellow with age... Thanks for the very interesting article.
I agree with you completely. Especially the point you made that you never can predict how a feral will react or interact with an already existing housecat. In many ways cats are like people, they are just as picky when it comes to who they will or won't become friends with. I have seen this first hand. Great article!!
Encouraging to know! I am caring for 2 feral cats now and just recently was allowed to pet one of them, which has become a daily routine now.
This is great info. Well-written!