*There are so many problems and dangers for Feral Cats: They are hungry & may be ill, and of course they will grow up to breed more homeless kittens. When a kind hearted human sees a Feral, their mind is made up: they are going to take this cat home and make it their very own. Feral cats are born in the wild. Abandoned or lost household cats may revert to the Feral behavior also. Either way, one thing is true, that Feral cats are wild and one must remember that. When you decide to take that Feral into your home, you must understand what steps are to be done to tame this little critter.
TRAPPING A FERAL KITTEN:
You must be willing to invest time and have patience for this one. You will have to get a trap, these can be obtained from your local animal control center (or through Animal Care & Equipment Services at 800-338-2237 or www.animal-care.com). Be sure to get a trap for a kitten, since an adult size trap may not work due to weight restrictions. You can 'bait' the trap with tuna or sardines. Sometimes trapping at night may be easier since that's when the cats like to get out there and roam. Conceal the trap with a towel or blanket and put somewhere a cat would like to hide, such as behind a bush or tree. Have patience, trapping the kitten may take days. After kitty is trapped, take the cat (still inside the trap) directly to the vet, incase kitty has a contagious disease. Gloves also may be necessary to avoid bites or scratches.
BRINGING THE KITTEN INTO YOUR HOME:
Get a cage big enough to accomodate the kitten, a litter box, food bowls & a bed. Place the trap right up to the cage opening & let the kitten enter the cage on his own. You may want to place a towel or blanket over the cage to give the kitten a feeling of it being in his own special hiding place. Make sure you can still see the kitten to make eye contact and speak softly to him. Don't stare at the kitten though because he may view this as you being aggressive, just some soft eye contact, such as blinking (cat talk for "I'm relaxed and non-threatening") should be good. Give the kitten a couple of days in his cage before you try to handle him.
HANDLING THE KITTEN:
Don't rush the kitten to come out of his cage or move to quickly to touch him. Watch and pay attention to the kitten's attitude & body language before you handle him. When the kitten decides to let you handle him, do it carefully. You may want to use a towel to hold the kitten or use gloves. Place the kitten facing away from you & pet him for only a few minutes, maybe on his cheeks - be sure not to reach over his head where he can see your hands - he may try to bite them. Make the petting session a good experience for the kitty, you may want to let him briefly smell your hand before you pet him. Play will be great for the kitten, but again, time and patience are the key. It will take this kitten awhile before he is chasing after feathers and such. You can try taking a feather toy & drag it across the floor to you, which will let the kitten get closer to you.
SECOND CONTAINMENT PHASE:
This is the time the kitten is to be let out of the cage into a small confined room - about a week after you bring him into your home. Let the kitten explore the small room, a large room may scare him. Make sure any nooks are consealed so the kitten can't hide from you. You dont want to spend session chasing or trying to get the kitten out from under things - he will view this as aggression. Try to incorporate some play, petting and grooming into this session if the kitten allows it - this will gain the kitten's trust in you. Let the kitten get used to your voice, try reading to him! If all goes well and the kitten is no longer hissing or scratching, slowly introduce him to other humans so he learns to be social and interact. Remember though, a Feral kitten may always retain some of their shyness even after becoming accustomed to humans. As long as they are people-friendly and interact with their humans who saved them, this should be acceptable. This is the case with our youngest, Bella. I believe she was slightly Feral when we rescued her. She is the 'bratty-little-sister' around the house when it's just us, but when company arrives, she is 'miss shy' she will hide and eventually come out to explore the other humans-but always with great caution.
THE TIME FACTOR:
There is no 'set time' on how long it really takes to tame a Feral. This may all depend on it's age & temperament. A kitten under 5 weeks of age should take about 3 weeks to tame. If older when rescued, it will take longer. The shorter time they are in the wild, the quicker it will be to tame the kitten.
GOOD INTENTIONS:
Anyone who saves a kitten wants it to become their loving lapcat, but with Ferals, that may never happen. Even cats who have never been in the wild may not be your snuggly lapcat, but when domesticating that Feral, he will be YOUR cat FOREVER whether he's a snuggler or a firm independent. However the feeling of accomplishment and love can't be outdone when that little Feral does let you pet or hold him. It's the greatest feeling in the world to know that you have gained their love and trust.
ADULT FERAL RESCUE:
Adult Feral cats are not impossible to tame, just extremely difficult. They are so used to be Feral, it may take more than weeks, as in a kittens case, to come around. But with your patience, love & food, they may be able to overcome their extreme shyness and being so afraid. Then again with any cat, alot depends on the cats own disposition and personality. Good luck, and just think of the joy you will receive in return after this Feral becomes your very own FurBaby.
A heartbreaking story of one little Feral who's untimely and unnecessary death helped save others from the same fate. Read it & know Ferals CAN be helped!
~BACK TO CATS HEALTH & WELFARE~ ~BACK TO MAIN~