Rescued a Feral Kitten, can it be tamed? whats the best course of action?

Question

Fishing early this morning off of a concrete pier on a local river, I noticed a tiny black kitten clinging to a barnacle laden piling. Most of the people fishing knew it was there but simply didn't care or didn't know what to do about it. My father called my mother who was at home and asked her to bring out one of our 30 foot long shrimp nets. It was barely long enough to reach the kitten below but eventually we scooped him up and got him onto the pier, he was soaked and shaking profusely, tried to walk but kept falling. We got him home and put him in towels in a box with a heat pad on one side, and he shook for about an hour. We held him and warmed him, and petting him and he was fine with it when wet and weak, but once he got dry he turned on us and wont let us touch him, hisses when we come near.. It was a complete turn around, is this a result of being frightened and weak? Or is simply his constituation as a feral? He's about 8 weeks old, do you think we can tame him and save him?

I do not want to release him back to that habitat under the bridge, the entire area is laden with homeless people and i'm not sure if they like or dislike the cats, besides the fact that they just fight and make more feral cats and get diseases, but i'm afraid he may be diseased/unhappy in a home environment/harm my other cats/ never be able to be tamed and etc. Can anyone help me with any information on what i should do, how i can get him to trust me, or if I should even go the route of trying to adopt him into my home?

He's currently in a large good quality rabbit cage on my back porch, it's hot i live in florida, i'd like to take him inside so he can get accustomed to me and my family and cool down some, but will he get too stressed if i do it this early? and will he have an adverse reaction to the AC? i want to make it as smooth and easy on this little guy as i can

Answer 1

Yes, the kitten CAN be tamed! :) At at such a young age it won't take long at all. It's best to keep him contained in a large carrier or a small room, with a litter box, food, water and a bed. Spend time near the carrier or in the small room. Let him get used to you. You could even use a piece of clothing that have you scent on it, keep in near him, in the room or carrier - he will then get used to your scent. Be very patient, it could take days, or even weeks - but he will tame!

I recently tamed a kitten, she was about 10-12 weeks when we found her. She was VERY wild, we used a humane trap to catch her. She tamed down within 3 days to the point where we could approach her 'sometimes'. Within 2 weeks she was completely tame... A few years ago I tamed a very feral adult tom cat. Now THAT was a challenge!! But, within a couple months he was completely tamed and a GREAT pet cat.

If you were to take him to the shelter they would probably put him to sleep, as they are so busy they just dont have time to tame ferals. You can find an organization locally that works with ferals, more than likely. Some have "feral colonies", where they nueter and release the cat to the safety of a sorta natural setting for a feral. But..... As I said... At 8 weeks old, it would be so easy to tame him, if you have the time and patience.

Don't be too forceful, be patient. You don't want to get bitten by a frightened cat.

Good luck to you........ ........and if you have any questions along the way, contact me. [e-mail]
Also, contact me if you decide not to tame him, and need help locating a feral organization in your area. :)

Answer 2

He can become a great pet. You don't know his background except for where you found him, so it's probably been rough and on his own.
If you have a room you can put him in with somewhere warm and safe to sleep, a litter box and food and water. Let him see you bringing the food - then back away from the food, and sit quietly for a while, talking softly to the kitten. Don't make any sudden movement or loud noises. Repeat.
Don't leave him the run of the house - it's just another big scary place. Keeping him in one room until he acclimates to it and you. Then take him out with you and slowly introduce him to the other people and rooms. Expect him to hiss and spat at each person.
Also, get him (hissing and spatting) to the vet. He'll need an exam, shots and neutered when he's old enough. You don't want him contributing to the feral cat problem.
Oh, and give him a name right away. Use it frequently and with a soft, kind voicd so he'll learn it's his name. They learn quickly that that is what they respond to.
Thank you for going out of your way to help this little guy (or gal). As you saw, not a lot of people care enough to be bothered.

Answer 3

I VOTE YOU KEEP HIM!! :)

They say you can even tame a feral adult cat!

You should have a vet check him out as soon as you are able. He could be injured internally, or he may be ill, etc. He might have a sore or injury in his mouth or ears: somewhere you can't see.

http://www.feralcat.com/taming.html

AND HERE:

http://www.messybeast.com/feralkit.htm

Also,
if you just type in "Taming feral kittens", there are several sites to teach you the right way to raise him or her.

I found this on one of the sites and had to share it:

"Experienced people liken handling an angry feral kitten to wrestling with a animated cactus."

Just remember, gentleness and patience, love and kindness. Don't take it personal if things don't change as quickly as you might expect. Remember how much trauma this little guy has been through and how huge and frightening the world is in his tiny eyes. Try to only have ONE person handling the kitten until he's more relaxed. It sounds weird, but try to pretend like you are the kitten for a few moments. What you see is so much larger to him, and I'm sure that noise is much louder. He doesn't speak human, so you need to use the universal language: Love.
In time, you will have a beautiful adult cat. Animals return love a thousand times more, and their love is unconditional.

************************************************

UPDATE: I'm sorry, I don't yet know how to add an answer to your added question, lol.
Whatever u do, don't put him back out. He will only die a terrible death. I would bring him inside in a little carrier so he has air. If he's outside, he still may be traumatized and may die from fear. He doesn't understand why he's in the rabbit cage. He may also be attacked by another animal. Trust me, my rabbits were killed from the outside, in a huge double outdoor cage. I don't know how, but they were. One article says just leave him alone for 2 - 3 days BUT NOT TOTALLY ALONE. I mean, like: don't mess with him or try to pick him up. DO visit him and talk to him etc. and feed him - just let him get used to his new home. You are an angel of God to do this for this little kitten!! I would give my email to help you but it would go out to the world lol and I'm not ready for that.

Answer 4

What a struggle that little tyke has had to survive!

Prospects for him settling in are excellent and there have been many exellent suggestions made here.

I STRONGLY urge you to get some Rescue Remedy from a health foods store. A bottle is $20. You shake the bottle well and put three to four drops of it on his fur between his ears. Do this as often as you can per day until he seems to settle down a little. If you are not able to touch him right away soak a few drops on a washcloth and simply place it near where he is hiding out. "Refresh" the drops on the cloth frequently.

Veterinarians who use RR in their practices say it is "miraculous" in its benefits. The emotional trauma of his young life needs to be treated as much as his feeding and socialization and will make his process toward becoming a wonderful cat shorter and more complete.

Answer 5

He's definitely young enough to be tamed. Just give it time and be patient, allowing the kitten to come to you once he's a little more comfortable in your home. Don't force attention on him, but don't totally ignore him, either. Just be wary of those little daggers and teeth he's got:) And good luck!

And kudos to you for rescuing the little booger! I definitely agree you shouldn't release him back where he was.

As far as getting him to trust you, it's just going to take time. Give him treats, play with him with toys, and talk in a soothing manner. Eventually, he'll come around once he knows he's not going to be hurt.

And make sure you get him to the vet as soon as possible. He could have any number of problems; fleas, worms, tics, ear mites, FIV, Feline Leukemia, etc. If you have any other cats, don't let them around the kitten until you know he's healthy.

Answer 6

I rescued a shier kitten, some what simular to a feral. What they need is time understanding and most of all trust. My kitten of 3 months was very scared, It took a week for her to have some form of trust in me. They know how in there own way to look after them selves. Humans are bad to them. Patience is the key. Nikky cried and cried all the time. I just let her be and get used to the sounds and routine. After a week af this, Her voice went horse, ate fine but over all was not happy. I was cooking breakfast one morning when a little miricle happened. She looked right at me and cried, I wen't on my knees. and she came to me on her own choice and will. Jumped on me. and purred. She's still jumpy and a tad nervious over new things but she turned out great.

Answer 7

Get him a nice travel container and put some towel or blanket pieces in it for him at night. Leave the container open for him during the day so he can hide there when he feels overwhelmed. He's been through a lot so be patient with him. Be sure to get to the vet for feline distemper/leukemia/rabies. Give him time to get used to his new surroundings and give him peace and quiet when he's eating. Cats are very intelligent, and he will come to realize that you are his friend, unlike the a**hole who abandoned him.

Answer 8

as young as he sounds yes. Chances are it is not a feral but one someone dumped. let him gain your trust before you try to handle it first. take it to a vet to be checked for unwanted hitchhikers soon than later if you have other pets keep them separated until after the vet.
Bless you and I wish lots of luck with it

Answer 9

i would take him to the vet asap and make sure he is disease free get him neutered and make him strictly an indoor cat this is the best thing youcan do for this poor little guy...it will definately take time, patience and plenty of love and believe me he will come around and be your best companion give him time and plenty of love and affection...

Answer 10

Yes, I think he can be tamed because he is still young. Just give him some time. Good luck!