Issues With Two Semi-Feral 'Teenage' Cats...?

Question

Hello, My boyfriend and I recently 'adopted' two semi-feral kittens from a friend. We were told the kittens had been born under the man's back porch, and brought in when it 'started to get cold'. We were told at the time we adopted them, about 2 weeks ago. The gentleman also told us they were 9 weeks old... which makes no sense to us. The only way that would be possible is if he had brought them in when they had just been born (he had them from about December to mid-March). He told us when they had been brought in they were weaned enough to eat solid foods. We're estimating their current age at about 5 or 6 months old, each.
He also told us that the little female 'shadow' was spayed, and that the little male 'mr. tony' wasn't fixed yet. We do have paperwork showing that shadow was in fact spayed, but we've got nothing for 'mr tony'.
We're trying to figure out if these two can be tamed at all. Shadow will hiss and spit at you no matter what you do, and mr. tony has developed a habit

a horrible habit of 'marking' our clean clothing. :(
We're currently debating on whether or not we should return them to their previous owner. We've read that they 'bond' to one human, usually the one who started the 'taming' process, and that they should NEVER be adopted into homes with small children. Well, they were adopted into our home, with our 2 year old.
We've got them seperated into thier own, private room, but they will NOT act nicely to us. They don't scratch or bite when we try to pet them, but they pretty obviously don't appreciate the attention.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

We've gotten them both to the point that they'll PURR when we pet them, but they don't want ANYTHING to do with us.

Answer 1

Feral cats or kittens are never easy to start out with. For that matter, no baby animal is easy to start with. The first thing that you need to do is to get the animals to a vet, and make sure that they are throughly checked over. Make sure that you get both kittens tested for Feline Leukemia. Get your cats vaccinated!! It is healthier for you, your child, and the cats in the long run. The vet will be able to tell you if the male has been fixed. Next, schedule a neutering for the male as quickly as possible. Kittens can be neutered as soon as six weeks. This will help with some of the marking problems that you are experiencing. (Know that females can mark territory as well)

When you get home, have a kennel set up for the cats...yes, this is odd, but you can actually kennel train cats (make sure it is large enough for both cats to lay down without touching each other). Place their litter pan (a covered pan allows one to sleep on top of it, adding layers to the kennel) in the back of the kennel (i advise using clay litter and not the clumping kind for the first year, my males tended to spray more if the litter pan was dirty and clumping litter holds the ammonia scent). Make sure that every evening you put fresh food and water in the kennel, and put the cats in it. You can keep the kennel outside at night, so long as you make sure it is high enough so that the skunks won't find your cats (skunks love the taste of cat), and the weather is warm enough (or cool enough if you live in a hot climate). The idea of the kennel is to let the cats know that it is specifically THEIR territory, and does not belong to any other creature in the household. Also a kennel is helpful if you have a house-guest coming over who is allergic to cats (never leave any animal confined in a cage for more then 6-8hrs at a time!)

Our cats actually run to the kennel every evening at sunset. They know they are safe, it is warm, and there is food inside for them.

Are the cats going to be indoor or outdoor animals? If they are going to be indoor animals, make sure that they cannot kick the screens out of your windows (my aunt, who just recently adopted 2 stray kittens has learned that kittens will pop a screen and proceed to jump if they have a chance to). As funny as it may sound, start harness training them. This will be of great help to you if you ever have to travel with your pets. Start them out with collars, WITH BELLS ON (the bells will help you know there is a cat in the room when it is dark, and will save a bird if they get out).

If they are going to become outdoor cats, DO NOT let them out of the house for at least 2 months. Then start leaving them out at night in the kennel. When you think they are ready to look at you as main food provider, and will come back, then you can let them out (but I strongly would NOT recommend this since they have a history of being feral).

Lastly...my opinion on all of this. You adopted these animals. I have to assume that you knew that they were wild in some form or fashion. They are kittens and are scared. Keep your child away from them, until they learn what role they have in your household. Kittens are TRAINABLE!! However, persistence is the key. One of the things you might want to look into is declawing them. There are many arguments for and against the procedure, so look into both sides carefully before you make any decision. Also, if things continue to be bad, contact your local animal shelter and see if they can recommend any animal behaviorist. Perhaps they will see something that you, in the household, are not seeing, since you are there everyday. Sometimes it takes another set of eyes from outside to show you what is going on inside!!

Below are some links that have further information...hope some of this was useful and good luck!!

Answer 2

Just a warning, this is going to be a HUGE answer.

Well, it's not impossible, you just have to become a part of their family. First off, get Mr. Tony neutered ASAP, that's already a problem, and shows his age is more than 6 months old right there. It should help with his behavior problems, but not solve them. I have two insane cats of my own, not feral, but I'd think maybe they were if I didn't adopt them at eight weeks old with my own two hands. I don't know much about truly feral cats, but I know my cat, Apollo, is seriously a pain in the butt. He hisses at anybody that isn't me or my sister, so whenever family or my landlady visits, he hisses, swats, spits.

Because you have a young child, you need to really watch them when they're eventually let out. If they ever pose any harm to your baby, you need to take them to a no-kill shelter immediately. Your baby should've been your priority all along. Hopefully, it won't be a problem.

Make time for the cats every day, pet them where they like it, when they disobey, yell. Yell loudly. Squirt them with a squirt bottle. Show dominance and kindness. You can show dominance by staring them down and even pushing them away sometimes. This is one reason a child in the home could be a problem, they may want to show dominance to him. It's all a part of feline society, and it's natural, so I'm not sure this is the best situation for you, your baby, or the cats.

BUY NAIL TRIMMERS AND LEARN HOW TO USE THEM. It's going to take two people, strength, stamina, and some bleeding (not the cats) to get this done, but it must, it'll help save your skin later on and your furniture.

Make sure they have toys and a scratching post! If they have the post, they just may leave your furniture alone anyway.

Make sure they have their shots, and if you ever feel inclined, you too. If you have the money and the will, you could try taking them to a pet psychologist. I can't vouch for them, but it might be worth a try if you're attatched to them.

Answer 3

Once I had a wild cat stay in my garage a whole winter before he one day allowed me to touch him...after that day he was the friendliest cat I have ever known.
So it may take a while.