What is the best way to tame a wild cat(Siamese)?

Question

I caught a stray Siamese cat at my job yesterday and now have IT in a 36/36 wire cage on my back porch...any tips on how to tame it?

Answer 1

oh god.

Answer 2

What you have is either a stray or feral cat. If it's an adult feral, you probably won't be able to tame it--feral means that it's been in the wild all its life. Cats have to learn to trust humans while they're young if they're to trust them as adults; and this one might not have.

However, it could just be acting wild because it is a scared stray. In this case, the best thing to do is just feed it, change its litter box, and speak softly to it when you are there. If it is a stray, and has known humans, it will begin to warm up to you because it sees you as a source of food and understands you mean it no harm.

A feral cat is best off neutered and released back into its home environment. There are many programs which give discounts on neutering for ferals; my local Humane Society will do a male feral for $15 and a female for $25. The reason you neuter it is so that it doesn't increase the feral population (obviously) but also so that its hormones don't drive it to fight--one of the major reasons a feral cat often dies early.

Other options are neutering it and relocating it to a barn sanctuary. That doesn't just mean dropping it off at a friend's farm, though; it means confining it at the barn for a few weeks while it is fed there; then confining it inside the barn for another few weeks. Cats are very territory-based and feel horribly out of sorts if forced to move--the cat needs to be shown that this is its new food source and thus its new home.

In the worst case, you can keep the cat inside your house as a house feral. That means, for the most part, having a cat that you don't see, ever, except for the emptying food bowl and filling litter box. But a feral cat can learn to live inside, even if it never trusts humans. Such cats usually have to be trapped when it's time for the vet!

Answer 3

Patience and food. Most strays/ferals will respond to food and quiet slow motions, anythng non threatening.

If the cat is at ease with you sitting 5 feet away, great. If it's only at ease with you 10 feet away you'll have a while to get it's trust.

They like routine, if you do the same things all the time then they start to trust you.

If you can pet it without it panicking, then bring it indoors. Many strays want hands off for a while, till they know you're reliable and not going to hurt them. They've learned the hard way that humans are 'bad' most of the time. But even the hard ones can come around with patience.

Don't grab.

Don't try to physically restrain the cat with your hands.

Don't push yourself into their personal space if they're giving you a cautious eyeing.

Answer 4

I took in two stray cats that were living in my woods behind us. They must have been around people at one time since they eventually let me get near them, though it took awhile. They had never been in a home since they were petrified of every sound and could not figure out what a tv was. IT is a slow process....take it to the vet right away and check for dieseases. Then put in one room where you can go in and feed it and play with it when it allows you to. Giving it food everyday and water and just talking to it and being there it will eventually come to you. It may take more than two weeks. It took mine about a month for one a week for the other. They have been inside for 2 months and don't cry anymore to go out and let me pet them. I just think one of them needs a little more time before I introduce them to my other two cats. They have the run of half the house so they seem happy.

Answer 5

Take it to the vets to be checked for and disease and any injuries that you might not be able to see. Then you just got to take it slow. Slow movement, low voice, and a lot of patience. My Orange Kitty (OK) was feral for 3 yrs. We caught him after he got hit by a car. After a 2 1/2 hrs surgery on his face, 30 + stitches later, gettin neutered, shot, test and a flea dip.. he did not like being in a cage. Luckly, he was on pain pills, but after 28 days of being caged, (so he could heal) we let him out. It took him over a month before he came out of the basement, and then another before we could pet him. Just give him/her time and make sure he/she has a "safe" place to go to when he/she feels threatened. OK has been with us 1 yr and he is a healthy, fat and very loving cat.

Answer 6

Hi Phil, I like My Bird a little wild but some taming too go with the little wild.. That is perfect for Me My Dear Friend. Your Friend, poppy1

Answer 7

First, take it to a vet to be checked out for any diseases and to see if it was someone's pet that was microchipped. After that, just lots of patience and love. No sudden movements around the cat, and it can only eat when you provide it food. Make sure you stay around when it is eating.

Answer 8

If it is an adult cat and it is wild (feral) you probably can't. Most cats need to be socialized to humans in the first 8-12 weeks of life.

Answer 9

Siamese cats are not wild. Get the cat neutered or spayed and the cat would be nice.

Answer 10

Will the vet tranquilize him in order to examine, vaccinate him? Do you know if they will give me a tranqulizer to get it in the carrier & to the vet?