I was given a Farrel cat to care for after being spayed and surgery on his broken jaw. How do I dare to tame this wild cat? He is fearful everytime I get near him. Should I just let him go after he is healed and has been in a new place for five weeks? Will he stay around or try to leave his new home?
2007-10-30 06:35:00 · 11 answers · asked by Priscilla B 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
Get a spray bottle from the dollar store. fill it with water. Spray that sucker with water everytime it's bad. That's learn it.
2007-10-30 06:39:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 9⤋
Get a $20 bottle of Bach Rescue Remedy from a health food store. You shake the bottle well and put three or four drops on a small cloth or a cotton ball and put it near him. Refresh those drops every hour the first day, then maybe taper off to five or six times a day for a few days. Continue to use it. If the cat calms down a little you can put the drops directly on the fur between his ears if you can.
The cat has been through a lot of trauma and it may take quite a while for him to develop trust with humans. The RR will help him to get back into a better emotional balance, relieve pain and anxiety. It is utterly benign and will not interfere with any veterinary medicine he may be getting.
There is another technique from Linda Tellington-Jones' T-touch which is simple to do and I would be happy to describe that to you if you want to email me.
I am glad you are taking care of this unfortunate fellow and wish you success in working with him and aiding in his recovery.
2007-10-30 06:49:36 · answer #2 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm confused ... female cats are "spayed," male cats are "neutered." Because you keep referring to the cat as a male, I will, too.
Feral cats are very skittish, and usually for very good reasons! This one has not only been caught and neutered, it has had a broken jaw ... both very traumatic events. Please let him get to know you at his own pace. He will probably spend a great deal of time in hiding, and avoiding you. This should be expected!
Make sure he always has a clean, accessible litter box, and fresh water and dry food easily available. If you like, give him canned food as a treat, and he may come near you while you put out the food. If so, talk to him in a normal voice, but don't approach him. If he comes close, don't try to touch him. Eventually, he may come close enough to bump your hand while you are spooning out the food. If that doesn't startle him, you can let your hand linger there a little, If he gets spooked, gently back off. Once he is comfortable letting you touch his head while putting out the food, you can try touching him gently on the back. With luck, eventually, he will let you stroke him while he is eating.
When he is not eating, let him alone. Talk to him from across the room. Let him approach you. This might occur when you are sitting. Cats often feel threatened by people who are standing or moving, because it is generally from these positions that people chase, kick, and otherwise torment animals. When the cat is convinced that you are not a threat, he may come near you and sit or lie down. Talk to him, but don't go nearer to him. With luck, he'll work his way closer to you with time.
This process may take weeks, months, maybe even years. Some feral cats never become comfortable enough to become fully tamed ... being petted, sitting on laps, snuggling, etc.
If you are looking for a lap cat, you may be in for a big disappointment! Feral cats CAN adapt to living indoors, and it is MUCH better for them. But don't expect them to take to you anytime soon! If a quick-and-easy, cuddly cat is what you want, turn this cat in to a no-kill shelter, and adopt a discarded pet cat from a local shelter. Please don't just dump this cat back outside and hope for the best.
If you are going to try to tame a feral cat, you must be VERY patient and loving. If you get frustrated, DON'T take it out on the cat. It is not the cat's fault! They have had very rough lives, and some of them can never get over what has happened to them. The ones who DO tame down can be some of the best ever ... it's as though they remember how bad they had it and that you are the one who saved them, and they are VERY grateful and loving.
2007-10-30 07:19:28 · answer #3 · answered by baeb47 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ferals come around at their own pace and schedule. I've had 7 year olds take 2 weeks. I've had 2 year olds take 5 years. I once brought in a feral 10-12 week old kitten that NEVER became tame.
Don't get discouraged. You can keep the cat as an outdoor pet but you will likely have no interaction with him.
If you bring him indoors make sure he has plenty of acceptable things to scratch. Ferals don't understand furniture is off limits. Let him hide wherever he wants. Make a routine- come to feed him, scoop litter, and talk to him at the same time every day. Try to lure him out of hiding with tempting treats- liver, bacon, a bit of seafood - and use an interactive toy such as a laser pointer to try to get him to play with you.
If you are gentle and persisitent, he may come around. It is up to him to learn to trust people again. Once ferals 'break' they are amazing cats. They never want you out of their sight.
I have 4 formerly feral cats. Thank you for saving this cat's life and for giving him a chance.
2007-10-30 06:53:36 · answer #4 · answered by howldine 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's 'feral'.
Keep him indoors. He adjusts to you if he sees you doing the same behavior all the time. Don't approach him, that means danger to a cat who's had to stay alive outdoors. Talk to him a lot. Set food down and back away from it. He can learn to be a lap cat, but he first has to trust you and this takes time. He's spent his entire previous life learning to stay away from humans, he can't turn around in a week or two.
If you talk to him quietly, and don' t try to grab or hold him, he'll trust you. They have to learn that you're ok before they can change their behavior. It can be done.
2007-10-30 13:25:59 · answer #5 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its possible, but a lot of it depends on how old the cat was when you got it.
if its been a ferral cat and is an adult now, it will be borderline impossible.
Just start by being overly-calm and feeding him/her. Possibly try some catnip very periodically if the vet says its ok.
It will take a lot of time and patience, and the cat will most likely never be friendly with visitors or guests until they become very familiar with him/her.
2007-10-30 06:46:37 · answer #6 · answered by Phil M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
She will have a very short life if you let her go.
Feed her, don't make any sudden moves, and eventually she will let you touch her. Make small advances as she is comfortable with them.
Feral cats are very hard to tame, and will never be like a house cat domesticated from birth. But, you can make her life comfortable and she will eventually be a good companion for you.
2007-10-30 06:39:58 · answer #7 · answered by Susan S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you already have the cat in your home all you can do is do your best to let him know that you're not going to hurt him. he may eventually learn to trust you in time but that's not always the case. if the cat is older, he may never trust you and you may always have to be watching over him to make sure he doesn't get outside. should that happen, you likely will never see him again. with patience and gentleness you may be able to tame him but you have to be prepared for the possibility that you may never be able to tame him and he may never trust you or anyone else.
2007-10-30 07:13:19 · answer #8 · answered by craving_jinx 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you want to keep him, it will require patience and time...try to confine him to one area of the house, like bathroom bedroom, a small cage...and let him get used to your sounds, smells, actions....it will take time, but it can happen....if you are not taking him in, than perhaps try cat's cradle or something...I know people who do trap and fix and let them loose again...however, one way or another they do get picked up by the shelter and take them in. And they do not know if a female had been fixed so they would have to open her up again...some vets do cut one ear to acknowledge the cat had been fixed...but to ordinary people it could have been in a fight...good luck....I hope he will calm down, it is a whole new world to him right now, and I am sure he is sore as well...
2007-10-30 06:42:58 · answer #9 · answered by h_carlin 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You cannot train cats. They are always a little feral. He was most likely abused. Just set aside food, water, and a couple toys for him, and leave him alone. If he wants attention of love, he'll come to you.
2007-11-03 06:24:38 · answer #10 · answered by candykyss 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe the term is "feral". A feral cat is essentially a wild animal. While it may resemble a pet in appearance, it has probably had little contact with humans during it's life. It is unlikely that such a cat will make a good pet.
2007-10-30 06:45:16 · answer #11 · answered by Greg H 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋