Need advice

queenmeow

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About a week or so ago I heard commotion outside and saw 2 kitties trying to get in my trash. I put out some food for them and later it was gone. So I keep putting food and treats out for them but they will not come near it if I'm out there. Any tips on how to warm them up? Most of the other neighborhood cats will come right up to me no problem but these 2 won't
 

princess purr

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it took awhile with my kittens and snowwhite. what I did was put some yummy can food down. they I would walk away and stand very very quite and they would eat. I would try to take baby steps closer and closer. It took a long time but it was well worth it. Now when i go outside ashton and lilly run up to me
 

hissy

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It is very hard to get feral cats to warm up to you quickly. If they are simply strays (people's pets at one time who were pushed outside) it is a bit easier, but true ferals have an immediate distrust of strangers. Your best bet is to have a routine schedule that you keep in regards to feeding. Try to feed at least 3 times a day, at regular times. Pick one spot to feed them in, go to that spot everytime, and do something to get their attention right before you put the food down. Rattle the box of friskies (I keep an unopened box with me at all times for this reason) It is the common chow call, but I feed out of larger bins full of a mixture of other foods (all dry) Call to them (softly) even if you can't see them, use a certain word or phrase they get used to. Doing this, establishes in their eyes that you can be trusted. If they come out- and eventually they will, don't make eye contact with them, look above or beyond them and just keep talking to them.

And thank you for doing this, so many do not, leaving some feral cats to die an agonizing death of starvation or become such nuisances that people destroy them. They simply just want to survive.
 

princess purr

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I don't know why more people dont' care for kitties. It would be wonderful if more people did. Our one neighbor puts food out too. I think we have a whole true feral coloney behind the chicken coop. Everyone once in awhile I see a HUGE orange tabby or another white cat or two. but they won't let me get close to them. I wonder how many are out there!!
 
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queenmeow

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Thanks for the advice! We live in a very rural are so people tend to drop off animals all the time. Most just continue to multiply and scavage for food, some are picked up by animal control
. I put out food for the ones that will come up to eat (although they sometimes have to argue with an occasional raccoon for the meal)lol If I manage to get them friendly, I find them a home, if not, at least they get fed. Most of them are sweet and a lot of my neighbors put out food as well, so its getting easier to befriend the animals with more human contact.
 

lotsocats

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I think QueenMeow and Princess Purr will find a great deal of helpful information at the Alley Cat Allies web page http://www.alleycat.org

There you will learn about how to care for feral colonies as well as how wonderfully Trap/Neuter/and Release (TNR) programs work. As you get to know those of us who frequent the Ferals Forum here at The Cat Site, you will find that we are all very strong (and vocal) advocates for TNR programs, so we can help you get a TNR program going in your barn or chicken coop.

Anyway....welcome aboard and let us help you keep your ferals as healthy and happy as they can be!
 

ldg

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Queen Meow - Hi! You've already gotten great advice, I just wanted to thank you so much for caring for these unwanted ones!!!

There are so many out there that need just a little help.

If you WANT help or advice on trapping them or resources for spay/neuter programs, please feel free .... that's what we're here for.

Thank you for being a kitty angel!

 

princess purr

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thanks for the link
i'll have to do some reading. I want to do what is best for my little guys out there. I know the older cats more then likly won't want to be inside, but I would love to give some of the kittens a chance at inside life if they want it. I'm just so scared about them being outside because our neighbors dog was shot with a gun a few weeks ago. luckly our neightbor has lots of $$$$ and got the dog the best vet care and he is recovering. The doggie is a HUGE lab, if the person would have shot a cat it wouldn't have made it.... Dh says if he ever finds out who did it...well ya know.
 

gurlpower

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With feral kitties, it is tough....

i think those that display plenty of animosity might have experienced human abuse.. thus, no matter what you do, they just would not come up to you...

i feed 7 kitties outside my backyard, and along the way, i see different kitties come and go as well... i think they jump from backyard to backyard... or only God knows how some people react to them.. i just hope and pray that people would NOT be cruel to them or hit them...

Last September, i "fought" with a neighbor's teenage daughter when she kept throwing a basketball at Browny (one of the feral kitties i was feeding at that time) when she jumped onto one of their tall trees.

i was really furious, and when i went over to give her a lecture, she claimed that Browny was scaring her pet mice. That was bogus, as i did not see any mice. i told her to be kind to animals, etc, etc. i really went over to give her a piece of my mind!

Her mom and uncle just stayed quietly in the kitchen while i rattled on and on. i guess they were shocked and surprised, as i am normally pretty quiet and subdued in this neighborhood. That is one thing that can really tick me off -- people being cruel to animals.

Back to your case, i would just put out fresh water and yummy foods.. it is just one of the ways to tell them "i care for you."

What about throwing them some small furry toys? Also, setting a bed under a shelter might be workable. i did that, and i see Cindy and Adonis sleeping there almost everyday. Also, i spot my Gabriela sleeping in her favorite spot in the backyard as well.

i change the sheets/soft towels that they sleep on once a week, and straighten them out whenever needed... these kitties can be playful you know?

Thanks for being an angel and for feeding them!



Cheers!


 
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