Rescued Siamese: Feral or Scared Pet?

In May 2008 I was finally able to drop trap a gorgeous flame point Siamese neutered male cat who had been running loose in my New Orleans neighborhood since Hurricane Katrina. I brought him back to my house in Mobile after exhausting all possibilities of finding an owner. While he was loose in NO I fed him at my feeding station there. He was curious though apprehensive about me, and I thought he was probably a lost pet (although eartipped which a number of pet cats are in NO). In the two and a half years he ran loose he always seemed to seek the companionship of another cat. First, he ran with another Siamese. When that cat disappeared he bonded with a little feral cat born after Katina.

I assumed the cat was shy because of trauma. After bringing him home to Mobile I kept him in a separate part of the house from my three domesticated cats. I tried working with him by cornering him and petting him. He never would approach me, I always had to catch him. Yet once caught he would allow me to clip his claws and even clean his ears with a Q-tip. Since I couldn't seem to make more progress with him and I felt sorry that he had no companionship, I trapped the little feral and brought her home about 2 months after him. Since doing this he has regressed somewhat to being more apprehensive. I guess this is to be expected. The feral has gotten over her initial terror but always is shyer than the Siamese. I feel I have reached a point where I don't know what to do next with these cats. I am simply maintaining them. I could I guess release them and keep them as outdoor cats but I have neighbors who despise pets and I fear for their safety.

Can anyone explain what the problem is with the Siamese and how I should proceed with him. He seems to exhibit characteristics of both a feral cat and a pet cat. I have never seen a cat like this. Also how can I tame the little feral cat?

Originally Posted by catseeker

In May 2008 I was finally able to drop trap a gorgeous flame point Siamese neutered male cat who had been running loose in my New Orleans neighborhood since Hurricane Katrina. I brought him back to my house in Mobile after exhausting all possibilities of finding an owner. While he was loose in NO I fed him at my feeding station there. He was curious though apprehensive about me, and I thought he was probably a lost pet (although eartipped which a number of pet cats are in NO). In the two and a half years he ran loose he always seemed to seek the companionship of another cat. First, he ran with another Siamese. When that cat disappeared he bonded with a little feral cat born after Katina.

I assumed the cat was shy because of trauma. After bringing him home to Mobile I kept him in a separate part of the house from my three domesticated cats. I tried working with him by cornering him and petting him. He never would approach me, I always had to catch him. Yet once caught he would allow me to clip his claws and even clean his ears with a Q-tip. Since I couldn't seem to make more progress with him and I felt sorry that he had no companionship, I trapped the little feral and brought her home about 2 months after him. Since doing this he has regressed somewhat to being more apprehensive. I guess this is to be expected. The feral has gotten over her initial terror but always is shyer than the Siamese. I feel I have reached a point where I don't know what to do next with these cats. I am simply maintaining them. I could I guess release them and keep them as outdoor cats but I have neighbors who despise pets and I fear for their safety.

Can anyone explain what the problem is with the Siamese and how I should proceed with him. He seems to exhibit characteristics of both a feral cat and a pet cat. I have never seen a cat like this. Also how can I tame the little feral cat?

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Sorry no one with feral experience has responded yet. I know little or nothing about working with them firsthand. But I do know that it takes time and you can't rush things with the cats. They will adjust on their own timetables. He may not remember his little friend or be able to put her into context in your home. It's possible he was a pet at one time and is suffering trauma and learned to live on his own.

Do you have your own cats? Are these new guys mingled with your cats? You can try isolating them in a room with hiding places... sit in there on the floor or the bed, use a computer, talk to them or read to them... let them approach you. Offer treats in your presence... give them things to lay on that have your smell...

I'm sure others with more feral exp. will be along to help.

I am by no means an expert, however, I have a rescued feral that has been in my home for 2 years now, and she still will not let me pick her up. It just takes a lot of time and patience. Actually, the last 2 months have really been the months of progress. It seems to me that if they are not destroying your home by scratching everything in sight or spraying everywhere, they must be happy.

Do they get along with your resident cats? I kept mine separate for months just until she got used to living inside. Then I made slow introductions, now she is moving around with everyone else.

Just to tell you, I think it is awesome how you rescued him and then got him a friend. He's a lucky guy. It sounds like in time everything will work out.

I am currently fostering a flame point Siamese/orange tabby. He is a great cat! Good luck!

I don't have much experience with ferals, but I'll give my opinion. Right now, I have two 5-month-old kittens, and progress with them has been slow though they are quite young, and we had been feeding them before we were able to catch them. We've had them over a month, and they are just now getting to where they don't hide when we enter the bathroom (where they're living). I would imagine that it would take much longer for an adult to become accustomed to life indoors since he was outdoors for 2.5 years (like 7 times longer than my kittens were outdoors!). I think you're going about everything the right way, and your siamese may never really become an affectionate type. Probably the best thing you can do is be patient, spend time in his room, etc. The same goes for the younger feral. I think it'll just take time and lots of patience.

You have still them separated from your own residents?

Why? Some time quarantene is wise, but now you know if they are OK and healthy. Or??

It is often easier to have help from own home cats. Especielly if they are friendly.
These newcomers dont seem to be territorial, so you shouldnt have bigger issues with letting them mix and be pals: Shy semiferales are usually submissive to the residents.

Fostering two shy pals together is often more difficult then fostering them one at a time. Or one shy and one non-shy.

Easiest if you foster a shy having help by an "ambassador". Usually a cat but sometimes a friendly dog is good to.
Even if they only look at you interacting with your cats is some help. For example if you by some reason cant mix them, so you can use a grid, a lattice in the door. Or use a big dog-cage.
So I recommend you mix them, or at least, your newcomers can look at you interacting with your residents.

Your strategy of cornering him and forcily petting is recommended by some fosters, it is thrue.
But most fosterers recommend another strategy: be near them, do your things, but dont force yourself on them. Let them come to you....
- Look at some threads, you will see many good suggestions. LDG among others has often lenghy and very good advices and descriptions. Real manuals are they!

Also the use of a Feliway diffuser cant harm but may be very helpful.


I hope you will have some help from my words.

Good luck, and thx a lot for helping these fellows!

Okay my 2 cents! First, I had a feral born outdoors kitten at 4 months flame Siamese - he tamed to be completely NON feral. That boy was so good he went to Siamese rescue and got a terrific furever home!!

Now, I had another kitten in the house at the time, Dewey. Dewey more or less showed him to be not afraid and they romped and played together. Dewey was COMPLETELY social having been handled from birth and not being shy at all. It sure rubbed off on TiTi.

My over all experience of orange male cats in general is they ROCK. Sweet Mellow boys every last one!

I think you are seeing that with this boy.

I have currenly in keeping a rescue from the shelter (was to be PTS'd and I took him). He had been an outdoor feral and was trapped and dumped by neighbors at the shelter. The caretaker could not take him indoors, and they were flat desperate. I took him, and began to work with him. He became QUITE tame. I can pick him up, pet him call him in, and in general do all the things I would with a tame cat. He purrs a storm for me when I pet him.
He sometimes solicits pets, even.... He is no longer afraid of my hand coming at his head. This has taken me 8 to 9 months to accomplish.

First he was in isolation, then kept in a big room with baby gate and
view of the house, then after 3 months released to the house, then to the outdoors. He met and became friends with my kitties, and is now
a member of the house.

Is he a "tame" cat? No, he is not completely trusting, but compared to where he was?? He is tame. Certainly there are people with kittens that are hand reared that are less friendly and tame than he is!! He is a gentle mellow boy, whom I think of as Darwin, even though I named him Frodo Pi!

I think you will find this boy will slowly become tamer, but he does need to free roam the house, once you establish introductions to the other cats.
This can be done with the babygate method slowly over a few months.
Ditto for the little feral. Eventually both will be happy in your home, with your cats, and will allow YOU to pet. Someday they may even get on your
bed!!

So, you are doing terrific and this cat has made HUGE strides. Perhaps he once was a pet, but has been so traumatized he needs to slowly learn trust. It could take him a few years.

In working with him, you can slowly accustom him to being held and petted with short sessions using treats (food or catnip) and do them often... gradually increasing time petted etc. Also as he watches OTHER cats get
attention he may "learn" that it is okay and to be desired... play with him too... playing helps build bonds of attachment. Even if its as simple as pulling a string for him to chase...

Good luck and please know you are fantastic for saving this VERY VERY LUCKY cat. I am SURE he will give you his whole trust one day...

catseeker said:

In May 2008 I was finally able to drop trap a gorgeous flame point Siamese neutered male cat who had been running loose in my New Orleans neighborhood since Hurricane Katrina. I brought him back to my house in Mobile after exhausting all possibilities of finding an owner. While he was loose in NO I fed him at my feeding station there. He was curious though apprehensive about me, and I thought he was probably a lost pet (although eartipped which a number of pet cats are in NO). In the two and a half years he ran loose he always seemed to seek the companionship of another cat. First, he ran with another Siamese. When that cat disappeared he bonded with a little feral cat born after Katina.

I assumed the cat was shy because of trauma. After bringing him home to Mobile I kept him in a separate part of the house from my three domesticated cats. I tried working with him by cornering him and petting him. He never would approach me, I always had to catch him. Yet once caught he would allow me to clip his claws and even clean his ears with a Q-tip. Since I couldn't seem to make more progress with him and I felt sorry that he had no companionship, I trapped the little feral and brought her home about 2 months after him. Since doing this he has regressed somewhat to being more apprehensive. I guess this is to be expected. The feral has gotten over her initial terror but always is shyer than the Siamese. I feel I have reached a point where I don't know what to do next with these cats. I am simply maintaining them. I could I guess release them and keep them as outdoor cats but I have neighbors who despise pets and I fear for their safety.

Can anyone explain what the problem is with the Siamese and how I should proceed with him. He seems to exhibit characteristics of both a feral cat and a pet cat. I have never seen a cat like this. Also how can I tame the little feral cat?

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I recently adopted twin flames and I had to isolate them from the rest of my cat community. As I isolated them we did training. From hand association, to play time, to food alert and hold time. We are currently working on leaving the bedroom door open so the community can greet them slowly so far only one of the cats from the community has passed our kittens test and they allow him in. The rest seem to hiss and puff up but creep in every now and again. One thing I know of cats is u can't force them. You have to take your time and have patience.