The wild indoor cat

Tasha got out again a few days ago (like 4 or 5 now). We're really not sure how this time, it's possible hubby's friend let her out by accident - but that's not really important.

The biggest thing is that she just isn't coming back in. I've been feeding her outside and she comes when I call but she just won't come any closer then 5' to me. She even followed me about 15' across our lawn last night but just wouldn't come close enough.

Last time I was able to creep up on her in the barn, but I've tried & tried & tried and this time she's just not letting me anywhere near her. She does have shelter outside (it's actually QUITE warm between the hay bales), she's staying WELL away from the road & is even running away from our dogs (whom she loves). So for the immediate future I'm not overly worried about her safety enough to live-trap her. I REALLY think doing that would cause irreparable damage to her psyche.

So suggestions for winning over an essentially feral cat? Just keep feeding & hope she remembers who I am? .

Keeping in mind she is (1) COMPLETELY terrified of my husband so he can't do anything (2) I am 34 weeks pregnant and can't be sitting outside in the cold for hours. Not that I haven't been doing that in 10-15 minutes bursts .

I've never tamed a fully wild cat before, I don't really know what to do with her. I just put food out, she's sitting under the car because she was waiting for me to leave to come eat. I'd like to be out there sitting beside the food but she's SO hungry I think right now it's more important that she eat.

We're not going anywhere in the foreseeable future so I'm hoping by leaving her out until she's ready to come it we might all move forward in our relationship together. I do miss her terribly thought I just wish she understood how much we love her & don't want to scare or hurt her.

You may want to PM GingersMom for tips on slowly socializing while a kitty remains indoor/outdoor. We've always trapped them and brought them inside. We confine them to one room while socializing.

Here are three relevent threads (two for the same kitty), demonstrating the two very different approaches:

Starting the slow transition to indoors
Sissy is back outside

And

Trapping for a second time? She's inside by page 2.

Thank you very much LDG I've got some reading to do! .

We're lucky that Tasha is vaccinated & spayed, plus is already well aquainted with our cats & dogs (and son!) so those things aren't a real concern. However, she's not even coming up to the door where I put her food, only eating the kibbles I threw on top the step (so 3-4' away from the door) .


*sigh*

I just read Tasha's bio to help me understand her a little better. I see you don't really know her background, just that she was under socialized when you adopted her at 2 months old. Some feral born cats only bond with a single care giver, which could explain why she is scared of your husband.

I would suspect that if she's been inside your home for over a year, that she is now very scared to be outside, and would not act her normal self there. I suggest that you feed her as any feral caregiver would do for their colony - feed her at the same time every day at the same spot. Spend as much time as you can (I understand you are pregnant and it's cold up there right now), even if it's just talking to her. If she calms down about being outside, she should respond to you again.

I enticed an 18 month old feral into my house very slowly, and even though he goes outside at times, 4 years later he spends most of the time inside, particularly in the winter.

There is hope, it just seems to me that Tasha needs extra patience.

Originally Posted by Momofmany

Some feral born cats only bond with a single care giver, which could explain why she is scared of your husband

Click to expand...

Actually she's bonded with both me & our toddler . She LOVES him & usually sleeps in his room. Thankfully he's bonded with peaches & oscar allot now so he hasn't noticed Tasha as much as last time when he spent days looking around the house for her .

Poor hubby, she was supposed to be his cat & he tries SO hard with her but she is so scared of him she used to poo every time she saw him. About a month ago she was at the point where she'd hop on our bed if she thought he was sleeping & even let him pet her a few times!!! but it's always been two steps forward, 1 3/4s back with Tasha.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...ighlight=Tasha

This thread is from the last time she got out . She's in the barn beside our house again, at least, this time I know where she is!!

You're assumptions are completely correct though - she doesn't even look like herself right now. Her ears some how look bigger, her coat is all scraggly (it's been raining) and she just generally looks terrified . My poor baby girl.

I wish it wasn't getting so cold outside, but that is certainly going to work in OUR favour, if not hers (in terms of getting her in again).

Perhaps, when we get her back, it's time for her to become indoor/outdoor like Miss Kitty so this won't happen again (theoretically, at least in my mind, if she gets used to the coming in & out she won't be bolting then hiding). I just wish we didn't live so close to the road! It's going to be at least 2 years before we move to a new house .

Phew 6 Days out in the freezing cold (okay it's mostly been around 0 but rainy) and she finally decided to come back in at dinner tonight. She came running out of the barn when I called her for supper and even almost let hubby let her in before she decided against that. So I could tell she really wanted in. We opened all the doors so she could see (the dogs were good and just staid on the couch watching her, they get BIG hugs tonight!) and she ran straight in & down to the basement.

Actually now she's in the dining room meowing at me like nothing happened!! CATS!!!! Lets hope she's decided not to do this again for a little while...

She actually looks in very good condition for having been outside almost a week! Much better then last time, I'm going to have to smother her in some good lovin' though and get her a little more fattened up! (although Tasha really doesn't EVER get fat)