Rescued Feral Momma - need advise

She is terrified.  We keep her alone in a bedroom.  She still hisses and slaps us if we get near her.  Is she this defensive because she's pregnant?  She eats good.  She had hook worms but we have treated her for that.  We also have three other cats in the family.  None have met her yet.

Well, I think we'd need a little bit more background. Is she truly feral, or stray? Have you been feeding her? Any idea how much human interaction she's had? Any idea how old she is? How far along in the pregnancy is she?

Because if all she's doing is hissing and slapping you, and she's not ripping the place apart to get out, you're already ahead of the game. :lol3: I always like to just give them their space, and give them time to adjust... :heart3: :rub:

How sweet of you to help this kitty!

LDG said:

Because if all she's doing is hissing and slapping you, and she's not ripping the place apart to get out, you're already ahead of the game. :lol3:

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:lol3:
everything you said is exactly what i was thinking. i know with the first one that i socialized if i opened the cage w/o her being in her "den", well lets just say that if i had done that i doubt i would be able to make this post as i probably wouldn't have any hands, or at least any fingers.


edit to add - here is a somewhat comprehensive "how to" - http://muttcats.com/articles/taming_ferals.htm

Have you tried hanging around her without trying to interact with her?  As in, just sitting in the room minding your own business (take your laptop or a book in there) and just let her get used to you.  Straight-on interaction can be a bit much for a cat like that, but leaving her completely isolated doesn't give her much of a chance to adjust to anyone's presence.  

Whaler said:

edit to add - here is a somewhat comprehensive "how to" - http://muttcats.com/articles/taming_ferals.htm

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Interesting. Always like to see new articles on the subject. Here's one I wrote: http://www.catnipchronicles.com/may2012/laurie.htm

your article is very good, i like how you stress "on their terms". imo that is the key to socializing a feral cat.

i feel that some of the things involved with socializing a feral just can not be put in words (or pictures/videos), which is what makes it such a challenge. assuming that you have invested the time to "learn" about that specific cat you really do need to go with your gut in some respects.

Bella is approximately 9 months old according to the vet. She had been hanging around my work for about 3 months and I fed her there. She would never come up to me, but she would come running when I called her. I decided to trap her when I realized she was pregnant. The vet thinks she's due in about mid-January.

We go into the room where she is several times a day and just talk nice to her. We lay on the floor, not always looking at her (her bed is under the bed in the room), and we just talk softly to her. I sat on the floor yesterday and read the paper, without looking at her or anything, just occasionally talking to her. Today I feel we made major progress. I was cleaning her box and sweeping around and noticed that she came out from under the bed and watched me.

it sounds like you are making great progress in developing trust. read through the article linked above to get lots of helpful tips. keep at it and be patient, you may have a setback or two but imo those actually help the cat develop trust in the long run.

trust me, it is worth every second you spend doing it. you are doing a great thing, thanks for caring.

Whaler said:

it sounds like you are making great progress in developing trust. read through the article linked above to get lots of helpful tips. keep at it and be patient, you may have a setback or two but imo those actually help the cat develop trust in the long run.
trust me, it is worth every second you spend doing it. you are doing a great thing, thanks for caring.

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It's clear you've got the main ingredients in place - patience and love! :heart2: When she gets closer to her due date, she may become very friendly. Pregnant ferals often become much more accepting of .... their new relationship with their caregiver when they're about to become a mom, and when they have the kittens.

What to do once she has the kittens you'll just have to play by ear. It's best to handle and interact with them as soon as possible - if she'll let you.

Great News!!!  We had New Year's Babies!!!  She had four kittens and they all look great.  We still can't touch her but she seems content to just let us watch her nurse the babies.

Congratulations! And WHAT an adorable picture! :heart2:

congratulations! that is a good looking little family right there.

What a luck you took in her when you took her, and not a week later...  It will make everything easier.

Good luck to you and your new little family of protegées!

Adorable-ness! I think it's so great of you to give her a warm and loving place to raise her babies 

Yay for the happy ending!!!! 

SandyS said:

We still can't touch her but she seems content to just let us watch her nurse the babies.

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You know surely it is good to weigh the babies every day?

1. Knowing their actual weigh, and the actual changes

2. It is also a way of handling them, and using them to feel the human hands.

My question and point is, it is quite common semiferale moms, whom themselves are not or barely touchable, do allow their human caretaker to touch the babies.

(in some ways it is easier to handle a feral mom with kittens, than a ferale female without kittens).

The trick is, to have the weigh scale before the nest, so she sees it. You shall be respectful to her.

Have some cloth on the scale, so it is warm and comfortable to the kitten.

You take the kitten, carefully but quickly, and weigh, quickly. The whole procedure so the mom is near and can see there is no harm with her kitten, and dont need to worry.  Done in perhaps half a minute.

The mom will prob not react if the baby isnt crying or protesting.  That is why you must have warm hands, and a nice cloth on the scale....

Try if it is possible.  My guess it is.

Good luck!

.

wow!  how wonderful for you to take her in and when you did,  perfect timing!  i think you are making great progress.  it does take time and patience but it is so worth it.  what are your plans for momma and her kittens?

what a lovely story, well done you for taking her in!

we took a stray/possibly feral cat in a few years back and she went from being very timid to being very affectionate in no time at all. all we did was just as otehr have said, spend a little time with her, and let her do all the work basically.

we found her a new home as she didnt get on with my original cat (i only had one then) and she is a very pampered puss now and doing very well. i would do it again in an instant if the need arrises.

keep up the good work!
 

We will definitely keep the mom.  We also will keep one kitten and try to find good homes for the rest.  We will be very picky on who gets them.  We want to give them only to people we know so we can keep track, and we will make sure everyone knows if it doesn't work out, we will take it back.  My son and his wife want the calico kitten, and of course, that's the one I had an eye on!  He can have it because I'll still always be able to see her (her name is Lola :-) ).  Hopefully I'll find good homes for everyone, if not, they will always have a good home with me. 

On top of all this, an old female dog appeared at our house.  She's very loving and I'm sure someone is missing her.  We are trying to find her family now.

You guys are wonderful